Whiplash!

Hello family, wow this week was pretty crazy! I have lots of great stories for you :) Well I don't know about great, but lots of stories..haha Let me first start with..I LOVE my companion!!! She is the strongest person I have ever met, she's absolutely amazing. Just last month she got a call from President Sperry and he had to talk to her, and told her that her parents had informed them that they split up and her mom had moved from Samoa to New Zealand with her brothers and sisters, but her dad was staying in Samoa. Then 2 weeks later she got another call that her grandpa had died...So so hard. But she stays so strong and knows that what she's doing is right. She was converted 2 years ago, and just as she was leaving on her mission her mom also was baptized but they're the only members in her family. She just shows me that no matter how hard life gets, you can really make it through! She's so great. One Hilarious story though that I think I laugh at every day still...we were going to our district meeting on Tuesday and riding a jeep with the zone leaders, but the jeep kept breaking down. Well one time it was going pretty fast and Immediately broke down, and I think I blacked out a minute from whiplash and then when I could see normal, I saw Sister Tupa'i ALL the way down on her stomach on the bench, and had slid all the way up to the driver...hahaha It was so hilarious!! I honestly am laughing so hard right now thinking about it and she's telling me to shut up :)

I also learned this week (like Every day of my mission) just how blessed I am for the knowledge I have. As we teach people each day that tell us they don't have a desire to go to the temple with their family, or they don't care about what we teach, I try to not get discouraged but just be grateful that I know how important it is for myself and am receiving those blessings. I can really see the HUGE difference of having the Gospel, it brings SO SO SO much happiness. God truly blesses those who are obedient. Which I have really seen in our work. It's really hard for us because of the language, and we can't understand people a lot, but we've gone out every day on time and not come home early and done our very best to find and teach, and actually my numbers have never been better! We've exceeded our goals, we actually found 10 new investigators, and the standard for the mission is 4! ha We talked to a Lot of people and I just feel so so great about it because I know we were blessed for doing our best.

Also...I have some news. I think you will all DIE when you read this, but I will be singing on Wednesday during Mission Tour for a general authority! ha Elder Echohawk of the Area Presidency is coming, and our zone was asked to do a musical number. I was asked to put it together, so we're singing Joseph's smith's first prayer...BUT Sister Tupa'i and I are singing the first verse in Samoan! Yes, it'll be quite interesting. Just us two...so hopefully I don't just hurt everyone's ears..ha But actually it sounds really pretty :) So that'll be a new experience to sing in front of lots of people!!

Speaking of funny things...let me just tell you about Thursday. It was like the "typical missionary story" filled Day. So we were walking to our first appointment and of course she wasn't home, so we Kept walking And then all throughout the day our appointments fell through and we were trying to just teach SOMEONE it was so hard, but finally our last appointment we found a recent convert who isn't' coming to church and taught her and her gay uncle, who actually is Very interested!! ha So it was interesting just because of what we teach, but he was absolutely hilarious and so nice. And then we were blessed with dinner at Sis. Rosanna's house (they work with us every sunday, it's the little lady that drives us around on "Beatrice" if you remember, and I LOVE THEM) and so yet again, we were blessed for enduring :) That's what I learned this week...just endure it while trying your very best and everything will work out! I love you all so so much, I miss you tons!!! I hope all is well at home :)

LOVE,

Sister Benesch