Monday, November 14, 2011

Week 37: Estamos Viviendo La Vida Loca, No Hay Tiempo Para Dormir




BUENAS! I'm going to try to type this fast and get all this written out before time expires. Do you remember those old Geico commercials that would show something crazy like a boat getting destroyed or a car getting totaled and then it would say, "Life comes at you fast, Geico."? Well I feel like that is the way life is like right now. (In a good way!) Life is just coming at me fast and there is no time to slow down!!!

The week has been hectic like all the others this transfer. In fact it is so crazy we have lessons scheduled during P-day. I don't know if you remember one of my letters I wrote while in the MTC titled something to the effect of going to Eldorado, aka St. George and how excited I was to be teaching like crazy. It took awhile, but I found Eldorado. This past week we taught a grand total of 92 lessons, 11 people came to church, and 10 people have a baptismal date! It doesn't get any better than this! I can't even begin to describe how crazy it has been. The biggest miracle I've seen is just the way the Lord prepares these people to accept the message before we even begin teaching them.

This week there was a man who ran up to Elder Hayden, asked him if we are Mormon, and then said he wants to be baptized just like that. There was another man that answered his door and within ten minutes Elder Hayden invited him to be baptized and he said yes. Another woman that I had tried teaching four months ago here wasn't very receptive before. The main reason was because of her husband but since then he has been incarcerated and now she has a baptismal date! There is another woman we are teaching with a similar story and she is getting baptized next week. I think we have 4 baptisms set for next weekend. The Lord truly prepares people even before the missionaries come into the picture.

This week we got help from two other Elders who where serving in Hurricane because there are so many appointments and too many people for just Elder Hayden and I. It has definitely been a growing experience for me. I've grown accustomed to doing things a certain way and now having two new elders things have been extremely different. Elder Hayden and I are happy go lucky and maybe sometimes we are too relaxed about things but the work gets done and we have a blast doing it! This new Elder I've been working with is very straight laced and does things differently. On top of that he has less time in the mission so I'm having to take the lead on everything. I've been having to plan out EVERYTHING we do through out the day. It has been stressful at times and we have butted heads on several occasions. I will admit I'm hard headed and sometimes need to humble myself but I think that is what the Lord is teaching me. I'm being taught how to lead with love and that is a crucial skill to have. Contention is of the Devil. Plain and simple.

The past month has been a blast runnin' and gunnin' with Elder Hayden doing the Lord's work. This week has taught me several good lessons though. Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our aweakness that we may know that it is by his bgrace, and his great condescension unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things. Behold, great and marvelous are the aworks of the Lord. How bunsearchable are the depths of the cmysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man dknoweth of his eways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the frevelations of God. (Jacob 4:7&8) The Lord gives us challenges to learn and grow. Sometimes it would be nice to give up when I'm stressed out but I keep going because I just love these Hispanics! They will always have a special place in my heart.This work isn't about me, it's not about any other missionary. We have been called for two years to labor in His vineyard as instruments in the Lord's hands. What a privilege it is to witness these miracles. This is Eldorado; where we find, teach, and baptize! Vaya con Dios.

God is love,

Elder Bennion

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