ANCORA A COMO! (Still in Como!)

Well, transfer news.... Sorelle Baer e Hallum are at it again in their beautiful Como!

Literally folks, this place is breathtaking. I love it so much! I have maybe 5 minutes, so I'll be quick!

My Como

SHOUT-OUTS?? #1, to one of my best friends, Miss Allie Hale, for getting her mission call to the Philippines Cavite Mission! She's my other half, and I couldn't think of a more blessed people then those sweet Filipinos! Al, love you baby girl!

#2, my beautifully talented sister, who went from being Irma Baer to now Sister Baer, the MTC's newest Portuguese teacher! Abes, you've got this! You'll be sooooo good! Your district is stankin' lucky to have you!

A miracle? Once upon a time, there was Chiara, our investigator. She's the dearest, and I love her with my whole heart! Then, we met her sister, Valeria, whose the loveliest! Then, we met Stefano, their brother who is incredible! And now, we've met the parents! So we teach all three of the kids! I'm obsessed with them! That family, that home, is so special! I have a firm testimony that the Lord prepares families together. There's nothing sweeter than to promise that family the Lord's blessings. Chiara and Valeria came to church on Sunday and loveddddd it. The Spirit was so strong during testimony meeting!

And a beautifully, tender spiritual experience I had this week? Well, as I read the Book of Mormon this time around, I'm reading for the topic of charity. I was in Alma 7, with the iconic scripture mastery that explains that the Savior took upon Himself pains of every kind so He may know howto succor us. I realized that as a missionary, if I want to be charitable (learning from the Master Teacher and Perfect Example, Jesus Christ Himself)then I need to learn how to succor and help others according to their needs. He atoned for each of us individually. I testify of this and can declare that with a surety. May we do the same. As missionaries. As friends. As ward members. As family members. May we seek to lift and succor others, individually, praying for the spirit of discernment so we might better know their needs, because every investigator, every companion, every neighbor, every friend is different, and needs different things.

And with this, we truly will understand what it means to be charitable.

Con tutto del mio amore, (With all of my love,)
Sorella Baer

p.s. I love you.

Pictures, hooray!

Sorelle Hallum, Lopez, Bollwinkel, Holloway, Haslem, and Baer, all together in Milano for Pday!

Awwww, Lake Como beauty.

Sorelle Baer and McCann, friends for life. Each life that touches ours for good...

Why I Love My Mission, August 28, 2013

This email will be just a smidge different because I want to list the reasons why I adore my mission. We had our last district meeting on Monday, and Anziano O'Riordan (our Aussie district leader who's unarguably the world's best person) had us take 15 minutes and write for our companions why we love our missions. It was so special giving mine to my dear Sorella Hallum, but then I decided that I wanted to write it out for myself. Here's what I came up with:

-I love that I'm in the paese (country) with the most unrivaled food in the world. Everyday, whether I'm giu (up) or su (down), I just eat some good Italian food and remind myself that I'm literally in the land of the food gods. EVERYONE, members, investigators, cooks like a dream.

-I love that this language is the language of love. It's absolutely beautiful. I love the way it sounds. I love to speak it. I love the way it feels to speak it! Please bless my future family will just love Italian, too, because I'll be usin' it sempre (always).

-I love the beauty of Italy. The architecture. The art. The countryside. LAKE COMO. All of it. The Lord answers my daily prayer to find something each day that I can marvel at. It's breathtaking.

-I love that I'm surrounded by such strong, capable, fun and diligent youth, ALWAYS. These other missionaries are my examples and my friends. I ADORE being with them as well have the same common goal: to invite others to come closer to their anxiously awaiting Savior.

-I love that I've grown and learned so much! I can't imagine now not being a missionary, and not having this experience under my belt. How sacred have been the past 5 months for me. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I learn and learn and learn. And my sweet little brain just keeps expanding. I'm shaving off rough edges and becoming a better and better version of myself! Oh, how I have grande bisogno (great need) of this mission and how it refines me!

-I love that for 18 months, I can absolutely, in every sense of the word, forget about me. I don't need to worry about anything other than my dear Italian vineyard with which the Lord's entrusted me. I have this time to gladly bear witness of the reality of the Risen Lord and to express His love for everyone, EVERYDAY. There's no message sweeter or truer that I could share; no gift grander or more precious I could give; and no expression of love bigger that I could give to these people that occupy my whole heart. The gift of the gospel is all I have to give, and it's the gift all have need of.

-I love this precious privilege I have just to love. For a year and a half, I can just love these people. As I said that my brain just grows, so does my heart. I've never loved so fully, so much, or so many people. I love the people I meet on the street. I love the teeny Italian bambini who speak better Italian than me. I love the investigator whose conversion process is changing ME. I love my companions-- what a beautiful opportunity and sacred experience the Lord grants His missionaries to love, cherish, appreciate and take care of a companion. The relationship between companions is one that cannot be matched or replicated elsewhere. These dear sorelle are so special to me! I love literally everybody here. Members, mission leaders, our beloved President and Sorella Dibb, tutti! And I've never loved or appreciated friends and family so much! If any of y'all want more love in your life, serve a dang mission! It's incredible the gift of love the Lord endows you with!

-e sopratutto (and especially), above ALL else, I love the relationship I've gained with my Elder Brother, and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is this blessing and aspect of the mission that I am most grateful. Only He knows exactly what I've felt and experienced on my mission. He's the only one I've been able to turn to, when all else disappoints and fails. My understanding of Him, His role, the Atonement and everything has been so strengthened. He's the reason I'm here. He's keeping me here and fortifying me through His infinite grace. I'm His representative and for that I'm eternally grateful.

I invite you all to take time and to realize why you love what you do. I love you all so much.

Con tutto del mio amore,
Sorella Baer

p.s. I love you.
p.s.s. you know you're a sister missionary in Italy when your scriptures have nutella stains on them...

A few more pictures, August 21, 2013

So digging this car.

John Tucker, one of Aubrey Baer's friends came to visit. We met at church! This is my beautiful companion.

Who wouldn't want a Como home like this?

Another view of Como D'uomo

Ahhhh. So grateful to have studied European architecture at Cambridge!

Lake Como from the pier

As Sorelle in Zion...

Mamma Mia! Che Fortunata Io Sono! (Mamma Mia, I Am That Lucky!)

To say I've fallen in love with this city would be an understatement. I'm absolutely OBSESSED with Como. I KNOW, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. This morning, we took a funicolare (tram) up the side of the mountain and did this unreal hike. Looking around at this city, and this country, I literally could be NOWHERE else. Seriously, this is the prettiest place in the world! Getcha self here!

SIDENOTE: be stoked to come back here and visit because this place is the Celestial Kingdom on earth.

This email will be brief. Sorry! However, highlights:
-our weekly FHE's. Mercy, these things are not only so fun and uplifting but they are BRILLIANT for finding new people and bringing them closer to their Savior. Our members and investigators come, bring friends and food and a willing heart-- it's the BOMB and probs the highlight of every week.

-one FHE success story: our beautiful Chiara. she's PERFECT. The anziani (elders) found her on the street and she expressed her interest for English class so she came which is right before FHE, che furbi siamo! (we are so smart!) and she loved it! She then came to church and we had a lesson with her and her sister! She's absolutely incredible, darling, perfect. She studies in Milano and teaches Pilates and we can't wait to spend our next p-day with her!

Our church, at night. Gorgeous.

-Nazareno is progressing beautifully. He's such a good man and has taught me so much about further strengthening our relationship personally with our Heavenly Father.

Funny random thing that happened this week?

Sorella Hallum had finished up doing la programmazione settimanale e area book e tutto quanto (weekly planning and area book and everything), and we were getting ready to leave the house when I couldn't find the keys. I was all, ''Sorella, I don't have the keys... do you?'' she replied that she didn't. We soon came to find out that the OTHER sorelle accidentally took our keys, and we were LITERALLY locked in the house. Italian doors are weird and if they're locked from the outside, there's no way to get out from the inside without the keys...

So needless to say we got lots of area book stuff and calls finished that night. It was hilarious. We were dying. WHO GETS LOCKED INSIDE THEIR HOUSE? Us.

Alla fine (So for now)...

I read this quote from President Monson is his most recent talk from the Priesthood session, ''Young men and young women, I hope you appreciate the sacrifices which your parents so willingly make for you to serve. Their labors will sustain you, their faith encourage you, their prayers uphold you. A mission is a family affair. Though the expanse of continents or oceans may separate, hearts are as one.''

I have such a testimony of this. I know with a certainty that a mission is a family affair. I'm so grateful for the beautiful family I have and their support. As missionaries, we really do sacrifice being close to our families for a couple of years, so others may be with theirs for eternity. I'm eternally grateful for my dear parents who raised me with this light and gift insomuch that I may share it with others. There's nothing I desire more than for these dear Italians to taste of eternity with their families too!

Be good to each other.

Con affetto e con tutto del mio amore, (With affection and with all of my love,)
Sorella Baer

p.s. I love you.

Oh, For the Love of Italia!

Once upon a time maybe I loved Italy too much. Seriously, this place is now my homeland. Everyday, I feel more and more Italian and less and less like the old Kels. I love these people, their warmth and generosity, the language.... oh my, this language. I will NEVER be able to speak English again. I screw up my English literally with every phrase and sentence I say. (Forgive me if I write crazy too!)

Wanna hear an embarassing story that confirmed to me that I'm losing my past life rapidly?

A couple of days ago Sorella Hallum and I were in a Gelateria ordering bottles of water. The song overhead I was seriously diggin'. I figured it was Italian so I asked the worker who sang it, so I could take mental note and buy the song when I got home. She said some name that I couldn't understand... so I said, ''hmmm... da dove viene lui?'' and she told me that he's American. I was all, ''perché lui canta cosi in italiano?'' she then proceeded to tell me that the song was English. Yes, folks, the entire time. I can't even understand my mother language anymore. All of the customers and the workers were laughing as I expressed to them that I'm from America, I speak English, but that I've lived in this country for too long to understand... oh mercy... and to think I still have a year left! I'll be a mess when I come home! Literally unable to communicate with anyone! 

But...I love this place. It's absolutely effecting my every habit, idiosyncrasy, everything. One highlight of the week? I signed in ASL as a deaf Italian guy signed in ISL. It was AWESOME! I forgot how much I enjoy signing-- good moment. 

So, in Italy there's thing called ''ferie'' it's when EVERYONE leaves the country for the entire month of August. Like EVERYONE. All of our members, investigators gone, all of the stores close. It's the worst! I'm all, ''what's up with everyone escapin'?!'' In fact, funny story, after lunch on Monday, us four girls were in DESPERATE need of something sweet. So we headed out to find un dolce. Literally everything is closed for ferie. So Sorella McCann, my soul sister and dearest friend exclaims, ''WHERE DOES A HUNGRY GIRL GO TO GET DOLCI DURING FERIE?!'' Oh my, it was the funniest thing ever. Because literally here we are, four ravenous, American, nutella-huntin' sister missionaries. It was the bomb. Our appetites were appeased with some crepes as we found one teeny tiny place opened, who only had 3 crepes. Of course, we shared them all:)

Ok, y'all ready for one of the finest miracles yet of my mission? It happened yesterday! All of our district was heading back on the bus from a district meeting. I see a pretty lady sitting near me, so I strike up a nonchalant chat with her. Nothing too extravagant! I tell her she's a dear and that she looks great in pink, because she does. She had to get off, so I handed her a pass-along card from the bottom of my borsa, one that's bent and a bit ripped but with the picture of the Savior on it. I promised her velocemente that we know that we have this life to have joy and to have families. And that she could call us if she had any questions or if there's something we could do for her. LESS THAN 15 MINUTES LATER. I get a call from a ''Luciana'', I'm rackin' my brain trying to remember a Luciana until I realize that it's her! She proceeds to tell me that I had a light, and that she feels very strongly that it wasn't by chance that we met when we did. She wanted to set up a time when we could teach her about our gospel, mission, and the Savior. She wants Him more in her life. OH, MY. THIS NEVER HAPPENS. All from a pass along card and a little love. We're meeting with her tomorrow and I'm stoked! I had chills during our entire phone call! People never call us trying to set up an appointment and learn more! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

All's fine, this is good. Although I've never taught so much my entire life, I've also never learned so much in my entire life. I'm a forever student I decided. Sorella Hallum teaches me daily about commitment and dedication to this work. We do everything for our sweet people here in Como. and the infamous irony and paradox of the mission? That I'm getting more sleep than EVER before in my life, 8 hours a night, and yet I've never been so tired. We're exhausting ourselves for these people because we love them and they deserve the world! I CANNOT wait to return and visit all of these people I already love so dearly! My heart is full.

Con tutto del mio amore,

Sorella Baer

p.s. I love you.

p.s.s. We played Psychologist last night for FHE in Italian, with investigators and the other missionaries. World's. Best.

p.s.s.s. I'm never complaining about 1 o'clock church again. because here, we have it at 2... 

Pictures, August 7, 2013 Como and a touch of Milano

 A couple of the sorelle decorated for Sorella Baer's birthday. She sure is loved.











Sorella Baer's desk in Como. She surrounds herself with familiar things!

 She thought this was awesome. It is a freaky floating man.

 The Sorelle found Momma Baer's happy place. The sign is wrong, though, it is supposed to read  "Lori's Chocolate Bar".

What does a innovative missionary do without thumbtacks? Use a fork, of course!

 

Happy P-day breakfast for the sorelle. Chocolate chip pancakes.

The sisters are growing a sunflower on their balcony and it finally bloomed. They are very proud parents. 

Como D'uomo - yep, it rhymes!

The next 3 photos are of Como, through Sorella Baer's lens. No wonder she loves it so!