Missionary Friends

Our current district.  Adding one extra lady:  Angela, the mother of the Bishop.  She likes to wear her old badge and pretend she is still on a mission.  She is a character.  One Sunday the Bishop was giving a talk in Sacrament meeting.  She yells out from the 2nd row:  "You are talking too much, let other people have a turn!"  This district is a fun group.  We invited them over for a district dinner and they turned the tables on us and invited us over to the church and they are going to cook dinner for us!  How is that?  That is certainly one way to my heart.  (See dinner photos below)

Scovilles who served in Italy (on left side) were in Rome for a few days before they left for their home in Colorado.  I already miss them.  They are the only people in the world who can completely identify with our mission b/c they did the same job in Sicily.  We spent hours on the phone comparing notes and trying to figure out 'things'....we had good laughs and good talks and always felt their support and comradeship.  This was their 2nd mission, their first was in Ghana but they had to leave early b/c Elder Scoville was accidentally kicked in the eye.  He had surgery and now has to go back to the US to get stitches out of his cornea.  On the right side of the photo is the Canfields.  They are missionaries from the Frankfurt office who have now moved to Rome to set up the Friendship center.  They are the 'go-between' for us and Gilles.  It's nice to have somebody who listens and tries to help.  They have a big job ahead with the Center as well as our projects and the Scoville projects until reinforcements arrive in August.

Dad and Joel Scoville having a sandwich as they overlook Campo dei Fiori.  

I love this shot.  Our last day together and this captures what it was like.  We had time to discuss projects, thoughts about upcoming projects, ideas, and yes.....what it will be like without them!

We were invited to an expat farewell dinner at Brett and Arianne Woods house.  I had no idea there were so many youth and American families in Rome!  These people are all from Rome 2 and we attend Rome 1....where we are the ONLY Americans.  Rome 2 is full of expats:  those that have been here working on the Temple and those who are Embassy people.  And everyone is going home this summer.  The Temple is basically completed, so the families will return to get their children in school.  The Dads may have to stay a bit longer, but not by much.

I need a lesson on how to do 'selfie' that doesn't make you look so weird!  Anyway, this couple are the Kneis' and they come from Houston Texas.  The is the mission nurse, and he handles all the travel.  We spent two days with them in Talamone just for our own get-away and had so much fun with them.  They have 5 kids and 20 g.children.  They do a family reunion one year and the next year they do a reunion with just adults.  Super impressed they can pull that off.  What bets do you make?  Could we do that???

The master chef:  Anziano Sanchez from the Dominican Republic.  His food was amazing!  He enlisted the help from the others, but he oversaw the cooking.  Seriously it was delicious.  I think he has potential as a 5-star Michelin cook.

These rock stars are Sorella Wood from Oregon and in the background doing all the dishes is Anziano Melling from Lehi.

Look at the lasagna!  They didn't serve sandwiches or spaghetti:  No, it was a regular 6 course meal:  2 different kinds of lasagna, meatballs and fried chicken, green salad, mixed fruit of strawberries and nectarines, and then fresh baked banana bread with chocolate chips for desert!  Notice it was served on a tablecloth and nice dishes.  It was impressive from start to finish.

Our district from front and going left around the table:    Mellling (UT), Wood (OR), Silva (CA), Sanchez (DR), Parker (CA), Tom , me, Velardi (FL).

I felt like I had made it to the Celestial Kingdom.  Beyond delicious food, no cooking or cleaning, and surrounded by the best hearts you can find in Rome!  They really spoiled us.  It was a memory maker for sure.