Missionaries and an Apostle

September 15, 2013


The missionaries were so excited to have the opportunity to have Elder Ballard speak to them.  We were hoping he would have a chance, but we didn't know for certain it was really going to happen until just before we left France on Friday afternoon and Elder Ballard said he had arranged to meet with them at 8:00 am before the conference to split the Rome Stake at 10:00 am on Sunday morning.  By the time we got back to Rome late that evening, the office couple and the assistants had everything arranged so all the missionaries serving in the area affected by the change would be in Rome.  That meant having some of them from the outlying regions of Rome come in by bus and train.  The missionaries from Napoli rode in a bus and the missionaries from Sardegna had to fly in.  The real shock was that they had also arranged for 34 of the missionaries to spend the night at the villa.  It's an interesting life we live.  We hadn't been there all week and were just getting back ourselves.  We had every bed full and actually had 6 mattresses laid out side by side in the laundry room.  Luckily the missionaries are young and love being together so they love it.  We're happy to have them here, but it sure leaves a mess.


The missionaries who spent the night at the villa rode the metro to the hotel where the conference was being held.  They got up at 4:30 and left at 6:00 am so they could be there for the meeting at 8:00.  Everyone wanted to be there early so they could get the best seats.  We were so proud of them with their modest dresses and their suits and ties.

Not only did Elder Ballard speak to them, but we also had Elder Maynes, who is in the Presidency of the Seventy speak to them also.  Elder De Feo who is an Area Authority Seventy, and Pres. Petronelli, the Stake President, were also there.

The missionaries were pumped and ready to go to work at the conclusion of the meeting.

Everything is ready for the meeting.

The first ones there get the front row.

Saving the good seats for the meeting with Elder Ballard.

First time they have seen each other since leaving the MTC.

Maybe we should just ban soccer.

Brother and sister who live in the Milan Mission but are serving in the Rome Mission.  They have never served in the same zone, but both came to Rome for the split of the Rome Stake.