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