Sliding Into February

The Elders at their interviews

 

 

Dear Family!

For the sake of this coming Pday which is only in 4 days I decided that I'll only talk about the happenings of last week.

There weren't really too many exciting things that happened this week. It was a slower week but we tried to keep the work going. We visited Vivian on Wednesday and showed her the Restoration film. It was really near because her mom who partially speaks English has been really paying attention to everything that we have been saying so she loved the video. She was even asking questions afterward. The Vogels accompanied us to that lesson and it was just great!

We had Zone Conference the following day. To save on miles we metroed up to the D.C. Stake center. It didn't take too long saying we live right next to a metro stop. When we got to the church building we got started right away. They have been focusing the trainings all on teaching repentance and baptizing converts. I guess they decided repetition is key to drill it into all our heads. We had some great opportunities to practice our teaching so we could get out and apply it into our work!

Saturday we helped one of our investigators move her things into a storage unit. It was great for her to see that this church is a church of service. After we had finished the service we got ready because we had a day out and about with Brother Barnes. Sadly our first lesson cancelled but we were still able to hold the lesson with Will. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and committed him to live it so we will see how that goes for him. The day was planned out perfectly because right after that we had interviews with President Johnson. They went pretty well and we just discussed how the area has been doing.

Sunday Vivian was confirmed a member and she received the Hold Ghost. That was a pretty exciting thing for her to do! That definitely was the highlight for the week. After church we got into a lesson with an investigator named George that was a heated lesson. It ended very well so that is what was important!

That basically sums up the week for us! It has been a pretty long week waiting for a preparation day to sit back and catch up on everything we need to!

Love,

Elder Bentley

January 30

 

 

Dear Family!

Well this week we have had quite the turn of events. 

Monday night we called our preparation day short to drive Elder Tausaga up to the mission home. He is having surgery on his knee and the Zone Leaders asked us to take him. After getting through D.C. Traffic and up to the mission home Sister Johnson asked us to stay for dinner. That was a delight, then we got to have a family home evening with the Johnsons, us and the assistants. It was a cool event that happened.

Tuesday was a day of disappointment and patience. After our district meeting we went to a member's who fed us lunch. Thankfully she stuffed us full of sopes because that's when the day got long. We had to go to a pep boys in Hyattsville to get our oil changed, it was in the middle of nowhere so we got stuck there for hours. We tried talking with people but it didn't go well.

Wednesday was the Missionary Broadcast at the Visitor center. The missionary apartment made a few changes to our schedules that frees up our time and let's us choose when we are going to have studies throughout our day. They are hoping to get that carry into our lives after the mission. After the broadcast we went with the senior couple to Vivian's home. She was preparing for baptism and we entered to teach her the last few things. Thank goodness for the Vogels! They have been a huge help to us and to the ward.

Again on Friday Elder and Sister Vogel picked Vivian up so she could have her baptism interview at the church. We showed her around the church, the font, and how it all would work. Our district leader came and interviewed her in which she passed so we are good! We got to prepare for the baptismal program, but thanks to Brother Barnes (our ward mission leader) he took care of the entire program. 

The members have been very kind to open their homes to us. We have had the opportunity to get in and teach some of the families in the ward. The Relief Society President had us over into her home Saturday night. She also invited Vivian as well. It's been good because daily contact has been happening with her to keep her on the straight and narrow! We covered a modern day prophet in the lesson we had just because there had been confusion in her mind about that.

Sunday after church we had Vivian's baptism. Not only did she bring her 3 boys, her mom and niece came. The ward was very supportive with the whole event! The room was packed and the baptism was a success. She had only been taught for a little over 1 month so she progressed very quickly!

I hope you all had a great week!

Love,

Elder Bentley

January 23

Mission Photo from when Elder Ballard came to the mission

We were sending in a video of us teaching and Elder Sheraton popped up.

Dear Family!

There have been tons of amazing things that have happened this week so I hope to capture the larger part of it within this email

Ever after the conference with Elder Ballard, Elder Mullen and I have been trying to talk with everyone that we see. This paid off pretty quickly as we were out on Tuesday. As we were sorting through our potential investigator list we contacted a few people on the street that were interested in learning more. Most of them were pretty repulsed by us wanting to share a message, but then we told them it would help them stop smoking and they were gung-ho for this plan! We talked with a man named Charles who was within that category. Saturday, As we went back to his address he gave us it was incorrect, but I noticed mail that was on the floor with his name and the right apartment number on it.

We also got to have a great lesson with Brother Walker! He was previously on date to be baptized so we went to go see whats been happening. He gladly let us in and we taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though he is going through financial troubles he loves meeting with us and using his gas to get to church! We pushed his date back three weeks so he can have the time needed to prepare for the baptism.

Following him, we went to Brother Stanek's home. He is an eternigator (which means he doesn't progress but comes to church) I decided that this was to be no more. We found out that smoking has been holding him back from being baptized so we have tried to establish daily contact with him. Wether that be us reading a chapter with him, or giving him a call. He seems to be trying so we will keep him in our prayers! I was pretty bold in that lesson but it wasn't overbearing. He looked and saw I was seriously trying to help him so he was glad to receive it.

Our ward Mission Leader Brother Barnes is on fire.  He met us for splits Tuesday night to go out and contact YSA members in the ward. He has been working hard at his new calling and defiantly has been magnifying it. We got out and just went through the list and ended up finding out the ones we got to had mostly moved out.

Wednesday after our studies, Elder and Sister Vogel (A senior couple in the ward) too us to Vivian's for a lesson. We started to teach the commandments so we can help her progress towards her date in a week. The Vogel were on fire as they stepped in to help teaching. Their testimonies were strong and you could tell they touched Vivian. Afterward they offered to take us to lunch so of course we didn't decline that! They let me choose and we had Chick fil a! 

Our dinner that night was pretty great. The reason it was was because the members we had it with live on Andrews Air Force Base. So Brother Hill picked us up at the church and got us into base. We can only get in if invited so that's why! It was cool to see the base and to have dinner with them.

Shortly after dinner we had an appointment with the Jacksons. They are Baptist so at times it can be hard to teach. Something we have tried to do well is to use scriptures in the Bible to complement the principles we are teaching so they cannot question it. They are great at asking questions and Brother Jackson even takes notes as we talk so he can study them afterward.

The last miracle of the week was when we had our appointment with Jennifer. We just so happened schedule our meeting the same time as Stake Conference Saturday night. As we were waiting for her to arrive we were chatting with Sister Johnson and told her about the appointment we were about to have. When Jennifer arrived we went straightway into the lesson. Brother Barnes and the Bodmers sat in for the lesson to assist in the teaching. It was a very strong, smooth sailing lesson in which the Ward missionaries were able to teach parts. At the end we invited her to be baptized and she accepted! We will get her to church so that'll be official.

It's been a great week and I really have had the chance to see the hand of the Lord in the work. I know that through the Atonement we can better our lives and the lives of those around us.

Love,

Elder Bentley