I apologize for not writing last week, sometimes I get just half an
hour at the end of Pday to write and I use it for rest time. We do so
much walking here, because it's the safest and fastest, I get
charley-horses in my feet every night, but you know, there's nothing
wrong with just walking. There's always a thousand new people to stop
or hand pamphlets to.
The biggest news you missed out on was that we contacted a potential
named Malu, and her boyfriend Paolo. She is a Brazilian woman who
adores missionaries because her son his far from her in Brazil, and
he's a member. She's been investigating the church for over 25 years,
and then when the branches became a ward here, she just disappeared
until we found her.
Her 'companion' does optics for eyeglasses, he loves sports and
Americans, but knows nothing about the church (well, now he does),
they both love birds (they have like 50), they want to get married,
they hopefully will be baptized immediately after, and they give us
loads of food every time we stop by. Last Sunday she gave us both
really nice haircuts for service because we 'needed them'. And they
look good. They are pretty well off, and have an exciting house in
centro.
Alex hasn't come to church yet, though he commits every single time.
We are waiting for that before we reset the baptdate
Alessandro and Manuela haven't come, and our member present lesson
fell through, but since she's pregnant, they're hesitantly doing
nothing with only minor commitment.
We are having a great time here in Firenze. Anz. Harris and I get
along really well. We laugh, we bought a cactus and did finding with
it, we are happy and busy.
Yesterday we did a 'scambio', Harris didn't like it a ton, but I went
down to Montevarchi. Castronovo and I made our way in train down to
Castiglion Fiorentino (the best), and I interviewed Kenneth for
baptism. He's totally ready and I realized what good friends Nigerians
are. If you don't have any African friends, go get some, because they
rock.
I am learning to speak pigeon English.
:)
Vi voglio bene
--Anziano Benge
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Ahimè, I am Training
I am training a 'greenie' here in Firenze. His name is Anziano Connor Harris straight outta Utah (Brigham City). We get along quite nicely, and Training really isn't that bad. He doesn't speak a lick of Italian, but that was expected, and I already know how to deal with that; Language study, talking on the streets, constructive criticiscm.
It's been raining a lot, but its fine. Before I picked Harris up in Milano, I stopped by in Padova to grab my long-awaited Permesso. I finally have it! (Except it expires in the first week of May) I have to start the reapplication process over AGAIN this coming week.
The first day with Harris, we finally got a hold of a man named Alessandro, an Ex-Investigator who had stopped meeting the missionaries a year ago. He invited us over, and so we went to Scandicci, found his house, and he let us in. His wife is pregnant, and they are really nice people! Even better, they had realized that they were happier when they had been meeting with us and they'd been praying for recontact. They've read the entire Book of Mormon, they want to relearn all the discussions, they missed us a lot! That was awesome.
I am still the District leader here in Firenze. The new District is Harris and I, Anz. Kenny and Taylor (the Zone Leaders), Sorella Hogan and Taylor, and also the Montevarchi missionaries: Stanley and Castronovo, and Sorella D'Aleo and Castro. The district is large, and we had District meeting all the way down in San Giovanni Valdarno because the Firenze Training Sisters and 'Capi Zona' (ZLs) were in Milano for a conference.
All of our contacts seemed to have evaporated again. I really have no idea why nobody answers their phones. Alex was too shy to come to church again, so we postponed the Baptism. Life is changing, and it's good!
We found a villa, we did finding at it (success!)
(Harris and I with Fratello Forni, Festa Carnivale)
Last night Harris and I went to dinner with Riccardo (the blind and deaf member whom I love), and his family and friends. We ate some good food and brought a 'CioccoSalame' for desert. (100g Melted chocolate, 150g crushed cookies, 50g butter, an egg, some 25g of sugar or so, cooled into a roll shape)
I'm not 100% sure what 'Carnivale' is, but it's some Italian celebration that is known especially in Venezia or something. Anyway, we are happy and we love ITALY!
Remember Heavenly Father's love for you! Remember His Son's atoning sacrifice. Remember Faith, Love, and Charity!
See you next year!
-- Anziano Isaac Benge
ps: Anziano Harris' dad served in Italy. His last area was Firenze. Harris is beginning where his dad left off!
pps: He also plays soccer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)