Week 78: Cara Italia

Well Italy, you never stop amazing me. 

This week has been absolutely amazing; we taught a Guatemalan woman and her two friends, we taught three women from Sicily, we sat through institute with Flavia, and she got her temple recommend. I could go on and on, but then again, how do sum up a missionary week in just a couple of paragraphs? How do you sum up a mission in just a couple paragraphs? I want to be able to bottle up my experiences and give them to each of you so that you could understand and feel what it's been like to be here for 18 months. But I think the best way to sum it up is in the blessings I've seen from my mission service:

1. I've learned to love Italian people and Italian culture: from being stuffed to the point of explosion because of pasta to having my ear talked off because they just can't help themselves, the Italian people have gained my heart. 

2. I've learned to accept and enjoy changes: in myself, in my situation, and in others around me. Moving to five different cities and having ten different companions, I've seen how change keeps us growing and changing.

3. I've learned how to both lead and follow. 

4. I have a greater testimony that the Lord will open our minds and give us clarity when we pray for it. We can better understand the scriptures, situations, and the decisions we need to make. 

5. I've learned to rely less on technology. I've learned to ride on a metro or a bus or in a car without my nose buried in my phone, trying to keep up with the latest Instagram update. 

6. I've found out how to habe greater patience with myself, with my circumstances, and with others. 

7. I have a greater appreciate for my family. For my hard-working and humorous father, my diligent and caring mother, my goofy brothers, and my cute sisters. I know that families are a divine pattern that exists here and in the life after this one. I know that they are eternal.

8. I've learned that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is a true account about real people who lived in the ancient Americas and their prophecies of Christ. It was translated by Joseph Smith through divine help and it stands as a witness that Jesus is the Christ.

9. I now know with a certainty that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. Just as He called apostles, teachers, evangelists, and ministers in His days, so are there now. Just as He called prophets like Adam, Abraham, Jacob, and Jonah, so has He called one now. And just as He taught that it is through faith, repentance, baptism, recieving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end is the only way to make our way back to Him, so is it taught today. 

10. I now know, without any doubt that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that when I fall short, He will make up the difference. I know that when the load seems too heavy, He can and will take it all upon His shoulders. I know that He knows my struggles, my trials, my fears, my imperfections, my shortcomings, my difficulties. He knows them in the same way that I know them, with an added eternal perspective. I know that He loves me, and every individual who has ever lived and who ever will live, with a love that is beyond our comprehension. Only a love of an incomprehensible magnitude could move someone to pay freely for every mistake we could make in this life. 

I know He lives. I know that He loves us. 

And I know that it doesn't take going across the world for us to learn any of those things. 

But, I'm grateful for the time that Heavenly Father has given me to share those things with people across the world. Serving a mission has absolutely, undoubtedly changed me. 

So, Italy, mi mancherai. Grazie di tutto. 

Con amore,

Sorella Maxfield

Week 77: Festival of Religions

Every year my family participates in the Festival of Trees for Christmas. Whether Grammy Barb is working the information stand or we're the only 40 people keeping the cinnamon roll guy in business, it's always a fun way to get to know our community a little bit better. (and to eat some real good cinnamon roll with 0 guilt.) Heavenly Father probably knew that I was pretty bummed about missing it two years in a row, so He just sent a Festival of Religions to Rome! We had our own booth set up with a big model of the temple and a bunch of copies of the Book of Mormon. (no cinnamon rolls though...) It was a great way to make ourselves a bit more publically known in Rome and interact with some people from other faiths. We invited a bunch of people to the Visitors Center and got invited to participate in another religions festival at a local college! (Also just like the Festival of Trees there was some free entertainment including; a chinese christian group that worships through dance, the hindu man who led us all in meditation, and a woman who read from her book "The Myths and Magic of Plants")

Besides our participation in the Festival of Religions, things at the Visitors Center are going great and we're just starting to understand our role a little bit better. I never thought that I would be the witness to so many people being touched by the spirit in one confined space. But really, as people walk on to the temple grounds, they feel something different. There's a peace and a stillness that comes from being in such close vicinity to the Lord's house. We've met people from all over the world with all sorts of different religious backgrounds. This week we spoke with a couple from Georgia. He was Catholic, she was a member of the Church, but they both talked about how they found common ground in Christ. I know that that's what draws people to the temple. It's a place where people feel closer to Christ and where they can find a common ground. 

I hope you all had the chance to watch Conference this weekend. I absolutely loved that talks that were given! My personal favorite was the one given by Tad R. Callistar. I encourage you to go read it! As good as it is, that's not what I want to write my spiritual thought on. Instead, I wanted to talk about my testimony of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. His Gospel. While we were building up for Conference, there were so many rumors going around the mission about what the next big policy change would be; Missions shortened to a year? Dress Standards changed to jeans and a T-shirt? One hour church?? It was all anyone could talk about. I thought a lot about how important it is that we have our testimonies rooted in what's most important: Jesus Christ. We can't have root in the social atmosphere of the church, though it is something that we can enjoy. We can't have root in a certain policy or tradition because ultimately, that's not what's important. 

What's important is Jesus Christ. Faith in Him is important. Repentence through Him is important. Baptism in His name is important. Receiving the Holy Ghost through His authority is important. Enduring to the end with Him is important. When we keep our focus on Him, we will be less worried about what minor policy change or disruption to our tradition may come. We can instead focus on our personal relationship with Him and on our personal journey to exhaltation. 

I know that our Savior lives. I love Him with all my heart. 

Buona Settimana a tutti!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 76: Ciao Aprile

The Easter season is officially upon us and let me just say that Italians have taken the whole ''Easter Egg'' thing to another level. Their idea of an Easter egg is the flimsy little plastic shell that you find some m&ms in. Their Easter eggs are made completely from chocolate and range in size from 6 inches tall to 3 feet. I might be leaving Italy in a chocolate coma by the end of this transfer, but I'm pretty sure it will all be worth it.

We had zone conference this past week which meant that 1) we planned and studied and planned and studied for the training the zone leadership would give, 2) we consumed many said Easter eggs in the process of planning, and 3) we got together with all the Zone for a big finding activity. Sorella Waddell and I were assigned to go referral finding (which is something I've only ever been able to do in Rome. Thank you, Open House). We went to stop by a referral that they had yet to find at home, and yet again, she wasn't at home. But, we wrote her a note and left it in her mailbox. As we were leaving the apartment complex, another woman was walking in. We told her the name of the person we were looking for and asked if she knew when she would be home, and to our surprise she said ''Well she just walked in, so I guess I'm home now.'' Heavenly Father ALWAYS provides a way. Every single time. We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and told her how much joy we had found in reading it. It was a huge testimony to me that Heavenly Father can truly guide us and put us in the places that we need to be in.

Zone Conference was very spiritually uplifting. There's something about being in a room with a whole bunch of 18-21 year-olds for six hours, where the primary focus is on helping others come unto Christ. It's such unique atmosphere. The training that we gave was primarily focused on aligning our will with the will of God. I learned so much in preparing for this training. My favorite quote that we shared comes from Lorenzo Snow “When things come up that require an exertion on our part, we should bring our wills into subjection to the will of the Father, and feel to say, what is the will of our Father, whom we are here in the world to serve? Then every act that we perform will be a success. We may not see its success today or tomorrow, nevertheless it will result in success” I know that this is true. When we align our wills, our desires, and our goals with those of our Father in Heaven we will be successful. Period. Punto. Basta. He knows what is best for us and we can access those blessings if we have the faith to follow His plan. I'm so grateful for the power of personal revelation, the commandments, and living prophets because through these sources I can better align my will with His. I can bring myself closer to Him. I hope you all take the opportunity to watch general conference this weekend, because I know that those men are called of God. I've listened to their teachings and prayed about them. I heard them and met them during the Temple Dedication and Open House. I have a firm testimony that they are the Apostles of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that we get the chance to hear from them this weekend.

I love you all!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 75: Sunny and 75*, except on P-day

Yep, we got rained out from our hike this pday, but luckily it's the only day in the past week and a half that it's been cold and rainy. Spring is finally here!

While working at the visitors center this week, I realized just how weird people think that our religion is. The following is a list of questions we've gotten asked and their respective responses:

"Are Mormons very serious?" (Please, you should come participate in one of our family home evenings. It's anything but serious.)

"Why do Mormons wear black?" (Well, it is the most slimming color...)

"What does a typical Mormon day look like?" (You know we're not aliens right?)

"Another name for your church is The Church of the House of the Lord, right?" (Wrong.)

It took me ten minutes to help a man understand that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a religion, not a private community. 

Outside of trying to show to people that we're normal, we actually get to spend a lot of time teaching. Yesterday a middle aged couple walked into the visitors center and asked us to give them a little tour around and explain more about who we are. I think the best way to describe them is "artsy". They didn't fit what most people might think of as a typical Christian. But we took them to the model of the temple and talked to them about what we do inside temples. They loved hearing about eternal families! We continued walking through the center towards the rotonda with the statue of Christ and the 12 apostles. They stopped the second the crossed into the room and the woman started getting ready. "There's something very very special in this room." We bore testimony of the Savior and of His infinite love for us. We told them that they could got a closer to Him by reading the Book of Mormon and praying about its teachings. They gladly accepted and asked if the missionaries would stop by to tell them more about it. So we got their address and successfully sent off our first referral!

We also saw the first wedding at the Rome temple! It was so beautiful. We were all peering through the windows trying to get a better look. While Sorella Decker and I were trying to sneak around the door to poke our heads out for a second, we got stopped by a British man asking us for some information about the center. As we got talking he told us his conversion story; 

He was a 15 year old hooligan who was stealing cars, motorcycles, and money, and swearing so much that he didn't talk for his first three weeks in church because he was afraid he of offending people. He had absolutely 0 interest in religion. Meanwhile, two elders were having very little success, to the point where they went to a members house asking her for any advice she could offer about new places to go tracting.  She told them that the night before she had had a dream about an apartment complex near her neighborhood. The elders went over and faithfully knocked every door, but they only left a single Book of Mormom. It just so happened to be with this boys father. He took it and left it on the table in the front room. Everytime this boy walked by the table, he picked up the book, read a couple verses, decided it was garbage, and put it back down. One day he picked it up and couldn't stop reading. A few weeks later, the missionaries came back to do a follow up and he made the decision to be baptized.
He later went on the be bishop 3 times, and stake president. Each of his children went on missions and he sent huge groups of youth out on missions while he was a bishop and stake president. After years, he finally got in contact with the missionary who baptized him and found out that this missionary had only baptized one person during his whole two years. So this man sat down and counted all the people who had been brought to the church because of his own baptism: himself, his kids, the people they found on their missions, the people those converts found on their missions, the people that the missionaries he sent off on their missions had found, etc etc. The total as somewhere around 1200! So he made it into a family tree and sent it as a present to the missionary who changed his life. 

I understand this story might have a bit more meaning as a missionary than it might for those who haven't served a mission, but to me the message is this: by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. Our small daily acts that to us maybe seem insignificant can become great. Heavenly Father can magnify our simple efforts in whatever it is we may be doing. So when we feel as though we're never doing enough or that what we do will never be great in God's eyes or anyone's for that matter, remember that even our smallest efforts are recognized. Our small acts, or seemingly small acts, can bring to pass great things!!

I love you all so much!!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 74: Il Tempio

This week (and frankly, the past three transfers) can be described in one word: Temple. So if that theme sparks your interest, please keep reading. If not, please keep reading anyway.

Temple Referrals:
Since the temple open house, we've been spending a lot of our time tracking down referrals who asked to learn more about the church. This week, we actually had one track us down for an appointment! So we showed up to her house, and as we start to pray before going in, her neighbor comes out and says "No one's home" . . . Um sir. We literally have an appointment here right now. "Yeah, no one lives there" So in spite of him I ring the doorbell anyway. Sure enough, out comes the referral. I was already feeling pretty happy, so you can imagine that I almost jumped for joy when she called to this neighbor and said "Antonio, go grab your mother. Tell her that the mormons are here to teach her and I about their religion" His face turned about as red as Sorella Dwomoh's ragu. Turns out this woman had invited two of her other friends over to hear from us, and so we were able to teach them all about the restoration!

Temple Training
The other part of our time this week was dedicated to specialized temple training. To be totally honest, I was expecting things along the lines of "Ok sisters. This is how to properly apply blush". Instead, we were trained on how to use the center to meet the needs of people who come in and give them a spiritual experience. We did role plays in every part of the center to better learn how we could turn it into a missionary tool. So it's all the same concepts of finding, but with a lot more resources. Then on top of that, we learned how to online teach. What could that mean, you ask? Well it means that we, along with the other visitor center sisters, are in charge of anyone who comes on mormon.org to either 1) chat, 2) request a bible, or 3) request a book of mormon. They come in every 2-4 minutes, and our job is to answer their questions, teach them, and hopefully get a return appointment for the local missionaries. Or if they're not about that, we continue teaching them online via skype or facebook until they're ready. I felt like a grandma trying to learn how to use a computer again, but thankfully all the newer sisters are helping us out. More updates to come.

Temple Dedication
Finally, the dedication of the temple was the highlight of the week. Last sunday we watched all three sessions of the broadcast, and then President made a special announcement to the missionaries in and around Rome: There would be space in the Tuesday sessions for each of us to have a seat IN THE TEMPLE  to watch the dedication. So Tuesday evening at 7, we were able to participate in the final dedication session of the temple. It was unforgetable for so many reasons.
1. Because we were seated all together as missionaries in the sealing room in a dedicated temple. I don't think that will ever happen again. It was such a special feeling, sitting there with my companion and the other sisters who I've grown to love so much.
2. After waiting in the sealing room for 30 minutes, we were all asked to stand as President Oaks, President Eyring, Elder Gong, and Elder Andersen all walked in and waved to us! They didn't stay for long, but it was enough time for me to feel the spirit and authority that they had as apostles of the Lord. They each gave beautiful talks that made me so grateful that we have 12 apostles on the earth today.
3. At the end of the dedication as we were exiting out of the sealing room, I turned the corner and saw Flavia, the girl who was just baptized two weeks ago, standing in the temple. I completely lost it. I definitely understand missionary work better than I did 17 months ago, but in that moment I gained a better understanding that I had had before.
That's why we're doing what we're doing! So that people who have no faith and no idea what joys repentance and forgiveness can bring, are able to enter into the temple and make promises with Heavenly Father. So they can be with their families forever. Seeing Flavia in the temple, after all the work that we had done with her, filled my heart with more love and gratitude than I can express. So I want to invite everyone to make extra time this week to go to the temple. It's such a special place and I know that we can feel a familiar peace there. I'm so grateful for temples and all the blessings that they bring us!!

I love you all !

Sorella Maxfield 

Week 73: Rome Italy Temple Dedication

For those who don't live in Utah and who perhaps don't follow the church news on Instagram; The Rome Temple was dedicated yesterday! That's definitely the most important part of this email, but here are some of the events that led up to that moment this week.

Tuesday/Wednesday : Lot's of packing for Sorella Allen who left me to serve in the beautiful coastal city of Ladispoli. We ate our last gelato together and finished up the transfer strong.

Thursday : I got my new greenie! (After driving luggage to different apartments for 6 hours... S/O to Sorella Decker for trusting me enough to be in charge of the directions. I only took us through the restricted roads 4 times) Anyway, this greenie is the third in a row for me, and I really think President is trying to 1) make sure I keep the fire burning until the end and 2) ensure that I sleep for the entirety of my first month home. My new companion's name is Sorella Deschine, and surprise surprise, she's graduated from OLYMPUS HIGH SCHOOL. Yes, I'm training a fellow titan. In our first hour together, I was trying to figure out if I'd ever met her at anything before, so I asked her what she was involved in in high school. She said sports. And that's exactly why we never met. I'm excited for this next transfer with her though. She has been called as a visitor's center sister for the temple, and likewise, my call has also been switched. Therefore, I'm officially Visitor's Center Sorella Maxfield. This week I'll start a "Visitor's Center Sister 101" course for 6 hours every day and then we'll officially start... wish me luck. My make up/hair routine is about a fourth of the time of most of these sisters, and their "small toiletry bags" are the size of my third suitcase.

Friday : Mission Leadership Conference. Basically we just got to skype all the mission leaders and talk about how we can improve. They made me bear my final testimony as a leader and I almost threw up.

Saturday & Sunday : These were the best days of the week. By far. Perhaps some of the best days of my mission. We first were able to listen to a broadcast for the youth in Italy. We heard from Elder De Feo, Sister De Feo, Elder Ballard (Our current AP is his grandson and he was able to do the translation for the talk. It was the most adorable thing ever) Sorella Nelson, and President Nelson. Here are some of his teachings:
Things President Nelson wants us to know
1. Know the truth and stand for it, even if the truth is not politically popular
2. Know and see yourself as the creator sees you.
3. You will be accountable for your deeds and for your desires
4. Know your true identity. Even when your bodies change and age, KNOW YOUR SPIRIT.
5. Know your purpose. Educate your minds, never stop learning, and apply your knowledge to the blessing of other people.
Things President Nelson wants us to do
1. Prepare for marriage. Prepare to be a wife. Prepare to be a mother.
2. Prepare and pursue your education. Education is a religious responsibility. "The glory of God is intelligence"
3. Feast on the words of the Lord. Don't let a day go by without reading the word of the Lord. If your read the scriptures daily, you will have a spiritual life insurance. Pray over all our affairs. Pray even when it's not formal. "Counsel with the Lord in all they doings and He will direct thee for good"
4. Pay your tithing. It is a way of teaching you to be honest. Make sure your future husband knows how to pay tithing.
5. Honor your parents. Learn from them. Learn from our grandparents."As you treat your parents, you will be treated by your children in the future"

Then on Sunday we were able to attend all three sessions of the dedication of the Rome Temple. I don't want to make this into a novel with all the details, but I want to tell you this: I felt a difference when President Nelson said the words "We dedicate this building as a temple of the Lord". I felt a literal difference. I felt it in the chapel that I was in. I felt it in the streets. I felt it at home. There was something completely different. I know that the temple is truly the house of the Lord, and that now the Italians finally have one of their own. I know that we are here on this earth to participate in the ordinances of the Temple in order to become more like our Heavenly Father. I'm beyond grateful that we were able to watch those sessions of the dedication. I'm so grateful for the chance I've had to serve here at this time. I know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. Please pray to Him and express your gratitude for all that He's given you!

"We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."
I truly believe in that same organization. I know that we have a prophet who is the Lord's mouthpiece, and I know that we have 12 apostles here to guide the church.

I love you all!!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 72: These were times never to be forgotten

Here's the story. So I've been working with this cute 18 year old girl since I've been here in Rome. She was introduced to the church by her boyfriend and has been taking the lessons for a little over a year now. When I got here, we talked about the idea of baptism, and she was a little hesitant. As we continued teaching her, she began expressing more interest until finally she accepted a baptismal date. However, because of crazy scehduling problems on our part and on hers, we weren't able to go through with the first date. This past sunday she came to church. We ran up to her and started talking and she said "So I'm here to talk to the bishop about getting baptized this Thursday." and just like that, five minutes later, she was doing her interview with our district leader and inviting people to come. I was already feeling pretty stressed about throwing everything together for thursday, so you can imagine how much stress we felt when she told us that she needed to move the baptism to Tuesday. We threw everything together and somehow everything went smoothly. 

The coolest part was hearing her testimony at the end. She is an incredibly shy person. It took several lessons before she would open up to me about her feelings and her beliefs. But after she was baptized, she got up to the pulpit and bore the most beautiful testimony. I was so happy to see how much progress she had made from the first time I met her. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly changes people. It brings a light into people that changes their whole being!

The final miracle to conclude the week was that after her baptism, this cute, amazing, girl got a temporary recommend to the temple and she will be attending the temple dedication!! I was so full of gratitude and amazment when we found that out. This is the first time in my mission that I will be able to see someone I taught go from learning, to choosing to be baptized, to being in temple. 

I love this gospel so much, and I'm so grateful for the way that it can change us. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that this is His gospel. 

I love you all!!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 71: Referralssssssss

I feel like I've been on a week-long scavenger hunt for referrals. We dedicated nearly all our time this week to contact or tracking down the people who requested to learn more about the church. At the beginning of the week we bought a map (yes mom, a real paper map. Just like you used back in the olden days) and marked down the address of each referral. Then we planned out our routes for each day and tried to track down as many as we could. There were some address mishaps, and a couple didn't answer, but we found several new people who are genuinely interested in learning about the church. 

We concluded the week with the last day of the temple open house. Because of the large number of people who visited (over 50,000) and left comments (3,000), they were granted permission to open the temple to the public for one more day. And my goodness, were the italian members proud of that. It's apparently a very rare exception that an open house gets extended, and when the Italians realized that they were getting an extra day (and that the Paris temple wasn't given the same permission...) it was almost as good as winning the world cup. It was a very inspired decision though seeing as we got almost as many referrals on Saturday with 1,800 visitors as we did on our best day of the normal open house (8,000 visitors).

Throughout this week, one thing that I've been thinking about a lot this week is Heavenly Father's individual plan of salvation for each one of us. We talk a lot about His plan in a very general sense; We lived with Him before this life, we came here to get a body and learn and repent, we'll one day be able to live with Him and our families again. While that's all true and applicable to each of us, it goes much deeper. Elder Massimo De Feo told us in October that we all have our own, individual "Plan of Salvation" and that each plan is different. We face unique challenges that are customized to fit our personal growth needs. And the trials we face allow us to further rely on the Savior and the power of His Atonement. I know that we have a loving Father in heaven who allows us to face our own individual difficulties in order to grow and become more like Him. I'm so grateful for the knowledge that He watches over us in every moment of our lives and that He gives us endless opportunities to grow and, more importantly, to turn back to Him. 

I love you all!

Week 70: It's Glorious

After 16 months of listening to Glorious and The Prayer sung by American's almost Idol, David Archuleta, I finally got to see man behind the music. Yep, David Archuleta came to the Rome Italy Temple Open House and I was in the Visitor's Center when he came in. Did we talk? No. Did I creepily walk run to the other side of one room so I could catch him leaving? Absolutely. I kept having flash backs to 4th grade when me and my friends wrote him love letters for Post Office week.

The coolest miracle of this week was when Sorella Allen and I were going out, trying to contact some of our temple refferals. (I've gotten more refferals this week than I've gotten my whole mission. 12. We got 12 in one week.) So we're walking up a street pretty close to our house, searching for a number 63 with no success.
Before continuing, let me jump back like two months. Sorella Brooks and I were on the hunt for a less active family one sunday morning. We looked all over for their name and we couldn't find anything. So we started heading back to church. On our way back, we both stopped at the same time and both felt impressed to ring at least a couple doorbells before going on. We turned around, and there was on citofono that stuck out to me, so we walked over to it. We didn't have much time, so we rang the first four names. None of them had time, but they at least let us introduce ourselves before saying "Buona Domenica." We talked to one woman as she exited the palazzo but she wasn't interested so we left her with our card and went to church.
Flash back to me and Sorella Allen: We're walking along the same street where Sorella Brooks and I found ourselves 2 months ago. We weren't having any luck finding the name. At the end of the street, I felt impressed to go back to the same Citofono that Sorella Brooks and I had rung months earlier, even though it was not the house number we were looking for. We went up to the citofono, and the fourth name from the top, the LAST one that Sorella Brooks and I had rung was Emilia Iezzi. The temple refferal that we were looking for. We rang and she told us to come back on Saturday night.

This experience was such a testimony builder for me. Heavenly Father is so aware of even our smallest efforts, and He truly does guide His children. But more than that, everything must be done in His timing. His plans for each child are bettert than any plan we could design. I'm so grateful for the knowledget that there is a God who guides us, who knows us, and who loves us. I love this gospel and I absolutely love the time I have been given to share it.

I love you all!!
Sorella Maxfield

Week 69: The Day in the Life of a Visitor's Center Missionary

For those who either 1) never read the church news or 2) never read my emails, I wanted to make you aware that the Rome Temple Open house is in full swing and I have never been more tired in my life. But at the same time, I've never been more happy about being tired. For the past six days we were working at the open house from 8 am to 9.30 pm. We had 24 sisters staying at the Mission Villa, so it was pretty much like girls camp on steroids.

Everday we would wake up, pack six girls to a bathroom to get ready, eat breakfast, and head out the door. Then it was 13 hours of teaching. I tried keeping count of how many questions I got on the first day and I lost track after an hour. It was unlike any experience I've had in my mission. There were people coming up to me and asking me things! They wanted to know about the church, and they wanted to know why they felt the way they did inside the temple. After we did all we could to answer questions and invite people to meet with us again, we'd pack up, eat a late dinner, go to bed, rinse and repeat.

The number of miracles I saw while being in the visitor's center are countless, so rather than bore you with all of them, I'll share my favorite three:

Cristina and Livia: I had just finished explaining to a man why we do baptisms for the dead, and as he walked away a cute mom and her 15 year old daughter walked right up to me and say "Hi". I couldn't tell if I'd already met them or not, so I just said "Hi". Cue the awkward silence. I understood that I'd never seen them before and maybe I looked lonely or something so they decided to just make some friendly conversation. (I'm really not used to people randomly trying to start a conversation with me. Typically, I'm on the other end of things.) But I asked them how they were doing and how the visit went, and five minutes later, I'd taught them the restoration, exchanged numbers, and they asked if they could take me and my companion out to lunch some time this next week. The whole encounter lasted maybe eight minutes, and I just stood there afterward trying to figure out what had just happened.

Four moms for Four daughters: A typical encounter in the visitors center usually one missionary talking with one or two people, and that's what I thought I was getting into when I asked a middle aged woman how her visit in the temple had gone. As she started asking me a couple questions, she somehow telepathically summoned all of her friends in the visitors center. Her daughter showed up, then another mom, another daughter, until I was literally surrounded by four moms and four daughters. They were asking me questions at a machine gun rate. "Why do you do baptisms for dead people?" "Do you have four moms?" "So, are you a nun?" It was like playing whack-a-mole. Then finally, one daughter asked me where our church came from, and I was able to teach and bear testimony of the restoration. With the calming spirit there, they starting asking more profound questions about Christ and our church, until at the end one daughter asked me how she could become a member of our church. I showed them all how to fill out a comment card requesting more information. I gained a greater testimony of what a huge impact the spirit can have on situations. Their hearts became more open to understanding more, rather than just knowing more.

Finnish Faith: Our last day working at the temple, and we were wrapping things up in the visitors center and starting to send sisters back to the villa. At 9.00, a woman and her daughters walk into the center in tears. They asked us if we spoke english and then told us that they were from Finland and had been walking for two and half hours trying to find the temple and it was their only day in Rome to take a tour. So Sorella Decker and I told them to stay put while we found someone. We were running around the whole site like crazy people until we ran into President. He made a few calls, and even though the temple doors were already locked, we found someone who would be able to get them in. When we went back to tell them, the mom started crying even harder. As I helped her with her shoe covers, I asked her how they felt when they saw the temple finally. She said, "We felt like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness and finally getting to the promised land. But I knew we had to make it to the temple. When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I heard the announcement for the Rome temple, and I promised that I would take my children there when it was finished so they could have the temple as their goal. Since then, life has been up and down. My husband has left the church, and it's pretty much just me and my daughters. But through everything, I never lost sight of the promise I made to take my daughters here. Our life has been very far from perfect. But I hope that I have at least taught my girls the importance of the temple."

I could go on for 15 more paragraphs about more miracles and more lessons that I've learned, but I just want to conclude with my testimony: The temple is literally the house of the Lord. The blessings that we recieve inside temples gives us unimaginable happiness and eternal joy. Families can be eternal and they are intended to be eternal. Through obedience to the commandments and by making all the necessary sacrifices to follow Christ, we can be sealed for time and all eternity. And the one who makes it all possible is our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lived, suffered, and died for us. And I know that He lives still. I'm beyond grateful for the time I've had to work in the temple and the countless opportunities I've had to share my testimony of Him and point people to His path. I want to invite each of you to do the same this week.

I love you all!!

Sorella Maxfield

  

Week 68: Italia sta fiorendo

I started out this transfer by unpacking my freshly packed suitcases into the exact same closet, bathroom, and bedroom from which I had just previously gathered everything. Why? Because the APs called me, just as I was about to take my suitcases across Rome into a new apartment, to say that I would actually being staying in the same place and could just settle back in to where I was. They said all that packing was "good practice." In my personal opinion, it was Heavenly Father showing me how much cleaner the house would be if I picked my clothes up off the ground and cleaned my desk more often. (Sorry mom, I swear I'm becoming more of an adult. Piano piano ok?)

On Thursday I dropped of my cute trainee and my best friend, Sorella Brooks so she could go help the people in Taranto. I cried. She cried. It was sad. Then I picked up my new companion, Sorella Allen. I would describe her as the youngest sister from Despicable Me, except blonde. Some of my favorite quotes from her this week are:

"I had a nightmare last night. The most popular girl is school tried to feed me a poisoned grilled cheese sandwich and so I prayed that heavenly father would bless it to nourish and strengthen my body"

"I wear highlighter because it makes me feel like a unicorn"

"One time I had a pet caterpillar and I got so excited when it made a cocoon and then it turned out to be a moth. Now I hate caterpillars"

Sorella Allen is fun, smiley, and very spiritually profound. I'm really excited to be working with her for these next transfers!!

The most exciting moment of this week was having a lesson with a cute 17 year old we're teaching, Flavia. We've been teaching her since I got here to Rome and she is so incredible. This last Friday, Sorella Allen and I made her a calendar to prepare her for baptism. Sorella Brooks and I had already invited her to be baptized twice before, and each time she said she didn't feel  ready yet. We went into the lesson and we read and talked about Mosiah 18. Even with her broken Italian, Sorella Allen promised Flavia that she would see blessings from following the example of our Savior, and even though her family doesn't support her, that her example would one day help them. We invited her to be baptized on the 16th of February. She looked at our calendar for a second and said "So my birthday is on the 11th... and I might be having a birthday party on the 16th... So is there anyway we could move it earlier?" We all freaked out. I've never seen Flavia happier or more relaxed. She was glowing. I can't wait to continue helping her and learning from her. 

This week I read the last chapters of the Book of Mormon again and then restarted! After I finished, I thought a lot about it's role as another testament of Jesus Christ. I thought about the prophecies about Him. I thought about all we learn about His life, His death, and His resurrection. And I thought of all we learn about His Atonement. This book is truly a testament of Him. I know that for myself. I invite you guys to read it and try for yourself. 

"4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I love you all!!

Sorella Maxfield

Week 67: #nunsquad

We just finished our second week of temple tours and they were just as amazing as the last week. One of my personal highlights was watching a group of the tiniest nuns go through the tour. I talked Sister Catarina and Sister Teresa and I felt pretty inculded when I got to introduce myself as Sister Maxfield. At the end we took our "Rome Sisters Squad Pic" 

Other than the nuns, we spent a lot of our time guiding people around the center, explaining things, and teaching. During one of these visits, I had the chance to teach the restoration to an incredible family. We were talking with them about the temple and how there visit went and towards the end of the conversation, on of the brothers asked how there could be so much negative publication about our church. He said he saw a light that each member there carried in their eyes and he couldn't understand why one, people would speak so negatively about our faith and two, what was different about us. I then explained to him the difference of our church. While I told about the restoration of the fullness of Christ's gospel right there in front of the Cristus statue, the twelve apostles, and the temple, there was a spirit stronger than I can describe! I felt again the truthfulness of what I was sharing and I could see that why were feeling something too. At the end of it all, they filled out an information card and requested that someone pass by to teach them about our church. 

I'm so grateful for the temple and the chance it's giving us here in Italy to explain who we are and what we believe. More importantly, to explain the plan of Heavenly Father, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the Restoration of His Gospel. I love what we read in the scriptures about knowing something or someone by their fruits. My testimony grows every day when I look at the fruits of what this gospel has brought to my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in Rome at this time. I know that this is His church. 

I love you all!

Sorella Maxfield 

P.s. Another 6 weeks have passed and for the first time since Battipaglia, I'm staying put for a third transfer. And I'm so excited about it. I love Rome 2 and the people we're working with and there are going to be great things coming!!

Week 66: Il Tempio di Roma

I have gained a lot of respect for visitor's center sisters this week. Those girls have stamina. It takes a lot of energy to be smiley, welcoming, cheerful, and answer gospel questions all day. 

As probably many of you have seen on social media, the Rome Temple is officially completed and ready to be shown to the public. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. I can't wait to watch the italians as they walk through it and finally learn about what it actually is. 

This past friday we had an all sisters conference in the temple chapel. Every sister from Sicily to Sassari met in Rome and it was the coolest reunion ever. I got to see lots of my old companions and all the sisters I've done exchanges with. It was like a big family reunion without any of the awkward 7th cousins you've never met before. On top of all the excitement, President asked me to play prelude on the brand new, never been touched, baby grand piano. After playing on electric pianos with only 85% of they keys working, it was amazing. We all just sat in the chapel for 30 minutes and listened to the music before our speaker arrived. 

After a run down of all the logistics, we took a tour of temple all together. Even though it isn't a dedicated temple yet, it was filled with peace. We walked through all the rooms, taking our time, and then all sat in the largest sealing room. President and Sorella PIckerd bore their testimonies about the importance of a temple sealing. Watching them hand in hand talk about their deep love for each other and for their Heavenly Father is not something that I will ever forget. 

The next morning we all got up bright and early for the contractors tour, only to sit at a bus stop for 30 minutes waiting for bus that wasn't passing. After a lot of prayers, phone calls, and more prayers, we were able to make it to the temple before the tours started and we all got into our places. Sorella Brooks and I manned the Visitors Center along with 6 other sisters, and like I said. It was exhausting. But in a good way. Here are some of the things that went on during the day:

1. I got the head architect of the temple a snack because his blood sugar was low and consequently got to talk to him and his family for a good amount of time. 

2. We got a full description of the stained glass mural presented by the artist and his team. 

3. A family from our english course went through and I got to bear my testimony on eternal families and explain the significance of the sealing room to them. The mom then told me that her son is terminally ill and the doctors told them this week that they didn't know what to try next to cure him. She cried and told me how great of a spirit she had felt while in the sealing room. We hope we get to meet with them this week to explain more.

4. A dad and his son were walking back from their soccer game (for those who don't know, the temple is right by a set of soccer fields) and they decided to just walk in with all the contractors. After watching the introductory video he went up to the sisters and said "I've been looking for God for years and I know that He is here. This is my address and phone number. We'll be back to our house at 7, and I want to meet with your missionaries at 7.30"

5. I learned that the reason our church became a recognized religion in Italy was because the assistant to the woman in charge of all that, had visited Temple Square. While he was there, two italian sisters took him around the square and showed him everything. He said that if our members were as eloquent, charitable, and spiritual as those two italian sisters in Temple Square, than to have that religion in Italy would be a blessing. After officially recognizing the religion, the assistant asked if Italy would one day have it's own center like the one he had visited... 

6. Elder Bednar came. And he shook our hands. and it was incredible. He came to look through the temple and visitor's center, and we were just there, trying to go about and do normal visitor's center things while he looked at the statues and art work. 

This temple here, and all temples every where, have such an amazing spirit. And I know that's because they are literally the house of God. I'm so excited for the people here in Italy. This temple is already bringing miracles and I know that it will continue to do so. 

I love you all!!

Sorella Maxfield