Elder Riley Bennett: Week 98 I Am The Gardener Here X G Money

WHAT A PHENOMENAL WEEK!! Blessings on Blessings on Blessings!

Tons of outdoor work this last week so shoutout to Pops, the master gardener, for all he taught me.

Elder Kellogg (G Money)was going home on Saturday so he got out w/ us for his last 2 days! He was w/ us on Thursday & Friday until we dropped him off & we had a ton of fun together & taught some baller lessons!

We had such a huge miracle happen on Wednesday! So we street contacted a woman named Alena (Uh-Len-Uh) a few weeks ago at the start of the transfer on our way to dinner, while running late, but getting chastised by the Spirit that we needed to talk to her. Very similar to Tom Bielecki & what happened there. Well we chatted w/ her & she seemed very interested & she told us she wanted to go to church the next day so we gave her all the info & exchanged numbers! Next day she wasn’t at church and she said she had to work & when we asked to come by sometime to teach her she said yeah sure anytime she’s outside we could talk with her again but she never gave a set time. So we would go by all the time at all times of the day but she would never be outside so we figured she wasn’t really interested. She was pretty much off our radar until Wednesday she texted us in the morning & told us she was outside and that we could come by to talk w/ her!

We went over and she started telling us about how she’s been wanting to come to church and already has been working on making changes in her life but knows she can’t do it alone & needs God’s help! She was already repenting w/o even knowing it or being invited to!! So we opened up to Ether 12:27 w/ her and had her read it & it was incredible. She started crying while reading it, then afterwards, said, “That’s me right now.” We Taught the Restoration & we’re able to testify to her about the healing powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ & how they help us become better thru repentance. We invited her to be baptized July 20th & she accepted & said the most humble prayer!

We met w/ her on Friday morning while we had Elder Kellogg right before having to drop him off at the mission home. She told us she had been reading The Book of Mormon and praying & was up to 1 Nephi 13. She came to church on Sunday and despite it being a train wreck she loved it & met great members! We taught her the Plan of Salvation on Monday while in the Goodell’s home & she told us she was starting 2 Nephi. While teaching the P.O.S. she kept saying, “This is so fascinating!” And, “Why don’t more people know about this?” Her progress has been incredible to watch in just one week! We’re teaching her again tomorrow & are so excited for her, we love Alena!

We were able to serve those whom we’re teaching which was great! We helped Ben move into an apartment in our area & mowed Sulan’s lawn for her! We also went back on Wednesday last week and taught Sabrina & her daughter Charlotte who is 9, then we finished painting for them. They are such a sweet family! They leave tomorrow for a big summer trip and don’t come back until after I’m home so we went by yesterday to say goodbye. So grateful to have met them all, such a wonderful family!

Also while w/ Elder Kellogg we taught the Reiche family the Plan of Salvation in the Padilla’s home & then had S’mores afterwards which was great!

Saturday we were able to go to the temple to be there for Charles Ward’s receiving his endowment. He’s the member we live w/ and his step son is going thru the temple on Wednesday!

The McMurray’s left July 1st & we got to meet President Palmer & his family today. They seem like such a loving and amazing family, looking forward to getting to know them more! After meeting the Palmer’s we went & hiked Horsetooth w/ Joe from Laramie. Should have pictures of that next week. I feel so incredibly blessed & have such a deep love for my brother Jesus Christ. I’m just lovin life.

Peace & Love