News from Home

Colouring pages and crafts from Kennedy and Chase. I paste these on my wall at the office. That way I can look at them and it makes me smile.

Timothy makes the Slave Lake Newspaper

Some nice family took these missionaries  out for an Italian lunch. Hyrum has been blessed to have many good members treat him well. Whether is't been dinners, clothes, money and gifts. I guess that is the advantage of serving in Utah.

Hyrum receives my Christmas package via Paula and Tom Heath. They were good enough to pick it up from returning missionary Elder Stewart. They met up with Hyrum, brought him brownies and delivered his package.

New companion in Syracuse

Julia gets her ears pierced for her 8th birthday. One happy little girl.

Alissa and Michael and Buddy

Andrew with his new rescue pup

New companion in Syracuse, Elder Leavit

"All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"

Mission Stuff

Elder Hatch bought a Panetone to share with those in the office. My first Panetone here and it was a real good one!

Elder Hatch sitting at my desk

Elder Hatch was transferred to Rome in early December because he needed medical attention due to torn ligaments in his leg. During transfers he was called as the new Assistant to the President. He is serving along with the existing APs, Elders Perry and Rasmussen. Elder Hatch is helping in the office until he can be more mobile. He is a wonderful young man. I enjoy having him around. We get along really well. He kind of reminds me of a young Steve. 

Elders Perry and Rasmussen and the four Michaels - Calabrese, Stevens, Millet and Waddoups
Right after our weekly staff meeting President Waddoups announced Elder Hatch as a new AP.

Saying good bye to Geri and Paul Sherbel. They served in Battipaglia, Napels and are going home to Colorado

Brother Calabrese, the sweetest man. Has been volunteering in the office for 16 years.

Elder Millet

Elder Stevens, Finance

Thanksgiving - again and again and again

On Sunday, November 23 the senior missionaries in the Rome area got together for Thanksgiving dinner. We did it at the Villa. President and Sister Waddoups were out of time but coming in later that evening. They were kind enough to let us use their place. A new couple, the Hancocks, just came in from the Provo MTC around dessert time. They will be serving in Malta.

Wednesday, the 26, Sister Day, myself, the Shinneys and the Memmotts invited for Thanksgiving dinner at the Guidaras.  It was the first time Silvia cooked a whole turkey and made gravy and it was probably the best turkey I've ever tasted. Of course being Italian we hand homemade ravioli to start.

I think the most fun was when we shared Thanksgiving "pranzo" with the districts in the Rome area.

Everyone, including the young missionaries brought a dish and it was fabulous. Thirty four of us gathered around 6 tables. The sisters decorated the tables and made paper turkeys. I made the center piece turkeys and cut paper feathers. Each of us wrote what we were grateful for.

The next day a cut out a turkey body and put the feathers around the turkey and hung it on the wall.

All the turkeys were fresh and each one tasted so good. I  don't think I want to go back to frozen turkey again. I loved how the young missionaries loved being together, chatting, laughing, I think it was a nice break for them.

Ostia Antica

Via Delle Tombe

The Theater

Mosaics in the baths dating back to the 2nd century, Triton riding his horses

On Saturday, November 22 I went to Ostia Antica with some of the Senior Couples. It was another beautiful fall day. I always think it will be the last of warm weather and we get another one, and I welcome each one. Considering the news I get from home and in the States of all the snow they are getting, I'm just so glad I'm here, even though I know I will be going back.

Sister Day and I drove with the Shinneys. It is an hour drive north west of Rome. I was so impressed with how large of an area that is so well preserved. We walked for four hours and I don't think we covered all of it. 

We had lunch at a nice cafeteria there. I had the most delicious lentil and Orzo soup. No gelato this time.

When we came home and quickly changed and went with the Shinneys again to their ward for a fireside on nutrition. 

Ostia Antica is a large archaeological site. It was the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome. Due to silting the site now lies 3 Kilometers from the sea. The site is noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings. frescoes and impressive mosaics.

Arrival of Apostles

Pope Francis greets President Eyring

On Saturday, November 15, President Eyring, Elder Perry and Bishop Causee arrived in Rome. They were invited to the Vatican to be part of  a three day inter-faith conference on marriage and the family. There are 350 religious leaders, but 17 will be speaking, one of which will be President Eyring.

On Sunday, they attended the Rome 1 ward where they spoke. What a surprise it must of been to come to church on Sunday and discover two apostles in your ward. I'm in Rome 2 ward so missed out on that one.

That evening, they dined at the Villa. Wasn't invited to that one. So hoping they will visit the Mission, perhaps drop the Mission Office!

On Tuesday, before the hundreds of international religious leaders and scholars at the Vatican, President Eyring, 81, called for a "renaissance of happy marriages and productive families" based on the principles of the Proclamation on the Family issued by the church in 1995.

On a side note, I had a good experience today - Tuesday. This young 20 year old girl came in the office today looking for the Bishop. After explaining that he he has a full time job and she would need to make an appointment, we began to chat about the church. I asked her if she would like to meet with the missionaries who could explain things better as my Italian was limited. She agreed. It just so happened that the Sisters were coming for their District Meeting in a little while. She was happy to wait. I have her a pamphlet to read. When the Sisters came I introduced her to them and met with her and gave her the first discussion. I joined in the discussion. It was cool to see this young girl so interested in the what she was hearing. She was so respective. She didn't know anything about the church, spoke only Italian and has an Aunt who lives in Utah.
She wants to learn more and made appointment to see the Sisters tomorrow night. I was so thankful I invited her to meet with the missionaries. 

Santa Maria Degli Angeli Basilica

Saturday, November 15. This morning Ruth and I went to the out door market that is close to my apartment. I like shopping there because the prices are really good. I have bought some cute skirts, jewelry and other things. Today I bought a pair of pants. Ruth got a nice winter coat.

The ceiling

In the afternoon we went to Sanata Maria Degli Angeli Basilica. Built in a section of the Baths of Diocletian in AD 300 across from Piazza della Republica.

Kay, Ruth and I in front of Piazza della Republica

Two interesting pieces are first, the statue by Bernini of St. Teresa in Ecstasy. It is depicts Teresa's(a nun) dream of an angel piercing her with an arrow and as he released she felt a burning feeling inside her full of ecstasy and love of God. Strange, but a beautiful piece of art.

The second thing was, The Sun's Meridian Transit. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, Pope Clement (1649-1721) commissioned Francesco Bianchini to build a meridian line within the basilica to check the accuracy of the Gregorian reformation of the calendar (1582).

The sun shines through a small hole in the southern wall to cast its light on the meridian line each day.

In Europe the Julian calendar was in use since the 4th century. The spring equinox was set to the date 21 March in the year 325 by the council of Nicea. By the year 1582, the spring equinox was occurring on March 11. Pope Gregory XIII ordered that 10 days would be removed from the calendar so that the spring equinox would return to March 21. It as decided that the days October 5-14 of the year 1582 would be skipped during the transformation from the Julian to Gregorian calendar.