Week 37 The Pursuit of Happiness

I miss music. 

Wonderful week, we had Zone Conference and our training was sick! Spirit was strong and members in the zone were pumped! Also we got smartphones so now we ballin out.

We found a new investigator this week named Adrian who’s prolly early 30’s and has 3 kids and is super prepared! We met him Monday and he invited us to come back the next day and we had an awesome lesson with him! He committed to be baptized if he came to know the Book of Mormon to be true! We have a lesson with him tonight so we’re pumped about Adrian!

Also had such a cool lesson with Mike and Deb yesterday. Honestly probably one of my favorite lessons so far. So Deb has been reading a TON from the Book of Mormon! She’s all the way up to the book of Jacob. So that was really exciting . But we were going to teach the Plan of Salvation and I kid you not that this woman taught herself the Plan of Salvation it was the best thing ever! She was talking about Adam & Eve and how all her life (grew up Catholic) she’s been told to hate them for what they did to us, the sin they committed, and all this and how she could never understand why she’s supposed to hate them. It was a question she’s had all her life, 60+ years, and she finally received her answer from 2 Nephi 2 in The Book of Mormon, that Adam & Eve had to fall. So that we could experience joy and pain. It was incredible to see. She put it all together herself and continued to do so throughout the lesson. She started getting emotional talking about how she wants to get baptized and start coming back to a church but she has all these feelings built up toward the Catholic Church that make it hard for her to take that step. Her husband Mike expressed the same feelings, he said it’s taken him 60+ years to get to where he is now where he can sit down and talk with us and then Deb stepped in and said “Mike that’s why you gotta read the book! It will bring you peace, read it!” It was so awesome, we’re going to do a Chapel Tour with them next week.

I got some really exciting news today!!! Elder Thacker & Elder Treanor called me and told me that Darron Arnold is getting baptized on May 11th and wants me to be one of the witnesses!! I was so pumped when I heard that, goodness I’m so excited for that day!

Things are going great here. Thanks so much for all the love and support! Love y’all 🤟

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator 

I ️ Jesus

Elder Litster’s Posterity Pic

Zone Conference

Got caught all lonesome in my feels

Smartphone life...and yes we whippin da minivan 

Service with da boyz at Moroni’s Bookstore 

Week 36 Get Busy Livin...Or Get Busy Dyin

*Read title in Morgan Freeman voice*

Things are getting a lot better here! It was so funny we had ward council Sunday and our ward mission leader says “If everyone wants to look at the missionaries progress record and see if there’s anything they can help out with. In the “Help Needed” section they bolded where they need the most help and it’s actually 2 pages long cause we have some really good missionaries now.” Haha straight up takin shots at the missionaries before us but hey they like us and we actually got good input from the ward council so things are getting better!

This week wasn’t too exciting, but we’re gaining the trust of the members and establishing good relationships with them which has me excited cause I know big things are coming!

On Thursday we went on exchanges with the Assistants so I got to go back to Loveland and see all the homies! Saw Elder Thacker & Treanor and they’re doing awesome holdin it down in River’s Edge. They told me they put that crazy fool Ed Evans who we were teaching on date to be baptized so that was sick! Also got to see my homie Elder Halladay who’s a ZL in Loveland and he’s killin it over there.

Tomorrow we have Zone Conference and will be getting smartphones! Pretty crazy stuff, we’re pumped! Elder Jenson and I have a fire training prepared for our Zone Breakout! So we’re hype for that to get the missionaries in our zone pumped about being missionaries in FOCO and change their attitude about serving here.

We taught a young guy named Luke this week who’s going to CSU and Atheist and it was really sad. He was just saying the whole time how much it sucks to be Atheist cause it’s depressing and there’s like no hope. I was just like bruh you have a choice and don’t have to be that way but he just kept saying with research he’s done and stuff he feels like he has to be. It was really sad.
Also talked to a guy named Mario who’s apart of The Church of God and they believe Jesus Christ has already come to the earth again, the Second Coming has already happened, and that Heavenly Mother is alive and on the earth today. Trippy stuff. There’s so much confusion in this world. But we are so blessed to know the truth and don’t have to be confused. It’s our responsibility to share the knowledge we have with everyone to help them find the truth so let’s get busy baby!

Much love errybody have a phenomenal week! 🤟

I ️love Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator 
700 E Drake Apt. A8
Fort Collins, CO 80525


We played Frisbee Golf today and this is basically how I spent most the day haha

Got to clean the temple yesterday so he’s some pics from the temple

#canthang

Week 35 Easy Money Sniper

Hey this week was a lot better than last! We started teaching a couple people which was great! We started teaching this middle-aged couple Mike & Deb. Their neighbors across the street are in our ward and we tracted their house before our dinner with their neighbors. We had a couple lessons with them this week and read the Introduction and Testimonies of The Book of Mormon and it was amazing to hear them say, “The Book of Mormon fills so many gaps from the Bible” Seriously made me so happy! They’re so prepared and so humble! Mike works with the CSU football team and was talking about getting us to tour the new stadium and be on the sidelines of games so that was pretty sweet haha.

We had a less active member named Mark call us up and tell us he wants to get active again and work on going to the temple cause he’s never been...straight MIRACLE! That never happens haha. Mark is so humble and progressing amazingly! When we first met with him Wednesday we told him he was gonna have to quit coffee if he wanted to eventually go to the temple. Next time we met on Friday, he told us he was already working on quitting. He came to church and sat with us Sunday, them Monday he told us he was done with coffee. So much progress in 1 week!!

William Arnold and Ty Wilkerson came and took my comp and I out to lunch. What homies. It was so cool talking with people from Fresno about Fresno but also so weird. Being out on the mission you just totally forget about life back home it’s so crazy haha.

Elder Jenson and I are in the works of changing the missionary game so stay posted. We sick of all the cliche robotic things missionaries say when trying to get people to talk with them so we tryin to think of different approaches...big things comin...but if you have any suggestions we’ll gladly take them cause we’re currently stumped haha.
Also changin the game when it comes to dinner messages cause currently none of ours our working with our members, they don’t get hype about missionary work, and they don’t give us any referrals, sorry for the roast City Park ward, but anyways, we outcha tryna change the game up.

Our zone is the smallest zone in the mission, we have 2 districts and a total of 7 companionships, and has been labeled as “The place you don’t want to go. Everyone there is prideful. Everyone has already been talked to by missionaries. There’s no work.”  Our zone has a population of little over 200,000 and 1 stake. Cheyenne, WY zone has a population of around 65,000 and 2 stakes. So Elder Jenson and I are taking that pretty personal and trying to flip the attitude of this place around. We had a sweet District Meeting with one of our districts this week and everyone was pretty pumped and excited about turning FOCO around! We’re trying to come up with a zone plan to push the work forward, and currently it’s looking like we’re going to focus on working with the members. Members, PLEASE understand the importance of your role in missionary work. It is so critical. Miracles happen when members and missionaries work together. Much Love everyone 🤟
If you feel so generous to send yo boi some food from Amazon...there’s the addy 

I ️ love Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator 
700 E Drake Apt. A8
Fort Collins, CO 80525

Got to see some Fresno homies and they took us to Chik-Fil-A. Ballerz 

Outchea showing some love

Week 34 Bo Knows

Yo this area is so sick! We have CSU campus and old town Fort Collins in our area and so just do street contacting all day and talk to a ton of people. We were left with nobody to teach so there’s lots of finding to be done before we can start teaching.

Elder Jenson is awesome! He’s from Philly, and I love working with this kid! He’s already taught me a lot.

Funny story from our first night. We were leaving Walmart and these two homeless guys were outside that we starting talking with and one of them wanted us to pray with them. So we get the prayer circle going and he starts off and goes...and I quote “Dear God, I don’t know if you’re cute or what......but I’ll suck a fish to know you.” Homeboy was on something else. Seriously so funny elder Jenson and I always just be sayin “I’ll suck a fish” now haha. 

Our ward isn’t very open to doing missionary work so I can see this being a more difficult area but Elder Jenson and I are determined to flip things around here!

We went to the temple this morning and that was sick! Feeling extra blessed cause that’s like twice in a month now which is super rare out here on the mission haha.

Sorry not much to report on but hopefully there will be more next week!

Love y’all

I love ️ Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator 
1715 N Wilson Ave. Apt. #308
Loveland, CO 80538

Pics from the temple with Elder Jenson and Kellogg

People from Loveland  from last week :)

Pic 5 Look out for his book “I Forgave You Yesterday” this November-James Skeen

Week 33 In Memory of Larry Bird

    Very exciting final week in Loveland!! RJ was baptized and confirmed a member on Saturday! Her baptism was in between sessions on Saturday and it was a packed house! So many people showed up to support RJ and her parents even came. There was a sweet spirit there and I was able to stand in the circle and confirm her, it was such a glorious day!

    President McMurray was at the baptism and pulled me aside afterwards and told me he wants me to serve as a Zone Leader in Fort Collins. It was bitter sweet. I love this area, ward, comps, all our investigators, and it’s sad to be leaving but I’m excited for Fort Collins! My comp is Elder Jenson who’s coming down from Laramie and he’s a cool guy, he was also trained by Elder Litster so we’re brothers haha. And from what I’ve heard, our area covers the CSU campus so I’m hype about that! We’re being swept in there and will be serving in the City Park Ward. Shout out to my boi Elder Halladay becoming a Zone Leader in Loveland too, hold it down!

    The past couple days have been crazy with conference, preparing for transfers, and RJ’s baptism but I’ve loved it! Conference was so incredible. President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God and a straight up baller. Love that man. Excited for the new changes in the church, it’s so awesome seeing God’s hand in his church and making the changes he needs to hasten the work in these last days. Gets me pumped! We watched conference at the Durtsche’s and Williams on Saturday, and then the Arnold’s and Goldsberry’s on Sunday. All such amazing families and I’m grateful they let us into their homes to watch conference with them.

    Couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish out my last week in Loveland! RJ’s baptism and conference have me feelin way blessed. RJ is one of those people that is a confirmation to me that I was called to this mission by God so that I could teach her. It’s been a blessing serving in Loveland and I’m sure I’ll be back. Much Love Loveland.

Love y’all 🤟

I love️ Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator
700 E Drake Apt. A8

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Took tons of pictures so enjoy :)

RJ’s Baptism'

Arnold Family

Goldsberry Family

Ward Mission Leader Bro Scalva and his wife

Painted Sister Williams salon

Shout out to the fam for the Easter package with the dopest socks I ever seent 

Homie Chuck Williams

Chuck Chuck Riley and Ryley 

The boi's

Week 32 Tuscan Leather Smellin Like A Brick

Another amazing week out here Loveland, CO!

Had to say goodbye to Elder Reiswig which was sad to see my boi leave but what an amazing missionary and I’m grateful for all I was able to learn from him

RJ’s baptism is this Saturday in between conference sessions and I’m so hype for it!! She had her interview today and everything went great so now we’re just waiting till Saturday. Her husband Joe is gonna baptize her and it’s gonna be such an incredible day for them both, so excited for them! RJ is definitely one of those people that has been confirmation to me that I was sent from God to serve in the Colorado Fort Collins mission and it’s been such a blessing teaching her.

Everything is going great with all our investigators, we’re gonna try and start having them all be taught in members homes cause it makes a huge difference!

So stoked for General Conference this week! What a blessing it is for us to be able to hear from our prophet and apostles and receive whatever guidance they have been inspired from Our Heavenly Father to share with us. Letssss Goooo!!!

I love being in a tripan with my boyz Elder Thacker and Elder Treanor, it’s such a blessing serving beside them. Pretty sure I’m gonna be leaving them this next week with transfers which is sad but I’m grateful for the time I’ve had to serve with them. They’re some true homies. Well I know I’m at that point to where I’ve been forgotten about and the only people reading my emails still are my Mom and Pops, so shout out to them. Errybody else enjoy the pics :)

Much love everyone 


I love Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator
1715 N Wilson Ave. Apt. #308
Loveland, CO 80538

Farewell Elder Reiswig 

Got to see G Money for little 

Icy Squad Pics

Yo boi as Alma The Younger for the primary 

Week 31 Deadliest Trio There Ever Was

This week was awesome! I love my companions and it’s such a blessing being able to work along side them and learn from them. Such homies. Being in a trio with these guys is so much fun! Love em.

This morning we went to the temple, bless up. Love going to the temple, such peaceful and wonderful feelings come from the temple I love it.

Here’s a quick update on investigators

Diana-Diana was baptized this Saturday into our ward! She has investigated the church for 40 years and was baptized Saturday. She was taught by Sisters by her request but we’ve been working with her in Gospel Principles class in church and are going to start recent convert lessons with her and the Sisters this week.

Ed- Ed is such a crazy fool! He talks so much and loves telling stories it’s so funny. He came to the baptism and pretty sure he was drunk as a skunk at the baptism haha. Anyway he still loved it and we went over Saturday night and taught him the word of wisdom. He said he’s scared to quit smoking and drinking and wants to eventually but kinda on his own time. He’s been smoking since he was 13!! But it was cool he came to church for all 3 hours and was sharing about what we taught him in Elders quorum. After Elders quorum someone came up to him and told him that he can quit smoking and that they recently just got over smoking.

Levy & Jana- Jana is progressing really well and reading the Book of Mormon on her own. She took the challenge to read and pray about being baptized!! Levy is solid and would already be baptized if it weren’t for his probation haha.

Darron Arnold-Watched Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration with him this week and he really liked it! He wants us to help strengthen his relationship with God before we start focusing on baptism.

Dennis Newberry- Dennis and his family are friends/neighbors with the Durtsche family in our ward and we made contact with him a couple weeks ago but taught our first lesson yesterday with Bro Durtsche there. It was so cool, we showed up and he had an older Book of Mormon on his table and said it was one his buddy from the Navy gave him 25 years ago and he’s held onto it since. He said “I’ve been through 5 moves in that time and still have it so there must be something special about it” That was so cool to hear! The lesson went great and he wants his family to have a strong relationship with Christ. We’re going to try and meet with all them in the Durtsche’s home this week.

RJ- RJ is so awesome! We met with her last night in the Williams home and she is so pumped for her baptism! She was getting the program all together and we went over the baptismal interview questions with her and everything went great! It’s been incredible watching her progression.

I love Loveland and the people here. The work is going amazingly! It’s pretty crazy to see the progression of this area since Elder Treanor and I got here. There hadn’t been a lesson taught in over 100 days and no progressing investigators. We’ve been blessed and it’s gonna be sad to leave here.

Much Love y’all 🤟

I  Love Jesus

Elder Bennett aka yoboigator
1715 N Wilson Ave. Apt. #308
Loveland, CO 80538

                                 Freshest Trio

 

                                My girl Carol

                                         Ed

   

                                      Diana after getting Confirmed

                                     Mean Squad pics at the temple

m                 My boi Elder Reiswig goin home Saturday