ROME 1ST WARD

 The last of this series of Newsroom Video filming was scheduled this week at the Italy, Rome 1^st Ward.  Our assistant director is from Rome and was supposed to go to help train and film the members, but he got injured playing soccer late last week.  Our director was going to go in his place, but she got the flu and had to cancel.  So they sent in the 3^rd string.  We whipped together a Powerpoint training presentation and jumped on the plane to Rome Wednesday.  After training brother Raimondo Castellani, who would be conducting the interviews, we had the rest of the day Thursday to see Rome as the filming was scheduled for Friday and Saturday.  We walked our legs off in brilliant shirt-sleeve sunshine and  managed to see just about every major must-see sight in the downtown area, including a tasty gelato outside the Vatican and pasta at a sidewalk cafe.  The filming was a highly successful and spiritual experience – wonderful, enthusiastic members did a great job.  While we were there on Friday evening, two just-returned missionaries came to be released and were hugged and squeezed to death by all the members there for the filming.  Then Saturday night there was a baptism so we got to see all the Elders and Sisters in the zone with their brand new, bright eyed, enthusiastic companions, and all the beautiful members supporting the baptism. We could tell they love each other very much and how much the church means to them.  We’re back home now - 0 degrees centigrade as we landed, but at least the sun is shining.

Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum

We figured out how to use the subway!!

With Brother Raimondo Castellani, a man who has the characteristics of our Savior

Four River Fountain - Piazza Navona

Gelato!

New Sister Missionaries - Abby Pace from the Oly 1st Ward in the middle