Tuesday, April 26, 2011

April 25, 2011

Hello!!! I hope everyone had a great easter!!! Easter is so GREATas a
missionary!!! During this email I am really going to try to focus my
thoughts on the Savior. I hope whatever I say will help someone throughtout
the week and find the true meaning of Easter.
I really felt a special closeness to my savior this Easter and it seems
every easter I always grow in my testimony about Jesus Christ. Easter is my
favorite holliday. Yesterday we went to some members houses and watched the
Testaments ( I would invite anyone who has not seen this movie to see it!!!)
and this is probably one of my favorite movies, it is a movie when Christ
was performing miracles on the other side of the earth as the people in
America were struggling and wating for the savior to come( its a backround
of 3 nephi 11). my thoughts were really focused on the Savior as I watched
it, It helped me gain a greater appreciation for my Savior and all that he
went through just for me.

" Our Saviors Love p.113"

"Our Saviors love shines like the sun with perfect light,
As from above it breaks thru clouds of strife.
Lighting our way, it leads us back into his sight,
Where we may stay, to share, eternal life. "

" The Spirit, voice of goodness whispers to our hearts
A better choice than evil anguished cries.
Loud may the sound of hope ring till all doubt departs,
And we are bound to him by loving ties."

"Our Father, God of all creation hear us pray
In reverence, awed by thy sons sacrifice.
Praises we sing. We love thy law we will obey.
Our heavenly king, in thee our hearts rejoice."

As I think about the Savior. . . I think of this hymn. I really enjoy the
first to lines of this song. I know thats the reason why we celbrate Easter
is to feel our saviors love. His love for us is so perfect it can " break
thru clouds of strife". Often times I have found as I have been on my
mission, and if I ever get a feeling of doubt or when I feel like 20 foot
waves are crashing down on me, I always take a little bit of time to focus
my thoughts on the savior and what he went thru just for me. I know that
everything we go thru in our daily lives, will never be as hard as what the
savior went thru just for us. I know That if we just stay on that lighted
way and do evrything our father in heaven ask of us, that we we can gain
that promised blessing that is mentioned in the last verse of this song and
often times thoughout the scriptures " where we may stay, to share, eternal
life." I also know that just by living this gospel everyday of our lives we
can really find the true happiness and I know that by living the gospel we
can recgonize our saviors love. I also know that just by listening to the
spirit which is a special gift given to us that "hope will ring till all
doubt departs" This week we had an excellent lesson with an investigator
named crystal. . at one point during the lesson she asked well how can I
know this is true that if I listen all my troubles will be gone. . we paused
for a moment and just let the spirit testify not a second later I knew the
spirit was just in here tears rolled down her eyes. She said elders I know
its true . . just tell me what I have to do. I knew right then that was our
saviors love. I knew that she could feel of that love. And what a special
opprtunity we have to be member of this church and have that special gift of
the spirit. I promise as you let the saviors love exsist with your homes,
our families, our friends and to those people we meet that our hearts will
rejoice. I know our saviors love is true. I kow that never ending
happiness comes by living this gospel everyday. Its blessed us in our
companionship and its blessing my family so much. I know that this gospel is
ture I know Our savior lived for us and lives again to show us this love. I
know that the savior continues to bless our lives and our familys more than
we think. Let us not be as the nephites where every time the lord blessed
them with so much, the got lifted up in pride and wickedness, let us
continue to excercise our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ every day. I am
so greatful to be a missionary of this church and to wear his name on my
chest. Let us all try to recognize our saviors love in our homes and the
many blessings he gives. I know that greater blessing will follow.

Well this week we had that teaching appoitment with Crystal and we set a
baptisimal date with her :) so now we got 2 baptisms set up for in May. My
personal Study is going great!!! Im all the way up to Helaman now!!!! So
this week I haver been studying Preach my Gospel about prayer. Thats been
kinda of a struggle for me personally is my personal prayers sometimes the
tend to get repeated alot!!! so this week I am doing this prayer chart and
I am going to try to improve that. I am so greatful to be serving in
West Virginia!!! Im growing to love my mission more and more everyday!!!
transfers are in just 3 weeks I hope Elder Partridge doesnt leave its been a
pleasure serving with him he has taught me so much as a missionary, I am
greatful I got one of the best trainers and missionary as my companion!!!
A family in our ward went turkey hunting this week and killed a 17 pound
turkey the thing was huge. They pulled it out of the frezzer and I got the
chance to hold it by throat while we took pictures with it ha ha . That
thing was heavy but so cool. Im finding out that while I have been on my
mission my vocabulary is decreasing!!! ha ha!!! I keep hearing this funny
line that everyone says, when people say they are happy or when something
bothers them they say " That tickles me to death" its so funny :)
Well I hope everyone had a good easter I really hope that this email
willhelp everyone this week. I am learning so much and I am so excited to
learn more. Thank you everyone for pushing me to serve a mission. I hope you
all have a great week!!! I hope my family knows how much I love you!!!! I'll
write as soon as possible. I love you all have a great week. :)


love,

Elder Bentley (moroni 8:3)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

April 18, 2011

Well like always this has been another great week. ALOT has happened and
this week has really helped my testiomony to grow.

Well this week has built my testimony because i have been really into the
scriptures. I can not set the book down and I never want to stop reading it.
Recently I have been reading about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah and there
missionary experiences they had with the Lamanites its amazing what some had
to endured but the Lord kept his promise and delivered them out of the hands
of their enemies. I really like chapter 17 in Alma verses 2 and 3 I have
made it a goal for my self to come back off my mission as the sons of Mosiah
did. and I really liked verse 11 as well
"and the Lord said unto them also; Go forth amoung the people of West
Virginia, thy brethern and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in
longsuffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto
them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the
salvation of many souls. "
I really enjoyed reading this verse and it made me Ponder alot about what I
am doing for the people of west Viginia I am Establishing his WORD!! I
really enjoy the blessing that follows for us as missionaries I will make an
instument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. That is just
such an awsome blessing that will come if I establish his word. That is one
strength I have gained while I have been on my mission is finding blessing
within the scriptures that apply to my life today and certain blessings I
want to achieve in the future. I love the book of mormon and I am learning
more and more everyday from it. It has become my best friend. ANother good
missionary scripture I have found while studying the scriptures is
Alma 37:33 - 34
"Preach unto the repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them
to humble themselves and be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand
every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the lord Jesus Christ.
Teach them to never be weary of good work, but to be meek and lowly in
heart; for such shall find rest in their souls."
I know that is my purpose as a missionary is to help people find rest in
their souls through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have grown to love
this scripture as a missionary.
I can promise you the book of mormon is true. I know it can help draw closer
to our heavenly father and we can find those blessings and answer to our
prayers as we read the scriptures. I have gained such a testimony for this
book and I know ITS TRUE!!!!!
This week I had an awsome chance to meet with my mission president and I
really enjoyed being able to sit down oneon one with him and talk to him.
But i dont think I have ever been so nervous in my life than I did when I
sat down with im ha ha. He said he was proud of the missionary I was
becoming. And he is so happy that i am gaining such a strong Testiomony of
the scriptures.
We have a Baptisimal Date on May 13 and I am super excited his name is Alex
dalton we had to move it because he has not had all the lessons yet but we
are really excited! And I am because it will be my 1st baptisim since I have
been out!!!
Well got put into the Barbousville district with and this District is way
bigger!!! we have 3 elders from Arizona and we are acctually going to stay
with one tonight for District meeting tomorrow.
Well this week we had a great chance to do service for member because of the
flood, but it seems like once they get everything fixed around here another
flood happens. Its sad but we have such a great branch who works hard to
help everyone in need.
O ya on Wednesday we walked 18 miles in 5 hours!!! it was crazy we kept
getting wrong directions but at the end we finally meet this lady who gave
us a ride she had not talked to missionaries in years!!!! She agreed she
wants us to come back and teach her I think It was a blessing to walk so far
to find her at the end!!! The lord is guiding our companionship and we are
so blessed as missionaries to have his Spirit guide us in West Virginia

WELL I just want my family to know how much I love you!! Thank you so much
for being the best examples to get me to where i am today. I want to thank
my leaders and my friends as welll!!! Thank you so much!! I hope everyone
has a fantastic week and be safe. I love you all!!!



Elder Bentley-


Moroni 8:3

Monday, April 11, 2011

April 11, 2011

Hello everyone!!! I hope everyone is doing great and had a fantastic
week!!!!! My mission is getting better and better everyday!!!!

So this week has been awesome. I really cant believe time is flying by so
FAST!!!! Yes, my companion is still Elder Partridge and its so much fun to
be serving with him. i am so happy I didnt get stuck with a bad trainer so I
got pretty lucky. So this week our district got split so we will no longer
be going to pikeville, kentucky anymore which stinks, but now we are in a
bigger district it is the Barboursville district so this should be fun. Our
Investigators are progressing really well, and I am really excited for this
baptism coming up soon!!!! So recently we have been working with this kid
named Jason Stowers and he is almost to the age to go on a mission. So we
took him out to a lesson with on Wednesday and after we committed him to
start filling out his papers and he said he would in fact he has already
started!!!
Well now to the exciting stuff Saturday was CRAZY!!!!! It was walk and Talk
Saturday where we walk all day and once we started we checked up on some
people and then it started pouring rain!!! we walked in it for a hour and
half we were DRENCHED from head to toe!! Then we went to lunch and there was
just puddles underneath us while we were eating our lunch ahah and
went bowling, with this library guy who is really funny and not a
member, we bowled even though we were soaking wet! I won both games and he
said we would be able to go teach him if I won ha ha so that was fun!!! So
then we thought we should go check up on some people so we went to
Limestone where some of the members live and it was bad. While driving there
, sides of the mountains had fallen onto the streets, so once we got to the
members street it was flooded we barley made it through. I have honestly
never seen anything like it. It was kinda scary. . . I guess what happened
was a cloud burst. . . We were just standing there with the members watching
people trying to get through the deep waters that COVERED the streets, and
just watching people's stuff float down the road. Luckily we were safe and
we were in the right place at the right time. So yeaterday after church we
went to another area where some members live and it did so much damage that
bridges broke pipes from under neath the houses were swept away, some people
couldnt even get out. . . so we ended up going to limestone helping the
Sister Bigleys husband fix a badly damaged road, we had throw rocks and dirt
in the hole repair it, it kinda remined me of my eagle project, we worked so
hard!!! I was so happy I was able to give service to those in need. It has
been pretty crazy around here its supposed to rain more today. Well that was
my week.
So Lately in my personal study I have been studying and reading in Alma.
Alma was such a awesome prophet and missionary. He reminds me alot of what i
am doing today, which is bringing people back unto Christ and try to help
them repent and prepare for when the Lord does come again, and I want
everyone to know my testimonyof the Book of Mormon has grown so much since I
have been out on my mission. I KNOW ITS TRUE!!!! Lately I have had it glued
to my hand I cant set it down. I know if anyone needs help just pray and
read from the Book of Mormon I know it will help because it is strengthing
me every single day. I am learning new things everyday through it

I love you all so much I have a testiomony of this gospel I know its
true!!! I LOVE YOU FAMILY SO MUCH !!!! I miss you!!!! I hope everyone has a
fantastic week and is safe. Dallin good luck on your mission spread that
gospel everywhere!! , love ya brotha. Thank you marty and Sue for the shirt
and the letter I a m glad you got there safe. I will write everyone as fast
as I can.

MORONI 8:3


love-

Elder Bentley

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Photos - April 5, 2011

This was the first street I tracted on my mission:

Letter from Elder Bentley's Companion - April 5, 2011

To the Mother of Elder Bentley,

This is Elder Partridge, your son's first companion out in the mission
field. :) I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed these past
six weeks serving with him here in Logan, West Virginia. He has such a
strong testimony of this gospel, and I can feel the Spirit so strongly when
he testifies to members and nonmembers alike that he knows these things are
true. He stops anyone and everyone on the street and invites them to hear
our message about the gospel. He's always trying to figure out what he
could have done better in a situation after we get out of it. Sure, he
takes an hour to do his hair....but that's just more study time for me, I
guess. ;)

He talks about you a lot. He misses you very much and often tells me
wonderful things about you. Thank you for raising a boy who is so ready to
serve the Lord in any capacity he can, no matter how hard or unknown it
might be. I am excited to serve with him for at least another six weeks.
He is going to be an outstanding elder, I know it. :)

-Elder Partridge

April 5, 2011

From: "Chaz Bentley"
Date: Apr 5, 2011 12:52 PM
Subject:
To: "kris mclaws"

YOUR SUCH AN AWESOME MOM!!! i hope that answered your questions you had. . .
well Im getting ready to type my email only a couple more weeks till i get
to call you im so excited!!!

April 5, 2011

I hope everyone had a great week because I sure did. The work is going
great here! All it does is rain but today is pretty nice and sunny.
Well this week like I said has been amazing for me as a missionary as every
week has been. There is absolutely no better place or thing I could be doing
than serving in Logan, West Virginia!!!! We are having so much succes as a
companionship we are teaching so many people and are finding people
cositently everywhere we go. GOOD NEWS!!!! Im not getting transfered neither
is my companion. Im not the newest elder anymore, the new ones come in
today, But the bad news they are getting rid of our district so we wont
drive down to Kentucky anymore, we are now in the Barbersville district. Its
not that much better because we are pretty much the same distance from
everyone ha ha. But anyways this Tuesday we had a the chance to go do
service and move rocks and fill in pot holes in the dirt road, it reminded
me alot of my eagle project. . But its aesome to always see our outcome at
the end and they wont even know who did it because no one saw us. Then
Wednesday!! It RAINED all day :) we passed out these general conference
fliers in the pouring rain we walked so much, we passed out probably 400
fliers:) and we were soaked by the end. I think I could have swam in my
cloths ha ha. Then a family bought us dinner at this pizza place. :) and
then we went to Martin, Kentucky to stay the night. There were 6 elders
staying there with us we played this game called "Bang" and Elder Harding we
were staying with is from Pheonix, Az. and has been out 10 months. And now
he is our new district leader, companion, I will see him a lot more. So that
night we went to bed and elder partridge slept walk it was pretty funny it
lasted like 3 hours so all of us elders had fun with it. We had Zone meeting
on Thursday. I GOT A NEW TIE because we beat our record for handing out 10
book of mormons in the month of march. And the sisters always beat us in
NUMBERS i dont know how they do it ha ha but o well its not about that. :) i
had an amazing time teaching on Friday we werent having any luck getting
in and seein our investigators all of a sudden we came to our last visit
Alex the one who came to church last Sunday we had an awesome lesson. We
read chapter 3 of 1st nephi with him because everytime we go over there we
always help read a chapter because its hard for him to understand it. so
after we read I felt an urge to commit him to April 17th to be baptized I
pushed the thought aside. . it hit me again COMMIT HIM NOW!! I did and it
took him a while to get his answer across but he did it he committed to
April 17th but we got a baptisim coming soon even if we do have to push it
back a little. But while we were teaching the lesson his mom said she wants
to learn more then his brother who never even payed attention to us told us
he wanted a Book of mormon I gave him one. He said he needed a religion that
would make him happy I said we have that. That was an awesome night. General
Conference was so cool as a missionary. It was so cool to be able to go down
to the church in my sunday cloths and watch it in the chapel. I tended to
listen alot more and the spirit was so strong. I really enjoyed Dieter F.
Uctdorfs talk in the Sunday Morning session he said one thing that really
stuck out to me as a missionary:
"By becoming the answers to someones prayers, we often find the answers to
our own."
I liked alot more of what he said but this really hit me hard.I know that is
true every single bit of it. especially while i am on a mission. I am
answering those people prayers who are looking for and they are answering
mine. I know with a surety Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet today that
he leads and guides this church and all those who serve under him.
I have been reading in Mosiah for personal study and the scriptures reallly
tick out to you alot more during your mission. I enjoy reading and studing
everyday. i have been doing a little out of the New Duty to God booklet
about prayer and scripture study, im starting from the beggining. I know
that if we take time just to pray to invite the spirit and read with a open
heart to help us with trails; that our testimonies will build that we will
gain a better understanding of the scriptures and we will be able to feel of
the Saviors love and our days will be so much better. I know this to be true
I have found when i dont do this my days are so crapy and its so much harder
to find people or to pay attention during lessons. So reading and praying is
so important to our daily needs.
Well this was my week. I hope everyone is doing well. I love my family and
friends so much!! I hope everyone will do What jeffery R. Holland said read
and study those talks. I love you all. your in my prayers always. thank you
so much for all you have done to get me on a mission. I cant wait to tell
you about next week. :) love ya.


love;

Elder Bentley (moroni 8:3)