Brad, Cassi, Alexa, Cailin, Ian and Blake Mumford--ready to start their Trip to Rome--to see US!! (March 29, 2023)
Dearest Family and Friends,
I MUST document that we had VISITORS COME TO ROME TO SEE US!! BRAD AND CASSI MUMFORD (our 5th son and his wife) and 4 children--Alexa, Cailin, Ian and Blake, came to see us March 30th. A LONG DAY turned into a V-E-R-Y LONG DAY as their flight was late leaving SLC --so they missed their connection in Amsterdam. So they got rerouted to Bologna, Italy and arrived at Rome Airport at 5 pm. Then after collecting--NOT--their luggage (IT WAS STILL IN AMSTERDAM!!) THEY HAD TO WAIT AND FILL OUT PAPERWORK FOR "LOST" LUGGAGE--they finally arrived by cab to our apartment by 7 pm. Though Tired and Hungry THEY WERE STILL so excited to be HERE!! We had a very FUN and EXCELLENT TIME WITH THEM. We hardly let them catch their breath--until Sunday--when our Activity Schedule was quite light--and after watching A session of General Conference--we packed a lunch and made our way . . . WAY out of Rome . . . to the VIA APPIA ANTICA . . . To the Catacombs of St Callixtus. We did not quite know what to expect--but it was very interesting. We had an EXCELLENT GUIDE--who was not afraid to be religious and gave us a great history lesson of HOW and WHY the catacombs. ANYWAY--We saw the major sights of Rome, ate lots of Gelato--had enough energy in the evening after dinner--to even play GAMES!! Oh this Grammy has severely missed playing games--with anyone. I'd play them with our neighbors--if I think they'd even care or understand.😉🤔 So that week went REALLY FAST--we did get some Temple activities in--Baptisms for Alexa and Cailin, Sealings with Ron for Brad and cassi and Visitor's Center for all of us. IT WAS GREAT!!! (I WILL PUT MORE PICTURES AND DETAIL IN MY BLOG, IF ANYONE READS THAT).OH--but in case you are wondering--their LUGGAGE did catch up with them and we picked it up at the Airport on Saturday after our Colosseum Tour. So we found them after our Friday night shift (April 7th) out at the Beach--it was dark and we were trying to find them because we knew if they were still making their way to the hotel they were staying at that night--so as to get to the airport by 4:30 am for an early 6:30 am flight out of Rome--they would need our help. They had been trying to get to the Beach all week--and this was the last RIDE!! So we finally found them and got some food and then got them to their BnB and said "Good Bye"--the REAL "Good Bye" and left them. I could hardly talk all the way home--and when we walked into our Apartment . . . and it didn't have people or sounds or laughter within the walls--I just BURST INTO TEARS and had a good cry!!!
Below are some of our "outings'--we really covered a lot of territory!!
Trevi Fountain 
Blake and Brad IN ThE Colosseum 
Inside the St Peter's Basilica "The Pieta"
Outside the Rome, Italy Temple --after doing Baptisms for the Dead--Cassi, Cailin, Alexa, Papa Mumford and Brad Mumford
Around the at the Visitor's Center in Rome, Italy--from L to R: Cassi, Alexa, Grammy Carol, Papa Mumford, Cailin, Brad Mumford with Blake and Ian Mumford in front 
The map on our Apt Wall- with all things planned and marked for ready referencing
  Our "picnic in the park" Cassi and Ian after our picnic at the Catacombs lawn |
"The Mumfords" relaxing in the park outside the Catacombs of St Calixtus after enjoying a picnic and relay races and walking a small piece of the Via Appia Antica (old Appian Way). Everyone said we should not miss a visit to at least one of the Catacombs in Rome--so I booked the Catacombs of St Calixtus for a Sunday afternoon. I truly did not know what to expect. First of all--they are CLEAR OUT OF ROME--on the old Appian Way. |
OUTSIDE THE CATACOMBS OF ST CALIXTUS
The Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia) is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy.[1] Its importance is indicated by its common name, recorded by Statius,[2][3] of Appia longarum... regina viarum ("the Appian Way, the queen of the long roads"). The Appian Way was the first long road built specifically to transport troops outside the smaller region of greater Rome (this was essential to the Romans). The few roads outside the early city were Etruscan and went mainly to Etruria. By the late Republic, the Romans had expanded over most of Italy and were masters of road construction. Their roads began at Rome, where the master itinerarium, or list of destinations along the roads, was located, and extended to the borders of their domain – hence the expression, "All roads lead to Rome".
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the road fell out of use; Pope Pius VI ordered its restoration. A new Appian Way was built in parallel with the old one in 1784 as far as the Alban Hills region. The new road is the Via Appia Nuova ("New Appian Way") as opposed to the old section, now known as Via Appia Antica. The old Appian Way close to Rome is now a free tourist attraction. It was extensively restored for Rome's Millennium and Great Jubilee celebrations. The first 5 kilometers (3 mi) are still heavily used by cars, buses and coaches but from then on traffic is very light and the ruins can be explored on foot in relative safety. The Church of Domine Quo Vadis is in the second mile of the road. Along or close to the part of the road closest to Rome, there are three catacombs of Roman and early Christian origin and one of Jewish origin.
Two other interesting facts about facts the Via Appia Antica--
The World War II Battle of Anzio
In 1943, during World War II, the Allies fell into the same trap Pyrrhus had retreated to avoid, in the Pomptine fields, the successor to the Pomptine marshes. The marsh remained, despite many efforts to drain it, until engineers working for Benito Mussolini finally succeeded. (Even so, the fields were infested with malarial mosquitos until the advent of DDT in the 1950s.)
Hoping to break a stalemate at Monte Cassino, the Allies landed on the coast of Italy at the Anzio-Nettuno area - ancient Antium - which was midway between Ostia and Terracina. They found that the place was undefended. They intended to move along the line of the Via Appia to take Rome, outflanking Monte Cassino, but they did not do so quickly enough. The Germans occupied Mounts Laziali and Lepini along the track of the old Via Latina, from which they rained down shells on Anzio. Even though the Allies expanded into all the Pomptine region, they gained no ground. The Germans counterattacked down the via Appia from the Alban hills in a front four miles wide, but could not retake Anzio. The battle lasted for four months, one side being supplied by sea, the other by land through Rome. In May 1944, the Allies broke out of Anzio and took Rome. The German forces escaped to the north of Florence.
1960 Summer Olympics
For the 1960 Summer Olympics, it served as part of the men's marathon course that was won by Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia.[The Catacomb(s) of Callixtus (also known as the Cemetery of Callixtus) is one of the Catacombs of Rome on the Appian Way, most notable for containing the Crypt of the Popes (Italian: Cappella dei Papi), which once contained the tombs of several popes from the 2nd to 4th centuries.[1][ We had a very interesting Guide, who seemed very sincere in his religious beliefs and did not shy away from those religious views. It was quite "refreshing" actually to hear him talk so reverently of Christ and ancestors and the Family unit.
We had such a great visit with Brad and his family--we truly did not want it to end. It helped so much that part of their visit coincided with our Temple Maintenance Break--thus allowing us to spend several full days with them. It was WONDERFUL!!
The end of APRIL brought some changes which many of us (especially me) had been dreading. There have been a group of Temple Ordinance Workers who had been serving for 4 months--some 6 months, coming every day on 1 shift or the other, and such strong and reliable people. Some had apartments, others had rooms at the Patron housing and were a great strength to the Ordinance Worker staff. Well--it was now time for many of them--several couple and some single Sisters, to return to their homes, in various parts of Italy. Two couples especially, I was really going to miss--the Savians, who returned home to Verona and the Pazzatos from Turin (or Torino), Italy. These Sisters had been such a help in my learning the Ordinances in Italian and Sister Pozzato knew English quite well, so she would slide in beside me at Prayer Meeting, if we were blessed to be on the same shift that week, and translate in English. So kind, so wonderful. Each day that Sorella Savian saw me--she'd greet me with a big hug and traditional Italian greeting of a slight kiss on each cheek and then she'd ask "Tutto bene?" (everything is well, good?") and wait for my response in Italian. It made my day!! They are hoping to return in October--but lots can happen between then and and now, especially since Fratello Savian is 80+ years old
. The Pozzatos hope to come again in July--but again, lots can happen. And then the Miccolis--they have a record of service that is stunning--and you would never know it to look at them. They were uncertain about any Return plans. And there are others that come for 2 weeks and then return to their homes for the next time they can get several days in a row that they can come and serve. We so love them and will miss them.
L to R: Sorella Rene Savian, Mumfords, Fratello Rino Savian
So the work continues, amid change that we can only accept and friendships that we must plant deep into our hearts so as not to lose the closeness and gratitude that we feel for the very chance we have been given to serve with such wonderful people.
There are still ADVENTURES to record and savor--but this is enough for now. ('our 'earts are too full" --a Mumford saying that stems from the movie "Blackbeard's Ghost)
Love from Rome,
Sorella and Anziano Mumford
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL! HURRAH!
