Arrived in country February 1998
Favorite Memory:
One of the best memories I have from my time serving with President Clegg was in my first city outside Torino: Monginevro. Every other week we would go to Sorella Petrone’s house and pick up her shopping list. She was a very elderly sister in the ward who we did the shopping for. We would have to go the butcher’s and then by a little grocers for everything else. She probably could have had her family do it, but I think she new it was good for us to be out doing service. It was a great excuse to talk to the butcher and whoever else we encountered on the way. They even started to recognize us and we developed some good contact. We would then return to Sorella Petrone’s house where she would give us a warm drink of milk, juice, or acqua frizzante along with some stale cake. In retrospect, I would like to culture some of the food she gave us, I am sure it was very expired, but it was a very meaningful gesture from her fixed income. One time she gave us something called Portuguese Custard that was almost unbearable, but you couldn’t help loving her and her food. She then made us sing How Great Thou Art every time. I was able to memorize it in Italian while I was still new in the mission. We would pray and the spirit was always very strong. It might have seemed like a burden sometimes, but it was actually a great experience every time. I am so glad she found the gospel and was such a good example for her family, the branch, and so many missionaries.
I am currently living in the state of Washington with my wife Amy and three kids: Olivia (6), Henry (4), and Tenison (4). I am in my last year of residency in Pathology. I went to medical school in Washington D.C. and joined the Army to pay for school. There are quite a few American military hospitals in Europe where I hope to end up, so that I can be closer to Italy.
