Week 51: "Ranger Danger"

Dear Family and Friendzos.

Well, another week has passed and gone in a FLASH. I really need to start writing down the best highlights, because it goes by so quickly you can lose it if you aren't careful!

Last P-Day Sister Capitan and I decided to go downtown on some adventures. See pictures attached. It feels good to be spontaneous!!

I thought I saw a theatre downtown that I wanted to see if I could tour - like a live theatre. Well...it was a movie theatre, so we didn't go in. How embarrassing. I can't wait to come back after my mission and really explore!

Tuesday was PACKED! Appointments all day! That rarely happens, folks. We were up and down and everywhere that day, and we even got to go out with three different members during the day! 

That evening we had dinner with Sister Willes. She told us the amazing story of her son, who has had an interesting life. He had a wife and kids, but then got into a huge addiction to meth. He ended up losing everything. He got in trouble with the law, and was on international news because he was shot down - 21 times - by the police. And he survived. He lost an arm, a leg, his teeth, and has several scars. But from this experience, he turned his life around. He overcame his addiction, and now is a runner. He is going into the Para-Olympics as part of the first United States Para-Olympic Bobsled team. But even more inspirational is what he does. He goes around Idaho and Utah and does drug awareness assemblies for schools, since he himself is an object lesson. He has since remarried, and is a business owner. It's an incredible turnaround.

Wednesday was the day of unexpected but good opportunities! We taught two college students about the Book of Mormon. It's a common misconception that the events in the Book of Mormon take place in the 1800's. They're usually shocked when we tell them the history and record goes from 600BC to 400AD. I love teaching about the Book of Mormon. That book has changed my life. Wednesday night we got to visit Aubrey! She was miraculously released from prison. She had been into drugs, but after getting in trouble a few times she reached out to God. She is the most sincerely and humbly changed person I've ever met, and I think that's why they allowed her to come out early. She's completely overcome her addictions, and is faithfully coming to church. We love her and her family.

Thursday was good! Friday we met a less-active couple who are into costume design and theatre! They had some AMAZING cosplay costumes they showed us, including a detailed Halo helmet! It was fun to get in a creative frame of mind again. They are wonderful.

Saturday we watched "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" with Tiffany. I love that film. I even know an actor in the beginning, I got to do makeup in a show with him at BYU! He'll be famous one day. ;) Tiffany had MANY questions that she would stop the movie for, and we would answer. She has some pretty amazing questions, but she's also heard many many things about the church, some true and others false. There is a lot out there, that's for sure.

Sunday our highlight was meeting a baptist minister couple who have a pretty amazing life story.  They invited us back for dinner on Saturday! He proposed to her with an airplane dragging the words, "Valerie I luv u, will you marry me?" Of course she said yes! He had the press there as well, so it was on the news! And then he had a surprise wedding for her, which was also covered by the national news. Pretty crazy story. They have many family members who are LDS.

I love you all! Keep busy, keep working hard, and remember that you are LOVED beyond what you can imagine! :) I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who we can trust completely. He loves us, and is aware of us. He sent his son, so that through Him we can be free. :) 4th Nephi 3. This Gospel brings so much happiness. It helps me to have a greater love for all those around me, no matter who they are or what they believe. It helps me to find guidance and direction, and to feel good about the direction I take in my life. I couldn't be more grateful for it.

You are the best friends and family anyone could ask for! 

Love, 

Sister Bennett

Week 50: "Fire Away..."

November 3, 2014

Dear Folks!

Well, another week FLEW by. Why does time pass by so quickly you ask? I don't know. It's an enigma. You blink and *whoosh* the week is over again. And yet sometimes time passes by so slowly. It really depends on the day.

So, what made this week awesome? Well...

MONDAY: P-Day! Of course, Sister Capitan wanted to shop. So we did. Then, we went over to a P-Day activity. Sports, as usual these days. I played for a while, then got bored so I worked on an art piece, and finished it! Afterwards we went over to the Bonsacks, who are the ones who we started our art with last week. Debi and Brad told me I should submit it to a Christian (all faiths welcome) black and white art exhibit this January. I would absolutely love to do that! I wish I had pictures, but I don't currently.

TUESDAY: A lot of bike riding! That evening we also made a contact with a family who has been less active for 20 years, but whose niece had just been released miraculously from prison, and she is getting the entire family to pray and come to church now. Amazing!

WEDNESDAY: Awesome day! We were able to make two street contacts in a period of about 20 minutes who told us to come back and talk to them later on! However, it was also one of those days where all our appointments decided to cancel. But it happens, friends. It happens. :) We also marked up verses and chapters in a French Book of Mormon for Yvette to read! We dropped by to give it to her.

THURSDAY: I guess the highlight of the day was teaching our Book of Mormon class! Tiffany our investigator came, and had a lot to contribute. Louis also came, and bore a powerful testimony of his Baptism and confirmation. We covered 2nd Nephi 32. Amazing chapter.

FRIDAY: The BEST day of the week, because we had ZONE CONFERENCE with Elder Godoy of the 70. :) If you don't remember, he is one of the General Authorities who spoke in Portuguese in General Conference. He was amazing! And hilarious. He's a convert, he joined the church at 15 years old. Two sisters taught him. That night after the first lesson, he ran home to tell his parents that the original Gospel that Jesus Christ had established was restored. His parents shrugged, and said that there were many good churches out there. Elder Godoy said he wanted to shake them! He acted it out at the pulpit. "Don't you get it!! The gospel - it's been restored!" Haha. He also told us if we leave the church he will find us, and shake us. He was joking, of course, but it was great. He trained us on 5 "traps" that missionaries fall in to. Yes, I've seen those traps in various times on my mission. We have a lot to improve on, but Elder Godoy gave us many ideas of how we can improve. 

I had a really special moment after the Conference. After we ate, I had to speak with President Winder about an investigator. Afterwards, Elder Godoy was alone, so I had the chance to personally thank him for his address in General Conference. I told him that I received some very meaningful personal revelation during his talk. I thanked him for allowing the Spirit to work through his words. He was thankful I told him that. I also asked him if it was scary speaking in General Conference. Haha. He told me he wasn't afraid of the 15, 000 people in front of him. It was the 15 behind him that he was worried about. ;)

Our Mission President's Councillor also gave an amazing talk, on "Checking our personal Liahonas." He told a really cool story. He's a doctor at a Catholic run hospital. Apparently the hospital had a conference on how to better make their health care available to the poor. A renowned Catholic teacher and health professional began his conference by introducing an "amazing talk" on helping the poor that he had found on a website called lds.org. It was Elder Hollands talk. :) Apparently this professional quoted from what Elder Holland had said about King Benjamin as well, even though he didn't know who he was. President Christensen said he took that opportunity later to let him know who King Benjamin is. :)

Friday night was of course, Halloween, and so I had the chance to help a member with her daughter's peacock makeup before they fed us dinner! We also had to be in by 6:00 before we turned into pumpkins.

Saturday: Had a great visit with a less-active lady we've never met in Hidden Springs! We brought a member along with us, and she was spectacular. It adds so much to have members involved.

Sunday:  It feels so good to be able to take the sacrament after being sick last week! 

Well, I love you all! You are all such incredible examples to me. I know that the Gospel heals lives, and brings families together. :) I am so grateful for Jesus Christ. I am almost at the end of the book Jesus the Christ, and it takes me aback to learn more of what our Savior went through for us. It is the greatest act of love this world has ever seen. 

I pray we can all learn to love as He did. 

Love, 

Sister Bennett

Lil' Sophie! It was SO fun to do makeup again.

DELICIOUS bread bowls and soup for Halloween!