we had a lovely evening yesterday visiting with craig and julie pacini and their daughter chelsey. craig served as the mission president in the italy rome mission from 1999 to 2002. we spent a few hours learning about the history of the gospel in italy, reading dedicatory prayers for missionary work and temples in italy, looking at books about italian art and architecture, eating fruit and ice cream, feeling the spirit so strongly, and becoming even more excited for paige to start her new adventure. we are so grateful to the pacinis for taking time to visit with us and tell us of their great italian experience. i think every one of us got something from their visit {like never feel guilty about not performing better in the past, try your hardest and understand that your recognition of past failures shows progression. or don't compare yourself to others, heavenly father knows you perfectly, your strengths and weaknesses, he uses what he can then makes up for the rest}.
all in all it was a great evening. i pulled out all my stalking stops to try to find a picture of president and sister pacini alone, but was unsuccessful. instead, an excerpt from lorenzo snow's dedicatory prayer will have to do.
"o italy! hath an eternal winter followed the summer of thy fame, and frosted the flowers of thy genius, and clouded the sunbeams of thy glory? no! the future of thy story shall outshine the past, and thy children shall yet be more renowned than in ages of old. i see around me many an eye which will, one day, glisten with delight at the tidings of eternal truth -- many a countenance which will adorn the assemblies of the living god. there is yet the blood of heaven's nobility within the hearts of many amid thy sons and daughters ...
the church no organized will increase and multiply and continue it's existence in italy till that portion of israel, dwelling in these countries, shall have heard and received the fullness of the gospel."
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