March 30, 2011

Well this week has been another great week!!!!! I hope everyone is having a
great memorial day. We had to come to a members house to type emails since
all the librarys are closed today ha ha.
Well we have been working hard this week. Its been amazing to watch just by
simply being obedient comes so many blessings. We have been blessed to find
so many people willing to listen to our message. Its so amazing to watch the
happiness of others as we teach them gospel. I can really see the spirit
work through us to teach our friends. So Crystal who just got baptized
couple weeks ago her son is getting baptized on Sundayh June 5, Its been
a blast teaching crystal and her family I can really see how just by
planting the gospel in her home effects her own family her brother who is
not a member said he wants to start learning and he wants his daughter to be
baptized and because Crystal got baptized her dad who was excommunicated
from the church has made the desicion to start coming back and to be
baptized again. Its been really awesome to watch her family grow in this
gospel. Elder Whitehead is a great companion just like elder partridge. I am
really blessed to have great companions who love teaching the gospel as much
as I do and are able to be obedient. So this week we had our last Zone
Conference with President and Sister Thornock, I am going to miss them. I
have learned so much from them these past couple months. But I am really
really excited to see the difference in mission presidents.
Well my gospel studies have been going really well!!!!!! I am so thankful
to wake up every morning and to be the lords investigator. I have started a
commitment that my mission president came to me to highlight everytime it
brings up Jesus Christ. I am already on chapter 10 and it brings him up so
much!!! I know that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ.
I know Its true!! I have challenged myself to read a confernce talk everday
and It seems like everytime I read a talk I find answer that I am looking as
a missionary. Just by studing the words of the living prophets today I know
we can find the answer to our own prayers. I have been doing soomething for
the past month and its something I learned from Elder Partridge , everytime
I say my prayers all I say is Thank you for everything. I have found it to
be really effective. So my studies are going great!!!!
I am glad to say my relationship with the dogs around here are getting
better!!! I havent been barked at since Elder Whitehead got here :) . This
week I had something really different to eat at the bigleys! I had Chicken
Liver it was pretty good i guess ha ha .
I hope school is going great!!!! I cant believe its already over!!! I love
my brother and sisters so much I hope you all are doing good.
Well I hope everyone is doing great. I hope you all have a great day!!! I
love you so much!!!! I miss ya!!

love:

Elder Bentley

May 23, 2011

Well I hope everyone had a fantastic week and is not getting as much rain as
we are. :) Like the trees couldnt be any greener!!! haha!!!
So this week Elder Partridge got transfered that was a hard good bye. Ill
miss him and his sleep walking :) . But my new companion is Elder Whitehead
he is from Las, Vegas, Nevada and has been out 8 months and Im really
excited to serve with him and show him what Logan West Virginia is all
about!!!! So Lately I dont know what it is but I have been getting barked at
by dogs and Ill jump like 10 feet in the air and my companion will be behind
me laughing. I Promise I am having the worst luck with them lately. ha ha.
So recently we have been teaching this Lady named Anita and It been so much
fun to go see her. She said after me and Elder partridge left a week ago she
praqyed to lord what she was supposed to learn from the missionaries and she
said the Lord told her Faith, Repentace, Baptisim, recieveing the gift of
the Holy Gohst and Edure to the end. and thats exactly what we planned to
teach her i thought that was pretty cool. And the week before that she
prayed to know about the book of mormon and which part was true and she said
the LOrd told her from Alpha to Omega (beggining to end) now she is reading
the book of mormon everyday she knows without a doubt its true and its the
word of god. So I am looking forward to see how she will do. We got a
baptisimal date coming up June 4 and 5 for Crystals ( she just got baptized
;) son Which we are super excited for. Austin she be getting baptized here
shortly. And we are finding alot of succes just by randomly talking to
people and "opening our mouths". We went to Walmart about a week ago I told
the cashier about what we do as missionaries as she finished ringing up our
groceries she hurried wrote her name and number down on a reciept and says
she is really interested. So Simply just by telling people about the gospel.
We can Bring our Brother and sister back and help them feel of the joy this
gospel can bring!!!
This week I finished the book of Mormon for the first time as a
missionary. And I really enjoyed it I am excited to start again tomorrow
and do the commitment my mission president gave me and highlight everytime
it brings up Jesus Christ. . I have astrong testimony of the book of
Mormon!!! I know its true !!! I have found great joy and happiness by
teaching this gospel everyday. Recently I have been studying some general
conference talks from the ensign from May 2007 and I have really enjoyed
studying and learning from it. I have decided I am going to read one general
conference talk a day this whole transfer. I would like to leave off this
email with a nice scripture I read this week:

Psalms 37:5
" Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring in to
pass."

I Love this scripture its just so simple If we just commit ourselves unto
the Lord and put are fulness trust in him in all we do in our prayers and in
our callings and in everyday lives, he will bring it to pass. This scripture
has stuck out to me alot as a missionary. If I just commit myself unto the
LOrd everyday and do his work then blessings will come to pass. May we all
do better at commiting our selves unto the lord everday and I promise he
will bring those simple things to pass. I have found great joy and happiness
by simply doing this. By being the best representative of Jesus Christ I can
be. I want you all to know. I trust in my heavenly father with all my heart.
I trust in his plan of happiness which was made specifically for us so we
could return to live with him. I trust that our families can be together for
eternities. I trust in this gospel. I love you all so much. Thank you so
much for supporting me on a mission. I hope everyone has a great last two
weeks of school. I love my family so much !!!! have a great week be safe :)
Oh and CAde happy Birthday!!! Ihope you have great day tomorrw and I love
and miss you so much thank you for being such a great brother!!!

love;

Elder Bentley (Moroni 8:3)

May 17, 2011

Good morning everyone!!!!! I hope everyone is doing good and had a great
week. This week has been full of wonderful experiences and I have learned so
much this week.

Well I am STAYING in Logan and my new companion will be Elder Whitehead
tomorrow morning. Elder Partridge is getting transfered to the very bottom
of the mission in Gaylax, Virginia where all Elders are getting transferd
out of and Elder Partridge is going to become the district leader. Im
excited to get a new companion but also its really hard because Elder
partridge has taught me so much he has helped learn so much about the gospel
and has increased my testimony so much. He is a great missionary and I
really do look up to him as an example of the type of missionary I want to
become. On Sunday we had stake conference and our stake president got
released we had to area 70s there and got a brodacast from Salt Lake and
heard from Henery B. Eyring, M. Russel Ballard and 2 more people but I
really enjoyed Elder Eyrings talk. He spoke alot about missionary work and
how we need to have Wise Optimism about whats to come. This week we have
tracted quite a bit and found 1 new investigator :) She told us when we were
teaching her a lesson " you boys really know how to make people cry. Thought
that was pretty funny because it was a really great lesson and the spirit
was so strong. Im so excited to go back and teach her. Our baptisimal dates
our coming along GREAT!!!! The other day we had a pretty funny experience.
We were walking on a busy road and this guy is pulling out of a gas station
and said who you boys with. We told him offered him a card and he said no
thanks then we continued walking he got stOpped at a red light and rolls
down his window again and ask where you boys from we told him the light
turned green he pulls off the road after he passed through the light got out
of his van walks around the back me and Elder partridge thought it was kinda
wierd but he opens up his back doors and hands elder partridge a cantalope
and I got a bag of apples and gave us his card. It was preety funny
experience. But I thought it was cool how much people recognize us as
missionarys. We have been staying really busy.
Lately I have been reading in Ether. I am really growing to love and gain a
better understanding of the book of mormon since I have been on my mission.
My mission president recently gave me a book of mormon and gave us a
challenge with it to highlight every time it brings up Jesus Christ and
pronouns, Im going to start on it next transfer Im so excited to do it!!!!!
I think Im going to beat my goal on reading the Book of Mormon within the
first 6 months of my mission. I have also enjoyed studying from Preach my
gospel about Christlike attributes. This week I have studied alot about
charity and virtue and faith and hope. I can really feel a diffenece when I
strive to be like my savior.

This week I would like to focus my thoughts on Alma chapter 26 : 32 and this
is where the Lamanites are told to bury their wapons of war.
32 For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even to take the
life of their enemy; and they have buried their weapons of war deep in the
earth, because of their love towards their brethren.
Since I have been out on my mission I have learned alot about obedience and
just by simply obeying brings so many blessings. I have made my self a
challenge as did the Lamenites to bury my weapons of war, to bury those
simple things I do wrong and never bring them up again. And I know if we
find something thats holding us back from being a 100% obedient I promise
the Lord will help us. It may be giving up something to have scripture
studies everyday, whatever it is I promise if we just bury our lives will be
blessed and blessing will flow.
I am so deeply greatful to be a missionary of this church. I love my Savior
Jesus Christ and I know he lives, and continues to bless our lives. I know
that Joseph saw God the father and Jesus Christ that day in the grove of
trees and restored this church so we could have the blessings of the gospel
in our lives today. I know that with all my heart that the book of mormon is
true, I believe every word in it, I have fasted and prayed many times to
know if it was true and Heavenly father has always answered. Once it
happened as soon as I began my personal study. I searched and found my
answer. ITS TRUE!!!! I know that my family can be together forever. I know
that our heavenly father made his plan possible for us to return to live
with him again. I know that Thomas S. Monson i a true and living prophet
today. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. I love seeing the joy
of other as they accept this gospel into their lives. It makes me happy. I
Know that the spirit is true and as we continue to listen and obey we will
be guided on the right path back to our heavenly father. I love my family so
much. I miss them. I know that this is lords work and it is going to keep
moving forward. I love you all so much this is my simple testimony in the
name our savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Happy Birthday Anthony and Chase and Uncle Dave. I hope you all have a
fantastic day. I love you!!!!


I hope everyone has a great week. be safe. I miss ya all so much!!!!!

love,

Elder Bentley

May 9, 2011

From: "Chaz Bentley"
Date: May 9, 2011 11:39 AM
Subject: me
To: "kris mclaws"

I love yOu MOM!!!

May 2, 2011

Wow I cant believe another week has flown by that fast but I guess thats
what happens when your staying busy and working so hard :)!!!! My mission
just keeps gettting better and better everyday, and this week I have really
gained a special closeness to my heavenly father. Im so deeply greatful for
how much he blesses me and my family and especially this companionship.

Heavenly Father has blessed our companionship so much this week, we have 3
baptisimal dates set for this month. One of our baptisim is this weekend. :)
which we are super excited for, her name is Crystal Lamb and she cant wait
to be baptized. She promised us she would quit drinking tea and she loves
the church!!!! her son told us yesterday she wants to follow her mother and
be baptized so hopefully we can get another baptisimal date here soon. :)
Then our other baptism is on May 22 and his name is Austin Workman we are so
happy to be teaching this young man. He is super smart and is always excited
to learn :) and the cool part is he said he wants me to baptize him. He said
he wants to become a missionary like us, but what he doesnt notice is that
he already is a missionary his mom and step-dad are not mormon and he has
already gave them a book of mormon and they read it as a family. Austin is
such a great person with a strong testimony and Im really happy with his
desicions that he is making. Then Alex Dalton is our 3 Baptizmal date and we
getting scared for that because lately he has been gone alot and has not
shown any intrest but hopefully he will pull through and recognize how much
joy this gospel can bring to his life. As you can see we have been working
hard and the Lord is blessing us with so much. This week we had a chance to
go tracting alot and we had a really funny experience with that ha ha . We
went and knocked on this guys door at like 10 in the morning he comes to the
door looks through his diamond window and waves us off. . so we started to
leave when all of a sudden he opens the door as we are walking off and says
in a angry voice " im tired of being woke up!!!! Im going to start putting a
sign on this door " ha ha then he "TRIED" to slamm the screen plastic door
in a angry way but then as it came back it hitt him in the face then he
punched the door, we just walked off the porching laughing ha ha :). We meet
this new investigator this week and this was a pretty cool experience for me
we got done tracting some streets and it was pouring rain. . We stoped in
front of the bishops house and I felt and urge that we should begin tracting
this street. . . so I did, we came the middle of the street we tracting and
found this lady named Anita we taught her that night but what was so cool is
that 2 day s later we went back and she said 2 days before we knocked on her
door she said the lord told her that he would be sending 2 people over at
the same exact time we knocked on her door. She said but how will I know who
they are? and he said they will have been raised in the light and truth
since their childhood. And she said that was us!!! I thought that was so
cool!!! I really felt like the lord is watching over this companionship and
Im so thankful for that chance I listened to the spirit to tract that street
:) we are currently still teaching her and Im so greatful for this
experience and how much it strengthened my testimony.

So this week ,as I said last week, i made it a goal to have better prayers
and can i just say I acomplished that goal!!! I have really felt a sapecial
closeness to my heavenly father throughout this week just by improving my
prayers. Not once have I asked for anything. From now on All my prayers are
going to be full of thanks. One of my favorite scriptures about prayers
comes from Alma 37:6,7, 36,37
6Now ye may suppose that this is
afoolishnessin me;
but behold I say unto you, that by
bsmall and simple things
are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth
confound the wise.

7And the Lord God doth work by
ameansto bring about
his great and eternal purposes; and by very
bsmall means the Lord
doth cconfound the wise
and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

36Yea, and acry unto God
for all thy support; yea, let all thy
bdoingsbe unto the
Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea,
let all thy cthoughts be
directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon
the Lord forever.

37aCounsel with the Lord
in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for
bgood;
yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch
over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the
cmorninglet thy
heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye
shall be lifted up at the last day.

I think this is one of the greatest promises the lord gives us by just doing
these small and simple things, will bring about great and eternal purposes.
And this is one of my favorite scriptures about prayer that we just pray!!!
we will be lifted up at the last day!!!! I have gained such a strong
testimony of prayer!!! This week I have made it a goal which has been a goal
my whole life and will always continue to be and that is to develop better
Christ like attributes. I really am excited to get started on this and to
act on this forever. I dont want to go back home to Arizona in 2 years the
same person. I wanna develop Christ like Attributes and become better than i
was. I want these people in West Virginia to see the light of Christ in me.
I know as I do that I will grow in Testimony and it will be so much easier
to be obedient. I am now up to 3 nephi in my personal study and I am really
getting excited for when the savior is coming to the Americas. im so much
more happier than i was 3 months ago. Its such an awesome feeling to be a
missionary to live the gospel everyday and to help these people of West
Virginia!!!

I really hope Elder partridge wont have to leave and that I wont have to.
He is such a awesome companion with such an amzing testimony. He has helped
me progress so much in this gospel and he is a missionary I want to become
like. He is such a Great trainer. I found out that his great times 4 grandpa
was the first bishiop of the chuch. So now I really think I got the best
companion ever!!!I dont think all this succes would be possible without him.


Well I hope everyone has such a great week and Im so happy to be serving a
mission. Thank you everyone for helping get on my mission. I love you all so
much!!! Be safe.

love:


Elder Bentley (moroni 8:3)