Apartment Move - Finally!

After six months, we finally have a new apartment for the sisters.  This allowed us to relocate the elders from a sketchy area of town to the sister’s former apartment. This was a big job, but thanks to vehicles provided by a couple of members and the diligent work of the missionaries, we completed both moves in one day. Whew, what a relief!  

Mid-winter Happenings in Bari

 We welcomed Cataldo as the newest member of the Poggiofranco ward on Sunday January 16.  I had the opportunity to assist the Elders in teaching him and to confirm him a member of the church.  He is an awesome believer!  

We love getting mail and two letters arrived bearing valentine wishes.  The Rexburg Romneys and the Lunds really brightened our day with their expressions of love! 

Transfer Days can be hard when we have to say farewell to favorite missionaries we have come to love.  But we welcome new arrivals and love them right away.  I will especially miss our district leader, Elder Jung.  He has a Korean dad and a Bolivian mom and grew up in the northern Italian city of Bergamo.  My chocolate chip "coping cookies" were a big hit with all the missionaries who came and went this transfer day.  

P-Day at Altamura

Despite the pandemic, we are determined to have an outing on p-days.  Last Saturday, we drove about 50km south of Bari to a lovely city on a hill called Altamura (highwall).  From its idyllic location, we could look down towards low coastal plain near Bari.  In the other direction we could see the mountains of Basilicata.  

We toured an archaeological museum that was pretty interesting with the artifacts from lots of digs in the province of Puglia.  Perhaps the most interesting is a fossilized skeleton that was found in a cave.  The bones have been fossilized with stalactite and stalagmite calcifications.  

After the museum, we walked through the old town to piazza del duomo, then into the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption.  Although completed in the early 1200s, the interior has been updated to 17^th century art, sculpture and décor.  It is simply stunning.  The green and pink marble along with the column design and ornamentation seem like a mix of Florentine and Venetian architecture. 

We then strolled along narrow cobblestone streets and came upon Paneficio Santa Caterina, a bakery that has been around for nearly 300 years.  We walked in and I selected this focaccia fresh out of the oven, a loaf of bread and two bottles of sparkling water. We sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed the focaccia and took the bread home for later.  It was a great p-day adventure. 

After English Class - Panzerotti

Because of increased covid numbers, we cannot hold our English classes indoors.  So, on Tuesday evening, we hold it online via Zoom, and on Thursday evening, we meet at a park.  Our group is very faithful, including one student driving from about 15 km outside of Bari to join us.  They gave us cookies and fresh cheese for Christmas presents and after class last Thursday, they wanted to go out for a Bari favorite, panzarotti.  These are like deep fried scones, but filled with tomato and mozzarella.  They are piping hot and yummy.  We enjoy this association very much.  

  

From Zone Leader to Assistant

We sent our senior zone leader, Anziano Bellini, to Rome last Thursday.  He'll now serve as one of the assistants to the president.  We will miss him.  All the missionaries joined in his sendoff.  I made some chocolate chip "coping cookies" to give us some comfort.  

My special connection to Anziano Bellini is that 47 years ago, when I served in Brescia, his grandfather was the branch president.  Later, he became one of the first stake presidents in Italy.  I'm grateful to have served these last six months with Elder Bellini.  We wish him well in his new assignment.