I have 40 birthday emails!

I loved your talk, it was way good mom! I’m way proud of you! This letter has to be fast again because I got on today and I have 40 birthday emails—I can’t handle it!!!!

Oatmeal Cake that I made for my birthday!

So questions:

• How are your Book of Mormon studies going?

I love the Book of Mormon!!  I’m in Mosiah 3 in Spanish, but I already read it in English once. I read Jesus the Christ, Preach My Gospel, True to the Faith and I'm in Corinthians in the Bible I love studies—they are the best!

• How is Hector doing?

Hector, is going through a hard time and went back to his old church and dropped us, but its cool--we will be able to help him eventually!

• Tell me one of your most favorite things about Argentina.

I don't know—I need to think on what I love…Sorry!

• I got a picture from Becca of you and Elder Peters!! Man I love to see your face!!! Please send me pictures of your cute face!!

The AP's came to stay for a few days--Elder Peters and Elder Benedict

Monday we had a normal work day and it was long because it should have been p-day but it was fine. We did service and taught a new investigator who is weird but good!

Burning my tie to celebrate six months serving!

Tuesday we had intercambios (exchanges) and it was way weird! We walked over 20 kilometers from 4pm until 10pm because I was in the other elders area and their bikes were broke, so it was awful!! We had a cool lesson in the middle of nowhere that I thought I might die at because the lights went out in the middle of the lesson and it was scary, but it was good and we just walked fast the last 4 kilometers to the bus stop in a lightning storm. Thankfully a kid that we talked with earlier that day stopped his dads car and gave us a ride home! It was an amazing miracle!

3 kilos of ice cream to celebrate!!

Wednesday was our p-day. We just chilled and slept!

Thursday and Friday we worked hard but literally had nothing!

Saturday we still had nothing this day, but we were going to a meeting we had, on the way it was like my bike hit a invisible small wall and I got launched about 10 feet and landed and rolled a few times with  no problem to my clothes or my hands or anything—but the rim of my wheel literally bent in two places in half, it was crazy! I’ll show you what it looked like when we bend it back next week! 

I got a cactus from the pension and mate made from palo santo  that smells amazing.
The yerba is signed by my favorite  family. Way good birthday!

Sunday for my birthday Elder La Fleur gave me a cactus, and then the family Burnet gave me a mate and yerba with their names on it! I’m going to keep it forever, because it makes me way happy! Then we just had a normal night, but it was a good day and I loved it — good, but weird! I’m going to go shopping today and will send you photos! 

We also had the assistants in the pens (apartment) this week and it was a blast to hang out with them and just have a great time! Honestly it seems like its been a hard week, but God has been helping us a ton to help our burdens feel light, and to just keep going! I know that God is treating me great in this area. He is trying to give me blessings but people have agency and for that we may not have success, but I know that He is making my burdens light that I may be able to bear them! I love you all so much!! Tell Jes and Taylor that I will write them next week and that I love them a ton! Don’t forget you still have to write me while you’re on your trip! 

I love you to the moon and back and I love my God and this gospel a ton! 

Love, Jayson 

It's been a good week!

So its been a good week, but its Wednesday and I'm short time, but I promise this will still be a good email because I love you a lot! 

We had Carnival on Monday and Tuesday which here in Argentina just means that people don't go to work and that people just sit around all day—nothing special but we couldn't email until today! 

So on to the questions!

• Which investigator has impacted you the most?

I would say that Stella and Alberto. She was gone from the church for so long because her husband wouldn't let her go, and then as soon as she had her own house and place she found us and was ready and took the immediate opportunity to come back. She didn't wait—as soon as she saw us she came and talked to us and got us over to her house, but a lot  of investigators have affected me! When I get home we will go through all my agendas and journals and I’ll explain them all! 

• Tell me about a miracle you have witnessed.

Yesterday we were out about 10 kilometers from the pension (apartment) in the middle of a huge lighting storm and we has to walk 4 kilometers to get to the bus stop on a dirt road that had no street lights. We didn't get robbed, and no one talked to us and then when we got to the bus stop—we would have had to wait an hour in the rain until 11:30pm in the dark, but a man in a truck passed us stopped and gave us a ride home straight to the pension. We had talked to his son earlier that day for maybe a minute and that miracle came to pass because of it. We would have either had to walk for 3 hours at night or pray that the bus was actually going pass on a holiday at night, so we were really blessed! 

• What was the best thing that has happened?

I don't know what the best thing is to happen... probably actually getting to find and teach people and just being peoples friends—thats awesome to me! 

• What is your favorite place to be?

My favorite place? Teaching! In a house or outside when a member testifies of the truth —I love it, it’s just really perfect!

• How did you help somebody this week?

We painted a guys roof, and we taught some kids whose mom died two years ago and we were their friends and it was way awesome! 

• Tell me one thing you learned this week?

I learned that I need to get to houses of safety when people tell me it will rain! 

• When were you the happiest this week?

I was really happy when I told our branch president about some investigators and he told me he knew them well, and we made a good plan for how to help them and how he could help and it was just a cool way happy moment—that also helped me be happy with the president of the rama! 

So this week! 

Last Monday we went and learned how to make facturas ,(Argentine pastries) it was way good, and way cool—they are a snack from here that I love!! Look them up! Then we just kinda tried to work! 

Tuesday we taught a menos activo and it was way good, and we found out the Neito isn't a member and we are going to start teaching him! I’m way pumped for it! 

Wednesday we taught Hector and he told us that he had an answer and he believed the Book of Mormen was true! Way cool lesson and I was way happy with it, but he later dropped us this week because he is passing through hard timea and started going to his old church and he feels good there. I was way sad, but it happened.

Thursday we taught a few less actives and it was just a good tanquilo day of work and we worked hard!

Friday my 6 month day! We had some way cool plans—we taught Hector and he was still good, then we went to ward correlation. Then the other ward by us had an activity that we helped with.  We played tons of ‘Minute To Win It’ games and then had a empanada contest. It was way fun, and way good, and a blast!!! Then we bought three kgs of ice cream and burnt a tie I had cut out of a sheet. I’ll send you the pics next week! 

Saturday we had a way dope day and we taught three people who were our age and they all spoke English and I loved them a ton! I really cant wait to teach them, i feel like they are really my friends and I loved it! But they are on vacation now, so next week! But  after we taught them we got bought in the huge rain storm to the point that I could dump water out of my shoes and we found shelter in a menos activos house and he gave us a bunch of game cube games that I will get to play when I get home so I'm way pumped for that! It’s all good though, no temptation here! 

Sunday we had a rough day—my comp felt way sick so we left late, went to a meeting and then just talked to some people in the street. It was good, but not like teaching three teenagers that can speak English kinda,and are way cool musicians! ;)

So that was my week, next Monday I will email normal with more time and let you all see the pictures of the six month stuff.

I miss you a ton mom and know that I love you like crazy and as always I am praying way hard for you! Please be safe and take care of all the kids at home. It seems to me that Jesika needs help—please go and try to help her for me, or send Taylor to go do it —I think she could use a little time off! 

I love you forever and ever! 

Sincerely your child,

Jayson

One of the best days of my mission...

Hey beautiful,

I hope the birthday was everything you hoped it would be and more. It sounded way awesome, but I wasn't there so it still lacked the best stuff, sorry for that ;) 

To answer your questions:

• Did your figure out your Oreo cake?

I didn't figure out the cake thing, but I didn't try either—maybe this week ;) 

• How are you and Elder Le Fleur getting along?

Me and elder LaFleur are getting along fine he is way weird kid, but a good kid, he talks about some stuff I don't want to talk about — so that’s hard but other then that he is a good guy!

• How many lessons (approx) do you teach a week?

Last week we taught 5 lessons to investigators and 5 lessons to less actives—really a pretty good week I’d say average is about 7 or 8 grand total lessons a week. 

• Taylor took me to a Mexican store and bakery—I saw a Milanasa steak! Do you like it any better than you did 5 months ago?

I do like mileneza more then before, I don't really like the beef ones, but I think the chicken ones are way good. I really like them! 

• Tell me what things cost there in pesos:

Loaf of bread is like 16 pesos but you can get a kilo of rolls for 9 pesos, but its not like sliced bread, they are just like bread roles that are way good! 

Dozen eggs is 22 pesos. 

One liter of milk is 11 pesos. 

We can get a 20 liter bottle of water for 13 pesos, but like a 1.5 liter bottle is like 8 pesos. 

• Do you try to eat fruit and vegetables every day?

I eat a fruit everyday, we go out for 5 hours every night so I take an apple with me every night, it helps me be happier.                                     

• How many Elders live in your apartment and who are they?

I have four guys in my pens (apartment) elder LaFleur, me, elder Houghten who I love, and elder Charca de Peru.

Your week sounds way fun and crazy—so way to be awesome!!!!

Monday we had a large bbq thing called an asado here with my zone of 14 people, and it was way fun and pretty good, but it was meat so not incredible, but not bad! Then that night we had a lesson with a less active kid that was cool and fun!

Tuesday we had a lesson with our crazy recent convert, he talks as if he wasn't baptized and its way weird and I really don't like teaching him, but thats whatever—he is interesting. We were dropped by Tania because they started going to a different Catholic church so that sucks, but thats fine. We also had a zone meeting just about rules and it wasn't that fun, I feel like I'm obedient, and then we get way stupid rules that I break by trying to do right, like we are only allowed to fast from lunch to lunch not from morning to night time. I got in trouble for that today — its just stuff like that that bugs me....

Wednesday we had a lesson with a member this day that was way awesome, his name is Hector and he is 24 and I really think that he could make it! We teach him everyday and he seems to really like what we are teaching, so for the rest of the week after this day we passed by and chatted for at least a second! Its been way cool and I really like it, but that was all that day! 

Thursday we got dropped by a ton of investigators in the morning so that was lame... but we did get to teach a new investigator who swore a ton and it was way weird, I didn't really like it I felt like we were fighting while we were trying to agree on certain things, but its hard when we believe we are the only true church while other people just go wherever the wind blows and its true... but it was at least a lesson! 

Friday we really just tried to find people to teach and no one was home or wanted us, but like always we worked way hard! 

Saturday was honestly a way dope day and I loved it so much! First we rode our bikes about 10 kilometers down the freeway type thing, don't worry it had a bike lane! We found a go-kart course and it was way weird and cool but then we had to go back, but I at least felt like it was a good ride! I miss actually just going and going for a good long distance, I miss it a lot! That night we had three lessons, one with Mabel who is this old crazy lady who doesn't really want to listen, but we taught the plan of salvation and she liked it a little, but didn't really pay attention. Then we taught Hector and he read and prayed the night before and he told us that he felt way tranquilo and peaceful and he said he believes its true!!!!! Wooo hooo—it was a really good day for me!! Then that night we took another member and had another lesson with a menos activo named Jonathon and his wife and it was good and simple, but i liked it a lot! One of the best days of my mission tons of teaching—how I wish everyday was really! 

Sunday we had a good day of church really. I have this huge love for the young men of my ward and they really help me a ton! I feel at home with all of them, we have no priests, but its just fun to chat and be kids and just love them all the time, they honestly make me so happy I could just chill with the young men all the time!!! It would be the best!!!! We did go teach one menos activo that day who just plain said, “I have no desire to go to church”, and we were like nooooo! It’s so hard to help people want to go, it needs to be from them not us, so it sucks — but whatever! 

That was my week and its been way good! Please pray for Hector because he is awesome! I love it here! I had a hard morning today, but I'm fasting and praying and feeling better! I know God is there and I had a big testimony booster today! I love my Lord and God for all they do for me! 

I love you all so much and wish you an amazing week! 

Love, Elder Benedict

I have a new companion

Hows the life treating the family? Taylor finally done working? Good for him, it sounds tiring to me! I really like the way Taylor’s car looks and its going to be a nice car! 

Answers to your questions:

• What is your new companions name and where is he from?

My new comps name is elder Zachery La Fleur, he is a good kid from Salt Lake, he went to Highland High. He is nice enough, he works hard, he has 14 months in the mission and speaks good, but nothing special. I got him mid-day on Thursday after lunch. 

• Did you get your package yet? I sent it on December 18th.

Your packages haven't even made it to Argentina yet, so maybe next month! Some people tell me that it takes about 2 to 4 months to just get them to Argentina, but I'm not worried about it! 

• When was the last time you laughed with your companion and why?

I don't know...we laugh a lot—probably sometime this morning or last night I don't know mom, I don't really remember much about what I laugh about! ;) 

• What do you love about your mission President?

I really love that my President knows who I am from just looking at my face, or he just knows and pays attention to what I say and he just really cares! 

Monday we just went home and slept and then we went and got ice cream it was way awesome I really like ice cream especially because its way freaking hot here! That night was just saying goodbye!

Tuesday and Wednesday was just all day saying goodbye—it was just a ton of talking to members and chilling it was awful, I hate when I feel like we are not really working.

Thursday we woke up late mostly because I didn't know I was supposed to go so my alarm went off when I wanted it to at 6:30 because I didn’t think I needed to go to the bus stop, but everyone woke up with me, the bus left at 6:50 so we were sprinting to the terminal and trying to get him there on time and it just barely happened it was so freaking close, but the zone leaders stalled the bus and we got him there. Then that night I got La Fleur.

Friday we went and taught a recent convert and it was a good lesson, but other then that we didn't have any luck with any of our plans. I cooked me some rice though so that was exciting! 

Saturday we found a new investigator named Hector and he is a good guy, he let us teach him when we actually clapped his door and it was cool he is a nice guy, but I'm not positive how interested he is. We are going to go this Wednesday and see! But at least we saw some success! 

Sunday we had a ton of great plans that I was pumped for, but they all just fell as people sent us texts and that was fine, we kept working and we got some citas (appointments) with some people I'm really excited to teach. I know that when we get tired and our butts hurt from riding the bike for so long and it seems like doing anything more wont help us at all God will bless us if we keep trying and that is what I'm hoping will continue to happen with the people we sorta found! 

So that was my week, nothing special, but a good week! 

I love the young men here they are just super great and I am starting to love the  people in general. My name here in castillano is llésin and I think its super cool, I think I'm going to start spelling it that way! 

I love you fam a ton and am going way hard always! Don't forget that I love you and pray for you always—never stopping! 

Love you for now and on into the eternities, 

Llésin Benedict ;)