Music Night

Last Saturday evening we had a Branch Music Night.  We had about 25 in attendance with about 13 members of the branch and the rest were friends.  It was a very entertaining evening.

Brother ans Sister Garcia sang a couple of numbers.

Agnese and Sorella Montagnoli did a violin and piano duet.

Sister Tarroni did a number as an opera singing chicken -- it was very funny.

Mila sang a fun song in the Romagnolo dialect.

Sorelle Bennett and Montagnoli sang Come Thou Fount.

Paolo played a piano piece that he composed himself.

Sister Rossi put the whole program together.  With her granddaughter, Elodie, she led us in a variation of Old McDonald had a Farm, in which she wrote lyrics for every branch member in attendance.  At the end of the song she asked if she had left anyone out.  Laura, who is investigating the church, said "What about us?"  On the spot, Sister Rossi made up a verse for Alberto, Laura, Agnese, Chiara and Giovanni.  She also led us in a fun song about too tight blue jeans.

After all that music we were all hungry.

Bike Accident

Last Tuesday, May 14, Sorella Montagnoli had an accident on her bike.  She didn't get hit by a car nor did she hit anything.  She said that one second she was riding along and the next second she was laying in the street.  She must have hit a pothole or loose gravel.  She came to our apartment and Sorella Jefferies cleaned her up.  She had a bad scrape on her leg and one on her arm and her little finger on her right hand was swollen and didn't look good.  I gave her a priesthood blessing and took her to the emergency room.  Her finger was broken and she got a cast on her arm.  She was preaching the gospel and handing out pamphlets to other people waiting in the emergency room.  She is one tough missionary.  She didn't cry and was laughing most of the time until we finally got her back to her apartment.  She is starting to heal and is frustrated that she can't ride her bike for a while.

Eating tacos in the ER.

 The wounds, three days after the accident.

Our tough little Sorella Montagnoli with a cast, a sling, and a smile.

Preparation Day with the Sorelle

Last preparation day we took the Sisters on an adventure.  From Castrocaro Castle we had seen another castle on a hill nearby.  We had to go on some dirt roads but we found Castle Montepoggiolo.  It was a lookout post for Castrocaro.  They could see advancing armies and warn the citizens of Castrocaro.

When we found the castle, it was fenced off and the gate was locked so we couldn't get close.  It hasn't been restored or worked on for several years so it is probably too dangerous to allow people to wander around in it.

We then drove to Portico di Romagna.  This is along the medieval street where there are lots of beautiful flowers.  Brother Rossi grew up in this quaint little town.

Festa della Mamma

Friday evening we had a Mother's Day party at the church.  We had about 30 people in attendance.  We had food, music and dancing.  The mothers got chocolates and several of the men wrote poems to recite.  About 13 of the attendees were friends of members of the branch.

Fratello Garcia grilling with his daughters Daniela and Maria Jose assisting.

Sorella Jefferies dancing with Michael.

Paolo dancing with his son, Francesco.

The Mother's Day cake with the accordion player in the background.

Sorella Garcia with Sorelle Bennett and Montagnoli and Maurizzio, Valentino and Michael.

Erica and Xavier doing the tango.

Goodbye Sorella Bush, Hello Sorella Bennett

Wednesday evening we had Laura and Alberto and kids over for dinner as a farewell to Sorella Bush.  She was transferred to Verona.  On Thursday evening we welcomed Sorella Bennett.  She is from Alpine, Utah. She and Sorella Montagnoli actually knew each other and went to school together.  So, after only six weeks in Italy, Sorella Montagnoli is training.  Seventeen new Sisters and thirteen new Elders arrived in our mission yesterday.  The missionary work in Italy and all over the world is being hastened.

Sorella Bennett on her first full day in Forli'.

Sorella Bennett with her new companion, Sorella Montagnoli, very happy missionaries.

Sorella Jefferies with the Sisters.

Castrocaro Castle

We had gone to this castle several months ago but only saw the outside of it because it was only open a couple of days a week.  We were finally able to see the inside of it last week and we loved it.  We actually met the director of the castle and curator of the museum and he gave us a private tour.

From the town of Castrocaro looking up at the castle.

Entrance to the castle compound.

This is the oldest portion of the compound.  The public is not allowed into it because it is too dangerous.    They are still excavating in this part of the castle.

This spiral stairway in the tower leads to the torture chamber.  The director demonstrated the forms of torture used in this chamber.  It gave Sorella Jefferies nightmares so I won't explain them to you.

Inside the compound is this small chapel, the Church of Santa Barbara.

This is the kitchen which was located outside in the middle of the castle courtyard.

With our tour guide, the director of the castle.  Behind us is an olive tree that dates back to the 1600's.  The oldest written record of this castle is from 1035 but some of the artifacts found are from the 900's.  Castrocaro and Forli' were arch enemies and this castle protected the citizens from attack by the soldiers from Forli'.  In the 1400's the Medici family from Florence took control of the castle and the city from the Papal States. Wine and olive oil produced in the region were stored in the castle and then shipped to other locations in Tuscany and Romagna.

This old stairway led up to the castle tower.

It's hard to see but there are beautiful purple iris flowers growing on the castle wall.

A view of the side of the church with the oldest part of the castle in the background.

The oldest part of the castle is on the left with the courtyard in the middle and the newer part of the castle, which houses the museum, on the right.

Pesaro Adventure

Last week we did an inspection of the Elders' apartment in Pesaro.  They missed a train so we had an hour to wait for them.  We went to the beach on the Adriatic Sea while we were waiting for the Elders.

 

After the inspection and while we were in our inspection/cleaning clothes, we stopped at a castle in Gradara on our way home.

We never tire of seeing the beautiful things in this country.