Vulnerable is the new comfortable

Happy International Day of Women!  In Italy, it is celebrated with mimosas.  Blaine bought these for me.

So almost every day, we walk into someone else's house and sit down and talk.  In a strange tongue, one that, though by most standards I speak well, I still do not speak - or often hear - from the heart and mind together.  It throws me off continually, and that's good.  It keeps me vulnerable.

It keeps me open to see things from unexpected perspectives.  I notice little things.  Like the lacy table runner (that when I exclaimed over it, was given to me despite my protestations; I just have to stop saying I like things!), or the spice rack over the range, or the utterly italianate vintage photos or pictures.  Like the way people say things and what it might indicate about the way they think.

It makes me listen better, because superfluous conversation by itself is too taxing and therefore not worth it, so meaningful conversation is all we have left.

It makes me wonder, at how much we have in common!  It makes me appreciate every person and every situation for himself/herself/itself.

Blaine observed the other day that our missionary experiences usually resolve themselves in two different directions:
1) We study, pray, discuss, and pray again about the people with whom we are concerned, and about what would be best to share and discuss with them.  We prepare and pray over those topics and those people.  We do our part, and when we visit, the Spirit is there, testifying.  We have a profound spiritual experience together.  We invite them to act, and they agree.  And they come through.
2)  We study, pray, discuss, and pray again about the people with whom we are concerned, and about what would be best to share and discuss with them.  We prepare and pray over those topics and those people.  We do our part, and when we visit, the Spirit is there, testifying.  We have a profound spiritual experience together.  We invite them to act, and they agree.  But they don't follow through.

Number 2 happens much more often than number 1.

So what does that mean?  From a point of view of our personal success, it really doesn't mean much at all.  As I read somewhere recently, Heavenly Father didn't remove our agency from us in the great pre-earth conflict (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/war-in-heaven?lang=eng), and He is certainly not going to do so now.  As Elder Bednar is fond of stating, we can take our message "unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33:1), but each must make the individual choice to take it into their hearts.

The important thing is that we do all we can; that we first of all love, then serve, with all we've got.   And leave the harvest to the Lord.

So it's a great experience to be in a strange land with strange customs and a strange language.  It makes me a better person and a better servant.  And every day this work brings us joy.   We pay to come here and do this; but we are benefited beyond any price, now and in the long run.  As Elder Charles (http://www.lds.org.uk/christopher-charles-is-new-area-seventy-for-greece-and-the-adriatic) shared with me after he spoke at the Rome West Stake conference Sunday, "They don't pay me much, but the retirement benefits are out of this world!"  A bit cheesy maybe, but utterly true.

Photos:

Every now and then we get a chance to go into the Napoli we used to know.  This was one of those times.  We were with a couple of the young missionaries, going to visit some members, some active and some not-so-active.  It was like a walk back in time.

I'm pretty sure those plants are actually growing out of the window sill; as in, from it.  As far as I could tell, this particular building is not in use.

Blaine does this a couple of times a week; this is supposed to be the best water around, 

and it's right out in our piazza.

The next two are from GANS activities - that means Young Single Adults.   The top one has all of our Napoli elders/missionaries and also our Pozzuoli sister missionaries, as well as three marvelous YSAs from the Napoli Branch, and two "simpatizzanti" - people who are not [yet] members.  The bottom one is one of our crazy minute-to-win-it games.  Everybody has a hoot playing them.  

Can't think why I didn't have someone "drop" me a photo of the sister missionaries in the Napoli zone, but anyway, here are the elders, including Blaine and President Pickerd, after our most recent zone conference.

These little cuties constitute the only pic I took of the Flegreo/Pozzuoli Branch's Carnevale celebration a week ago.  They're all Americans, coincidentally.  We have a lot of Americans in this branch, as well as a good number of Africans, along with the basic core of Italians.  Very interesting dynamics.

Sunday I rode in a pullman (travel bus) to Rome, with members from Pozzuoli and Napoli, to the Rome West Stake conference (Blaine wasn't feeling well but wanted me to go anyway).  Afterward we drove by the temple construction area.  We stopped, and I could have taken some pictures from a windowed-off area...but my phone died!  Everyone was super excited to see the progress up close.  If you want to know when it will be ready for tours and dedication, go here:  http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/rome/

Yesterday on a jaunt into Naples, we found a free parking space, which meant that we also had the benefit of walking down umpteen flights of stairs, and back up again.  A delight.

Treasuring up

Every time I go to an appointment, I put my trust in God to help me say the right thing for this person, at this time.  That pretty much dictates my thoughts and, mostly, my actions.  I still spend too much time on Facebook.  It's an ongoing battle.  I'm getting better at it, though, by God's grace.  I do my best, but still stumble (and not just as it relates to time spent on Facebook).  My all time favorite piece of counsel from the Church's wonderful addiction recovery manual is, when you find yourself dealing with the same ol' crap and not succeeding in overcoming it, submit AGAIN to the will of the Lord.  Say, "I place my life and my will in Thy care."

So, I'm a flawed person, accompanying my husband to visit and strengthen another person.  Who am I to think I can succeed at THAT?  I just put all those doubts on the back burner and remember this verse from The Doctrine and Covenants (6:36):  "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."  He in His divine "somehow" takes my little lump of an offering and magnifies it, giving me "in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man" (D&C 84:85).  It is a marvel.

We come home every day edified.  It is such a privilege to be here, doing what we are doing.

And now a few photos:

 Ok I admit it, this is another one from the balcony of the church!

I took this because our Jared has a story from his days in Provo, of the "nine-foot couch".  This is modular, so it doesn't really count in the one-up category.  It's at the home of our Young Men's president Brother Warner.  Their apartment is uncharacteristically large for Italy.  We had a youth "fireside" there Sunday.  Blaine and I presented ideas about talking to their friends about the Church, then the sister missionaries modeled a conversation, then we had the kids practice, with the missionaries and the leaders.  We were happy with the response.  Then we put the couch back into manageable portions.

 We had a little Family Home Evening with Mimmo and Patrizia, and Elders Draghi and Price.  Blaine has made several gospel-oriented board games.  This one has to do with the Plan of Salvation, and is very diverting while also being instructive.  "A good time (and a good learning experience) was had by all."

So look closely at this car.  It was rained on, as were all the other cars in the whole Napoli area including ours - and rendered extremely dirty as a result.  Blame it on the sands of Northern Africa!

 So apparently this is what you get when a baby is given a name and a blessing in Sacrament Meeting...the candy inside was baby blue heart-shaped with chocolate inside.

New do.  Now that the experience is in the past, I can laugh about it.  They did a great job, very indelicately - meaning my head was crying afterward.  Speaking napolitano the entire time, with no interest in my efforts at conversation.  A hole-in-the-wall family enterprise.  Very reasonable.  In about three months, I may be ready to go back.

We love this place.  Have I said that before?

Light, warmth, fond memories and birthdays

Wonderful and fun thing:

So today's my birthday (and thanks to everyone who found out and who sent me warm greetings).  This photo is a great representation of why it's a joy to be here celebrating my birthday, even though it means we're missing celebrating it with family.

The lady on the right is Sorella Maria Jesus, I think I've already talked about her, and about her accomplice in good deeds, Andrea - Sorella Milagro now - who is the young lady in the middle next to me.  Then come Andrea's parents, who have graciously allowed her to leave home to serve a mission.  And we all know that tall guy in the white shirt.

Andrea has been serving in the Rome Mission since August, but had to come home for a day, to satisfy documentation requests since she hails originally from Peru, as does her mother.  I sent her an email the other day, and she replied asking us to come over while she was here.   Another sister missionary, Sorella Nelson from Logan, was with her; she's taking the photo.  A new missionary like Andrea, she became the surrogate companion while their senior companions are attending a conference in Rome.

Somebody, whether it was Sorella MJ or Andrea's mom, had ordered a cake typical of Prato, as well as bringing a bag of cantuccini from the premiere biscottificio of Prato, Mattei.  I was eating a piece of the cake - anathema in most circumstances, but we'll make allowances for birthdays - when it became generally known that it's my birthday, and Blaine joked about a candle.

So off went Andrea's mom Selene to the kitchen and brought back a pink candle all aglow, and planted it in my partially eaten piece of cake.

That's the story of this photo - with the addition that the candle had to be relit first.  Whenever I look at the photo, it will always speak of fondness that is fostered by time and experience together - over thirteen months now - a warmth of the heart born of sharing mutual testimonies, the little flame a symbol.

buona roba every day

Wonderful thing for Monday, 23 February

I may have already written before, but hey, it's the wonderful thing about yesterday as well!  I have always loved the hymn, "Sweet Is the Work", the first verse of which says:

Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
To praise thy name, give thanks and sing,
To show thy love by morning light,
And talk of all thy truths at night.

That's what we did with Andrea, our student in the Missionary Prep Class (we also have "Angelo"/Chen Wei, who is currently in China).  We talked of his truths at night, and rejoiced together.   The sweet, joyful spirit that accompanies such discussions cannot be duplicated, and engenders a bond that cannot be broken.

fun thing:

Well, I'm writing this because yesterday I took it down; but the "heart attack" the sister missionaries attached to our door on Valentines Day has brought us joy ever since.  Red foil hearts in all sizes adorned the door, plus a big valentine with all sorts of cute sayings on it.  Blaine is fond of saying "buona roba", which translates into "good stuff".  He found out a few weeks ago that the phrase "buona roba" has come to imply a drug reference!  It was one of the phrases on the valentine, we thought that was a hoot.

Glory

Wonderful thing for Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 9-11 February:

Pathway, what hast thou wrought with my life?  Ah well, GOOD things are coming to pass, so it's okay that I haven't had a spare minute to blog.  I guess that's the wonderful thing - good things are coming to pass!  How awesome is that.  Everywhere we go to make a presentation, enthusiasm for this program abounds.  Folks, we have a stake in Florence.  That means, all the priesthood keys to carry forward the work of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ are here.  in Florence.  Within the next year or so, we will have a temple.  in Italy.  http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-in-pictures-beauty-purpose-mormon-temples.      

I am reminded of the live action Peter Pan movie - I know, that's odd, give me a minute.  Peter Pan, Wendy, her brothers and the Lost Boys, are all in utmost peril on Hook's pirate ship.  Wendy is permitted a moment to say good-bye, and she takes the opportunity to present Peter with " the hidden kiss."  This changes everything.

So it is with what's happening right here, right now, at least that's how we feel about it.  A stake.  A temple.  Pathway.  This changes everything!

If there were the words to describe what it's like to be me, to be us, here, now, doing what we're doing, perhaps you would feel how...BIG it is.  The scripture that comes to mind is when the Nephites are visited by the Resurrected Savior in 3 Nephi 18; they partake of the bread and wine of the Sacrament and are "filled".  There is purpose, there is meaning, there is delight; there is heartache, there is disappointment, there are conundrums.  It's absolutely glorious.

Every now and then, in my prayers, I sneak in a little "Hallelujah!"

fun thing:

Yesterday was "P Day" for the younger missionaries.  We took one, too.  Sisters Johnson and Gregg drove over (they're the only sisters in the mission with a car) and we drove two cars to the drop off spot at the foothills of Prato on the east side and left our car.  Then we drove several miles west and parked their car near a trail head, albeit along a busy city street.  Off we went for three fun hours of minimal climbing and great views.

We saw:  a dilapidated and crumbling textile factory with scaffolding still up around a "new" part, and accompanying outbuildings; a cave; lots of olive orchards; purple daisies and smaller white daisies, both of which smelled...nice!; villas; dogs guarding villas; other hikers and bikers; a real farm, with chickens and geese, and somewhere - cows, given the sound of cow bells; at another place we saw and tried to communicate with a very stout horse and a very stout pony; blue skies - glorious after several very cold, wet, windy days...

All of this, too, was glorious.  We stopped and ate a sack lunch prepared by Blaine.  Approaching the first drop off point, he suddenly realized that he had carefully under the back seat of the sisters' car, his wallet...and his keys.  He probably doesn't want me sharing this.  Oh well!  He had planned everything perfectly, he couldn't conceive of this colossal snag having occurred.  We all hooted.

Eventually, we thought to call Andrea, who came to pick us up and take us to the sisters' car.  Blaine tried to swear her to secrecy, but we'll see how many find out about it!

I'd post a picture...but I forgot my camera.  The sisters promised to share.

Just gotta make time for exercise...

Wonderful thing about all the days since the last post:  Sometimes there's just too much to do!  We have our "normal" occupations, teaching institute and now a missionary preparation course; doing our weekly home evening; meeting with the institute presidency weekly and following up throughout the week; going to institute in Florence at least once every couple of weeks; going to missionary district meetings every week, alternating between Prato and Florence; attending lessons taught by missionaries; attending ward council meetings weekly in either Florence or Prato; visiting members, particularly young adults, in both wards...Thank heaven we're serving full time, because now we've been asked to do training meetings in three areas of the stake for YM/YW; we've been called as training specialists in the same; I've been called as stake YW (Young Women auxiliary of the church) secretary; we've been asked to expand our work with young adults to Pisa, Livorno, and La Spezia; AND we're acquainting ourselves and others with the Pathway program, which right now means visiting the ward/branch councils in the stake twice in the next few weeks, once to inform the leaders, and once to recruit interested members.  Every night we're out late and every day we're working on these programs.  Love it, it's happy work that invites the fruits of the Spirit!
p.s.  If you don't know anything about Pathway, check it out on pathway.lds.org.

Fun thing:  Blaine's biggest worry about this mission was that we wouldn't have enough to do...