September 2007

Serving a mission takes Faith. I’ve thought about this quite often as I watch the missionaries give two years of their life, leaving family and friends – even little brothers and sisters! – and in most cases, paying for the privilege to do something they truly believe in: sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’ve thought about it as I watch our children struggle in a country with a different language and culture. The Italian people are full of generosity and kindness, but have very different standards than they have been accustomed to. It takes a great deal of faith on their part to follow their parents for three years and do something that they know is important – but hard nevertheless.

I’ve thought about it as I watch the members of the church here in Italy. The church building is often far away (as much as an hour travel time) and there is little to no parking so trains and busses are used. Most Italians work or attend school six days a week, so Sunday is truly their only day off. They don’t have Saturday for recreational activities or household chores so members give up going to the beach or doing other activities on Sunday so they can attend church. Many are the only members in their family, so must come alone to church—and the list of sacrifices and challenges goes on. But they are faithful members who give inspiring talks and lessons and even rent busses so they and their youth can attend the temple in Switzerland a few times each year.

Elder Richard G. Scott came to visit the Rome Stake this past week. He spoke to a packed congregation over a week ago on a Sunday evening and then returned to speak to our missionaries on Tuesday. What a great experience. We often wonder how President Hinckley keeps up his schedule, but I daresay that all the apostles and general authorities have an unbelievable travel and speaking schedule. Even though Elder Scott was flying back and forth across Italy and other parts of Europe, often speaking in two different cities hours apart in the same day and most likely getting little sleep, he was vigorous and energetic and anxious to share his message and shake everyone’s hand!

Our children were blessed to hear him speak both times. As we picked him up from the airport, he asked if we could call the children and ask them to prepare a song to sing during the meeting. They did a great job. (As he spoke to the missionaries, Stephanie calmly pulled out two of her teeth. Elder Scott said he was pretty sure that’s the first time that has happened during one of his talks!) During one of the breaks we took, he asked that I write our names on a 3 x 5 index card so he could make note of them in his journal. I wrote a note next to each of the names to help him remember who was not here because they were attending BYU, that Stephanie was the one who pulled out her teeth, etc. I had put “beautiful singer�? next to Marianne’s name. When she saw the card, she took the pencil from my hand and wrote next to her name, “changed my life.�? What a blessing for them.

As far as mission life goes, there is always something going on. We brought in about a dozen missionaries who had been here just over two transfers for their Three-Month Conference. This training sinks in a little more than it would have if they would have received it as a brand new missionary. They are more familiar with the language, the culture, know what missionary life is really like here, and are anxious for suggestions to make their mission all that it can be. In addition to all the other training they received from Pres. Acerson and the assistants, I was able to use my great-grandfather’s missionary journal as I taught about the importance of journal keeping. He had left a wife and three children in northern Wyoming (she had a fourth child a few months after he left on his mission) and served a three-year mission for the church. What faithfulness and dedication he showed – something for me to remember as I’m asked to sacrifice so much less. When he returned, they had three more children, but he died shortly before the birth of the last one – my grandmother, Wilma. How grateful I am to have his journal so I can know more about him and his great faith.

After the Three-Month Conference, we got ready for transfers. Twelve were going home and 17 came in! It is very hard to say good-bye to these missionaries. The tears just kept coming and I get teary now just thinking about them leaving our mission! Two of them were the assistants who trained us as we came into the mission, Elder Hoare and Elder Sanelli. I love them for their help and patience with us as we learned the ropes. A few hours after they were gone and I was cleaning up for the new missionaries to come in, I had to throw away their plastic cups that I had written their names on and had a good cry all over again.

This week was Zone Leader Council followed by zone conferences to Sardegna, Rome, Napoli, and Firenze. There are always meals to cook, cookies to bake, sheets and towels to wash, birthday cards to write, calls to be made, and trainings to give. And that’s just my part (of course the children are a big help as well). President Acerson has his hands full with missionary interviews, phone calls, and reading their weekly letters. In addition, he holds mission councils where the district and mission leadership meet 4-5 times a year, fills callings, and smooths ruffled feathers, but he’s kind and loving and is the right man for the job. They love and respect him and listen to his counsel and advice.

Lisa is in Pistoia visiting the DeRobertis family for a week while Scott, Marianne, and Stephanie are trying to survive the mountain of homework from their new school. We came back to Utah at the end of August to get their visas but are now trying to meet with immigration to get the “permission to stay�? which has to be done each year. We went an hour early to the immigration office (8:00 a.m.) and were number 296. We took the kids to school instead and decided to try another day.

As far as school goes, Kimberly’s Italian lessons this summer gave them just enough background to help them out in their Italian classes and they are beginning to learn about what an incredible historical and art-filled treasure Italy is. In fact, Scott, Stephanie, and I recently went to the Galleria Borghese and saw many of the most famous of the Bernini sculptures (Apollo and Daphne, Bernini’s David, and more) along with those of several other sculptors. I had no idea Scott would be so excited to be in an art museum! I loved every minute of it and it was a treat to be doing something with these very patient kids of ours!

Mark and Kimberly are hard at work back home finishing up school at BYU. Kimberly has a special event this week at the Homecoming Spectacular where she gets to perform “Hie to Kolob�? with the Ballroom Dance Team—the music will be provided by none other than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I hope to write a little next time about how life is here in Rome. The weather is cooler now, the Italian schools have started, and everyone seems to have returned to Rome after their vacanza during the month of August. But alas, I must say ciao for now! Vi vogliamo bene (we want the best for you) – just another way of saying, “We love you�? to our friends and family!