Well ---it is now November 10, 2022. But before I go any further, I have to just "re-cap" our TSA experience in Salt Lake Airport. (Some of the Family may have seen this earlier--but just had to include)
Well we are at our gate— whew!! TSA was not without incident! The large tub of Gold Spike probiotic "spiked" a lot of suspicion and examining (and the looks & whispers-J/K) among the TSA COUNTER. Go figure--we had it in our prescription bag --with multitudinous bottle of meds--but it's a white fine powder--doesn't smell--sounds like a drug to me!! So did Ron ever have to go through The PatDown--A very thorough one at that. Meanwhile I'm in another lane and my carry on has been pulled for a problem, too. Turns out that our carry-on's got switched and I had Ron's and I forgot his laptop was inside--at the bottom! A very nice TSA guy--with a sense of humor (rare, huh) after finding out the bag belonged to me asked me "Did I know I had a laptop in my bag?" Well I had already taken out my 2 devices then realized I had Ron's. So they had to open up the bag--and there on top sits 2 protein drinks--clearly over the 3 oz limit--and he looks at me--must have seen my tag--and said "These are medicinal, right??". I quickly said. 'A yes! Then he winked and found the laptop and we got through. Noticing I am still standing alone--he asks "where is that Guy, anyway?" I told him he was now in Pat down and he said "Figures". Well they couldn't find anything more wrong with Ron's bag--so we met back up as TSA finished putting the meds and probiotic back in the meds bag. And then we put ourselves back together and began our long walk to our gate. That's my report--except now we've been summoned to verify our passports. I-yi-yi!! (that all worked out too--we just had to show our Visas and to prove we had permission to go to Italy)
It is now November 10, 2022, and I cannot believe that we have been in beautiful Italy--in Roma for over a week and we have really "hit the Ground Running!! And besides that--we arrived sick with colds and coughs. But there have been so many to help and support us---and we have so needed it!! Ron actually went to the Temple on our first Saturday here (Nov 5th) but it was decided that I needed to stay home and try to get feeling better for Tuesday. (Nov 8th). We did go to Church on Sunday (Nov 6th) but I just needed to go home and go to bed. We met some wonderful people --many of who are departing in less than a month. The Goodes--they are a Rome Mission Office couple who met us at the airport and took us to get our phones working and to the Post Office to get our Permesso (Permission to Stay in Rome) started. You get the paperwork going and then you are invited to come back in 5 months to have fingerprints and finish the process. Now that's a system! The Goodes have helped us with lots of things at our apartment and are just so kind. They will really be missed!! I know you are not supposed to "compare" Missions--as they are all so unique--but I just have to say that having all the Temple Missionaries (plus some very wonderful other Senior Missionary couples) in the same apartment building in New York was the biggest blessing!!! We felt like we had a "family" and it was just so easy to be with each other and do things together. Here--because the Temple Dept decided that the apartments on the Temple "Piazza" (which I think were built to house the Temple Missionaries) will now only be used for Patrons who want to come to the Temple and stay a few days to do Temple work. Now the Mission is scrambling to find housing for the new Missionary couples that are coming in the next few weeks and months and we are spread out --and not within walking distance of the Temple. And many of us (including us) do not have cars and so we have to rely on others to get us around. That "car situation" is also being worked on--but it all takes time.
Sorella Mumford
No comments:
Post a Comment