The Time is Now

Dear Family and Friends,
For those of you who watched General Conference, did any of you get chills when President Monson said the words: "The time is now." ?

I cant express how grateful I am that I get to be apart of the work of the Lord in these times. How exciting that the whole world is now working together!
The other week, our President told us that we were going to be the example for all of the world when it comes to retention. He told us it was a time to write in our journals. Presidente Uceda was speaking with the 12 apostles about who they could use to be an example for the rest of the missions. President Uceda who is the area authority for here in Peru said, "I know of a place." He is working with our President and this week we are all being trained anew.
Im also really excited because my companion and I are growing so much together. We started studying preach my gospel during our weekly planning and found out that there were about a million things we could change in how we plan and how to take care of our area book that no one had taught us. Im so excited because I can already see how inspired God is. Little miracles happen every day.
We were talking to this less active member the other day and he told us he didnt believe in miracles and that they didnt happen anymore.
It was funny because I couldnt remember much except that Moroni 7 talked about why people say miracles cease. We assigned it to him even though we were late for another appointment and even though when I read through it I wasnt sure if it was what he needed to hear and almost just left him with Eter 12. Well when I got home I reread Moroni 7 in English, and EVERY WORD dealt with his questions. I love that. I love that when we are really listening and trusting in God, miracles like that happen.
Conference was a miracle too. The talks as always specifically apply to one person that we know and to ourselves.
Other miracles, we had eight investgators come to church. Granted it was General Conference and so there were three other opportunities for them to attend, but it still was a miracle to me because many times we are happy if one make the sacrifice to come to church.
I see miracles in how God answers the questions of our heart with other people. Other missionaries talk to me and end up telling me just what I need to hear. And I know its from God.
There is the miracle of obedience, how when we are so dang tired when we try to get up in the morning but we do it anyway and we do our exercizes and when we really study and pray hard, we are not tired. We just arent. I have never slept better in my life.
We've seen miracles in how the members help us. When we had to be at four appointments in 2 hours we were able to find the ward members who could go on splits with us.
My companion and I ran into a very argumentative person from another religion one day. She had been seeing that street in which we found him in her mind for a while and knew that it was a prompiting to go contact on that street. It took a while to be able to talk but we smiled and bore our testimonies and eventually left, and though and we werent able to get any new appointments from that time my companion learned something. Her high school was practically all mormon and she had never had to deal with The next day when we were on splits, my companion had to bear her testimony in another appointment with a very special investigator when his sister in law showed up who is also from the same religion and also very argumentative. I am soo soo soo proud of her. She told me later how the experience went, how she was still able to teach the investigator the gospel in spite of the invitations to fight.
I know God was prepping her for that moment.
Then of course there is the beautiful miracle of seeing people really fainding faith in God. Here in Peru, practically everyone believes in God. One of our investigators didnt. Now we are seeing a complete change in him. He prays sincerely, he receives answers and he is reading the scriptures. He attends his meetings. He is a busy student but still sets aside time to learn.
Then there is a girl who showed up to church. I will call her Maria. Maria is 21. My age. She is renting a room where her and her sister live. Her sister is 15. She supports her. She is looking for a better job where she doesnt have to work 12 hour shifts every day of the week because she is also studying as a nursing student and she doesnt get any sleep. This sunday she showed up to church with her sister. Im so proud of her. When people act on the commandments and follow them, then we see faith.
Its so easy to look past these people.
When I first met all these people I didnt think much of them. I didnt think anything bad about them.. just that they were normal. But really thats what all of us are. Normal ordinary people who are children of God. All of us are on our own paths learning and growing. And so when someone is normal... a.k.a all of us... we need to share the gospel with them. Its beautiful how you can feel God´s love for a person when you get to know them.
Its a huge responsibility right now being a missionary and realizing the whole world is looking at you. Just knowing that I am in charge of the little area I have to see the work of the lord progress her is terrifying. But I remember that Christ is here for all of us.
He supports us in our trials. When we think we are alone and even our companion isnt there, God is. He literally does send seen and unseen angels to protect us and to move the work forward.
Really I know he lives and that miracles happen. I am determined to make the last 11 months of my mission better than the first 7.
I miss and love you all.
I hear about the scary things happening in the world right now. Im so glad to know that God has a plan for everything and that he is merciful. Its hard to know what is truth and what is a lie here.. but whatever happens I know God takes care of us and he can work miracles if we trust him and serve him.

Love Always,

Hermana Bendixen