Week 4

   This week was we did a lot of service the first few days. Our district didn't have a district leader yet because Elder Fullmer was leaving and on tuesday night our Zone leader Elder Christensen called us and asked us to put him on speaker phone. He then asked me to be the new district leader for this transfer. I said "uhhh sure why not" and then he said "Ha! Just joking man!" He got me so good haha my companions said the look on my face was priceless. So no not a district leader. Elder Thompson is our new district leader and Elder Fullmer is a new zone leader in Cardston.

   On Wednesday we picked up our new companion Elder Bachman. He is super quiet and shy but he's a super nice guy. He's from Pocatello Idaho, same as Elder Elliott, so that's pretty cool. They didn't know each other because Elder Elliott lived in a small town called Aberdeen just outside of Pocatello. 

    We had a lot of success this week. A family out on the Siksika Reserve asked us to come and teach one of their daughters who said she was interested. We taught her the first lesson on Wednesday and the second on Sunday. She said she wants to get baptized so are going to set a date on Wednesday. Super cool how she was so accepting of everything we taught! We also got 2 referrals from a less active lady that we go and visit so we knocked on their doors and they both were super interested! We taught the lesson to the one lady and she said she wanted to read the book of mormon, gave us her # and asked us to come see her again on Wednesday and teach her more! The other referral was a guy who is catholic and while on the doorstep when we were talking about who we were, I felt the need to get my book of mormon out of my backpack and promise him that if he read it and prayed about it he would know it was true. He smiled and promised he would do what I had said and have questions for us the next time we saw him. He asked more questions about what we believe in and he told us he wants us to teach him more! We are going to visit him on Wednesday also. It's amazing how that little prompting to testify of the Book of Mormon lead to his interest and desire to learn more. Just another example of how we should always act on promptings!

    I'm having so much fun out here with my companions and the members. Just saw Vince Harker at church and met Gary Morton (Parker Cliftons uncle) this week. I'm known to some of the members here as the terrorist because my visa still hasn't come haha. We are getting closer to more members and got some referrals from them this week. Mainly all less actives. It's really hard to find new investigators here in Strathmore. Tracting has gotten us nowhere. All of our lessons come from help from the members. That's something I feel that Magrath needs to work on. Get to know everyone and work on introducing them to the missionaries! Be brave and just do it haha. Oh, and to make me feel better about being here, one of the innactive guys we go and see said, "You're not the missionary that Strathmore wants, but the one that it needs" (Batman voice) hahaha I'm loving it here and learning to love the people here! Just hoping to go to LA before winter hits haha. Stay strong and keep doing the little things! Say your prayers, study the scriptures and go to church! Doing the simple things is what keeps our testimony strong. 

  Love Elder Bennett

Week 3

So on Pday since transfers are coming soon all the elders in our district went to the trampoline park in Calgary for 2 hours. Tons of fun playing dodgeball, dunkball and seeing who could do the coolest flips into the foam pit. We went to the Vanderveers for dinner on tuesday (innactive family) and they have a lasting record set by their son of 13 crepes in one sitting. Since I am somewhat competitive... haha I had to beat it so I ate 15 crepes in 30 mins.. Yes I didn't feel good the rest of the night and next morning but having the record makes it all worth! We are still teaching their daughter and are going over the lessons again with her. I was a little shaky giving my part of the lesson at first but I'm getting more solid as we practice as a companionship. We got a potential new investigator but he works on the rigs in Saskachewan so it will be tough setting up appointments. 

Got to mow some lawns and do other service for less actives this week. Elder Elliott is going to be training and we pick up the new guy tomorrow. Elder Fullmer is going down south so maybe Lethbridge! We went to the trainers meeting and saw Elder Lusk there! Haden will remember him. Saturday we did the food drive all morning. Got to unload for 6 hours haha but it was fun and I saw Tanya Vanbruggen. We then had to rush back to Strathmore for Stanley's baptism and it went super well! The spirit was so strong there. It took two tries cuz his toe came up haha but it was all good! We gave the lesson of the restoration and I played I Am a Child of God on the violin. Also I made no bake cookies as the refreshments afterwards haha I think my companions like me cuz i make them treats! It was a great way to end the week. Sunday was a farewell for a girl in the ward and I got to be in the circle for Stanley's ordination and confirmation.

It's such a great experience to be a part of helping someone come unto Christ. Honestly the best feeling ever seeing people choose to change their lives for the better. I am so grateful to have chosen to come on a mission. It's only been 3 weeks but I already feel like I've changed. Anyone that is debating on going on a mission just do it. I promise you will not regret it and it it is thee best possible thing for us to do. Just being in the routine of studying my scriptures, studying preach my gospel and saying meaningful prayers every morning has strengthened my testimony in places I didn't know needed strengthening. Try reading your scriptures with a highlighter every day and you will be amazed how much of a difference it makes. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and testify that doing the simple things with purpose consistently strengthens our testimony immensely. Love and miss you all! Stay strong and always keep an eye out for missionary opportunities! 

   Elder Bennett

Week 2

So weird how 2 weeks feels like 2 days! Tuesday we went and visited an old guy named John who is one of our investigators. I talked about how he went to see the Lion King and that the guy who played Mufasa was a mormon. He then went on to say how he thought Mormons were great people and that he wanted to start taking lessons! But he is gone to Mexico for two weeks so we won't teach him till he gets back. Funny cuz he felt something different as the "Mormon Dude" spoke that made him interested in learning more. He calls us "Ding Dongs" (From a south park episode about mormon missionaries. Don't watch it Mom haha) So he is a really cool old guy! We are also visiting a less active lady here in Strathmore who has a job that makes her work on Sundays and we went and painted her house for her on Friday. She gave us pizza for lunch so it was all worth haha jks. She has a small dog that is super smart. Does tons of tricks and played dead! When you make a gun with your fingers and say back he roles onto his back and lets his tongue hang out haha so it's always fun to visit her. Wednesday we had zone training and we are really focusing and working with the members. The work in Strathmore is getting super tough because we have tracted (knocking on doors) every house. The only way for us to find potential investigators is by getting stronger relationships with the members which leads to getting referrals. As soon as the members see that we are cool missionaries they trust us to talk to their neighbors haha. That's something that needs work in Magrath too. Start thinking of non members and less actives that the missionaries could visit! Now being a missionary I see that we get nowhere without having an "in" (member that knows them). To all the high school kids, start inviting non members to all church activities! Start even inviting them to church. You will be surprised at who will accept the invitation. A lot of the missionary work here is happening from the youth inviting their friends to sacrament meeting so get on it! That's one thing I regret was not inviting my non member friends to more activities and such. Take a leap of faith and who knows who might be interested! The Lord works in mysterious ways. 

   

On Thursday all the missionaries met at a stake center in Calgary and Brother Martino (A 70) spoke to us all about missionary work and how better to work with members (again, the member focus). But it was really cool what he taught. The main thing I got from it was his way of asking members for referrals. Instead of saying "Do you have anyone that we can teach" he advised to ask three questions instead: 

1st: Do you know any non member or less active friends who have lost a loved one recently? 

2nd: Non member or less active who has recently had a new baby? 

3rd: Non member or less active who is struggling raising teenage kids. 

So we now ask those three questions and it gets members thinking more. Then after they have thought of a few people we then ask them to invite those people over for dinner and gain a better relationship with them and eventually introduce them to us when they feel they can. Already we have received 4 referrals just this weekend! The meeting with Brother Martino went for 6 hours but I never fell asleep! (possibly because I was on the front row haha) But he taught a ton of things and got all of us thinking on how to improve. Afterwards we exchanged Elder Fullmer with Elder Jones. We did service all of Friday and helped a lady move whose name is Bohne. She said that she is Brad Bakers, uncles mom? Idk. Just another tie to someone I know haha. She is moving down to Raymond. Friday night we went to dinner at the Road House with the Quists who are my favourite older couple in the ward. Honestly had thee best salmon ever so if anyone ever goes to Strathmore I recommend going there haha. I made a deal that I would mow his lawn for letting me get the salmon haha. 

   

Saturday I got a call from the ward music lady (can't think of what it's called), Sister Harper, and she said she was told by Danny Dudley (Brother Dudleys grandson) that I played the violin and so I played Come Thou Fount in sacrament meeting. Sister Harper accompanied me. I was told it was really good by a lot of teary eyed people. It was super nice to get to play the violin again! We then went out to Gleichon and attended their branch. We had a meeting with a less active at church and she told us to meet her at the Siksika community center. Turns out it was a church meeting where they had 3 guys just singing christian music and a lady who basically said "We love you Jesus, Praise Jesus etc" over and over again. It was an interesting experience haha. 

Overall being a missionary is thee coolest experience. Yes we get rejected and appointments get dropped but each day something happens that makes it worth it. My companions are sweet and I'm having a blast even if I'm only 2 hours from home! Love you all. 

   Elder Bennett

Week 1: First Letter!

Alright so I'm in Strathmore! Joined two 5'6 missionaries named Elder Fullmer and Elder Elliott. Yes, I've been cracking the short jokes! We are already great friends and we all get along great! Elder Fullmer is from Bountiful Utah and Elder Elliott is from Aberdeen, Idaho. Elliott is super funny and plays basketball! Hallelujah! Fullmer reminds me of Morgan. He's always quoting disney movies, monty python and nacho libre! 

The work in Strathmore is rough. When tracting, every door opens and says "No thanks" and closes, or says "We already believe in Jesus" and closes. But we also go out to the reserve in Gleichon. I placed my first book of mormon there to a lady named Nikki and we are going to go see her. Mostly what we do is visit inactive and less-active members and share a thought with them. We are teaching a girl named Shanice who wants to get baptized but wants her family's support. Her parents got offended by something a few years back and are quite anti now.  Also, there is a girl named Kaylee who is getting baptized when she turns 18. Her parents are similar to Shanice's but nicer haha. 

I've met tons of people with ties to Magrath! Walter Dudley is the stake president? (I think that's his first name) Danny Dudley is in the ward along with his mom. There is only one ward in Strathmore. Also Kathy Harker's daughter lives here. The first night I was here we got called over to give brother Clark a blessing. His name is Fredrick Joseph Clark and Grandma taught him school in the Calgary 3rd ward! He said he loved her! His wife is Bill's aunt (Bill and Anette) So many ties! 

Just  on a Saturday a girl who was 22 passed away in the ward in her sleep. She had health problems but death wasn't a worry so their family is in shock. The funeral is this week. We went and mowed their lawn Saturday morning. So the ward is pretty gloomy right now but their family bore their testimony at church! 

I’m loving the missionary life! Its so much fun just talking to anyone you feel you can approach haha. Weird how as soon as I got my name tag it suddenly just feels normal. Yes, it feels weird serving here in my home mission but I know I'll find some people that need to hear from me in particular. My testimony gets stronger each day and it's cool how natural it feels to bare it now. This week has been so much fun! (minus the cold rain this weekend) My companions are sweet and I'm so glad I'm here. Love you all!  

  Love, Elder Bennett