"Muggio ZL's At Your Service"

September 18, 2013
Che Settimana! Well things are going good here again. Staying busy, busy, busy. I’ve learned that zone leader means absolutely no personal time. I think I have written in my journal 2 times in the past 2 weeks. Pretty bad, but I just can’t find the time. When we get home we call many of the zone members to see how their week is going to encourage and inspire them to do better. We also have to see how all the sorelle are doing and that they are safe and not getting harassed or feeling down. It’s been good but tiring. We deal with phone calls from the minute the alarm goes off till the time my head hits the pillow Our phone basically rings every 5 min with questions, problems, and so forth. If we aren’t calling them they are calling us. It’s just so hard to stay focused, motivated and driven when you seriously are just dead dog tired because you did not sleep that well on the old squeaky hurt your back bed. Me and Anziano Moore try to keep a good attitude about everything and laugh off the sleepiness with jokes and funny phrases and making fun of stuff. It seems to work ok. It’s hard work. Sometimes we aren’t as efficient as we should be, but we are trying our best. I think we have done pretty good with being zone leaders and are making sure that we are watching closely to make sure everyone is doing ok.


"Muggiò Capi qui per il vostro servizio!" 
translation: Muggiò zone leaders at your service!



We are teaching a ton, but all of our investigators have things to work out.  We are praying for a miracle because there is one of these couples who is ready for baptism. Right now we are living in Muggio, but our proselyting area is Monza and Muggio and some of the surrounding cities. We are a rocks throw from Milano, but its way better than being stuck in that concrete jungle of dirty streets. Not a fan of Milano. But they have some good soccer that’s for sure. Keep me updated on AC Milan. Well not much new we have a lot of work to do and the lessons are going well! We seem to always have something to do and we haven’t had to do much finding work, but we will probably sift out some people this week and search out a few more. The ward is pretty big. About like my home ward right now. So it’s really fun. Thanks for everything! Love you all!
Drew

P.S. You will never guess what I found! Literally around the corner from the apartment there is an Adidas factory outlet! They have everything there! Its super awesome. I was thinking maybe of getting everyone in the family a Milan jersey for Christmas so that when I come home we can all match. I don’t know what you have in mind, but I think we are all Milan fans now, no?

Muggio- Milano East Zone

September 11, 2013

"I found Elder Jensen Fresh off the Plane."
Both from the same home Ward in Idaho

"You Know You're in Italy When."

Well things are going well in Muggio. I am in the Milano East Zone. This last week was just absolutely exhausting. Transfers, and not to mention we are in charge of making sure everyone gets on the right train and everything. So we spent like 9 hours in the Milano Centrale Station helping new missionaries and everyone get to the right train and get to the new cities. Then we had a consiglio with the Mission President and we met with all the zone leaders in the mission. We are over 4 districts and 13 couples of missionaries. Most of the missionaries being younger than 5 transfers and well, now the phone rings off the hook for questions, problems, reporting numbers of the week, and so forth. It’s just a lot to take care of. We are doing our best to care for all these new missionaries and make sure that everything is going well for them. I love it but I’ve also never been so tired in my life. Sometimes I wonder if I’m going to make it through the day. It’s been a lot of fun though. My new comp Anziano Moore is a pretty funny guy. We make a lot of jokes and we have some fun. Thank goodness we have fun or I would be going insane right now! We are in a pretty big city. At least Monza is. It’s bigger than I can handle anyways!  I never have served in this big of a city. The ward here is massive, one of the biggest in all of Italy. They have a lot of members here and it’s a strong ward. They even have young men and young women’s every week, just like at home! I haven’t seen that since I left home! The church usually isn’t strong enough to hold such activities every week, but now we are in an awesome ward so the ward is able and willing to help us with a lot, and we have a fair amount of investigators.

"Goodbye  Anziano Guzzle." Sad.

Yeah the Monza Grand Prix was last weekend. There were a lot of people coming from out of town to see it. I don’t think I have ever seen so many Ferraris in my life, not to mention some Lambos. I was on my bike riding to an appointment just chilling behind a supped up Ferrari for like 5 minutes. Talk about distractions! I almost wrecked at one point because I got caught gawking a little too much at the 20 Ferraris parked on the side of the road.

Well, I really appreciate all the emails I get from home. I think about you guys a lot and how lucky I am to have such a good family. The situation in Italy has been really bad. Everyone is out of work, it is probably worse than that we had in the states few years back. Even the members are having a hard time and people are sleeping in the streets, it’s really sad.  I have been humbled, saddened, even desperate to help someone. What do you do in a situation like this? Ahh, man it’s just been tough. It has caused many to turn to God for help and we are doing the best we can to be his instruments.  


Goodbye Lecco. My Favorite City!

Love, Anziano Benson

Baptism!!!!!

September 4, 2013

Yup! We got her done and had a baptism! Man this has been just such a touching experience in the past month to know this young 20 year old Italian. She managed to read: The book of Mormon, D&C, Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith story, Gospel Principles, the Ensign of the conference talks and come to church 5 times before the baptism. Now I don’t think I have ever have seen, or ever will see another investigator like this one. She nearly cried after she came out and met us after the baptism. She thanked us for everything we did for her and I felt the sincerità of her gratefulness. I can’t spell anymore! How do you speel sinceerity? bo? Anyways. I really am so so so lucky to be here in Lecco. And when I got the call from President, it was really hard to hear the words, Elder Benson you are being moved to Muggiò. Anziano Guzzle and I just had a blast here in Lecco and it has been my favorite city hands down. I can’t complain! The weather is perfect, the teaching was a lot, baptized 3 times, the ward awesome, the lake magnificent! The city small, the people nice, la belezza incredible! We worked hard but also we taught a lot. We dropped a lot of people and lost some of my most favorite people. But what a way to end my last week in Lecco. I’m going zone leader in Muggiò. It’s not the most beautiful city, but it is the biggest ward in all of Italy. Looks like we better get some work done there! I’m excited but sad to leave. I’m just in one of those awkward stages, sad and happy at the same time. I even made best friends with people here playing calcio. And well, even they were not interested in the gospel. We played soccer, ate spaghetti together, gelato, and laughed. It was great. When I come back to Lecco I’ve already got plans to come see my best friends that I made here in Lecco. I’m so grateful of everything. I only hope that I can make Muggiò better that Lecco in some way. That’s where I’ve done all my baptisms for the Lecco ward, in Muggio, so I already know the area a little bit. I will probably be there for a little while so we will see what happens. I saw all the photos! Thanks for them all! I love you guys and I will look forward to seeing you all very very soon. Well that’s the update for now. My comp will be Anziano Moor, don’t know him much but he’s a chill missionary. I’ll let you know more next week love you!

BERGAMO !!!

Anziano Guzzle and Benson

 

Time: the Most Precious Resource We Have in This Life

August 28, 2013

Well things have been going normal. The baptism is scheduled, but we are not 100% sure if it’s going through. We still have a few small doubts we are trying to work out, but it’s noting big. We are just going to have some faith and do our best. All good on my end! Yes I got a side bag and some shoes and then the money grandma gave us I had to give to a homeless guy so that was unfortunate. But at least we helped someone who really needed it. It’s a long story, and I never give out money to homeless people, but this time it was justified 100% I wish I could tell you the whole story but let’s just say it was crazy and that it would take 20 face to face to tell it haha. Anyways I’m doing just dandy and just gearing up here for the fall and then we are headed straight for winter. Not sure what will happen after this week as far as who’s going where but I’m just enjoying myself because my time is limited. All right I will now let the pictures do all the talking.

Advise to Little Sis at BYU

It makes me pretty sad that for the first time in my life I can’t be there for you. I always was there and you were always right behind me in my footsteps outdoing me. Except you turned out to be the better version of me. Ellis I am going to save your life right now with 1 thing. I just want you do to one thing. If I was going to die right now this is what I would tell you and I want you to do it. Learn about planning. Preach my gospel the missionary book has an entire chapter about planning and using time wisely. Ellis time is the most precious resource you have in this life. ESCECIALLY in COLLEGE! Do not waste time, get organized and make a weekly schedule of what you have planned to do during the week. I mean everything. In the mission I know what I am doing every single day of the week 10 days in advance and we do 3 hour planning once a week. If you do that but with school you will be so successful you won’t be able to be stopped by anything. If you want just kill it at BYU and get straight A's Study study study about planning and organization. All those last min projects and stuff don’t fly in college. I wish you the best of luck and you are really going to learn a lot, not school wise, but life wise. Life lessons, how to get along with others, keep the room clean and get a GEM! Grow Every Missionary or in this case roommate. I love you Ellis and to be honest you are my example, not me your example. I don’t know if you will go on a mish, but keep it in mind and be ready because God may need your little hands and your feet to carry you across the world and to the doors and faces of people you don’t know the truth only because they know not where to find it. I encourage you to serve a mission because it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done. Love you so much and don’t worry too much! You’re more prepared than I was for college. 2 rules! No getting married before I get home, I forbid it because now that I am legit to go to the temple I want to be there when you get married. 2 no going on a mission before I get back I have to say “Hi” at least once. 

Love you have a good week! Drewbie