Your trials will eventually help you bless others.

A spiritual experience this week..


We had ten minutes left before we had to go back to the house. We didnt have time for a lesson and werent near a park to contact, so we decided to knock a few doors. I swear that it is always in the last ten minutes that miracles happen.
As we went and knocked on the door of a really big house nearby, a man answered the door. He obviously had already made up his mind about the mormons. He complimented us and said that he appreciated what we were doing and that he hadnt talked to missionaries before and my companion began to testify about the book of mormon. He told us that he had read parts of the book of mormon never prayed about it, but had also read about joseph smith and the angel moroni and how blacks at one time didnt have the priesthood and that at one time there were polygamos marriages and that eventually it stopped. He then proclaimed that he assisted a baptist church but thanked us.
There was a nice pause and then I simply bore my testimony about how there had been a time when even though I grew up in the church, I doubted everything and I read a lot of things on the internet, and I came only to believe that there was a God. He seemed a little surprised to hear that I had grown up in the church and at one point didnt believe in it. I was able to testify that I asked God if Joseph Smith was a prophet. And God answered my prayer. And that I know the Book of Mormon is true and that both I and my companion know that its true and that is why we are missionaries. But when we testified the Spirit was undeniable.
We could see in his eyes that he felt it.
He told us that he would read a little bit more and look on mormon.org. To me this was a miracle.

The thing is, we all have questions. No one is exempt; we all have doubts. The faith of everyone of us is tried. And there are millions of us who have put their trust in God and received answers from God and not from any other person. And there are millions who know the whole world over that the church is true, because God is no respecter of persons, and it doesnt matter if you are in Asia or if you are in California, or if you are in Peru. If you ask God, have faith in Christ, and a sincere heart, and if you really are willing to act on the answer that you receive, God tells you. Always.

Ready your scriptures every day. Pray ... really pray. Go to church.
Love Always,
Hermana Bendixen

Thanksgiving

Dear Family and Friends,

For thanksgiving well, I was a week off. I ate turkey at a restaurant the Thursday before haha. One of the ladies from the ward though made my favorite dish on thanksgiving which is called aji de gallina. I love it! She is so sweet. One of the people who was getting baptized this saturday cant because he left town this weekend. He is a really great person but he needs to put God first. Also, one of the girls we have been teaching will be baptized in two weeks. She works like crazy and studies and supports her sister. Im super excited for her.

Diego finally received the Priesthood.

We only had 15 minutes one day when we were going do visit him, and we had just went through this huge ordeal with our lideres de zona y presidente de estaca so that he could get the Priesthood on the first day of December. He told us that this day he was leaving town because his uncle had paid for a kind of a cabin on the beach a few hours away down south. We taught about the sabbath day again and some how, the Holy Ghost touched his heart and he decided to come back a day early. Later on Sunday, he told us that he had an interview with the bishop and the bishop asked him if he really thought he would be able to get back on time from his trip to get to church. He said no. Diego ended up canceling his trip. His faith is so great. I seriously am amazed by the choices he makes. He is a twenty year old kid who is really growing his testimony so much. He always says he is prideful and money is his weakness and all this kind of stuff, but really he is pretty humble and wants to do what is right, and changes his choices all with the faith that it is worth it. He is an example to me and my companion. We also recently found out that he wasnt drinking a clove and cinnamon drink because he thought it wasnt allowed because it was a kind of tea. Really its perfectly healthy. His mom was upset at him for not drinking it earlier. I can only imagine what she will say when she finds out that he really can drink that. haha

One thing we started doing with the Elders to find more people is we set up a table in the market with all of the pamphlets and books of mormon and there is this sign that says, TODO ES GRATIS. The people then just naturally come to us. It is actually a really great way to bear testimonies and set up appointments. =) My companion and I also started singing Christmas carlos at bus stops.

Im also surprised by the number of people that speak English who are visiting. We have ran into a few. Its a good thing my companion knows English. Its very interesting feeling the Spirit when we are in the lessons speaking in English. Im so used to it being strong in Spanish lol.

My companion and I in preparation for Christmas also made this tree out of water bottles and tape and then used Ensigns that we had to cut up the branches and leaves and then Hermana Jimenez made a star. She is so awesome. One day I promise I will send more photos!

Love Always,
Hermana Bendixen