Towers Built in 1300's and Lamborghini Tractors

Our View of Siena from Tower

August 1, 2012

Salve di nuovo!

Last week was finally a normal week and we stayed in Siena the whole time so we managed to get some more work done. It has been ridiculously hot here. At times I wish I had the Idaho wind, not only is it strong but it is not humid!!

The work has been tough. We have success talking to many people, but we can’t seem to get anyone to stay in Siena long enough to teach them. We meet a lot of tourists and if we do meet someone they are leaving Italy for all of August. August in Italy is like national travel month I swear ha-ha. Everyone and their dog are going on vacation for the month. This is pretty much the update on the work for now.

We have 2 new investigators so we are now teaching three people! Kellan our Chinese friend who we are still having a hard time with because we don’t know Chinese, Singore El Nebawe an awesome guy from Egypt who owns a pizzeria in Siena, and Aldrin a French and Italian and English speaking African from Gabon Africa. We have quite the diverse group here ha-ha. I love it though we meet many people and I’ve met probably half the world here literally.

We are looking for someone who can speak Chinese and Italian to help us translate and we found a ton of people who can translate, but no one has time to do it. Most of them are students at the university and this week is finals week or studying for all the students so it has been difficult to help that situation, but the Lord is aware of our obstacles and there will be a way to overcome them.

Lamborghini Tractor
 "Grandpa Dance is this Awesome or What?"

In the last week we had a chance to do member visits! Most of the members live outside of Siena by at least an hour sooooo that’s why we have a car! I absolutely loved driving through Toscana. Literally the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Olive trees as far as the eye can see, rolling green hills, and it’s all perfect. One of the members owns an olive farm!! So when we visited her mansion out in the middle of nowhere it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. I sure hope she hooks us up with olives I haven’t had any yet ha-ha. In addition she has, yes a real, Lamborghini tractor!!! Straight up saw it with my own eyes! I have a picture to prove it! Anziano Smith laughed when we saw it because it was the coolest thing ever. 

Torre del Mangia Tower in Siena

Today in Siena we had the opportunity to finally tour around our own city. We got to go into the tower in IL Campo where they have the Palio Horse Race. Not only that but because one of the BYU study abroad students works for the museum we got in for free and skipped the 2 hour line to get into the tower called Torre del Mangia. It was built in 1348.  When it was built it was one of the tallest towers in medieval Italy. I’m not sure how tall it is but it was the most amazing thing ever. Also we got to go inside the building that was built in 900 AD and see all the artwork and medieval rooms and all sorts of cool stuff once again for free ha-ha. I feel like the luckiest person in the world, I’ve probably said that twice but I’m saying it again. Not only am I in Italy, but I’m a missionary in Italy declaring the restored gospel! How lucky we are to have this knowledge! The happiness even of just knowing the purpose of this life. I’ve gone and entire day and found that not a single person knows why they are here on this earth. Wow my friends, there is some serious work to do on the earth. The work isn’t done until the gospel has reached every nation and sounded in every ear! Impossible things become possible here every day. The truth is that no one knows what they are doing here as far as the missionary work goes, that’s a good thing! The Lord knows how to direct his work here, preach my gospel teaches us how listen to the spirit and be a good teacher, but it doesn’t tell you everything and it isn’t the key to every answer. The answer to everything is through the spirit and prayer. It’s the small things everyday like that prompting to go here, or knock on that door, or talk to that person, and we share a message with person that lets me know time and time again that I am nothing without the Lord. He knows everything and knows who is ready to hear the message of the restored gospel. I literally would be lost without him. Like lost in more ways than one, really, it took me a week to learn where I live here in Siena! Every house looks the same ha-ha.

Thanks for everything family and I love hearing about my little sisters! I miss you all and look forward to your letters. 

Ciao e ci vediamo

Anziano Benson 

View of City of Siena from Tower

Ecco! Anziano Benson sonno arrivato in Siena! Il vangelo di Gesù Cristo sarà proclamato!

(Behold! Anziano Benson has arrived in Siena the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be Proclaimed!)

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