After Emails last week I walked around the Duomo, and Castello Sforzesco, the popular tourist spots, but as always, my favorite are just the side streets, and small churches. With more google street view, my favorites were Piazza Castello, Piazza Sempione, Via Mario Pagano, and Via Sempione. Later that night we were doing finding, and on the way home found a lost Czech man that we had to lead to a faraway bus stop, but we got some good conversation going, in broken english, about the gospel. Too bad he's headed home to the Czech Republic.
Thursday- we met Osama again and gave him the Restoration lesson and his Arabic Book of Mormon, he doesn't like to talk much, but I think he understands quite well. We just need to prepare him for baptism. Then we met Mohep, in the same park, and found that he also needed a copy of the Book of Mormon, and pamphets in Arabic. We will meet with him again later...That night we also taught English class, it sure doesn't help my Italian, but it is fun. We just hope some non-members show from the ads we hand out.
Friday- We had lunch with the District leader Anziano Orso, and his companion Anziano Fields, and then went to find inactive members on Via D. Millelire, Via Guascona (a huge long awesome road in the middle of nowhere) Via Delle Genzione, and Via A. Fleming. None of the members answered again, or didn't exist, or moved.
Saturday- We tried to meet with Mohep, and he called and said he couldn't come, but we have his Arabic stuff, and I hate carrying it around, but vah beh. Later, at Giardion G. Bonnelli we felt prompted to talk to this man sitting alone. He was crazy. He had an actual release form from the hospital and it said that he had lost all his Memory only a couple hours ago, and he had been found in this park. Sure enough, the Italian 'healthcare' just releases him into the public again, and he doesn't have an ID or anything, but they told him to return to the garden and wait. So, apperently he was waiting for us, but he could still be sitting there for all we know. We gave him a pamphlet and as he smoked we taught him. Then we prayed for him to regain his memory, then left.
Thursday- we met Osama again and gave him the Restoration lesson and his Arabic Book of Mormon, he doesn't like to talk much, but I think he understands quite well. We just need to prepare him for baptism. Then we met Mohep, in the same park, and found that he also needed a copy of the Book of Mormon, and pamphets in Arabic. We will meet with him again later...That night we also taught English class, it sure doesn't help my Italian, but it is fun. We just hope some non-members show from the ads we hand out.
Friday- We had lunch with the District leader Anziano Orso, and his companion Anziano Fields, and then went to find inactive members on Via D. Millelire, Via Guascona (a huge long awesome road in the middle of nowhere) Via Delle Genzione, and Via A. Fleming. None of the members answered again, or didn't exist, or moved.
Saturday- We tried to meet with Mohep, and he called and said he couldn't come, but we have his Arabic stuff, and I hate carrying it around, but vah beh. Later, at Giardion G. Bonnelli we felt prompted to talk to this man sitting alone. He was crazy. He had an actual release form from the hospital and it said that he had lost all his Memory only a couple hours ago, and he had been found in this park. Sure enough, the Italian 'healthcare' just releases him into the public again, and he doesn't have an ID or anything, but they told him to return to the garden and wait. So, apperently he was waiting for us, but he could still be sitting there for all we know. We gave him a pamphlet and as he smoked we taught him. Then we prayed for him to regain his memory, then left.
Sunday- Church, nothing special, and then did finding in Pero, but then later picked up 6 other missionaries that would be staying with us for the next Day, which was
Monday- Anziano Bednar spoke to us, and it was amazing, because it actually wasn't a speech, but a 3 hour discussion with him, yeah a discussion. Almost everyone talked to an Apostol, and it rocked. To summarize: Yes we will be recieving Ipads soon, and we need to use them as a missionary would use them. Accept Critisism, it is of God. Understand, and be the best you can.
I can't even say how cool it was. Highlight of the whole mission for sure, maybe
Tues- Just did some finding, and met with a man named Nikola, now a new Investigator, and he's awesome. But I gotta go! It was a great week! The church is true!
Anziano Isaac Benge
Monday, April 13, 2015
I'm Leavin', on a Jet Plane
Tomorrow- The first flight of my life on a commercial jet... But I know I'm sponsored by the Lord.
I'll be in Italy by Wednesday, and Preaching the Good word from then on, and forever! Arrivederci!
--
I'll be in Italy by Wednesday, and Preaching the Good word from then on, and forever! Arrivederci!
Anziano Isaac Benge
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.
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!
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.
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
isaac.benge@myldsmail.net
--
Anziano Mortezazadeh checking himself out or something.
My district has been called the goofiest district of all time by all the teachers. I don't know why necessarily, we only say funny things, and make up Inglistalian. Some things we've made up and say to our teachers on a regular basis. (Although I try not to.)
- Cosa Su?! (What is up? (literally))
- Sono pumputo (I am pumped (literally))
- Frah (Bro, the abbr. of Fratello)
and a couple others. None of these actually mean anything in Italy though.
A couple days ago our district found out that Italian has 14 different tenses. 8 of them are past tense. But then our teachers calmed us down a bit, by telling us we will only use 12 of them, not all 14.
Tuesday we had a general authority speak to us. Elder Michael John U. Teh, of the Seventy. He spoke to us and compared our mission to the mission of Ammon. One thing he mentioned is that we all left a 'kingdom' but how Ammon had a chance to become prince of Lamoni at one point, to regain his kingdom. He told us how we will have a time like this in our missions where we will have to remember we are still missionaries and say: "No."
13 days from now I'll be heading to Italy. It's kinda getting close, I feel pressured to study Preach My Gospel more, and to speak Italian everywhere I can. Our district isn't too good at doing SYL (speak your language) and I just hope we don't drown in the language when we arrive.
As of now, we don't have our Visas, but we still have time, I know the Lord will do what we need to do, so if a delay happens, it was supposed to.
General Conference is coming up, Everyone says it's a special time at the MTC, I believe them. I urge you all to watch and listen, and act on the prophets' words.
Time is up! Gotta go!
--
Doing laundry before 6 in the morning... because? I don't know, it wasn't my idea.
I look exhausted. I'm been doing well here, not as good as I hoped because I have a pinched nerve in my leg from playing 4square (or maybe from riding 5 miles on an exercise bike?) But just like what happened this last summer, my right leg has seized up and hurts like Galileo, oh well. I spend 8 hours a day in our class room sitting down, so I expect it to heal quickly.
Last night, I finally had a chance to sing and preform in the choir. We sang 'Behold the Wounds in Jesus' Hands' and it really brought the spirit to the Devotional. Elder Hamula of the Seventy spoke about the cycle of faith and truth but mainly the highlight was singing. I've missed singing.
Also last night, the switched the leadership in our zone, and we now have 2 romanian zone leaders, and our district leader is my companion Anziano Mortezazadeh, I think it's all ready gone to his head. The hard part is actually the Romanian Zone Leaders. The branch promises us that our whole zone will be great friends, but our teachers ask us to speak Italian or Romanian 100% of the day, so we don't ever talk except sunday. At lunch the Romanians sit together, and us, the Italians sit across the room. It only works because we share the same dorm floor, and go to church together.
Io so che questa chiesa ha la verita! Ciao
-- isaac.benge@myldsmail.net
l'Anziano Isaac Benge
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
No Email Today
April Fools
Lamest April Fools joke, but it's the only one I have time for, so no big deal.
Anziano Mortezazadeh checking himself out or something.
My district has been called the goofiest district of all time by all the teachers. I don't know why necessarily, we only say funny things, and make up Inglistalian. Some things we've made up and say to our teachers on a regular basis. (Although I try not to.)
- Cosa Su?! (What is up? (literally))
- Sono pumputo (I am pumped (literally))
- Frah (Bro, the abbr. of Fratello)
and a couple others. None of these actually mean anything in Italy though.
A couple days ago our district found out that Italian has 14 different tenses. 8 of them are past tense. But then our teachers calmed us down a bit, by telling us we will only use 12 of them, not all 14.
Tuesday we had a general authority speak to us. Elder Michael John U. Teh, of the Seventy. He spoke to us and compared our mission to the mission of Ammon. One thing he mentioned is that we all left a 'kingdom' but how Ammon had a chance to become prince of Lamoni at one point, to regain his kingdom. He told us how we will have a time like this in our missions where we will have to remember we are still missionaries and say: "No."
13 days from now I'll be heading to Italy. It's kinda getting close, I feel pressured to study Preach My Gospel more, and to speak Italian everywhere I can. Our district isn't too good at doing SYL (speak your language) and I just hope we don't drown in the language when we arrive.
As of now, we don't have our Visas, but we still have time, I know the Lord will do what we need to do, so if a delay happens, it was supposed to.
General Conference is coming up, Everyone says it's a special time at the MTC, I believe them. I urge you all to watch and listen, and act on the prophets' words.
Time is up! Gotta go!
l'Anziano Isaac Benge
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
I actually can't speak Italian
Doing laundry before 6 in the morning... because? I don't know, it wasn't my idea.
I look exhausted. I'm been doing well here, not as good as I hoped because I have a pinched nerve in my leg from playing 4square (or maybe from riding 5 miles on an exercise bike?) But just like what happened this last summer, my right leg has seized up and hurts like Galileo, oh well. I spend 8 hours a day in our class room sitting down, so I expect it to heal quickly.
Last night, I finally had a chance to sing and preform in the choir. We sang 'Behold the Wounds in Jesus' Hands' and it really brought the spirit to the Devotional. Elder Hamula of the Seventy spoke about the cycle of faith and truth but mainly the highlight was singing. I've missed singing.
Also last night, the switched the leadership in our zone, and we now have 2 romanian zone leaders, and our district leader is my companion Anziano Mortezazadeh, I think it's all ready gone to his head. The hard part is actually the Romanian Zone Leaders. The branch promises us that our whole zone will be great friends, but our teachers ask us to speak Italian or Romanian 100% of the day, so we don't ever talk except sunday. At lunch the Romanians sit together, and us, the Italians sit across the room. It only works because we share the same dorm floor, and go to church together.
Io so che questa chiesa ha la verita! Ciao
l'Anziano Isaac Benge
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
6 Years Later...
It is kind of funny how we spend 6 years in the MTC, and only 2 years in Italy... At least that's what it feels like. If I didn't have an ounce of logic, and you asked me how long ago I had sent an email, I'd say it's been at least a couple months since my last email. Nope, that's not true.
Italian is an awesome language, when you can speak it. I've memorized and (internalized) The missionary purpose, The first vision, 1 Nefi 3:7, Moroni 10:7, Baptisimal Questions, and several lessons all in Italian now. My English is terrible, and I'm at language equilibrium where our district is supposed to only speak Italian, but I don't know any words, and so I try to use English, but I can't remember any English words either. Just typing this last paragraph took 10 minutes or so because, you know, Inglese.
Anyway, Wednesdays I am privileged to visit the temple in the afternoon, so I will be heading there at two pm, just like last week. The Provo temple is Awesome, and I'm pumped that I can go every week.
Italian is an awesome language, when you can speak it. I've memorized and (internalized) The missionary purpose, The first vision, 1 Nefi 3:7, Moroni 10:7, Baptisimal Questions, and several lessons all in Italian now. My English is terrible, and I'm at language equilibrium where our district is supposed to only speak Italian, but I don't know any words, and so I try to use English, but I can't remember any English words either. Just typing this last paragraph took 10 minutes or so because, you know, Inglese.
Anyway, Wednesdays I am privileged to visit the temple in the afternoon, so I will be heading there at two pm, just like last week. The Provo temple is Awesome, and I'm pumped that I can go every week.
Sunday Devotional was great, and we were treated with a conversion story by a Korean lady (who just moved from Korea 10 days ago, but the missionaries in the MTC thought they were teaching a member in Korea via Skype, turned out she wasn't a member, and decided to move to Utah for better schooling, and to join the church. She had a translator and all. :) Pretty awesome.
Tuesday devotional was by a member of the Seventy, Elder Clarke, and he gave some gnarly thoughts about missionary work, love, and etc. His talk definitely grows my testimony. I wish I could say more, but my Email time is 3/4 over.
My district has become closer, but also busier. We now have 3 teachers, and 1 'investigator', and TRC on Thursday. (starting tomorrow) I don't know what TRC stands for, because it probably is English, which doesn't help anything, but generally it's like giving a Home Teacher lesson to a member of the Church. So, an Italian RM, or Bishop or, some other member volunteers and we teach them in Italian.
I don't have pictures this week, I just wish you all health. Salute!
This gospel is amazing! Ciao, fine a che prossima volta!
--
Tuesday devotional was by a member of the Seventy, Elder Clarke, and he gave some gnarly thoughts about missionary work, love, and etc. His talk definitely grows my testimony. I wish I could say more, but my Email time is 3/4 over.
My district has become closer, but also busier. We now have 3 teachers, and 1 'investigator', and TRC on Thursday. (starting tomorrow) I don't know what TRC stands for, because it probably is English, which doesn't help anything, but generally it's like giving a Home Teacher lesson to a member of the Church. So, an Italian RM, or Bishop or, some other member volunteers and we teach them in Italian.
I don't have pictures this week, I just wish you all health. Salute!
This gospel is amazing! Ciao, fine a che prossima volta!
Anziano Isaac Benge
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Week 1?
Time passes incredibly fastly slow here. I feel like I've been here for at least a month, but it's only been 1 week!
Today another group of Elders and Sisters arrive, and they all get stickers to let us know that they are new, and I get to be the one saying 'Welcome to the MTC,' over and over again.
The beginning of the week sucked because our schedule was printed wrong, so our entire zone was lost until they got us a new schedule on Saturday. Also, there are no Italians here except us, (or Romanians) so our Italimanian Branch has no leaders, and we all kind of make stuff up when we have no answers.
Like, today, we did laundry, but nobody in our Zone knew where it was, so we all just wandered and asked until we found it.
Our branch presidency is amazing, they all speak Italian except one counselor, and they are all fun and nice to talk to.
My district is composed of Me, my companion, Elder Mortezazadeh (More-teh-zah-zaday) from Highland UT, and the other companionship, Elder Cowden from Holiday UT, and Elder Segura from Houston TX. They are great guys, and were already good friends. The only problem I can see is that they are all Body Builder types. 2 play rugby and they do like 75 pushups a night.
Anziano Segura (left) and Anziano Cowden (right)
Mio Nome
Anziano Mortezazadeh
I kind of miss Layton, but every time I think about it, I realize I don't miss it at all. There's no babysitting, and no Dairy Queen, and I get to sleep in until 6:30.
The food is better than Northridges, but worse than Mom's, but the worst food they have is the Italian food.
On Saturday we have service (we vacuumed), and then Sunday we had a devotional and watched Character of Christ by David A Bednar, it was great!
Tuesday (yesterday) we went to the Italian consulate (in SLC?) and we took the train to get all our papers in order, then, that night, Quentin L. Cook talked to us about missionary work. It's amazing to see what an apostle can do with the spirit.
Now I want to open my mouth and Invite, invite, invite.
This whole week we've been teaching Claudio (a role-play investigator) in Italian. Somehow, we can understand him, and we've been teaching him great!
The only thing I love more is Language study, I already have pages of Vocab memorized!
Anyway, sorry about the disjointed letter. I have to go! Ciao!
Today another group of Elders and Sisters arrive, and they all get stickers to let us know that they are new, and I get to be the one saying 'Welcome to the MTC,' over and over again.
The beginning of the week sucked because our schedule was printed wrong, so our entire zone was lost until they got us a new schedule on Saturday. Also, there are no Italians here except us, (or Romanians) so our Italimanian Branch has no leaders, and we all kind of make stuff up when we have no answers.
Like, today, we did laundry, but nobody in our Zone knew where it was, so we all just wandered and asked until we found it.
Our branch presidency is amazing, they all speak Italian except one counselor, and they are all fun and nice to talk to.
My district is composed of Me, my companion, Elder Mortezazadeh (More-teh-zah-zaday) from Highland UT, and the other companionship, Elder Cowden from Holiday UT, and Elder Segura from Houston TX. They are great guys, and were already good friends. The only problem I can see is that they are all Body Builder types. 2 play rugby and they do like 75 pushups a night.
Anziano Segura (left) and Anziano Cowden (right)
Mio Nome
Anziano Mortezazadeh
I kind of miss Layton, but every time I think about it, I realize I don't miss it at all. There's no babysitting, and no Dairy Queen, and I get to sleep in until 6:30.
The food is better than Northridges, but worse than Mom's, but the worst food they have is the Italian food.
On Saturday we have service (we vacuumed), and then Sunday we had a devotional and watched Character of Christ by David A Bednar, it was great!
Tuesday (yesterday) we went to the Italian consulate (in SLC?) and we took the train to get all our papers in order, then, that night, Quentin L. Cook talked to us about missionary work. It's amazing to see what an apostle can do with the spirit.
Now I want to open my mouth and Invite, invite, invite.
This whole week we've been teaching Claudio (a role-play investigator) in Italian. Somehow, we can understand him, and we've been teaching him great!
The only thing I love more is Language study, I already have pages of Vocab memorized!
Anyway, sorry about the disjointed letter. I have to go! Ciao!