Elder Riley Bennett: Week 30 Were Training!

So this week was so amazing!! My heart is so full and feel so blessed. Absolutely high off missionary work and being a missionary I love it! So President called us up Sunday night and told us there was a new missionary coming inMonday and we’re going to train him. His name is Elder Thacker and he’s from Highland, UT, 18 years old. He was originally assigned to the England, Birmingham mission but went home after a couple months and was then reassigned to our mission! He’s such a stud and we’re so pumped to have him with us!

Do y’all believe in miracles?!? CAUSE RJ COMMITTED TO BE BAPTIZED MARCH 31ST!!! Throughout the whole week she’s been calling us telling us about her reading the Book of Mormon and what she’s getting out of it. She has just been flipping to random pages and reading. One night she flipped to Moroni 6 which talks all about baptism. Then she did it again later in the week!! Then while we were teaching our lesson Monday night she did it again and was like this isn’t coincidence haha it was great. We read the Title Page and Introduction to the Book of Mormon with her and then she wanted to continue reading the Testimony of the Witnesses and it all just clicked with her. She stopped and was like, “Wait, so The Book of Mormon is ancient history and stories that really happened?” And we were all like yes RJ and it just clicked for her! RJ who is the same woman that laughed at me a month ago when we invited her to be baptized on the 31st of March, committed Tuesday to be baptized on March 31st. Miracle. I know the only reason why this is happening is because we are doing the lessons in members homes and using them in teaching RJ combined with the spirit testifying of the truthfulness of this gospel to her. The difference the members make is incredible.

These past investigators Levy and Jana messaged the old missionaries from this area and told them that Levy wants to get baptized! So they got them in contact with us and we met up with them to start teaching them! That doesn’t just happen! Miracles!! So Levy and Jana are dating and Jana is pregnant with their son. Levy is an ex gang member and just got out of jail a month ago and said he found peace and God by reading the Book of Mormon in jail. He’s leaving for a rehab in Wellington in like a month and wanted to get baptized before he leaves. Unfortunately he’s on probation for the next 2 years so can’t until then but when we told him that he said that he wants to make the change and wasn’t phased by it! He’s such a humble man. Jana is 7 Day Adventist but she likes reading the Book of Mormon and is taking the lessons as well, we are seeing her progress a lot. Levy said something so cool the other day while reading the Book of Mormon. He said “All my life I’ve tried reading the Bible and been confused, but the Book of Mormon and the stories all just make sense and relate to me.” It was so awesome I was so happy!

Ed who showed up at church last week we taught this week and things went good there, he’s humble and has a sincere desire to learn. He was there at church on Sunday, suit and tie, such a baller! Ed is a crazy funny character!! He called us up Sunday night and told us he wants one of us to date his daughter cause we got our focus on the Lord and she needs a man like that in her life hahaha. Love Ed, such a character!

WE GOT MOONED!! Funny story from when we were out tracting, we met this older guy out in his driveway doing yard work and talked to him, gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon, offered to help out and he said he was okay. Then told us he’s had 7 back surgeries and proceeded to show us the scar on his back. He lifts up his shirt, and on his lower back you can see the scar already but he just pulls his pants down for whatever reason and straight up mooned us in broad daylight! Like cmon bruh! I looked over at Elder Treanor after and his face almost made me lose it, so dang funny.

We got to clean the temple on Monday which was so sick! We got a tour afterwards and got to go in the attic and down in the baptistery with the oxen. It was such a cool experience!

Today for District P Day we went to Zephyr Hats which was dope. Then we went to the park afterwards and played a bunch of games. Reminded me of being at the beach at Leo Carrillo playing poison and whiffle ball. Tender mercy cause I know I’m missing out on that trip with my family but at the same time I had an epiphany that I was with my new family in Colorado playing all those games and it’s like a wasn’t missing anything. Weird but it was special for me and just connected. God’s got his hand in all our lives and he finds unique ways to touch us that’s special to us individually and that’s because he knows us all individually and we are his children. Sorry bout the long email but honestly this week was so amazing I could’ve gone on a lot longer and I left a lot out haha.

Love y’all. Make the time to sincerely read the Book of Mormon. It will change your life.

I love Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator