3 Fires, friends, and ruins!

The first part of August was eventful and smokey, as three fires broke out close to where we live in Pompei.

I took this picture as we were pulling out from our gate.

FROM THE NEWS: A large wildfire on Mount Vesuvius, beginning in early August 2025, led to the closure of all hiking trails and a significant area of the national park being charred. Fueled by high temperatures and strong winds, the blaze threatened local communities but did not reach any homes, with firefighters deploying aerial and ground resources to combat it. The cause of the fire is under investigation, with suspicions of arson.

Ash from the Mt. Vesuvius fire rained down on our car, came into our apartment, and the long-lasting fire was unlike anything we'd ever seen in real life. For days and days we saw and heard throngs of planes crossing over us to pick up, then dump water (from the sea) on the fire - then head back to repeat. It took a full week to put out the fire.

Closer to home, a few days before the Mt Vesuvius fire, we got a call from Sorella Castellano asking us about the fire by our apartment. They live about 15 minutes away and could see the smoke from their balcony. We opened the door and saw so much black smoke billowing, followed by hours of sirens blaring as the fire fighters worked toward putting out the fire that erupted from an old abandoned car lot.

Cliff walked down the street a bit and was quite taken back by the active fire scene!

Just before that fire another fire broke out in an old abandoned clothing factory closer to the Castellanos apartment. It also took days to put out.

Amidst the firestorms, we enjoyed witnessing miracles! The missionaries had been teaching Alessio, an amazing, successful GANS (YSA). We have had the opportunity to get to know him, and Cliff was part of some of the missionary lessons. Cliff also had the honor of coming to Alessio's home with the missionaries. Alessio ordered lunch and desserts, and they spent wonderful time together, answering questions and talking about the Gospel. Alessio decided to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by immersion, then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through priesthood ordination - and be confirmed a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His baptismal service was scheduled for August 10th.

The photo above is our spare bedroom. It hosts our suitcases on the top bunk, typically our laundry on a drying rack in the middle, tools for fixing apartments, and occasional missionaries. We decided the top bunk served best to shelf our suitcases. If we host 2 missionaries, one sleeps on the trundle (w/the top bunk mattress making it more comfy), the other on the lower bunk.

We were blessed to host a Rome missionary couple from Sicily (the Ridings) and enjoy a p-day together with the Castellanos, visiting ruins and a festival in Castellamare. The Ridings are such great people! They are Seminaries & Institute missionaries, but since most of the GANS (YSAs) in Sicily attend Institute, they also wear the GANS hat. They stayed for a few days and we had a wonderful time sharing thoughts and ideas. Anziano Riding served his young mission in Napoli, and he loved coming back to show his beautiful wife his former stomping grounds. The Castellanos know Napoli the best, so they knew all the perfect spots to visit.

Each Sunday or Monday night our mission has a "Family Home Evening." Everyone in the Rome Mission logs onto ZOOM and we enjoy a meaningful hour together. Departing missionaries (like Sorella Smith above, whom we absolutely love) share their parting testimony. It was a fun change to watch it with the Castellanos and Ridings!

This photo is on lungomare (sea front boardwalk) in Castellamare. The sister missionaries' apartment overlooks the sea. Not too shabby! We were so happy to run into them! Sorella Köcher (from Germany, almost at the end of her mission) and Sorella Barcellos (at the beginning of her mission) are lovely (inside and out), dedicated missionaries - filled with so much light and love!

Speaking of light, little did we know there was a fun festival in Castellamare that evening. They have worked so hard to clean up the whole area and make it very family friendly.

Lights, vendors, and music filled the streets.

It was so lively and enjoyable!

They were celebrating the year anniversary of the beachfront area restoration.

I can't remember what 70's American song this guy was singing, but it was hysterical!!!

Going to see the Herculaneum ruins has been on our list, so we decided to check it off with our missionary friends! It is about 25 minutes from where we live, while the ruins in Pompei are maybe 6 minutes from us.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY: Smaller than Pompeii - with a population of circa 5,000, Herculaneum was a wealthier town. It was a seaside retreat for the Roman elite, as reflected by the extraordinary density of luxurious houses featuring lavish use of colored marble cladding.

Like the nearby city of Pompeii (formally identified and discovered in 1763), Herculaneum is famous as one of the few ancient cities to be preserved nearly intact, as the solidified material from the volcano that blanketed the town protected it against looting and the elements. Although less known than Pompeii today, it was the first and, for a long time, the only discovered Vesuvian city (in 1709). Unlike Pompeii, the mainly pyroclastic material that covered Herculaneum carbonized and preserved more wooden objects such as roofs, beds, and doors, as well as other organic-based materials such as food and papyrus.

The people of Herculaneum primarily died from intense heat and suffocation caused by pyroclastic flows from the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD, rather than being buried by ash like those in Pompeii. The extreme temperatures vaporized some victims, while others, particularly those who sought refuge in boat sheds by the sea, were engulfed by surges of superheated gas and debris, causing them to die quickly from heat and asphyxiation, or by being trapped and baked in the intense heat.

It was only in the 1980s that around 300 skeletons were found near the shore, huddled in boat houses. They were potentially looking to escape via the Bay of Naples, but the heat got to them quicker than they anticipated.

It was incredible to see this well-preserved boat!

As we wandered the ancient town, we couldn't help but imagine their day-to-day life.

I love the contrast of this ancient road in Herculaneum (above) to the picture of modern missionaries today (below), walking the streets of "touristy Pompei". Sometimes the longest roads take you to the best places. Elder Richard G. Scott of the quorum of 12 Apostles said, "If it were possible to make your road very easy, you wouldn't grow in strength... You are here to learn and grow, not become complacent."

We are coming upon a year serving as missionaries in Campania Italy. The road has not always been easy, but we and those with whom we serve - and those we serve, have experienced refining change and beautiful growth. When I taught scripture study classes at the MTC, we would define the word"journey" as a long and often difficult process of personal development and change. I think that pretty well sums up a mission. Every life experience that results in this type of change is well worth the effort and sacrifice.

I close with this quote from Elder Dale G. Renlund,"You can change. You can be a little better. You can stand a little taller. You can love a little deeper. You can pick a different path. You can walk a different walk, you can find forgiveness and joy. You can become your best you. Because He gave His life, you can change yours."

We testify that lasting change comes through our Savior Jesus Christ.

We love Him and are so blessed to serve Him as missionaries full-time.

All our love forever,

Sorella and Anziano Montagnoli

Martha & Cliff