la voz

Hola!!!!

Well this week went by fast. It was slow for work but we had lots of ward activities and good turnouts to all. On Wednesday we had a movie night, Friday was a Family Home Evening and on Saturday in the morning we had a temple trip and that evening was karaoke! Yes, I sang. It was terrifying but I had my comp plus my district leader helping me; we sang "Bailando." It was a very busy week but we enjoyed it. Having so many activities made it easier to invite people that we talked to in the street. 

At the temple visitors center.

 Something random that happened last week: on Thursday we went outside and found that there was a rainbow-like ring around the sun! It was really cool but everyone else was freaking out. We passed by the grocery store later on and people were going crazy stocking up on supplies. Everyone thought it was a sign that the world was ending!

The unusual rainbow.

 This week we've been studying a lot from Preach My Gospel and I've focused on working on my patience. I've realized in the mission that while I am patient in trials and situations, I'm not always very patient with people. Something that's really stuck with me is that, when we are impatient with others, with their flaws or whatever, we're really judging them and expecting more from them than necessary. Also, by being impatient with them, we're really just impatient with God and his timing. His timing is always perfect and so we need to develop more faith and with more faith comes more patient. I love this work and I love you all! Have a great Monday!

Love,

Hermana Bennett

service

Buenos días a todos!

This week went by pretty quickly. Our area's been pretty hard lately; mostly that it's been hard to find people to teach. That's probably the hardest part in any area, the most important but also the hardest. Sometimes you feel like you're doing everything you can with no results. We are still working through it and trying to help the members help us. The ward has planned lots of activities this week so hopefully we'll have some more references to help with our goal of finding new families to teach. 

     Nothing exciting happened this week. On Saturday my companion opened up to me that she hasn't been feeling one hundred percent. I had noticed her energy was down but I didn't want to criticize or make her feel bad for having a harder time. When we talked about it I kept having different impressions of things we could read to work through it. During the week I had studied chapter 1 in PMG which focuses on our purpose as missionaries and which we read parts of as well as a booklet that they give all new missionaries to help them adjust. I'd read it a few times in the mission—even though other companions said it was useless. I'd always found it helpful with whatever I was facing and it turned out to be just what my companion needed. Too often as missionaries we feel like we have to do it all—maybe it's something we struggle with as sister missionaries more so than elders. Anyways, the pamphlet was exactly what she needed to read to feel better. On Sunday I convinced her to get a blessing and since then, she's doing even better but more importantly, she feels like she's doing better and so her confidence is increasing again. 

     Thinking back on this experience I remembered a quote from a talk I read by Elder Nelson. It says "education is the difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help them." You could also say "preparation" in place of "education" and I really felt this when talking with my companion. I felt that all the times I had felt down, or discouraged, studying and reading on the topic, all of it was to help me in that moment with my companion. Every moment we decide to learn and to prepare, it all helps in that critical moment when someone needs us. There is always someone in need of our help, we just have to prepare and learn now so that we can help them when Heavenly Father prompts us to. I know this Church is true and that the Holy Ghost really does direct our thoughts and helps us to be better people. 

I hope you all have a great week and that you can find opportunities to serve someone!

Love,

Hermana Bennett

P.S. You should watch this video on service. It's perfect.

seventeen

First off, happy mother's day!! I am so grateful to all the wonderful examples I have in my life and for all you do. I can't wait to see you all in person but for now, this will have to do! :) It was weird to consider it my last video chat and that the next time I see you all will be in the airport in person. It's going by so fast. 

     Well! I'm up to 17 months in the mission with just four weeks left. I can hardly believe it's come but it has and we're making the most of it. This last week was pretty slow for investigators—we've had trouble finding the contacts that accept us in the street and as such we've been teaching more members, less actives and converts. We did have a trip to the temple with our converts, Yadira and her kids Milton and Miguel. They are such an adorable little family and I just love teaching them. After the visitors center we went to the temple store and they wanted to buy everything! They are still progressing so fast and doing so well. All three of them have a hunger for the Gospel, to learn everything they can and apply it to themselves. 

The sisters with Yadira, Milton and Miguel.

This last week we studied a lot from Preach My Gospel focusing on the commandments section. As part of the training period we have sections to study each week plus lots of practices. It's been really good for me to help me in my teaching and it has really been the best experience of my mission to train someone. I know that obedience is the first law of heaven, that if we hope to progress and improve we have to be obedient. It's the only way to receive the blessings spiritually, temporally and that of the Holy Ghost to always be with us. It's perhaps the one we need most in our daily lives. I know we need it as our constant guide and friend in all things.

     I love you all! And sorry I haven't been taking photos. I will forward one from the temple in a moment. But have a wonderful week and make the most of it!

Love,

Hermana Bennett

family history

Hello Loved Ones!!

This week went by so fast and I know the next five weeks are only going to pass by even faster. And next week we get to Skype! So excited for that! But this last week we taught a lot about family history and that plus working on my own "Family History" book got me thinking even more about why it's so important. In one lesson with members I realized the connection between family history and the restoration of the gospel. From the time Jesus died to when Joseph Smith restored the Church, there was the great apostasy in which there was no Priesthood authority on the earth. That means that for nearly 2,000 years no one was baptized by the power of God. And every single one of those people need the Gospel, they need their ordinances done in the temple and we are the only ones who can do it. We have to find them, search out our ancestors so that all who lived in that period of darkness can have the Gospel. That's a lot of people!

One highlight from this week was a movie night we held at the church to watch "Meet the Mormons." We invited everyone and we had a good turnout—some less-active members who haven't come to church in years came for the movie. Hopefully it'll help them to make the transition to come back to Church. 

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful Monday and I'll see you on Sunday! :)

Love,

Hermana Bennett

At a training meeting a few weeks ago.