So Much To Be Thankful For!!

Since our last posting, we have witnessed a family baptism, help put an apartment together for a new set of sisters who transferred into our fair city, been to a district-wide training of the leaders of all the branches in the Florence District, walked up and down the beautiful, but steep streets of Montepulchiano helping a family get into a different apartment, prepared TWO Thanksgiving dinners, and prepared for a missionary fireside where one of our members, Spencer Nelson, will speak about his life as a Mormon who plays professional basketball in Europe.

Darryl was able to meet with a wonderful family who was preparing for baptism.  Darryl interviewed the parents and had a spiritual experience as he witnessed their preparation for entering into the waters of baptism.  And then, after the District Training on Saturday, we stayed in Florence to witness their baptism.  It was beautiful to watch a mother, father and 9 year old daughter take this step together.

We visited our Relief Society President one evening.  She lives in the city center of Siena in a building that was constructed in the 1300s.  She is taking care of her 98 year mother.  She is a stalwart in the branch, and a great example of Christian service.  It was a rainy night as we walked down this steep street to her home.

Here is Sister Feri and Bonnie standing on a walkway overlooking Siena.

A night shot of San Domenico, an ancient Church here in Siena that displays the actual head and thumb of St. Caterina, the patron saint of Siena.

We spent two days with another senior couple who has the main assignment to travel around the entire mission and set up new apartments for missionaries.  This is a direct result of the change in the age of young missionaries which has swelled the ranks of all missions, including ours.  We have to find new places for the influx of these great, young missionaries.

Here's a great shot from out our dining room window.  A gorgeous sky!

Here are most of the BYU students after their last Sunday here.  Interspersed are some of our Italian members of our branch.  Can you pick them out?

And here is a shot of Darryl hard at work at our dining room table.  He is clearly doing some important branch work, don't you think?  So professorial in those reading glasses.

On Tuesday we learned that Elder Young (the shorter one) was being transferred to Bologna.  We had planned to have the Elders join us for Thanksgiving dinner at the home of the Nelsons, but both Elder Young and Elder Gneiting (who would be getting a greenie right off the plane) had to leave for Florence Wednesday night.  Bonnie couldn't bear the thought of them missing a nice, American Thanksgiving dinner, so she cooked up a turkey with all the fixing, and we had an early Thanksgiving dinner with the Elders on Wednesday, before they boarded the train.  This is a picture of the clean up after they demolished the turkey.

On Thanksgiving day we all went to the Nelsons for dinner.   We knew that two new sister missionaries would be coming in sometime on Thanksgiving Day, and luckily they arrived just in time to sit down to dinner with us.  We also had one of our branch members who is a Brit join us for her first taste of this American holiday.  I'm not sure what she thought, but we ate well!

On Friday we brought the new sisters to our apartment to help make refreshments for our missionary fireside with Spencer Nelson on Saturday.  Here we are stuffing sugar cookies with Nutella, the spread of choice here in Italy.

This morning we walked into the center of Siena for its annual Christmas festival.  There were about a hundred vendors selling food specialties from all over Italy.  There were also crafts for sale.  The day was cold, but clear, and it was a good day to mingle with the crowds.

Here's a book-maker's stall.  Kristine will find this one interesting.

At this Thanksgiving time we are very thankful for all the tender mercies granted to us by a loving Heavenly Father.  We are very grateful for our five children, their wonderful spouses, and our ten grandchildren.  We miss them, but we believe that they are being blessed in their lives as we serve our brothers and sisters here in Italy.  We are also very thankful for our mothers who raised us and support us in all our work.  And we are thankful for the opportunity to serve here in Italy, and to serve with great Italian members and wonderful missionaries.

Our lives are truly blessed, and we thank God every day for all our many blessings.  May we be an instrument in His hands to help bring our brothers and sisters to a full knowledge of His love.

We are thankful for friends and loved ones, and we hope that you all had a very wonderful and thankful Thanksgiving week!