Benvenuto A Casa Elder Benson

Can't Wait to See our Brother

Together At Last

Cousin Dallas

Love the Taylors

Good Friends Taylor and Gooch

Italy Milan Missionaries Christensen, Thompson, and Benson all Returned  Home Together.

Brought this Jug of Olive Oil Home in Luggage and It Didn't Break!!!

A missionary for a few more minutes.

Watching Sisters Play Soccer

Went with my Sister Ellis to Temple.

She leaves to the Poland Warsaw Mission on June 18th

Good Friend Joel Carter going to Nicaragua Managua Mission!

Goodbye to Italy

May 10, 2013

Well I can’t believe that I have made it to this point. I guess this is goodbye to Italy. This week has been quite the week. We cranked out 11 lessons in the office! That is quite the accomplishment for us here! The office has been a good learning experience and has taught me so many things. People always say have no regrets. Well to be honest I have a few regrets, but that does not mean that I didn’t do my best. I think that as missionary it is hard because I always wanted to be perfect and it was never that way. So I mean of course I have a few regrets of things I wish I had done better. Like working more with members and so forth. But I have no regrets about the decision I made to come on a mission. I know I blessed so many other people, but the person who I think received the most blessings is myself.

Here in the Milan Mission it is a tradition to give your testimony at the last zone meeting before you go home. I gave my testimony to the Milano Ovest zone and there were many familiar faces there. Allison Astel, Austin Jensen, Anziano Ramey my old comp from Lecco. I gave my testimony of a few things and I wanted to share some of the things I talked about.

When I first got to Siena I was thrown into a crazy world of Italians and I was very inexperienced.  It was tough, no one listened to what we had to say and if they did they were not willing to meet with us. I was blessed to have the best trainer in Italy, Anziano Smith. We taught a few people but none ever went anywhere as far as living the gospel principles. It was very hard to not be discouraged because the members were so few. Just 15 or so Active members. I love Siena so much though, and it taught me how to work hard!

Busto was no easy walk in the park either. The ward was bigger and I loved the members.  Even though Busto was one big trial,  I learned that God has a plan for the elect and that he prepares them. We found a few of them and baptized them. I learned that obedience and faith brings blessings.

In Lecco I felt like I got the opportunity to see some baptisms. Although I was not primarily involved in all of the finding and teaching process of some of the people I was there for the baptism and I felt like it was the Lord saying don’t worry you can be rewarded for your hard work. I had some great companions and Anziano Ramey really helped me to be positive and just be a boss! You have to have confidence and just work hard!

Muggiò I loved to death and I learned leadership skills. I learned that when you set the example everyone else can achieve what you achieve! I was always busy in Muggio and didn’t have time to relax. We worked worked worked. I don’t think I have ever seen so much rain in my life though! Not even in Seattle! At times in the rain on my bike it was hard, but somehow, I don’t know how, I didn’t give up. At times I wanted to give up, not because I didn’t like teaching but because the things I was asked to do where far outside my limits. My miracles were able to meet the demands of so many lessons.

The office was the curve ball section of my mission. I had finally figured out everything. Learned how to be fruitful and just really work a city and find a lot of success. And then I got thrown in the office where we don’t really have personal and comp study, or much time to plan. The spirituality took a hit and it was hard because I couldn't find the guidance of the spirit as easily. I had to learn many new things and relearn some things I thought I already knew.  I got the hang of things and found small ways to invite the spirit. I think that the small things made the bid difference here. The church has grown and I strengthened my testimony. Especially to see that as of tomorrow there will be a stake in Firenze. I never thought I would see the day. But it’s here!

I love my mission. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I love the people. And most of all I love the Lord.

So che La Chiesa Di Gesù Cristo Dei Santi Degli Ultimi Giorni è il regno del Signore stabilito sulla terra. Ho avuto tanti dubbi nella missione riguardo la verità di quello che insegnamo. Ho pensato anche che forse sono pazzo e che sto sprecando il mio tempo qui perché nessuno ci ascolta comunque. Ma alla fine ho capito che non sono qui per me stesso. Ma che sono qui per tutti gli altri. La missione è la cosa più altruista che ci sia! Ci vuole sacrificio e dedicazione. Alla fine la cosa che so che, è che Dio c'è e che questa è la sua chiesa. Nessuno può togliere nè aggingere a quello. Amo il popolo d'Italia! Vi volgio bene!

Anziano Benson

Love you! Vi Amo!

Enjoying My Last Few Weeks!

May 3, 2014
We had a pretty good week nothing in particular happened. Just work work work. I am really enjoying the last few weeks in Italy though. Things are going decently well. We are having some more success as time goes on. I think we are finally situated well here and have figured out some things, so the work seems to be going better.  The office is not an easy place to do proselyting. We do so little of it. Here in a week we will not be doing any at all. Transfer week!!



Anziano Benson and Anziano Bendezu

Other than that, all is well! I will see you in 2 weeks. Next week we will Skype for Mother’s day. What time do you have church? I don’t know? Let me know and Saturday I should be able to write you up and get a time arranged. Thanks! Have a good week!

Love Elder Benson

Still Learning

April 26, 2014

Things are going well. I had a good week. I am still learning lots and I have decided to make these last 3 weeks the best in the mission. The office has been the hardest thing I’ve done in the mission, but it has taught me how be a better disciple of Jesus Christ. That is President Dibbs mission vision. That we all become more like Christ. And after a rough 2 transfers that is what really got me back into the game and got me going again. I wouldn’t say that I ever gave up, but I would say that the last 2 transfers really beat me. I kind of had to relearn a lot of things and I realized that I can’t do this alone. I thought I could, and then I got thrown in the office.  As I have said once and I will say it again, that this was the curve ball transfer. I was hitting home runs in Muggiò like crazy and life was good! And I learned that I needed to be more humble. I’m glad it happened though.

 

We are starting to see some cool things happen in our work. We are seeing some really big changes in this 23 year old we are teaching who wants to be baptized, and also an inactive family who has 2 sons who are young kids but are not baptized. We are excited and are learning how to better manage our time in the office and outside the office. But we do our best and things seem to work out in the end. My new replacement is Anziano Stewart. He seems to be picking up really fast all the tasks here in the office. He is a fast learner and will do well here in the office.

I talked to Anziano Heaton the other day when he called the office. He seems to be doing really well and I think he turned out to be a fine trainee and missionary. He is in Verona and I told him to keep working hard. It makes me proud to see my son doing so well.  In other news my other comp Anziano Moore from Muggio is getting married. I will be there for his wedding in a few weeks I think. Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Have a good week!

Elder Benson

 

Positive Changes

April 19, 2014
Hello Family,
Well we are very very busy in the office.  There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.  I hate to say it but we don’t have much time for missionary work.  I know it sounds lame, but we just get bogged down with the work that has to be done in the office. I know that the office work is just as important as teaching the gospel, but it has been a difficult transition for me.  I have learned a great deal and it has been a great blessing to be able to work so closely with President Dibb.  There are some exciting things happening in Italy right now and it’s great to see all of the positive changes going on. I have seen some real miracles over the past two years here in Italy and it has strengthened my testimony. The Lords work is going forth and it has been a privilege to serve him here in Italy as one of his missionaries.

Sorry so short but we are needed elsewhere. Love you so much and see you soon.

Love, Anziano Benson              

Go Sorelle!!!!!!

April 12, 2014

Stonehaven Missionaries
Anziani Benson, Jenson and Sorella Astel

This week I have very little time, but I am doing well. We are finally teaching a little bit more. We are working more with the less actives and are staying plenty busy in the office. There is always more work to do. I had just a little bit of time in the office the other day though so I made a graph of missionary effectiveness. Anziani vs. Sorelle. I wanted to see if the Sisters baptized more than the elders. So I did a statistical graph and a pie chart.  The truth is that the Sisters are 24% more effective in baptizing than the elders. Elders baptize more but there are tons more elders. So the numbers of elders ratio held against the sisters doesn't win the battle. The sisters take the win for effectiveness. I think that is the truth in life.  Women are just better than us slouchy men I guess. I mean what would we do without our moms? That would be a terrible life.  Thank goodness there are women on earth because we wouldn’t be able to hack it here alone.

Well I think the sad truth has finally sunk in. I’m coming home. I have honestly not been thinking about it much but it has just been creeping up on me. I have to accept the truth that I only have 4 1/2 weeks left here. It is Official I am a dying missionary. I am not too sad about it though. There is a time, a purpose, and a season under heaven. My time, purpose, and season have almost come to an end. I will try to leave the mission on a good note and go out strong though. I think the work is starting to turn around here now that we have a good idea of what we are doing. We are starting to find how to be more effective and save time and we know more people including the members. The work is speeding up around here, and as long as we do our best, I will have no regrets.

 I love you mom and dad so much. Thank you for all you do.

Love Elder Benson

Transfer Madness

April 5, 2014
Just when I thought transfer week was going to be a breeze... Monday was not too bad, Tuesday we picked up one Elder that arrived from Spain. Then Wednesday all the Americans arrived. Thursday is when the madness began. We did all day trips between the train station and the mission office to transport the trainers, new missionaries, and of course the old missionaries who were going home. After we wrapped up the departure dinner at Presidents house, we cleaned up a bit and I went to work at 9:00 PM. President was having a mission counsel meeting with all the zone leaders the next morning on Friday so I had to stay up will 1:30 AM in the office preparing everything for the meeting.

President's Chair

At  4:00 AM we woke up to drive the departing missionaries to the airport. It was sad because I have known all of these missionaries for so long. Maybe you know some of them? Anziano Davis, Anziano Johnson? I did about 5 scambi with Anziano Torgerson and Sorella Harward was in Muggio with me when I was there.  I think it really hit me there unloading the bags and the departure area that I’m next, and that’s ok with me. It doesn’t seem so weird, or overwhelming, or super exciting or sad. It just feels normal now. The group was too big so we had to do 2 trips. On the way back on the second trip I had Anziano Johnson and Sister Lyman who were both flying into Idaho Falls together. We dropped them off and headed home. As we were pulling up at the office we got a call from President saying “Elder Benson, go immediately back to the airport! Elder Johnson's flight just got canceled and will be staying another day in Italy.” So we went and brought them back to the office and then took them back out today again at 4:00 Am.   

"Get to Work Elders"

So we had some fun with Elder Johnson in the office and later in the evening. We went out and did some missionary work.  The last family we saw before returning back home for the night was an inactive member! He is Peruvian like Bendezu, and his wife is not a member. They have a little baby and so we are hoping that we will be able to teach them.  Maybe we needed Anziano Johnson one last day in Italy for this.

Well all is well and we are doing great. We are not doing anywhere near as much missionary work as I am used to, but as the phrase goes in the office, “your office work and your health and sanity are more important than proselyting. Unfortunately that’s the way it goes too, but it’s the best we can do. We do missionary work when we get around to it. We have a million other things to do for the President and we often stay long into the night doing them for him.

All is well.  I love serving and it’s been a great experience here in the office. I look forward to seeing my family very soon.

Doing My Best

March 29, 2014
Well this week was rather normal, but did have one cool thing though. A week ago we stopped a family on the street. They told us they were actually interested in listening, but were very busy with moving houses. We offered to help them with the move and told them we could use the car! They said well why not! And we exchanged numbers!

We went and helped them move and all went well. They are from Peru the same as Anziano Bendezu so they got along well and we set up an appointment. We taught them and they are very open and interested. Well the dad is a little less interested but maybe that’s because he speaks Spanish and misses a few words when I talk haha. But Anz Bendezu covers me well when I am teaching because he also speaks Spanish. The lesson went well and I think they seem prepared.

 On the other side of things I heard some good things are going down in Muggiò. One of my former investigators that I found is getting baptized by the Muggiò Sisters! I’m so excited! Also one of my other investigators that I taught with Anziano Tanner is getting ready as well. He needs just a little more time, but I am confident that he will be baptized before I go home.

Not much happening here. I am doing well as in the fact that I am happy. It’s hard to balance the office with missionary work, but I think what is important is that I am striving to do my best.

Love, Elder Benson

Busy but Doing Great!

March 22, 2014
Hey I am doing great!

Things have been going much smoother in the office. I am finally getting the hang of what I am doing around here. I think this week was the first week that it really hit me that my mission is almost over. It is probably the most bitter sweet feeling in the world. I really want to stay but I really don't want to stay either! I think what I like the most is the members. They are just such good people. They have become my family when I had none nearby and they sure took good care of me, and they just love the missionaries! It is really great. I’m thankful for them.

Sorry but we are very short on time today. 

Elder Benson

Historical Trip

March 15, 2013



Torre Pallice Hike

Spring!

It's here it's finally here! Spring has arrived! It has just been absolutely gorgeous this week! Sun sun sun. I think we got to like 65 degrees here and it was just fantastic. Today we made a historical trip! I don’t know how much you know about Italy but if you know anything you will know that Lorenzo Snow opened Italy to missionary work. And where did he do this? Torre Pellice (TO) Italia! So one of the perks in the office is that we get to be lab rats sometimes for the president in trying things out.

 

Torre Pellice  Site is nob on the left

In May, President will be taking a group of people up to a mountain where they dedicated the land of Italy to missionary work. And well, he had never been. So we decided to go and find out how to get there! We read the journal entries in the car on the way there (about 2.5 hours in car from Opera) and we also read the account of President Benson when he came to Italy to re-dedicate the land of Italy for the reopening of the missionary work. Both occasions took place on a rather high mountain above the tiny town of Torre Pellice in Piemonte. Wow what a p-day it was. Unfortunately after much hiking we ran into about 4-6 feet of snow in some places and were forced to turn back before reaching the very peek of the mountain where Lorenzo Snow and President Benson once stood. We tried our best to make it wading through the snow waste deep but after soaking and freezing we called it quits and came back down. We never made it to the place where the dedicatory prayers were given but we were so close and could almost see the top. But on the way up we got some just incredible views of the Italian and French Alps. I even could see some ski resorts in the distance. I hope that I will get to go back when we go in May. But we are not sure if it will be before or after I go home. However if we ever come to Italy we will go to Torre Pellice and finish that hike. I will say that it was not an easy hike. Man the Italians just make trails straight up the mountain. They don’t really know what switchbacks are. The straighter the less time right!? Not sure what they were thinking when they made this trail! Man it was a doozy. It was really great though and I would have to rank this up in the top 3 p-days of all time in Italy. It’s a must do. It was probably one of the most beautiful hikes that I have been on and well you know Idahoans, we know hiking better than some of these Italians! But I do have to say they beat us on this one. It was just fantastic. There was a little bit of smog and fog in the low valley so the pics did not turn out that great. But it was one of those first hand experiences that you have to have. I am exhausted. I will attach a file explaining the story about all the fun we had today written by a historian professor at BYU. It is great and has tons of cool pictures and facts in it including the prayers.

Well that’s all I got for today! Love you family!

 

Just Ask for The Beckham!

March 8, 2013


Well I am doing very well! Not much to report on here. It’s been a really busy week and we have done a lot, actually, a ton of overtime here in the office. But we aren’t getting paid haha. I am really enjoying the office. I like being busy, makes the time pass faster. After this experience though, I’m not sure I will want to work in an office as a living haha. Well we will see. I think that it’s crazy that next week we will be starting week 3 of the transfer! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I don’t like this! Only 9 weeks left! Time is just flying too fast. I just got here. When you say just 9 weeks that is just not enough. Well looks like I am on the slippery slope to going to the land of never ending p day as they call it here in the mission. I’m not sure if that place exists though. People go to the other side but they never come back! Haha Anyway, we really don’t have a lot going for us as far as missionary work goes. I’m not discouraged, but just rather lost. I mean we took over an area with no investigators. There is not really anyone that we are teaching right now. We are working with a few less actives, and I’m doing all that I can.

My New HairDo

 I have to tell you something funny. So in the mission I have never gone to the barber, actually I have never been to the barber in my life! Really no joke! Mom has always cut my hair, and usually in all the apartments they have hair clippers so I just do it myself and it looks bad but who cares. Well, there are no clippers in the mission office. So I had to go get a haircut.  In the area book it had a reference for the local barber. It said "go to this address and ask for the Beckham. EURO 14." That’s all it said. I said ok! I went and did it and man am I styling now! I look just like the real Beckham! I think it might be on the border of almost non missionary appropriate and it just barley makes the cut as presidentially approved haha. This is a sweet stylin hairdo. This thing is a chick magnet! I’ve been missing out after all these years on good haircuts! Oh well.



Just ask for The Beckham!

 
Love,  Anziano Benson





Barely Presidentially Approved!





Not Enough Time

March 1, 2013

Well after week 2 in the office I still haven’t got everything figured out. There is just too much work to do and not enough time. Usually I have someone to help me learn all this but they just gave me an office chair and a computer and said go to work! I don’t really know what I’m doing but things are getting better. It will be really nice though to know all this for college. It will make life easier. The office if far from a well oiled machine. It’s usually chaos and papers flying all over and things usually never go according to plan. Copiers not working, computer updates messing up the entire Microsoft office, lost information.  We used to have 150 missionaries now we are at 250. When we do one thing it’s not easy because we do it for 250 people not just 2. Everything here is just multiplied. To do one simple email it takes forever because we have to add all the new missionaries emails  and delete the old ones. It’s just really complicated.

Well I am doing good all in all. Teaching time is short as is, and lately it usually gets cut short by office work. But I think we can have an extra hand in this. I will forward you a letter from Taylor that talks about the golden key! That is what I am shooting for. He talked to me about this and it gave me the drive to work towards the golden key. Anyways I love you all and I hope you have a good week!

 Elder Benson

What A WEEEEEEK!!!

February 22, 2014

Back to Milano!

WHAT A WEEEEEEKKK!

Anziani Steving, Benson, Bendezu

I got transferred on Sunday evening to the office here in Opera/Milano to be the Secretary. The last 2 transfers I will be here in the office. I don't think that was what I expected; actually I didn't see it coming at all. I had planned out my week in Muggio already and was planning to leave on Thursday. Nope! I didn’t even get to go to church in Muggio with the ward. I just got transferred so fast I didn't even get my bags all packed! I just threw it all in the car pretty much and somehow, not surprised, I lost some slacks and they were my favorite kind! I'm still mad about it! Oh well. My new P-day is now Saturday.

Anyway, the transfers for all the missionaries was really crazy. Usually you get trained when you get to the office and well I didn’t get that. They just said here you go! And gave me the computer and started to fill up my to do list with random tasks that I had no idea how to do. The missionary who was in the office before me was a physics major and a math mathematician genius so he created all these super crazy formulas, calculations, of like who knows what on the excel spreadsheets that I have no idea still how to work. In fact before I knew that I was coming here I was thinking man it would be nice to know how to use a computer when I get home. Wish granted! But I didn't think about this! This is much more rigorous and intense than I thought! But that’s alright when I get home I will know all there is to know about word and excel if you need anything haha. Projects anyone?

Lake Como

I’m really tired. Let’s just say it was not an easy change. It was actually a frustrating week and I still have a headache from all the hours of staring at a monitor. From 8:00-10:00 PM one day I was answering calls and fixing stuff on the computer. Arranging things and changing the stuff for transfers. I basically crashed mentally after a few days and finally we got all the new missionaries here and to their cities. The amount of things I have had to learn in like a matter of 24 hours was way more than I could handle and there were some mistakes and some frustration with transfers and departures for going home missionaries. We had dinners, lunches, runs to airport 4 times new missionary pair ups and I had to reorganize the mission roster of who is in what city. Like I know who is where? I just got here Sunday night! Anyways I am just the do whatever they tell me guy but hey I got my own car and computer. That’s cool. And we get to hang with President Dibb and the assistants all day. Baptisms will be tough because we are white washing the city.  It’s a new area for us. Should be a lot of fun and baptism should be pretty possible. We just have less time though because we are here in the office until 5:00 every day. So little time!! But it will be all good.

Well we have a car and I am the designated driver. Pretty cool. Italy is terrifying though. I fear for my life every time that I get in that screaming metal death trap. People do not drive like they do in Idaho! Not to mention that the roads make no sense AT ALL!!  I have taken so many wrong turns even with the GPS! And when I do actually follow tom tom there is always road construction and we don't even end up on the same road because there are no detours because it’s not possible here! Everything is too old and they can’t make a temporary road because there is no space haha. I don't even know how you are supposed to drive a Ferrari here because there are no straight roads! There are a few speed limit signs but you don't need them because none of the roads are straight for more than 100 yards. You can’t possibly exceed 30 MPH!

My New Comps in Como

I  have 2 comps here. We are in 3. Anziano Steving is from Idaho Falls and Anziano Bendezu was trained by my son, Anziano Heaton! He is a really cool dude. He is from Rome. He is Peruvian and his family moved here when he was like 5 or 6 so he has grown up here and is practically a native. My whole mission I have wanted an Italian... close enough. We live across the hall from the mission office here in Opera. It’s like 15 min south of Milan in some small suburbs. It’s a really small quiet place with no stores haha. All is well.

Well that was my week and I’m really tired so I’m going to take a nap. Tell everyone hello for me!

Anziano Benson

Poland!!! What???

February 12, 2013

Well, I didn’t see that one coming. I’m excited that my little sister Ellis will be serving in the Poland Warsaw Mission. I was really convinced that she was going to Rome, but unfortunately it’s not to be. But that’s ok, its Europe. Hopefully there are more members there than in Italy but I doubt it. Ellis is just fantastic! I love her to death. I sent her a good email. She will do great! In the end it’s ok if you don’t speak the language haha no one cares anyways because it’s the spirit that changes lives and they will just love her. I will have a nice talk with her when I get home though and prep her. Its mission training time!!!!!!! Get in shape (spiritually, mentally, physically!) Yeah! I can help her out with a bunch of stuff. I think Poland is really cold, so you better get her all geared up for the cold weather because I thought I came prepared for the cold and well that jacket that was supposedly water proof is a water spoof and its totally garbage. It soaks up water not repels it so make sure to send her with a rain jacket so she at least stays dry. It looks like we will have about 4 weeks all together before she leaves and I am thankful for that. Well I’m really happy for her and I hope that all will go well for her. Tell her not to stress too much. She will be an amazing missionary.

Well things are going just great here. My comp is awesome. We get along really great. I think I get along with him better than he gets along with me though haha. But that’s ok with me. I tend to take over a bit and I need to let him be in charge more but I will be handing over the reins here in about a week. Anyway, things are going great. No complaints here.

 Hmmm well I don’t have much to say and we are in a little short on time. But the baptism is confirmed this week for Friday and its all planned and ready to go. I’m really excited! Other than that we lost all of our investigators and well all we have left is 1 family of 3. The rest we have given to the other companionships of sisters and elders here. Transfers are next week. I’m really excited. I might be training, but you never know. But I hope that I get sent really far from Lombardia.  I have spent most of my mission here. Well I love you all and thank you so much mom and Dad!

Love Elder Benson