Mailing address

Ben's mailing address at the mission home:

Anziano Charles Ben Thomas
Italy Milan Mission
Via Antonio Gramsci 13/2
20090 Opera MI
Italy

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Anzinao Mustafaraj's last day in Torino

Musta a little tired

Transfers- Ben stays in Torino

Ciao!
Well so this last week I have been called to stay in Torino!  I was definitely expecting to go but instead Anziano Mustafaraj will be going to Ancona.  I'm a little bummed though we got along super well these last two transfers but instead I'll be getting a new companion named Anziano Colemuer (not spelled right)  I don't know anything about him so hopefully all goes well.  But for this next transfer I'm excited because we could potentially have two baptisms!  This last week went well for transfers we cleaned the apartment and Anziano Mustafaraj packed up.  We're still trying to find more investigators and help getting them progressing towards baptism.  As for this last week in my studies I read the story of Samuel and really enjoyed it it's cool how he gets rejected, leaves the city, then is called to return and preach unto them again.  It makes me think how people maybe if they say no could be prepared for the next time.   Things are going good tomorrow I'll be going to Milan to drop off Mustafaraj and pick up my new companion.  It will be hard to get to Milano because Mustafaraj has 6 huge bags of luggage so we'll see..haha thanks for all the support love you all!
Anziano Thomas

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Ben went to the Alps again, this is a city called Fenis.

Anziano Musta and Ben at Fenis Castle

Saint Martin

Mont Rosa

July 17, 2013

Ciao tutti!
These last two weeks have been very busy sorry I didn't have a chance to write a big email for you all last week.  So to begin with the highlight of these last two weeks was we had a missionary activity for the youth of the stake called MTC and it went great!  What happened with this activity was all of the youth for one day came to Torino and we all went to the city center and did missionary work with them!  It was super cool.  They split us up into groups and we went with them to talk to people.  The leaders asked us not to say much but if we saw that they were struggling to give them a hand.  At the beginning the kids in my group had a hard time talking to people they were super nervous which is normal so finally one of the girls says guys we need to pray!  So right there they said a quick prayer and then split up.  After that happened one of the first people they talked to stopped, listened, and were able to receive a book of Mormon!!  It was amazing as well because this woman asked some tough questions but they were able to answer all of them!  Super cool experience I would say all of the youth that came had a good time and alot of them want to serve missions now.  At the end of this activity we went to Piazza Castello (City center) and the youth sang hymns.  Many people stopped and the full time missionaries were able to walk up to them and talk a little bit more about us.  It was a nice to hear them and you could definitely feel the spirit as they sang.  
The day after we had another activity put on by the missionaries which was a multi culture activity.  Since we have alot of people in our ward from around the world we thought it would be a good idea that they would all come with a traditional plate, dance and something interesting about their culture.  The activity was nice and we ended up finding a new investigator from it.  Lots of Peruvian food, African, different types of food from all over the world.  I really enjoyed it.
This last weeks miracle is basically a testimony of service.  It reminds me of how Ammon served the King of the Lamanites and saw some success.  What ended up happening was one day we were doing some finding work and we get a call from one of the inactive people that we've been trying to reactivate.  Anyway he asks us to come to his house as soon as possible because he had a few things to move.  We go there move some furniture and the daughter of the less active and her boyfriend we there as well.  The boyfriend (whose not a member)  ended up asking us a few questions about church (why don't you drink coffee/tea) questions like that and in the end we invited him to church.  The next day he came and loved it.  In the last hour I was sitting by him and he whispers to me, "where can I write my name?"  I was confused but what he ended up wanting to say was I want to be a member!!  Haha so I told him this next Friday we would come to his house and talk to him about becoming a member.  Really cool miracle.  As of the work right now it's going pretty good we are still looking for new investigators but we have alot of new converts and less actives as well.  This week as well we went to Novara and Mustafaraj interviewed someone for baptism and he passed.  Also last week I went to the Alps again.  Really cool because we got to see 3 castles and it was just beautiful everything I couldn't believe that I was there.  Today not much going on we are just going to rest but next week I could be transferred I'm not sure though we'll see hope all is going well with you at home love you all!
Anziano Thomas

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

July 3, 2013

Wanna Race?!

The car- Opel Merida, that Ben and his companion had for a week.
He said "Try to catch me riding dirty."

Ben and Anziano Briscoe

A CARRRRR!

Ciao Tutti!!
Well I hope this last week went well for you all because this week was pretty crazy for us...  Let's just say WE GOT A CAR!!!!! Only for a week though but that week was terrifying and I'm glad that we don't have it anymore..  Anyway how we got it was we were sitting and doing companionship study and I get a call from Elder Lynch.  He told me the Senior couple from Savona was going home because of some family problems and for that we would be taking their car.  That night we went down to the Torino Airport which is pretty small and got the car from them.  Anziano Musafaraj drove home and I would say he's the worst driver in the world haha.  The whole time we had the car I was scared.  When I drove, no problem but I guess there's no rules in Albania so he would just run red lights, cut people off,  you name it.  We had an Opel Merida and it was fun driving in Italy.. super weird at first because I haven't driven for so long but we ALWAYS said a prayer before we left anywhere.  The Lord protected us and I'm happy for that!  Anziano Lynch called me and told me that they would be taking back the car.. I was so happy.  So this last week we had a missionary leader training and I met President Dibb for the first time.  He's definitely more serious than president Wolfgramm but he's really smart and it was interesting to have a change. I will miss the Wolfgramms a lot they did so much for us.  We found a few new investigators this last week so little by little the work is picking up.  This morning we got to go to the dentist.  At 9 we had an appointment so they told us to fix Mustafaraj's tooth would be super expensive and we were a little worried.  We got there the dentist looked inside his mouth and said.. "this tooth is completely useless/destroyed"  so he just yanked it and now Anz. Musta has a huge gap in the back of his mouth.  But it was soo much cheaper so that was a miracle!  Things are picking up right now we are just looking for new investigators so hopefully this next week we find some!  Thanks for all the support love you all!
Anziano Thomas