Temperatures are cooling - Activity is heating up

Our week has been productive for sure.  We have loved having the temps cool down in the 80s.  

We have wanted to relocate the elders to a better apartment.  Their current one is on the second floor immediately over the main bus terminal by the train station.  It is kind of a seedy area.  

After hunting on the internet and not having much luck getting return phone calls, we were finally able to tour a potential apartment with a leasing agent.  We sent photos and the details to the mission office with our recommendation to move ahead.  We're praying for success in getting this accomplished.  This apartment is just a 2 minute walk from ours and about a 10 minute walk to the Sisters' apartment.  

Saturday evening, we wanted to try La Maddalena, a pizza/panzarotti take out restaurant, the young missionaries raved about.  We walked there only to find they open at 7 instead of 6.  So we walked around a very unique church and watched some firemen try to do something with their boom truck.  I ordered a baked panzarotto, kind of like a calzone and Dawn had pizza.  Mine was good. Hers was better.  

Sunday was a great day.  We drove an hour and forty minutes to Foggia to attend the ward there.  Bishop Dicarolo (former stake president) asked us to speak at the end of the meeting.  Dawn did great.  The Italians are so grateful that she is making such an effort to learn the language.  

We met so many nice members.  Some visitors from Torino were there with their five kids, 3 of them are going to the YSA conference next week.  This couple happens to know Maria Giovanna Maglitto, whom Elder Cox and I taught and baptized in Torino many years ago.  In fact, their son takes piano lessons from her.  This was a tender mercy for me.  

The Foggia chapel is as nice as the kind members we met.  

Sister Cannariato packed a wonderful lunch which we shared with Anziani Reay and Lott in the missionary apartment that I inspected while there in Foggia.  The members want President Smith to put missionaries again in this city.  Right now, these two elders come up about once a month.  

Our GANS FHE last night was well attended.  The sorelle brought home made snickerdoodles and Carmen, who has a culinary degree and works at a bakery brought an awesome cheesecake!  Can you see the beach, the sea and the foam?  

Puglia Zone Conference

We had a busy day Tuesday with our Zone Conference.  President and Sister Smith and the technology sisters came from Rome to meet with all the missionaries serving in Puglia.  That includes Lecce, State, Taranto, Crotone and Bari.    

We had the privilege of going to dinner with the Smiths on Monday evening at Pizza e Altro.  We had cozze appetizers (mussels) pasta and pizza.  It was excellent.  

We loved being with all the missionaries from the zone for a great day of training and inspiration.  Our district also sang a special musical number, "Bisogno O di Te" (I Need Thee Every Hour) with Sorella Cannariato on the piano, of course.  

Afterwards, we enjoyed a nice lunch outside with fruit including SEEDLESS grapes, Santa Rita Bakery's famous focaccia and drinks.  

We helped with the set up, food prep and shuttling Elders and Sisters from the train station to the church and back.  We love being with these missionaries!  

Famous Focaccia

The young missionaries kept telling us we had to try the focaccia from panificio Santa Rita.  So yesterday, we walked 30 minutes to Bari vecchia (old town Bari) waited in line for 45 minutes to get our two focaccia Barese, then took them home to eat.  And yes, they are worth the effort.  YUMMY! 

Young Adult Sports Night

 We had a great activity Wednesday evening at the church's sport court.  Lots of fun playing basketball, soccer and volleyball.  Our job was buying the balls, and bringing the snacks and drinks.  Everyone had a good time!  

P-Day at Polignano a Mare

We took a 30 minute train ride south to Polignano a Mare for P-Day this week with the missionaries.  It is a beautiful tourist town on the Adriatic coast.  The ocean is clear turquoise and the cliffs are famous for the Red Bull diving competition held there.  There is a statue of Domenico Modugno whose claim to fame is writing the song, "Volare".  We took a stroll down the lovely cobblestone streets and a group of people behind us broke into song.  We enjoyed granitas and people-watching in this spectacular picturesque place. 

 

 

We had the 4 elders over for Taco Tuesday this week.  We can find nearly all the ingredients, but there are a few that just aren't available such as: cheddar cheese, cumin, chili powder.   But we managed to find taco shells, chili beans, and tortillas.  Everyone seemed happy, and we even had homemade brownies for dessert!  They are hard-working, sincere, funny, enthusiastic and energetic!  We love them!

Settling into our Vita Barese (Bari Life)

We learn new things every day.  For example, always have .50 Euro with you to get a shopping cart from the cart corral.  They lock them up and charge you to unlock them.  

We are super excited that we now have yoga mats and weights for our morning exercise routines.   

We held our first GANS FHE at our apartment.  Attendance was light but we know lots of folks are on vacation right now.  And my homemade chocolate chip cookies were a hit.  

For P-day, we went to a large farmers' market a few blocks from our apartment.  When I asked the guy if I could take a picture of his fish stand, he said "just a moment" while he brought out the swordfish head to display.  

Monday is the celebration of Ferragosto, and instead of celebrating, we are having a mission wide "apartment deep cleaning" day.  We promised the missionaries that we'd take them for gelato tomorrow afternoon.  And of course, cleanliness is next to Godliness!  

We gave our first talks in Liberta ward today.  Dawn did an excellent job with hers.  She has worked so hard to learn to speak Italian.  So many kind compliments from the members.  After church, two of our YSA friends asked to take pictures.  We have a planned volleyball activity Wednesday night where Sister Cannariato will be able to display her  YSA treat making prowess.  Since the members are still a bit Covid shy, Sister C and I have picked one day a week for the Sisters and one day a week for the Elders to have lunch at our apartment.   

Next week we'll speak at the other ward here in Bari, Poggiofranco.  And perhaps the biggest news of the week...yesterday, Dawn drove the car to and from the car wash. It's a miracle!  

 On our Preparation Day we decided to take a walk around Old Bari "Citta Vecchia" and see the famous Basilica di San Nicola, which is a pilgrimage site for Catholics from around the world. Construction began in 1087 and was completed 110 years later.  It shelters some of the remains "relics" of Saint Nicholas.  Exquisitely beautiful ceiling of painted murals framed by gold woodwork, and the original Bishop's throne from the eleventh century. The miracle that occurs here is that a clear liquid that smells of roses seeps from the bones of Saint Nicholas and is collected in vials and sold in the gift shop.  We love visiting old churches and museums and this was certainly interesting and enlightening.  Old Bari is a charming maze of narrow, winding, cobblestone walkways made for people that cars somehow seem to maneuver.  Absolutely love it here!