Well folks it's Monday again. Time to recap the week here in the St. Geezy mission. For starters I just love this work! There is so much to really do out here and we have so little time during the day to accomplish our goals. I think I say this every week, but it is the truth. There are people to be found all over the world that are ready to be taught. I have learned how important fellow shipping from members is and how it really is the responsibility of the ward members to find them and the responsibility of the missionaries to get out there and teach.
The coolest miracle I saw this week was with this woman named Mari. The way we found her was a miracle in itself. Anyway I have been teaching Mari for about a month and a half now. Her whole family is Catholic, and so is her husband. She is only 24 but has a lot of life experience. Lately, she has been getting a lot of harassment from her family for wanting to be baptized but she has never denied the feelings she has felt during our lessons. One time we were watching the Joseph Smith Restoration DVD and the Spirit was amazingly strong. She knows the church is true. We finally got to teach her this week and I invited her to be baptized and she said yes! We have a date set now and I am really hoping her family doesn’t persuade her. In missionary work, families can be the biggest strength or the biggest burden. I came out of that lesson so full of the spirit and love. I just can't explain to y'all how elated I am for her to be baptized. Mom, I will have to write more about Mauro in my letter home.
This week we had a two-day zone training for seven hours each day. It was a lot of fun to meet some of the other Elders I've never met before. There is a sister missionary named sister Bowman that came into the MTC the same time as me and now she is in my zone so it was nice to talk to her and see how things are going. The one thing about the training is that so many missionaries are kiss ups. It's the most annoying thing! Who cares if you are a zone leader or assistant to the president? Really I could care less about getting a leadership position. It isn't like that is something you will put on a resume. Too many Elders forget this is about the people and the gospel of Jesus Christ. They forget this work is not about them. It's nothing more, it's nothing less. People. Jesus Christ. That is IT. I just love the people and I love my Savior. I wish I could be like Alma sometimes like where in Alma 29:1 he says, " O THAT I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth and cry repentance unto every people!"
My personal miracle I experienced this week happened on Saturday at the Pageant. I had a young man who is going to be reporting to the MTC this Wednesday, and is going to Guatemala go around with me asking people for referrals before the pageant started. He wanted to learn Spanish so I told him I'm not that good but he was more than welcome to go around with me and talk and listen to the Hispanics with me. As we went around talking he kept saying how impressed he was with my Spanish. It finally hit me after the fourth Hispanic person saying that I speak really well when I finally realized I'VE MADE IT! I realized really can speak Spanish when I really need and want to. I know I have a lot more to learn but I have confidence now in this gift of speaking Spanish God gave me. I haven't had that belief in myself until now and it feels good to know that if I was with a companion that only spoke English I could teach all on my own. I know I'm where the Lord wants me to be and I know I'm teaching truth and joy to my brothers and sisters. What more could I ask for?! I'm truly livin' the dream. As a good friend of mine would say, replace fear with faith. I know more than ever this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know my Redeemer lives. He loves each and every one of us. Make it a great week and vaya con Dios.
God is love,
Elder Bennion
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