musings of my mind: September 2016

Monday, September 12, 2016

CleanUp Days

12 Settembre 2016

When you have a General Authority coming to your Sicily Missionary Conference, you want things to look their best.

Anziano Eldridge

Sorella Bellomo, Anziano Carroll, Anziano Eldridge, and Sorella Littlefield

We didn't think our side of the street was enough to work on.

Sorella Bonzo on her hands and knees, Sorella Anderson

Anziano Alexander provided the music - Disney and EFY songs. That boy knows how to push a broom.

So you break out a shovel or two, a broom, litter picker upper, a few bags and go to work. And do these missionaries know how to work.

Sorella Bonzo and Bellomo

A few weeds were pretty stubborn

Our newbies, Anziano Melling and Houseman

Sorella Anderson was supporting her team

Anziano Melling, our token greenie and my shadow

We filled a bag or two or so of weeds and litter.

One week worths

Anziano Garrett and Souwan

The bus stop needed a little help too

We made a few friends along the way.

No fear of lizards here

Our grasshopper, we shall name him James

The only prince they are allowed to kiss on their mission

This man gave us sandwiches both weeks

And if the weeds are a little too big to fit in a bag, well rolling them up works too.

Roll, roll, roll your weeds

And carry them down the street

Muscles!

After 2 Saturdays, we noticed an improvement.

Before east side


After east side

Before south side

After south side

A little dirt, a few sore backs, but smiles all the way.

Sorelle Bellomo, Bonzo, Anderson, and me; Anziano Carroll

Sorella Littlefield was always up for a good time

Week 1 gang

Week 2 gang - job well done

Sunday, September 4, 2016

This past week we have had a few wanderings around Palermo and its surrounding areas. On Sunday we had a real GANS presidency meeting with a little planning of activities. One of the desired activities was a camping trip nearby. Since the Palermo 1^st Ward Mission Leader told us about some beautiful areas for hiking and picnicking we took a drive to San Martino Della Spato about 8 kilometers outside of Palermo.

It was beautiful and we were in the mountains. We went driving around and up the mountainside. We were able to overlook the city of Palermo from the South and see all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. It was definitely a spot worth the GANS time and fit the necessary requirements of a bus ride there, hiking, and camping.

The next day we drove out and about Palermo and other areas with the sisters missionaries from Palermo 2^nd and 3^rd Wards. Our purpose to find some inactive GANS. None were home but we had some good visits with family members and also a few address corrections.

That evening we drove to the Palermo 2^nd and 3^rd ward building for English lessons when our car started to act up. Lights were flashing across the dashboard and the power steering went out. Craig being experienced and knowledgeable figured it was either the battery or the alternator. The car got us to the church building but would not start up again.

Considering all the wanderings with the car we felt very blessed that the one place it decides to die is at the church building where we could lock it safely away behind the gates and instead of up a mountainside or on the freeway.

We were able to take the tram and buses home with the missionaries and learned to appreciate their daily hour commute on public transit.

Friday was spent arranging the car repairs and having it towed to the mechanics. By the time that was all taken care of most of the day was over. A new alternator is being put in and we will pick up our car this afternoon, 4 days later.

Since we love to walk it hasn't been too much of a bother to be without the car but it did prevent us giving a sister a ride to church and no lost sheep finding at the moment.

On our P-day we decided to finally take a look inside of The Cathedral of Palermo. We had walk by it a few times and even took a tour of its rooftops at night with the Palermo 1^st ward bishop's family. But we had never been inside.

Finally inside! It is a very large cathedral built in the 12^th century and completed in the 18^th century. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral is found along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, one of the longest stretch of street that goes from the sea to the mountains.

Diverse is a good word to describe the architect style. Since it was built over centuries you will find Arabic, Norman, Byzantine, Swabian, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. In comparison to the Monreale Duome this building might seem plain from the inside or I should just say very different. There were lots of tombs, paintings, statues, and silver.

The surrounding courtyard is protected by many saints, bishops, kings, or popes.

The Cathedral of Palermo is in the top 10 things to see in Palermo and definitely worth a visit. My favorite part was probably the south doors, each panel depicted scenes from Adam and Eve to Mary's visit to Elizabeth.