March 18

Hey Family,
It's been a great week. So I am in Milano 1 with the Great Sorella Booth. We were in the MTC together. She is totally awesome!!! She is so hiliarous!!! we are having so much fun togehter - but don't get me wrong we are doing work, missionary work. she reminds me so much of stephanie, and guess what? she has a brother named Kevin too!!!! Who knew!!! last night my companion ate a raw bird, we saw a dead pigeon on the ground, and she said why not. no just kidding, about the pigeon. she did eat a raw bird at a members house. it was really bloody. and it was quail. today we bought groceries, i spent 6 euro, i bought yogurt one bottle of water, frozen french fires and a box of juice.

So sorella booth and i are really great together. i am so excited and so happy that i can be a companion that is a ton of fun!!! well, becky asked me about school and i am not quite sure. my companion has convinced me to be a nanny in the east. i've thought about it all day and I think it is something that I really want to do. of cousre, i want to go to school, don't get me wrong, i really want to. but i really want to live life to its fullest and do some pretty amazing stuff in this world.

i am so happy that Anziano Clove is here!!! but he is on the other side fo the missino so i do not know when i will see him. but that is so cool that he is in Ravenna!!! I want to know who is training him. Maybe an Anziano from my group . who knows!!!

i am living in the smallest sister apartment in the mission and i love it!!! i ate like a horse this past week. i ate so much!!!

well, until next week

this has been Sorella DeVocht
reporting live from MILano 1

March 11--Half-way mark

Dear Family,
Well, today is March 11, 2009. This means that I have been on the mission for 9 months! That's half-way! It is so crazy!!! I am half way through and Anziano Clove comes in! I am so excited to see him. My companion will be glad that he is finally here because for the past 3 transfers, I have been telling Sorella Glass that he is coming here! But guess what? Soon, she is not going to be my companion anymore. Transfer Calls were last night. One call from your zone leaders makes a huge difference in the life of a missionary. 10:30, no call yet. We turned the lights out and talked so that we would not fall asleep. 11:00, phone rings, it's the zone leaders. Turns out that I am getting transferred...to....Milano 1. So I am moving to the other side of the city. My new companion is Sorella Booth, we were in the MTC together, she is one transfer ahead of me, she is 26 or 27, and we have been praying that we would be companions, and now we are!!! Also, we did scambi together last transfer, and that was just a preview for this next transfer. So, I served in Genova for 2 transfers, Milano, I'm going on my 4th, but Milano 2, 3 transfers, and who knows for how long in Milano 1. oh yeah, milano 1 has a like a real chapel building. like in the states. i am so excited about that.

after being in the mission for awhile, and with sorella glass for the past 3 transfers, yesterday was the first day we got seperated. she got on the metro and there was no space for me, so i hopped off and tried to get on at another door, but i missed it and so she went to teh next stop while i hanged out at piola and ate m&m's adn then she came and got me. it was kind of weird but not as bad as i thought it would be.

yesterday we ran for our lives to catch a bus that ended up going way past where we wanted to go. it would have been shorteer to jsut keep on walking instead of taking the bus.

0n sunday, we were getting ready to leave the house, when the doctor called my companion. they talked for an hour about her life so taht he can figure out why she has headaches everyday. we missed our appointment. it was funny because as he is asking her when she gets stressed and stuff like that, she is stressing out right now because we are missing our appointment!!! it was quite the oxymoron.

we were at an appointemnt the other day, and one of the little girls, who is 8, says, 'Io voglio che DeVocht vada via,' which means, I want DeVocht to go away. i just laughed and more when we got home.

yesterday we did some service for a sister in our ward. she is from utah and is starting school on thursday so we offered to help her claen her house. it was so mych fun. he r 2 kids, isaiah and mike, who are, 7 and 6 years old. it was a lot of fun. mike is the cutest kid on the planet. he is so crazy. i wish you guys could know him, he is awesome.
well, i am packing all my stuff to take it to the other side of the city. i really am happy to stay in milano. who knows, maybe i will do scambi with my old companion.

milano rocks!!! i am so happy to be here yet again! its so cool!

well now i got to go. we aer going to hang out with the other sisters in milano.

until next time,
Sorella DeVocht

p.s. sorry for the horrible spelling. this keyboard is not the best and i can't spell in any language.
Peace out

Ciaodì

March 4--Ship on Wheels

Dear Family,
So I have a few things to say right off. 1st: I am almost at my half-way mark!!! and I can NOT believe it!!! It feels like 2 months ago I arrived in Italy. Where has the time gone? 2nd: Billy, or I should say, ANZIANO Clove will be here in Italy, in 1 week!!!!! Next week is transfers! So, I have been with Sorella Glass for 3 transfers, we'll see if we are together for a 4th or if one of us leaves. I really don't want to leave Milano yet. It really is great and I really feel like I will be staying here for awhile, but we will see.
Hmm... funny stories, funny stories.
Yesterday my companion was asking me why I was laughing at her, or something like that, and I was trying to say that everyone looks funny when they are sick, but what I actually said was, "Everyone looks sick when they are funny."
Last night we had gone to a pharmacy to get yet again medicine for Sorella Glass. on our way back to church, she challenged me to invite this young man that was walking near us, to come to English class. At first I didn't want to and then I knew I had to. After walking for awhile, while my companion was talking to Sorella Dunaway, I stopped this guy and invited him to English class. I was scared to death to talk to him and I don't think I did very well. He said he had already taken lots of English classes, but I gave him the flyer anways. Then I started to continue walking, when I realized that my companion had already crossed the street and was way ahead of me and had no idea I wasn't next to her. I ran/walked fast across the street and she just kept walking. Finally after liek 30 seconds, she turns around and sees that I'm not there and then gives me a funny look. She had NO idea that I had stopped that guy or that I wasn't by her. She was too busy talking to Sorella Dunaway and just kept walking to church. I thought it was pretty funny myself.
Oh yes! BEcky I remembered that yes I do know Sister BAker and actualy she is going home this trnasfer! oh and i can not spell or speak english today!!!! sorry my spelling is HORRIBLE!!! This morning we went and met someone, and sorella glass was describing another sister, and she said, 'speaking' in Italian, "Lei è tall e bionde." Which means, she is tall and blonde, ,but she TOTALLY said tall and she didn't even know it.

We went to a mUsem today and this was something in it that I really liked and taht really made me laugh. I hope you also enjoy Ship on Wheels.

I got to go now.

Sorella DeVocht

Dear Family,
Hi how is everyone doing? I am doing alright. First off: Mom, I got the yummy Valentine's Day treats last saturday and I have already eaten them all, they were so good!!! And Happy Birthday to Emily, Mom, and Nancy!!!!!! I've been a slacker lately and have not remembered to wish anyone a happy birthday.
Transfers are in two weeks and I wonder what will happen. I had a dream last night that someone told me that I will be in Milano for awhile.
Last week, my companion and I went down to Genova to pick up my permesso di suggiorno. Well, they told us we needed to make an appointment, so we made one and then got to hang out in Genova for awhile. It was so nice to be back in my first city. And then on Monday we went down again and I was able to pick it up. It was most enjoyable for me. OH yes! the pictures of me are what the other sisters in Milano did to me, a makeover some would call it. And the other ones, I think, are in Genova, the beautiful ocean. I miss Genova. I didnt' realize how much I missed it until I was there last week and again on mOnday.
the weather has been on and off here. yesterday morning it was so cold, the sun wasn't out, there was so much fog/smog, and the humitity was a killer, but then later on in the day, the sun was out and it was nice and pleasant to be outside. and today is a beautiful day, a little chilly, but great still. I am looking foreward to the spring and summer. i've decided that i much would rather to be hot than to be cold.
I am feeling a little overwhlemed because i feel that i am supposed to be this great missionary and yet I am not even close to that. but i'm doing alright. some days are better than others.
I'm really looking forward to the start of next transfer to see ANZIANO CLOVE!!! It's going to be sweet!
Well, we got to go grocery shopping so we can have food for the weeek and then go do an activity with julia, an american.
ciao tutti!!!

love,
Sorella DeVocht

February 18--LOVE

hey family,
sorry that this will be a short one. but life is great in milano. i am learning a lot and we have some amazing investitgators, hopefully they will be getting baptized in the next few months!!! i just love being in italy, this is reallly where the Lord wants me to be at this time in my life. i am grateful for my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, that He is always there waiting for us to come into His loving arms. I know that God lives. I know that He has a plan for YOU. He loves YOU. As do I love you. Thanks again for everything. Kaite, I LOVE the my little pony stickers, they are my favorite, thanks so much. I love you all!!

Love your Sorella DeVocht

Hey!!!
I am so happy to hear about Natalie! I am glad she is doing better. Life is pretty good here in Milano. Time always goes by so fast. It seems like we just had our P-day, and we're having another one today? Before we know it, I'll be coming home!!! YIKES!!!

Mom, thanks for the pink letter, I received it today. Mother, as for the sweaters, don't worry about sending them. They can wait for me at home when I arrive there in the winter. Or if someone else wants them or needs them, you can give them to them. But thank you for sending my gray sweater. We have Zone Conference this Friday so we'll see if I receive it then, or for Interviews in a few weeks. I usually wear two cardigan sweaters a day, one underneath my shirt and one over it. And I also usually wear two skirts. It's pretty nice.

Today is a windy, blustery day, it kind of reminds me of a Winne-the-Pooh day. But it is beautiful. And the sky is blue and clear, there is no fog and there is no smog. It's actually blue today and not the usual gray of Milano.

The other night I discovered what I think is mold on the bottoms of both my feet. It makes sense because I've been wearing wet boots for awhile. But now that the weather is a little better, I am back to wearing my open shoes.

Sorry this email isn't the best. We are at a different internet point, and I don't really like this keyboard. It makes typing a little harder for me.


Well, I got to go.

I love you all, thanks for everything.

Love from,
Sorella DeVocht

February 4--Yeah Family this is the place!!!

Dear Family,
How are you doing? Thanks for the emails and letters. I love the pictures Becky! Life is pretty good here in good ol' Milano. So I just found out today, from email, that Elder Ford from the area seventy will be visiting our mission this transfer. He will be speaking at our Zone Conference in a few weeks. I am so blessed to have another area seventy on my mission. I am also very blessed to be here in Italy. I was thinking about it last night when we were waiting for our metro, I was thinking about how very blessed I am to be here in Italy, to be able to learn another language, another way of life. I am very, very blessed. I am sending some pictures. Two are from the Duomo, but just inside, I kind of like the confession box, one is outside and it just looks beautiful, and I think the other one is at the Duomo, but outside and not of the Duomo. Today we are going to the Duomo, to the very tip top! I am very excited about that. Well, we are probably leaving soon to go the Duomo!!! I love you all, thanks so much!

Love from Sorella DeVocht