Our kids came to visit!

We were so excited for Lucia, Patrick, Luke and Molly to arrive - we both had "butterflies!" Avi, Francesca's son, calls this happy anticipation, "trucks in his stomach." One of the great perks of being a "senior" missionary is family visits are encouraged, so you can immerse them in your amazing experience! We LOVED their visit and cherish the memories!

The funniest thing is that the kids really wanted us to have the adorable, soft Christmas pajamas they bought for their families to wear together for their Christmas celebration. The kids all drew us pictures, traced their hands, and sealed them with lipstick kisses - their nonna's trademark. They paid $75 to rush our order, which was guaranteed before Christmas. Lucia and Francesca were sure it was better to mail them, instead of having Lucia bring them on New Year's Eve when they arrived. Our PJs arrived the very end of January!

Their idea was for everyone to wear them at the same time, so we felt included at Christmastime. Our kids have the biggest hearts - those giant hearts cross oceans and fill this side of our world with love and support! We love and miss them so much!

We have been so touched by their thoughtfulness; we still wear the Christmas pajamas many evenings and feel wrapped in the warmth of their love!

We drove up to Rome to meet the kids and make it easier with their bags, car seats and stroller - and to get their rental car. Loving them as they got out of security was truly unforgettable - the smiles, the hugs, and the emotion of it all was priceless. Lucia did immediately say that she was never coming back to visit, with Molly, who cried on the flight - when she was supposed to be sleeping. The funny/not so funny thing was that Lucia accidentally rented an electric car.

The car couldn't make it all the way to Pompei, so we had to pull over and charge it - and they were hit by the jet lag wall!

Patrick and Cliff bonded over figuring out how to download the charging apps, which were unnecessarily complicated each time they had to charge the car, which was often. None of the Pollocks stayed awake for New Year's eve, so Cliff and I peeked outside to see the fireworks blasting, literally from EVERYWHERE! Pics to come on our upcoming post, "Living in Italy."

Lucia felt refreshed the next day, and Luke was not feeling so great. It worked out for all - Cliff drove Lu, Pat and Molly along the Amalfi Coast and to tour Sorrento, while nonna got to snuggle Luke.

We love showing everyone the views we have come to love!

This area of the world truly is spectacular!

We never are not in awe of God's majestic creations!

Cliff has really come to love the yummy Kababs we find here and loved sharing his discovery.

Of course, gelato is always a must - and around here, it never disappoints!

We were dying over Molly, her pig tails, and her adorable personality!

We were thrilled that all the Christmas lights and decorations were still up; Italy knows how to decorate for Christmas!

Our apartment in Pompei now feels like home, and we love that they can place where we are when we talk on FaceTime.

The gelato here is not only so creamy and tasty, it deserves its own picture.

Molly is so funny. She loves to go outside. She knows everyone's shoes, and she will bring them to you, help you put them on, then let you know it's time to go! Her little hand beckoning for you just melts us every time!

We love the memory of her little feel pitter pattering down our balcony.

We literally live 5 minutes from the entrance to the Pompei ruins. We are on the "other side of the tracks" - so we have to drive around the train tracks and freeway to get there, which means we never see tourists. The plus side if we lived on that side of Pompei would mean it would be cleaner, because of the tourism. But we are happy where we are and have zero complaints! It's not a place where you could walk around, but we can drive 10-15 minutes to walk in a picturesque area.

We dropped off, then picked up Lucia and Pat so they could visit the ruins. They especially loved the ancient amphitheater. We haven't seen the Pompei ruins since we've been here, but we'll go in one of these days. They have made so many new discoveries since we last visited 15 years ago.

It's quite amazing to run into a cool castle while driving. We had never been in this one, but wanted the family to see it. Parking is always an issue in Italy. We laugh when double parking isn't even available!I double parked and waited in the car, while Cliff and the kids went inside.

Molly and Luke stormed the castle!

They are such an adorable little family, and we love them soooooooo much! We are so grateful they came to visit!

Napoli is a hustling bustling port city - quite an experience, actually!

Cliff dropped us off at the National Archaeological Museum, while he ran to the Church to facilitate an Italian class for new missionaries. We are always juggling our time, running here and there! Our to-do list never runs out - and it does feel good to always be "anxiously engaged in a good cause." It was really nice to slow down and see some of the sites around us.

We are always so fascinated by how exquisitely artisans sculpted such masterpieces!

Pizza. Napoletana pizza - it's an experience you have to come live yourself!

Napoli is its own culture - vibrant, crowded, historical, modern; it's a flavor of its own!

Streets are filled with artisans of food and craft, and we love the street full of nativities.

Luke and Molly charmed everyone, and Luke came to easily greet people with "Ciao!"

Procida, a little island off of Pozzuoli is one of our new favorite spots!

The ferry takes about 30 minutes, and the views are breathtaking!

We loved this church we found on the island, and were dying over the pink Christmas tree!

Something about being on a ferry is magical, and even little Molly felt it!

These brightly colored buildings were so very fun! We felt like we were on a movie set!

Actually, quite a few movies have been filmed on Procida; we will have to check them out!

Isn't this the greatest picture?! You can just see the daddy-daughter love, and it fills my soul!

And Molly, in her red coat; there are no words!

Luke told his parents not too long ago that his "nonni" loved him more than they do. He may be on to something! His personality is larger than life, and we are smitten!

This picture is a heart melter! We love the trust kids place in the hands of those they love!

Speaking of love, I am absolutely head over heels in love with this good man!

Cliff is so kind, so patient, so loving, and so attentive to my every need. I am the most blessed woman in the world and will never take this amazing blessing for granted!

And Molly - watching her discover the sea was a sight to behold!

She was pretty confident walking the streets, waiting for us to catch up!

This little man is so full of joy and love! We miss him, but are so glad he came to Italy!

We had such quality time with them, and each moment was a true treasure!

Patrick and Lucia enjoyed some much needed time away from their busy schedules, and that made us happy! Being together was rejuvenating and so fun!

I wish a picture could capture this amazing little restaurant and gelateria. It was classic!

Heavenly - the sunset, the water, and this divine little girl in her precious red coat!

Lu was in love with the pasta. It was food for her soul! Luke fell in love with pear juice!

We LOVED it that our missionaries got to meet our family!

They gave them treats from the Befana.

We packed a picnic, and after Church we ate and played at this fun little park in Caserta.

Molly's little spirit is so alive, and it was so fun to watch her play and discover!

Mission moments like this are pretty special!

We love these kids!

Historical sites are free the first Sunday of the month, but what we didn't know is you have to reserve the ticket ahead of time. While we weren't able to take them to see the Reggia di Caserta (sister palace to Versailles in France), we did discover Casertavecchia, which was INCREDIBLE! We hadn't even known about it.

The views and sunsets we see every day in this region are so incredible.

In particular, I love the citrus trees. I am feeling so free (from cancer), so blessed, and so grateful!

Our little Lu is a total daddy's girl and a total mommy's girl, so these treasured days were perfect for all of us! We have missed each other, but somehow manage to be present and supportive in each other's lives, even through FaceTime.

This centuries old town charmed us, with every step we took!

This house dates back to the Crusades, when people were much smaller!

Molly - and her ciuccio (pacifier, her great love). These were her last days with her "love." Life was hard when they got home and it was time for the final weaning off!

In all actuality, we were glad our afternoon was not at the Reggia.

We had to snap this photo of the "Palace of the Bishops," since Cliff was a Bishop.

2025 is the Giubileo Year of "Hope" and pilgrimage to historic churches, designated by Pope Frances. We loved discovering that we were accidentally visiting these special places - on our own pilgrimage of hope!

Notice the Santa outfit hanging out to dry. So classic!

Molly. No words needed!

Trust in a good dad!

I can just feel Lucia saying, "Mom, isn't this place incredible! I told you you'd like it!"

Italy. Why there are so many tourists...

One happy couple!

Luke and Molly had the incredible privilege of a personal visit by THE BEFANA and her assistant! Not only did they bring them presents (Italian tradition on Jan 6), but we also enjoyed gelato together. They officially welcomed them to Italy and thanked them for being so very good during 2024. We loved coordinating the Befana visit with our amazing sister missionaries, who did one amazing job dressing up as "the real thing!"

We love these wonderful sisters SO MUCH!!!!

Molly's ice cream kisses were pure joy!

Here we are with these people we love with all our hearts!

What a striking resemblance they have to our sister missionaries in Castellamare!

We did our very best to see the top of Mount Vesuvius. We drove close to the top, were told (by some questionable people) we had to pay to park and pay to ride their van the last mile. They dropped us off almost to the top, where we needed to buy a ticket to walk the very last part. There was a problem with the ticket site, and in the time it took to get it to work, the site closed. So that was it. We waited awhile for the shuttle to come back to take us to our car. Surprisingly, when we got to our car, there was no sign of the people who made us pay to park. We wonder if they really were legit?!

The views on the way down were incredible. You see Capri to the left and Ischia to the right.

We chose to go to Caserta to Church, because of the cute kids there! Molly and Luke made fast friends, who invited Luke to come over for a pre birthday party!

This amazing family invited us for dinner and family home evening. We brought the birthday cake and ice cream.

They were so cute to Luke and Molly, and we were so grateful for their love and kindness!

One wonderful thing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that you can go anywhere in the world, find the Church, and make fast friends - who feel like family!

This began a week-long celebration of Luke's 5th birthday. This nutella cheesecake was not only beautiful, but also so very delicious! Luke still talks about and misses his dear friends.

We call Luke our "Best Guy" and we love the fact he knows how very much we love him!

We were going to bed, and Lucia came in and asked if it would be okay if she and Patrick went on a "love trip" to Spain for a couple of days. We are a big believer of "love trips!" Of course the answer was yes; we were thrilled to have some one-on-one time with the kids.

This is the area (Castellamare) we drive to when we want to take a walk.

They put in an amazing park last year, and Luke and Molly had a blast enjoying it!

The park and walking area are right along the sea, with breathtaking views.

We love Luke's vibrancy for life and absolutely loved our time together; we love him so much!

After Patrick and Lucia returned from Spain, we packed up and headed to Rome. On our way, we stopped at Monte Cassino, the ancient Benedictine monastery (one of the largest in Italy) - famous for the "Battle for Rome" and its destruction in 1944 during World War II. It was subsequently rebuilt to its former majesty.

We then headed to the Rome Temple and Visitor's Center.

We love this beautiful statue of our Savior, Jesus Christ in the Rome Temple Visitor's Center. It was so fun to see our dear friend, Sorella Taylor. She had arranged for all the sister missionaries who serve at the temple, to welcome Luke and Molly - and make them feel special! We loved watching this request be fulfilled!

The words at the base of the "Christus" say, "Come unto Me". Especially little children, like Molly are drawn to Him - our Savior and Redeemer, the source of truth, life, and peace.

Sorella Taylor gave Luke his own personal tour of Rome Temple Square. He loved it! The Savior encourages us to become like little children - who are without guile, and are full of love. "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4

We did lots of birthday celebrating with Luke! In the patron housing hostel (where we stayed the night), there is an eating area, with a large kitchen, so members of the Church who travel from long distances and live in the Rome Temple district - can not only have a place to sleep, but also have an eating area. We enjoyed a pandoro (traditional holiday cake) with those celebrating Luke!

Nick (pictured with Lucia) used to live in Alessandria, where she served on her mission to Italy. He now lives in Rome, and boy was he THRILLED to see her! Nick loves all the missionaries and makes everyone feel special who comes to visit the temple.

As always, it is especially fun to see our neighbor, Sorella Baxter, who serves at the Rome Visitor's Center!

One thing we LOVE doing in Rome is taking a night walk. We love Piazza Navona and enjoy the magical fountains, which were just cleaned for the "Giubileo Year of Hope."

The Trevi Fountain had never looked so spectacular!

The charm of the cobblestones, the potted flowers, and the outdoor cafes spark a feeling of nostalgia and belonging. Something happens to you in Rome, and you never want to leave!

L'amatriciana is a signature dish in Rome, and it rarely disappoints!

Even though the pasta, pizza and gelato are divine in Rome, the food is even better down South where we live!

The Pantheon is always at the center of our night walk, and it will forever be one of our very favorite landmarks in Rome!

Castel Sant'Angelo's rich history captivates us every time we go into Rome.

Built in layers over time - since 123 a.d. the castle has holds the history of the ages, as a mausoleum, prison, castle, Papal fortress, and museum.

Rome is definitely a walking city, and the sights, sounds, smells, and history take you in!

Can you catch the recurring theme of our trip?!

We loved all the days of celebrating Luke's 5th birthday! We even found little Pokémon pandoro cakes!

He wanted a Pokémon birthday, and we did, thank to Amazon Italy!

We love and adore all of the Pollocks, and we were thrilled Luke gave his trip (and the gelato) a big thumbs up!

This may be one of our very favorite pics of their trip! Being at the Temple = peace & joy!

In all honesty, it is really hard to be away from our family. That said, we know we were led to make the decision to serve a full-time mission for a purpose - and we trust in God and in the personal revelation that guided us on this journey.

We are promised blessings when we serve God. We pray daily for our family, and we trust that He who is the source of peace, will bless each one of them with joy and happiness in our absence.

We believe in the power of prayer. We believe in the ministry of angels, and we trust in the scripture that says, "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88

We also pray that angels on earth... kind people who are sensitive to promptings and act on them, will love and strengthen our family, while we are serving God's children here in Italy.

We are also grateful for the amazing men our daughter's each married. Thank you Patrick and Rhett! They are good, honorable, devoted men of faith, who love and respect our daughters and so lovingly care for their respective families.

Life is surely sweeter with great friends! Two people whom Lucia wanted to see while she was in the Rome area, happened to cross our paths. We call those non-coincidences "divine signatures."

We testify as representatives of Jesus Christ, that God loves each of His children. He places us in the paths of others, when love and support are needed. He knows those needs - deeply and personally.

Our Heavenly Father desires to help us and bless us throughout our lives. He asks that we have faith in Him. As we strengthen our faith and draw closer to Him, we are able to understand and tap into our divine identity. Through prayer, the words of scriptures and of modern prophets, we can understand God's plan for us and the role Jesus Christ plays in each of our lives. We love that in Italy, 2025 is the year of hope! "Hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges." - Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the Council of the 12 Apostles https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/10/the-infinite-power-of-hope?lang=eng

As we have reflected on hope this year, these words of Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf repeat in our minds, "Faith, hope, and charity complement each other, and as one increases, the others grow as well. Hope comes of faith, for without faith, there is no hope."

We find hope in our beautiful children and grandchildren.

We find hope as we meet so many incredible people - trying to do good things and live the teachings of Jesus Christ.

We find hope in Jesus Christ, in his teachings, and in the majestic world He created.

As the sun set literally on our time together, we were filled with gratitude for the precious memories we created here in Italy. Lucia, Patrick, Luke and Molly - thank you for coming to visit us! In the words of Luke, "We love you more than 5 sky scrapers and truck towers."

Saying goodbye this time was actually harder than when we left!

We close with the words of Elder Robert D. Hales...May we gather our loved ones around us, “gird up [our] loins; [and] fresh courage take. Our God will never us forsake.” With faith, courage, and love, families will truly be together forever.

It is our hope that the efforts we are making as missionaries will help in this great work!

“But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

Dear family in friends, in all our imperfections, we desire to be an example of the believers. We love you all forever,

La Coppia Montagnoli

(Martha & Cliff)