It's Cold!

Cara Famiglia,

So today is actually pretty nice, but the cold weather is arriving here in the Busto Arsizio/Legnano Metropolitan area. I got to wear my big coat for the first time since February! Other than that, the work is going good! We are working on finding new investigators, but the ones we have are progressing nicely. Last week I may have mentioned that we were seeing Blandine last Wednesday, the first time we had seen her since two months ago when we saw her for the first time and taught her the Restoration. Turns out she is golden! She had been praying ever since then in the way we taught her and is just awesome! She has a baptismal date for November 19th now and we have seen her three times in the past week with solid members! She loves reading the Book of Mormon and learning about the Plan of Salvation, so she is awesome. Saul is also still the man. We saw him on Monday and he finally opened up to us! We talked a bunch about prayer and the Holy Ghost and how it works and the spirit was really strong! He is doing great, and will be baptized for sure! He even came to Stake Conference in Milano this past Sunday! Those are the main two investigators for now, and we are also still working with Ravith/Elisabeth, our Sri Lankan/Ecuadorian couple, Roberta, and Arthur. So things are going very well.

We had our bikes stolen this week! That was a fun experience. It was kind of our bad, because we left them locked up overnight at the Busto station, but we had done it before and we were already getting a ride home late from the member who took us to see Blandine. So now we're rocking out on a nice new mountain bike. Look out Legnano! Also, I now totally understand in the Godfather the line 'Leave the gun, take the cannolle.' Cannolli siciliani are soooooooo good! I recommend finding if there are real Siciliani anywhere in DC that make cannolli. They are really delicious. 

Today we went to the San Siro Stadium in Milano! It was really cool! We got to see the musem they have that tells the history of both Milano teams, the field (but not go on it), and walk around the stands and see the Inter locker room (Milan's was closed today because they play tonight). It was awesome, and I will send pictures too.

Today I wanted to share a cool scripture I found reading the Book of Mormon today. In 2 Nephi 5 it talks about how Nephi and fam keep all the commandments, observe the law, and heed the Lord's advice to flee from his brothers who are trying to kill him. Then they get to build the temple! I liked how it describes their life in verse 27:

27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

Living after the manner of happiness seems like a really cool idea to me. We can see from Nephi and his family's example what the manner of happiness truly consists of. I know that as we are obedient and seek to follow Jesus Christ, we can live 'after the manner of happiness.' I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love you all!

-Anziano Benjamin Smith