ITALY IS GREAT!


CINQUE TERRE


THE PIETA IN ST. PETERS AN ANCIENT TEMPLE

This morning at church, Bishop Edgley, of the Presiding Bishopric, and his wife were in attendance. Next weekend, he will meet with all the stake presidents in Italy, the area presidency and the mission presidents. His mandate is the temple here in Rome. At the end of our fast and testimony meeting today, he spoke to us briefly. He said they had seen the coliseum yesterday, and today he was thinking of this area as it began as the fountain of Christianity. Then His precious gospel was lost from the earth. He said with the announcement of the temple in Italy, it was clear that the gospel of Jesus Christ is back, and it is here to stay. He said he wanted to thank those early Christians who believed in Jesus Christ and his gospel. Many of them were martyred.
HOW THE COLISEUM LOOKED ORIGINALLY

HOW THE COLISEUM LOOKS TODAY

He spoke of Joseph Smith and how his name would be known for good and evil throughout the world. He said we will continue to grow and be active in the church because the church is true. He also commented that there were two important witnesses to the first vision: God, the father, and his son, Jesus Christ. I had not really ever thought of it that way before. He reminded us that if we wanted to know if it was true, to ask the witnesses if it happened.

Just prior to his remarks, an investigator stood and bore testimony of the reality of miracles in his life and his belief in Jesus Christ.

The weather is warm – very warm in Italy right now. Just about every morning, it starts out a little hazy and then the haze burns off to a bright, glorious day. You can feel the humidity hanging in the air. By about 6:00 p.m. – sometimes earlier – a large thundercloud rolls in and we have a giant electric storm, which lasts about an hour. Then the air is clear and fresh once again. When it rains, it seems that the heavens open up and lets out the bathwater. Even an umbrella is useless in this torrent.

THE METRO - we travel on these trains a lot!

Last night we attended a Nordic concert in a church downtown next to the Marcellus Theatre that we attended last weekend. This was probably a 100-piece orchestra, much of that, stringed instruments, directed by a famous Norwegian conductor. Some of the songs were loud and strong, but the last two were our favorite numbers and were softer and easier to listen to. The orchestra was made up of talented cream-of-the-crop youth from several Scandinavian countries, who had met and practiced once together and then they go on tour throughout Europe.

Saturday morning we were invited over to Pearson’s for a 4th of July breakfast with the missionaries from our district. We didn’t sing, “God Bless America,” but the meal was tasty.

We haven’t been very good about carrying the camera this week, so I am adding a few pictures that have been taken before for you to enjoy. Stay wonderful and keep the faith!
This is Nettuno. A favorite place on the Mediterranean.

Rows and rows of grapevines. We are hoping to get in on a grape harvest this year.

Mediterranean coastline