Christmas is everywhere - share the gift.

wonderful thing:  We finally got internet in our house - but it's not "activated" yet...I'm sitting here in church once again, listening to the fun while others decorate for tomorrow's ward Christmas party.  It's weird to have shopped on amazon, checked facebook, and then to realize I'm not hearing English in the background.  These are amazing people.  When they talk, it's like listening to music.  With sign language included.  These wonderful people, especially these church members with strong testimonies and love in their hearts, are what make every day something extraordinary.  Actually, I have to amend that:  it is the spirit of the Lord, running in and through and around it all, that shines our of their faces, from their hearts.  Bishops Ionna (Prato Ward) and Ferrini (Florence Ward) are men of sound understanding, acting faithfully and powerfully in their callings.  It is a joy and a privilege to be here - have I said that before?  We had dinner with Bishop Ionna's family a few days ago; his wife Minaca is from Mexico - we had refried beans and chicken enchiladas/lasagna and apple pie!!  We both ate more than we should have but it was so good.  We gave a power point presentation (you know Blaine, he does things in a big way) to the Florence district - six elders and two sisters, plus two sisters and one elder from Montevarchi (the zone leader was waiting for his new companion to arrive) - about how we as a senior missionary couple can be of assistance to them in their work.  ...Have I said how much we love being with these tremendous young people?  We said goodbye to Sorella Reni yesterday morning; she's headed for Verona for the next four months.  We went with her and Sorella Gregg to Donata and Raffaella's house for pranzo (lunch/supper) the day before, and ate a super meal crowned with a glorious orzo-made tiramisu.  They are beautiful women with a beautiful family.  We met a lovely woman, Gioia (happens to be Sorella Reni's first name as well), whom the sisters visited because she had visited Temple Square and requested a Book of Mormon.  She has a teenage son who has miraculously survived two brain tumors, and who loves life despite being in constant pain.  Their family travels the world so that they can teach their children that mankind has more in common than differences.  Last night we went to Institute, taught by Bro. and Sis. Ferrini (the bishop's parents); before that, we finally made contact with a less active young American woman - she was packing to go home to Utah!  At least she had a witness that Heavenly Father is mindful of her.  We saw Elders Hansen and Pagano on their bikes after we left her house; where they stopped to talk to us, what should Elder H. notice on the street but a passalong card someone had dropped.  I propped it up on a nearby ledge - who knows, maybe its mission is not over yet.  Today we visited Ludmila, Bruno's mamma, and had the best visit, as if we'd been friends forever (we probably are).  She made some dreamy spicy tea and we ate biscotti and dark chocolate and had a wonderful talk.  We gave her the Christmas card from the First Presidency that had been gifted to us through President and Sister Dibb, so that she would feel this connection with the Lord's prophet and with Him.  Tomorrow we visit Tessie, and Pietro, and go to a planning meeting for a multi-stake GANS activity, and to rehearsals for the Nativity that our GANS are doing, then to the party itself, where the GANS are also the servers.  Sunday we go to church in Florence, then meet with Sofia, hopefully, and some other folks, too, before coming back to Prato for Institute (postponed because of the Christmas party) and for home evening with the GANS, where Andrea will teach and Mitchel will be in charge of the activity.  Can you see why we love being here?  Oh, and Sorella Grazia brought our curtains today, lovely satiny pale green.  My coat now has buttons, thanks to her, and we have a rug on the living room floor through her gentilezza as well.  I LOVE our family so much, and I would love to be with them this Christmas, and they know that, but I think we are all happy that this year, Mom and Dad are on a mission, part of our larger family.

Fun thing:  We went to Christmas markets in Florence looking for a Nativity scene like the presepi I used to see in Naples.  It was on a holiday, celebrating the Immaculate Conception.  Crowds everywhere!  Saw lots of fun stuff, ate some awesome pizza.  I ended up coming home with a stand up Christmas card Nativity.  I like it because it's just the Holy Family and the shepherds.