Finding...

We regularly go out to find people in the wards that have not attended for a while and find out how they are doing.  This morning we went to Torre a Mare to look for 4 families.  Had no success in finding anyone home--some were just not home--others weren't listed on the citofono.  We do a fair bit of driving since a good majority of the members live anywhere from 10 km-100 km out of Bari. But when you have to travel to places like Torre a Mare it's not so bad.  Somebody's got to do it..

Domenica pronzo/ Visiting Fratello Pirisi

 Every once in a while the 2 wards we go to will put on a lunch and all the ward members stay to eat together.  Last Sunday PoggioFranco ward had a lunch and we totally forgot about it.  So Chris and I weren't sure whether we should leave or not since we didn't have any food.  We started out to the parking lot and the DeSantis's stopped us and asked why we weren't staying and that they had plenty of food to feed us....so we stayed.  The DeSantis's alone could have fed the whole ward!  This is where Canada and Italy differ for their post church lunches.  Everyone is supposed to feed their own family in Italy but they end up bringing enough to feed an army of people--with tons left over....whereas--most families in Canada are expected to bring enough to feed more than their family to share with others and there is never enough.  Every family has a table set with tablecloth/utensils/napkins/cups and they eat like they were at home except they are all sitting right next to another family.  Tons of pasta al forno!  Yum..

We have very few children in both wards

The couple in the above picture are the DeSantis' and they were so kind to us in feeding us from their 2 huge pans of pasta--then fruit, then torta...

Yesterday we visited Fratello Pirisi who I think is 90 but says he was born in 1943.  I think he's mistaken because we went to his birthday party last March and I'm sure he was 90.  He has no family--never married.  Anyhoo, he has the most infectious smile. When he sees us he grins from ear to ear.  He lives in a casa di cura which is a senior's home and its always fun to visit there.    

Below is a picture of a fellow that came up to us at the senior's home to visit and ask about our name tags.  He was very nice but hard to understand since he has no teeth.  We asked if we could take his picture because he was so fascinated with Chris's camera.  I don't think he had ever seen an I-phone..He was a bit embarrassed when he saw his picture because he wasn't shaved.  

Directly behind him was a fellow that walked away from "his" chair for about 5 minutes and when he came back a little old lady was in the chair.  He immediately took the chair and dumped her--then tried to hit her for being in his chair....scary for some of these sweet people.  She was quickly rescued by the staff..Whenever we go to this senior's home we get stopped by the old folks thinking Chris is a doctor--one lady lifted her pant legs to show him what was going on with her legs....Oh, excuse me, Dr. McDreamy, can you look at my legs??

President Russel M. Nelson and Italy Rome Mission

1. We were thrilled to discover that President Nelson would be coming to Italy to visit our mission.  An entire mission conference was held on Oct 20.  We had about 200 missionaries attend.  Those that were there to speak were President Nelson, president of the quorum of the twelve apostles, his wife, Sister Wendy Watson Nelson, Elder Hallstrom of the Seventy and his wife, Elder Keiron of the Area Presidency and his wife and our Mission President and his wife, the Pickerds. 

I had to have Chris take pictures of the army of missionaries arriving by foot to the chapel for the conference.  Where can you find more valiant, obedient 18-20 year olds who love their Savior?  I love them all for their example and dedication.  They came from all over south Italy, Sardegna and Sicily. 

We all got the opportunity to shake the speakers hands and when they asked where we were from and said Edmonton, Alberta--Sister Nelson said-do you know my sister?  I told her yes--we worked with her at the temple.  Then I found out that Elder Hallstrom's wife is from Taber and Sister Pickered is from Ontario , with Sister Nelson from Raymond, so we had a lot of representation from Canada--but always the Americans seem to outnumber us.

happy Canadian Thanksgiving

While Sally was here visiting us she mentioned that it was Thanksgiving--WHAAAT?  We totally forgot, so all we had to eat was this measley chicken.  Thank goodness Sally was around to get the feast ready while we were at meetings!  Here is Chris carving our mini turkey....it was delicious by the way--thanks, Sal!

Venezia! Città dell'amore

Since we were only a short distance from Venice when we were in Acquileia at Dome and Anna's wedding we decided to stay in Venice for a night and the next day--then travel back to Bari that evening.  Jolayne and Dave stayed an extra day in Venice but it was so fun to have them with us in Venice.  We always imagined Venice as being a dirty city so we didn't have any desire to go there, but were we ever wrong! We were in awe of its beauty!  This is a city you must see if you are travelling to Italy!  Vecchio Venezia is so fun.  Filled with canals and gondolas with gondoliers with the traditional striped shirts.  We didn't ride in one because the cost was ridiculous (100 Euro) but we enjoyed watching them go by.  There are no vehicles allowed in Old Venice so we walked a lot along cobblestone streets and attempted to take it all in.  (Great shopping too, I might add). We had a wonderful dinner with 6 people that Dave had known from his residency in Connecticut that were there for the wedding.  We had a blast!  Here are a few of the things we saw...

The next 2 pictures are taken standing outside on our hotel room balcony----directly outside our window and one to the left showing shops..The shopping was fantastic and I didn't buy a thing!  Quite proud of myself...

Wedding!

We were honored to be invited to a wedding about an hour outside of Venice in Acquileia.  When Jolayne and Dave were living in Connecticut, one of his fellow residents at school was Anna.  Her boyfriend of a few years was Domenico(Dome)  They got quite close to Anna and Dome--having them over many times for dinner and Dome would often be the chef cooking wonderful Italian dishes for them.  When Anna finished her residency, she moved to Chicago and so Dome stayed in Connecticut and often cooked for Jo and Dave. We got to know Dome quite well and LOVED his cooking!  Eventually they were reunited in Chicago and we got the happy news they were tying the knot!  She is from Acquileia and Dome is from Bologna.

The next day after the wedding, Dome and Anna showed us some of the sights of Acquileia.  We even climbed an antiquated stairway to the top of a bell tower. (Hundreds of steps it seemed!!--straight up)  This is the Basilica di Acquileia built in 4AD.

The mosaics covering almost the entire floor are the oldest preserved mosaics in the world.(4 AD)

Top of the bell tower overlooking the area showing the Basilica below

Fun with Sally

A couple of posts ago I talked about Sally coming to Italy to visit us.  I neglected to mention that she made an immediate friend while she was here and seemed to easily fit in with the Italian people.  She is one very special lady and I'm proud she is a part of our family!  She was always trying to say things in Italian to others(which to me is very brave) and even ventured out of our apartment to go on an excursion of Bari while we were in Switzerland.  Here she is with Angela--one of our YSA's

She came with us to a sister's house who was having a birthday party(middle lady in pink-MariaPia) and experienced how Italians enjoy their singing!!  They sang for us "O Solo Mio" and a song"La Casetta in Canada" which is about a little house in Canada and is a very popular Italian children's song--then ended it with a bit of "Volare"!

The man in the middle is Vito who was born on the same day as Chris and the same hour!  Twins!  It is actually Sally's birthday today!  Happy Birthday, sweet sister--we love you!

Temple trip to Switzerland with YSA's

We had been invited to attend a week long stay in May at the patron's quarters at the temple in Switzerland but it got cancelled as they didn't have enough people to fill the 50 seat bus.  They opened the trip up to more YSA's in Italy and it got filled.  Chris and I ended up taking a flight to Milano then hopping on the bus with them the last 4  1/2 hours.  Normally it is about an 18 hour drive by bus which I was not excited about.  ( I have a hard time sitting still in church).  We have to say that Switzerland is one of the most beautiful countries we've seen.  

Breathtakingly beautiful!  The temple is located in Zollikofen, Switzerland 

This is our pitiful attempt to do a selfie in front of the temple. Then a perfect picture from the internet!

One day Chris and I went for a walk and when we returned we heard this beautiful music coming from one side of the temple.  We started walking closer to the music and found a senior missionary couple on the lawn of the temple playing alphorns!  The music was amazing and they played in perfect harmony

They even let us try to play but we need more practice, I think!  

We were able to stay at the patron's quarters next to the temple and got there on Monday and left the following Saturday.  Everyone did multiple sessions at the temple and 100's of baptisms! One day Chris went with the YSA's to Bern which is not far from Zollikofen to see the sights while I stayed and took in a temple session.  Here are some of the sights they saw...

Bern means bear--and yes, they saw a bear....

Great kids--every one of them! 

Then on our last day we had to say goodbye to one of our favorite people--Gianni Armenise who is staying in Switzerland to work.  We will miss him A LOT!

Some of the most beautiful girls-inside and out are from Italy--all single!!!??! Ginevra, Taisia, Mariateresa, and Gabriela

September rain-- or should I say torrential downpour?

We have had some amazing weather here in Bari.  The whole summer has been around 30 degrees Celsius and now we are getting into some fall weather.  The evenings are getting cool enough to wear a sweater but it is so pleasant.  We experienced an unbelievable rainfall one day in September that had me worried.  We were on our way to choir practice and had to pick up someone on the way.  It started to rain and then to rain with a vengeance!  It was up to the cars bumpers by the time we got to the church.  Chris was having a great time!  I was envisioning having to be rescued from the roof of the car...

Below is a picture of us with Anziano Borough-our zone leader.  Such wonderful missionaries we have here in Bari and he's no exception. He's returned home now to San Diego.  He will do amazing work for the people there now.

Here we are with Claudio Cutrignelli and his girlfriend Noemi.  He was on his way to serve a mission in Milan, Italy.  First of 3 from the Liberta ward to go on a mission from now til December 2016.  There are 2 sisters already on missions from  that ward in Milano and Spain.

We had the pleasure of spending time with Sally when she came for a visit to Italy.  We had to leave her on her own for a week while she was here in Bari as we had to go to Switzerland to the temple with the Young Single Adults (called GANS here in Italy, not YSA)  We managed to take her to a couple places--this in particular was fun--Alberobello.  We found some beautiful linens here and I think I will make another visit just before we return to Edmonton to grab a bedspread that caught my eye!!

Yes, and believe it or not we went back to Zoo Safari--this time I made Sally sit in the front with Chris and I sat in the back with my windows rolled up!  I didn't have a mean daughter with me this time to unroll them...