While working in the New York New York South Mission office kitchen one day, I was greeted by an elder who peeked his head in the pass-through window and started to chat. I thought "What a pleasant young man."I could detect a slight accent in his English, so I asked where he was from. "Italy," he replied. My heart skipped a beat. "Our daughter, Nicole, served a mission in the Italy Padova Mission" I replied, "Where are you from?"
When he said "Rimini", I almost cried. Nicole served in Rimini - a beautiful coastal town on the Adriatic Sea. She loved that city and the people! Elder Samuele Caramia said he remembered the sister missionaries having been in their home "all the time."
His family - father, mother, Samuele and three younger sisters - loved to have them in their home. Nicole said they were one of the few full, active families and she was thrilled to know that they were still faithful. Samuele was just a young boy, seven or eight years old, so he didn't remember any names, and wasn't sure whether a "Sister de Paula" would have been one of those who visited his family for dinner and family home evenings. He asked how long ago Nicole's mission would have been. I thought it must have been eleven or twelve years.
Elder Caramia was also excited to make this possible connection and asked "Do you want me to give you my parents phone number and address so your daughter can contact them and reminisce?"
When our duties were over at the mission office I called Nicole immediately. As I told her this remarkable story, Nicole's voice broke. She got chills. She knew this family. "They were stalwarts in the Church." "Mom, I think I was at Elder Caramia's baptism twelve years ago!"
She asked me to find out the month that he was baptized. Nicole and Tiffany (with Tiffany's children) were on vacation in California and heading to the beach that day, but Nicole said she could not think about anything other than this amazing coincidence. It took a while to reach Elder Caramia. When I did, he told me his baptism was in February 1996. That is the month Nicole arrived in Rimini, Italy. She was there for the baptism of that little eight-year-old boy, now an elder in a mission halfway around the world where her parents happen to be serving.
What a small....and wonderful world when you belong to the church. Nicole and her husband, Frank, are coming from Utah to visit the end of May. There will be another amazing, but uncoincidental reunion in the mission office later this month:-)
4 comments:
I still can't believe it...and I can't wait to see him. He looks slightly different than when he was 8 ;) Soooo fun!!
Now that's a story. Very interesting.
Is the great Tchaikovsky symphonic poem, Francesca de Rimini, about a woman from Rimini, Italy? This piece is filled will deep pathos and beautiful harmonies, an absolutely marvelous composition.
That is so cool. I dream of things like that happening with people that I knew and helped on my mission. How awesome for you and your daughter! Sounds like you're having tons of fun there! Too bad our flight home to the U.S. next week goes through Chicago and not New York. Otherwise we'd have to make a quick stop! Keep up the wonderful work!
Scott - good question!
Francesca de Rimini is a pretty popular gal from what I gather.
There's Tchaikovsky's gorgeous symphonic poem, at least one opera - Rachmaninoff for sure and a couple of tragedies/plays, all with the same name.
Originally she appeared in Dante's Inferno. So she must be Italian:-)
Love, Sharon
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