Changing Season

From Michael...
My appreciation and love for you and you support grows every day. I hope
you are all well and happy.

The summer months are winding down and the evidence is everywhere: more cars on the road as people return to their jobs, more businesses open, slightly
cooler temperatures, very tanned people everywhere, fewer loud parties
running into the morning hours in the neighborhood, tomatoes on sale, and
more.

The work here is ever present and ever pleasant. Always someone to talk to
and somewhere to go, and something to do. We have so many roles to fill, I
often worry about doing any of them well.

The sister missionaries referred the elders to an apartment of male refugees
from Nigeria. Stanley and Emanuele showed interest from the first day, and
we left a Book of Mormon. Their mother tongue is still a mystery to me,
English is second and Italian is third; since our elders are from Peru and
speak perfect Spanish and near perfect Italian, I teach. Any refugee will
have a tough time getting a job here, and they are no exception. Stanley
was an electrician back home, but the vocational training to qualify here
would begin clear back to a middle school diploma. Because of this, he and
his friends take on menial labor jobs with long hours and low pay. Even if
he were certified, the competition for the few skill jobs available would be
daunting- not much different than any other country. The fallout of this is
fewer opportunities to teach them. We'll see how it goes. Others contacts
come and go as our lives intertwine and the butterfly effect reaches around
the world.

GA application accepted! We got an email two days ago indicating our
application process for a Young Single Adult center was approved and we are
full steam ahead. The first center on the east side of Sicily will be in
the biggest city here, Catania. This means a greater focus on the program
and some extra funding from the area center in Frankfort. We are hopeful
that we can progress one or more of our other five cities (Siracusa, Ragusa,
Gela, Messina) to the point of lift-off in the next year.

Junae begins school Wednesday. All our practice, encouragement, exposure
and hopes for her culminate here. She will do fine; it is nearly a force of
nature as she cannot go too long without talking to SOMEONE! She really is
understanding nearly everything, which means our secrets now actually have
to be whispered.

Institute begins the first week of October. Old Testament lesson plans are
developing. I am excited for my learning curve and know all involved will
benefit. Well, I will anyway.

Patti begins seminary Thursday. White knuckles time for both of us as the
year really begins in earnest and our schedules lock into a fairly constant
routine.

First day of school in this zone. The walls of buildings echo even small
sounds here as in other parts of the city, and here in this city as in other
cities. There may be a Cosa Nostra secret combination in Italy, but in
familial matters there are no secrets. Right now I am listening, against my
will, to a hot and lively conversation between a teen age daughter and her
mother about what will be worn today. A pan is dropped, a door slams, then
quiet. Something was resolved, and peace returns. Somewhere down the
street a worker begins his labors tapping on something in an even rhythm
interrupted every so often by a rest and comment to a coworker. We love
Italians and Italy! And we love this work.