Sister deBenito's Mission: Week 16- "You Are The Best Mom I've Ever Had" 6yo in our Ward

It seemed like this week was full of service and not much proselyting, which is super sad but it was definitely a good week. As summer comes around people start needing help moving and unpacking, also mowing and weeding their yards, and I guess installing insulation! Call the missionaries if you need help!! They want to help you! Our mission is to be of service which includes getting our hands dirty every once in a while:)

Monday we were able to do some contacting and found one of our investigators at home. We found out during the lesson that she was baptized when she was a little girl but stopped going to church so remembers absolutely nothing. The amazing part is that everything we teach her she completely agrees and sees the importance. She wants to get her daughters involved in the youth program and told us that she would like to come to church!

Tuesday morning Hna. Brooks and I went to a class at the gym and wow I was sore! haha but we are definitely blessed to have a gym in our area and i would rather be sore than not at all! We had another zone meeting with our mission president. We had the last lesson with one of our investigators, Miguel! We are so excited for his baptism on the 27th and so is he! That afternoon we went to dinner with the Blanch family.. they are awesome! It was just hermana Blanch because her husband was in China for a business trip so it was fun just girls having fun but i think we all enjoyed just being around her daughter Mia! She is cute and so so intelligent!! Hermana Blanch told us Mia had eaten a lot that day and so this tiny girl had the biggest belly! It was SO cute! Even Mia would laugh at her own belly.

Wednesday I went on exchanges with the sisters in Provo. I was Sister Brown for the day and it was definitely a lot of fun being with her! She always has you laughing! We weren't able to find anyone but we met some pretty cool college student/members. One person was from Scotland and told us that she soon would be going back with her husband, the other member was from here in Utah but had graduated from the BYU nursing program with 10 years of experience and was on her way to D.C. to continue her career! Let's just say that i tried to get as much information from her since I am planning on going in that route towards nursing.

Thursday was Hermana Brooks' birthday! So of course there was a celebration when we went to a senior couples house for lunch. Elder Pepper and Santos even had a present for her which consisted of pulled pork and candy! Missionary presents are the best because you have to get pretty creative with what you give them since we're pretty much dirt poor! haha

We went to service that night for an organization called Days fro Girls. They have an amazing cause and if anyone can find a place near them to help out for it, do it:) We couldn't leave without playing with their golden retriever and schnauzer though!

Friday we had a picnic with our district and got some street tacos from the taco truck:) We saw 3 different members from our congregation there at the same time! (its the place to be, i guess)

The rest of the day consisted of doing yard work for 2 different families. The 2nd home that we went to was a ton of fun and Jan (the woman that owned the house) kept us laughing! She also had dogs..so you know... we had to take pictures/play with them:)

Saturday Hermana Brooks made me biscuits and gravy and it was too good:) We later went to a baptism of the Zone Leaders and decided to bring one of our investigators! She had a good time! The awesome part was that the person that got baptized has been investigating the church for 37 years! Later that day we went and installed insulation! It was my first time and it was fun! I most definitely itchy afterwards..

We went home quickly then went to dinner with a family that we love (honestly we love all the families we are with!!!) Hna Brooks and I said hello but soon found ourselves outside playing with their children and their dog Griffin (if you remember from past emails/photos its the Brittany Spaniel that would place the tennis ball on the racket for you so all you had to do was hit the ball). About 5 minutes later you heard a yell from the kitchen from hermana Arroyo. I ran inside knowing it was bad. She was cutting some tomatoes and accidentally cut the top of her thumb off...OUCH! Her husband and I wrapped it up and I put pressure on it while she and her husband figured out if a clinic was open. I know it sounds weird but it was so interesting to see her thumb like that.. I think honestly its just amazing how the body is created and it immediately starts to repair itself! These are the moments when i know God is real because such an amazing creation cannot just come from nowhere.

Sunday!! Mothers Day! We talked to Hermana Arroyo at church and she is ok. It is going to take a couple weeks for it to heal but she is doing well.

At church they had a fun service and had the children go up and talk about their mothers and why they love and appreciated them. There were definitely some moms crying in the congregation:)

After church I got to talk to my amazing family!!!! I love and miss them and it was so fun to be able to talk to them again:) Just as loud and loving as ever haha! Lots of things going on birthdays and babies on the way:)))) I'm sad ill miss it but I'm also excited to see our family grow! I think its amazing that even though I have family in different places i can still talk to them all at one time! What a BLESSING.

Right after I said goodbye we ran out the door to dinner! We had some delicious grilled food:) We got a text from the elders after asking us to go and meet a family in one of the areas that we are over. Let me just say the Baker family is so cool! Sister Baker has 5 children and 3 of them being a triplet!!! Lets just say that she has patience! They've had such a hard background but have made the best of it. They made us feel at home and I had a couple 'firsts' there. I got to try goats milk for the first time and then they asked me if i wanted to milk a goat.. of course I said YES! I think im a pro now;)

After we said goodbye we went to a bishops house in Salem to see if they knew anyone around that would like to hear our message. We all ended up in their backyard with all their golden retriever puppies!!!! They were so cute and there is no possible way to be sad around them!! Ahh that just made my day the best day ever:)

Today (Monday) nothing too much has happened but Hna Brooks and I got our hari cut and went shopping! Tonight we will go contacting and hope we can find some more miracles:)

I hope everyone had an amazing week and Mother's Day:)

Love you all!!

Hermana de Benito