Hey all friends and family!!
Hope all is well back home in the warmer states (especially Texas).
High's in the 70's? That's just weather I dream of right now.
This week has been a bit of insanity, but has gone by super fast and
already last Monday feels like ages ago. Of course last Monday I was
still companions with Elder Bateman before his death to all the
Slovene missionaries with his defection to Croatia. We spent the whole
day running around different government buildings in Ljubljana trying
to get him deregistered from Slovenia so he would be able to get a
Croatian visa. Then once we had it all done some 5 hours later, we ran
to Celje on a train to spend the last few hours of p-day with all the
other missionaries in Slovenia. We were there for an hour or so, but
it was great to see everyone.
Then super early Tuesday morning at 5:40 we were on a train to Zagreb.
The new missionaries arrived at around 11:50, but didn't actually come
to the mission office where I was helping for the day, doing some odd
jobs for the office couple and Zagreb missionaries until about 3. We
then went out with them to do a little intro to missionary work talking
to people on the street before heading out and doing some missionary
work in Zagreb with a Croatian missionary. The language from Croatia
to Slovene is hard. Even if I spoke perfect Slovene, there was still
only like a 50% chance the people would understand me.
The next day, Wednesday, I found out who my new companion was!! All
day we had a training conference with President so we were in the
Zagreb chapel from early in the morning until about 5 pm. We then had
to catch our train to Ljubljana at 6, and then head back to Kranj that
night, arriving home around 9:30 pm.
Slept well that night after all the travel and earlier than normal
mornings, and then back to work!! We had a bunch of lessons packed
into this week, having to compress a 5-6 ish day work week into 3
days. But it was a really effective week. We had our first English
class that Thursday evening, and a few dinners with the people we met
with. I don't mind if I don't eat again for a few days. So much
food!!!!
We also had one of the first people we meet with come to church on
Sunday as well!! She is a friend of a member here and is incredibly
outgoing and nice. In Kranj, it can be difficult getting people to
church for the first time as it is a 30-40 minute drive to Ljubljana
each way, but she seemed to have a great time there.
So my new companion's name is Elder Wilson. He's from Provo Utah and
is a great guy. I think he knows Slovene better than I did coming out
of the MTC. His week of course has been hard, what with the compressed
schedule, jet lag, and being in a country where you can't really
understand anything that anyone is saying. But he's doing great and
will be a great missionary before too long. Everyone I feel has that
transition time.
On the other hand, it really shows how quickly I have grown here in
the mission to now be training a new person. I no longer have a
companion who's been in the country longer than me, and with Elder
Wilson not understanding hardly anything right now, I'm the one having
to have most of the conversations with people. But I've had hardly any
problems in the past couple of days. I've only had one moment this
week in Slovene where people didn't understand what I was saying, and
only a handful of moments where I didn't understand what they were
saying. So it should be a fantastic transfer this transfer!!
I am so grateful for this opportunity to train. I expect it is going
to be difficult, but that would come one day or the other when I would
be in the country longer than my companion. But because it is going to
be difficult, I know that I am about to grow so much more in the next
two months in language, as a missionary, and as a person. Even in the
first few days, I have seen more and more where my weaknesses are, and
places I can improve. Being the one someone relies on makes this even
more apparent, and even more necessary to correct. And so I am looking
forward to the great experience we are about to have.
Ajdaj, Gremo naprej!! (alright, we go forward!!)
-Starešina Benson
Monday, January 28, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Training and the Spark
Hello all family and friends!!
The snow has been absolutely gruesome here, but will now be short lived with the rain starting yesterday and today. We got about two feet of snow starting on Sunday and going straight through to Friday.
So no sense in beating around the bush. There are a whole lot of changes going on right now. We have transfers coming up today, meaning every missionary in the mission has the chance to move and or change companions or stay. We got a special call on Tuesday however from President where he personally told us how we are moving. I am going to be staying in Kranj for another two months (length of a transfer), and am going to be training a brand new missionary to Slovenia like I was 4 months ago! Also, Elder Bateman, my current companion, is going to go to Zagreb to be one of President's two assistants!! He is really bummed about that because he sees Slovenia as his home and has been here for 16 months, and now to go to Zagreb, despite all the new things he will get to do, is to leave behind practically his identity for the past year and a half. But he'll do great I'm sure. He'll learn Croatian pretty fast, and will be back in Slovenia for at least the day once or twice a month.
And so, he and I are going to Zagreb tomorrow morning super early. If you're up at 11pm central time Monday night, know that I'm boarding a train to Zagreb right now somewhere around the world. I'll be in Zagreb all day Tuesday as that's when the new missionaries should be arriving, and then for most of Wednesday as that's when we will know who exactly my new companion will be and we'll do some training things from President and his two assistants. It's going to be strange to know that that assistant was my companion only a month or two ago.
So it's going to be incredibly exciting.
This week, we met with a man we've met with a few times in the past who hasn't really shown much interest. He had met with missionaries like us A LONG time ago (like 2003?), was recontacted in mid 2010 before missionaries were pulled out of Kranj, and then we recontacted him sometime last October or November. We hadn't met with him since before the holidays started as his interest level wasn't that high, but we called him last week and set up with him, and we had an absolutely AMAZING lesson with him. He clearly understood our purpose in helping him come to a knowledge of God's truth and his own peace of mind, and the Spirit was strong testifying of this truth. He committed to praying about where God's path was and reading the Book of Mormon to see if it was true and the story we shared about it's coming forth was truly inspired.
It goes to show that even when people don't really seem to express interest in what you are doing or saying, even the second or third time, that not all is lost.There only needs to be a perfect inspired moment of understanding to spark a level of interest. And as we go about our work, to not lose faith in the fact that this moment can spark at any time. Rather to continue enduring and strive to do our best to work with God to bring this spark in others lives. If we give up hope and faith, and thus stop working towards our goals, we will not progress. And our purpose, which as a missionary is God's purpose, will come to pass through other means, and we will not have the opportunity to be a part of that joy and experience we could have had.
I hope everyone is warm and safe at home, and hope there isn't too much white powder of death (snow)(Goes to show how much you take on your companions personality the longer you're with them. That totally sounds like something Elder Bateman would say) on the ground.
-Starešina Benson
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
President Rowe and Joy Beyond Measure
Greetings everyone!!
It's snowing today all across the former Yugoslavia, especially in
Kranj. It snowed perhaps 9in to a foot last night and looking outside
right now, it's still snowing. I was getting used to the cool but snow
free weather of the last 3-4 weeks. But it is winter in Europe I
guess, so it all comes in the same package.
This week has been a great week. Elder Bateman, my companion has
finally fully kicked his sickness at the beginning of the week, and
just in time too! On Thursday, we had President Rowe, my mission
president (the person in charge of all the missionaries in my whole
mission) come up and spend the day working with us.
He arrived in the morning, shortly after our studies for the day were
over, and we spent an hour or two talking about the Kranj area and
Ljubljana. It was great since I'm now the most experienced missionary
in the mission in Kranj since I helped reopen it, and Elder Bateman
spent 4 months in Ljubljana and so knows a lot about there.
After that, we went to lunch, contacting people on the way. It was
pretty funny trying to make it down the one little side road in Kranj
as one of us stopped to walk backwards with a person, talking
to them, then the other would to do the same, with President kind of
following us around making small talk with us. After about 1 hour of
this we hadn't made any progress what soever, so he said, ˝You know,
we do need to make it to lunch eventually, so you don't have to talk to
EVERY person you see, just if you're inspired to do so.˝
After lunch, we went to try to visit a less active member
President knew from last year but she wasn't home, then Elder Bateman
and I both said in unison, ˝Then we can go visit these people!˝ We
hadn't mentioned it to each other at all, but that morning we had both
thought of visiting the same person that day with President. Now
that's inspiration.
About the beginning of November, I visited this person and did some
service with her and Elder Grover on exchanges. Unfortunately, her
husband was in Germany sick, and so we met with her once before she
went back to Germany to be with him. And so we went to stop by their
home to see if by chance, they were back from Germany... and they
were!!!
We rung their door and within a few seconds the door unlocks. I crack
the door open and there is the wife at the top of the stairs, ˝Oh!!
Starešina!! Živijo Živijo!!! Pridi notre!!!˝ (Oh!! Elder!! Hello
hello!!! Come on in!!!) She was incredibly excited to see us, and her
husband was with her from Germany. It was difficult because he can
only speak German, and maybe a handful of Slovene, but we managed
with his wife translating for us. Ultimately, we discussed our purpose
in helping them be happier and having more blessings in their lives.
They already know everything there is to ever know about religion and
the church. And so we invited them to baptism and they were prepared.
They will set the date themselves, but they are ready. Her husband has
a fear of water, but we can accommodate them.
Having been around the church for so long, they recognize the
blessings the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has to offer, and are
eager to be able to take part in them, most particularly the blessings
from the temple. After the long time growing comfortable and sitting
on the invitations of older missionaries, they are ready to partake of
the happiness they can have, the strengthened relationship with
each other, and personal eternal peace, comfort, and strength which
comes with entering into the restored gospel and kingdom of God. The
experience really helped me understand exactly, what my purpose is.
It is, most simply, to help others find happiness. To understand who
they are more fully, and receive blessings in life beyond measure. I
am so grateful to be a part of this great work going forward, and
feel privileged to be able to have the joy of helping others
experience joy.
I pray everyone at home is safe and has an absolutely joyful week
beyond measure.
-Starešina Benson
It's snowing today all across the former Yugoslavia, especially in
Kranj. It snowed perhaps 9in to a foot last night and looking outside
right now, it's still snowing. I was getting used to the cool but snow
free weather of the last 3-4 weeks. But it is winter in Europe I
guess, so it all comes in the same package.
This week has been a great week. Elder Bateman, my companion has
finally fully kicked his sickness at the beginning of the week, and
just in time too! On Thursday, we had President Rowe, my mission
president (the person in charge of all the missionaries in my whole
mission) come up and spend the day working with us.
He arrived in the morning, shortly after our studies for the day were
over, and we spent an hour or two talking about the Kranj area and
Ljubljana. It was great since I'm now the most experienced missionary
in the mission in Kranj since I helped reopen it, and Elder Bateman
spent 4 months in Ljubljana and so knows a lot about there.
After that, we went to lunch, contacting people on the way. It was
pretty funny trying to make it down the one little side road in Kranj
as one of us stopped to walk backwards with a person, talking
to them, then the other would to do the same, with President kind of
following us around making small talk with us. After about 1 hour of
this we hadn't made any progress what soever, so he said, ˝You know,
we do need to make it to lunch eventually, so you don't have to talk to
EVERY person you see, just if you're inspired to do so.˝
After lunch, we went to try to visit a less active member
President knew from last year but she wasn't home, then Elder Bateman
and I both said in unison, ˝Then we can go visit these people!˝ We
hadn't mentioned it to each other at all, but that morning we had both
thought of visiting the same person that day with President. Now
that's inspiration.
About the beginning of November, I visited this person and did some
service with her and Elder Grover on exchanges. Unfortunately, her
husband was in Germany sick, and so we met with her once before she
went back to Germany to be with him. And so we went to stop by their
home to see if by chance, they were back from Germany... and they
were!!!
We rung their door and within a few seconds the door unlocks. I crack
the door open and there is the wife at the top of the stairs, ˝Oh!!
Starešina!! Živijo Živijo!!! Pridi notre!!!˝ (Oh!! Elder!! Hello
hello!!! Come on in!!!) She was incredibly excited to see us, and her
husband was with her from Germany. It was difficult because he can
only speak German, and maybe a handful of Slovene, but we managed
with his wife translating for us. Ultimately, we discussed our purpose
in helping them be happier and having more blessings in their lives.
They already know everything there is to ever know about religion and
the church. And so we invited them to baptism and they were prepared.
They will set the date themselves, but they are ready. Her husband has
a fear of water, but we can accommodate them.
Having been around the church for so long, they recognize the
blessings the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has to offer, and are
eager to be able to take part in them, most particularly the blessings
from the temple. After the long time growing comfortable and sitting
on the invitations of older missionaries, they are ready to partake of
the happiness they can have, the strengthened relationship with
each other, and personal eternal peace, comfort, and strength which
comes with entering into the restored gospel and kingdom of God. The
experience really helped me understand exactly, what my purpose is.
It is, most simply, to help others find happiness. To understand who
they are more fully, and receive blessings in life beyond measure. I
am so grateful to be a part of this great work going forward, and
feel privileged to be able to have the joy of helping others
experience joy.
I pray everyone at home is safe and has an absolutely joyful week
beyond measure.
-Starešina Benson
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Sickness and Reality
Pozdrav!!
This week has been a good week. It all started of course with New Years eve last Monday, which was a little bit insane. We had some trouble getting back to Kranj from our day in Ljubljana as apparently new years eve is a holiday of holidays, so not even the holiday buses were running on the night. After waiting a few hours though, it finally came. But that night waiting was crazy. So there are no firework laws in Slovenia, so anyone, no matter where they are, can light off fireworks. Not just the small kinds but the big kinds also, anywhere, including in the middle of the capital Ljubljana. So it sounded a bit like a war zone Monday night with an explosion going off every few seconds somewhere, but you got to see a lot of free fireworks! That and midnight is supposed to be absolutely insane as everyone lights their own grand finale all at the same time. Unfortunately though, I fell asleep before hand and slept straight through it. But I'm definitely not fireworks starved. There have been fireworks going off since Christmas eve, all the way to last night.
The big drama of this week however was that my companion, Elder Bateman got really sick on Wednesday night. He spent most of the night in the bathroom, and then the next day recovering. We had to cancel on some of the people we had set to meet with, but I guess everyone needs one of those experiences every two years..... (hopefully not me!! :-/) He's still feeling under the weather and recovering, but now with the new year over, we've set up with a whole lot more people for this week too. It should be a fantastic week!
The great story of this week however was with a friend of a member here. He's a younger guy, my age, and his friend who is in the church, brought him at the end of November to hear Elvi, who had just come back from his mission in Utah, give a fireside, or a presentation, about his experiences from his mission after church. He enjoyed himself at church, and was interested to hear more about what we believe. Unfortunately, he's a busy person, and so we weren’t able to meet up until this week, after Elder Bateman had started to recover thankfully.
And he is incredible. He said he wants to know what is truth, and how to know who in all the religious circles is correct. He recognized that truth is things as they really are, and so there can not be multiple realities of truth which contradict each other. Also, he doesn't want to be like so many of the people you see walking around, who say they are Catholic, or orthodox, or christian, but don't really know what they actually believe. He is sincerely searching for answers from God as to what is truth, and to have a certain knowledge of it. One of the things he said he also likes about us is how certain we are of what we believe, that we say we KNOW what we believe, not simply think it is right, or is just what some person told us or is something we read out of a book and sounds good.
He has truly come across a great realization, that things in this world are as they are, and there can only be one truth. Just as if it is raining, that is how it really is, it happened, and is a simple truth. The realities of God are the same. If, for example, God is, He speaks to us today, and particular events in the past (such as Moses, the ministry and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Joseph Smith's first vision) really happened, then we know more about the simple truth and reality of us and our relationship to Divinity.
I am looking forward to this week and wish everyone back home a happy and safe week this week!
Do naslednjiča! (Until the next time!)
-Starešina Benson
This week has been a good week. It all started of course with New Years eve last Monday, which was a little bit insane. We had some trouble getting back to Kranj from our day in Ljubljana as apparently new years eve is a holiday of holidays, so not even the holiday buses were running on the night. After waiting a few hours though, it finally came. But that night waiting was crazy. So there are no firework laws in Slovenia, so anyone, no matter where they are, can light off fireworks. Not just the small kinds but the big kinds also, anywhere, including in the middle of the capital Ljubljana. So it sounded a bit like a war zone Monday night with an explosion going off every few seconds somewhere, but you got to see a lot of free fireworks! That and midnight is supposed to be absolutely insane as everyone lights their own grand finale all at the same time. Unfortunately though, I fell asleep before hand and slept straight through it. But I'm definitely not fireworks starved. There have been fireworks going off since Christmas eve, all the way to last night.
The big drama of this week however was that my companion, Elder Bateman got really sick on Wednesday night. He spent most of the night in the bathroom, and then the next day recovering. We had to cancel on some of the people we had set to meet with, but I guess everyone needs one of those experiences every two years..... (hopefully not me!! :-/) He's still feeling under the weather and recovering, but now with the new year over, we've set up with a whole lot more people for this week too. It should be a fantastic week!
The great story of this week however was with a friend of a member here. He's a younger guy, my age, and his friend who is in the church, brought him at the end of November to hear Elvi, who had just come back from his mission in Utah, give a fireside, or a presentation, about his experiences from his mission after church. He enjoyed himself at church, and was interested to hear more about what we believe. Unfortunately, he's a busy person, and so we weren’t able to meet up until this week, after Elder Bateman had started to recover thankfully.
And he is incredible. He said he wants to know what is truth, and how to know who in all the religious circles is correct. He recognized that truth is things as they really are, and so there can not be multiple realities of truth which contradict each other. Also, he doesn't want to be like so many of the people you see walking around, who say they are Catholic, or orthodox, or christian, but don't really know what they actually believe. He is sincerely searching for answers from God as to what is truth, and to have a certain knowledge of it. One of the things he said he also likes about us is how certain we are of what we believe, that we say we KNOW what we believe, not simply think it is right, or is just what some person told us or is something we read out of a book and sounds good.
He has truly come across a great realization, that things in this world are as they are, and there can only be one truth. Just as if it is raining, that is how it really is, it happened, and is a simple truth. The realities of God are the same. If, for example, God is, He speaks to us today, and particular events in the past (such as Moses, the ministry and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Joseph Smith's first vision) really happened, then we know more about the simple truth and reality of us and our relationship to Divinity.
I am looking forward to this week and wish everyone back home a happy and safe week this week!
Do naslednjiča! (Until the next time!)
-Starešina Benson
Monday, December 31, 2012
Praznik week!
Lepi Prazniki prijateli in družina! (Happy Holidays friends and family!)
This week has been a bit of a slower week what with the holidays,
Christmas on Monday and Tuesday, and now New Years tonight and
tomorrow. Today is called Sylvestrovo, or the day before New Year's, and
while everything is open, it's all closing early. And tomorrow is a
prav (real) holiday in Slovenia, so no one is going to work tomorrow.
Because of the holidays, it has been a slow week. A few good meetings
with some of the people we regularly meet with, but most everyone we
know wanted to wait until after the New Year's and the holidays are
over. So this next week is going to be super busy and awesome. We are
planning on going up to a town about an hour north of Ljulbjana, like
45 minutes north of Kranj called Jesenice.
Christmas was a great day as well. Christmas Eve, Monday, we went
around Kranj with all the missionaries in Ljubljana and caroled around
to different members and people we know. Then on Christmas day, we all
met in Ljubljana and the missionary couple's apartment, the Hansons',
and had cinnamon rolls for Christmas and told stories. We then went
around to different members and people the Ljubljana missionaries knew
in Ljubljana and caroled to them, eventually ending back at the
Hansons' to open presents and letters I received, play games, and eat a
great lunch and dinner, and begin calling our families on Skype! It
was a great day.
The most miraculous day of the week was yesterday. This week, starting
on Saturday and going until tomorrow, is a big youth conference for
all the youth in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia in Ljubljana.
There were about 40 youth (12-20) there in all, and everyone was at
church. There were well over 100 people there and the meeting was all
the youth giving the talks (or in other words, sermons) and their
testimonies of the truthfulness and blessings of the restored gospel
of Jesus Christ. It was so inspirational to see so many people at
church and to hear just how strong the youth are in our mission,
especially knowing that many of them and their families found the
gospel not too long ago.
Many times, life can be hard. The youth mentioned how at times it may
feel like they are all alone in who they are, what they believe, and
the morals they stand for. But being collected, we know we are not
alone. There is a light inside each of us which shines through the
darkness around us. And when we are gathered together this small light
builds and multiplies into a great fire which cannot go out. And as we
are here in Slovenia to share, we know this light which inside all of
us will build and grow individually with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Such were Jesus' words to His followers, that ˝you are the light of
the world. A city which is set on a hill cannot be hid, neither do men
light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and it
gives light to all in the house.˝ In this holiday season, we can be
the light to another person, and should seek to build and strengthen
our personal indivudual lights through a greater understanding of His
gospel, living that, and sharing it with those around us to build an
eternal flame in our areas which will not be put out.
Vesel Božič in Srečno novo leto!, (ja, vem da sem malo pozen, ampak
še!!!!) (Merry Christmas and Happy new year! (yes, I know that I'm a
little late, but still!!!!))
-Starešina Benson
This week has been a bit of a slower week what with the holidays,
Christmas on Monday and Tuesday, and now New Years tonight and
tomorrow. Today is called Sylvestrovo, or the day before New Year's, and
while everything is open, it's all closing early. And tomorrow is a
prav (real) holiday in Slovenia, so no one is going to work tomorrow.
Because of the holidays, it has been a slow week. A few good meetings
with some of the people we regularly meet with, but most everyone we
know wanted to wait until after the New Year's and the holidays are
over. So this next week is going to be super busy and awesome. We are
planning on going up to a town about an hour north of Ljulbjana, like
45 minutes north of Kranj called Jesenice.
Christmas was a great day as well. Christmas Eve, Monday, we went
around Kranj with all the missionaries in Ljubljana and caroled around
to different members and people we know. Then on Christmas day, we all
met in Ljubljana and the missionary couple's apartment, the Hansons',
and had cinnamon rolls for Christmas and told stories. We then went
around to different members and people the Ljubljana missionaries knew
in Ljubljana and caroled to them, eventually ending back at the
Hansons' to open presents and letters I received, play games, and eat a
great lunch and dinner, and begin calling our families on Skype! It
was a great day.
The most miraculous day of the week was yesterday. This week, starting
on Saturday and going until tomorrow, is a big youth conference for
all the youth in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia in Ljubljana.
There were about 40 youth (12-20) there in all, and everyone was at
church. There were well over 100 people there and the meeting was all
the youth giving the talks (or in other words, sermons) and their
testimonies of the truthfulness and blessings of the restored gospel
of Jesus Christ. It was so inspirational to see so many people at
church and to hear just how strong the youth are in our mission,
especially knowing that many of them and their families found the
gospel not too long ago.
Many times, life can be hard. The youth mentioned how at times it may
feel like they are all alone in who they are, what they believe, and
the morals they stand for. But being collected, we know we are not
alone. There is a light inside each of us which shines through the
darkness around us. And when we are gathered together this small light
builds and multiplies into a great fire which cannot go out. And as we
are here in Slovenia to share, we know this light which inside all of
us will build and grow individually with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Such were Jesus' words to His followers, that ˝you are the light of
the world. A city which is set on a hill cannot be hid, neither do men
light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and it
gives light to all in the house.˝ In this holiday season, we can be
the light to another person, and should seek to build and strengthen
our personal indivudual lights through a greater understanding of His
gospel, living that, and sharing it with those around us to build an
eternal flame in our areas which will not be put out.
Vesel Božič in Srečno novo leto!, (ja, vem da sem malo pozen, ampak
še!!!!) (Merry Christmas and Happy new year! (yes, I know that I'm a
little late, but still!!!!))
-Starešina Benson
Monday, December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas Growth
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
The people are starting to get busy this week in the streets of Kranj
as Christmas approaches... tonight. This week has largly been one
preparing for Christmas and contacting old people we had met before
and haven't seen much of since.
Last Thursday, we had a mission wide Christmas party in Zagreb with
all the missionaries in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia coming
together to see each other, play some games, have a white elephant gift exchange, and a
devotional. It was a great experience being able to really see for the
first time every person who is in my mission. It also really
emphacised how isolated Slovenia is from the rest of the mission.
Basically, because Serbo-Croatian and Bosnian is all the same
language, and there aren't too many visa troubles between the
countries, all the other contries move between eachother. Slovenia,
however, while the language is still quite similar, it is quite
different (especially for Serbo-Croatians understanding Slovene) and
visas for Slovenia are really difficult to get because we're a border
country of the EU. So all the Slovenes know each other and we all move
between the 4 towns in Slovenia with each other. There's a whole other
world outside of Slovenia!
But it was fantastic to see Sister Giles and Sister Compare, my MTC
sisters. It was also a fantastic spiritual and learning experience
where I learned may things regarding how I can change and be better.
Life and the gospel is a process, not a destination or things to learn
and do. Yes, the steps of our days are made up of things to learn and
do, but are not the complete whole. We never stop moving. We are
either progressing or regressing. We can not stay in a point exactly
the same. We are either being tried and tested to be able to grow
through our challenges, or we can be destructive and destroy the
progress we make, or simply sit and let the progress we have made
simply decay.
The choice of which direction we go, who we become, and how we effect
others as to who they can become, however, plays out in the quiet
corners of our minds. What do we choose to focus on? Do we nurture the
seeds of trial and growth, or water the seeds of doubt and denial?
Sometimes it may seem easier to go the way of denial and doubt, easy
only because we can do it through our own power. But when we understand
and begin to harness the power of the sacrificial atonement of Jesus
Christ, the easy way is no longer the doubt and destruction, but
instead the challenges, trials, and growth; made easy through His
strength, understanding, and love.
The easy destructive path becomes the difficult path. The difficult
beneficial path becomes the easy path.
The Christmas season can be difficult for many. But what is beneficial
for yourself and others doesn't have to be difficult. Take a step
back. Look at the eternal reasons of why you are doing what you do.
You have help greater than you can imagine avalible for you.
Vesel Božič all and srečno novo leto!
-Starešina Benson
The people are starting to get busy this week in the streets of Kranj
as Christmas approaches... tonight. This week has largly been one
preparing for Christmas and contacting old people we had met before
and haven't seen much of since.
Last Thursday, we had a mission wide Christmas party in Zagreb with
all the missionaries in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia coming
together to see each other, play some games, have a white elephant gift exchange, and a
devotional. It was a great experience being able to really see for the
first time every person who is in my mission. It also really
emphacised how isolated Slovenia is from the rest of the mission.
Basically, because Serbo-Croatian and Bosnian is all the same
language, and there aren't too many visa troubles between the
countries, all the other contries move between eachother. Slovenia,
however, while the language is still quite similar, it is quite
different (especially for Serbo-Croatians understanding Slovene) and
visas for Slovenia are really difficult to get because we're a border
country of the EU. So all the Slovenes know each other and we all move
between the 4 towns in Slovenia with each other. There's a whole other
world outside of Slovenia!
But it was fantastic to see Sister Giles and Sister Compare, my MTC
sisters. It was also a fantastic spiritual and learning experience
where I learned may things regarding how I can change and be better.
Life and the gospel is a process, not a destination or things to learn
and do. Yes, the steps of our days are made up of things to learn and
do, but are not the complete whole. We never stop moving. We are
either progressing or regressing. We can not stay in a point exactly
the same. We are either being tried and tested to be able to grow
through our challenges, or we can be destructive and destroy the
progress we make, or simply sit and let the progress we have made
simply decay.
The choice of which direction we go, who we become, and how we effect
others as to who they can become, however, plays out in the quiet
corners of our minds. What do we choose to focus on? Do we nurture the
seeds of trial and growth, or water the seeds of doubt and denial?
Sometimes it may seem easier to go the way of denial and doubt, easy
only because we can do it through our own power. But when we understand
and begin to harness the power of the sacrificial atonement of Jesus
Christ, the easy way is no longer the doubt and destruction, but
instead the challenges, trials, and growth; made easy through His
strength, understanding, and love.
The easy destructive path becomes the difficult path. The difficult
beneficial path becomes the easy path.
The Christmas season can be difficult for many. But what is beneficial
for yourself and others doesn't have to be difficult. Take a step
back. Look at the eternal reasons of why you are doing what you do.
You have help greater than you can imagine avalible for you.
Vesel Božič all and srečno novo leto!
-Starešina Benson
Friday, December 21, 2012
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