D&C 88:7 This is the Light of Christ

  This is the light of Christ.  He is....the light of the sun. D&C 88:7

I took this picture today.  It is symbolic to me for two reasons.  First of all, the weather forcast for today was: "heavy rain all day with thunder storms and high winds".  Instead, the sun came out from the clouds and we  had a perfect day.  

The other reason, that I love this picture is because it reminds me that this past week I was really sick with bronchitis and something else. I even went to an Italian Doctor to find out what I had and if I could get anything for it.  That, was Thursday, and she said it was a serious case of bronchitis and she gave me 2 prescriptions and told me to be careful and take it easy.  I read that it takes up to three weeks to get over it completely if it was Acute Bronchitis.  Chronic bronchitis takes 3-6 months to get over, but I figured I didn't have that since this is the first time in a long time I have even had it.  So I was expecting to be sick for the next couple of weeks at least and I was going to take it easy!  The medicine didn't help all that much (because it is probably viral).  By Friday afternoon, I asked for a priesthood blessing.  Before  receiving it,  I prayed to be healed, that my faith would be strengthened through this trial and subsequent healing.  Elder Line and Elder Sorensen came over to help Paul give me the blessing.  I felt so weak, just to get out of bed and sit in the Living room for a few minutes.  After the blessing, I immediately went back to bed, where I had been since Tuesday.  I took my temperature a few minutes later and it was perfectly normal.  An hour earlier it had been 101*, where it had been all week long.  That was amazing to me.  And then I realized I could breath a lbetter.  I was able to sleep several hours Friday night, and when I woke up this morning (Saturday), I felt entirely normal, except for a slight cough once in a while.  But I had my strength back to normal, I didn't hurt anywhere, and my fever was gone.  I didn't heal slow but sure.  I was immediately healed!  Today, I expected  it to be a rainy day; full of dreariness, gloom,  pain and sickness.  But the sun came out for me in more ways than one.  

I know that I was healed by my Savior.  He who is the light of the world.  What a tender mercy I experienced.  And this has certainly strengthened my faith in Him.  Whenever I see this picture, I hope it reminds me of the gift the Savior has given me:  to heal me, not only of my pains and sickness this week, but he has taken upon himself all my pains, sins, sorrows and sicknesses.  

I am so thankful.

Our newest missionaries

          Sister Knudsen and Elder Sorensen have just been transferred into Battipaglia.  

                      We are teaching them how to make vegetable pasta sauce.  

Napoli

Our English class students always hear how much we do not like Napoli.  We have been there many times, but each time it has been an unpleasant experience.  So they said they wanted to give us a personal tour of the beautiful parts of Napoli, so that we won't be so anti-Napoli.  Wednesday, Anziano Scherbel and I and 5 of our advanced English students hopped on a train and traveled to Napoli.  The day was sunny and perfect for a walk around one of the oldest cities in the world.  We got to see the new metro station that was beautifully designed.  When we came down the escalator there was a mirrored wall that had pictures of people waiting in line, etched in the glass.  They looked real. This was a really clever way to decorate at a train station.  This is the glass wall pictured below.

Here we are in the background taking a picture of our group.  The people pictured in the foreground are a part of the mirror display.  All life-like, but they are etched in the glass.

There were beautiful skylights as we traveled on the escalators. 

 Here is a picture of Fedrica, who came with us.  She was our guide.  She has two degrees.  One in art history, and the other in history.

Each level of the metro station was decorated with incredible wall murals and brilliant colors.

We could have stayed for hours, taking pictures, just of the metro station.

For our first stop, after the metro station, we visited the Galleria Umberto. This is a public shopping gallery with a beautiful high glass ceiling and marble floors throughout.  It was built in 1890 and named after King Umberto I, who was the king of Italy at that time.  It was one of the first shopping malls ever built.

Paul is taking a picture of the highest part of the glass roof, located in the very central part of the mall.

         This is the exterior entrance to the mall.

Next, we visited the Royal Palace which is called Palazzo Reale.  It was built in the 17th century for Filipp III King of Spain, who never even bothered to visit, let alone reside here.

               All along the front there are statues representing all the kings of Naples.

In front of the palace is a big open square and directly across that is the Church of San Francesco di Paula. There is a huge duomo that was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome.  The front resembles St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican. 

After visiting the palace, we walked down to the Meditteranean Sea, which was just a couple hundred yards from the royal palace.  We walked along the sea side walk, a few kilometers and came to the Castel dell'Ovo, which means the castle of the egg.  It's the oldest standing fortification in Naples.  It was originally built by the Greeks in the 6th century BC, and was used for many different purposes until it was built pretty much like it looks now in the 13th century AD. It was free to visit and wander all around inside.  It has a great view of Vesuvius.  Originally it was  built upon an island and that later became a peninsula and now it is part of the main land, but it is right on the bay. The castle's name comes from a legend of the Roman poet, Virgil, who had a reputation in medieval times as a great sorcerer.  It is believed that he put a magical egg into the foundation of the castle to support the fortification. It was belived that if the egg ever broke, then the castle would fall into ruins.  Apparently, the egg is still intact, as the castle still stands today.

          Looking through the Castle's window, down on sunbathers on the rocks below!

We were sure to have a famous Napoliatano pizza.  We all loved our pizza!

               Naples is chaotic yet very unique.  The missionaries who serve there love it. We were happy to see some of the history and beauty of Naples.  Now we have a greater appreciation for it than before.  (Note the graffiti Atlas drawn on the red no enter street sign)

              We had a delightful day!

A few more pictures of our last set of missionaries

I just found a few more pictures of Elder Duffin, Elder Line, Sister Mitzvotai, and Sister Webster.  I thought I would post them quickly so their parents can see them.  

                                                       At English class

                          At our favorite pizza place with President and Sister Waddoups

      Alessandro, on the left comes to English class and Carmene on the right is the owner.

The lady on the left is the hostess and always gives us such a warm welcome.  We not only love their pizza, we appreciate how everyone greets us when we come.  

#19 grandchild is here!

Shelly had her baby boy on Friday, May 16th.  She had a very quick labor and delivery.  Christy was there to help in whatever way she could.  Since the baby came so fast, with just three pushes, Christy may think that childbirth is not very hard at all. In fact Ryan missed the actual birth because he turned away for a second and the baby popped out.  I guess the doctor caught the baby because he is healthy and strong and is home from th hospital.  They have named him Carter not sure what the middle name is Wagstaff.  Shelly and Ryan have four other kids who are all so excited to have Carter join their family.  Here are a few pictures.  I sure wish that I could be there, but pictures are the very next best thing for Grandmas! 

Blessing Liam

                             Tommy's in-laws joined us in Rome on Saturday.

Eric and Fran Jensen are Cam's parents.  They had been in Estonia for the week.  Fran was a guest speaker at a Health and Nursing seminar in Estonia. Fran teaches nursing at UVU.  Eric had been working all week with the powers that be on the Law of War.  Eric teaches law at BYU. His specialty is "the Law of War".  He consults and speaks all over the world.

They were taking Cam and Tommy on a Mediterranean Cruise as a college graduation present for both Tommy and Cam.  Tommy graduated from BYU in December, in Engineering, and Cam is graduating this summer in Sports therapy as a pre med student.  She wants to go on to medical school.  

While everyone was altogether in Rome, for a few hours, we met at the Steuers apartment and blessed baby Liam.  It was a special time.  Both sets of grandparents were there to witness the special occasion.  Liam was blessed by his father.

This was a wonderful opportunity, in a small window of time, to feel the blessings of eternity.

Liam

William Jensen Scherbel came to visit me last week.  He is called Liam by his parents and cousins.  After meeting him, I will call him Liam, also.  His name fits him perfectly.  He mostly sleeps, but he is cuddly and sweet all the time.  I loved holding him and watching him try to copy the sounds I would make of the short and long vowel sounds.  He especially liked the short o sound.  It would make him smile over and over again.  He has his mom's beautiful deep blue eyes.  He is a beautiful baby.

Once in a while, I let his dad hold him.  Tommy kind of got jealous of me wanting to hold him every second.