Respite You Think? Not So Fast!

After spending a wonderful few days with Kara and Chris, and then enjoying the creation of the 10th Stake in Italy in our own Bella Toscana, we settled back down to work in our beautiful city of Siena.  We had an enjoyable family home evening with our branch family, and continued to visit and strengthen our members.

This was transfer week, and lo and behold our own Elder Robb, who has been with us since he came from the States in November, was transferred to Padova.  We couldn't let him go without one last missionary correlation meeting, which we decided to hold at the best pizzeria in all of Siena.  We had a good time and wished him well on his missionary journey.  It has been fun watching him grow from a new elder who could barely put two Italian words together, to a confident missionary who is able to communicate well with members and investigators.

Elder Robb's last English class at Siena.  Many well-wishers! 

Last missionary correlation meeting with Elder Robb
Bonnie, Sister Roth, Sister Boscia, Elder Robb, Elder Axson

The numbers in our small branch have almost doubled with the arrival of the BYU Study Abroad group of about 16 students.  This group is from the Italian department at BYU, and many of them are returned missionaries from the Italy missions.  They will be a great strength to our little branch.  We already have them speaking, teaching and helping out.

On Sunday, May 18 we had over 50 people in Church, with our BYU students and the tourists that are starting to come in droves.  It was nice to have so many.  But we need to remember that these members come and go, and we must always stay focused on our permanent members here in Siena, working diligently to help them build and grow their testimonies.

 

Darryl blissfully enjoying his last meal just hours before the fateful call

We are now convinced that the Lord both has a sense of humor and he doesn't really like it when his full time missionaries, even us old couples, think they can take a few days' respite to show a daughter and son-in-law the beauties of His creations.  Why do we say this? 

Because on Monday evening we received a call from our Mission President who informed Darryl that he was going to be on a plane the next morning for the United States where he needed to have a medical issue resolved.  He went on to say that he and the Europe Area President, Elder Texiera, wanted Darryl to come to mission headquarters in Milano and direct the Italy Milan Mission in President Dibb's absence.  So, no rest for the wicked, or at least for those who think they can take a few days off to enjoy the countryside!

Needless to say, we were shocked by this news.  But we girded up our loins, packed a few bags, and headed off to Milano on Tuesday, arriving Tuesday evening.  Darryl now has the Mission President's phone, and Bonnie has his wife's phone, and we are handling all the various matters that need to be resolved by the Mission President and his wife.

All health issues involving the missionaries go to Bonnie, and she has had a number of problems to resolve in just the past five days, ranging from the flu to a broken foot.  She is great with these young missionaries as she guides them on the path to healthy living.

We are staying in the Mission Home, which is very roomy, very nice!

Darryl is busy fielding calls from all over the Mission, and at the same time is preparing for New Missionary Training where we bring all new missionaries back to the Mission Home after they have been in the field for 2 weeks, together with their trainers, for some in-depth training and a large dose of encouragement.  Bonnie will also be providing training for this group.  Darryl is using some of the materials that President Dibb used, but has some original training he wants to share with these missionaries.

"Acting" Mission President with his lovely bride

 We are also preparing for a training day with all Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders, and five Zone Conferences.  After that, we will have another round of transfers with new missionaries coming in from the MTC, and missionaries departing for home.

Traditions cannot be broken, so we are feeding the Assistants and Office Elders
AP's - Elders Johnson and Walden, Bonnie, Office Elders Stewart and Bendezu

In addition, we have two new missionary couples coming to join the Mission in the next two weeks, but they have already been assigned to their fields of labor, one working with the American military families near a U.S. base in northern Italy, and one heading off to a small town to serve as branch president.  We will just need to meet and greet them, welcome them to the mission, feed them, and get them pointed in the right direction with the hope that their TomTom's will get them to their assigned destination without too many detours.

The good news is that the medical issue that President Dibb needed to have addressed has been resolved with great success, and he is now in the recovery mode.  His doctors believe that after about 4-6 weeks of rest and recuperation in the States, he will be able to return to Italy and continue to lead the Mission.

And that means that we will get to return to our little town of Siena and the small, but wonderful branch of members that we have grown to love so dearly.

While this is and will continue to be an interesting and challenging temporary duty assignment, we will have no qualms in leaving the traffic congestion of Milano and returning to the Bella Toscana.

What have we learned the past two weeks? 

First, enjoy each day, for it may be your last, at least the last day in the comfort zone to which you have grown accustomed.   

Second, be prepared for the unexpected, and when the unexpected comes, answer the call and go forth with faith.

Third, enjoy the ride!!

A Short Respite with Kara and Chris

One of the perks of senior missionaries is that your children and grandchildren get to visit you if they can arrange to get where you are serving.  Our son-in-law, Adam, visited us for a few days before Christmas while he was on a business trip.  And now, our youngest daughter, Kara, and her husband, Chris, decided to take a European vacation before Chris starts medical school at Penn State in July.

So, they decided to visit Italy and to drop by and spend a few days (OK, about six) with us.  They came to church with us on Sunday and got to meet the wonderful members of our little branch.

We were able to show them around the Bella Toscana, starting with the hill towns of Radda in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti, and then Montepulchiano, Pienza and Montalcino.  It only rained on us for about a day and a half, and then we had beautiful weather for the remainder of our time together.

Kara and Chris in Montepulchiano

Rainy day in Radda in Chianti

Dad and Kara in Montepulchiano

Jet lag caught up with them, and they missed a lot of beautiful countryside

We tried to show them the wonderful things in Siena, but the weather didn't cooperate.  Also, we tried twice to get into the Duomo, but both times they decided to close it early, with no warning.  But we did climb the Tower and walk the rainy streets of old town.

We climbed to the top of the highest civic tower in all of Italy, right in Siena!

A view of Siena's Duomo from the top of the tower

The rainy streets of downtown Siena

The facade of Siena's grand Duomo

We also visited the nearby towns of San Gimignano and Volterra, and spent a long day in Florence.

The towers of San Gimignano

A park in Volterra

Chris would have trouble with this door for sure!

To finish off their visit, we saw the sights in Pisa and Lucca.  

Riding bikes around the walls of Lucca

Pisa's Duomo and Baptistry from the top of the Leaning Tower

Kara and Chris at the top of the Leaning Tower

Darryl and Bonnie on the top too!

The best of friends pose in Pisa

Then we spent two glorious days in the beautiful Cinque Terre region.

Chris catching a few extra winks

Corniglia, where we stayed for two nights

Corniglia on the hill

Hiking the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza

Vernazza

Open air bistros near the water

Darryl and Bonnie on the hike to Vernazza

365 stairs from the train station up to Corniglia

Corniglia from the water

Manarola

Riomaggiore

Manarola at night

Waiting for a train to Monterosso that never came!

Chris and Kara off to the beach in Vernazza

After what were fun-filled and joyful days together, we dropped them off at the train station in Genova where they continued their European adventure on their own, visiting Venice, and then taking the night train to Paris for two romantic days alone before returning to their beautiful daughter, Olivia, who anxiously waited for them back in the States.

This little respite from our everyday assignments was both refreshing and invigorating, and a lot of work hiking up and down the mountain trails of Cinque Terre.  It was a mid-mission break that reminded us how precious our five children, our five sons and daughters-in-law, and our ten (soon to be 11 in a few weeks) grandchildren are to us! 

And on Mother's Day, our son Daniel and his wife, Tara, broke more baby news to us.  They are expecting, and they are having twins!!!  So that will be 13, and who knows who else might receive such wonderful blessings from on high. 

Families are miracles, and the restored gospel reveals that families can be together forever.  And for that knowledge, we are eternally grateful!

The First Stake of Zion in the Florence region of Italy! History in the Making!

Thursday, May 1, was Labor Day, a national holiday here in Italy.   Therefore, all the Italians were off work, most of the stores were closed, and the weather was bright and sunny.  Our missionaries decided to take advantage of all these factors and put a mostra (or streetboard) together.  They wanted to invite all the missionaries and members to come to a crowded piazza in the middle of Siena where we could explain the plan of salvation to all those who might stop by.

Forty years ago when Darryl was a young missionary in Italy, he used this technique quite often; even setting up a streetboard right on Vatican Square, within a stone's throw of the Pope's residence and the famous Swiss Guards.  However, things have changed.  Now there is bureaucratic red tape to fight through, permits to obtain, fees to pay, etc., in order to pull off this type of proselyting activity.  But, undeterred, our sister missionaries jumped through all the hoops, got the permit, made a wonderful poster of the plan of salvation, and got the members excited for this adventure.

Elders Robb and Axson with most of the Rotelli family

The Army of Israel, at least in Siena 

Sister Roth with a member, explaining the plan to some friends 

Sister Boscia with their great artwork!

We spent most of the afternoon and evening at the mostra, explaining the plan to those who were brave enough to stop and listen.  It becomes increasingly clear that the world is becoming more secular everyday, and finding someone who is really open to God and His revealed word is difficult.  That is why all of us need to share the gospel with our friends and families, and find new ways to bring people to Christ.  The old techniques of knocking doors, street tracting, and even streetboards are less and less effective.  While they are useful and need to be done when more productive means are not available; members and missionaries must work together to find ways to invite friends, neighbors, co-workers and family to listen to the message of the restored gospel.

Last Sunday, May 11, Elder Timothy Dyches, a member of the First Quorum of Seventy and a counselor in the Europe Area Presidency, along with Elder Massimo De Feo, our Area Seventy, created the first stake in the Florence area.  This new stake extends from Pisa and Livorno on the Mediterranean Sea, to Rimini and Ancona on the Adriatic Sea.  This is a huge geographical region for one stake.  We feel sorry for our new Stake Presidency and the many, many kilometers they will be putting on their vehicles.

Elder Dyches before the meeting

Ready for history to be made!

They created five wards within this new stake.  There will be six other units, still branches, and Siena will be one of these branches.  Our members were very excited to be a part of the creation of this new stake, as we all work hard to make Italy "blossom like a rose" as prophesied by Lorenzo Snow when he first dedicated this land.

Lucy, Francesca and Bianka

Franca, Maria Rosa and Diletta

In addition to this historic stake conference, Sunday was also Mother's Day.  The elders came to our apartment Sunday evening where we helped connect them with their families via our IPads and Skype/Google.  We also had a chance to talk with some of our children and their families, and they all seem to be doing fine.  It seems like great blessings are happening in all of our lives!

Our Siena missionaries gave Bonnie a beautiful lily plant for Mother's Day, along with a very nice card.  Bonnie is really a second mother to all the missionaries who are fortunate enough to serve in this beautiful city.

Yesterday we had our weekly Family Home Evening.  We decided to celebrate the May birthdays, and make cards for all our members and missionaries with birthdays this month.  Two of our missionaries, Elder Axson and Sister Roth, have birthdays in May, so they had a good time at this activity.

Bonnie, Elders Axson and Robb, and Luca from the branch

The sisters, an investigator, and Bonnie

Sister Roth and Sister Boscia

A former missionary, Sister Katie Soh, dropped in on our FHE, and our members were so excited to see her.  She and her companion were the first sister missionaries to serve in this city, and Darryl and Bonnie happened to be sitting in the Sacrament Meeting in Siena in October 2012, as tourists, when they were first introduced to the branch.  What a coincidence!

Sister Soh and Bianka, talking via FaceTime to another former missionary 

This week is transfer week, and we may lose one or two of our great Siena missionaries.  But with everyone who leaves, they leave us with great memories and stronger testimonies.  And these changes give us the opportunity to meet and work with other great servants of the Lord, and that is awesome.

The work moves forward, and with everyone's dedication and hard work, it will roll forward as a stone cut without hands until it fills the whole earth.  May we all do our part!