Week 29: Life Is All About Cycles

Well hey there! I hope everything is going well back there at the homestead. I'm feeling a little sick today. I've had a fever, runny nose, and a really scratchy throat since Friday. I've been taking vitamins and medication. I don't feel much better yet. I probably need more sleep but I don't have time. We have a lot of set appointments through out the day and I know how blessed you are when you are doing the Lord's work.

The past week was full of ups and downs. It seemed like everything was cycling up and then out of nowhere a curve ball would come in and frustrate me. Last P-day was probably one of the best I've had so far. We were able to get a lot done and I got to see two people I just love! Usually in the evening on Monday's our lessons don't tend to go that well. It could be in part due to the lack of focus but also a lot of times people cancel on us. This P-day was different. I was really excited to work because the day had already went really well. The best lesson of the day night was with the Montono family. We met this family a week ago and they are just great. I can joke around with them. One time I pretended to have a "zeta" accent from Spain and Norma just laughed and laughed. Anyway, we taught them the plan of salvation and they said yes to being baptized on October first. The husband, wife, and boy can be baptized but they also have two daughters that are not of the age of baptism yet.

Another great investigator we have is this man named Fernando and now his brother Jiro. Fernando has been taught awhile but hasn't been baptized because his wife is Catholic. Jiro is really cool and both seem receptive to the gospel. Jiro is on date for the 8th of October. I love teaching people like Jiro and Fernando because they are my friends. i would hang out with them if I wasn't serving a mission. It makes teaching more personal when you genuinely care for these people. It also breaks your heart even more if they don't accept the message of the restored gospel but you can't go into it thinking that way. If you never are susceptible to heart break you will never truly learn to love.

This week we went on exchanges with the zone leaders since Elder Lopez is the district leader. My companion for Friday was Elder Bautistia from Stockholm Sweden. He is a character for sure but we had a blast. I was a bit nervous to be the only one who spoke Spanish. Being with Elder Lopez, he loves to talk so I usually have to make my own time to talk during the lessons. I've had two native Spanish companions the last two transfers so I've been able to rely on them if I don't know what I want to say. I prayed I would have the ability to teach and understand what people were saying and I had no problems. The gift of tongues amazes me at times because I feel as if I can say so much and other times I feel like I'm incompetent when it comes to Spanish. All I can is say, is I know the gift of tongues is real. The Lord blesses us when we are obedient and willing to humble ourselves.

Life is all about cycles. We are constantly moving, changing, progressing, and evolving. For better or for worse. A lot of time life is difficult. Jesus Christ taught faith is the first thing we must have in order to have eternal life. In D&C 54:10 a revelation was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith which said, "And again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls, Even so. Amen." The words, "they who have sought me" pricked my heart. It is those who accept His will and His gospel in this life it is they will receive the reward in the spirit world. In the life to come. It's hard sometimes, okay, all the time to have patience with people who deny this church, which I know to be the only true church on the earth today. Most of the time people do not accept our message and it makes me sad. Ninety percent of the time you are faced with disappointment in the mission and it tries my patience like nothing I've ever done. Some how, some way though I know this is helping and preparing me. This is where the champions of life are made. Through faith and patience nothing is insurmountable. The Lord will come soon enough and I want to be able to say I've done all I could. I tried my best. I've survived every trial and test! This will probably be the hardest thing I've ever come to love. Replace fear with faith. I KNOW He lives. Vaya con Dios.

God is love,

Elder Bennion