1st mission post

Hey, how are you all?

i'm in my first area, auburndale, and i'm so glad to be here. Its amazing. i've had a really great time so far. I just got back from zone conference about 20 minutes ago, and we went to the library so i could e-mail and what not. I'm so excited to be here and the church is so amazing here. Most of the members seem really excited about missionary work, but we'll see how genuine they are with their actions.

Adjusting to mission life is pretty easy, not surprising from the mtc. My MTC companion was ok, but not that great, he was kind of a downer kind of person as far as we didn't share a lot of common interests so he kind of just worked with me when he had to, which was ok. He was such a great kid though, and he's going to be such a good missionary. My MTC district/branches were great. I had 11 people come with me to tampa, and only 3 of us were in my mtc district. It was a really good time though, and i learned a lot, but i'm so glad to get out of the "monestary."

The mission field is great, and all ready to harvest :) its funny because they don't teach you in the MTC that you're going to be finding people to teach the majority of your mission. They make you feel like you're going to be teaching a discusssion every 30 minutes, which is probably because tracting you get a lot of experience at, so you can suck at that the first couple days and be ok, but teaching you have to be on your game 24/7.

My companions (i'm in a 3 some, because i dont know why, but i have 2 other companions) are great people. Elder Jones, my trainer, is from Far West, Utah, which is kind of by ogden. My other companion, Elder Barney, is from Roy, which is also right next to ogden. Its weird and ironic that we're from the same city pretty much (i have lived in ogden for 12 ((11+weber state last year)), and st. george for 7 in case you're keeping score.)

Experiences of the week:
#3 -- we'll start low, and go higher. Going on the plane was cool, but nothing too notable
#2 -- teaching some college kids about the church, and not really converting them, but helping them understand us better (aka we're not a cult, etc)
#1 -- singing karaoke at some old guy's house! we went to visit some less active member, and he started talking politics, but i didn't want to get in a politcal tongue lashing of the president or anything (he was moving more and more towards libretarian "we're losing our freedoms" which i agree with some, but thats aside the point) so he mentions how the cops pull us over for no reason, and with that I rock it. He mentioned leaving a karaoke bar where he had just sang or something, and i noticed he had a karaoke set up, so i took the opportunity to get out of the politically charged conversation and say "how long have you sung karaoke?" and that did it. He demanded we sing karaoke, so my companion Elder Barney and I sung a Neil Diamond classic, Sweet Caroline. Wow, it was weird and funny, but yeah.

BTW, i can only e-mail back family, but if you e-mail me, i might be able to answer quesitons on this blog, but i also would really like it if i got real mail... so yeah, send me real mail even though it costs 37 cents. I'm worth it, arent i? My address shouldn't change, ever, so yeah.

hey, its me, i'm posting from an airport terminal, and i thought you would all like a legit post from me. i loved the mtc it was simply amazing. you can feel the spirit so strongly 24/7. i'm excited to head out to the mission field though, so i'll catch you all later from tampa!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL, and the church is really true. i promise on my life it is.

Hi from Elder Bennett /Randall:
I'm at Dallas airport on my way to Tampa. I'm on my mission for real as of today! I miss you all but I've been learning alot and enjoying it. The MTC was great but I can't wait to get out in the field.
I didn't realize how great Joseph Smith and the Church is, the truth of the gospel is amazing if we'll just realize it.
THIS GOSPEL IS TRUE! Get off my website. Just kiddin. (smiley Face) Talk to ya all later.