Lunch with my Dad!

Fun little story....I got to see my daddy! Haha! That was so fun! Monday night we had a difficult time planning for Tuesday because absolutely NOTHING was working out. We couldn't seem to get our plans lined up to work, which made our entire afternoon thrown off, and we couldn't figure out what we would do. We made really good back up plans and prayed for the best. 

Tuesday morning we went downstairs and Sister Russell's bike was flat. We have a lame little hand pump which we tried, but it was basically useless. So we went to the anziani (elders) who have a normal sized one. Then we discovered that there was a whole. Not having time to fix it ourselves, nor did we know where to buy a new tube, we took it in to the shop. 
We got there and then we thought, no we need to go to Giovanna's first. Giovanna is our 74 year old sickly investigator who I love as a grandmother. She is so sweet. She has this desire to be baptized, but can't cuz she is so sick. She has been given blessings and is slowly on the road to recovery. We do service for her regularly- come la spesa (shopping), andiamo alla farmacia (we go to the pharmacy), and rub creams on her sore swollen muscles. So sweet. We called her and she said she'd gone to the hospital last night, but she was home now. She needed to get some medicine though. We went over and got her money, then went to the store. As we were outside it started dumbing buckets, and buckets of rain. We didn't have jackets, umbrellas or anything. So we started singing. Normal :) 

While we were with her our phone buzzed and I ignored it. While we were out Sister Russell reminded me the phone had gone off, and we should probably look. To my surprise I see it is from DAD! My dad! I was so incredibly confused. Haha. Shocked even. We called and there was no answer, so we went back to Giovanna and had a great little lesson with her about her upcoming baptism. Sadly at this point she won't make her baptism date, not for desire but for health. We will get there though! Anyway, after I called this phone number claiming to be my dad, and it was totally him! 
Haha I hung up the phone and Sister Russell was like, "You just had a conversation with your dad in Italian, on the phone as a missionary. Weird " haha We met him at the train station and it was just so fun!

Sister Montagnoli pictured here w/her dad Cliff (who was on business in Italy).  His train was passing through her city, Reggio Emelia.  Cliff called her Mission President, and he gave him permission to have lunch with Francesca!  She met him at the train station, they got a pizza, she showed him her apartment, then she was off to work, and he got back on the train!  He offered to buy her new shoes, but she was much too busy!  She sent him with a Book of Mormon to give away, a Restoration pamphlet, and some pass along cards.  She is such a happy missionary and in her element!

No words. Our day ended up being perfect. Perfect timing with buses, trains, lessons and everything. Sister Russell said that it was clearly orchestrated by someone up high. I loved it. It felt so normal too! haha. Weird. We have dreams of our mission world and reality at home mixing, and we always wake up confused. Haha questo era un sogno che e diventata una realta! (This was a dream that became a reality!)  Haha so fun! No mom, no distractions here. We went right to work for the rest of the day. All it did was add a little boost of energy to both Sister Russell and me. It was something we needed :) I loved it! 

When Francesca was a toddler, we had this same basketball hoop and they played "Air Checa".

While translating at the MTC,
we ran into "Sister Barrus"!

The future "Sister Montagnoli", Lucia w/dad at the MTC

Mamma mia sounds like you are all having a blast in the mission world at home! (We are translating very regularly at the MTC for Italian missionaries, and they have let Lucia come with us on occasion!)  I think grandmother is right, Lucia is getting lots of amazing missionary opportunity sneak peaks. She deserves it. I pray every day for her to not feel left behind or alone. I can't wait for her to be one of us missionaries with a tag and a call. BAH! So cool! I am so eager to go back to the MTC. It is so wonderful, peaceful and happy there. Such a powerful place to be. I want to work there! haha!

Dad&Mom (Cliff&Martha) @the MTC world map

Cliff & Lucia at the MTC translation booth.

This week I wanted to tell you a little about Paul. He is a new convert from June and is amazing. He was the first person I taught here, and he is amazing. He looks out for us, protects us and brings a lot of investigators. He is also our Twii teacher. Haha! He is in a hard situation. No job, no house, eats at cartias and is the most humble, fantastic member I have ever met. He has been staying wtih this amazing Italian man for the past 6 months, but now this man is moving and that leaves Paul homeless again. His brother in the states bought him a ticket to back home to Ghana and was so sad. But, he needs this. We asked him what he would do when he got home, and the first thing he said was he was going to find the church, present himself to the bishop and give his mom a Book of Mormon. Such an amazing man. I will miss him! We went to our little pizza place "Mr. Pizza" and ate together for the last time. Then we sent him off with directions to the church in Ghana and a Book of Mormon to give to his mom.

Well I gotta go, but I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers and support! You all are such a strength to me!!!

Love, 

Sorella Montagnoli

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Sister Francesca Montagnoli