Working Hard in Siena

September 26, 2012

Well looks like everything is going well back home. Exciting to hear about Cache. Tell him good luck and he’s in for quite the adventure. I’ve talked to some Australian people and didn’t understand a word they said and they were speaking English...  Anziano Smith and I laughed really hard because it was just ridiculous the words they use. I’m sure New Zealand uses quite the diverse vocab as well. Sounds exciting that Pee Wee is going to Europe. If she toughens up she might get to play a lot. She better gain some weight though to play against Helga the Swedish monster haha. Yeah I did hear about the Siena game! Huge deal for them! Hope they keep on winning because otherwise they will get relegated. Forza Siena alla Vittoria! Hard when you start in negative points though. We will see what happens.

As far as the piano goes we actually have a sister in the ward that plays every week. She is not amazing but she loves doing it and she is learning new songs every week and she plays them very well for sacrament. I play when she is not there. Anziano Smith is quite the pianist as well. He played for a jazz group before the mission so he is really good. So we usually just do whatever. To be honest President hasn’t said a word about the car. But I’m almost sure we will lose the car in about 4 weeks. No news yet though... I’ve been seeing a lot of road bikers coming and going through Siena. You really need to ride here haha. Tell the girls good luck with soccer, and yes, send my absentee ballot to Siena, I would love to vote.  

Home of World Gelato Champions!
In San Gaminiano

  Well I’m not sure what to say this week to be honest. I finished the book of Mormon again haha. And I’ve also been reading it in Italian every day, but its taking a lot longer than in English.  I did make it through the words if Isaiah in Italian... barley haha. But now I’m through that, it’s pretty easy to read. I already blew 2 holes in my slacks so I might need a new pair. I’m not sure what to do because I’m only a few weeks away from having to wear a suit every day. Not super excited about that though because it’s still pretty hot for a suit. It doesn’t matter what I’m wearing. There are people still to be taught!!

Anziano Smith and I have been working so hard these last 11 weeks and we have this last week to finish strong then we find out if he is leaving or not. We have just been searching for that 1 who will be baptized and unfortunately that one person we haven’t been able to find, teach, and progress them through making commitments to read the book of Mormon every day, come to church every week, and pray every day. That’s the key. If they don’t do those things they don’t get baptized. Hmmm if that’s what you need to get baptized then shouldn’t we as members be doing the same things consistently??? Sure hope you all are because if you were an investigator you wouldn’t get baptized. Not only that but as members who have entered the baptismal covenant we promised at baptism that we would come to church for the rest of our lives till the day we die. If we are not doing that we can’t repent because we are not renewing our baptismal covenant every week by partaking of the sacrament. Sacramental renewal= forgiveness for sins=blessings and happiness. I’ve learned to be a lot more blunt on the mission too haha so I apologize in advance mom if I say it the way it is when I get home. It’s just that If you don’t say it the way it is to people they can’t change and repent because they didn’t know what the truth is if you didn’t directly state it.

As I’ve finished the Book of Mormon yet another time, I’ve learned that the entire story of the book of Mormon is a choice. There is a choice to follow Christ and keep the commandments or not. It’s YES or NO. There is no between. We either keep the commandments or don’t. As a result, there is either blessings or we become subjective to the captivity of the will of Satan. There is not one SINGLE example ever in the entire history of this earth where the people chose to follow God and were not blessed. It makes me think that it is just ridiculous to not choose to follow Christ. It will only lead to unhappiness and sorrow when we deny this truth. You make your choice. For every choice there is a consequence. Good or bad. Whose on the Lords side who? Now is the time to show, for thus the Savior soon come. Those who are righteous will be numbered among his disciples, those who are not; he shall proclaim I know thee not. Such sorrow I feel for those who denied the truth, for in that day they shall truly have sorrow. Don’t let that be YOU.

Anzianio Benson