Proud to be an Amurican! hehe

Miracles! Always miracles!

Sharyce had an interview on Sunday to receive her limited time use recommend! We are taking her to do baptisms for the dead this Saturday!!! Oh I have never seen anyone so excited to go to the temple. After she got the paper she ran over to show it to us and then excitedly searched her bag to find a black pen with which to sign it. She held the recommend in her hand the entirety of Relief society and just stared at it. I cannot believe her faith. She wants to receive absolutely every blessing she possible can, and she is willing to make any sacrifice to receive it! Oh and then the missionary meal calendar got passed around and she turned to Sister Smith and was like "Is this the sign up to feed you?" and then Sister Smith told her yes and she immediately put down her name. She can hardly feed her 7 children and wants to have us over too! She is one of the most Christ-like people I have ever met! I don't know why I got so lucky as to meet her, but you better believe I thank my Father in Heaven every single night for her. Please keep her in your prayers and pray that the temple trip goes forward without a hitch!

In other news we have this investigator from Burma named Henry and we had the most incredible lesson with him last night! We have been talking a lot about receiving answers and he has such a desire to know if this church is true, but he doesn't think he has felt anything yet. He just refuses to move forward until he knows. Well last night we taught him the Plan of Salvation and he asked SO MANY questions. It was one of the coolest lessons I have been a part of yet! He wanted to understand every principle, and he picked apart every verse of scripture we read. He has REAL intent and a REAL desire! After the lesson we asked him how he felt and this huge smile came across his face. He just stared at us in awe and said "I feel something! thins answers like half my question, and I must know if it is truth!!" Ahh the spirit was overwhelming. And the joy in his eyes made me absolutely giddy! Then on top of all that he said the closing prayer and I almost screamed midway through out of pure excitement! He just wants to know the truth so badly! And I know he will get an answer.

Also! We taught this guy named Jorge on the street the other day and we went to his apartment complex this week to see him but realized he didn't give us an apartment number. We just went for it and turns out the first door we knocked on was his. MIRACLE! We taught him and his 18 year old sister who has a little baby and she was so interested. Turns out she met with missionaries in California before and she really does want to know if this church is right for her! She is trying to figure her life out and wants to raise her baby the right way. Heavenly Father has such a way of leading us to those who are prepared and helping us say exactly what they need to hear. Missionary work is remarkable. It is like having a front row seat to the greatest show on earth! We simply watch it all unfold!

Fun Facts:

Ok so because we teach so many different people from all over planet earth it seems I have started to see so many funny little clashes of culture in the homes we go into. I have started to call them "Murica" moments and they just make me so happy! So "Murica" moments for the week.

1) While we were teaching Henry this little Burmese girl in the home was eating like some fish chunks and after her mom fed her the first one she spit it out and started yelling "sauce!" She ran into the kitchen and pulled out this huge bottle of ketchup like the size of her head. Then she proceeded to dip her delicious Burmese fish heads into the ketchup and eat them like French fries. I about died.

2) We have a less active Cambodian guy in our ward...(RIGHT?!?!) and we finally got to see him the other day. Me and him hit it off right away talking about all of these funny Cambodian things and it was awesome. Anyway his house is decked out in Cambodian stuff. I walked in and honestly it felt like I was back in Cambodia...but then I turned and saw just a tub of popeyes chicken in the kitchen amongst all the weird statues and Cambodian curry boxes. Again I about died. #MURICA

Also this week we helped this family moved and chased around a goose. I would like to have a pet goose someday...

Oh and I tried this delicious new food this week! BLUEBERRIES!! I love them. Who knew??

Spiritual thought:

Alma 58:10-11

I was reading this today in my personal study and it hit me hard. I think so often I pray that my trials or my hardships will just be taken away, and I expect my Father in Heaven to answer my prayers by doing just that, but this scripture explains otherwise. Sometimes the answer to our prayers comes in the form of increased hope or faith. Increased understanding or assurance from the Lord that trials are for our good and that if we endure it well we will be blessed in the eternities. Sometimes the Lord gives us more faith to withstand the trial, more hope that it really will be worth it in the end, and more encouragement to endure on the path to receive Celestial Glory. Sometimes the Lord just gives us reassurance that what we are going through is difficult, but that because we are His we can do hard things. It reminded me of what President Monson said, sometimes courage is just that little voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow." Sometimes the answer to our most earnest prayer is "try again tomorrow".

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Also tell Kylie Johnson Happy Birthday tomorrow! Love that little weirdo! And hope she is doing well!

ENJOY THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF SUMMER!!!!!!!

xoxo,

Sister Bengtzen