Moving Day!

Alma 56:56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.


Hey Everyone!

FHE with the Familia Gavia

This was another wonderful week here in Los Pinos Culiacán! I feel like this is my home now, I know the area really well and the people since the new year began and I love it here. I don't want to leave here but I want to explore and experience new things and meet new people as well :)

Gorgeous sunset

This Gospel, all that I teach as a missionary, is something wonderful! The teaching of Christ bring me so much strength and I feel God's strength when I preach and testify! There isn't a doubt in my mind that this Gospel is for everyone, young, old, strong, or weak- everyone can find hope, faith, and happiness in Christ and the Book of Mormon.

Our good friend Noe

This was another busy busy week. It was nice to start using sunglasses and so my companion and I started walking with a little more flo haha. This week was super humid! It rained a few times and it was cloudy and nice then it rained and Elder Tineo and I were super happy haha.

Pretty sunset

Today we did a favor for a family of 5 that lives in the house next to us and we agreed that we would switch houses with them since our house was a little bigger and spacious for them and we spent all day moving things and cleaning but it was all worth it because we ate Little Ceasars Pizza.

Moving Day

We had divisions with Industrial this week and I left Pinos for the day to go with Elder Ortiz who I arrived here to Culiacán with and it was really fun! 

Divisions in Industrial con Elder Ortiz

He knows English pretty well and its so funny his accent when he talks. We ordered sushi at 9:30 and it arrived at 11 pm so that was pretty funny haha. 

Elder Ortiz

He plays the guitar really well and started teaching a song. We had a lesson and gave a blessing to a member who lost her father and we could feel the Spirit very strong. What a wonderful privilege it is to have the power and authority of God to bless his children.

Training at the Zunta de zona

We continue to only have 1 person come to our English class, it may be one but at I am doing some good for one person. It's been super fun and a good learning experience for me!

Junta de Zona in Bachigualato

I love my Savior and Reedemer, Jesus Christ and his infinite Atonement that made it possible to be cleansed and forgiven of our sins. I know families can be together forever.


Elder Bennett

Cooking Carne Asada

Culiacan Sunsets

1 Nephi13:37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.

Culiacán Sunset

Another week here in Culiacán and things are still heating. We had a lot of success this week with our investigators, because two of them came to church on Sunday for all three hours! We picked them up with our Ward Mission Leader and they had a great first experience at church and the meetings. Pilar our investigator with a baptismal date for 25 of June came and another lady named Rosa Maria whose husband died not too long ago. Rosa Maria is awesome she seems to be really interested and we were in church and she was taking notes and asked me what is baptism so that was cool haha. We were super happy because investigators coming to church doesn't happen a lot here.We had another good week for contacts.

Culiacan Sunset

An interesting experience with Pilar this week, He has a good friend named Adolfo and Adolfo agreed to listen to our message this week and we taught the Word of Wisdom and it was the first lesson with Adolfo and he read the whole pamphlet to Pilar and basically taught the lesson to him and was asking inspired questions it was one of the weirdest and coolest things, haha.

English Class

We are going to change houses with the family that shares the same apartment complex that we stay in because they are looking for a house with more space, our house is bigger than theirs and they have 5 and its only Elder Tineo and I so we said it was okay to change with them. The interesting thing is we have been praying specifically to teach a family of 5 and so I don't think that's coincidence that God put them in our path and have this come up now.

Pday Basketball

This week has been pretty good even with the heat! We need to buy umbrellas, mine broke. The sun is too hot here... they just came out with a new guideline that we can wear hats and sunglasses now so that's cool, haha,.

Fuerte el Sol

I know the Lord prepares the hearts of the people that are ready to hear the Gospel. I have seen time after time my loving Heavenly Father answer my prayers. I feel closer to Him and more converted to Him and His ways every week.

1 Nephi 10:23

A cool experience we had was a drunk guy came up and talked to us and was saying a lot of stupid things and was being very honest so we asked him what he needs help with and we testified that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can help him with his drinking problem and he got quiet and we could feel the presence of the Spirit when we testified and he wants us to help him with that.


Elder Bennett

Gorditas

Marriage Witnesses

Search the scriptures — search the revelations which we publish and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another." — Joseph Smith, Prophet



Hey everyone! This is the time of the year in Culiacán when it is now up to 100 degree F everyweek :/ The weather is pretty humid and so we are using a lot more sunscreen and drinking more water. We have to use an umbrella too to protect us from skin cancer. It sounds like it will be like this until September...

Ice Cream

This week was pretty fun because we got to experience some new things. Elder Tineo and I went to the Center of the Governor of Sinaloa to be witnesses for a civil marriage. The husband was baptized later that day. We were there and another couple asked us to be witnesses for their marriage and we said yes and it turns out that the man was from the Dominican Republic and they lived in Grand Island, Nebraska before so that was pretty crazy haha. We also gave them a Book of Mormon and invited them to hear from the missionaries where they live. Cool experience.

Marriage Witnesses

Signing the papers

at the Center of the Governor of Sinaloa

Marriage Witnessing

Later that day our Zone leaders asked us to fill up the baptismal font for their baptism because they forgot and so it was filled up late and it was still filling during the baptismal service and so Elder Tineo and I went to try to shut off the water and I turned the knob and it broke off and I got soaked with water and then we went back inside and all the missionaries present sang a special musical number and Presidente Velez was there too, very interesting haha.

Yummy Food

Elder Tineo and I sang a song for Los Pinos Ward's Mother's Day party and we sang the primary hymn Mother I Love You in English and I sang and Elder Tineo beat boxed and I sang it was so fun and everyone liked it :)

Mother's Day Activity

We put a baptismal date for our investigator Pilar, 75 years old, for 2 of July! He is reading the Book of Mormon a ton lately and likes it a lot!

English Class

I'm excited for Connor's call to Ogden, Utah to be a missionary for the Lord! How fast the time is flying.

Beautiful Sunset

I know this is Christ's true Church and the Book of Mormon is another testament of Him!

Taco Moreno

Elder Bennett

More Yummy Food

Mother's Day

Mission Buddies!

3 Nephi 3:7 Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance.


8 And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct.

Beautiful sunset

This week we were challenged by our leaders to challenge someone to baptism with this scripture. It has a powerful meaning and direct way to invite other to come unto Christ and His church.

Zone celebration

What another good week it has been here in Los Pinos! Well, of course, there are challenges and obstacles, but I'm learning a lot about myself and how to look at these problems that I'm facing more as blessings and gifts of my Heavenly Father to help me a better person and missionary.

Don't forget me!

One of the challenges we faced was that we were told by our golden investigator, Aldrin, that he has returned back to his thoughts and beliefs and doesn't have a desire to be baptized. We were pretty disappointed because we know for a surety that he is prepared for this step in his life but Satan's works are real, and more than anything we planted the seed and other missionaries in the future will harvest the seed.

Elder Lindgren

We had a pretty success week! Even though it is pretty hot out and our shirts get soaked with sweat we keep moving forward and talk to and help all the people that we can.

Mission amigas

Zone Meeting

This last weekend was pretty fun because we had our zone meeting and we talked about why we came out in the mission and watched a video of missionaries opening their mission calls and I immediately thought of my brother Connor and how he is going to open his call tonight! I'm so proud of him! It also made me think of when I opened my call and how it was a special experience. I know I made the right decision to come out on the mission and serve the Lord for 2 years! Even though there are many difficult things this is the most precious time in my life to be able to help others to receive a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and His Church.

Happy Birthday Elder Lindstrom & Hna Vazquez

I was able to talk to my family for Skype this weekend which was so amazing to talk and see them! I have to be honest and say that talking English to them for the time we talked was not very easy for me because I had to think a lot about what to say but it was a very special experience to talk to them and my mom on Mother's Day! :)

Skyping!

I know this is Christ's restored church here in these lasts days and we can receive so many blessings through our obedience and trust in our Heavenly Father and his Great Plan of Happiness that He has provided us! I KNOW this is true!


Elder Bennett

Enchiladas

Ants carrying a cucaracha out of our house

8 Months today!

The face his mom missed so much in last weeks pictures!

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

—Ether 12:27

Hey everyone! Today I completed 8 months in the mission! This time has gone incredibly fast! It's been an amazing journey so far and can't wait have more amazing experiences here in Mexico :)

Haircut- this man used a very weird technique- he set it on fire- I wasn't expecting that!

This week has been a pretty stressful week for me and my companion. We started out the week well and finishing the lessons with our investigator Aldrin who is so awesome and prepared to be baptized and then Satan worked his way into Aldrin's life and disrupted some things to prevent him from being baptized this week. So first Aldrin was assaulted in a bus and robbed his wallet, his girlfriend who introduced him to the Church broke up with him, and his mother is against his decision to be baptized and wants him to at least learn more and make the decision in the future when he is older. And now Aldrin didn't feel emotionally prepared to be baptized. So we have been battling the devil all this week with the power of prayer and fasting. It's been a little difficult and frustrating because Elder Tineo and I feel like he is more than ready but Satan has him convinced that now isn't his time. This was our biggest struggle of the week.

Pizza X-Treme

However, my companion and I were able to accomplish some great things this week! Not a lot of people were available or desired to be taught by the missionaries this week so Elder Tineo and I did a lot of contacting and had 24 new contacts.

At the Bowling Alley

We had 6 people come to our English Class this week! They were all members but it's through the members that we can find new investigators to teach. Our class is growing little by little and it's super fun teaching English! I'm remembering some things from school and English words that I've forgotten in my 8 months in the mission haha.

Tinga con Espagueti Y arroz

We had an activity with four wards in the area centered on Missionary Work last Friday! It was great! The activity was especially for the members to help them to share the Gospel more. We organized the activity like an MTC and each companionship of missionaries taught a 15 minute class. 

A stalwart group of Elders

Elder Tineo and I taught how the members can contact to their friends, family and associates that aren't members and we shared 1 Nephi 17 about the story of Nephi building a boat and compared it to them and missionary work. Presidente Velez and his wife were in attendance and they shared powerful testimonies of missionary work, even if it's just a smile.

Missionary Activity

Today for P-day we went bowling and played pool with some of the missionaries in our zone! Next week is transfers and I'm not sure if I'm going to get transfered or not. And next Sunday I get to talk to my family through Skype and I'm super excited!

Bowling on Pday

The winner!

I love this great time that we are a part of. In these days we have the Restored Church of Jesus Christ on the face of the earth and being able to invite others to Christ and His Church is a great blessing to me and my Eternal family.

Elder Bennett

More bowling pictures with the Zone and District leaders & their companions