I have it easy...why do I stress

Yesterday, as we were going over our weekly planning, Paul told me about three appointments that I didn't know about.  A couple of them were either right before or right after some other appointments.  I didn't know how I was going to get food fixed for the company we were having Saturday-Sunday, plus prepare for the appointments we already had.  So of course, I started worrying about things.  

And then I read my scriptures!!!!!!!   The answer was right there out of the Old Testament. I didn't have to worry about a thing.

     In 1Samuel 28:20, 21, 22 & 24, it says:

And Saul had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

   And the woman came unto Saul.... And said unto him.....

      Let me set a morsel of bread before thee; ......

           And the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hasted and killed it, and took flour, and   kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread.

Do you see why this was a timely message just for me.  Why am I worried about making a simple meal.  I certainly don't have to kill the cow and get it cleaned out and then cook it and then make bread!  I have got it easy!  

I am certainly glad I live now.  We have microwaves, grocery stores near by, and freezers to pull out a previous made meal from.  I will just be thankful that I don't have to go kill the chicken, or the cow, or go catch the fish if I want to eat something special or feed company.  I am blessed!

  

Right Makes Might

I have been reading the Old Testament this year and I love it.  Right now I am in Joshua.

I just finished reading about Caleb when he was 85 years old. (That is how old my Dad just turned 2 weeks ago.  I can imagine him saying this also.), 

Caleb said, in Joshua 14:10-12.  "....and now, lo, I am this day  fourscore and five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: (he was 40 then) as my strength was then, for war, both to go out and to come in.  Now therefore give me this mountain."

And Joshua reminds the children of Israel in Joshua 22:5:  "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of The Lord charged you, to love The Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways,  and to keep his commandments, and to cleave to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

I think that if we are right before The Lord, then we will be mighty and strong, even as Caleb was, even as my dad is, even when we are 85 years old.  

Broccoli Rabe or bitter greens

Tis the season for Broccoli Rabe sometimes called bitter broccoli.  When we first arrived in Italy we had a branch lunch after church and we were each served a whole plate full of this stuff.  It looked awful and I was really surprised to find that I liked it.  Paul was not so fortunate.  He hasn't acquired a taste for it yet.  But I have learned how they prepare it, and today, I went to the store and bought my first bunch of the season.

The stems are really the only thing similar in taste to the familiar type of broccoli which also grows well here, but comes out later in the season.

The way they cook it in Italy is:

Heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.  Add a chopped garlic clove or two and then add a pinch of peperoncini ( hot red pepper flakes).  Heat til almost smoking hot.  Then add your washed  ( no need to dry) bitter broccoli and stir fry for  5 minutes or so and then add a few tablespoons of water, turn down the heat to low medium, cover and steam for 15-20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add salt if you like at the end of cooking time.

The Italians don't put butter on their vegetables.  And there is no need to.  This is really good.  I hope I can find bitter broccoli in the states.  They also add cooked bitter broccoli to their pizza along with mashed potatoes and sausage.  It sounds weird but it's my favorite type of pizza.

Strawberries have just come to the stores this week too.  So here is my lunch today.  I say  "my lunch", because Anziano Scherbel would never eat this unless he was being served it by a non member!

The container of nuts, that you see on my kitchen table came from an investigator family who grow everything.  These are a combination of walnuts, hazel nuts and almonds.  The lemons came from our landlord, and the pumpkin and oranges came from another family we know.  The produce is amazing here in this part of Italy.  We are very blessed to eat so well!

Busy Week

This past week has been really busy.  Last Saturday we had a branch activity which the young missionaries organized and carried through successfully.  They called all the Inactives and active members to tell them about it.  They invited their investigators and our English class students.  They planned three games, a spiritual message with a video, and great food.  We were very happy with the 30 people who came.  There were 8 active branch members, two totally inactive members who came,  us six missionaries and the other 14 people were all non members.  We all had a very fun evening.  Everyone stayed until the party was over.  We played the baby picture guessing game, and the cookie on the forehead that you have to wiggle down to your mouth with out using your hands game. We sang and mingled and the missionaries did such a good job with their spiritual message.  

Sunday, I gave the 50 minute primary lesson, on Noah and the flood, all in Italian.  That is slightly stressful to me.  We have one little boy who is 9 years old who wants to move around and hit people constantly.  So that is the most difficult thing for me, because I love to have a perfect environment for me to give a lesson in my very bad Italian.  But we got through it!  

Monday, was Pday and the missionaries went on a beautiful hike and picnic, in the morning at our nearby mountain and medival castle ruins.  It's so close to our home that it only takes a couple hours to get there and hike it and take pictures.  This allows the missionaries to get their email, their shopping, and laundry all done and get to do some recreating all on the same day.  

Monday evening, we took the sisters up to the mountains above Avelinno to Flavia's house.  She is a darling young woman who joined the church last year.  She lives with her non member relatives; her aunt, uncle, cousin and nonna.  We pray and pray that they will have a desire to join the church too.  We have taught them many lessons, and they feel the spirit, but don't have a desire to change religions.  We feel that her cousin does have a desire to learn more, but his mother won't allow him to come to church.  He is only 12.  But when he gets older, we pray he will chooses to be baptized.  For now, we visit and teach a little more.  "Piano piano," as they say in Italian, which means "slowly slowly"

Her whole family loves us and the missionaries, and they listen to everything we say.  This week, even her uncle stayed for our message and read and reread the scriptures we were going over.

Wednesday, we got up at 4:30 am to get ready to leave by 5:15 so we could drive to ?Salerno and catch a train to Rome at 6:00 am.  We had a good conference in Rome and hurried back for an appointment in Salerno with a non member.  We were challenged to talk to everybody we meet about the gospel.  Sister Mitzvotai talked to the girl she was sitting next to on the metro, and got her number and gave her a pass a long card, and sent the referral to the Rome sisters.  Both sisters talked to a man on the train that they sent his referral to Tatanto missionaries.  I sat next to a lovely young lady who I hope to connect with again.  I gave her my email and she said that she would email me.  

Thursday, we had the missionaries over to lunch, and planned the graduation party for English class for that evening.  We got the certificates signed and games set up.  The party went well and we had a good turnout.

Yesterday, we took the sisters to get their permissos started.  Last night, we had about 10 investigators over to our house for a discussion about our church.  These were all students from our English course.  Several have had one or two discussions with the missionaries, one has had many lessons, but more than half have not agreed to have the lessons before, but they agreed to come all together to hear more about our church.  Anziano Scherbel gave a very good lesson. The spirit was there and more questions were asked by everyone.  We ended the night with a pancake dinner along with the egg and sausage casserole I make for Christmas morning.  They stayed for a total of three hours and all would like to come again.

Two more new missionaries

We lost two great missionaries.  Elder Phillips was here for the past 7 months and he was transferred to Sardenia, and sister Ghio went to Rome.  We have two new wonderful missionaries come on Thursday.  Elder Line from American Fork.  He likes to play basketball and play the guitar.  

Sister Webster is from Caldwell Idaho.  She is brand new and is beautiful.  She shines with love and goodness.  We took the missionaries to our favorite pizza place the first night they were here, after our English classes.

Today, was pday and they hiked to the ruins of a very old castle which overlooks our little town.

    You can see the Mediteranean sea in the background! and Battipaglia is directly below.

                        IIt's a great time to be a missionary in Battipaglia, Italy.

Blessings from Heaven

We are so thankful that Kylie Sue and Dan had a healthy baby boy yesterday, February 23rd.  He was 9lb. 5oz. And 20 1/2 in.  That is a huge baby for Kyli to deliver, with her being only five foot tall.  Their first two were each more than three pounds less.  I think Mac takes after the Scherbel side .  His dad was 10 1/2 lbs and was two feet tall at birth.  No new born baby clothes for Mac.  He is going straight into 3-6 month size!  He has dimples on his elbows and has the cutest chubby legs. He reminds me of how fat and chubby all of my babies were. We watched him for 1/2 hour over FaceTime right after he was born, and so here are a few photos when he is less than an hour old!  Straight from heaven!

Big brother Rhett Turned two years old today.  What a great present, a new baby brother.  Big sister Brooklyn will be a wonderful help to her Mommy.

Continue your journey

Here are our four Battipaglia missionaries, who we love like our children.  They are hard working, obedient, faithful, and really fun to serve with.  They are all excellent cooks.  Their smiles and enthusiasm make us smile and be enthusiastic as well.  These two companionships have the tall and the short.  Elder Duffin is 6'5 and Elder Phillips is 5'8".  Sister Mitzvotai is 6'1" and Sist Ghio is 4"11.  But all four have giant spirits and a great command of he language.  Two are getting transferred this week.  And so this is the last Sunday we spent together.  Boo hoo.  It's hard to let them go after we get to know them so well.  We know they do fabulous in their new areas.  We hope we see them many more times.  I found a beautiful scripture for them today.  It's from D&C 100:12

                    "Therefore continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice.

                                   For behold, and lo

                                          I AM WITH YOU

                                                                       Even until the end."