WEEK 45: ZL!

So this was a little crazy, busy and had a lot of change! Monday was normal with Pday playing basketball and dinner ending with calling some referrals and street contacting.

Tuesday night we got a call from president stating that Elder Hutchinson would be a mission office elder, and that I would go into a trio with the other Gardena elders. Crazy!

Wednesday Elder Hutchinson said goodbye to some members, then Elder Roe came and picked him up and I went with the east Gardena elders, Elder Wassum and Mayberry, now double covering the east and west in a car. We did weekly planning, and then we went on splits with 3 different members which went super good!

Thursday was the international zone interviews so we had to run that all the way till 4pm. Then had dinner and went straight to a lesson with Charlotte. We went through the 3rd lesson which went super good! At the end we talked about how to recognize the spirit and then reset her baptismal date for the 28th!

Friday was ZTM which went really good! President and Sister Haynie came to it and afterwards president called me out into the hallway which he then called me to be a zone leader! So now i am the international zone leader with Elder Mayberry. We cover the whole mission and go to a stake report each Sunday in different stakes. I’m over all the Chinese, Korean, and Farsi elders and sisters. It’s pretty crazy!

Saturday Elder Wassum went to be a zone leader in Lawndale. We had a lesson with Napoleon and read 1st Nephi 6 and really broke it down. Then brother Vanisi came and installed an AC unit into our apartment. Hallelujah! Then had dinner at the Nakilas and taught Maimai the 3rd lesson of her new member lessons. Then went into the east side and saw a guy named Edgar and set a baptismal date with him for September 18th.

Sunday we went to the Gardena and the Nuumau ward. Then went to Palos Verdes for a stake report there and I saw Elder Griffin! He's the PV zone leader. Then went to a lesson with Walter and brother Woolwine came with us. Walter is now in Alma! He's progressing really well. Then had dinner with the Florciks. Was a busy day!

Overall it was a busy week! Now a zone leader and covering the whole Gardena ward boundaries. A little stressful but it's good! Busy. I’m loving the mission and having a great time!

Love Elder Bennett

Weel 9: Finally Arriving in LA!

      Ok so I didn't get to write last week because I flew to LA and today was crazy busy because I had to go take a drivers test and also had to get a hair cut! I'm in Hollywood of all places and I'm in a trio again haha. My companion is Elder Nimori and we have Elder Adcox with us too who is a visa waiter. He leaves next transfer because his visa came already. I don't have much time to write because LA traffic is terrible but I'll try to sum up the past two weeks the best I can. 

      So going back to my last week in the MTC. Elder Taylor my companion he rolled his ankle on Tuesday so he was on crutches all week. A seventy came and talked to us Tuesday night and Elder Griffin knew him so I got to go with him and get a picture with all three of us so that was cool! Had a lot of fun teaching investigators in the MTC and one of them was an actual investigator and she really liked us and said she learned a lot from us and said that she would email us if she got baptized so that was cool! I met a sister Hinckley from Calgary who went to Aberhart. Also met an Elder Nelson who was a grade older than me and he went to LCI. I played bball against him in grade 10. He knew John Brewerton. 

      Said good bye to my district on Sunday night and woke up at 2:30 am Monday morning, took a train to the airport and flew to LA! Went through all the orientation and went and street contacted for 3 hours with Elder Coleman. That was super fun and we had a ton of success! Went to a member's house that night and slept there, then Tuesday got my companions and went to Hollywood! This mission is quite a high-baptizing mission. Our mission has an average of 40 baptisms a month. We will probably be having 3 baptisms this month in my ward - all converts. We are always either teaching lessons, contacting refferals or less actives. Crazy busy! Loving it though. Our ward mission leader is an actor and he plays basketball every night with famous viners so that's pretty crazy. It's amazing how wicked Hollywood is, yet every day we find someone that's been prepared to hear our message. It's awesome! 

      Had a crazy experience where I felt like we needed to go into an apartment complex and talk to someone, so we did and there was only one lady there. We introduced ourselves and she was super interested! Taught her the first two lessons right there. Following promptings always brings blessings! The members here are awesome and our bishop is so cool! One of our investigators attended church on Sunday and we just met her on Friday. She said she loved it! Our bishop asked me and Elder Adcox to speak next week so kinda nervous for that. Weather is awesome and I'm having so much fun! 

      ST (Spiritual thought)- Gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Our entire religion depends on it. If it is true then we have a prophet on the earth today and all the standards, commandments and rules we follow in the church are directly from God. Never forget that when you question a standard that the church has set. Love and miss you all! My letter next week will hopefully not be so rushed. 

   Love Elder Bennett

Week 7

      Well it was a sad day saying goodbye to my companions. Especially Elder Elliott. Gonna miss that guy. I was picked up from district meeting by Elder and Sister Pepinger. Flew out by myself which wasn't stressful at all surprisingly! Took a cab to the MTC with a Mexican elder who didn't speak english very well so that was funny. My companion is Elder Taylor form Las Vegas and he is 6'4 so that's humbling haha. He was super sick on Friday and Saturday so I didn't do much those two days. The sisters and elders in my district here are amazing! Elder Griffin has also served in the field already, he's my district leader. Our zone leaders are Elder Toki and Elder Pearson. Elder Toki and I are pretty much best friends. He is Tongan and is from Hawaii and we just get along so well! He has made it his goal to spread the word that i'm Canadian and am the coolest elder here so now whenever people see me they say "Elder Benneeeeeett" so I'm feeling the love haha. 

      The MTC has been great so far! I've learned so much in 6 days it's mind boggling. Main thing I learned this week was the importance of the Book of Mormon. If we gain a testimony of it then the rest of the gospel falls into place. I'd like to challenge anyone that reads this letter to find a time this week to pray about the Book of Mormon and promise that if you do so with a sincere heart your testimony will be strengthened. Even if you have already done so, do it again! It's helped me grow so much. Love you all so much and I'm excited to be in LA next week! Don't know if I'll be able to write because I fly out on Monday. 

  Love Elder Bennett