The fields of sunflowers have replaced the fields of red poppies.


The week has been an eating week. The Italian way is to have about 5 or 6 courses at any meal.
Our courses this week included:

1st and 2nd course: Scone Night for missionaries and investigators. A fun casual get-together at our apartment! All the scones and honey-butter you can eat. Of course, that means that the next day will be cinnamon bun day as I always make up too much scone dough and it also makes great cinnamon buns.

3nd course: Our favorite Italian investigator cooked for us again and we all rolled out of the apartment afterward. This time the meal included 2 pasta dishes, pheasant – you had to watch out for the buckshot it was killed with - when you ate it, an egg and cheese dish with grated truffle in it, a stew made with beef, potatoes, red onion, and red pepper, and stuffed eggplant.



This black "thing" is called a truffle. Francesco said it cost $150. It was given to him by someone he had worked for. It is a kind of spice and he grated it into the egg dish he made. Once before he brought truffles too and then he grated it onto cooked spaghetti which was delicious.


4th course: A surprise birthday party for Sister Acerson, the President’s wife – featuring pulled barbeque pork, salads, a birthday cake, and a very surprised Sister Acerson. This was complete with balloons, and candles. 1 candle for each 10 years.



5th course: Fried chicken dinner for the assistants. Elder Rogers is going home this transfer and we will be sorry to have him go, he is so fun. He's the one in the front.


6th course: UVSO – Utah Valley Symphony Orchestra playing beautiful classical music as well as several LDS hymns with special arrangements by the conductor’s wife. That was a treat of a different kind, but definitely dessert.

On Saturday we played at Marina di Alabrese.


By the way, this is a picture of the apartment we will be moving into in September.


That puts us into transfer week this coming week, which is our biggest assignment in any 6 week period of time. We have played, and eaten, and taught, and listened. Now we work!