Our first snowfall in Sarajevo arrived just before Thanksgiving, and for an entire week the city turned into a winter wonderland. This California girl absolutely loved it.
Before our weekly Sunday dinner, I made everyone step outside for a quick photo, right in the middle of the street, with the snow-covered neighborhood behind us. Two of our missionaries are finishing their missions and heading home, while one is being transferred to Croatia. I’ll miss them, but I’m excited to serve alongside three new missionaries.
Soon after, we traveled to Belgrade for our 6th Zone Conference. We hold them every six weeks, which is a constant reminder of how quickly time is flying by. Our Zone covers three countries, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia, so these gatherings feel extra special.
The Elders always take their traditional selfie at every conference, and I decided it was finally time for the sisters to have one too.
Later, Charles and I headed to Rome, Italy, for our second Humanitarian Conference.
We arrived a day early so we could squeeze in a little sightseeing beforehand. We hopped on a speed train to Naples and spent the day exploring the ancient city of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Both ancient Roman cities buried by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Pompeii is vast and open, with streets, homes, and forums preserved in ash, giving an incredible glimpse into daily Roman life. It was a stormy day...that is why I am wearing a fashionable rain coat.
The mosaic tiles were gorgeous still bright and colorful after nearly 2,000 years. I think Charles was obsessed, studying every pattern and secretly planning about twelve new projects for when we get home. And for those who haven’t been to our house, it’s already filled with beautiful mosaic tile work through-out from my talented, artist-of-a-husband.
One of the most striking sights in Pompeii is the remarkably preserved cast of a young enslaved woman. Her final moments are frozen in time, her posture, her expression, and even the folds of her clothing captured in the ash offering a deeply human reminder of the lives forever changed in that single tragic day.
.
Herculaneum, on the other hand, is smaller but even better preserved, its buildings, wooden structures, and vibrant frescoes survived under layers of volcanic mud. Visiting both sites feels like stepping back in time to two cities frozen in the very same moment, yet each telling its own unique story.
We spent the rest of the week at the beautiful Rome Temple with other Humanitarian missionaries who are serving in Central Europe. We have a zoom meeting each Monday morning where we get to see everyone. It is really nice to be with them in person.
We are fed every few hours, this is the snack table… yet, food continues to be a challenge.
It’s a small world—especially when you’re a member of the Church. This sweet woman, Anita Herway, and I were long-distance friends for over 20 years through our mutual friend Heather Powers, back when Heather lived in Belgium. Anita and her family lived in Belgium for 26 years. I’ve only met Anita in person once, but we spoke on the phone often. She just arrived last month to serve a humanitarian mission in Italy with her husband. It was such a fun to finally realize who she was and reconnect.
On our last night in Italy we were given a tour of Rome’s old Jewish
Quarter, or Ghetto, dates back to 1555 with narrow cobblestone streets are lined with kosher bakeries, traditional restaurants, and charming shops. The area is also home to the beautiful Great Synagogue of Rome and a fascinating Jewish Museum.
Our last night in Rome happened to fall on Thanksgiving, so we celebrated with a delicious Italian dinner.
When we returned home, we were greeted by three new missionaries, two fresh arrivals and one who had already been serving for over a year. Afew days late, Sister Smith and I got into the spirit of the season by preparing a cozy, traditional Thanksgiving dinner for our new district and few members.
Comments
Post a Comment