Christmas Eve Fieldtrip

This is Caltagirone. They are famous for their ceramic work and nativities. The view from the top isn't so bad either. Of course, it was a beautiful day as well.
The side streets and path were interesting inside the city. Here is Jim's backside as he explores a very narrow passageway.













On our way home we stopped at the Commonwealth War Cemetery.
There were over 2,000 British troops that died in Sicily. This was the beginning point of the Allied invasion into Europe. The British came up from Siracusa, the Americans from Gela. Both cities are on the south side of Sicily.












I even found a headstone the reads like the British spelling of my maiden name.

P-days are great!

Christmas Eve Fieldtrip

Here is yet another photo of Etna. Isn't she beautiful. She does have snow on her and if you drive up to the tourist area, you drive into snow! Please notice the orange trees in the foreground and the spring green grass. It is a sight to behold.



Pic 2, We took a fieldtrip with our office couple, the Stinebaughs, to Caltagirone. This is a castle along the road. Sicily is hilly everywhere.







Caltagirone has many, many nativity scenes that you can go see. This one is animated and so beautiful! No, I did not buy another nativity--I already had one:)
We climbed steps to see the cathedral at the top--but the view down was pretty amazing, too!

Mission Home Conferences

This December we had a Mission Tour with the Area President and his wife (Robert C. Oaks). So we did the whole mission (3 combined Zone Conferences and 2 firesides) in about about 4 days. We covered a lot of country, saw a lot of missionaries and had amazing training and teaching from Pres. Oaks and his wife.

Then we had mission home conferences during December where the missionaries came to us.
Pic.1 shows the amount of food it takes to feed missionaries for these conferences. Thank goodness I have help (Roberta Battezato and Sorella Stinebaugh).





Pic 2 Show the first time through the line. . . . Anz. Stubbs, Anz. Pfeiffer, Azn. Ipson, Anz. Viehweg, Anz. Wilkinson are loading up. A mere four hours after this meal, the "snack bar" had to open. There were those that were hungry again! Amazing!

The aftermath--There are still 3 more loads of laundry in the other room. It was a lot of work, but soooooooooooo enjoyable. We loved hearing the testimonies, experiences, and feeling the energy of these amazing missionaries.

October 2008

Spontaneous hugs happen around this mission--but not just with one missionary hugging another! Here is a group hug at Zone Leader Council in front of the mission home.
The Island Country of Malta is in the mission. We were there on Thursday/Friday of this week. It is truly a limestone rock in the middle Ocean between Africia and Sicily. There are limestone buildings everywhere. This was the view from our Hotel window. A lovely little place.
We went to Malta to say goodbye to the Eagars (the missionary couple) who left on Oct. 25th. They have been a wonderful blessing to the people of Malta and to the branch. We hope the roads in Arizona are prepared for Elder Eagar to return, as he has been driving on the other side of the road for 18 months!!

Zone Leader Council

This was at the most recent Zone Leader Council in October 2008. We have a fine group of leaders helping move the work forward here in this part of Italy.
They are (in no particular order): Anziani Krivanec, Morello, Rancie, Clements, Whiting, Andrizzi, Smith, Zanetti, Carley, Daugherty, Leggieri, and Hafen.












The Assistants are: Anz. Stubbs and Anz. Armillei

Couples' Conference

This past weekend we went to The Couples' Conference outside of Palermo. It was at a hotel near this Norman Tower. The temperature had dropped considerably because rain had moved in. So we had cool wonderful weather, beautiful vistas, inspiring sessions, ate amazing food, and enjoyed each others company. There were couples and parents from all three of our mission Districts-- About 90 people all together. It is so nice for members to get together like this to support one another and learn from each other.

One of the events at the Conference was a talent show. At the end of the show, they asked if President had a talent he would like to share. So he got up, told about an Italian song that he had learn after his mission, put on his shades and sang it. He has a great voice--he just doesn't often volunteer to share it that often. He was the hit of the show! Wish you could have been here to hear him!!

Tidbits of our Lives

Picture 1: I should have taken this before I ate most of it. Yes, it is pink and purple and has suction cups--It is octopus! It is a special dish of the southern Italians. They serve it with a nice lemon and olive oil dressing. I like it, but it does give me pause--I keep think I shouldn't be eating anything that is pink and purple, but I also worry about those suction cups. I'm afraid they just may stick to my tongue one of these days!!!




Picture 2: This shows a few of our missionaries and what they eat at zone conference. It is called panzarotto. It is sort of like a pizza folded in half (either oven baked or fried). They are huge. (Missionaries: Anz. Vieweg, Anz. Niccoli, Anz. Wilkinson)
Note: The missionaries in the middle is Anziano Niccoli--from our home Stake. First Jim was is Stake Pres. and now his Mission President. He just can't get away from us!!! We love having him here.


Last week we were on the Island country of Malta with the Young Single Adults--it is part of our mission. This picture was taken at the service part of the conference. We were at a refugee camp. We were scraping the plaster from the walls exposing the rock underneath. It was hot and sweaty, and wonderful!! The Young Single Adults began singing as they worked. What great young people!!














We discovered a bit of home on Malta and took the missionaries out to dinner with us. Note--we didn't have pasta! Anz. Orton, Anz. Armillei, Anz. Tilini, Anz. Gann

August in Italy

August still finds us at the airport either sending off missionaries or greeting new ones. Recently the airport in Catania frosted the big windows that separate the waiting area from the arrival area. That makes it difficult for us to spot our new missionaries as they come into the airport. But they didn't frost the windows all the way to the top, so we can still climb the stairs and watch for those white shirts to come down the ramp. Then we wave to them to let them know that we really are on the other side of those windows waiting for them. Here is Presidente Taranto with Anziani Tilini and Armillei watching for white shirts and tags to appear!


We had two maxi conferences in our mission. One in Taranto and one in Catania. We had meetings at the beginning of the day and again at the end. But after lunch there were outside physical activities (so hot!!) and then watermelon for a treat. Here are a few of those enjoying the treat. Did I mention we have wonderful missionaries? We love them all!!





Zone Leader Council had supper at the pizzeria in Gravina up the street here. Johnie loves to see us come. I rather enjoyed it too!! No dinner to prepare and no dishes--and everyone got just what they wanted! What a fun evening and a fun group!

July in Sicily

Here is a picture of the lastest group of missionaries to leave us (including a picture of Sorella Hunter who had to go home a a few weeks early for medical care). What an amazing group of missionaries! We love them and wish them well!














A new group of 14 excited, wonderful missionaries came just hours after our other missionaries departed. The first evening they were in Sicily I took them on a "fieldtrip". We walked up the hill into Santa"Agata to a spot where we could see the lava flow down the side of Mt. Etna. It was great fun! Looking at this photo though reminds me of Mr. Popper's Penguins. . . .

On our way back to the mission home we stopped for gelato (yum)! We also made a new contact with the people who ran the gelateria. So this served several purposes: 1) to keep the missionaries awake, 2) to have gelato, 3) to do missionaries work, and 4) to see Mt. Etna and real live flowing lava!!!

It is Hot!

These are the fine group of scouts that gathered above Siracusa for scout camp. The temperature was 45 degrees C. (that is over 100 degrees!) They did have a stream, some tents, a grove of trees, mosquitos, and watermelon. That's all you need for a scout camp isn't it??










We brought them ice cream to cool them down! Did I mention it was a hot day. . . !













Diane got a day at home. Since she was 6 months behind on her scrapbook, she worked all day to catch up--in the cool basement!

July in Italy

Jim takes the couples (Stinebaughs and Eagars) to a local ice cream place (Ernestos). We taste all the vanilla flavors until we find just the right one, and then we order glasses and make rootbeer floats with real A&W rootbeer! Happy 4th of July!!














You don't think you can get away without another shot of Etna, do you? Etna continues to "leak" from one side. If we are in the right spot in the evening we can see the orange glow of lava coming down the side. This was at sunset. A beauty!



Diane is having a "shoe shining party" with the missionaries. Their shoes were looking a little gray. . . .

Food, Fun and Scenery

Torontos made Tacos for dinner for the Foggia Anziani. They were so excited with the event they took pictures of the food before they ate it.











The missionaries from "the continent" at the maxi conference in Taranto. It is always lots of fun to get them altogether.














The scenery along the Lungo Mare in Catania.
Notice Mt. Etna in the background and the lava
that flowed right to the sea.

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