Wow! We just got back from a great trip to Utah. We went down and spent Tues. night with my sister and her husband Eric. They are so fun and caring. Erin has completed my new knitted shawl - she is so talented. Then on Wed. we picked up my former companion Bonna B. and drove down to Ephraim to a wonderful open house for all of us former Italy North missionaries. My mission president and his lovely wife, Dan and Elaine Jorgensen, hosted the affair and the food and company were great. We all are 40 years older but that didn't matter. We laughed, cried, told funny, inspirational, and life-changing stories. My mission in Italy changed my life forever. President and Sister Jorgensen inspired me then and continue to inspire me today. They had the awesome experience of watching over some five hundred young missionaries for three years when they were in their early thirties. They had small children yet gave of their time and love so freely. President Jorgensen had a very successful career in banking - living in Italy before they were called to be mission president and then after both overseas and in the U.S. Sister Jorgensen is teaching full time at Snow College. She has a doctorate in Music from Julliard. They have five children and lots of grandchildren.
It was so fun to share family news, what we were doing, etc. with such dear old friends. It was amazing how many connections we shared that we didn't even know about. People, places, and family connect all of us in some way. We are all so excited about the new temple being built in Rome and so many of us want to be there for the dedication, we are thinking about chartering a plane and renting some villas in Italy and going together as a group. It will be so much fun! We seemed to make the intervening years seem like just moments since we last saw each other. The spouses joined right in and we became instant good friends. I don't know how other missionary reunions are but ours was like pure heaven. My face hurt from smiling so much. Each memory shared brought forth another memory and it was amazing how much we were able to recall and share. It was wonderful to hear about people we all knew in Italy and how they are today. Many of us have been back to Italy through the years and kept up with one member or another for news. Several of the former missionaries are in Italy right now. President Jorgensen is already planning more reunions. The only bad thing of the whole reunion is I forgot to take any pictures. We were so busy talking that I didn't even take my camera out of my handbag! rats!!
This opportunity for Marv and I to return to Italy and serve the people is a dream come true. As events have occurred we have seen the hand of the Lord helping us as we prepare to serve. The other couple going to Italy on a mission have seen the same blessings and help as well. They will be serving in the Rome mission and will be working with the young single adults throughout Italy. They are a great couple and both served in Italy before.
We are so grateful to be going to Italy. Marv is still learning Italian at a great pace. Monday he will start skyping with the MTC (mission training center) and has a teacher assigned. He will also get a "coach" to practice with and one of the sisters (she was my district leader on my mission), Janice Hileman, may get to be that coach. What fun. He is doing so well. We both are rereading the Book of Mormon and loving it. It is a truly remarkable book and teaches us many precious and sacred principles. It is also great to read for the history as well. We are ready and anxious to leave. Only 51 days left. But who's counting?
We are off next week to New Mexico and Arizona again to see the grandkids one last time. This mission would be much harder if we didn't have skype available. Monday and Tuesday, we will be helping Ruth (Marv's mom) get new carpet upstairs. Marv's best childhood friend is laying it but we are the movers. Marv's sister, Maryln, is coming up from Utah to help.
We are busy all the time. Tonight we are going to play games with our old friends and their friends. We are having a pot luck dinner and then playing games all evening. Tomorrow night we will take Ruth out to her favorite restaurant for Mother's Day and then will have a family dinner on Sunday. Then carpet for two days and then off to New Mexico. Our 16 year niece is coming with us for a visit with Leigh and her family. She just finished high school and will be off to college in the fall. She is a dear girl and we love to be with her. She dances with the Idaho Falls Ballet school and last Sat. we watched her perform at the Civic Auditorum as they performed selections from the ballet The Secret Garden and then some different dance pieces. It was fun. She is very tall and very graceful. Being able to see our nieces and nephews is a great blessing. Living home here means we get to see family almost daily. We cherish these opportunities. Families are truly eternal and are the only meaningful achievement of this earthly life. Love your families and let them know it every day. Time passes so quickly that many moments can be lost so easily. Ciao cari amici.
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