En El Mundo He Hecho Bien?
Hey family! It's just another day in Paradise out here! It has been a pretty good week. Finding new people who want to listen to us has been a struggle. I remember how stressed out and frustrated I was when I first came into this area because of the lack of people to teach. The Lord has really helped me to not focus on things that are out of my control.
Last preparation day was such a blast. Probably one of the best P-days of my mission!!!! We ended up going out to a place called the wedge or the little Grand Canyon. We went out there with Elder Weyant, Elder Davis, and one of their ward mission leaders. We had lunch out there on the rim of the canyon and then we went for a drive. We saw fossilized dinosaur tracks, fossilized dinosaurs, and Indian cave drawings. It was an experience I will never forget.
Tuesday was a little doloroso. I finally had my appointment con la doctor and she ended up removing two moles from my back. It is healing nicely but I was pretty sore that first day. I was looking at the stitches on my back in the mirror and I was feeling like 50 Cent with bullet holes in my back. :P I was pretty beat that day. There is no rest for the weary. It is not like home where you can rest and mom takes care of you. Mom, I just want you to know you are the best! I cannot even count all the time you took such good care of me. I really appreciate you.
That morning was interesting as well. When we went out to the car Elder Ayala noticed a yellow ticket on our windshield. The reason for the ticket was because our tags were expired. We had just got the sticker in the mail the night before so luckily it was taken care of quickly. It sure was embarrassing to walk into the courthouse with a ticket as a missionary. It wasn't a big deal.
Thursday was a really good day. We were out in Helper trying to find former investigators when we passed two guys unloading branches from a trailer. One guy was white and the other one was Hispanic. I figured it wouldn't be worth it to stop and talk to them because Manuel probably spoke English. Going against my less intelligent decision I rolled down the window and asked Manuel and David if they could use some help. They seemed surprised and said they were almost done but that they could use the help. We ended up helping them move several more loads of branches from David's house to his friend’s home. It was the best feeling to just serve my brothers. David asked us several times why we were helping them. Surprisingly enough that was a really hard question to answer. We all became good friend in the hour and a half we were with them. By the time we were finished they both invited us to come to their house and share our message about Jesus Christ with them. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my afternoon. The greatest question we can ask ourselves before we go to bed at night is, "have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?” We visited Manuel in the evening Saturday and had the best talk with him and his wife. I felt like I was at home with Grandma and Grandpa Candy. They are just great people.
We saw another miracle after zone conference on Friday. That was a LONG day. Zone conference was all the way in Richfield but that is another story. It was a two hour drive one way and we sat for a total of 12 hours that day. We finally got home and we had a lesson with Guadalupe. Guadalupe LOVES to talk. We have met with him eight times and have only shared the message of the Restoration with him. It was amazing though, he had promised me he would quit smoking after he finished the pack of cigarettes he had and bought another. it really touched me to know us talking to him is making him a better man.
Sunday was another good day. I translated for sacrament meeting from Spanish to English. That is a hard job. Other people are listening to you and you have to think fast or you wil make a lot of mistakes. I think I like it so much because it is a rush. It makes me think really hard really fast! :) Elder Ayala's sister and her family came down from Springville because she was asked to speak in the branch. It was great because 13 extra people were in the branch. The relief society room was full! I don't think it has ever been that full. In fact I know the branch has never been that full. His family is really nice. It is going to be such a blast to visit Utah after my mission. I know some of the best people Utah has to offer.
It is amazing what a mission does for us as missionaries. It takes us from boys who are 9 out of 10 times only focused on ourselves and we are given two years to worry about nothing but others. "Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might aboast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear bconscience before God this day. Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God. And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the bservice of your cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. (Mosiah 2:15-17) This work is hard, especially in this area, but I do not feel alone in this work as i did before. I love the flecks of gold, the little miracles we see every day laboring in the Lord's vineyard. I love my Latinos and laboring with them! They are MY people! The Lord knows I'm a lucky man; He's given me a pretty fair hand. Estoy viviendo el sueno real! Vaya con Dios.
Dios es amor,
Elder Bennion
No comments:
Post a Comment