More Goodbyes..

Saying goodbye from the train station to Sorella Reber and Sorella Jones who are both heading back home--Love them so much and will miss their desire to work and have fun at the same time.  Both of them were very skilled at the language and both could teach very well.  Won't be the same without you!

Sorella McFarland on the left and Sorella Nelson next to me.  Sorella McFarland will be going home next transfer but got transferred to Rome.  I think I will miss her most of all because she has encouraged me so much in the language.  Sorella Nelson will stay in Bari and train a Greenie--this is her first and then 2 more sisters will be coming also that are very new to Italy.  should be fun!

We went to Purgatory Street today!

No kidding---here we are in Purgatory....well...purgatorio street anyway.  This is in Monopoli, Italy which about a 40 minute drive from us.  On Purgatorio street we have your run of the mill church called Del Purgatorio with images of skeletons on its doors.  Inside are mummies of local citizens over 300 years old.  They are hanging on the walls wearing the dress of the time, creating a very strange atmosphere....We were only able to peak in a window as of course the time we were there was PRONZO--the bane of our existence here in Italy.  CLOSED between about 12:30 and 4:30!!!!!

Monopoli also has many beautiful beaches-some sandy, some rocky but it's April and people are already loving the sunshine! 

Another Pancake breakfast before transfers.  Sorella Reber and Sorella Jones will be heading home next week and some will be transferred elsewhere.  We love you and will miss you. 

From left standing: Us, Sorella Reber, Sorella McFarland, Sorella Jones, Sorella Nelson, Anziano Chugg(DL), Anziano Ray, Anziano Beasley

Kneeling: Anziano Anderson(Bitonto and ZL), Anziano Cannon, Anziano Covalt

Woke up this morning to this beautiful day.  This is our view from our balcony.  The farmer below us sells his vegetables and fruit right there.  We are pinching ourselves every day to be in this amazing country on a mission.  I don't think we have ever been happier (well...we might be if our kids and grandkids were with us) Chris often says to me..."Honey, we're in Italy!"  Hard to believe for us. Looking for opportunities to serve others every day is fun..  Learning Italian is WORK for me but it's stretched me and helped me realize that I can do this!  I gave my first Italian prayer in English class yesterday (because my tutor told me I had to volunteer to do it) and I was so proud of myself as was the whole class (of about 30 people)--They clapped for me!  Never had someone clap after a prayer! Also got high 5's from the young missionaries who are amazing with the language.  Life is good.

Fun at the Bari Museum

We had a couple hours last week to fill so we ended up at the Bari museum.  Some great paintings, sculpture...and other things....

This little piggy had roast beef...

We weren't too sure about these paintings of apostles...Why does he have a sword in his head?

Why does he have spaghetti coming out of his leg?

Here's another one with the sword on the head....little scary....

April in Italy

There's nothing better than studying Italian on your balcony in Italy when the sun is shining!  All seems right with the world!

            Yup--that was the temperature today......

Pranzo dopo la riunione sacramentale (Lunch after sacrament meeting for an ex-missionary returning to Bari)

 The lady dishing up the food here was cutting into an amazing lasagne--you've never had lasagne until you taste some of these women's cooking.  Delicious!

Rosa's Baptism Apr 9/16

Bella Rosa

Couldn't have been a more wonderful day for us to see Rosa baptized! All the GANS were there (Giovane Adulti Non Sposati) to support her as were her missionaries and us old guys!  Beautiful day, wonderful feeling in the meeting.  She just glowed.
From back left: Guisseppe, Chris, Pat, Rosa, Valerio, Gabriella, Maria Therese, Sorella McFarland, Sorella Reber.
Bottom left: Ivan, Gianni, Claudio----TUTTI BRAVI RAGAZZI

One of the best things to happen in Bari is to get an invitation for pronzo to eat Italian cooking.  Pronzo (lunch)  for  Italians is an event and is always spectacular.  Almost all stores are closed between 1PM-4 PM so people can eat lunch with their families.  After pronzo they go back to work and then have supper around 8:30PM.  Their big meal is pronzo and usually includes many courses. We got invited to Bishop Valentini's parents house for Easter pronzo and their tradition is to make ponzerotti.  I got to see all the steps for making it.  They made about 140 panzerotti--4 different kinds.  Meat, mozzarella, onion and rappe.  DELIZIOSO!

 Standing is Gustavo Valentini, his son, Bishop Valentini and his daughter Valeria.

Our first baptism--an 8 year old

Our first baptism here in Bari was for an 8 year old sweetie named Daniela Ardito.  She is the vescovo's daughter (bishop's) and the PoggioFranco ward was so supportive to come and be there for her special day.  Her sister Simone and her mom are in the picture with her.

Italians may be small but they have huge hearts!

 Our Stake Choir travelled to Taranto for a musical production that included our choir and 2 others.  While there I just had to take pictures of Fratello Palmisano and Anziano Pingree together.  Anz. Pingree is at least 6'8 and Fratello Palmisano is about 5' tall.

When we went to visit Sorella Schino at the casa di cura we met up with the Sorelle , so had to take a picture of  Sorella Reber --who is the same size as 90 year old Sorella Schino--both perhaps 5 foot--if that.  Wonderful sweet people--all of them.

Buona Pasqua--Happy Easter! Primary Party

The Primary party put on by the missionaries started with the Ninja Game

Sorella McFarland and il suo bell'uovo

Anziani Ray and Beasley coloring easter pages

  

Gabriella and Gianni ( a couple of our GANS--Young Single Adults) even colored pages(and helped a lot with the activity!)

We even had some grandparents attend!  Must have been the Fitzner's pancakes that enticed them to come....

Transfers! We love the missionaries!

District meeting at the Fitzner's just before transfers.  I think pancake breakfasts at our apartment might become a regular thing for us right before transfers.  The missionaries love it!  This picture shows all but 2 of our missionaries in this district.  Another set of sister  missionaries were out of town. (Sorelle McFarland and Peterson)  We love them all and will miss Sorella Taylor (front left), Anziano Bellows-district leader(third male missionary from left)Anz. Bates(4th male from left)Anz Holbrook-zone leader(2nd from right).  We love you all!

Saying goodbye to those being transferred at the train station