happy 4th!

This week started out slowly but we were so busy the last few days. But first, earlier last week we were standing outside a house and I felt something hard hit my head and I turned around so confused. Then I saw a soccer ball on the ground and a young teenager running for me with a scared look on his face. He was so apologetic and even though it hurt I told him I was fine, and we left shortly after. My companion commented that when I got hit, she turned around and said I looked so confused as to what had just happened. She laughed all the way home, and eventually I did too. Guess I'll have to be more careful!

     Last week we also did a district activity to help out the other sisters who currently have no investigators. It's been rough for them and so we went and set up a table with lots of pamphlets and papers. We also took turns contacting different streets as well as manning the table. We probably contact 150 people in the two hours that the eight of us were over there helping. It was fun but exhausting. During the time that I contacted a street, I had one woman tell me I was beautiful and not to bother knocking on one specific door. At another door, an elderly man answered and after I explained who I was, he said he didn't understand me at all. So I tried again but to no avail and after he explained his beliefs, I went to leave. As I was shaking his hand, he commented on how large my hands were and then kissed my hand before letting me leave. My companion saw that happen and burst out laughing and I did too. Oh the people here! And later that night, we had a fourth of July party!! We grilled some meat, had watermelon and lots of drinks. I hope you all had fun celebrating the USA!

Cutting watermelon for the Fourth.

One of the elders on deck at the barbecue.

The last thing was that we had a baptism! We actually had the mother and her two sons, but the sons decided they didn't feel ready, so we postponed their baptism. But the mom, Patricia, is the best, ever. She has been so fun to teach, and so ready to change and follow the Savior. She is the one who always makes us food and just treats us as family. Later that night we went over and they gave us each something. My companion has worn through her shoes and they gave her a new pair, and they knew I had lost my memory card for my camera so they gave me a new one! They are all just amazing. Also on Sunday, we have a young man who is leaving for his mission tomorrow. He is awesome and so kind, he reminds me a lot of Stephen. So, he went to the temple on Saturday and bought us each a large Spanish hymnal and then cut the binding and replaced it with a spiral binding so we can play the piano more easily. My companion almost started crying, she had been wanting to do just that but we couldn't get our hands on a large hymnal.

Patricia's baptism.

Katherine and Jared with the thoughtful gift of a spiral-bound hymnal.

Quickly, one more thing. Our new president and his wife arrived! President and Hermana Stutznegar are from California and he served a mission in Mexico but his wife doesn't speak any Spanish. They are about as different from our old president as possible. They were cracking jokes, laughing and just having fun during our conference this last week. Plus, they are organizing a soccer tournament, each zone is a team, and we are getting jerseys and shorts for it! We are all so excited.

     Anyways, I hope you are all doing well, that you are enjoying summer and having fun. Keep doing those three things to strengthen your faith and testimony and I promise you will be happier for it. I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Bennett

The sisters with Hermana Lopez.

cooling down

Well, Mexico's decided to cool down a bit! We have had a lot of chilly days, cold enough that I've been wearing sweaters in the morning and evening. It is actually so nice to not be hot all the time, plus it almost feels like fall some days. So this last week was both slow and fast. Each day we tried to find new people to teach so we would go by people we had contacted the day or two before. Each day we went by at least 8 or 10 people and no one was ever home. It was extremely discouraging, but we kept at it and were able to start teaching a young mom and a family. The young mom has two kids and just wants to be a better example to them, and to stop arguing with her husband. She accepted what we taught and seems to really want it. The family is related to a member of our ward, and in the past would never talk to the missionaries, but when we went over, they welcomed us in. Later we found out what a miracle it was, but they too want to be baptized and already seem to have a testimony of the Church. It still amazes me that there are people ready to hear and understand the word of God and that they are willing to listen to two young American girls. I just love teaching people!

     On Saturday we got permission to go to the temple with an investigator family who are all progressing really well. The mom is awesome and always trying to learn more and understand better. And then she will explain to her kids and help them. It's amazing how quickly the Gospel can change your life for the better. After this great day, Sunday turned out to be rather difficult. Mexico was playing a soccer match and so we had hardly anyone at church. No investigators came, only a handful of less-actives and only the most stalwart members. It was especially disappointing as people wouldn't tell us why they couldn't come to church, just that they couldn't, or perhaps, wouldn't.

Katherine and the investigator family outside the Mexico City temple.

But we are doing well and working hard. We have one more week in this transfer and I am thinking I will get changed. But our new president arrives today and we have a conference with him on Wednesday. It'll be interesting to see what changes he institutes and if he decides to change all the companionships up. Until that happens, we are just enjoying our time and making the most of it.

     To finish, I want to say, go read 3 Nephi 13 and 14. We all need to make sure we are building our house upon a sure foundation and that we are not valuing too much, the things of this world. Read the scriptures, study them and apply them to your life. Things will be better, I promise.

     I love you all!!

Love,

Hermana Bennett

ups and downs

We had a rough week and today I feel like I'm getting energized for what's coming up, hopefully this week will go little more smoothly! But I wanted to tell you a little more about my companion! She is 19, went to BYU for a year, studied nursing and played a lot of sports in high school. And she is really good. Like she almost signed to play for a Division I school but it didn't feel right. It's always crazy to hear everyone's story about why and how they ended up serving a mission. We all have such different pasts and stories but I know we are all meant to be here at this time and I am so grateful I get to serve with them and make new friends.

     But a few random facts about my area. There are so many missionaries in my mission, over 200, and our area is tiny, probably 30 miles by 30 miles, at the most. Our ward boundaries and thus proselyting area is about 1 kilometer by 1 kilometer. But several wards have multiple sets of missionaries. My district is made up of our ward and one other ward, and they have three sets of missionaries. One district in my zone, four companionships, are all in the same ward! It's so crazy. Especially when my companion talks about the fact that in Utah, one set of missionaries is over an entire stake! I can't even imagine it. 

     Last week I accidentally gave my companion a heart attack. We were walking down the street and a guy stopped me saying he wanted to learn more. I of course stopped and called out to my companion but she was already really far ahead. So I just talked with him, figuring she would realize pretty quickly I wasn't behind her. It actually took her about five minutes, when she went to cross a busy street. I kept peeking out from where we were standing to make sure I could still see her and soon enough, I saw her heading back, looking scared, with the phone in her hand. I got the information from the guy and went out to meet her. She told me she walked past some creepy guys in the street and shortly after realized I was gone. She thought they had taken me and was about to call the President and tell him she had lost me. I started laughing but I felt so badly! When I explained why, she calmed down a little but still was uneasy. When we walked past the creepy men, we could hear them laughing and commenting that she had lost me. Oh Mexico. 

     Anyways, it's definitely the rainy season here. We know to expect rain in the late afternoon and have started bringing our jackets and umbrellas with us. It rains all through the night and sometimes in the morning, luckily stopping before we head out to work. But last week we had some great lessons, especially with the family Lopez that we've been teaching for three weeks. They've come to church twice and they are awesome. The dad is a less active but the wife and kids are not members. They are doing so well, they read and pray and you can tell they truly want to know for themselves if it's true. When we were in Gospel Principles yesterday, the wife was already answering questions and explaining to other members. I don't think the teacher realized she wasn't a member until the very end! Their baptism is set for two weeks from yesterday and I am so excited for them.

Hermana Lopez.

Last story from this week. So our baptism from last week, Liliana, got confirmed this Sunday and her uncle was able to confirm her. It was a tender experience and I just know she will be a strong member. Their family is pretty poor and we wanted to get her something for her 15th birthday, which was yesterday. We couldn't get to the temple to buy anything so instead we bought a cake! It ended up being quite large but it was beautiful and I wish you could have seen her face. She just lit up and got so excited, she couldn't stand still. We got some pictures with her and the cake and left them to eat it.

Katherine, her companion, and Liliana with her cake.

Sorry this turned out to be a long email. But last thing I will say is that, after the difficulties we've had with some ward members, I've realized the importance of working together. While we might have different expectations or methods of doing things, if we work together, we can do a lot more and really strengthen the ward. I know this Gospel is true, it can change lives and will change yours if you let it.

I love you all!

Hermana Bennett