March 24, 2014

March 24, 2014

7 months down haha. Sounds like everything there is going great! I don’t have a lot of time today because of electricity. All of Lira town is down so I have to be quick so other Elders can email.

Africa.

So this week we found some bikes in the Senior mission couples house, so we decided that every Friday we are going to bike so that we can reach farther areas once a week. It was super fun!!

 

So Saturday Lemo Sam and Alele Amrose. the two brothers got baptized! It was awesome they have been a lot of fun to teach! Like I said we didn’t find them they found us. They were prepared and I will be forever grateful that the Lord entrusted me with teaching those two!

 

It’s already week 6 of the transfer which means transfer new will come next Monday! This transfer has FLOWN by. I think Elder Alfred will be leaving though :( 

We meet with President every other transfer. He does Zone Conferences 1 transfer then interviews the next then zc again the next and so on.

Elder Morley is in my District right now. So we live in the same house! It’s fun! I went on exchanges with him just on Saturday actually!

Only YM and most of them are about to leave on mission. I think this branch has something like 14 missionaries out right now haha crazy. No doubt it will become a ward when they start coming home to fill leadership positions!

Well that’s just about all for this week! I love you all so, so much, and I think about you every day! Thank you so much for your love, support and prayers! They are working! I’m loving life! Till next week PEACE!

Elder Bennion

March 17,2014

Yes, I am loving the branch up here. The Branch pres. ( conv of 4 years) even fed us last night and it was super nice! They don’t let you leave until they see your tummy bulge! haha This Branch has 14 missionaries out right now, and 2 have left while I’ve been here! Powerful area.

Started D&C this week. I don’t know if I mentioned, but I’ve also started the BoM over as well. I spend half of my personal study in one then switch to the other 30min in. So I don’t cover so many chapters but I get more out of my study seeing Modern and Old scripture together.

 

Tell me about the most interesting person you are teaching right now?

We are teaching a young couple I told you about Maros The singer. It’s his girlfriend. She is progressing towards baptism as well as we are working on getting them married. They are fun to visit. They are always making jokes with us and having fun. I think I just like them because they treat us like normal people, rather than other people here in Uganda that just treat us like foreigners

 

Also we are teaching two brothers Sam and Ambros. Great guys 28 and 22 found the church on their own, I’ve noticed that a lot of the people that are truly prepared for the gospel find the missionaries not the other way around.. They are reading everything we give them and coming to church every week. Even participating in Gospel Principles class answering questions!

 

Do you eat out most meals, or do you come back to your apartment?

Breakfast at home, Lunch at restaurant (tin roof shack that serves rice and beans), dinner at home

Why would I love Uganda?

The people. You would love the people. Almost all of them are super friendly and welcoming. They tell you everything you want to hear. Ha which isn’t always good in missionary work. They tell you what they think you want to hear not what they actually think. Just nice people haha

Are you still washing your clothes by hand?

Yup, and it still sucks..

How many missionaries do you work together with? Or is it just you and Elder Alfred?

There are 4 in our District, and 8 all together in the Lira Zone. I only really proselyte with E. Alfred. But the 4 of us are always together on P-day and in the evenings when we come in for the night.

Tell me about Pres. Chatfield?

Actually this week we had interviews with president. They went well. He is a really awesome guy. He is a cowboy. Always talking about cattle and horses. As well as roping and stuff like that haha he is a funny guy. In my interview he asked me what I have learned on mission so far. I talked a lot about family and the Book of Mormon. But also the relationship and understanding I’ve gained towards my Father in Heaven.

 

Well I have a few stories.

First off this week while we were teaching a guy the restoration, it the pinnacle moment explaining the first vision, spirit burning our hearts.... a HUGE poop falls from the sky and hits Elder Alfred's nice clean white shirt hahah. Dang birds. I held it in as long as I could but I laughed so hard!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day haha I had a small celebration. I've been saving my little baggy of lucky charms to eat today and I wore a green tie. What can I say you taught me to be festive!

Also we have had no electricity this week.. It’s normal now I don’t mind so much anymore. Just sucks because then our drinks in the fridge don’t stay cold. We don’t buy food that has to be refrigerated because the power is out so often that it’s risky.

Well that’s all I’ve got for today! I LOVE YOU! And I am loving my life. I like the area and my companion. Haven’t been too homesick this transfer. It’s been a lot of fun! It’s already week 5 of 6 of this transfer. It’s flown by sooo fast!

Till next week! I love you all! Keep up all the good work over there in the 801!

Elder Bennion

March 10, 2014

 

 

Adyel

 

Adyel is a branch, not a ward. But it functions a lot better than the

Mukono ward. We don’t have to do anything. They have a full active

presidency and all classes get taught by members! Also this ward has

branch missionaries (guys preparing to go on mission) so we get

members to work with us a lot. However I'm facing the same obstacles

as before. The people here don’t keep many if any of the commandments

so it’s hard for them to find out what we are sharing is true. Everyone

is Christian. Just not very spiritual. I blame all the fake churches

they have here. There is a church on every corner. They play loud

music and people scream and dance and it’s just ridiculous. Satan has a

powerful grasp on these people. Also like I mentioned before the

people struggle with English, so it’s hard to know the Book of Mormon

is true when you can’t read it. Its hard work, I won’t lie. And so far

on my mission I haven’t reaped, I feel I’ve only been sowning. But as

long as I continue to do my part I know God knows what he is doing and

he will progress the work as he sees fit. I am just an instrument.

 

Missionaries call it the reality wall. It’s the time you figure out

that not everyone is actually prepared or willing to receive the

gospel. That’s one thing they don’t teach in the MTC. A lot of the

people you meet will reject you. The Gospel somehow applies to

everyone’s life. But not everyone applies it to their life, so they

miss the blessing..

 

This week I finished the New Testament. Proud of myself haha first

time I’ve ever done it! And to be honest it gave me a stronger

testimony of the Book of Mormon. The book

of Mormon is much much better!

 

Ciara asked so I might as well include it in this email too. I am

gaining weight haha I’ve put on about 15 pounds so far. I blame their

horrible eating habits! Oil is the main ingredient in EVERYTHING. And

everything is deep fried. They pull flippin tree roofs out of the

ground, deep fry them and eat them (casava) it’s not bad actually. Just

bland. But also the rest of their food is just unhealthy. Milk only

comes in Full Cream, butter only comes as Whole Fat Spread. They just

aren’t healthy people. ha so yes I’ve put on a bit of weight. Pants are

getting tighter and tighter. haha

 

Well I think I’ll just bear a quick testimony. I know that this gospel

is true, every day I teach the restoration.  And

every time I can feel the spirit when I testify of the truthfulness of

what I have shared. I know that this gospel is more than just sins

punishment and reward. This time on earth is a time for us to develop

the characteristics we need to become like God and Christ. We are not

here simply to be tested. We are here to learn and grow, so that one

day we can fill the responsibility of being a god our-self. God loves

us and just wants us to enjoy everything that he is. But in order to

do that we must use the Atonement and put off the natural man. We must

develop Faith, Hope, and pure Charity if we are ever going to be able

to fill the shoes of our father in heaven. He has prepared a way for

us now we need to prepare for him.

 

I love being a missionary, and I can’t believe how fast time has already gone.

Elder Bennion

 

March 3, 2014

So here in Adyel our transport to Lira town is a Pedal Boda. You hop on the
back of a bike and the guy pedals you around town! It’s so awesome!
hahah I’ll try to get some pictures

There is a music artist here in the ward that is becoming famous here
in Uganda. His stage name is Prof. Maros. See
if you can find his website, maybe talk my friends into buying some of
his songs and supporting him.


A lot of people here in the north are super skinny. Not because of
starvation, but just that’s how they are built. Tall, Super dark and
skinny. They are partially acholi. From the So. Sudan tribes.

 

 

Today we went to a place called Chobe Safari Park for our P-day
activity. Funnest activity by far!!! Man we drove about an hour and a
half just into the desert and then you would not believe we start
seeing Kob. (famous Ugandan Orange deer). We proceed on then we see a
Giraffe. Then 2, then 3. all these wild Giraffe. I got some awesome
pictures I got no joke 10ft from it at one point. But it’s not over we
get to the safari lodge and are sitting looking at this amazing view
of the Nile river. Wild hippos in it and everything. When a safari guy
runs in and tells us There is a herd of elephants that just wandered
in and are getting a drink. We get into a golf cart and the drive us
about 100 ft. from the 11 elephants. They were right across the river
from us. So So awesome! They said elephants are rare so we are super
lucky! Most amazing thing I’ve seen! No fences no people. Just you and
the animal. I love that feeling, and I can guarantee it won’t be the last.