Happy New Year!

Hello hello, Happy new year everybody!!!

Well....let me just start out with I am a little tired so I'm sorry if this email does not make sense, but I got like NO sleep last night because this country doesn't just celebrate new years...it BLOWS UP. ha All night long we had fireworks and bangs going on that it literally sounded like bombs all night! Instead of sleeping we pretty much just watched fire works all night :) And then still had to wake up at 6:30 and I spent about 3 hours cleaning our house for transfers tomorrow!!! Also in the morning after the New Years eve parties the streets are no more...you can't see the street because of all the debris of fireworks and blown up things and there's throw up everywhere from all the drunk people...it's disgusting!!! But I cannot believe our training is over..it went so so fast! And I guess since you're wondering I'll just tell you, I spent a lot of time packing yesterday for...Sister Surio! ha I will not be transfering, I'll be staying atleast 6 more weeks here in San Mateo :) I'm pretty excited because I love this area! However to say that I'm nervous for the next transfer does not even come close to my feelings for the next transfer...My new companion will be Sister Patras and she is from Pakistan! I will be follow-up training her, and I'm excited because I met her once and she seems nice, however nervous because it's like known in the mission that being companions with those from Pakistan is hardest because they speak almost no english and no Tagalog...so it will be interesting! ALSO, Sister Criste will be staying in the house and her new companion is also from Pakistan! Needless to say our house may start smelling like curry and other delicious things like that ;) ha It will be a very interesting transfer! My district is about to become Hilarious..because our DL is Elder Barcon who is probably the strangest, most hilarious person I ever met who also doesn't speak that well in English and is just kinda...weird...ha and then us four sisters...it is going to be hilarious! I'll have tons of great stories I'm sure :)

We had a way fun service project this week, and although I sadly got no pictures, I feel so awesome! We cut down banana trees with machetes :) ha And then hauled them all into a big pile to light on fire! It was so so much fun, I knew that Zach would probably love it! However, the dirt that gets on you from the trees sticks to you and doesn't really wash off and so I was permanently dirty for a few days..but it was alright :) It was so fun!

As far as the work goes....sadly it really REALLY slowed down over the holidays. We had 10 investigators with baptism dates and it's like slowly going down to 0 because everyone got busy and it's just hard. Also, Daizel who we were so excited about apparently isn't coming back from her "Christmas vacation" at home so we won't see her again, and I'm pretty sad about that. It's so hard watching people receive a witness that our message is true, knowing how much it would improve their lives, and then they don't accept it. But I know that as long as I keep doing the Lord's work He will help me, I just will keep trying really hard and not give up! I've been praying though for help to learn Tagalog, but I think that was a mistake...ha Just kidding I just now have to be the one speaking to everyone and it'll be hard. But it'll be a great adventure :)

I love you all SO SO much. Thank you so much for all of your support, keep it coming because I'm really going to need it. But I know that I can do anything Heavenly Father calls me to do. I love you all so much!!

LOVE,

Sister Benesch

 PS Here's some pictures of our Chirstmas and New Years and a HUGE spider that I really almost peed my pants when I saw it...