Called to Serve Him: She’s Goin’ to It-ly!

Sister Elna Rose Preston

Okay, so I may have watched “Only You” a few too many times, from which the quote 'She's Goin' ta It-ly" was a major hit in my family.  (You know, that hilarious 90s romantic comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. pre-rehab and Marissa Tomei pre-facelift?) But I digress. The entire family has been over the moon since last Wednesday, when my youngest sister Rose opened her official mission call from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints.  With her entire family tuned in via skype or on the phone, she read aloud from the official letter.  She will serve for 18 months in Rome, Italy. She will report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo on August 1^st for training in the Italian language. (She had to re-read that last part several times at it was first drowned out by the screaming, weeping, and general hullabaloo that occurred when she said “Rome”). Why all the commotion? My mother and my father both served as missionaries in the Rome, Italy mission in 1972-1973.  In fact, that is where they met. Although my mom had no idea my dad had privately determined she was his future bride until he showed up on her doorstep in Salt Lake, post-mission.   

Anziano Johnny Preston

Sister Harris and Sister Judith Johnson

Sis. Judith Johnson and Sis. Harris

As the baby of the family Rose has always had to put up with a lot of crap. But being the last in pecking order also came with the privilege? of undivided parental attention (for a few years there we called her mini-Mom).  I’m pretty sure my Mom started teaching her Italian when she was 12.

Elder Preston

All of us children grew up with a fascination for Italy as the land of Pizza, the coliseum, and that fantastical musical language which our parents spoke together often, and frequently.  We have all known a smattering of Italian words from babyhood. “Tiamo-I love you” spoken often and much by our googly-eyed parents. “Voilafrutte – dessert” used both to indicate actual dessert and as the secret stranger-password that let us know someone other than our parents was authorized to pick us up.  “Bosta – No” which I heard A LOT accompanied by certain Italian hand gestures. (Not those! Just the talking finger gestures that means ‘no’ or ‘stop.’) And, of course, how to sing Happy Birthday in Italian, a standard family birthday party accompaniment.  

Elder Keith Rose and Elder Johnny Preston

Sister Harris and Sister Johnson

But of us all, Rose was thru true inheritor of a passion for all things Italy. She studied Italian throughout high school, and continued her studies in college. And through it all we always joked, “Hey, maybe you will serve YOUR mission in Italy!” It was just a funny thing to say, because when an individual decides to serve a mission, they simply submit their information to church headquarters.  Then, in a meeting with one of the 12 Apostles, the LDS Church Missionary Committee assigns each new missionary to a location where they will serve their entire mission.  It is a process of prayer, deliberation, and direct instruction from the Lord to His servants. Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints serve in various missions (geographic districts) throughout the world, in every nation that allows proselytizing by Christian missionaries. There are currently 54, 410 serving missionaries and 340 different missions, spanning the globe from Mongolia, to Africa, to Taiwan, to St. Louis.  So Rose’s odds of going to Rome, Italy were, well - 1 in 340.

Sorella Judith Johnson (on train leaving Bari)

Rose, like myself, kind of always knew she wanted to serve an 18^th month mission when she turned 21, the minimum age barrier for women. For those of you unfamiliar with the Mormon missionary program, it is asked that ALL young men who have maintained a standard of moral purity serve as missionaries for two years when they turn 19. We believe that this is a commandment of the Lord, and part of their responsibility as holders of the priesthood power of God in this time period of history. Women have other responsibilities.  However, for girls, when they turn 21, they can choose whether or not they feel the desire in their heart to serve a mission. Obviously it is still a choice for both sexes. But I would describe it as an expectation for males, and an option for girls.

Sister Judith Johnson with her first baptism, Sorella Pierro on Right

I will let Rose tell you the story of how her decision to serve a mission was confirmed through personal prayer and study. I know that for myself, I felt a beautiful feeling of love and approval from the Lord when I sought confirmation of my desire to serve a mission. It seemed as if He was telling me that if the truest, strongest desire of my heart was to teach His children about His love, He was pleased with that decision. And the 18 months I spent learning Cantonese and serving in Hong Kong from February 2001-Sept 2002 was, to date, the absolute best thing I have done with my life.  I hope that soon I will be able to raise children, which will, I think, be better.

Sister Judith Johnson

But for now, I am eagerly planning shopping trips and luggage buying adventurers with Rose, as well as digging through old missionary journals and pictures. AND I am starting to save for a trip to Italy in April of 2014, to pick up Rose at the conclusion of her mission.  How perfect it will be to have an Italian-speaking tour guide for my long awaited visit to the nation so beloved of my parents.