Taking the Ferry to Sardegna

May 15, 2016


We decided to take the ferry to Sardegna so we could take a load of mail and supplies with us.  It takes a lot longer than flying, but we were able to help them stock up on supplies.  We are restricted as to how much weight we can take with us when we fly, but there are no restrictions when we take the car on the ferry.  We took two huge suitcases full of supplies.  Each suitcase weighed 75 kilos.  The office instructed us not to try to roll them or have one person lift them because it would ruin the suitcases.  It required two elders, one on each end, to carry them into the church.  If we had taken suitcases on the plane, the limit is 23 kilos each.

The ferry left Civitavecchia (an hour north of Rome) at 10:30 pm and landed in Olbia (three hours south of Cagliari on the island of Sardegna) at 6:30 am.  From there we had a three hour drive to Cagliari.  It was the only way we could work it out because the ferry to Cagliari didn't go there on the day we needed to be there.  The office missionaries were very creative in how they worked this out for us.

The trip back is a little easier because it leaves Cagliari at 8:00 pm and arrives in Civitavecchia at 8:30 the following morning.

We've made the trip a couple of times before when we needed to take supplies, but our preference is flying because it is much less time consuming.  (We can fly in about an hour.)  We call it a cruise, but it's a far cry from an enjoyable cruise.  The rooms we have stayed in have been very small and sterile.  We were pleasantly surprised when our room this time was spacious and comfortable.  Maybe the difference was because we went to Olbia, which is a tourist location, versus Cagliari.

We took the Assistants with us since we are doing zone conferences and they are involved in much of the teaching.  They are wonderful.  They never hesitate to jump right in and do whatever they are asked--and then some.

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We found the life boat and prayed we wouldn't need it.

One of the assistants played the piano.

President checked his emails.

Cinque Cento (Fiat 500)

April 12, 2014

We rented a car in Lamezia for two days.  I'm not quite certain how Michael's tall body actually fit in it.

Ferry - land

December 19, 2013

We had one last training session to attend.  This one was in Sardegna.  We took the car with us so we could fill it full of supplies and Christmas presents that had been sent to the office  It was the only way we could get them to the island.  We boarded a ferry in Cittavecchia, which is north of Rome, and then spent the next 15 hours traveling to the island.  The ferry leaves in the evening and arrives the following morning.

As soon as we got off the ferry in Cagliari, we headed to the meeting in Oristano.  The missionaries met us there anxious to get their gifts from home, and to receive training.  Two days later we boarded the ferry in Olbia for the trip back to Rome.  Again it was a night trip, but it was only about 8 hours.  We left at 10:30 pm and arrived in Cittavecchia around 6:30 am the next morning.  By the time we got the car off the ferry and traveled 1 1/2 hours to get back to Rome, it was 10:00 am and we were scheduled to leave again at 9:00 am the next morning.

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Port in Cittavecchia

Port in Cagliari, Sardegna

Just Enough Room

August 20, 2013


For those who think the life of a mission president is glamorous, here's proof that it isn't.  Michael's counselor and his wife went with us to this round of training.  We flew into Catania and held a zone conference there and then drove from Catania to Palermo in one of the mission cars that the missionaries usually use.  We had lots of supplies, i.e., Books of Mormon, pamphlets, English course supplies, mail from home, etc. that needed to be delivered.  That meant we had to get it all in that tiny little car.  It was pretty crowded.  To top it all off, there was no air conditioning.

Palermo in the distance.  It is right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Traveling Miracle

July 20, 2013


Michael had to fly to Catanzaro to set apart a sister who is leaving for a mission to England.  As District President, that is one of his responsibilities.  I usually carry both of our passports in my purse because I have a pocket they just fit in.  I left about the same time he did to go get supplies for the incoming new missionaries.  Michael drove himself to the airport.  The Assistants have always driven us in the past.  (I really miss the grid driving system we have in Utah.  I have no idea where we are here because the roads are mainly one way and they wind and twist and confuse me.)  Luckily, Michael only got lost a few times on the way to the airport and made it in time for the flight.

When I got home from shopping, I went to put something in my purse and saw his passport in there.  Oops!

When Michael went to get on the airplane, they asked for his ID.  They usually require a passport.  He showed them his driver's license and was told that's not an ID and they wanted a passport.  He told them where he came from that was ID.  Miraculously, they let him on the plane.

We prayed really hard that he would have the same kind of success when he returned because it's a very long drive for someone to have to go pick him up.  As it turns out, basically the same thing happened when he went to get back on the plane to go home.  This time he got the same hassle about not having a passport, only this time the flight attendant just turned around and walked off and Michael hurried on the plane.

We truly witness miracles every day!