If anyone is still reading this blog, I love you!

At the bottom of this post you I write about how every day in this mission is so amazing and  gratifying.

First, here are random photos and videos.  

I took the following photo because it felt like even the weeds along the street were celebrating Christmas.

There were (still are, because the holidays aren't over until tomorrow, Epiphany - the celebration of the visit of the Magi) several Christmas trees in the visitors center, along with a display of Nativity scenes.  Three of them were in the general area, and the rest were in the room you can just barely see on the right in the following photo.  This nativity scene, or presepe, and the one with the blue background were made by a member here in Rome - a true work of love.

This is the previous one, up close.  The holy family is on the bottom right of the house.  This nativity is of the "profane" variety, because it shows the holy family in the midst of everyday life as practiced in medieval times.

  

The following nativity is of the "sacred" variety because it isolates the holy family in order to emphasize the holy nature of the birth of the Savior.  Every detail tells a story.

Gimme a break - I know it's blurry, but it really was a charming Christmas-decorated Roman street!

This is the refrigerator in the breakroom of the visitors center, where we missionaries take our meals.

Can't say enough how much we love these darling, endearing, joyful, strong young women!

And finally, a celebration of family.  We have been so blessed to enjoy basically every Christmas of the last six years with Amy, Lawton, Abbey, Aidan, Olive and Ian.  We are feeling a little sad that this may be the last time for quite awhile, since they remain in Barcelona and we may not be back.  We loved having them here to celebrate the wonderful spirit of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and its attendant activities.

I adore these people!

Every week we spend six hours a day, six days a week, at the visitors center, a place where the spirit of peace and joy rests in abundance - especially, we found, during the Christmas season - supporting the most amazing, sweet, intelligent, humble, inspired young sister missionaries as they meet and share with others - people who are not members of the church as well as people who are - what makes this place so unique and joy-filled.  

Every day we work to get to know our visitors, discern their needs/desires, and share spiritual messages catered to those needs, specifically focusing on the basic message every missionary shares, of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the points of His doctrine, and of the Restoration of His gospel in the latter days through the Prophet Joseph Smith (included in that message is an invitation to study and pray about the Book of Mormon, the proof of our message).  

We have wonderful experiences doing this.  I said we support the sisters, because we try to give them the opportunity to take the lead in these discussions.  By so doing they strengthen their own conviction, as well as learn to share the message more effectively.  Sometimes if there are more visitors than there are missionaries, we lead our own discussions.  

Because people come to the visitors center out of curiosity, or perhaps a friend has invited them to come, they are already open to what we have to share, so there are rarely experiences where contentions arise.  This is not to say that every person who walks through the door becomes an instant convert; that is not even the goal.  We are here to minister to people, to share the message and to build relationships.  So, we only go as far as people are willing to go, and we encourage them to return.  Sometimes they want to go as far as they can, sometimes they accept a copy of the Book of Mormon, sometimes they come back.  Nearly always, they leave with a positive experience. 

It's pretty fulfilling.  We just wish there were more visitors!  This will come with time.  We are happy every day.  

We use the rest of the day for study, chores, communicating with family and friends, etc.  Oh - and transportation, which can be major sometimes.  Occasionally there is an activity sponsored by the visitors center, like a concert at the church (located on the same piazza), so we usually attend those as well - a sample video is below.

We have a "Pday" every week; "P" stands for preparation.  For the young missionaries, this means cleaning and laundry, shopping, calling/writing home, sightseeing, etc.  For us, it's just time to take a break, maybe do some sightseeing.  Sometimes when family comes in we take an extra Pday by rearranging the schedules at the visitors center with the other two couples who work there.  With our normal Pday plus one, we usually borrow the director's car and take our guests to Naples, Pompeii/Herculaneum, and the Amalfi Coast.  We encouraged family to visit us especially during this mission, since it may be our last to Italy, and several have taken us up on the offer.  We have really enjoyed the visits; every time things have gone so well and everyone has had a great trip.  We feel very grateful for that.

This is a random "video" which is more of an "audio", taken with my phone, which has a cracked screen, rendering the camera lens rather filmy.  But I did it to record the birds.  The temple site is very "green", and often wildlife, particularly birds and insects (but I did see a cat walk across the back steps of the visitors center today), abound.  I was so taken with the birdsong this particular evening that I had to record it.

So - 13 months in, and it has been a dream!  We will actually be going home a month early, since the couple who is replacing us will be here at the end of April.  Visitors center training is conducted at the MTC once every six weeks, so it was either they come two weeks after our departure date - which is not doable - or four weeks before.  Ergo, we leave the first part of May.  After spending a couple of weeks in Barcelona, we will arrive back in the States sometime toward the end of May.  

Don't really want to think about all that right now...

See ya next time I see ya!  Keep the faith.