Here are a couple more of my favorites.
We often take the Elders to the nearby city of Osimo. It's another one of those built up on top of a mountain. The view is terrific but the drive up is a little crazy sometimes.
While the Elders visit we took a little tour of the city. This is one of the bell towers in a piazza.
I couldn't resist taking this picture as this is a new pair of leggings with holes already in the knees. I guess it's the new rage. Makes me crazy! You pay good money for inferior product.
We found this little alcove that had all of these statures displayed. Since none of them had heads we figured that they had been unearthed and preserved the best way possible. The Italians are all for preserving anything old that they can.
For one of their preparation days, Elders Jacob and Merkley wanted to go to the Frasassi Caves (Grotte di Frasassi) We were up for the adventure so we drove them there. No pictures were allowed inside the caves but here is a picture of a picture. Of course the reason for no pictures is so that they can take our picture and then let us buy it.
This is our picture of our purchased picture.
We can't go on outings without acknowledging the fact that bathrooms are few and far between. That day in Frasassi we only got porcelain, but are always thankful even for that.
The highlight of April was our all mission conference with Elder Bednar. What a wonderful privilege it was to learn from him. The meeting was held in Milano which is about 430 km from Ancona (4 1/2 hours). It was held on a Monday but we had to travel on Sunday after our meetings so that the senior couples could meet that night. Anyone who knows me knows that I grew up in Parma, Idaho so I couldn't resist this shot as we passed Parma Italy.
Little did we know that the senior couples were going to put together 250 lunches for the next day's conference. The only thing that could last overnight un-refrigerated was peanut butter and jam sandwiches. So we had the privilege. Small world---the sister on the left once lived in Parma, Idaho when I was very young. I remember her father, Bro. Simpson. She was Betty-Lou then. She and her current husband are the newest senior couple in our mission. She was married to a Moses from Parma but after his passing she married a Gipson. It was so fun to chat with her.
This is Sorella Durand. She was finishing up a bit of the peanut butter, which was purchased at the U.S. military base in Vicenza where the Pedersons serve.
We traveled to and from our hotel in downtown Milano by metro to the Cimiano chapel where the conference was held.
The missionaries were so excited to see one another that it was a task to get them in their places before the meeting started. We were to be in our seats at 9:30 for a 10:00 starting. Elder Bednar said that if they are in their seats at 9:30 then let's start at 9:30. So we did.
It's very hard to see but that is Elder Bednar in the center with all the sun glare behind him. We had horrible seats. The speakers were in the same glare.
It was amazing having and seeing the entire mission in one room. We went away lifted and edified. We learned so much from Elder Bednar. What a great man!
Guess who else attended? Do you see any likeness here? He said that he has been told that he looked like Conan O'Brien since he was 7 years old. It was so fun to joke with him. Of course I told him that he was much more handsome than Conan.
When we are at our own little branch, we do the everyday normal things that you all do. Young Women's teaching Kimberly some sewing techniques
She made her own scripture bag.
Then as a service, she made a rice bag for a sister with an ailing shoulder.
We also get to take a turn at cleaning the church.
Kimberly has home study seminary. She studies each day and then we meet once a week for a lesson. She will graduate from Seminary on June 21 in Florence. She is a gem!! We love teaching her. She is one teen who has it all together. We love her.
