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.

Cry unto him in your wilderness

Wonderful thing for Monday, 2 March:

Churchill had it; Lincoln had it; I get it every now and then - the proverbial black cloud.

 I think it has to do with this illness that keeps its grip on Blaine, even though he is slowly getting better.  We're in the same house, and we do our best to minister to each other, but this illness necessarily puts a barrier between us, which opens a chink for more barriers.  We've been just the teensiest bit testy with each other today.

We are both dealing with some emotional/spiritual/physical gloomy weather.

The wonderful thing?  We reach past the darkness, continuing to minister to each other and to do our best in our work.  We forgive easily.   We find things to laugh about.  Comfort is just a prayer away.

Man, I love this mission.

Fun thing:

Blaine acts so cute sometimes.

His children

Wonderful thing for Wednesday, 18 February:

How some people trust us.  After our mission prep lesson yesterday, one of our students shared some very personal concerns with us.  She shared her struggles and feelings, and she asked Blaine for a blessing of comfort (see lds.org, family guidebook, priesthood ordinances and blessings).

We just kind of look at each other after occasions like this, and marvel.   We're just ordinary people; why do others give us the inestimable gift of their trust?  It really makes you prize your calling; I don't know of too many other things that motivate me to do my best.

The concern and love that fill the heart, the lightness of spirit and the approbation that we all felt after that blessing, the closeness to this sweet, sweet daughter of God - these are all morsels from the Tree of Life!

fun thing:

Blaine got most of the fun, but that's okay.  I just love doing anything with our missionaries.  I was the dropper-off and picker-up of him, and Elders Christensen and Lott.  They did a hike that was a little more demanding than the one we did last week with the sisters - not that the sisters couldn't have handled the climb last week...we all know who that would be...  Even with a brisk wind on a chilly but sunny day, they had a super time.

sweet and bittersweet

Wonderful thing for Tuesday, 17 February:

I almost wrote her name, but she should remain anonymous; she is an excommunicant and deserves privacy.  She is, however, the wonderful thing.

We have a list of all the GANS in Pisa, and have been asked to visit them, especially those who don't come much.  Our job, as we see it, is to be mentors, "coach", to get to know them and to encourage and love them.  We went down the list Monday, trying to make appointments.  We had discussed the list with the bishop and the Institute director, and marked the "low hanging fruit" - those who are most likely to respond.  We made an appointment with one of them for yesterday, and agreed to pass by the store where another works.  We then went to the next set of check marks, those who have not been heard from in quite awhile.  We also got an agreement to introduce ourselves at the store where another one of the young women works.

Then we saw this name written in at the bottom of the list.  She has been excommunicated but she comes to GANS activities with her boyfriend, who is "abbastanza bravo".   We called.  She was happy to hear from us, and readily agreed to meet us at the central station, which is near her grandfather's house, with whom she stays during the days of the week before she goes to school in the evenings.

She hastened to be sure, when first we met, that we knew she isn't officially a member, that she has chosen to live in a manner that she knows to be contrary to the laws of God - but that that's the choice she has made and she isn't willing to change that decision.  There was no belligerence in this admission; it was more just to get it out in the open so that there was no deception on her part.

There are a lot of underlying circumstances, of course - there always are.   What impressed us was her openness, her sweetness, her also readily avowed love of God and of the Gospel.  Our hearts ached for her.  We shared with her that we also have issues that plague us, which we are continually trying to ameliorate through prayer, repentance, renewing our covenants, etc.  We promised her that we also are painfully conscious of our sins and weaknesses when we kneel to pray.

We challenged her to, if she can do no more, at least "check in" every morning and every night with her Father in Heaven.  If she continues to do this, we promised her that she would know that He has not forgotten her, that He truly loves her, that He is right there, ready to bless her.  We told her that we will keep in contact; she was pleased to hear it.

Really, there is a very thin line between the "saint" and the "sinner".

fun thing:

We found vanilla!  And jalapeno-like peppers!  And okra!!??!  as well as cheaper peanut butter, all at Doris' store.  She is from Nigeria, and operates a store with "exotic" food.  This Friday there's a Carnevale festa at church; I have vanilla and saffron; I'm supposed to bring a "dolce".  Google, here I come.