My new companion is Elder Barriga from Santiago!!!

 

Hey Family!

We just got done playing Futbol. I suck...haha

Glad to hear everyone is still alive and well. Sounds like a good Idea for Silas to learn to cook...it comes in handy.

This picture of Fezz sitting on a ping pong ball makes me laugh!!! He looks so funny...It’s funny he thought he had to take care of it like it was an egg.  I don´t really understand how he can do that or why....but hey, if he likes the practice. Sounds like the guy has the girlfriend flu. Poor guy just wants a date or two.

That’s crazy that James Swenson is going to serve his mission in Chile. Haha, Chile is a good place to serve and it’s way fun. Wow...can´t believe everyone is leaving Stansbury now. All the people I knew are now heading off and doing their own thing. How strange....It’s cool though. Going sky diving is so crazy! Sam´s got to be careful, but hey it would be cool to do it.

I got a new companion. Elder Larsen went up to Valdiva! How crazy is that...and I am here with a Chilean called Elder Barriga. He is from Santiago. He has about 6 months in the mission. I will send you a picture when I get a chance...I brought my camera, but forgot my cables. He’s really gangster and prideful, haha. We will get people baptized easy. There are many people to get there. What’s so cool...is that he teaches really well and it will be cool to get people going with this.

The mission is going really well. I am really glad to be here. Working all day long, and trying to rest as well as I can.

A member gave me a pen with my name on it...it was so funny. She felt grateful for all the visits we do and all the help we try to give to her. She was baptized when she was little, then she left the church and did some really bad stuff. Now however, we are getting her back bit by bit. She´ll be getting married here in a little while.

It’s been really busy this week because of cambios, but things should go a lot better now. I am pretty happy with things at the moment. There haven´t been any crazy things yet this week...so this next week will have some good stuff.

Have fun this week in school and take care.

PS, I took out 40 dollars to buy some things. Elder Larsen didn´t leave the money for the sector behind. So I gotta pay for things....

I love you all....

Take good care until next week.

I am staying here for another cambio. The Lord has more work for me to do here.

 

Hey family!

It’s been a good week...well, hard on me, but a good week. We had lots of meetings and intercambios. Feels good to have a day to rest from my labors. Glad to hear everything is going well for all of you back home. Sounds like school will be crazy this year. That’s so crazy that Silas is in Langley’s English class! She is a great teacher. Keep working hard with her and you´ll do fine. Don´t worry about it too much haha, everything will work out in the end.

Wow, cool to hear that Rebekah is getting married! Chilean people are really nice and loving. They have a very close family relationship. I’ve noticed lots of marriage problems going on here where we are working. It’s so crazy...the Gospel is always the key to it. If both follow the Gospel they will be ok. It’s awesome.

GO SAM! I am glad to hear him starting his mission papers! It’ really good to do them, you start to feel things moving as you do that. Who knows where he will be called to...anywhere he goes will be the perfect place for him.

As for cambios...I haven´t heard who my companion is yet. But I do know that I am STAYING HAHA. The Lord has more work for me to do up here!! It’s so funny...no one could believe it. I am actually kinda glad...we just found some good people and families. I want to teach them and baptize them. Keep praying for us...we will need it.

I had a good interview with President the other day...it’s been really good to have him around. He is a great president and he helps me progress really well, too. He will take part in making me into the man the Lord wants -the man I want to be when I get back. I am trying my hardest to make sure I have good habits on all the stuff...only 4 or 5 cambios left till I am out of here...and I need to be ready and prepared. I need to make the most of the time I have left here...IT’S A MUST!

I love you all...stay strong. I want you all to read and pray everyday. Go to church and make the most out of your time there. It’s so important....I have seen the change in people when they do these simple things. The Lord gave us these things, because they are the powerful. 

I have been thinking a lot lately about my strong points and where I lack a bit. While doing this...an investigator named Patricio told me something that struck me a bit hard. He told me that he has never seen "passion" like I have for the Church. He said he could never have that in his life...and that he is glad to see someone who really has it. I was on an intercambio with Elder Abel in my sector. The day before that, I was in the Sector of the Zone Leaders on a intercambio and we were finishing out the day. It was like 8:30pm and we went to our last cita. I gave my testimony and turned to see Elder Arce, Paulina (the investigator), and Carlos (her boyfriend) all staring at me. Elder Arce had a huge smile on his face. Afterward, we talked about what we did good and how we can get better. He told me that if I taught in the way I gave my testimony that people wouldn´t be able to say no. He told me, jokingly, I was  "glowing". I never realized that my testimony had become so strong. I don´t know how...or why....but I like it.

I know this is the truth.

I love you all, so very much! Take care of yourselves and have a good week.

Love,

Ben

It’s Been a Good Week

 

Hey Family!

Its been a good...weird week. I got the computer fixed...haha it was a miracle. Justin is working at Overstock? Thats so cool. Hows he doing? Its been a while since I talked with him. Sounds like Sam is getting on his way to getting to the mission. It will be so cool...it`ll be weird because I won´t see him for like 4 years but hey...its not that long of a time. Who knows maybe he will show up here to my mission...Hopefully he goes in before Christmas. Christmas in the MTC is pretty sweet I´ve heard.

Glad to hear that Moms surgery went well. Haha, my surgery was pretty good and quick. A person here, had a surgery and it was suppose to take like 2 hours...it took 5. Haha, it went smoothly but they just took it slow. The pain part is the worst part of it...Glad to hear your doing better! It sounds like Bishop has been a big help with it; along with the Relief Society. I am glad to have them taking care of you all. Because we all know that, even if I was there...I can´t cook so we´d be eating lots of ranch and Cheese thingies.

Haha Fezz has baby fever! Poor guy just wants to be dad. Ping pong ball do look like eggs...but is that pretty big? I just have this image of fezz, hanging off at a slight angle, on a ping pong ball. 

GO DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS! Haha, sounds like my family...one day even Kayleigh will be playing it like her brothers! WE SHALL DOMINATE THE GAMING WORLD TOGETHER! I love camping...with my new fire making skills (and my numb chuck skills) I could live well for a while in the mountains. Plus... I am not scared to eat dead...animal heads anymore.

Thanks for the package! I had a great time with the ranch...I bought cheese to go with it and made a classic Ben food. Pictures Attached. Its really good...but gone now haha. Last Sunday, it was Kid Day here. We have so few children here that I could give a Pez to each. They loved it all...and Ninoska and Fransica (Granddaughters of Momita and Papito from Natales) loved the Pez so much that I gave them the Extra Pez fills and they ate them all in the first day! It was so funny.

One week left until...once again we have Cambios....I don´t want to leave yet. We just got one guy to Repentence, and another guy is warming up to us. He plays the guitar and we jam out together! Its great...Carolina, whom we are teaching for 5 weeks, finally told us why she doesn´t want to get baptized. She already was. Haha, that shocked up. Also, Felipe is finally praying in the name of Jesus Christ and he really wants to know if Christ is the Son of God. He is praying to know. Its been so good this week.

I got to participate in the blessing of a baby here in the ward. It was amazing...I couldn´t believe how the spirit felt. He was so tiny...a premature baby. It was awesome.

Today we had to get up at 6 a.m. to come to the church to fill the Baptismal font for a baptism in the Mission Branch in Entre Lagos. I am so tired!

Its been really good...things have gone well for us. And sounds like the same for you all. I love you all.

Glad to hear  your all doing well...

With Love,

Ben

Ben Food

I’m Having a Good Time Still…Staying Positive

 

Hey Family!
I am working on the computer of the Family Lillo. They had problems with their internet. It’s been pretty weird working on systems again. I still can´t figure out what is wrong with it. It’s hard to work like this without all my old tools and shop set up. But I should be able to fix it. It has to do with Windows Vista...the beast of problems. Good to hear that the family is doing well. I am doing very well. It’s very cool to be herein the mission. Ian, I haven´t seen him in many years. It’s so weird. I wonder how he is doing. I think it would be cool to go back to see him someday. It’s weird he is still there in Tooele.

Sounds like Sam and Dad are having a good time with their horrible colds.  Sam will do a lot better when he has those papers in. It will give him the will to leave and see the place where he is going. He will always be much happier knowing that he is going to leave instead of just sitting around and waiting.

As for the whole baptizing thing...It’s hard a times because we are here. But it’s mostly my fault. It’s not the fault of the sector, the people, the companion, but in the end it’s my fault. If I do what I am supposed to do, and do it the way the Lord wants...I could have many more. It’s just hard to keep going at times when your having to do everything...trying to change your companion, and helping people let you in and get over their problems when you have your own. But, I am starting to get better at the whole thing. This week we have invited 3 people to be baptized but none of them have excepted because of family issues. They don´t want to be alone in the church. Just make sure that Sam, Josh, and Brock all know that in the end...they have to give it their all! If they don´t, they will never see the success they want. They must realize it is completely on them if they have success or not. It’s good...the work is real good. Haha
I am having a good time still...trying to stay positive but it’s hard at times! Just got to keep going......keep trying and all will go well. Sorry, I don´t have much time to write you all.

I love you all so much...I will send pictures with me and the stuff I got from the package. I got it just so you know...and Mom the whole operation will be easy. I know it seems scary but it’s not...trust me! I KNOW! HAHA....

Love
Ben