Week 81 “I’m An Experienced Lover”

Who says ya can’t plan to have a wedding/baptism in 48 hours?! This week has been WILD!! We went & taught Steve Nath & his fiancé Jazmuhn on Saturday. So they’re moving to New York on the 18th & Jaz’s dad lives out there & they want him to marry them cause he’s a judge & Jaz’s dad. Therefore we haven’t really pushed baptism w/ Steve because they weren’t planning on getting married till New York. Well, while teaching Saturday we told Steve he was very ready for baptism & he said “no way, I thought I thought I was years away.” So we started to go over the baptismal interview questions w/ Steve to show him he was ready, thinking nothing of it. Well that went great. 

Saturday night we get transfer info, Elder Ufland & I are both leaving, that was a huge shock. I’m going going back back to Loveland. I’ll be double covering wards. I’ll be in the Harmony Park & Kechter Farm wards, I’ll still be on bike, and I’m pretty sure I cover the area around the temple. It’s actually in Fort Collins but in the Loveland Stake & Zone. I’m gonna be training a new missionary that I’ll pick up & meet tonight. I’ll still be the District Leader over there & my MTC comp Elder Gillette is in my district so you already know we gonna have a ton of fun & been doin some mad work! Super hype!

So Sunday during 2nd hour in Sunday School our Bishop pulls out Steve and takes him into his office. They talk a while & come out & Steve said that Bishop Ross said, “I felt prompted to pull you out & tell you that you need the companionship of the Holy Ghost before y’all move to New York. I will marry y’all tomorrow and we can have you baptized Tuesday before the Elders leave.” Bishop Ross is the man. So he told them to pray about it. So Steve & Jaz went & prayed about it & afterwards Steve said he felt good about it! So then it was time to plan out the wedding & baptism

Fast forward to Monday night @ the wedding. Bishop Ross stands up & opens it up to anyone to give Steve & Jaz any advice or counsel about being married. Well I stand up, and mind you that the Stake President is sitting in front of me, and Bishop makes a joke about me, being a missionary giving marriage advice. And the first words out of my mouth are, “I’m an experienced lover.” Very poor choice of words haha. Everyone had a good laugh & I felt like an idiot after sitting down it was great. The wedding was beautiful & I’ll have the pleasure of baptizing Steve tonight. Right after Elder Fronk & I will drive to Windsor, CO to pick up the missionary I’ll be training. I can honestly say this has been the most wild past couple of days of my mission. I’m sad to be leaving Buffalo Ridge, so many great people. I’m excited to go back to Loveland. I love y’all 🤟

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

B Ridge Boyz We Out

Alyssa & Katlyn

Leishman Family

Grant Family

Brown Family

Haylie Turley & Her Mom

Steve & Jazmuhn @ Their Wedding

After Wedding Dinner

Text From Steve Sunday Night

Just Dropped My Mixtape

Week 80 Give A Hug-Light The World

We was teaching this family after having dinner w/ them and they got this cute little girl who is 4. We were sharing a message outta Come Follow Me for the week & were talking about Matthew 5:13-16 when Christ is talking about how we are the light of the world. Well we asked this little girl, “How can you light the world?” And she jumps out of her seat and shouts, “I CAN GIVE HUGS!”it was the cutest thing ever! Children are so innocent & the best, no wonder Christ has such a deep love for children. So, go light the world & give someone a hug :)

Well we got to meet w/ Haylie last night & that went amazing! Even tho we haven’t been able to meet w/ her for 2 weeks she’s still been reading, praying, and is still super solid! She is prolly the most mature 15 year old I’ve ever met & when we read scriptures w/ her & ask her questions she goes back to the scripture, analyzes it, ponders it, then gives the answer its pretty cool to watch how smart she is & how much she’s learning! We set the goal for her to be baptized March 30th!

Everything is going well w/ everyone else that we’re teaching & we also started teaching a new man named Jason. Jason just showed up at our church w/ his parents a couple weeks ago. Jason already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon & knows more doctrine than most members haha. He’s had a real rough life & has a super cool story about being Atheist & then coming to God & seeking out his church & he said after going to many other churches & searching he came to know thru the Book of Mormon that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is truly Christ Church! Jason is basically a member & has even held a calling at one point haha. He now wants his parents to be able to learn more so he’s been having them come to church w/ him. Jason’s being a missionary & he ain’t even a member! He struggles a lot w/ drug addiction & bad influences so unfortunately he’s on probation for the next 5-7 years but we love meeting w/ Jason! #ProbationIsTheWorrrrrst

This week has been one of goodbyes :( We said goodbye to Kennadee who got home from her mission in October & we had been meeting w/ her helping her out. She’s a real close homie & we’re excited for her future! She moved back to Iowa so we said our goodbyes to her. And we also said goodbye to Hermana Garza who is one of the biggest homiez in the mission! We’ve served around each other for 9 months! She had results that came back from the hospital that diagnosed her w/ M.S. so she needs to go home to get the care she needs. It was sad seeing her go cause she is someone who LOVES being a missionary & is an amazing one! But the Lord got a plan & she’s faithful in that.

Also transfers are next week & the Sisters that I came out with go home on Saturday! 

Aight seriously now go light the world & give someone a hug :)

Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

District Squad Pics

3/4 Zone Pic haha

Kennadee

Hermana Garza

Everything being white is pretty but I miss the sun

Ben came back & we got to see him 1 last time

Week 79 #DoryStrong

What an incredible week! We had our zone conference on Thursday & the theme was repentance. President McMurray focused it around Alma 23:7 & “burying our weapons of rebellion.” P Mac really went all out. He dressed up as an Anti-Nephi-Lehi & had us all go up & bury our weapons of rebellion, it was dope.

Also while at Zone Conference we were able to hear some powerful testimonies which I’m grateful for. The first was President McMurray’s. He talked about his grandson Owen who had been born last week at 27 weeks & was 1lb 7oz. Who lived only a few days before passing in his parents arms. It was extremely sad & devastating & I watched President McMurray tell this story without shedding a single tear & said, “this is not a sad story, but a hopeful story.” He bore powerful testimony of eternal families & his knowledge & gratitude of that. It was incredible.

The next was by a young man named Kyle Dory. So while in Laramie I got to work closely w/ President Kirk Dory & we met on about a weekly basis. He was always talking about how excited he was for his son Kyle to serve his mission. I never knew Kyle personally while in Laramie but had heard of him & his story, but at Zone Conference we got to hear from him personally & boi was that somethin! During Kyle’s sophomore year they found a tumor on his brain which was diagnosed as cancer. He went thru radiation & chemo, fought hard & won. He was healed. He was preparing to serve a mission & so excited, he received his call to the New York Rochester Mission & was scheduled to leave in January. The week before his report date he went for one final check up only to discover his cancer had returned & this time was more fatal. He was devastated knowing that he would no longer be able to serve, although thru miracles, Kyle was able to go to his mission for a week & serve as a full time missionary to his assigned mission in New York.  Nearly a month later he came to our Zone Conference to share his story & testimony. It was truly special hearing his testimony. The part that stuck out to me most was he was talking about a talk he had heard from Elder Bednar when Elder Bednar went to visit someone who was sick & Elder Bednar asked the person “Do you have the faith to not be healed?” Afterwards Kyle said “I have the faith to be healed, the Lord has already done it. But I also have the faith to not be healed.” That was deep. Kyle is an inspiration & I feel so blessed to have been able to have heard his testimony.

I invite you all to lay down any of your “weapons of rebellion” thru repentance so that you fight no more against God. Also to have “the faith to not be healed.” Willing to submit cheerfully to whatever the will of the Lord May be. I promise you will find joy & you will find peace by doing so.

After Zone Conference & feeling like complete scrubs & realizing our problems in life are nothing compared to what others go thru, we got to go to the temple w/ Alyssa & Katlyn!!! That was such a wonderful experience. Alyssa said while we were in the temple she could feel her mother w/ her. I also forget to add last week, Thursday night before Alyssa’s Baptism she was struggling to fall asleep & said that during that night she heard her mother’s voice say, “I’m proud of you Alyssa.” It’s been so incredible to see the miracle that Alyssa has been & all the amazing experiences she’s had. Oh, & she’s almost finished w/ Alma in The Book of Mormon...pretty sure she’ll have it finished before I leave haha. She’s incredible. 

I also hit 18 months last week & completed my “Sister Mission.” Wild. I feel so blessed, this last week has be tremendous! Extremely grateful for the changes so that I can video call the fam now too. Wild. Thank you for all the love & support! Love y’all!

Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

P Mac Thee Anti-Nephi-Lehi 

Look who’s in the Zone...#DreamTeam #DaBoyzAreBackInTownnnn

 YEET

Elder Seamons Up In Da Zone Too

Temple w/ Katlyn & Alyssa

Cowboy Pirate

“It’s like I’m riding a furry tractor” *real ones will know*

Week 78 Message Is & Always Has Been LOVE

I came across this scripture last week & love it. 1 John 3:11

“11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

The message is the same today. We just need to love one another. So w/ this week bein all bout love, focus on loving one another. Miracles happen thru love.

Alyssa’s Baptism was such an incredible experience! She was so excited & talked about how amazing she felt afterwards, it was so special to see & I feel so blessed to have been apart of her journey. Elder Ufland confirmed her on Sunday & she was interviewed after sacrament to receive her temple recommend! Then on Monday we went w/ her to our family history consultant & she was able to print off her mother’s name so that she can be baptized in behalf of her mother on Thursday! We’re so excited but not nearly as excited as Alyssa is!

We didn’t teach Haylie this week & she was at her dad’s house over the weekend so she asked her dad about baptism & he told her he thinks she should wait, so we’ll continue teaching her & working w/ her but it looks like we’ll have to push her baptismal date back.

We taught Steve Nath & his fiancé Jazmuhn & Steve’s sister Lori & her husband Steve last night as well as a couple times last week & every lesson has been going amazing! Lori has been showing incredible progress. Last night she was asking so much about baptism & being able to go to the temple to be baptized in behalf of her mother & being sealed to her. So Lori & her husband Steve had previously been to a baptism & also went thru the Fort Collins temple before it was dedicated which they absolutely loved & found so amazing! Steve was talking about how cool of an experience it would be to kneel at the altar & look into the mirrors & see them going on forever. It was exciting to see them talking about baptism & the temple so comfortably.

Love One Another.
Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

Alyssa’s Baptism 

Alyssa’s roommate Katlyn who introduced her to the Gospel

Week 77 My Favorite Shade of Blue...Book of Mormon Blue

We was sittin in church Sunday & I was holdin my Book of Mormon next to my suit and realized they’re pretty similar shades of blue. So I turned to Elder Ufland & said “my favorite shade of blue...Book of Mormon blue.” It was super dumb but we both laughed & so I just randomly been sayin it now.

Alyssa’s Baptism is this Saturday & we’re so stoked for her, she asked me to baptize her & Elder Ufland to confirm her, Saturday can’t come quick enough! We also got a call from Jason Grant the other day & his son Donovan wants me to ordain him to the office of a teacher on Sunday, lots to look forward to this weekend!

We taught Haylie the Plan of Salvation last night & she’s doing amazing! She has so much faith & is the sweetest spirit, always helping others out. She’s still praying for a baptismal date & needs to talk to her dad about it but we’re praying for March 2nd!

Steve & Jazmuhn are doing great! We had an awesome lesson w/ them on Thursday about faith & doing the Lord’s will using 1 Nephi 3&4 & afterwards Steve was so excited & kept saying it was the best lesson he had ever had! It was fun to see how excited he was haha. Then we taught again last night in their home & Steve invited his sister who used to take the lessons about 5 years ago so we had the opportunity of teaching all of them & it was incredible! They lost their mother & father a number of years ago and haven’t ever been able to find peace with their deaths. We taught & bore testimony of the Plan of Salvation. Steve’s sister Lori afterwards talked about how she felt so comforted & at peace. It was such a special lesson to see how much of an impact it had on Steve & Lori. We’re excited to be able to continue teaching them!

Hermana Garza, one of the biggest homiez in the mission, had some health problems & had to go to the hospital for a couple days so we went & visited w/ her after church on Sunday. I don’t know of any other missionary who holds their calling so sacred & sincere as her. It was nice being able to visit w/ her & see her spirits were still high. She was discharged yesterday so we’re praying she can stay healthy now to finish her mission.
Hope y’all have a great week filled w/ lots of love! I got a ton of love for all y’all! Keep ya heads up.

Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

                                                     Hospital Squad Pic

 

Week 76 Tearz Of Joy

CHEYENNE IS THE PLACE TO BE!!!

We finished the lessons w/ Alyssa this week & had her baptismal interview yesterday & all is going amazing there! She leaves for California tomorrow & is back Sunday & then we’ll be prepping her for her baptism on Saturday Feb. 9th, we’re so excited for her but prolly not as excited as she is! It’s so wonderful to see her growth & excitement! She went out w/ the Sister missionaries here on Wednesday & did some street contacting w/ them & was a straight baller!! She was chasing foolz down, knocking on car windows, & talking w/ everyone!! The Sisters said it inspired them to want to be better missionaries! Alyssa bore her testimony to a woman that made her cry & was able to give her a Book of Mormon. Alyssa is such a baller! We’re so proud of her.

Thursday night we taught in the Grant’s home. We were teaching Alyssa, Jaxon, Chaslynn, and a recent convert named Tiffany. We also had a RM there teaching w/ us named Kennadee & it was a party!  We were teaching & something happened which then started Alyssa to laugh, who snorts whenever she laughs, which led to everyone laughing cause it was something that they hadn’t heard before. Once things got settled & quiet again, the Grant’s 7 year old daughter Jerzey who’s in the kitchen coloring goes “haha *snort snort* (impersonating Alyssa)” which then led everyone to laughing all over again. Anyways, I ain’t laugh that hard prolly my whole mission & I was crying tearz of joy from all that laughter it was great!

Last week on Tuesday night we contacted an unbaptized young woman in our ward named Haylie. Her grandma (who’s visiting from Texas) opened the door & it was blistering cold out & bless her heart cause she had no clue who we were but let us in haha. Haylie & her Mom were both there tho so it was perfect cause we got to talk w/ them. She’s 15 and prolly the smartest most mature 15 year old I’ve ever met haha. Her Mother hasn’t been active since her & her husband split a long time ago. So we visited a while & asked to come back to teach them & Haylie very quickly said we could come back Thursday night! We went back & taught them & Haylie was following along perfectly, pondering on the scriptures & questions we asked, it was great! Haylie kept talking about how calm & peaceful she felt during the lesson & how she felt comforted knowing she was never alone cause she always has Christ w/ her. We went back last night & Haylie was so excited to accept the invitation to be baptized! She had picked Feb. 23rd but she’s at her dad’s house that weekend so she’s praying about Feb. 16th or March 2nd now!

We have a couple we’re teaching now that the Sisters had been teaching a while but we’re taking over now that we’re super excited about! Their names are Steve & Jazmuhn. Jazmuhn is a member, Steve, her boyfriend is not. Steve’s the coolest guy & is super humble & has a strong desire to learn more & come closer to Christ! We have dinner w/ them tonight & next week & are excited to be able to be teaching them!
I love life & I love Jesus Christ.
Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

Jaxon & Jerzey messed me up after closing Prayer

Big Dawg Elder Hastings

Dem Boyz Hungryyyy

Week 75 Buffalo Ridge Boyz

Buffalo Ridge Boyz are staying together another transfer!! We’re both super pumped cause that means we’ll both be here for Alyssa’s baptism! Alyssa is doing amazing! She already has a date picked out to go to the temple to be baptized for her mother! So if all goes well, we’ll be going with her to the temple Feb. 14th. This week we’ll finish all the lessons w/ Alyssa to make sure we’re all set for her baptism on the 9th. She’s all the way into 2 Nephi now & even made a little chart thing w/ the things we’ve taught her to help her remember them. Alyssa is the best!!

We went to the temple on Saturday to do baptisms for the dead w/ someone Elder Ufland Taught before I got here. It was such a sweet experience! Made me think back to last time I did baptisms for the dead and it had prolly been 4-5 years. I got to baptize Elder Ufland a few times and I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time, such a sweet experience! 

Things are goin great out here & I feel so extremely blessed! I’m so grateful that I’ll be here for another 6 weeks. Things are really blowing up & we’re excited for this new transfer! I love y’all & know that God’s Love is real & there for all of us!

Peace & Love,

Elder Bennett aka YOBOIGATOR 

                                                       Buffalo Ridge Boyz

Snickerz Bein Aesthetic

                                                     Hike Last Week