God is bigger than the boogeyman....

Hey Everyone,
It's been a while, but things have been really busy here. This last week, we started our ESL Classes! :) Monday the 9th was our first day. It is SO much fun! Our students are all great. I'm working on building relationships with them, going out to coffee and such this upcoming week. Monday, I taught out in Valvasone (this adorable town like 40 minutes from Udine, it's really tiny, but SO cute!) with Maureen (the ESL director). We did Italian together, and then did some class prep, and then I went out to coffee with the Julia my friend from the Tourist Office in Valvasone. I think we are going to try to get together every Monday while I am in Valvasone all day. We taught Base 2 and Intermediate that night and our students are a lot of fun. God is so good, I normally am not the one to want to get up in from of a ton of people and speak, atleast not without thinking I'm going to pass out, or throw up, but the Lord just really filled me with a peace and I was not nervous at all! It was just SO much fun! The students love every second of it and seem to be having a blast. Tuesday I taught in Udine, with Bethany and Sherry, we taught 3 classes that night Base, Intermediate, and Advanced. Several of our neighbors are taking the classes on the Tuesday/Thursday schedule and it was neat getting to see them, and them knowing who I was. One of our neighbors actually gave Bethany and I a ride home so we wouldn't have to wait for the bus. She's really sweet and it's neat because Mrs. Walti has been reaching out to her for sometime, and now we are building a relationship with her as well. On Tuesday we also had our Udine Team Meeting (for all those who live in Udine) and our ESL team meeting with Mr. Well (the head of the Udine Team) and we talked about how best to present the Bible to Italians and answering questions that Catholics often have, mainly they Roman Catholics here only believe Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, they think that the Old Testasment has nothing to do with the New Testament, so he discussed the best ways to talk about this and share the Gospel with out Contacts.
Wednesday I was back in Valvasone, with Maureen, teaching 3 classes, a kids class for 8-11 year olds and then Base 2 and Intermediate again. The students really seem to like us, even though we can't speak Italian, haha. They love talking after class with us and trying out their English, one lady in the class wants me to get together with her daughter and talk to her in English, so we are going to see if that can work out, she lives kinda far away, but we'll see.
Thursday we had out ESL team meeting at Maureen's house. We had a really great time. We have this every Thursday, we study Italian and get tested on our book, we have a time of prayer for our Contacts and students, we do class prep and then we are doing a book study with a book called "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore. I really love those Thursday meetings, because we all share what the Lord is doing in our lives and showing us in studying this book. This week the chapter we read was on Idols, and how we worship other things that aren't God, and how we need to have an accurate view of God, because if we don't see Him as the Lord Most High or try and fit Him into our little box we will bow to Idols. It was really neat getting to read the scriptures at the end of the chapter and just cry out to God for his help. Needless to say, I LOVE our Thursday meetings. :) That night Sherry and I taught alone in Udine, it went really well and I got to talk some with one of the ladies in our Advanced class, she is unemployed at the moment and said she's really bored...so I invited her out for coffee this week. She's really sweet and I'm excited.
It's just kinda crazy everything going on here. If you know me, you probably know I'm pretty scared of most things and the fact that God is just filling me with boldness to step out and go out with these people I don't know and teach these classes without fear, is amazing. God is so good. :)
Well I need to get going, we have Church this evening in Udine and we are leaving early to meet some friends for Carnevale in the city, there is a parade and such. But I just wanted to say I miss you all SO much and I'm praying for you all the time!
Love you all!
-Alyssa