The Joy of Seeing One of My Brothers Baptized

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Baptismal Interview

This scripture gives me inspiration and hope. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me to send His Son. I cannot imagine how a father feels seeing his son suffer. I know that this sacrifice was necessary for the happiness and salvation of man. I know that without the Atonement of Christ we would be lost. Christ lives and wants to bless and heal us, all we need to do is turn and go to Him and let him work miracles in our lives and lift our burdens.


This has been a crazy week! 

First off, we had a baptism!! Hector our investigator was baptized. He is living with his aunt and uncle and they gave him an opportunity to live a better quality life than he did with his parents. Hector had left his past mistakes behind and was willing to follow Christ and repent and showed his obedience by being baptized. I cannot express the joy of seeing one of my brothers in the baptismal font and making this covenant with our Heavenly Father. The baptismal font arrived from La Paz and when it arrived we had to put it together and weld it. 

Welding the Font

Then we had to fill it with water the fastest that we could. 

Hector

The service didn't start until 8 in the night but everyone luckily was patient with us. Elder Yzquierdo had his first baptism of his mission and he was happy. He had to do three attempts to baptize him because the water was still pretty low after filling it for a long time. Hector was animated and his family as well. He father now is going to start listening to us.

Elder Yzquierdo & Hector

With Hector's Aunt & Uncle

I want to tell about an experience we had this week. We are teaching Maximino and his wife Concepcion and they are a very humble family that have desires to do good things. We have been teaching them and we arrived to the point that we felt they were ready for the baptismal challenge. And at first Maximino was hesitant and said that they weren't prepared. Later on we went and visited them and talked again of baptism. There came a point in the lesson that the Spirit was so strong. Max began to cry after feeling the peaceful feeling of the Spirit. Their behavior with us has changed and they are now attending church and also went to the baptism of Hector. I know that the Spirit is what makes us change and become better. The Spirit helps us follow Christ and become more like Him. This experience has helped us to be better as well as missionaries and be more obedient.

Planting Palm Trees

Elder Bennett

From Sacrifices There are Blessings

1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.


This is a scripture that I was meditating this week. I know that the Lord is not going to ask me to do something that I won't be able to accomplish. The Lord loves me and is willing to bless me for my obedience. That's what I admire about the prophet Nephi: he always had a positive attitude and was willing to serve the Lord. I know that our loving Heavenly Father will provide when we do what He asks. He will bring us peace, happiness, and direction in our lives. I know this is true from my own experience. From sacrifices there are blessings!


Hello!


I will be in Pescadero with Elder Yzquierdo for another transfer! On Saturday night, the Zone Leaders called to inform us that we would stay the same. I am excited because this transfer we are going to have baptisms! This is going to be my second to last transfer in the mission!


This week we have a baptism! Our investigator, Hector, this Saturday will be baptized. We have to go to Cabo San Lucas because there is no baptismal font in Pescadero and we cannot baptize in the ocean. We are excited because we have be visiting him everyday for these last few weeks to prepare him. He had a few problems with coffee and smoking but now everything is good to go for his baptismal interview on Wednesday. This week he prayed especifically to know if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the true church and when I heard him ask God that, I felt a confirmation in my own heart that it is true! We are going to baptize his Uncle Jorge and Aunt Pati in the future after they get married.


This week we worked really hard! We taught 26 lessons and are following up with our investigators that we have been teaching. The Lord has really blessed us and we prayed and fasted this week that our investigators would be able to receive answers to their prayers and we could put baptismal dates with those who are progressing.

Chocolate pancakes

Lately I have been struggling a little. Every little thing was bothering me and I would lose my patience with those who would reject us and also with my companion. I think it's all of the emotions that I am feeling about almost finishing my mission and lots of things. I asked my companion to give me a priesthood blessing. I know the powers of heaven are real and this blessing helped me to have peace and to keep focusing on the work and being patient in my afflictions.


Have a great week, everyone!


Elder Bennett

Those Who Fulfill Their Committments

The Lord sets in our way those who fulfill their commitments to those who fulfill their commitments" -Pte Gabaldón


This phrase that Presidente Gabaldón caught my attention this last Friday in our Zone Conference. As missionaries, we have certain rules and guidelines we have to follow, and if are faithful and obedient to these orders, we will be blessed. And this blessing is very specific: we will have investigators who fufill their committments, or in other words, people who repent in the Lord's way. I think we can relate this to our daily lives as God's children; those who are obedient to follow God's commandments will put opportunities to grow, learn and become better. It can be in the form of a job opportunity, or a relationship, or a calling in church. We should always be obedient to what our Heavenly Father asks of us and He will always provide.


Hello!


It's been a little chilly these last few days in the Baja! Lots of wind has been blowing and lots of sand blowing in our faces. Those are the trials of the mission. Yesterday, Monday, we were able to find helmets for our bikes. Canadian brother in a ward in Cabo San Lucas was able to provide the sufficient funds to buy new helmets so we can use our bikes appropriately now.


Hermano Tremblay brought us to his house after the Stake Conference this last weekend so we could talk to our families on Skype! It was such a great experience and joy talking to loved ones again face to face. I can't wait to see them. I love seeing Connor's growth in his mission.


We had another tough week here in Pescadero. Our investigators are progressing slowly. We have to work very hard to remind them to read the Book of Mormon, say their prayers and go to church on Sunday. I know the Lord is trying my patience, and I am grateful for these difficult experiences. We have families that are starting to listen to us and we are excited for them and their progress.


On Friday, we had a Zone Conference in Cabo San Lucas and Pte and Hna Gabaldón flew over to talk with us together with the Assistant, Elder Daines, whose in my generation. I unexpectedly was asked to conduct the Conference which was a new and great learning experience. I love listening to our Pte, I can feel his love for the Lord and for all the missionaries.


I know the Lord lives, and I know He loves me! I love His Gospel and I know with all my heart that we cannot live without His grace, mercy and forgiveness, which heals us.


Que Dios les bendiga y tengan una buena semana!


Elder Bennett

Game of Life

Helaman 14:30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. 31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.


I really like this scripture because it helps me remind me to make good choices and be obedient. In the mission, there are several rules and guidelines we have to follow, and I know that if I am obedient, I will be blessed with the Spirit. It is the same with this "game of life." There are rules to this game that God has given us. He is the referee. He makes the calls. If there are violations, there are consequences, and when we follow the rules and work hard, we win the game. I know that each of us has this great gift from a loving Heavenly Father. He wants us to return to His presence one day, so we have to follow His son Jesus Christ and be obedient to His laws and ordinances. There are obstacles is the way, and someone always fighting against us, Satan, who doesn't want us to win. But we know who we are: sons and daughters of God with a divine potential. We can make it! And if we fall, we get right back up, repent, and become better each day.


Hooola!


Feliz Cinco de Mayo! This week here in Mexico they celebrated 5 de Mayo. A celebration of the victory over France in a great battle in Puebla, Mexico. I would've thought there would have been more fiestas, but it wasn't really a big celebration.


This was an interesting week. Something that never seems to fail in Mexico, especially in the small ranchos like Pescadero, are dogs! There are so many dogs here! For some reason this week, the dogs were a little more aggressive than usual. Several times this week we were chased in the streets, barked at, and even had a few attempts to bite us but luckily with our bikes we can defend ourselves a little bit. I said lots of little prayers that we wouldn't be hurt by the dangerous dogs.


We made some ground this week with a few of our investigators. We are teaching a youth, named Hector, who has a baptismal date for 27 of May. He has 14 years old and he is attending the seminary classes that we teach and this week we talked about the parable of the talents and we asked each of the youth what are some of their talents and Hector said that his talent is being a drug dealer, we got a little worried because we didn't know that he is into that stuff, but supposedly he only smokes cigarettes, so we have to teach him the Word of Wisdom this week.


There are several people that come from other states in the Republic of Mexico such as Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guerrero, Tobasco. There are quite a few jobs opportunities here for those who work in the field and harvest peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, melons, cucumber, carrots, and other foods.


This week we are planning on having an activity in the church to watch Meet the Mormons and
eat popcorn.


We are moving quickly on our bikes now and teaching several people. We found a great family this last week that we are teaching. There was a new rule in this mission that allows the investigators to be baptized after their third attendance to church. That means we will have baptisms soon. But the problem here in Pescadero is that everyone needs to get married.


My companion and I take turns to make food every day. Elder Yzquierdo makes really good rice from Peru!


I'm excited to talk to the family this next week! Happy Mothers Day!!


Elder Bennett

20 Months in the Mission

Helaman 10:4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.



I wanted to share this scripture because I love this story about a missionary in the Book of Mormon called Nephi who had a lot of faith in God and was given much power, even power to change the weather and move mountains and seal in the earth and in the heavens, who worked diligently to teach the people of Nephi God's work and was blessed to receive such great blessings. Today I shared this story with my district about the importance of working with "unwearyingness" to talk to everyone, be obedient, and have a great attitude, even when the circumstances are working against you, and the Lord promises to give us His power and His blessings from on High.


Hola!


It was a tough week here in Pescadero. We have been progressing slowly with our investigators. Very few of them went to the church meetings because Sunday was Día del Niño and many took the opportunity to celebrate and drink. When we were arriving to our home in the night, our neighbors were drunken and fighting and ended up with a pick-up truck bashing and lots of bad words.


It is starting to warm up here now! The sun gets to be very hot during the day and in the night very cool. It's hard to adjust to one or the other haha. But I am enjoying a lot Pescadero. We are now using bikes so we can move around a little bit faster and arrive on time to the appointments.


We have been finding quality new investigators. One of my favorite things to do is teach and testify of the Book of Mormon and what a great blessing that it is in our lives when we study, meditate and apply the teachings to our own lives.


Some of the members and investigators have been kind enough to help us out and give us a meal whether it's dinner or lunch. We are grateful because there aren't many to help us out with the meals like in the bigger cities. The food is a little different here in the Baja. The hot dogs are called ''Jates''. We ate this week sopa de tortilla, chilaquiles, hamburguesas, and bistec ranchero.


I love my companion! Elder Yzquierdo and I get along really well! We have a lot of the same interests as me and so I am blessed with a great companion to share the Gospel with.


Thanks everyone! Tomorrow I will reach 20 months! Ahhh....


Elder Bennett