January 27, 2014

Another week gone. That’s good that Lexie and Brayden will be staying

with bujjajje (Luganda word for both grandparents) Bennion. That would

be fun. I would love living with them hahah.

 

Congrats on finishing those books in the OT. I just started Galatians.

So I’m slowly moving through the NT haha

 

 

New companion. He is temporary. His name is Elder Mukasa. He is from

Entebbe (Uganda) He has been serving in Botswana For the last 7 months

but had to return to Uganda to renew his visa.

 

 

Elder Bednar's meeting was so great! I was literally 20 ft right in

front of him! The meeting was just inside the Kololo chapel. It was

unlike any meeting I have ever heard of or been at. First he was super

funny, cracking jokes! Then get this, Invites to the meeting was 5

general authorities! 5! Elder Bednar, Hamilton, Cook, Renlund, Ussi. All

present in the meeting. So then what happened is he opened it up like

a questions and answers. People from the audience ask him questions

and one of the 5 would answer the question. Here is the bonus. Their

wives were also all there as well and were invited to answer questions

as well. Most of the time Elder Bednar stood at the pulpit his wife stood

with him and added her thoughts and testimony to his as did all the

other wives. It was Soo cool! The topics discussed was Priesthood,

Family, and Culture. It was a powerful meeting I’m glad I got to be a

part of it, I have a page full of notes to share. Most of it isn’t

really mission relevant but it will be useful post mission. AHH be

jealous! It was awesome!

So I haven’t been sleeping under a mosquito net because I couldn’t sleep

in my own room without a companion. So I really put my deetsheets to

the test! Well they work! I woke up just about every morning with

about 30 dead mosquitos around my mattress hahah so I have to give it

to that guy at ILC the sheets work. It the last 4 weeks I’ve only

gotten a few small bites on my hands hhaha!

 

Woke up with a huge Madagascar hissing cockroach in my bed the other

day, that was fun! Guess he thought I had moved out for good. Stupid

things I lit it on fire.

 

I caught the flu from Elder Muange so I have had no voice the last 2

days. Which makes missionary work difficult because people treat me

like I have leprosy... :(

 

Also got my hair cut again today so I am once again bald... yayy.. I

hate African haircuts with a fiery burning passion.

 

I got your package! SOOOOO AWESOME! thank you so so so sosososo so

much! I always use that stuff to cook myself and others a nice meal on

Sundays after church. Last Sunday it was chicken fajitas! So nice!!!

mmmm!

 

Well that’s all I’ve got for this week! I love and miss you all so so much!

love,

Elder Bennion

 

 

January 20, 2014

 

Another week down haha. This week has been good. I'm still with the

Zone Leaders, But it’s nice because I've gotten to get out of my area a

little bit. Being in the other area has been nice.

Elder Frakes is a lot of fun, he is just funny. My new

Companion should be here between Sunday and Tuesday, next week. That’s

as much as I’ve heard.

 

Pias. We still see him here and there and he comes to church when

he can. He told us that this week everything should be getting settled

and he will have more free time. He wants to be baptized really badly.

So we are scheduled for Feb. 2, just waiting to see if he is really

ready to make a covenant.

 

 

Africa:

 

So crazy story, when I got here to Mukono there was a 3 story hotel.

Fully operational. But they were constructing a 4th story. So about 3

or 4 weeks ago they finished. And we would see it as we walked passed.

and we would all say to each other we need to check out the restaurant

in the hotel sometime, but we just never got around to it. Then this

week as we are walking past again, we couldn't see the hotel

anymore... "Hey, where did the hotel go?" "What the? Let’s go check it

out." well as we approached we saw what happened IT COLLAPSED!

Apparently you can’t just add an extra floor ha. It’s now a pile of

rubble 3 people died when it collapsed. Which surprised me because I’ve

heard of taxi crashes here that kill more than 10. But now the hotel

is gone.. ha

 

I got a package from Wade and Macey! I wrote them a thank you letter

so hopefully they get it soon. I also send home the memory card today

so be watching for that!

 

Elder Bednar is visiting the Uganda Kampala Stake this Wed. so I'm

super excited for that it’s going to be cool to hear him give an

address specifically for the people here!

 

We tried a new way of finding people last Saturday. We did a booth

with some street contacting we would just stop random people passing

by. We got quite a few numbers! However we also got a satisfactory

fill of rejection. So people refused to shake our hands, some SDA

(seventh day Adventists) were shouting at us and one guy when I went

to talk to him just told me to "Go home" so that was nice haha it was pretty fun though we all enjoyed it. Rejection and all. hahaha

 

 

So I’ve been visiting this older member in the ward. He has to be in his seventies. He is a less

active but he is awesome, he has been coming to church for a little

over a month now. I just teach him whatever he asks me to. So I get to

prepare all sorts of lessons. One was on the sacrament, one was Adam

and Eve, and the last one was on Plural marriage ha. That one was

easily the most difficult but I did really good. Just read lots of

scriptures and helped him understand. I don’t know why but he reminds

me a lot of Grandma Bennion, He just has a similar personality to her.

I really like teaching him. I'll try to get a picture with him soon.

 

I tried to make cookies today.. The only problem is that the oven has

no temperature setting... so I had no idea how hot it was. The cookies

came out okay the only thing wrong with them was that they were black

as crap on the bottom. super super burnt!! hahah  but I just ate them

anyways. They were nice :)

 

Well I think that is all of my stories today, I’ll send some pictures

as well in just a bit. I love and miss all of you!!! And I don't go a

day without thinking about you all. I gain a greater appreciation for

my family every day. And my testimony of the importance of families has

never been stronger. Thank you for all of your love and support!!

 

Love,

 

Elder Bennion

 

January 13, 2014

 

 

So no new companion... ha He got stuck in the Provo MTC just like I

did. So this last week I've been in a trio with the zone leaders which

has been really fun Elder Frakes and I are good pals (from Evanston

WY) and he has enjoyed having me along.

The one I'm Training is Elder Berghout. He's from Utah. That’s all I

know. The AP said he is supposed to be here tomorrow, but that’s what

they told us when we were at the MTC too, so it may be a awhile. We'll

see. I'll fill you in on him when he gets here.

Pudding Pies and Jell-O

Ugandans don’t like Jell-O.. haha the kids were not a fan of the Jell-O

with pineapple. But man they POUNDED down the pudding, they LOVE chocolate!

hahaha It was a lot of fun. And I found a place to buy pudding here in

Kampala so I can make it fairly often. They loved it haha.

 

So last week I started getting super nervous about training, I was

scared to lead the area and be in charge of everything blah blah, but

this last week has been really good practice for me. I'm with the ZLs

so I still lead my area but they can help me with stuff. I’m very, very

grateful for Elder Frakes, he has been a huge help to me this and last

transfer. He goes home this year at the beginning of December

Good to hear everyone is still going strong haha hopefully I'm not

missing anything to great! Miss you all a lot a lot!

 

I think your reading assignment is really great. It will require

sacrifice that's for sure. But you'll be proud of you self if you

stick to it I'm currently in Corinthians, I'll read PofGP Next.

 

Funny story for this week,

I was going through the less actives list for the ward and came across

a name that was pretty familiar.. We found and visited this guy named

Toko James Bond. hahaha 007 hahah nice guy about 26 years old he was

baptized in 2002 and has been inactive for a few years but we invited

him so come play football (soccer) with us today with the young single

adults. So it should be fun.

 

 

I’m doing fine! The area is still pretty rough, and

feels pretty dead but the work continues. Even though we aren’t

baptizing I know that the lord is grateful for our service and I am

learning invaluable lessons every day. Life is good. Challenging, full

of tribulation and home sickness.. but good. I love all of you, and I

am so grateful for all of the love and support from home. I Love and

miss you all so, so much.. till next week!

Love,

 

Elder Bennion