Wow, life can really be crazy sometimes

Wonderful thing for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday:  God moves in mysterious ways; we are sure of that, even though we kind of feel as though we’ve lost ours!  In these last few days, we’ve assisted in moving the sisters to our apartment and two of the elders to the sisters’ apartment in Pistoia (the other two went elsewhere) - just when I posted those pics on Facebook of "our apartment", it's now the sisters' apartment.  We are pleased to say that the elders and sisters were back at it in no time.  We, on the other hand, moving into the elders’ apartment, which is older and bigger, and contained the detritus of several years’ worth of coming-and-going elders, are still not finished putting everything, not only in order, but the way it needs to be for a missionary couple who plans on living in it.  It needs to look like a home, in other words.  It really is a blessing, because the GANS will be able to get there more easily (it’s closer to the center of the city, the train and bus stations) and it lends itself to actually meeting there.  Pres. Dibb called yesterday to tell us that they’re cleaning out a departing couple’s apartment in Milano, and that there’s furniture we can use.  We’ll be driving to Milano sometime this week to pick up the mission van and bring the stuff down.  So, it’s all part of the work…it just doesn’t really feel that way.  You know what?  That’s not even true; every evening we’ve been privileged to have something wonderful to do.  The senior Bagni couple had invited us to dinner Wednesday, which turned out to be the relaxation we needed after that trying day.  They are wonderful, cordial, warm, with a way of putting a person at ease.  Our dear friend and Institute director Lorena and her husband Alessio Bagni joined us as well, and we had an evening of great food and conversation (Sorella Bagni won Blaine’s heart with seafood sauce on the pasta, and a tiramisu made with orzo – roasted barley – instead of coffee, that was heavenly).  Thursday we went to the De Robertis’ to talk about GANS in Pistoia.  Pistoia and Prato were joined as the Prato Ward in May, and the De Robertis are one of the foundational Pistoia families.  They added dinner to the evening.  I know it was a great kindness on their part, because she works late (insurance broker), and that evening their daughter’s family was coming in from Geneva, but they were completely accommodating and welcoming.  Not only did we have a good chat over Pistoia, but also a very interesting conversation with their son-in-law Jonathan about Orson Hyde, the Holy Land, the Arabs, the US government, etc.  He and Bro. DeRobertis are students of Hebrew, and Jonathan and his wife both speak half a dozen languages.  Bro. DeRobertis has photos and interesting décor of his own making all around the living room, including photos with the last two prophets, former mission president and my former LTM student Jeff Acerson and his wife Karen, Sorella Reni's dad - originally from Pistoia, and Bro. Robertis' dear friend Michael Ballam.  Go figure.  GREAT vegetarian meal, including more tiramisu!  Friday we had a meeting with the GANS presidency, which included using an agenda for the first time.  They were a little disoriented, but we think it was a great step in the right direction.  They are wonderful – have I mentioned that?  Saturday we went to Pietro’s baptism in Florence, then to a family history fireside.  Pietro is definitely going to become a force for good!  None of our Prato GANS came to the fireside, but the brother who did it downloaded it onto a zip drive for us.  I am really impressed with the vision of family history work and what it can do for the “youth of the noble birthright”!    So – lots of good things! 

Fun thing for…:   Let’s see… we stopped at a new pizzeria (new to us, near the new-to-us house) on our way home from the fireside.  Blaine ordered “la cappricosa”, which we were informed had “a little bit of everything on it”.  I’ll say!  Would you believe hot dogs?  Ha!  Anyway, there was on the counter a model of a classic Harley Davidson-type motorcycle, made entirely out of different types of wood.  I have to take a photo of it and send it to Bergen’s dad.