Novara is -———-

You can fill in the blank or come to understand that I meant 'blank'.
As in, Novara is blank. Or flat, or empty. Every time I see the alps
in the far off distance it reminds me. Ok, it's not totally empty, but
I feel as though I know it like the back of my hand. It's just a very
simple place.

On Sunday, we had a dinner with an inactive American who lives in
Galliate. We ate fajitas.
Fajitas don't exist here, so it surely was a treat. It was more of a
dinner party, with several associates and students of this member (he
served a mission here long ago, and now teaches English). We had to
teach all the Italians how to make fajitas. They didn't understand
that you used your hands, and that the veggies and meat were supposed
to be all mixed together in the tortilla. We met some interesting
people, like Maryke from South Africa, and Serena from the
Illinois/Missouri border; who were both our age. As well as two
Italians who were our age, Marco and Martina, I think. They played
guitar, and I got to play some after we ate our gelato dessert. I
haven't played guitar forever! Yikes

Monday to Tuesday I had an exchange with Anziano Penfold in
Vercelli. We had a few lessons, but he also showed me the nearly
completed chapel that they're building. It's in a distant location
that almost makes me angry; it's already extremely difficult to get
people to come to church, not to mention ourselves. Now, the new
church, which will open in September or July, is a twenty minute walk
from the station, and no buses that go near it. Rain, or boiling sun,
the suited missionaries of Novara and their nervous investigators are
going to have to take the costly 20 minute train ride and then walk 20
minutes to get to church. Just to get wifi on Pday, it will take
Novara Anziani over an hour there, and an hour back...making iPad
services for emailing defunct. It will be better to go to Internet
points and pay to use computers, like we did my first transfer in
Italy.
I think of this, and realize it's such a small sacrifice compared
to what others might have to do, I'll try not to complain, as I've
already done too much.
I love this as it is, and know the church is true.

Vi voglio tanto bene
--Anziano Benge
-1- Galliate
-2- Vercelli, alps in the distance

I should probably change something up.

One of the worst things about missionary work in Novara is that you
fall into a boring habit every week. You always leave the house at the
same time to always do finding at the exact same park, because it's
the only place people exist. We always teach the same people Friday at
4. We always teach the same people Thursday nights. Church, institute
where no one comes. Pday, where it costs us too much to go anywhere,
we don't have wifi...
The thing I can see to fix this would be passing inactive members in
distant lands, but again, the problem is we don't have money, AND all
the missionaries before us were the same as bored, so they've already
compiled a list of what inactive members don't want to see us (half of
them), and which ones don't live at the address anymore (the other
half).
Sorry, I feel as though there is nothing else to remark to you.
Everything is progressing slowly, but fine.
Shoutout to Sister Liz Surace who just left on her mission to the SLC
temple, she'll be in the MTC. Also thanks to Endurance, the most
faithful Nigerian member in the stake. Thanks to Victor Sponton, who
always knows when our nights are open, and invites us to Burger King
or homemade food with non members. Much thanks to Ester Celgie, the
most recent convert here; she is extremely faithful, makes our
missionary work so much easier, and is the best friend anyone could
have.

Vi voglio tanto bene!!

--Anziano Benge

I'm trying not to be bored

Dear, Adatti Vernici Schioccati
This email will send when I get wifi. That may take a while as:
-Novara has no wifi in it.
-We didn't make it to the church
-Tomorrow we have to go to Brescia for my companion's Permesso.

He's in his 14th transfer, and yet he still has to go apply for a new
one though he'll be home in three months. This is Italian/mission
beauracracy. Anziano Jaques, from Boise, he draws and is a really fun
guy.

We're making the best out of Novara. It's not bad, we're just...alone
out here. If Italy was like the USA, Novara is like the city: Grand
Island. Never heard of it? It's because it is in Nebraska, and that's
how I am beginning to feel. It is just the Italian Midwest, lest
spunk, more dowdiness. I'm not complaining, I'm just putting it how it
is; I'd LIKE to leave sometime in the future, but I'm also not going
to escape...unless I start melting. I could stay here for a long time
and have no problem with that.

We teach a lot of inactives. We taught a guy named Gian Luca in
Vigevano; the first time we'd met him (Anz. Young and I) we gave him a
Book of Mormon. As we met him this second time, he'd already read to 1
Nefi chapter 20. We're definitely sticking with this guy, whenever we
can get out there!!

I've done some reflecting, and I partially consider myself able to
write some in Italian, so enjoy this poem I made for you:

-Or sono; Mi parse così
Or sei; Le tue vestigia ne seguì
Fiamma vivissima, il tuo sorriso fu
Il sacro fuoco guida, e mi pigli tu
Or sono; Mi parse un secolo
Or sei, non mai troppo lontano
Incendio baldanzoso, l'amore sempre c'è
-Mi butto nei braci, il motivo—? Ardevo per te

Anyway, I'm gonna go na
Love,
--Anziano Benge