Sister Ashley Ann Swenson: Rome Again, Rome Again, Jiggity Jig

Well looks like I am staying in Rome, however a move is still required because I am being transferred from Rome one to Rome two. In fact it is kind of a weird transfer, but then again I am finding that every transfer throws me for a loop, but my new companion and I are being blown in…sort of. Blown in meaning that both of us are coming from other areas to be in Rome 2, but not really blown in because my new companion (Sorella Marangoni) was in Rome 2 for one transfer a while back. In fact you might recognize the name of my new companion from the transfer before when I was with her and Sorella Tramacchi for a few days in Rome 2. It is so strange moving from Rome one to Rome two because I don’t really feel like I am leaving, yet I know there are people who I probably won’t see again from this area. I think I talked a little bit about Sorella Maragoni in an other email, she is from Milan Italy but she speaks English fluently. She only has a transfer and ½ left (they send people home in the middle of the transfer so they can be home for Christmas and also because December transfers, this year, fall on New Years Eve so it is probably crazy to arrange travel and flight plans) so I am guessing I will be killing another companion. We’ll see.

Ok so aside from transfer news what else do I have to tell you… Oh yeah conference was pretty much amazing! I really really enjoyed it and I even watched half a session in Italian and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I understood pretty much everything. I remember when I first got my mission call I went on LDS. Org and tried listening to old sessions of conference in Italian so I could get a feel for the language I would be learning and after only a few minutes I remember thinking “what have I gotten myself into?!” but now one year later I am happy to say that the gift of tongues is real! I really learned a lot from all the talks and felt that there was a theme of Love, patience and consistency, and pure testimony. I saw the two Saturday sessions and the Sunday morning session, but unfortunately the 10 to midnight showing of the Sunday evening session doesn’t jive with the missionary schedule. All the Italian Translations of general conference happen in our church building in Rome, and the Member who does most the translating told me that Elder Holland gave an awesome talk in the Sunday evening session. This member, frotello Dinni Ciaci, decided he wanted to learn English when he was young so when he was 13 he bought a satellite dish and started watching American cartoons and news. He joined the church when he was 18 and served a mission in Greece. He has an awesome story, like most the Italian saints do and it really is such a testimony to me that the lord prepares people for this gospel.

So last Wednesday after email our district went and did a tour of Rome. I had already seen most of the stuff with my companion Sorella Barbiere, but it was still fun to just be out in the heart of Rome, and to eat amazing gelato! While we were out and about we ran into some Member tourists. It is fun to see people get so excited to see us for a change. It is also so wonderful to see how far and wide this gospel is spreading.

Well all, I am out of time. I have about a million things to do, including packing (yuck!) before this day is over so I gotta run. I absolutely love being a missionary. This gospel is amazing and we are truly blessed to be led by a living prophet.

Vi voglio bene!!!