Malta - Week 19

A Tour of Valletta, a Wedding, and an Amazing Lesson with the Missionaries!

It's been a full week and it isn't even over!

This week, we joined the Batschi's for a walking tour of Valletta and we loved it!  We've lived here for over 4 months without really knowing much about the history of Malta.  We had been to the capital city, Valletta a couple of times, but only in short visits because of the brutal summer heat.  But now it has cooled down here and is quite pleasant, so we can actually go out and learn more about this beautiful island.  We had an amazing tour guide who enlightened us not only about the history of Valletta but also about the broader history of Malta.

Valletta, the capital city of Malta, is situated on a peninsula in the central eastern part of the island. Founded in 1566 following the Siege of Malta, it stands as one of Europe's smallest capitals, distinguished by its strong Baroque architecture. The city stretches across the promontory of Mount Sceberras, splitting the surrounding bay into two harbors: the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west. The whole city of Valletta is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lower Barrakka Gardens

This old building was recently restored and converted into social housing, in the US, it would be known as 'The Projects.' It boasts more square footage than our missionary apartment, and once you qualify to own one, it's yours for life!

Valletta is a beautiful city! I was unaware of its years of decline until the revitalization efforts began in 2018. The transformation achieved in just a few short years is remarkable!

This rundown apartment is what the whole city of Valletta looked like until 2018, when they started major renovations.

This yacht is owned by the guy who created WhatsApp.

Cannon Battery Salute

Matt & Judy Batschi 

If you haven't read our previous posts, Matt and Judy are the new Deputy Directors of the China Teacher's Program.  We have enjoyed spending time with them and getting updated on the CTP while they have been here visiting their kids in Malta.  Their next stop will be China.

The Clock Tower - St John's Co-Cathedral

They call these pregnant windows.  The were designed for the ladies of the town so they could stick their head out the window and listen to the latest gossip!

We made a point of going to Nenu for lunch to savor the Ftira bread. As one of the most cherished breads in Maltese cuisine, the locals have even petitioned for the Ftira to be recognized on UNESCO's heritage list for cultural artifacts in Malta!

The entrance features a glass floor through which you can view a replica of the bakery's original establishment.


Lunch was delicious!






Next, we made our way to the famous Cafe Cordina to try a honey ring. Look at how cute this cafe is!

Our day was cut short because we had to get back for a very exciting event, John and Julieth's wedding!  We have known John and Julieth since the first week we were here.  We have grown to love them both during the few months we've known them.  Julieth has been in our English Class and they both attend church regularly.  Julieth has expressed a desire to be baptized, but she hasn't been able to because she and John are living together, and they need to get married before they can qualify for baptism.  Since they are not citizens of Malta, it hasn't been easy for them to come up with an affordable way to get married.  The missionaries helped them find a method that would work for them.  It's called "Digital Destination Weddings"!  I don't recommend it unless you are desperate! It was interesting to say the least!!!

The ceremony itself was probably the most impersonal thing I have ever seen in my life.  The judge was from Utah County and he had the demeanor of a used car salesman. They sat in front of the computer which was projected to a large screen TV while he had them take their vows.  He was very gruff and, in a hurry, to get his job done.  He mostly seemed concerned about whether the paperwork was signed properly.  It was a legal contract and that's exactly how he treated it.  It wasn't like a wedding at all.  He pretty much said what he needed to say to make it a legally binding marriage and then had them hold up the paperwork to verify that all the signatures including the witnesses were in the right place.  He had them exchange rings, and then asked if they had some personal vows they would like to say.  Before they could get any words out of their mouth, he let them know that they would have to be short because he was running out of time! At that point, they decided to do the vows later and they hurried and closed the deal!

He never once told the groom that he could now kiss the bride.  As soon as they ended their session with him, I couldn't hold back any longer and I shouted out, "It's now time to kiss the bride!!!"

They then were able to say their personal vows, and the rest of the evening went a whole lot better from that point forward!


Sister Hobby and Sister Vedovi sang two beautiful love songs.

Subsequently, a toast was made to honor the bride and groom, followed by an extensive photo session.

Missionaries with the Bride and Groom











Sister Hobby tried to avoid catching the bouquet, but when no one else reached out for it, she was forced to nab it before it hit the floor!


Sister Paulo flew in from Portugal for the wedding.  She looked strikingly beautiful as always.  It was so fun to see her again.

The next day was P-day.  Sister Hobby will be leaving to go home on October 21st, so we told her we would take her anywhere she wanted to go for her last P-day.  She chose the Blue Grotto.

The Blue Grotto Viewpoint remains my favorite vista on the island.

It's even more spectacular in real life. 

The waves were fierce, and due to the turbulent seas, boat tours were canceled that day. It was so sad that Sister Hobby missed her last chance to experience the stunning Blue Grotto boat tour before her departure home.

Our next stop was Mdina

Lunch at Fontanella

Fontanella is known for their wide selection of cakes, so we had to try a few.

We love the view!  Our apartment is somewhere in the center of this picture.

Monday English Class

Wednesday Night English Class

We had hoped Thursday would be a day to prepare next week's lessons before Shane and Sam's visit. However, it turned into a crazy busy day. The wedding on Tuesday made it necessary to reschedule our Institute class to Thursday night.  We got up early to begin cooking pulled pork. After District Council, we rushed to conduct apartment inspections at the Sisters' apartment. Next, we met with a church member to provide financial aid. We were hoping to head home to finalize the lesson and food when the sisters invited us to join them for a lesson, and we were glad we did because it turned out to be a rewarding experience.

The meeting included Sister Hobby, Loughney, Steve and I, and a man named Luke, who had reached out in response to Sister Hobby's Facebook post inviting discussions about God. He arrived with many questions and shared his deep feelings regarding the various churches his family attends. Sister Hobby confidently initiated a lesson on the Plan of Salvation, which impressed me greatly. As the meeting progressed, a spiritual presence filled the room. It was among the most spiritual gatherings I've had on my mission so far. After the lesson, Luke asked several questions, and we took turns responding. We each also bore our testimonies to him. The spirit's presence was unmistakable in that room. When the meeting came to a close, Sister Hobby gave Luke a Book of Mormon, encouraging him to read it.

Later that evening, he sent this text to Sister Hobby:

Institute:  Steve gave an amazing lesson in Institute.  The class wasn't as large as the first week, but it was still a good size.  This time we had 17 people there.  We doubled the pulled pork since we ran out last week, and with only half as many people, we had more than enough and ended up giving everyone two sandwiches.  We're hoping that once we get on a regular schedule, we can have a better estimate of how much food we need.

Friday:  Shane and Sam are arriving tonight!  We're super excited to have them.  We spent the day grocery shopping, cleaning house and running errands so we would be ready for them.  Their flight will arrive late tonight so I'll end this week's blog on Friday this week, so we can dedicate the next blog to their visit. 

CIAO!