flourishing

We have had a marvelous couple of weeks.  Yesterday we woke up and said, "Is it Thursday already?"  The days are flying by.

We celebrated my birthday on the 6th, with a guided walking tour of old Naples (check the organization out on TripAdvisor, it's fantastic; the tour guides are students who speak English well, and the purpose is to change negative perceptions about Naples.  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187785-d8093647-Reviews-Napoli_That_s_Amore_free_walking_tours-Naples_Province_of_Naples_Campania.html).

Our guide, Francesco, was very friendly, engaging and funny.  He shared an old saying about Naples being like a closed flower - you have to go deep to search out its beauties.  We agree that it has a very illustrious past and is definitely worth discovering.

 This is the world's oldest pizzeria!  It says 1783 above the door.  But pizza is way older than that.  It derives from Greek times and "pita".

 Roman ruins.  Civilizations build upon the previous ones.

 The tower in the center is several hundred years old; but the white parts were "added in" as decorations, discovered from earlier Greek structures.

 You will see these white flags in Naples more often than the Italian flag.  Wiki says, "This flag was used during the rule of the House of Bourbon, first as the flag of the Kingdom of Naples and later as the flag of the Two Sicilies. Bourbon rule was briefly interrupted by other rulers..." but basically extended from 1734-1860.  It is the time Neapolitans are most proud of, I believe.

 This is classic old city.  Don't be caught here at night!  But during the day - charming!

 This is Francesco alongside Pulcinella, one of Naples' enduring symbols.  He is a folk figure that represents a lot of neapolitan characteristics:  poor but resourceful; witty; always bounces back.  If you rub his nose (which we did) you'll have good luck!

 The name of the little street fascinated me; it says, "Little street of the fig tree at Purgatory".  There was a fig tree once at this intersection, and just down the way was a gathering of some sort of organization called Purgatory.  I should probably get my facts a little clearer on this!

 This church is another example of using older structures, i.e., the Roman columns.

Via San Gregorio Armeno - "Christmas Street".  Naples is famous for its presepi/Nativity scenes.  Here you can buy any number of figurines and settings for your Neapolitan creche.

One of my favorite scenes.  This street is known fondly as "Spaccanapoli", meaning it divides Napoli in half.  If you look on a map, you can see it.  It's actually split into about three sections, all with different names - but it's the same "via."

This statue has a humorous history but suffice it to say it has its real origin in Egyptian lore.  I understood it at the time but I think some of the facts of blurred in the interim!

After our tour we ate lunch at a nearby restaurant before proceeding to our next stop, Vomero, and a trip back 43 years in time!

Vomero is a hilltop community overlooking Naples and the bay.  Blaine and I both lived in this area as missionaries.  We wanted to take the funicolare there, but it is under renovation.  When we arrived at the metro station, we didn't really recognize anything.  We followed the signs, occasionally asking some poor wet soul if we were on the right path, for Castel St. Elmo, hoping to get some kind of a view or to see something passingly familiar.  As we drew nearer, we realized we'd have to return another time, because of the rain and a previous appointment.  I noticed a familiar corner, though, and said, "I think the old cameo factory was right here..."  And there it was.  They still do cameos to order with the Angel Moroni or with a temple, for a discount!  This gentleman looks as he did 43 years ago, minus the gray hair and maybe a few wrinkles.  Wow.

We went back into Old Naples, to the Chiostro di Santa Chiara at Piazza del Gesu`, to listen to our friend Paulina, a new member of the Church, play violin as part of an ensemble hired to play for a wedding.  We "sat in" on the entire wedding.  Very interesting, and the music was lovely - the acoustics were great.

Sorry to spend so much time on my birthday!  It was really an unforgettable day.  Surrounding it are day after day of wonderful visits with wonderful people:

Three sweet sweet sisters from the Ramo di Flegrei, our local branch of the Church.  The angel in the red sweater is almost 90 years old.  Look at those clear eyes.

Saying goodbye to two of our marvelous missionaries, Elders Andersen, going to Taranto and Mercado, going to Palermo.  We wish them the best in their new efforts.

We've seen some miracles; we're continually amazed at how much the Lord loves his children - us included.  We love this place!

One month zipped by

Okay, I'll have to get Jesse to help me reconfigure my blog so that I see actual photos that I post, instead of lines and lines of gobbledygook. Since I don't know where one gobbledygook finishes and another starts, I'll just talk in general about the photos. You can follow along, I'm sure. 1 - You may have seen the first photo on FB already, "the great Napoli District". These really are wonderful, wonderful missionaries. I know, I've said it in the past about other missionaries. It's always true! Soon I will take a photo of the great Pozzuoli district as well. 2 - We finally got our "family" display up. It always feel more like home when we do that. 3-5 - This is the Pozzuoli sister missionaries, the Granata family with whom we dined last Sunday, and Blaine. Ok, I thought Italian customs had changed when we were in Prato/Florence; but what I was really remembering is the HUGE spread they put on for you in southern Italy. Yummy food - the following two photos are only a sample (potato croquettes and mozzarella di bufala, fresh mozzarella that bears virtually no resemblance to the mozzarella most of us Americans grate onto our pizza) - and tons of it. Like you walk out thinking you should probably walk all the way from Napoli to Pozzuoli instead of drive home in the car. Fun fun family, though, so warm and welcoming. 6 - Blaine is viewed here on his way to our apartment. This is Via Tobruk, our street. We park in the piazzetta nearby and walk, because there's no closer place to park and because there's hardly room enough to drive anyway. 7-8 - The fact that this American military base park is located inside a crater is fitting - it felt TOTALLY OTHERWORLDLY to go to an American football game in the middle of Pozzuoli! "The Napoli Wildcats" - it's a side of Italy life one doesn't think of much unless it's military members themselves. They played the Vicenza Cougars. Bizarre! There is another senior missionary couple, the Williams, in nearby Caserta; they are military relations missionaries, and invited us to the game. It was fun; it fed Blaine's football appetite a little. As long as we serve missions on our current schedule, he'll miss every single football season; this is the third in a row. I wish I had lots of photos of the people we've visited in the last little while - they are, naturally, the high point of our time here. Every time we make a visit, we feel ever more grateful to be here. We feel how much God loves each individual, and they become precious to us as well. We feel fortunate to know them, and know that these relationships will deepen in the next year and a half. People have heavy burdens, but we can bear testimony that putting ourselves in God's hands and striving to live his commandments brings blessings. We love this place!

Nothing without His notice

Some child once played basketball here. Count your blessings.

This mission is focused, at least for now and probably for the entire 18 months, on supporting the missionaries in "building the kingdom". We attend many of their lessons and back up the principles they teach with our own testimonies and experiences. We accompany them to shore up members who are in need of an extra boost, a little encouragement. What we strive to do to prepare is to "obtain the word" (Doctrine & Covenants 11:21) and to prayerfully apply it in our own personal lives. By thus "treasuring up" the words of life, we find ourselves able to contribute insights, perhaps counsel, perhaps emotional support...whatever the situation calls for. This is because the Lord promises that He will back US up through His spirit if we do these things, and because we are on His errand. What a veritable feast this week has been! We have felt gratified to receive inspiration in very specific ways, and have "rejoiced together" (Doctrine and Covenants 50:22) with others a multitude of times. We've met with the wonderful leaders of the Pozzuoli Branch, to get an idea of who could use a visit, and found them all to be delightful, steadfast folks. We've been to a mission conference where we were privileged to rub shoulders with half the wonderful missionaries of the "Great Italy Rome Mission" (the other half met the preceding day in Palermo) and to be instructed by Pres. and Sis. Pickerd, President Patrick Kearon, and Elder and Sister Gary Sabin - all of which was spiritual repast from which we will feast for months to come.

AND, we've had an unexpected reunion with a choice young woman we knew in Prato, when the Sisters Johnson and Pulli were teaching her. She was later baptized in Lecco, and then moved to Naples some months ago. Someone referred her to the zone leaders, who passed on the referrals to our sister missionaries. We went with them to find her at what turned out to be her old address, not realizing she was OUR Dorcas. I mused at the possibility later, looked her up and found her on Facebook - at which point I knew it was indeed OUR Dorcas, from the fact that we have two mutual friends, both from the Italy Milan Mission. The sisters found her number, and we all traveled to visit her yesterday. What a warm reunion it was! She is a precious daughter of God; we feel that especially, knowing this reunion was no coincidence.

Last night we had a wonderful get together/open house in the Pozzuoli chapel, which was well attended, bounteously appointed, and greatly enjoyed by all, as far as we could tell.

Did I already say this? We love this place!

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.

nurtured and nurturing

Wonderful thing about Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 and 4 March:

Tais.  She hails from somewhere near Sao Paulo, Brazil.  She is in Pisa on a year-long study exchange.  We visited her Tuesday as part of our extended efforts in Pisa, Livorno and La Spezia.  We met her the previous week at Institute and saw her Sunday in church, but going to her abode was different; when someone welcomes you to where they live, you can sometimes get, if they allow it, a greater sense of who they are.

Now I know that Tais is a beautiful and delicate flower; her spirit exudes a heavenly perfume.

She had a "merendina" awaiting us, a simple small repast of sweet bread and fennel tea, or tisana, set on a cloth-covered table in the kitchen, with small plates, cups and spoons.  The graciousness of it slew me; she hardly knows us, yet she knows we are, in a sense, shepherds of her soul.  This little offering was a welcoming gesture, an invitation to "come in" to her life.

We talked of simple things - her life, her family, her conversion to the church along with her sister, aunt and grandmother.  She readily shared some of her goals and desires, all in her sweet Portuguese-spiced Italian.  She has only been here for six months, and did not know Italian before she came.  It is a pleasure to listen to her.

We could have talked longer, but we were all planning to go to Institute together.  A new lamb to keep track of in the fold.  What a blessing.

fun thing:

Kind of bittersweet fun.  We have known Sorella Gregg, one of our young sister missionaries, almost since we got here, but she is finally being transferred.  We are really going to miss her.  She is down-to-earth, up for anything, solid as a rock in her testimony, and full of good humor.

I went to their house to inspect their apartment, which just happened to fall on this transfer P-day.  She and Sorella Johnson made fajitas (including homemade tortillas - wow, what a switch up from the usual fare!) and we enjoyed lunch together (Blaine was home taking a nap, after having gone with me to Pistoia to inspect the elders' apartment).

Anziano/Elder Lott, who has been here four months or so, and is one of our finest missionaries as well, is also being transferred.  We brought the elders to Prato so that E. Lott wouldn't have to drag his bags too far.  They ate lunch by themselves at our house!

After Andrea's mission prep lesson later that afternoon, the sisters dropped by to say good-bye to her.  She had prepared a cute little cake in Sister Gregg's honor.

It's always a joy to be around these young missionaries, even when they're leaving.  We wish them the best, and know they will be a blessing in the lives of many.

I kissed the devil

Wonderful thing for Friday, 20 January:

Okay, this is "wonderful" and "fun" together, because whenever you talk about children, it's both, unequivocally.

I have never seen so many cute kids together in all my life!  Not true.  Whenever our family has been together, there's no contest on cute kids.  That said, the one thing to like about Carnevale is all these adorable little people in quaint and charming costumes.

Our ward had a Carnevale festa for the kids.  I know, it's kind of like having a ward Halloween party...doesn't make a lot of sense if you really think about it.  There was Buzz Lightyear, the cutest witch I've ever seen, an elf, Charlie Chaplin, the "Corpse Bride", two Superman(s), "Wonder Dude", Princes Merida (the child even had wavy auburn hair), Pebbles, ... I know there were more - and yes, Alessia and Diletta, two of our Young Women, were a princess and a devil; and true to Italian form, I kissed them both.

Setting aside the slightly bizarre idea of a ward Carnevale party, it was just one more opportunity for some much-needed fellowship.  Dear Sister Betty DeRobertis, who's in charge of such goings on, is always up for a party.  There were confetti ribbons everywhere and party streamers hung from the ceiling (thanks to Blaine on a ladder).  We watched some fun games, and even partook in some - have you ever tried to move an egg with a slab of styrofoam, without touching it (the idea is to create wind)?  There was music the entire evening.  "A wonderful time was had by all."

And another wonderful thing:

Our new Institute presidency.  We still have Ivan as the president, and Andrea as the secretary, with Elton (newly returned missionary) and Matteo (newly baptized member) as assistants.  We had a presidency meeting, and feel encouraged.  Time for a fresh look at things, time to ameliorate.  Love those Italian-derived words - okay, Latin-derived - close enough.

And another fun thing:

I made a "flourless orange saffron cake".  Perfect.  Yummy.  Yay!  For some reason it means a lot to me that people like what I bring.  To make it, I had to put two [yummy Sicilian] oranges in the microwave, covered, till they were tender and exuding juice, then puree them.  There's something I don't do every day!