Week 39: "I Love My Mission"

August 18, 2014

Dear Amigos and Amigas,

I cannot believe that it's only been a week since I've been transferred into this ward, and since I've been put with Sister McClellan! She literally looks like she could be my Sister. We've had a great week together. I already love her. :)

I love the two wards I'm serving in! One is a residential area close to downtown - and is very diverse. The other ward consists of a pop-up storybook kind of village of about 2500. It's hidden in the Boise Hills. It pops up out of nowhere! It's literally the nicest neighborhood I've ever been in. Yes, there indeed are some houses as big as castles. It's out of control. I'll show you pictures when I take them. :)

My sense of direction has not served me well. I still don't know how to get anywhere. BUT, I'm learning! It'll probably take me 3 - 4 and a half months to figure it out, like my last area. :P The leadership in these wards is AMAZING. We have the chance to work with amazing men and women who are our Bishops, Relief Society Presidents, and Ward Mission Leaders. There is an enthusiasm for missionary work here, and it's easy to catch the Spirit. We also have many investigators and members we have to work with - at least in the Hillside ward. :P Hidden Springs is working on that.

Hidden Springs, I admit, is the most unique ward I've served in. It is a very well off community, and personally I'm used to - and comfortable with - talking and working with people of more humble circumstances. So this will be a change for me, and it most likely will take me getting more out of my comfort zone, which is always good. God's love and Gospel is for all people, and I have faith that people are being prepared in that area to receive the Gospel. It's fun to see that missionary work is the same, and yet so very different based on the community, and so I'll probably be learning some new ways to approach the work here. :P I already love the people I've met though. It's really a beautiful place - every street looks almost the same! I'll send you pictures...after I take them. :)

Random experience of the week - we drove out a few miles on a gravel road out from Hidden Springs to this awesome house. Unfortunately the family was not yet home - so I took my companion exploring a bit. We found a dead baby birdy that I made a grave for, I almost touched a lizard until it almost attacked me, and we got scared by a huge snake that slithered by. I love adventures.

By the way, I met someone from TABER in Hidden Springs! AND someone from RAYMOND! Their names are Tim and Kara Dudley! And Kara used to be a FRANCIS! Sweet! Tender Mercy. It was so awesome to get to know them - and BONUS when we dropped by Tim's parents from Raymond were there, and they were raving about 1) How amazing a certain Sunder West is at sports (yes, I'll claim her as my cousin) and 2) How amazing the Cardston theatre cast is this year. Oh man. I promise it didn't make me miss home TOO much.

In the Hillside ward, I found Riries! In fact, President Ririe is in the Stake Presidency, and he said that some of his Ririe branch went where but MAGRATH Alberta! That means that's Grandma's ancestors! So from now on I'm going to call them cousins. :)

On the missionary side of things, we've done a lot of walking, we've had the chance to talk to a lot of new people (especially for me) and we've taught a few discussions, and even invited a family to baptism! We have a goal to teach every family in the ward the Restoration, which has gone well. Also, we are teaching a family from Burma, and a family from the Congo! So cool! These people are amazing. We also have an 80 year old investigator named Chuck. He reminds me of a boy scout. 

We also have impeccably bad timing at some times. For example, we unfortunately decided to visit someone 2 minutes after they had been evicted.

I'm growing a testimony of the gift of discernment. And sometimes I just say too much. :P We met a less active man and his son, and got in a good conversation with him. We learned he is a house builder, and so I asked him what he majored in. He replied, "painting." I immediately got excited and asked him if he had some of his work he could show me. He said no - he didn't do that anymore. Then I joked, "You mean, you're one of those people who majored in painting and dreamed of making it, but when things didn't pan out the way you wanted to you threw out all your paints and swore to never touch a paintbrush again?"

Just by his look, I knew that's exactly what happened, so I said - "but if that's really what happened I'm sorry!" He then told me that that was in fact what happened to him. Haha oh dear. :) We were able to have a conversation for about another 7 minutes, and then as we said goodbye, he told me - referring back to his painting, "you really nailed that one on the head."

And - my favorite. Sister McClellan. She is amazing! We are going to learn so much from each other. She's a hard worker. She's good at getting to the point and getting things done. She's organized, and she teaches with amazing clarity. I love to listen to her teach - she really teaches as someone called of God, and I feel the Spirit every time. :) She's been out 4 and a half months, and this is her first area. She also has pretty much the same fashion sense as I do, which is a bonus. She's from Florida, Tennessee, and Phoenix Arizona. We laugh a lot. She likes to call me crazy. She also uses words such as "Ratchet." For example, "my hair is so ratchet today." What?! It's great.

Well, this work is true. The scriptures are some of my most prized possessions. I love the Spirit, which guides and directs me in my life. I don't know where I would be without it, but I know for a fact I wouldn't be as happy as I am now with it. :) Most of all, I love my Savior, and I love having the chance to share that with people every day.

You're all my favorite,

Sister Bennett

P.s. This is the longest email I've ever written. I half-heartedly apologize.

OUR VAN!

Sister McClellan. Told you we're sisters.

Gerry. The hippy gangster bullfrog. I love him.