October 28, 2013

I love Sundays on the mission. This week it started with an hour of singing time in Primary. Ghio played, I led. Flavia was the only teacher there, with her little boyfriend from the north country (Alessandro wasn't there; I'll have to fill him in next week). It's really amazing how a primary of fifty plus kids can function, that there can be reverence, order. Here, we've got about five to six each week, and it takes all the patience and persuasion in the world to get them to sing or stay in their chairs. With almost everyone else gone, President Scherbel decided to join us for that first hour. I am learning so much from him and Sorella Scherbel...as missionaries we really are lucky to serve with and work so closely with them.

Second hour, went upstairs to the little attic where they have sunday school for the youth. Fourteen year old Antonio Melella and Romina and Harlene, our two investigators from the Phillippines. The teacher is a girl about my age. The lesson was one I will never forget. She wrote on the board ''word of wisdom: part ii'' and for the next hour we talked about the studies of a Nobel Prize winner from the thirties, how milk is bad for you, all of these random things. We tried to put in some doctrine. At the end, Sorella Ghio reads the promise at the end of section 89. The teacher, bless her heart, shares a few scriptures of her own...the most obscure references about meat. You know, because eating it, you might as well be eating a cadaver, right? Oh boy. Lessons like this, you just pray the whole time that the investigators won't get scared off or think we're crazy. We talked with the girls that night though, reviewed the restoration, asked them to pray...so all is well for right now.

After church we went to Natasha's house. She's twenty-nine, we've taught her english lessons a few times, her Dad, well, her mom and brother all love us. So they made us traditional Napoletano lunch. Buonissimo. And the game had just started. Napoli won, 2-0. I tried to avert my eyes. We graciously declined the homemade limoncello which turned into a question/answer sesh about the church, word of wisdom, other beliefs. I love their family. We were invited to go to a paesino for a three day boar hunting trip...if only. Extended pday? I'm thinking that will be a ''no.'' 

We went to the Amalfi coast today. Last time drove the whole thing with the Scherbels. Today, we took a boat from Salerno. It was beautiful, we enjoyed some pastries...all in all a good day. 

Oh yeah, and the conference in Rome was wonderful. Got to see some of my favorite people, Dr. Wing made me feel like I was sitting in an anatomy class again...and the ride back with Bird, Malan and Christianson was fun. There are some really wonderful people serving here. And there are great things in store for this mission and the members here.

I love you all!

Jenni