Siena: The Greatest City in the World!

Cara Famiglia,

First off, wow about the news about Aunt Therese! [Benjamin's aunt passed away suddenly this last week.] That is super sad, I am sorry I won't be able to be there for the funeral. Give Uncle Lynn my condolences and I will be praying for them! I am really grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, that families are truly forever.

It is a fact..that Siena is the greatest city in the world. Actually though, the city is great! It is awesome to walk around talking to people here. More news about the city: I mentioned the contradas last email, but I didn't mention how serious they are. My companion and I are fans of the Nobile Contrada dell'Oca (pronounced "oh-hah" in the Toscana accent, and meaning "the noble neighborhood of the goose"). Every year the 17 contradas of the city have two horse races that are called the Palio. Basically they make a track around the Piazza del Campo and race the horses, one for each contrada. They race every year on the 2nd of July and another the 16th of August, and the winner wins the Palio, which is basically a big piece of fabric that depicts some aspect of the Palio, Siena, and the Madonna. You can probably look up pictures of it on the internet. They have been doing these races since like 1300! So today we went to the Museum of the contrada dell'Oca, because there's an awesome member who lives in the contrada who hooked us up. Basically we learned that for the people living in the city of Siena, the Palio, and the contrada you live in, is your life. It is so intense that you get baptized twice: once for religious purposes, and then later you are baptized into the contrada for life! Everyone in the contrada knows each other, and year round they have activities, and even an organization kind of like primary/nursery that handles the kids from ages 0-16. I am looking forward to seeing the Palio.

Other than that there is the stuff that really matters, that is the missionary work. We are making really good progress with Andrea and Miwako and their 11 year old son Leo. They are awesome and are definitely going to be baptized, although we still need to set a firm date with them. They came to church on Sunday and had a good experience, and then we went to their house and taught them a really good lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ afterwards. They are going through some really tough trials though, so pray for them a lot!

Other than that we are working with our new converts. Bianka, who was baptized the weekend before I got here, is one of the strongest members I've ever seen! She gave a talk on Sunday and brought two friends to church! We are going to be meeting with the friends this week.

The branch is doing well! Sunday went really well considering the fact that our 2nd counselor was actually sick and couldn't make it, so we were on our own conducting and everything. But we had seven investigators in church! There are also a number of BYU students arriving, some of which speak Italian, which should really help out. Basically everything is going really well.

Today I was reflecting on the baptismal covenant found in Mosiah 18:8-10 which reads:

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

What struck me this time was thinking about how Christ lived and gave the example of the baptismal covenant. He could have used his energy to complain about the sufferings he went through or changing the circumstances around him to make his own burdens lighter, but instead he looked outward and used every moment living and dying for others. It was a reminder to me of what it really means to lose oneself in Christlike service, and I felt to remember more often the pure love of Christ that must be at the heart of everything we do. I know Christ lives and leads His church, and I know the Book of Mormon truly testifies of Him. I love you all lots and lots!

-Anziano Benjamin Smith