Temple moments: A goal achieved
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The first members in the Naples, Italy, area were military servicemen in the 1940s and 1950s. Two servicemen were baptized there in 1960, but with the advent of missionary work in Italy on Feb. 27, 1965, local people began to join the Church. By 1973, membership in Italy had reached about 3,000 members. Among those baptized in this early era of the Church was Eleonora Ruggiero, now of the Napoli National Branch, Naples Italy District. She was at her son's family home in 1974 when a knock came at the door and the door opened to missionaries. The family welcomed the pair, who taught them the gospel. Sister Ruggiero, then 64, was baptized on Aug. 12, 1974, by Elder James Scott Dunaway.
A year later she made her first trip to the then-Swiss Temple. After that, she often returned to the temple, making the trip on district temple day. She and other branch members would leave about 8 p.m. for the 12-hour bus ride. The group would arrive in the temple parking lot the following morning. She would often record in her journal her experiences, saying: "Every time I went to the temple, it seemed like the first time because I always learned something new."
She continued to attend the temple year after year. A few years ago, she was reflecting on her life and reviewed her journals. She began to count her temple trips and realized that she had made the 12-hour trip 93 times. Then, even though each trip was becoming more difficult because of her age, she decided firmly to go seven more times, to bring her temple trips to an even 100. She reached her goal recently, at age 96.
Sister Ruggiero is now physically unable to bear the difficulties of undergoing any more such trips, for which she is sorry. However, she rejoices in having had the opportunity to serve the Lord, and her brothers and sisters beyond the veil, and looks forward to the time she can meet them there. — Elder Francesco Bergamascho, Italy Rome Mission
