Miracles All Around

September 8, 2014

Hello Family,

So we are seeing tons of miracles all around. Sometimes I don't think I realize how good I have it! We went from having one baptismal date to three in one week; we plan on having two more hopefully within the next couple of weeks too. Pretty unreal huh! Some people go their whole mission without that and this is my first transfer. Actually my companionship got the Standard of Excellence this week, which means you were killing it all week meeting with a ton of investigators and members and such. My comp has gone her whole mission without ever getting the standard, she came close a lot, but it is pretty cool to get the mission standard. Honestly it was all up to the Lord and my comps hard work but I was running for buses right alongside her the whole week. The Elders in our zone had a big role too. So yeah it was a pretty crazy busy week for us!

Our investigator who has a baptismal date is as Drew would put it... Elect. When we gave her the third lesson with zero commandments, she asked us so what are these rules or commandments you follow? So nervously sister Tobler and I gave her a rundown of some of the major commandments like the word of wisdom and chastity and such. Always touchy subjects but she said... oh finally people who live with my kind of standards. In sacrament meeting yesterday she got up and bore her testimony which was fantastic. When she sat back down afterwards and I was like hey great job. She was like... that wasn't planned, I just felt it. Now that is the spirit right there! Super cool. Our other investigators, got up and bore their testimonies too on Sunday. Go investigators!! Such courage. Seriously there are so many little miracles that I don't even notice them sometimes. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to teach these people. We have actually never met one of our other baptismal dates. She was found by the Warsaw one sisters Sister Hemming and Smith, and committed to baptism ON THE STREET, but she is in our area so we get to teach her. Our other baptismal date was found by the AP's who passed her off to us. So yeah we are keeping really busy over here on this side of the world. Whoot! I love it when we are busy.

I never thought I would like the city but it is actually pretty good, I do miss the smell of grass though, we get it like every once and a while in a park though. Warsaw doesn't grow very much grass. I can't tell whether I like the food or not. Some is pretty good like Kebab, and some of the traditional stuff is not so good. They have like 20 varities of the milka candy bars here though and I probably ate one every single day my first two weeks. Ugh I would be losing weight from all of the hard work if not for those little beastly candy bars (actually they are not so little). I am hoping to gain some self restraint out here. The mission is a great place to work on personal flaws, of which I have a ton! I hope that by the time I return I will be a changed person. Seriously it is so important to me that I change my heart out here and become better. The process is so painful and slow and frustrating most days, but the mission will definitely give you that change of heart if you work hard for it! I have a hard time not living in the future or past, but I know that what is happening right now in my life is so important so I’ve got to work on that focus. I am grateful for the chance to work on my diligence and obedience out here in the field. Hard work is good for the soul; there is no replacement for the work in missionary work. I hope that you all have a fantastic week and I hope to send some pictures this week. Keep up the hard work and find joy in the present. You don't want to be so busy dreaming about tomorrow that you forget to live today! Not a day goes by that I don't think about my family, so stay safe and be happy. Love Sister Benson