Making Rice Bags with the Young Women

Sorella Jefferies helped Erica with a mutual activity for the Young Women.  She helped them sew rice bags.  You put these bags in the microwave, warm them up and then put them on your sore muscles or put them in bed with you to warm up your feet.  They had lots of fun using the sewing machine and making something useful to take home.

Francesco's Baby Shower

Maria and Paolo's little baby, Francesco was born in December.  Sorella Jefferies hosted a baby shower at our apartment on Thursday evening and several sisters from the branch attended and had a fun time together.

 Cute little Francesco.

 Maria holding the cake and all the guests gathered around.

Mila, the famous cake decorator, with her "work of art."

Mommies getting ready to feed their babies.

 Too bad the mommies were blindfolded.

 The proud grandmother, aunt and mother.

Maria with Francesco who had had enough of this party.

A Temple in Forli?

Every time we drive or walk past this building, Deanne says, "I can picture this as a temple.  I'm going to call President Monson and tell him that the Church should buy this building and someday make it into a temple."  It is only about four blocks from our apartment so we do see it a lot and it is for sale right now.

 These are our dear friends, Laura and Alberto.  They live a block away from our apartment.  We have been visiting them with the young missionaries and teaching them about the Church since we arrived in Forli.  Laura is a fabulous cook.  We have had dinner with them twice and they invited us to Alberto's birthday party.

An artist in Forli

The young Elders met a man while they were tracting.  His name is Otello Turci.  He is a sculptor and works in clay and wood.  He made the molds for a nativity set that he has been making and selling for several years.    We met him and he made a set for us.  For payment he would only accept an amount to reimburse him for the materials.  He said that God has given him a talent and he feels that he must share that talent with others.  He did a work in wood that he donated to Pope John Paul II and the Pope had a picture taken with him.  Turci gave us a book of some of his works and signed it for us.  We had been looking for an authentic Italian nativity so we were very happy to get this one.