Mumford's Roma Temple Mission: Another Wonderful week in Roma

Hello to our Family and Friends (that we so love and miss!!)

We are now 'most half-way through November and we're really "running" to catch up with everything that we are being re-trained on at the Temple and pretty much expected that we know. Well, we do and we don't. The ordinances and the order of doing the Lord's work are the same in every temple in every land throughout the Church. BUT--it seems that each Temple, either because of the way it was designed and built, or because a Temple President feels strongly that there should be an emphasis on this or that as pertaining to the ways to help the Temple Patron feel welcomed, loved and appreciated for taking the time to COME TO THE TEMPLE--new workers, like myself, have to work hard early on to learn those specific things. Tomorrow starts a new "week" and we are doing the afternoon/evening shift this week. Well, I am doing that Shift. Dear Ron--due to the departure today of Elder John Fowler, an Emeritus General Authority 70 (who has been serving daily--many times BOTH shifts--to keep the Sealing work available for Patron participation) has been asked and gladly accepted to take a double shift tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov 15th) and another double shift on this Saturday (Nov 19th). It looks like it will be that way for Ron until the next Missionary Senior Couple arrives the first week of December 2022 or so. He has such a wonderful attitude! He says, "We came on this Mission to serve"--President Toronto has asked and needs me for this--so I will gladly do it."

Since we are going to the other shift this week, it means I lose my wonderful Trainer--Sorella Bonnie Lee. She is so organized and has a "calming effect" on me (and others) when things get a little hectic. For instance, this past Saturday morning (Nov 12th) we had 54 people who had made a reservation for the first session of the day at 9:30 am. We only have 1 ordinance room--let me show you how the hours of this Temple work:

WEEKDAYS:
Temple opens at 8:30 am. Baptistry has 2 sessions--encouraging Reservations, but trying to accomodate Walk-Ins too.
There are 2 Endowment Sessions--9:30 am and 11:30 am on the morning shift--THE TEMPLE CLOSES AT 1 PM.
TEMPLE RE-OPENS AGAIN AT 4 pm---There are 2 Endowment Sessions-- 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm
Temple closes at 7:30pm (maybe sometimes 8 pm) and those involved with the Endowment session or the Veil stay to finish that work.
So, if the Endowment is full--the Patron does have a choice to either do Initiatory ordinances or to go up to do Sealings on the 2nd floor.
SATURDAYS:
Mornings are the same as during the week.
BAPTISTRY on Saturdays opens at 8:30 am and closes at 12:30 pm. It opens again at 3:30 pm and closes at 5:30 pm. There is Initiatory going on as we can accomodate the Patrons--only having 2 booths.
But on Saturdays there is only 1 Endowment Session in the afternoon--at 4:30 pm. The Stake Presidents in and around the Roma area-(I think there are 2) both asked if the Temple could close a little earlier on Saturdays so Temple workers (many of them come from long distances) could be available to attend Stake Conference evening sessions when they are held and otherwise-- just be able to return to their homes and prepare for Sunday.
So you can see there is a limitation on the time and the type of work that can be done each day.

WELL--back to this past Saturday. I am to do Training at the Recommend Desk--I was not prepared for what started happening. The Temple doors open to the public at 8:30 am--and you have a printed schedule listing all the people who have made a Reservation. You have 54 printed "tickets" (for lack a better word) and people start coming through the doors. There are 2 scanners where you can check the Recommend to make sure it is valid. You know it is a very full Session, people need to be checked off and given a ticket so they are assured of the seat they just reserved. Well--it was bordering on minor chaos when Sorella Lee stopped the 2nd scanner and told the people to queue up in a single line so we could be sure and get them checked off and issued the seat ticket--as we needed to know if there were going to be "extra seats". Due to Fire Code, the Temple is allowed to put up padded chairs in the Endowment room for a maximum overflow of 10. Added to this situation--there are tours who make reservations for their passengers--but sometimes they just pick a number and somehow they get put under the name of the person "in charge". So with many languages--you are trying to find if the Patron is on the schedule under their own name or the name of the Tour Group. Can you see how challenging this can become. AND THEN--a person's Recommend shows up as A RED FLAG on the scanner. Worried they have come "all this way" and now they might not get in--calmly you just ask them to please step out of the line and you call the Temple Recorder. This one couple were part of a 3-Temple Tour--having been to Paris, London and now the Rome Temple is their final destination. The Sister had her purse stolen in Paris--so she had trauma and now--no Recommend, but arrangements had been made over the airways--to get her a temporary--so she could still do what she had planned. So she was cleared-- but then her husband--his was the one that DID NOT work. He was close to coming unglued!! "We have had nothing but trouble at every Temple--just trying to get in", he tells us as we wait for the Temple Recorder to come and see what's the problem. And through all this Sorella Lee keeps everyone as calm as possible and we end up handing out 6 of the 10 extra tickets. Now I am sad, as I had seen a name I know and love, Carolyn Rounds, on that printed schedule but she did not come through the door. We are about to be relieved from this duty and go to receive more Training in another area of the Temple, when I look up and there stands Carolyn!! I am trying to keep my composure--and be reverent--but I almost ran to give her a hug! and we wept!! She had a friend with her, Dianna, from the Branch in Greece where Carolyn is doing her Volunteer Program trying to get the Refugees who qualify, a GED-equivalent degree, so they can pursue higher education. Well--they missed the Session--they had waited for an hour for a bus that did not come. (We have been told that happens--more on weekends than weekdays). Sorella Lee pointed out that we were just ready to leave the Front desk and go elsewhere in the Temple--and we would have missed each other. I am so new--the Italian workers don't really know my name yet--only some who serve on Wednesday AM shift--they know I have 8 children and 40 Grands (and it DOES NOT COMPUTE!) So it would have been hard for Carolyn to find me. She and her friend, Dianna, decided to go upstairs and do Sealiings--but Ron's room had been going so they (Carolyn and friend) were taken to another room to be Proxies. (Carolyn, because they were late--she said she did not want any special considerations) So It wasn't until both Ron and Carolyn and Dianna came out of their rooms and saw each other--did they get to go and have Ron do a few Sealings with him as their Sealer before Sealings closed for that shift.

So that's how my week ended--it was a great week. But now I told Sorella Lee she's "cutting my apron strings" too soon--but she thinks I am Ready.

Our Roma Temple President and Matron

James and Diane Toronto

View of the Temple across the street from the Porta di Roma Mall

Carolyn Rounds and Sorella Mumford

Dianna Chiapoulos(from Greece) Sorella Mumford and Carolyn Rounds

And here we are on our Balcony with Anziano Mumford

---Cute Fowlers!!

A group of Temple Missionaries saying "Good Bye" to the Fowlers and to the Mechams (Mee-chums)

We found this stencil of the Temple on the paver path leading down to the Porta di Roma Mall

An interesting "entrance" to the Porta di Roma Mall

Here are some of Ron's thoughts as added to this Blog.

Rome Italy Temple Mission - November 3 to 11, 2022

We flew from SLC to Atlanta to Rome in about 30 hours - arriving on the 4th . We were met by one of the most delightful, caring, and selfless couple who received us as a missionary couple who is needed and wanted. Elder and Sis Goode are the capable heart and souls of the office staff. They drove us about 30 minutes on the Grande Raccordo Anulare - the Rome Italy bypass freeway (about 20 to 25 miles across), that circles Rome - to our apartment at Via Gesualdo Bufalino (little buffalo) 22.

After a half hour or so, President and Sister Toronto picked us up so we could use their car to transport a few grocery items to our apartment. At that time we were more focused on going to sleep than eating, but it was sure nice to have something in the cupboard and fridge when eating won out. Also, what a nice gesture from our Temple President and Matron. They served as President and Matron of the Catania Italy Mission and about 5 years later - same duties in the Central Eurasian Mission covering Turkey, Central Asia and Azerbaijan. He received an MA and PhD degrees in Islamic and Arabic Studies and taught at BYU. On top of all of this, they are personable, wise and caring people. We have gentle, caring leaders.

We had received an email from the Temple staff informing us our first day of Temple service would be the Tuesday after we arrived, so I was a little surprised when Pres. Toronto asked if we’d rather serve at 8:00 am, or 3:00 pm the next day, Saturday. That was not a hard choice - the afternoon shift.

We were told that senior missionary Temple couples will now have a car to use. In the past, this was not necessary because the Temple Missionaries all lived in apartment housing on the Temple plaza. However, when the number of senior couples increased from 4 to 12, as has now happened, a decision was made to have all plaza apartment use for patrons. All the missionaries will no longer walk 50 steps or so, from on-site housing. Instead, they are finding apartments for all of us, and because of the distance we are from the Temple, we will all be receiving cars. Our apartment is about 5 minutes by car from the Temple, or about 45 minutes walking. Cars have been requested from the Area Office - I think in Germany - but it might be several weeks before we receive them. Since we didn’t have a car - Elder Frank and Beth Sano have been told that they and we will share their car. We love them. He was raised in Brooklyn, a self-described introvert. She’s a military brat and is socially gifted - a friend to all. In the Temple, we are helping members receive the ordinances and make covenants to come unto Christ and his ways. So we not only are sealed as families but as families who are striving to live the way of the Savior. Who would not want to be sealed to such people? It is wonderful to be around people who are trying to follow Him. One of the greatest blessings of my life, from childhood to now, is to have been surrounded by such wonderful striving souls - parents, grandparents, family and wonderful friends.

Christ heals, and fixes struggling souls. His ways bring peace and full happiness - if not in mortality, for sure in eternity. Forgiveness lifts the forgiver and the receiver of the forgiveness. His atoning sacrifice made all our eternal blessings possible. The Temple and plaza and Visitors Center are exceptional in their majesty and beautiful workmanship. I can see why all of our members are pleased and proud to be a part of such buildings and work. When I first walked in - It felt like was being met by angels from both sides of the veil. Kent Wallis’s painting of an Italian countryside is prominently hung on the second floor. We served with him for the past two years in Logan. Temple workers have had to stop two admirers from taking a picture of the painting just since we’ve been here. It’s beautiful. There is another painting for maybe Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus being carried into Egypt with pyramids in the background. And then, of course the Ken Corbett, Prodigal son painting showing the father coming down a trail from his higher ground, and sun- filled home to greet his son. There is a scuff mark under his right knee where he must have fallen as he hurried to meet his repentant son. This painting was also in NY - one of my favorites.

Mom has been assigned as a Temple Worker to all duties in the Temple - baptistery to initiatory, endowment and sealings. My service has been exclusively in sealings. As near as I can tell, there are continuing English-speaking sealing sessions that are needed each week, and almost every day. President Toronto wants to have someone who can perform these sealings on every shift. An emeritus Gen Authority, John Fowler has been doing this all by himself for two years or so. He and Sister Fowler left for their home in Atlanta just today (Nov 14). I, normally, will be serving a 6-7 hour shift each day, but tomorrow and Saturday this week, we are short-handed so I’ll need to be on both shifts those days. I’ve been so impressed that some very committed and competent Italian souls, have impressive knowledge about the Gospel. From 53 years ago when I served, each one is now a miracle to me. President Nudo, our First Counselor, the Hebrew 10:19-20 teaching about the body of Christ in relation to all the blessings that we receive through His offering at the close of the endowment teachings. It was inspiring.

And guess who paid us a visit on Saturday? Yes, our own Carolyn Rounds! She was with her friend from Greece, Dianna Chiapoulo (sp). What a wonderful and caring surprise! She shared with us her never- take-no-for-an-answer efforts to bring friendship and education opportunities to refugees. Through her own efforts and funds, she has assembled capable teachers and helpers (without pay), increased opportunities to these refugees from many lands. The director she hired in Greece oversees on site operations. Many of her acquaintances and friends in Cache Valley are donating teaching and other services electronically. And with all of this, she took the time to visit us! God loves Carolyn Rounds, and so do we.

We ventured out today--to find our way--on foot--to the Porta di Roma Mall and then test the bus system on the way back. VICTORY! We were able to see where it stops and make sure we got the right bus. It was fun--and such a beautiful day to be out walking. And then with our little shopping cart half-full--climb on a bus and zip home.

Thanks for your love and support!