Oh the Places You'll Go!!: Keep Calm and Preach On

Well here I am, five months into my Italian adventure!! And I have internet! Yay :) November has been a crazy month so far. On the 1st I moved into my new apartment. I was only supposed to stay in my last apartment for August, but one month turned into three...and yeah-I was ready to move! Now I am in a great apartment right in the Centre of Bologna which is super convenient. I honestly couldn't ask for a better place! Jehovah always provides more than we even ask of Him!

I wish I could say that my Italian is awesome after five months here, but I have been super LAZY!! My mom just sent me this though:

So far I am on page 3...

Time to get motivated!

So some highlights? October flew by-I was sick for a week during which all I accomplished was rewatching about 3 seasons of Gilmore Girls and drinking like 37 cups of tea. I think my getting sick may have had something to do with only having packed sandals and sleeveless shirts and refusing to spend my money on warmer clothes/shoes until my friends came bearing a HUGE suitcase my Mom packed full of boots, heels (now I have more than just my one pair of black heels!! yay!), warmer clothes, and CANDY!!! All the important stuff ;)

I had a great time when Elliot and Rolando visited. A little piece of home came here to Italy! It was so cool to show them around and let them see my life here.

For example, remember the yearbook part a few weeks ago about the sister who slept on a kitchen floor for a winter because she went to serve in northern Norway without a place to stay?? Well this was my "bedroom" for a month. Elliot was trying it out ;)

Photo: Remember last weeks yearbook part about the sister who slept on a kitchen floor for a winter because she went to serve in northern norway without a place to stay?? Well this was my "bedroom" for a month. Elliot was trying it out ;)

For many people, being able to reach inside the fridge while still in bed is a dream come true!! So I guess you could say I was living the dream ;)

They also got to experience grocery shopping and the 15 min walk/5 min bike ride to the bus stop...

Oh that bike-what adventures we shared!!! Especially since 95% of the time I was wearing a dress while riding it-even in my 5 inch heels ;) Bad brakes, low tires, poor design that discouraged (by discouraged, I mean you would wreck if you did) pedaling while turning. Good times that are all part of the ADVENTURE!!

Plus we got to do some traveling!!

Venice...

My study Ilta, Rolando, Me, and Elliot

All in all, a great visit!! They were so generous with me and the other need greaters serving here too!! Love you guys!!

I enjoyed my first Circuit Overseer's visit here in Italy as well. They are a great couple with a lot of experience in preaching successfully to Africans. We were reminded that serving here in the English field is more than just knowing the language-we need to know the culture of those we preach to so we can be more effective. So much to learn!

Another first for me was the Circuit Assembly last weekend. There we welcomed ten new brothers and sisters (11 if you count the baby one sister is pregnant with ;) ) four of which are from the Bologna Inglese congregation!! How exciting is that!!

Kindess studied with Arielle and Paolo. Despite his reading limitations, he has made SO much progress. Every time I hear him comment at the meetings I feel like crying-I'm so proud!!

Last time I was here 10 months ago...

And now!! My baptized brother!

Moses, Me, Kindess

Moses has such zeal for serving Jehovah! And it is contagious! He was known as "Pastor Moses" but now he is our Brother. He is so excited to share the Truth he has learned with others.

Nonso was raised around the Truth, but has finally made it his own. Super proud even though he is always telling me I talk too fast and no one understands me!! Haha ;)

Here he is after service one day with Elliot and Rolando...

And then there is Sister Faith!! She always give very well-researched comments for the Bible Highlights-a very good student!! After becoming a publisher LAST MONTH, she was in service almost every day!! I think she made more time than I did!! Talk about hitting the groud running! She is very bold in her ministry and when she joined me on one of my studies I got to see what a great teacher she is.

For me, this was one of the coolest experiences from the Assembly. I have mentioned Kenneth before on here. He gave his first talk on the school a couple weeks after I returned to Bologna and I was AMAZED at the progress he had made in the months I was gone. So proud!! Anyways, I saw him on Sunday afternoon during the lunch break with a woman smiling ear to ear. Turns out, she is his cousin who he hasn't seen in TWENTY YEARS!! And she is also studying and making progress towards baptism! We all talked about how awesome it would be for them to get baptized together at our next Assembly! It was so touching to see how excited Kenneth was to have family in the Truth! I am so excited for him.

Here are just a few random pics from the Assembly (mostly for my mom since she always complains about never seeing any pictures) :p . Sorry they are so huge-I'm terrible with technology.

I'll try to be better about updating this thing now that I have internet. I still have to write about my awesome study!!

Life is good my friends, preach on ;)

Love to all!

Kimmie

Two cutest Australian/Italian kids I know and already love

After months of teasing Burgo for wearing clothes most grandfathers would consider out of style, he showed up for his part wearing something from this decade :p