Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Pasqua

Era una meravilgiosa Pasqua.- It was a wonderful Easter.
Starting with last Wednesday, our district had a chance to take actual Italian names to the temple. Our teacher gave some names from a huge stack from a lady she knew, and she just came from Italy or something. They were all Francesco, GianLuca, and Giovanni; names like that and it totally rocked to do work for people that actually were from Italy.
Friday rocked because we received our travel plans, which means our Visa's are here. We'll be traveling on British Airways.

​Also, as you can see, I was assigned as the Travel Leader. (Yep, I think my sister Hannah was too.) Obviously they just assign it by last name because I've never been on a commercial jet before. I haven't really even been in an airport. Oh well. I'm excited, but not excited for the layovers. I have 11 people in our group going to Milan. The Roman missionaries have only one stop in Chicago, (with a 5 hour layover) but then head straight to Italy. (They also have to wake up at 2 in the morning.) I am privileged to have to wake up with them, because of Anziano Cowden and Anziano Segura are heading to Rome. The Milano missionaries only have to leave at 5:30 in the morning. Va beh.
Also, this is the last time I will email in the United States, it doesn't look like they give us anytime to email again before we leave!
Saturday was great with 'La Conferenza Generale' and no worries of teaching, Favorite Talk of the day was Gerald Causse, and I got a great nights rest.
Sunday was greatest. Era melgiore. General Conference was super uplifting (favorite of Sunday was Elder Holland). Non saltate senza la speranza- vedete per i mani del Signore!
Instead of a regular Easter devotional talk that night, the Presidency of the MTC said we had already had too many talks, so we received a special treat.
That night, Vocal Point sang for us. They preformed all of there best hits, and  several hymns as well. Oh, I have missed some good music here. They had permission to sing their Newsie Medley, their 12 days of Christmas and even more! Throughout, they also bore testimonies of all of their missions. All 9 of them, AND the director are RMs.
At the end, our district went up and shook their hands. I told the bass that I was grateful for them, and without him evening knowing me, he asked 'Are you going to BYU?" I said 'Maybe." He then told me I should audition, I told him I sing barbershop all the time and he then said that if I auditioned, I would most likely become part of Vocal Point. That raised my spirits more than anything, because I have missed music a lot here, especially being with musical people. Not to bash my zone or anything, but... I just wish one or two would sing with me, and be able to hold a tune.
Alright, these last 2 weeks we are teaching all three of our teachers as 'investigators', but I feel really good about the language, and have been helping my district learn it, and struggle through it.
Io Sono Benedetto dopo la conferenza generale e i massaggi dei profeti. Ringrazio Dio per il dono della lingua e lo spirito santo qui alle MTC. Dico queste parole, il vangelo e questa chiese; sono vero, nel nome di Gesu Cristo, Amen.
 I am blessed to have seen General Conference with other missionaries, and I'm blessed to have the language come to me so easy. This gospel is true, in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

isaac.benge@myldsmail.net