Sister deBenito's Mission: Week Something- Semana 1 Año? - "Hey do you have peanut butter? Cause I'm jelly!"

Were in the car so this might come late...

Hahaha, you can tell we've been pretty busy. This week was really busy. We met a girl named Dafne, she's from Mexico, and taught her all the lessons in a little over a week. To give you an idea, it normally takes about 4-6 weeks to teach someone. Just to be able to give them time and meet with them about once a week. We had her baptism this last Saturday, so this week has been so full of squeezing things in to prepare for her baptism and then finding people and other appointments.

Other than busy, we've been really good! Our area has been doing well, we found two, maybe three new people to teach, and we have learned a lot. As well, it snowed last night and still is snowing. I dislike the cold but at least Hermana Porter loves it :)

We also got bikes!! We were so pumped up when we found out that we were getting some! But we don't have helmets, so we can't use the bikes until we get some. No luck yet. We got a personal tour of the mission storage unit and wow! they have a good amount of bikes. Most of them are elders' bikes that are serving in a non-biking area.

On our way to a rush appointment, Hermana Porter tag fell off and we couldn't find it. Guess who found it for us? This kid

See pictures, please. Directly afterwards, I stopped Hermana Porter because I was short of breath from laughing at an autocorrect to finish my text. Again, see pictures.

We had Zone Conference this week! Sister Hodgman announced that as one of their last hurrahs, we will be doing another 90 day book of Mormon reading challenge. We will start March 1st and end May 21st. The Hodgmans finish their mission in July, and the O'Riordans will be taking over then. We haven't met the O'Riordans yet, but we’re are mixed in our emotions because we love the Hodgmans but were also excited to meet the new mission president.

Yesterday I gave a talk in another ward (they asked me really nicely. Because if you know me...i do not like giving talks… at all. But we normally go to our Spanish ward, as we are their missionaries, but this was an exception). I talked about how I manifest the love of God in the missionary work. I talked about the Giving Tree, and if you haven't read that book, do it. It summarizes how we are expected to give of our time and talents in service.

Missionaries are called a "living sacrifice," as we are actively sacrificing the things we desire most for a year and a half or two, for something we know matters more than the things we enjoy in our regular lives. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are expected to serve the ward & serve one another. We give our time and efforts to our responsibilities, knowing as well it is for a greater cause. Finally, as humans, children of an Eternal Father, we are commanded to love one another, and "no greater love has a man than he lay down his life for his friends." Soo we need to give, give of what we have and are, make sacrifices and efforts to show love, and take time for others. In doing so, in following and striving to keep this commandment, we receive some of the greatest blessings, ones that will last into eternity. I have seen the blessings of just my year, and I can testify that sacrifices for the greatest cause, the Lord's cause, truly bring the greatest blessings.

This week we don't have any big plans, but that leaves more space to knock:) All of them. We'll knock all of them out of the park. And maybe find some bike helmets :)

Happy late Valentine's day!

Con Amor,

Hermana de Benito