Free resources about the Italy Rome Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Italy LDS Missions.
Italy Rome Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Italy Rome Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Italy Rome Mission
Piazza Monte Gemma, 9
00141 Rome RM
Phone Number: 39-06-87193443
Mission President: President Michael D. Pickerd
Italy Rome Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Italy Rome Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Rome Mission:
Videos with Italy Rome RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Italy Rome Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
LDS-Friendly Videos about Italy
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Italy. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Italy, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Italy Rome Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Italy Rome Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, blog URL and when their blog was updated.
Italy Rome Mission Groups
Here are Italy Rome Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Rome Mission.
- Rome Italy Mission 2007-2010 Facebook Group (299 members)
- Rome Mission- Parker-Flosi Years (1993-99) Group (264 members)
- Rome Italy Mission 2010-13 Facebook Group (128 members)
- Rome Mission…the best in our hearts! Group (127 members)
- Rome Mission- Pres. Clinton Gillespie (1980-83) Group (122 members)
- Rome Italy Mission 1988-94 Facebook Group (98 members)
- Rome Mission- Missionaries, Moms and Dads Group (34 members)
- The Rome Italy Mission- The Flosi Years 96-99 Group (28 members)
- Italy Rome Mission 92-94 Facebook Group (23 members)
- Italy Rome Mission RMs Facebook Group (9 members)
Italy Rome Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Italy Rome Mission!
Shirt designs include Italy Rome Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Italy Rome missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Rome Mission gifts
Italy Rome Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Rome LDS Mission.
- 2016-2019, Michael D. Pickerd
- 2013-2016, Michael G. Waddoups
- 2010-2013, Thomas Kelly
- 2007-2010, Jeffrey Acerson (Listen to an interview with the Acersons)
- 2004-2007, Robert Rhien
Italy LDS Statistics (2016)
- Church Membership: 26,248
- Missions: 2
- Temples: 1
- Congregations: 103
- Family History Centers: 68
Helpful Articles about Italy
- 30 Funny Italian Language Mistakes LDS Missionaries Have Made
- Italian Recipe ‘Ragu’ (Spaghetti Sauce)
- Italian Recipe ‘Spaghetti alla Carbonara’
Italy Rome Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Italy Rome RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2015 (Tyrell)
- 2010-2012 (Landon)
- 2008-2010 (Layne)
- September 2012-April 2014 (Cajin)
- 2010-2012 (Karen)
- May 2013-October 2014 (Janessa)
- 2005-2007 (Spencer)
- 2009-2010 (Christina)
- 1976-1978 (Byron)
- 1991-1993 (Gordon)
- 2008-2010 (Tanner)
- 2010-2012 (Ian)
- 2011-2012 (Mary)
- 2009-2011 (Taylor)
- 2000-2002 (Neil)
- 1995-1997 (William)
- 1998-2000 (Aaron)
- 2010-2012 (Shane)
- 1996-1998 (Michael)
What areas did you serve in?
- Terni, Foggia, Crotone, Caserta, and Roma. (Landon)
- Firenze, Sassari, Prato & Pistoia. (Layne)
- Rome 3, Bari PF, Pozzuoli, Ladispoli. (Cajin)
- Rome 2, Bari Poggiofranco, and Catania. (Karen)
- Battipaglia, Messina, Rome 5, Palermo. (Janessa)
- Firenze, Quartu Sant’Elena, Cagliar, Pozzuoli, Napoli Nazionale, Prato, Livorno, Firenze. (Spencer)
- Prato, Pistoia, Firenze, Ladispoli. (Christina)
- Terni, Brindisi, Palermo, Trapani, Bari, Catania. (Byron)
- Civitavecchia, Rome, Cagliari, Castellammare, Napoli. (Gordon)
- Rome for over a year, Naples, Castellammare di Stabia, Bari. (Tanner)
- Napoli, Brindisi, Malta, Roma. (Ian)
- Ragusa, Siracusa, Rome 2. (Mary)
- Siena, Prato, Ostia, Roma 3, Oristano, and Messina. (Taylor)
- Salerno, La Maddalena, Napoli, Calgliari, and Rome. (William)
- Chieti, Salerno, Spoleto, Sassari, Mondragone, Roma. (Aaron)
- Rome, Bari, Pozzuoli, Reggio Calabria, Sciacca. (Shane)
- Sassari, Carbonia, Napoli, L’Aquila, American Service, Terni. (Michael)
What were some favorite foods?
- Pizza Napoletana, Pasta, Mozzarella di Bufala, Panzerotti. (Tyrell)
- Pizza Napoletana, Mozzarella di Bufala, Panzerotti, Pasta (obviously), and Worm Cheese… (Landon)
- Lasagna, pan di stelle cookies, fresh bread. (Layne)
- LASAGNA, patate-riso-cozze, panzerotti. (Cajin)
- Arancini, pasta alla norma, and pasta carbonara. (Karen)
- Pizza napoletana, lasagna, arancini, gelato siciliano, granita. (Janessa)
- Carbonara, amatriciana, anything from a pasticeria. Lasagna, and Pesto Genevese. Mmm. (Spencer)
- Focaccia bread. Balsamic vinegar. Pasta. Gelato. (Christina)
- Pizza and Pasta of course. Homemade pasta was always a special treat. (Byron)
- Gnocchi, Fritatta, Pizza. (Gordon)
- Pasta alla carbonara. Gelato. (Tanner)
- Diavola Pizza da Napoli, Focaccia Barese, Pasta al forno. (Ian)
- Sicilian pizza, arancini, cornetti con la crema pasticcera, foccaccia Ragusana (scaccia), and of course pasta. And lasagne al pesto. (Mary)
- Pasta al carbonara, fuu fuu, and many other pastas. (Taylor)
- White lasagna (with mushrooms, peas, onions in a white sauce), Regular lasagna, made by Italians, Red sauce with cubed pancetta, Brick-oven pizza (Neil)
- Neapolitana pizza, any dish made by an Italian woman. (William)
- Pizza (margherita or bianca), gelato, buff mozz. (Aaron)
- Bucatini all’amatriciana, pesto lasagne, pizza napoletana. (Shane)
- Mozzarella on bread. Margherita. Prosciutto crudo. (Michael)
What was a funny experience?
- One time my companion and I got word from our leaders that there was going to be truck strikes, and no stores would have food, so we stocked up the best way we knew how, cookies, milk and bread…in excess amounts, well the truck strikes never happened and people looked at us funny while we took our groceries home. (Tyrell)
- I had a migraine and was on a bus with a bunch of college students at night (going from cosenza to crotone) and I had to throw up, and there nothing that could stop me… Unfortunately. Luckily, there was a bag in the seat-back pocket. (Landon)
- Once we crossed paths at the same time with two nuns going one direction and two Jehovah Witness ladies going another direction. (Layne)
- Stepping in dog poop. (Cajin)
- My companion and I cut through a park in Rome (a large park like Central Park in NYC) that was un-populated. I mentioned out-loud that I smelled tuna and literally 5 seconds later we saw a blue tarp hung up between some trees. We realized we found a gypsy camp so we ran like crazy until we came to a more populated area of the park and then the exit. (Karen)
- Drinking “l’autista” at a member’s house (basically, diluted lemon juice and baking soda). Supposedly it helps with indigestion and if you’ve eaten too much. It gets rid of the extra air in your stomach, but in doing so, it makes you involuntarily burp. A lot. Really loudly. The member’s got a kick out of it because we were sisters and we were burping like that. (Janessa)
- A guy came out of his house into his courtyard as we were across it trying to talk to him through his citofono, yelling at us. What do you want?! Who are you?! I don’t care! Usually, this would be a normal occurrence doing a house; but, he was wearing nothing buy his whitey tighties and yellow jeans on his head! My companion and I said well, okay have a nice day and walked away laughing. (Spencer)
- Being asked to iron a woman’s grandson’s clothes including swim trunks as service. (Christina)
- Singing with Filipinos in the rain walking down the street. (Tanner)
- Turning around to my companion on the bus and nodding to him that this was our stop. He was talking with someone about the Book of Mormon. I proceeded to get off the bus and the bus pulled away without my companion getting off. 500 meters down the road the bus goes to a halt and my companion comes jumping out the doorless bus! He yells out, “ho preso il suo numero di telofono!” Worth it. (Ian)
- We had a run-in with some angry nuns because these refugees wanted us to teach them at the refugee camp . . . which was run by nuns. Of course, they didn’t want to let us in, and they told us to leave because they were taking care of their spiritual needs already. The men had vehemently told us they were NOT Catholic. The nun said, “we have plans to baptize his baby.” And I simply translated this for the man (who didn’t speak Italian!) As soon as I said this, he started yelling and throwing a temper tantrum. The nuns weren’t too happy with us, of course, and were even angry at us for leaving the grounds and waiting outside the gate for the men to leave and meet us in a public place for a lesson. I wasn’t their biggest fan, either, but I could see where they were coming from. (Mary)
- I once had a pigeon fly into the Book of Mormon I was trying to give someone I had street contacted and knock it right out of my hands. (Taylor)
- One day, my companion and I were in a town square, and he wanted to talk to a homeless man there. I chastised him because most of the time, conversations with homeless people resulted in nothing but distractions. As I said something to that effect, a bird pooped on my head. My companion and the homeless man both got a good laugh at me…(Neil)
- Having Italians make fun of us all the time because of the translation of Elder into Italian (Anziano); it never made sense to them. I also lived in an apartment for over a month with a total of 8 missionaries because our lease expired and the mission hadn’t found us another place; it wasn’t funny at the time. (William)
- We pranked a new missionary that couldn’t speak Italian yet by hiding a package of powdered sugar in his bag and had a fake carabinieri bust in an take him away. (Aaron)
- Having the sacrament speaker interrupt her talk to ask me from the pulpit why I was talking during her talk. I was interpreting into English for some English-speaking investigators. (Shane)
- My companion was trying to say thank you for a piece of fruit and said something inappropriate to the Branch President’s wife. (Michael)
What was a crazy/dangerous experience?
- In one of my areas we lived near a soccer stadium. One night, the finals for some championship had just finished and riots ensued. My companion and I didn’t know about the soccer riots, so we walked around outside and saw huge mob riots. (Tyrell)
- One of my companions held me back from getting in a fight with a drunk, I’m glad he did. (Landon)
- We were followed on three buses and chased by a man. We ran into a member’s home and waited it out. (Layne)
- Running across the road in Bari and almost getting hit by an ambulance. (Cajin)
- In my last area, Catania, my companion and I wanted to find new areas to find investigators so we took a bus on a route we had never tried. It resulted in being left in an unsafe area of town and no way to get home. Our last resort was to walk several miles to the closest known bus stop after dark. We were both nervous as we passed some questionable groups of people when suddenly a car pulled up next to us. The car window rolled down and it was the Elders! They thought we were insane to be in that area at all, let alone at night. They gratefully gave us a safe ride home. (Karen)
- We were heading home after a lesson one day. It was lunch time, so everything was closed. We just barely missed the bus, so we had to walk home (it was over an hour long walk). A handful of Moroccan guys started following us really sneakily. We would pass by one and then see him again 5 minutes later across the street staring at us. And then we’d pass him again. And again. We couldn’t figure out how they were following us like that, but it was scary because no one is out and about during lunch time and we were just these American sisters. So we prayed the whole way and called the elders and stayed on the phone with them the whole time. And somehow we made it home okay without them finding out where we lived or anything bad happening. (Janessa)
- Mmmm….walked through a pool of a dead man’s blood in Pozzuoli. (Spencer)
- People protesting the garbage not being picked up would just set it on fire. It’s smelled awful and everyone ignored it. (Christina)
- Being pelted by rocks from a group of teens on mopeds in Brindisi. (Byron)
- Gun pulled on me in Napoli. (Gordon)
- Walking past multiple mafia drug deals. They liked us. (Tanner)
- Scampia at night in my 2nd transfer as the lead companion. We were not smart to be in that part of town in Napoli. (Ian)
- We were stalked on our walk back home from the center of town once, but we managed to lose him before we got within a block or two of our apartment, and we didn’t see him again. Scary, though! (Mary)
- Living in Sicily, I taught a former mob member who had a hit out on him because he left the mob. We lived right next door to him and ended up baptizing his twin sons. (Taylor)
- On New Years’ Eve, it rained hard in the city of L’Aquila and then froze, leaving an inch or two of ice over the whole city. We were tracting an evening shortly after the freeze, and my companion wanted to call it quits. I told him we should keep going a little longer. We stepped up to a house, and I went to ring the doorbell. I was standing on ice, and got electrocuted by the doorbell. We took that for a sign that we should go in for the evening. (Neil)
- Any time in Napoli can be considered crazy and dangerous. Anyone will know what I mean when they get there. No one pays any attention to traffic lights and there is a lot of theft. It is crazy place but you quickly learn to love it. (William)
- Knocked on a door and I’m pretty sure the guy was in the middle of some sort of devil worshiping or spirit divination. (Aaron)
- Watching a “prostitute manager” kick a guy’s head into the curb after he had urinated near one of the prostitutes. We also saw a bus rocking down the road as its occupants were fighting. One of the glass doors burst outward and landed in the road during the commotion. The bus came to a stop and we witnessed people begin to spill out of the over-crowded bus. They were literally falling out of the bus because it was so jam-packed. As the bus was relieved of its internal pressure, the fight continued outside on the road. We witnessed a man pick up a broken glass bottle and charge at another man whose back was turned. Just as he was about to strike the man and kill him, another man intervened and saved the other man’s life. So angered by this attempted murder, the would-be victim then turned on the aggressor and put him in a head lock. Another group of people ran to try to save the original aggressor from suffocating. The man nearly suffocated but was saved as police ran on to the scene with their guns drawn. Many people left in handcuffs, but there must not be that much room in the prisons, because that was not the last I saw of some of those would-be-killers. I saw them on the bus many times afterward. I just wanted to tell them that I’d seen what they’d done, but I decided not to risk it. (Shane)
What was a spiritual experience?
- We were teaching Vincent- a man from Nigeria- he had accepted the invitation to be baptized but had a problem obeying the Word of Wisdom, so we asked him to teach it to us and he did, and in doing so, he knew it was right and ended up bearing his testimony to us about how he needs to follow the Word of Wisdom. (Tyrell)
- Far too many, honestly, every day there were countless. One cool experience in Rome was that my companion and I taught and baptized one of the workers from the Rome temple. His name was Pietro (Peter), it was really cool, his name being Peter, like the Peter long ago that tried to build God’s kingdom on the earth in Italy 2000 years ago. (Landon)
- Praying, fasting, and planning in action to find a family. Two weeks later we crossed paths with a family that turned around and asked us, “who are you? You seem like angels.” They ended up being in the witness protection program so it was a long process but they were all baptized! (Layne)
- Listening to my friend, Carolina, as she told a dream about her brother on the other side. (Cajin)
- My first lesson in Catania (my third and last area) was with a less active member. She was going through a hard time due to the loss of her brother a year prior. My Italian was’t very good but I felt prompted to share a scripture in the Book of Mormon that had comforted me after my cousin died (Alma 28:12). I could feel a spiritual connection with that member and we have been friends ever since. (Karen)
- We miraculously met this Italian woman who had gone to college in Boston, so she spoke great English. She was super excited to meet us and started coming to the English course so she could keep up her English. We slowly built up a relationship with her and she invited us to have lunch with her and her husband one day. She lived out of the way of any bus routes, so she offered to give us a ride. Well, we get there a little before lunch time and she hadn’t even started cooking yet. And as it turned out, what she had planned on making was going to take a while to cook. Needless to say, I felt super bad because we would end up wasting a couple of hours and I felt I was being a bad example to my greenie. We couldn’t just leave and go tracting because that would have been rude and offensive to our host. So I just prayed silently, apologizing for the situation and that we didn’t know it was going to be like this and asking that since we were stuck here for so long to not let our lesson go to waste. So after lunch, we had a lesson with them about the Book of Mormon and as I bore my testimony, the Spirit flooded into the room. It literally felt like someone had opened all the windows and poured in this warmth that made my heart expand. It was an incredibly powerful experience and it strengthened my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. (Janessa)
- Seeing the dedication of some of the awesomely dedicated members. Their sacrifices just getting to church and being active and actively helping the missionary cause. I love all of them and still keep in contact with some of them to this day. (Spencer)
- Watching a beautiful young woman get baptized at sunset in the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Christina)
- Meeting the Ottonaro family coming to church their first time. You could tell they were ready to be taught and looked like members already. (Byron)
- Listening to the conversion stories of people that I baptized. (Gordon)
- Watching an Italian dad stop smoking to be worthy to be baptized for his family. (Tanner)
- Whenever we taught someone to pray. Those moments were more spirit-filled than many baptisms or first lessons of Joseph Smith that I taught. (Ian)
- There was a woman who needed to quit smoking and seemed to have a lot of faith, but not nearly enough to do it on her own. She asked us to pray in our native language. I wished I could give her a priesthood blessing, but then I remembered that although I didn’t hold the priesthood authority to give a blessing, God does, and I could ask him to bless her in that same way. And he did! I asked him to bless her that she would feel sick next time she picked up a cigarette, and she did. (Mary)
- Every day was a spiritual experience. The Italian people are loving and God fearing. If you love them, they will help you to have spiritual experiences every day. (Taylor)
- Shortly after arriving in Rome, our mission president took us to the grounds of the Villetta, which was an apartment complex on the property that is now being used for the Rome temple. There was an olive tree grove there. After a short devotional, we were given time to contemplate the Savior’s mission while strolling near the olive trees. I remember a sweet spirit accompanying that time. (Neil)
- Zone conferences for me were some of the most spiritual experiences I ever had. I don’t remember many of the details but I do remember the feelings. I also had a sacred experience in the Mission Training Center that I will never forget. (William)
- Walking on the future location of the Rome Temple for the first time. (Aaron)
- Every minute of every day was a spiritual experience. Not every minute was a good spiritual experience – but it was all spiritual. I remember one time when the Spirit entered the room as I taught about Jesus Christ. I remember the faces on the investigators. (Shane)
What are some interesting facts about the Rome mission?
- It was two missions previously- Catania and Rome. Malta is part of the mission, as is Vatican City. Apostle Paul walked and preached there. (Tyrell)
- People there are absolutely crazy in every way possible, but you will truly love that about them. (Landon)
- Italians are some of the most kind, helpful, thoughtful people I have ever known. They will literally drop everything to help someone in need which I witnessed multiple times. There are also many foreigners in Italy which include people from South America, the Philippines, Africa, Asia…etc. I was surprised at how many of these people we were lucky to teach as missionaries. (Karen)
- It is the best mission in the world. It has great history, people, food, scenery and everything. You learn so much from the people and culture that you have this love for the country/people that never dies. (Spencer)
- Before the opening of the Rome Temple, the Italian Saints accounted for over 70% of the attendance st the Bern Switzerland Temple. They are so faithful! (Christina)
- We were sent to Argigento to determine if the city was ready for the missionaries. We determined it was more like Sodom and Gomorrah and no missionaries were sent to open the city. (Byron)
- We couldn’t go to the beach unless it was the winter season. (Gordon)
- Contains 3 islands. (Tanner)
- I only served in two cities in Italy, really. Then was sent to Malta, then was an assistant in Rome traveling a lot. (Ian)
- There are better Greek ruins in Sicily than those in Greece! They’re in better condition. :). (Mary)
- Halfway through my mission, the Catania mission was dissolved and became part of our mission. (Taylor)
- The mission changed boundaries in July 2002, I believe, after I had left. The Padova mission was dissolved and part of it became part of the Rome mission (Tuscany), while the rest became part of Milan. While I was there, President Pacini made a lot of changes which resulted in closing proselyting in many of the smaller towns and moving more missionaries into the larger cities. Rome and many of the bigger cities have seen a lot of increased church growth since that time, and missionaries are being asked to be branch presidents less often, which helps free up missionaries to focus on missionary work. (Neil)
- Facts? I am sure a lot has changed since I was there. The mission didn’t have a stake when I was there and now they’re building a temple only 20 years later. (William)
- At that stage, there were 4 missions in Italy and the mission boundaries were in the north from Perugia to Battipaglia in the south, and Sardegna. (Aaron)
- It takes more than a day to get from one end of the mission to the other. IF you are on the island of Sardegna, you must take an overnight boat to the mainland and then to go to Sicily from there, you must take an overnight bus ride. So if you left Sardegna on a Monday night you wouldn’t arrive in Sciacca, Sicily until Wednesday at 4 pm. (Shane)
What was the weather like?
- Really hot and humid in the summer, cold in the winter. It rarely snowed. (Tyrell)
- It was surprisingly great, at least in April and September. Otherwise it was hot and humid or just really cold. (Landon)
- Cold, rainy and snowy in Tuscany but humid, hot, and dry in Sardegna. (Layne)
- Hot and sweaty in summer. Bone chilling, rainy in winter. (Cajin)
- The majority of my mission was spent in the south and I never saw snow. The winter was cold and wet, but the lowest temperatures I saw were in the high 30’s. Sicily is similar to southern California (on the coast) and the inland is beautiful! In the spring, the interior is covered in green fields and hills with old little towns on hill sides. (Karen)
- It depends on where you’re serving. I spent 11 months down in Sicily. In the winter, the coldest it got was around 8 degrees Celsius, so no snow and not super cold. The summer in Sicily was super hot, especially in August. We didn’t have air conditioning in our apartment and we would come home and the temperature in the house would be 38 degrees Celsius! Crazy, crazy. And it’s humid, so you sweat a TON. Basically, in Sicily, you lose weight in the summer and gain weight in the winter (because the food is the best and they feed you a lot of it). (Janessa)
- Hot, humid, cold, humid, rainy. When it’s cold, it’s cold. The humidity cuts right through your clothes. When it’s hot, it’s not overbearingly hot, but a lot of water is needed. (Spencer)
- The weather was humid. It rained quite a lot in the winter and was very wet, but it also snowed some. Thermal undergarments are a great investment. In the summer, it’s very hot and humid. Make sure you have thick soled shoes because the cobblestones will often get very hot from the sun and can melt soft soled shoes. (Christina)
- Hot and humid in summer and cold in winter. (Byron)
- Warm in the summer, mild in the fall and spring, not too cold in the winter. (Gordon)
- Really hot, then perfect, then really cold, but no snow. (Tanner)
- Humid. All the time. I ate nearly 5000 calories a day and lost weight because of the walking and the humidity. (Ian)
- Like Southern California. Reeeeeal nice. :). (Mary)
- Depends where you are. In my first area in Tuscany, we had snow in the winter but down in Sicily, the weather is hot in the summer but mild in the winter. (Taylor)
- The weather varied greatly, but seemed pretty typical. I remember heavy rain in Naples for a few days, and cold weather in L’Aquila in the winter (the fountains all froze over). Rome was typically quite warm. (Neil)
- Extremely humid and hot in the summer and cold and rainy in the winter. You always feel sticky in the summer and cold and wet in the winter. (William)
- Snowing in Spoleto in the winter and blistering mid 40s in the summer in Sassari. (Aaron)
- The weather is freezing cold (humidity) in the winter and blazing hot in the summer. Rome is a the same latitude as Boise, Idaho but much closer to sea level. In the summers, we would come home for lunch, change our clothes, and then go out in the afternoon. A/C was too expensive to use so we had to just be in our garments for lunch and keep all our windows open. (Shane)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- They were usually very open with us, depending on the place in southern Italy. The farther south you go, the friendlier the people are and the better the food is. Lots of people love the missionaries simply because we dress nicely. (Tyrell)
- They really were sincere and you could feel their love. (Landon)
- Most gracious, generous people I’ve ever met…eager to love and be loved. (Layne)
- Friendliness, outgoing, funny. (Cajin)
- I love the people in Sicily. They’re very warm and hospitable. Sicily has the best pasta dishes (they’re more flavorful), the best gelato and granita, and the best oranges. The oranges are seriously amazing in the winter. I loved the Sicilian culture and accent and dialect. I also loved the accent and dialect in Naples (as well as the pizza). The Naples and Sicily regions are gorgeous; there are so many beautiful and amazing things to see. I didn’t like Rome a ton. Obviously I loved the sites and beauty and such. But I didn’t like the food as much and the people were colder than they are down south and the culture didn’t feel as strong. (Janessa)
- Each area the people were different. This is because of the geographical history of each area and they way their ancestors live and the way the continue to live. (Spencer)
- The people are very welcoming and will treat you like part of their family. They are very family oriented and loyal. They are so faithful and diligent in their callings. The church is growing and it is largely part to the members and their missionary efforts. (Christina)
- The Italian people will always hold a special place in my heart. They were always friendly. To this day I can still remember the smell in Brindisi the first time we walked down to the pier and water taxi. (Byron)
- The food, the friendliness of people, willingness to feed us and talk to us. The sites were definitely amazing to see from Rome to Sardegna to Napoli. (Gordon)
- The islands are so friendly and lively. (Tanner)
- I found another family that I speak with every single day. Not a day goes by that I don’t remember my mission. (Ian)
- Everyone is so friendly and social! They love to talk and they usually open up relatively easily about themselves, even if they aren’t receptive to the gospel. It made the work that much more pleasant. 🙂 It’s also rich in history, culture, and the food is amazing! (Mary)
- The people are very loving. They will love you with their whole hearts if you give them a reason to. (Taylor)
- I remember the great friendliness of many people, and I loved the mannerisms of Italians. I especially liked how they would all go outside in the evening and stroll back and forth in the main streets, talking for hours with each other. (Neil)
- I liked that we had to work for every little bit of success. Teaching a lesson was big for us and you learned to appreciate those small successes. A little thing I loved about the Italians was their hospitality; when you enter their homes they always offer you food/drink and you are expected to accept. The Italians culture differs from city to city which is very cool. Once you become their friend, you are their friend for life! (William)
- The amazing history, beautiful landscapes and delectable foods. (Aaron)
- The people are so open and friendly. When we knocked doors, occasionally we were invited to have dinner with the people but not share a message. These were strangers. The further south you go, the more open and friendly attitudes you encounter. The further north you go, the more it’s like Germany and America. (Shane)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Bring some clothes for comfort- lots of Italian clothing is for style but isn’t comfortable. Also bring extra garments. (Tyrell)
- Pack light, I thought I packed light and ended up getting rid of almost everything I brought. There are very cheap clothing that you’ll unavoidably buy during your stay there. (Landon)
- Buy clothes there when you can, the fashion is different and they appreciate a good wardrobe. (Layne)
- Ladies- tights, wool coat, any skin stuff you can’t live without. (Cajin)
- Bring a lighter jacket and a thicker coat. For sisters, bring thick tights for winter. In the winter, you spend most of your time outside so to keep your clothes “interesting” bring or find colorful scarves once you arrive. Also, make sure you have at least 1 pair of sturdy comfortable shoes. Both of my shoes lasted my entire mission which says a lot for how much I walked. They weren’t in good condition when I came home, but they were functional until the end. (Karen)
- For sisters, don’t wear carinessa garments in the summer, especially the bottoms. It’s way too hot for those. I would recommend either mesh or dry silque. A lot of people don’t like mesh, but the silque ones are great. Those ones just breathe a lot better than the carinessa, so you don’t feel like you’re dying of heat. And you don’t want to risk getting a yeast infection either, so the more it breathes the better. Sisters can wear sandals, but make sure they’re not a super flimsy pair because you’ll be walking a LOT. Get skirts that have a stretchy waistband so that they’ll still fit if you gain some weight (embrace it though – you’ll never eat food this good ever again). (Janessa)
- Take the essentials with you, you can buy anything you need over there. (Spencer)
- Things you can layer for winter weather. Thermals!!!!! Comfortable shoes and a comfortable durable bag since you walk a lot. (Christina)
- Pack light, you’ll pick up a lot of stuff on your mission. You’ll ditch a lot of your stuff that you bring with you for better stuff. (Gordon)
- Pack light and buy new clothes over there. Their suits are less expensive and are more stylish. However, I would buy socks in the United States. (Ian)
- Bring comfortable shoes. I don’t care how frumpy they make you feel. The men will still tell you you are gorgeous no matter what, wherever you go. Just sister-missionary-it-up. Those clothes are typical for a reason–so practical and comfortable!! :). (Mary)
- Just bring what’s on the list; it’s all you need. (Taylor)
- Bring lots of pictures of yourself, your family, and the things that are important to you (hobbies, cars, etc). Bring a good camera. When you take pictures, try to be in many of them 🙂 Pack as light as possible. Try to leave some room in your luggage so you can bring back some reminders. You have to do transfers by train most of the time, so the less you bring, the easier the transfers will be. (Neil)
- Don’t make it too complicated and over think it. You will gather things throughout your mission. Don’t skimp on shoes! They are the most important item. (William)
- Save your money and buy what you need when you arrive. The clothing styles will be different to what you expect. Gloves, scarf and a heavy coat will be required at some stage. (Aaron)
- 7 short sleeve white shirts. 2 long sleeve white shirts (for zone conference or stake conference). Two suits (two pants each). and 2-3 black slacks that don’t go with suits. 7 ties. You’ll get more while in Italy for sure. One pair of gym shorts, one t shirt, one pair of sneakers. 2 pair of ECCO leather shoes. That brand will last you. If you get cheap black shoes, you’ll be miserable and they won’t last. 10 pair of black socks. two luggage things and one back pack. One camera, many memory cards. bring an SD reader that converts to USB. That’s how you’ll be able to send your pictures home to your family. (Shane)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Too many to list. (Tyrell)
- A smokin hot wife and beautiful baby girl… Really though, a firm testimony and near perfect witness of the truth of the church and the necessity of missionary work. (Landon)
- A strength that comes from persevering through long and difficult transfers of no one to teach. A true knowledge of the restored gospel and its significance in my life. A greater understanding of my faults, shortcomings, and strengths. (Layne)
- Every single kind of blessing! (Cajin)
- I was blessed to learn a second language which improved my English language skills as well from understanding the construction of languages. I gained a deeper faith in my Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ. This faith has given me strength to endure difficult and challenging times I have experienced since returning home. Without my mission, I do not know that I would have walked away from my more recent challenges as successfully as I have. (Karen)
- I gained a stronger testimony of the Atonement and how it can strengthen me on a daily basis to do what I need to do. I am a lot less judgmental of other people because I learned that you can’t judge people because you don’t know their story. I learned a lot about myself: my personality, what makes me tick, how I react to certain situations, things like that. It was a real eye opener. (Janessa)
- Too many to count. And I’m still receiving blessings and will continue to receive them. I can think of almost anything I have now and accredit it somehow to what I learned on my mission. (Spencer)
- Learning the language has helped me in my career! I’m so grateful for the example of members who helped me in turn be a better member and person myself. (Christina)
- Great conversion stories and examples to live my life by. (Gordon)
- Love of Italians, love of the gospel, so many more. (Tanner)
- Aside from my testimony, that is invaluable, a large group of best friends in mission companions that is equally as important to me. (Ian)
- I solidified my testimony of the gospel. I learned so much. I learned a second language. I learned that everyone, around the world, is loved by God, and that he has a plan for everyone. I’ve learned the absolute joy there is in being an instrument in the hands of the Lord, and how readily miracles are available to those who seek them in faith. (Mary)
- I attribute most of the blessings in my life, from my wife to my career choice, to my mission. (Taylor)
- I developed a love for people that were culturally a bit different, but I also saw how similar Italians are to Americans. I developed a deeper understanding of the scriptures and an ability to teach and talk with others. (Neil)
- I think about my mission every day even after 20 years. I still miss it! I loved it! I learned how to work and truly learned what the gospel meant to me while I was out. (William)
- A strong core testimony and determination to serve the Lord. My love of languages, adventure and food has continued. My ability to adapt and think outside the box has assisted in my career development. (Aaron)
- I learned how to teach, how to cook, how to manage time, how to lead, how to be lead. The joy of language learning, how to be faithful, and much more. (Shane)
What are some skills you gained?
- Still too many to list. (Tyrell)
- I learned to talk to girls, which got me to finally talk to the girl I was so nervous to talk to in primary, yes when I was 5. Luckily she liked me back. People skills in general will grow tremendously. Every day when I’m at work I have my mission to thank for something I do. (Landon)
- Language skills, conversation skills, charity, empathy. (Layne)
- I developed a greater work ethic and endurance. Life is a marathon and learning to continue to work despite fatigue and discouragement has helped me be more successful in school and work. (Karen)
- – Organizational skills (planning, scheduling appointments and meetings) – leadership skills (leading by example, developing love for those I served, reaching out to help others, etc) – teaching skills (explaining something complicated in simple terms so people can understand, asking good questions) – listening skills (truly listening to the there person instead of thinking of what I’m going to say next). (Janessa)
- Language learning, household management, cleanliness, living with someone different than you and dealing/growing with it. Scheduling my day/life, relying on the Lord for things I wouldn’t think mattered yet do to Him. (Spencer)
- Tolerance and understanding. Time management and effective study skills. (Christina)
- Cooking, negotiating, living with other people, patience. (Gordon)
- Italian, street navigation, talking with people. (Tanner)
- Problem-solving, planning, language learning, logistics management, piano, singing, and much, much more. (Ian)
- Map-reading. Cheerful endurance. Italian cooking and language skills. Lots of self-confidence! And a stronger desire to use my time wisely. (Mary)
- Definitely learning ability and people skills. (Taylor)
- Besides the language itself (which I loved learning and using), I became better at talking with other people and developed leadership skills. (Neil)
- People skills; how to get along with different types of people. I learned that there are multiple effective ways to meet an objective. I also gained leadership skills and how to manage and motivate others. (William)
- Communication/interpersonal, ability to determine alternative solutions to problems. (Aaron)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Italian. Don’t aspire to leadership callings, inviting others to Christ isn’t just investigators, it’s everyone! (Tyrell)
- The first 2 days in the MTC are hard as are the first few days in the field. During the mission you’ll miss your family, but if you immerse yourself in the work, you will truly “forget” about the missing them. (Landon)
- Be humble, take advice (Italians are so blunt), give love and be brave. (Layne)
- I wish I would have had a better understanding of the power of the Spirit. I remained silent far too often due to my insecurities with the language. Looking back I have realized how effective I could have been by trying and relying on the Spirit to testify to the people we taught. (Karen)
- It’s going to be hard. Really hard. Satan is very real and can work on you very personally. Pray constantly throughout the day. Learn to truly rely on God for help and strength. And don’t wait too long to ask for help if you need it. (Janessa)
- To talk to people easily, about anything (especially gospel related topics). Not being afraid of rejection. (Spencer)
- That the relationships you form will be eternal. There are many people that have a special place in my heart but who I didn’t get contact information for. I regret not being more diligent to have contact information for people that came into my life. (Christina)
- The language a lot better. (Gordon)
- Don’t worry about the language until the Mission Training Center…focus on the gospel especially Preach My Gospel beforehand. (Tanner)
- I wish I messed up more. I was so worried to make a mistake that at times I wouldn’t try. Whether it be the language, or talking to a scary-looking person. The more you mess up the faster you are to becoming a great missionary. (Ian)
- Tried to have a little more faith. The more we stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zones, the more miracles will happen. Also, I would have testified more boldly of the joy of the gospel, and how important it is to everyone, and not just those who realize they need it! (Mary)
- Invite to baptism early and don’t waste time with those who aren’t interested or ready to commit. (Taylor)
- Don’t be afraid to show your tenacity and use your desire to serve to propel you forward and uplift those that may be struggling on their missions. (Neil)
- I wish I would have blocked out my home life better at the beginning and not thought so much about what was going on at home. (William)
- I wish I had a better knowledge of the scriptures and a stronger testimony. (Aaron)
- You have nothing to prove, just people to serve. (Shane)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Rome?
- Know your scriptures, read your Patriarchal Blessing often, don’t give up on yourself, keep pushing! (Tyrell)
- FORGET YOURSELF! LOVE THE PEOPLE! BE OBEDIENT! WORK HARD! This is your only chance to be a missionary, live it up to the fullest, if you do, you will never want to leave the people you serve. You will love them and be true instruments in the hands of God, and you’ll literally feel him guide you when you walk and when you talk. (Landon)
- Be brave and obedient. Those two things make all the difference. (Layne)
- Make friends, make sure they know you love them. (Cajin)
- My greatest fear was stopping and speaking to strangers. It terrified me to the point where I could not even speak, especially in a new language. My advice is to do it anyway. Looking back, I don’t remember embarrassing experiences where I tried to share my testimony and used the wrong words. I don’t remember the people who said no, or who laughed, or ignored us. The only experiences I remember are the times I knew I should have said something and didn’t or the powerfully spiritual ones where I jumped in, with no thought of myself, and shared the beautiful message of the restored Gospel. (Karen)
- Realize that Satan is very real. He has a heavy presence in Italy, particularly in Sicily. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or for blessings or anything that you need help with. Be obedient. The strength and the spirit you receive from being obedient far outweighs any short term joy you get from being disobedient. Don’t judge others, especially other missionaries. You don’t know everyone’s story and struggles, so don’t be so quick to judge someone as a bad missionary. I struggled really badly with depression my last couple of transfers and had permission from the mission president to make some changes to my schedule. The elders didn’t know my situations, so they judged me as being a bad missionary because they thought I was being disobedient (even though I had permission). They never outright called me out on anything, but their judgment affected how they treated me and I didn’t like it and it really hurt because I was trying my very best. Don’t compare yourself to others. You have gift and strengths that other missionaries don’t have, and vice versa. Just because someone else is good at the language and you’re not doesn’t make you a worse missionary. Look for and focus on your strengths as you strive to work on your weaknesses. Stay humble, rely on the Lord in all things. Don’t be a robot missionary. Don’t lose your personality. God sends people, not robots. Be yourself in the work! Who you are can touch people in ways that someone else’s personality can’t. You can still be yourself and have fun and be a good, obedient missionary. Man is that he might have joy. That includes missionaries. (Janessa)
- Love the people regardless of the manner in which you will get rejected. The work in Italy is growing; yet, there are still many, MANY people that don’t want to listen right now. Plant that seed with love, show them kindness and they’ll remember that in the future when they are ready. Enjoy your time there, love the people and their culture. Embrace it! (Spencer)
- Be yourself. Italy needs genuine people who genuinely love the gospel. Italians are passionate people, so examine what about the gospel you are most passionate about and share it every chance you can. The Italians will relate to that. (Christina)
- Study hard, prepare your spiritual strength, prepare emotionally, prepare physically. Missions are hard but are worth the time. (Gordon)
- Talk to the first person out the door every morning to shake the fear of being bold, it changes the whole day, even if they shut you down. (Tanner)
- You’ll hear it a thousand times. You’ll be so sick of hearing about it that you’ll want to not do it just because you are being told it. The very word will become numb to you that you completely blank out. The word is OBEDIENCE. You can’t become a great missionary right away, learn the language, the people, the schedule, the lessons and the prompting of the Spirit. But if you strive for 100% obedience, the other things will come. For every law, there is a blessing. In the mission, you have a lot of rules so that you can receive a lot of blessings. Don’t waste this opportunity. And after your mission, in small moments when the adversary tries to tempt you with regrets about what you did or didn’t do… you can point to your obedience as a shield against such poisonous thoughts. Give your whole heart to the Lord in these two years, and you can’t do that without being 100% obedient. (Ian)
- Rely completely and totally on the Lord–you don’t have the capacity to do it on your own. As soon as you feel like you do, the Spirit can leave, so be sure to continue to rely on the Lord! (Mary)
- This is a special mission that is known for its hard work and obedience. Help keep that mission culture. Don’t go there just to be disobedient or you will waste two years of your life. (Taylor)
- Faith is key. Do anything you can to increase and develop your faith. Follow the Spirit in all you do. (Neil)
- Simply work hard! I never saw a missionary that worked hard that didn’t love their mission; on the flip side, I never saw a missionary that didn’t work hard enjoy it. There is no better feeling than getting on the plane to come home knowing that you did your best and knowing your Heavenly Father is pleased with your work. (William)
- Make sure you’ve read the Book of Mormon and have a solid testimony. Learn some good study methods. (Aaron)
What was a language mistake?
- I once said “Gesù cristo ha soffritto per i nostri peccati” (Jesus Christ deep fried for our sins) instead of saying “Gesù cristo ha sofferto per i nostri peccati”(Jesus Christ suffered for our sins). (Tyrell)
- Had to do with vulgarity and teaching a family, I said something pretty bad actually. In my defense, I was in my first transfer. (Landon)
- A man told me his daughter was a “monella” and I said “Che Bella!” He looked at me like I was crazy. (Layne)
- An elder mixed up the word for “being discouraged” with the word “to fart” (scoraggiare vs scoreggiare) while he was bearing his testimony in church. So instead of saying that he prayed and felt the Spirit say to him that he shouldn’t be discouraged, the Spirit told him that he shouldn’t fart. (Janessa)
- I’d rather not say what my trainee said. ha ha. (Spencer)
- I once accidentally told a young boy that he was good using the feminine form and he quickly corrected me that he was a boy! Young children are the best language teachers! (Christina)
- I told a new convert that in temples we freeze people together for eternity, instead of sealing them. (Tanner)
- After having studied one phrase to say to an Italian family for weeks in the MTC, my first day in the mission, my companion had me stop a family on the street for the first time. I stepped up nervously and said the one thing I had rehearsed so many times before. They looked back at me and said in Italian, “Oh, we’re sorry. We don’t speak Portuguese.” And walked away… (Ian)
- Haha . . . in the MTC, a sister got the word “I am (sono)” confused with the word “I know (So)” and ended up saying something like she was Jesus Christ the Savior on accident, instead of saying she knows he lives. We tried not to giggle. (Mary)
- There are too many to name. Just know you’ll make some and they will be funny. (Taylor)
- I don’t know if this is a true story, but it’s funny if you know Italian. It goes like this: An elder knocked on a door and a woman answered the door, obviously saddened by something. The elder asked her why she was sad, and she said that her son had died in a motorcycle accident recently. The elder wanted to console her by saying “what a shame!”, but he said “Che scemo!”, which instead means “What an idiot!” (Neil)
- I used surgelato instead of suggellato when discussing sealing in the temple (surgelato apparently means chryogenically frozen). (Aaron)
- Once I learned the verb impazzire which means “to drive crazy.” I told a native missionary “mi fai impazzire” which means you’re driving me crazy…. but then he got all awkward and said….. “you know that when you say it that way that it means that I drive you crazy cuz you have a crush on me, right?” (Shane)