March 28, 2011

Well I hope everyone is doing good and had a great week!!!! This week has
been pretty awesome. It’s been really cold here these past couple of days it
was snowing this morning!! And its really pretty here!



Well we went and stayed in Pikeville, Kentucky and went on splits the next
day and the elders never committed this lady to watch general conference so
I extended the commitment and she said she would it turned out to be such an
amazing lesson and the spirit was so strong. We then meet up with our
companions for lunch. Then we went to our Training meeting and got the
chance to hear from our district leader and the Assistant to the President.
They told a story that actually happened a couple weeks ago with me when we
were heading down to Roanoke. We were all in Taco Bell getting some dinner
and it’s my job to be a missionary so before I went in I thought to myself
I’m not going to let one person pass me by without hearing the gospel or
getting a card. So I went to every person in that Taco Bell and gave them
all a card. I then WON a FREE TACO from getting the quarter all the way down
to the bottom. I tried giving the taco away with a card but no one would
take it how crazy is that!! But it’s alright after I got in the car I was
happy that I didn’t let one person pass by then later that night I gave some
a Book of Mormon and got a referral for some missionaries to go teach
someone. But while we are on this subject I had really awesome experience.
Last week we had the chance to walk around Logan. So before we got out of
the car I said a quick personal prayer that Heavenly Father would put
someone in my way for me to find and give a card too. I can say my prayer
was answered that day. Right before I came in to type this email we recieved
a message a lady told us she want to come back. She took the card I gave her
and accepted it and that was the only lady we ran into walking that day. So
that was really awesome for me to see my prayer was answered. But all we
have been doing is having lessons and eating tons and tons of food. SATURDAY
we walked 8 miles just to get a ride to go to someone’s house, so we had to
get there in an hour we sprinted the WHOLE way!!!! The reason why we did
this was because we ran out of miles on our car this week which kinda stinks
but I like walking better!! Yesterday was an awesome day!!! The
1stinvestigator showed up to church since I have been here. My
companion had to
teach other classes the other day so I had to stick with the new
investigator and he was so happy to be there he loved the people and wants
to come back. He asked lots of questions about the temple and about what was
going on that was a really neat experience this week too!!



This week has been a really spiritual week for me. I have really drawn
closer to my savior especially through the Book of Mormon. I have been
reading a lot about King Benjamin I believe that he was a True Prophet. A
goal I have set this week in my life is to have my father in heaven tell me:


“Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a placed prepared for you in the
mansions of my father.”

This is my ultimate goal in life. But I know it only comes by exercising
faith in my savior Jesus Christ. By being obedient to all the rules. I know
it means I have to work my hardest to study, and preach this gospel and by
living by the gospel everyday. I know that by living this gospel everyday
can bring happiness (Mosiah 2:41) to our families and especially to us and
we will find our path to be a little easier as we do what’s right. Well I’m
looking forward to this week’s personal study and I can’t wait to tell you
what I have learned and been through!!



Well my mission has done something really cool to help us with preach my
gospel. They created “preach my gospel study personal study guide”. It’s
supposed to help with the lessons and help make the lessons more personal.
But ya it has helped me grow so much and has helped me to teach the lessons
better.



Marty and Sue I heard you moving back to Wisconsin!!!! I will miss you guys
so much as I am sure my family will too. I hope everything goes well with
selling your house. I hope you travel there safely. You will be in my
prayers. Thank you for being such great neighbors. I miss all the times I
went outside just to talk to you. Thank you for all you have done for me and
my family.



Sharders!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I cant believe your already 2 years old!!! I
can remember the day you were born!!!! Wow you have grown up so fast. I hope
had a great day! I LOVE YOU!! I got you something J it was for free maybe
you can use it when you color. I’ll send it to you as soon as I can. Be good
!! J



TATUM and KLETE!! Congrats on your baby that’s so awesome about your baby
boy? I hope he is well. I love you guys!



CODA!!! Well I am so glad that letter helped just be obedient to mom and dad
ok J I
love you bro and I really hope you serve a mission. So I heard you played
catcher in your game the other day that’s so awesome!!! Keep doing good in
baseballJ! I LOVE YOU!!



NANA!!! I MISS YOU I LOVE YOU!! I hope your doing good in school!!!! I LOVE
YOU SIS!!!



CADE!!!! WHAT UP BRO!!!! how you doing. I love you so much I love your
letters you should write me more. Our you saying your personal prayers more?
I hope so I love you !!!



MOM!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! And I am typing your letter right now. YOU’RE THE BEST
MOM EVER!!!



DAD!!!! I LOVE YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL!!! And Ill be writing you today
as well. KEEP WORKING HARD!!! I will send you a copy of that preach my
gospel book.



Well my next email won’t be till next Tuesday because its district
preparation day and we are planning a district preparation day which im
excited for!!!!! Transfers are in one week!!! I hope I don’t leave I love it
here in Logan I feel like this is my new home. I don’t want to leave this
place for 22 months. I am excited for general conference!! I cant wait to
hear what the prophet has to say!! I hope all my aunts, uncles and
cousins and friends and ward are doing good. Well everyone please be safe.
Your all in my prayers morning and night. Love ya!!!






Love,


Elder Bentley

March 21, 2011

I hope everyone is doing good!! First i want to say congrats to brother Howell on his wife having the baby I hope he is doing well thats so awesome:) !! Well this week has been so amzing I cant wait to tell you how great it was!! and I look forward to the weeks ahead:)

So this monday I forgot to tell ya all but I went to pikeville Kentucky for exchanges with my district leader and that was super fun !! and we are going there again tonight for a meeting tomorrow!!! So that was all tuesday. I think exchanges are awesome I feel like the lord sets certain people in our path at the right time. We taught this lady about the importance of prophets, and the spirit was so strong and then we saw here sister and she said she would read the book of mormon so that was really a neat experience to talk to them and they both sound really interested in the church :). Friday was a really great day something I have noticed alot is the lord will inspire us to talk to someone then the more we visit that person the lord puts one of that persons relatives right in our path that was so awesome to experience that on Friday. SATURDAY was a really good day we spent all day in logan and handed out so many book of mormons and got so many new investigators. Then Yesterday we had one of our biggest turn outs for church. this week has been awesome to see what we can do if we just simply turn our hearts to the lord so he can work through us. We handed out 13 Book of Mormons this week that is the most we handed out in our companionship so far. Its so crazy how fast time flies by out here!! transfers are the Wensday after General Conference ( I cant wait to watch it and be in the number of full time missionaries) i wont find out till saturday or sunday if Im bein transfered but I think i will most likely stay heere for a while. I dont wanna leave Logan. It feels like this is where the lord really wants me to be and this is the best place on the planet!! I just cant describe how awesome it is to be a missionary, personal study is one of my favorite parts of the day I have been reading in jacob and one of my favorite verses is JACOB 4:13. I know that the spirit speaks to us and tells us the truth and nothing but the truth. I know it is a special gift our heavenly father gives us to testify that this gospel is true, that Thomas S Monson is our living prophet today, that the book of mormon is the word of God, and that everything we teach as missionaries is TRUE. I learned something new from my mission president that i cant force the spirit to be there in certain lessons or when I desperatlly need it, thats when I need to show more faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. thats when i have to be more thankful for what I have in this life and all he has blessed me with. just like brother howells song says" IM A WITNESS THAT HE LIVES!!" I love this verse in jacob it has helped me alot this week in my lessons and in my own personal life. I am just going to work my hardest everyday!!!!! Im going to give all I can to the lord these next 2 years. . Every night i get back to the apartment I am exahsted and thats how I always want to feel because my savior went through so much pain just for me and i need to give so much back to him these next 2 years!

Well elder partridge and I are working great together! Our lessons go so well and the spirit is always so strong. I honestly couldnt ask for a better companion. Im so lucky to have such a great trainer who keeps me obedient. He is good friend to me and ill miss him when he gets transfered.

MOM I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! your the greatest mom ever I love your letters and your emails. Its something I look forward too every Monday!! I hope your doing well :) Ill write back as soon as possible. I love you to the stars and back!!! Thank you for the cds and chewy chips of G-MA!!! I LOVE YOU!!! I really wanted brother howells cd

DAD I LOVE YOU!!! i hope your work is going great! keep working hard. your such a great example to me as a priestholder. The other day I thought of you when i was giving a blessing to one of my investigators. . I wish you were there with me to witness how strong the spirit was. You'd love it here!! Well be safe and your the best dad I couldnt ask for any one better!

CODA I LOVE YOU BUBBA!!!! How is basball and school going your water baloon fight sounded so much FUN!! PLEASE MIND MOM AND DAD CODA!!! cade looks up to you. You have to be the next best missionary in our family. did you invite a friend (non-member) like I told ya too ?? WELL i hope so I love you be safe do good in school!!

NANNA!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! your such a great sister and Ill write back as soon as possible Ok :) DO GOOD IN SCHOOL!! remember I will always love you forever because your the coolest sister ever!! be the best example you can be to your brothers ok :) love ya tons!!!

CADERS!!!! I miss you too buddy . BE HAPPY!!! I cant wait wait for you to be a missionary you'd love it out here. Your such an awesome brother:) and yes im getting really good at basketball :) we are actually setting up one with all the young men in our ward! i cant wait. love ya be safe ok !!!!

Shaders!!!!! MUFASSSA!!!! your such an awesome sister. I miss going on walks and singing with you! sorry for teaching all those bad things please continue to draw me pictures ! I love you !!!!!

Well I want all my family and friends to know I love you!!! THANK YOU for getting me to where I am today!!! I miss you all !!! Thank you everyone who has written me and sent me emails i appreciate it! i look forward to them everyday !!! Be safe !!!!

To end this email I would like to share a awesome quote that sister White gave me. This is one of my favorites now.

"perfection will not come all at once, but line upon line precept upon precept, example upon example, and even not as long as we live in this mortal life. . . but here we lay the foundation. . . to prepare for that perfections. Its our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today." - Joseph Fielding Smith

Let us be better tomorrow than we are today!

love
- Elder BENTLEY

March 14, 2011

HELLO EVERYONE!!! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed their week.
Right now here its raining/ snowing its really wierd ha ha. But the last 2
days were nice and sunny the trees are almost about too look alive. I
DISLIKE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS!!! Alright here is my week :)

Well Tuesdays are so cool!! we started our walk and talk Tuesday for our
mission this is when you drive as little as possible and walk
everywhere, and it was so much fun, we went to LOGAN. We had 36 OYMs if i
didnt tell ya last time but those are where you open mouth to anyone on the
street or to a door you never knocked on we did so good despit of my
companion being sick all that day we also loaned out 5 book of mormons, Ha
we ran into a drunk guy outside a bollwing alley when I saw him I said Elder
lets go talk to this guy, he just got done throwing up he agrreed to let us
come back and he wanted to learn more.... hopefully he will remember us ha
ha and wont be that drunk. That was such a great day!! Wensday we did ALOT
of tracting and checking up on our book of mormon loans, one of the guys we
loaned a book of mormon to agreed to come check out the church even though
he is athiest?? Which is cool. but he said its going to be a surprise? We
invited him to watch general conference with us he might!! so that was cool
too. Then Thursday we did our weekly planning and set some really high goals
for this week I cant wait to see how this week turns out. We had dinner with
the Thomass and the bigleys they feed us so good we played this awesome game
where you each person takes a turn to name a chuch word going through the
alphabet its hard to explain but it was so fun. then Friday we went back to
Logan and we decided as a companionship to add another walk and talk day in
our week , we went and checked up on a book of mormon loan and the guy was
having a party for someone he invited us in we said SURE!! dont worry it was
just a birthday party "NO ALCHOL" he offered us a soda my companion said no
. . but of course I said sure and had cake and I talked to 2 people and they
are so interested in the church and wanna know so much more. :) we got 17
oyms that day and 1 loan so ot wnt pretty well . Now Saturday was our
biggest day ! We got another investigator through an investigator which is
so awesome and she wants to come to church. :) Then we tracted BIG UGLY and
found 4 more people who are interested which is so cool. THen yesterday
church was so good. I hope all the cousins serve a mission because other
teenagers need your help for them to serve Im accutally helping a kid right
now serve a mission he sid he wants me to tell him more next time I see him
and he MIGHT GO!! SO GET OUT AND SERVE. even to all the young men and to all
the family. People need the gospel so bad in their lives its our job as
missionaries to bring them back so they can be with father again. " A
MISSIONARY IS SOMEONE WH LEAVES THEIR FAMLIES FOR TWO YEARS SO THAT OTHERS
CAN BE WITH THEIR FAMLIES FOR ETERNITY". CODA AND CADE YOU BETTER SERVE.So
we taught two famlies today and they want us to come back as well. WE can
really see great success as a missionary. GOD is just putting pepole in
front of us . I know this will grow again. I have faith. Im so happy I get
to share my testimony to everyone I see. There is no better feeling than
being on a mission. We loanded 10 book of mormons this week which is so good
and had 98 OYMs. We are recieving blessings as missionaries and I know that
my family is too.

As I think about a mission, I remeber watching a video by Jeffery R.
Holland called "The Miracle of a Mission" Before I left to the mission
field. . What he said in this talk helped me so much. . I know a mission is
supposed to hard its not supposed to be easy because what Christ went
through for me was not easy. So I need to give 2 of the hardest years of my
life to him. The Atoment is the greatest message we can share as
missionaries today. He taught alot about obedience and how its been around
such a long time and WE CANT RESIST IT!! Obedience is the first law in
everything, and is the first law in missionary work. He said this awesome
quote "Missions make us strong, to make them strong depends on how strong we
make it". I can not stress how awesome it is to wear this name tag everday
:)!!! Its the coolest feeling ever!

MOM I LOVE YOU !!!!! your the greatest example in my life. IM so lucky to
be your son and to be the first in our family. Keep doing good in your
calling. The lord can give us blessings through the way you fufill your
calling. your the best mom in the world. Its crazy how time just flies by
isnt it. Keep being the best mom and know I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! Just know
that your son a quater of the way aroung the world loves you to the STARS
AND BACK!!! WRITE ME

DAD I LOVE YOU!!!! thank you for the letter. I can not say enough how
greatful I am and how hard you work to support our family. You exercise your
priesthood so well and I know that those boys in the deacons quorum look up
to just as I do. I am so happy to call you my dad. WRITE ME

BUBBA!!!! I hope you being obedient and minding mom and dad. remeber that
cade looks up to you and our sisters. Mind mom and dad love them. BUT most
of all know I love you!!!! I am so thankful to be your older brother and you
better serve a mission. Coda I hope while your at school invite onem of your
friends whose not a member to church this week start doing missionary work
now. I LOVE YOU CODA !!!! start preparing and listen to your leaders
especially the prophet in a couple of weeks. WRITE ME

NANNA BANNA!!!! I LUV YA TONSSS!!!!! How did I get so lucky for you to be my
sister?? your such a good girl. I miss watchin movies wit ya . And I never
thought I would say this but I miss cleaning our house with you. I love you
so much nanna keep writing me and make sure the whole family does. Dont beat
up your brothers too bad. :) have fun. WRITE ME

CADERS !!!!!!! HOW IS X-BOX coming along. !!! Im so greatful to be your
older brother I HOPE YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU!!!! remember to say your prayers
every night by your self . will you do that for me :) remind the whole
family to say tham and remember our heavenly father loves you so much!!! I
LOVE YOU!!! your a good brotha cade, WRITE ME

SHADERS!!!!! you being ba??? i hope not, I cant believe your spitting ha ha.
I miss you so much and your smile. I bet tour getting so big. I LOVE YOU
KEEP DRAWING ME PICTURES!!!

Well I hope everyone is doing good. I love ya all. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL
THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A BIRTHDAY!!!! TICKY HAPPY 16th BIrhtday!!!! I cant
believe your driving!!! thats crazy I LOVE YOU!!!! well its great to hear
from everyone !! keep sending the letters and the emails. I miss you. Thank
you for everything.

I know this church is true. I love my family and I know that they are being
blessed. I know Im being blessed as a missionary. Im greatful to be
representing the lord and being his mouth piece. I am greatful for the
trails I have gone through that have made me that much better of a
missionary. I am greatful to be serving with such a wonderful companion in
such a wonderful area. I know that this will build back up into zion and
people will find the truth through our message. I know that this work would
not be possible without Jesus Christ. This is his Gospel in these latter
days. I am sharing the best message ever!! I am greatful for the spirit
which keeps me motivated to do this work. I know " if I do hard things with
a willing heart I will grow. I am greatful to be setting a legacy with my
future family. I have the greatest calling in the world!! IM greatful to be
a missionary. I promised my self to work my hardest these next 2 years of my
life. I will find those people. and this work will continue to move forward.
I know that Joseph SMith was called of God to restore the true church on
earth today and to bring about the Book of Mormon to help strenghthen us
individually. This is my testimony. I know the savior lives and the Atoment
is the most powerful source in our Lives. I am greatful for Thomas S. Moson
and he is the living prophet today. I say these things in the name of Jesus
Christ. . Amen.

I LOVE YOU MOM AND FAMILY!!!!!!


love ya all;

Elder Bentley

Fwd: WHAT A GREAT WEEK!!!!!

Well I can say its beautiful here. IT SNOWED ALL DAY YESTERDAY!!!! grandma
youd love it here!! its your kind of place. THank you grandma for all you
have done for me this week I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Thank you everyone for you
emails i really appreciate the encouragment and support. and thank you for
taking care of my family:)!!! Family and friends I hope you all know how
much I love you!!!

Alright well this week has been a blast. I have been everywhere. We have
been tracting alot, all we do is park our car and walk in the middle of the
hollers getting chased by dogs ha ha. we dont have bikes because its not a
bike area so im getting in good shape. I really am enjoying tracting and
being able to knock on someones door and share my testimony of this gospel
and what I feel they should know about our church. SO tuesday we went and
had really good hambugers at a members house. Then we went back to the apt
and slept. Because the next morning we had to get up early and go to a zone
meeting in Hunnington. ( makes me feel like Im in Cali) I hope I get to
serve there. But anyways zone meeting is when all missionaries get together
and the zone leaders teach you and we were lucky to see our president . We
got this really cool book to help us with preach my gospel its so cool. Then
most of the Elders went to this really good buger place called 5 guys almost
better than in n out ha ha. We saw the harlem globe trotters I talked to
them tried hading them a card and they accepted it ha ha although they threw
it away when they walked out but its ok . ha ha i couldnt get a pic because
i didnt have my back pack. Then after lunch we went tracting with the
hunnington zone leaders and me and my companion got 35 open your mouths and
loaned out 12 book of mormons and 1 baptisimal on the front porch ha ha
without even teaching a lesson. open your mouths is when you pass by some on
the street and stop them tell them about the gospel give them a hand out
card and set an apoitment to see them it so cool. Tomorrow we have walk and
talk Tuesday and we are driving to Logan to do that all day Im so excited
for it. We are doing so well as a companionship. Aunt MARMAN !! I saw
Marshall university it stinks that I didnt get to see the plane crash site
but hopefully someday I will. Then that night we drove to charleston the
asstiance to the president picked us up and too us to Cave Springs Viginia
for a training meeting last friday so we tracted with the cave spring elders
all day thursday and I handed out 1 book of mormon loan which was cool Then
that night I got to exercise my priesthood and help this elder give
blessings to a family . Then friday we were in a training meeting all day it
was so cool to see all my friends who came out with me from the mtc they are
all doing good and im making alot more friends.. Then that night we drove
back to charleston. went saw one of the asstiance old converts I cant wait
till I can come back and visit my converts in my old areas. Then we had
dinner with one the asstiance familys in one of his wards the members feed
us so good. I really like studying Mark 4: 37-40 these are such amazing
verses and they are helping me everday. so we drove back and you know the
virginia Tech shooting we saw the place where the people who shot everyone
purchased the guns which was kinda cool ha ha. Then Saturday we went out
with our Branch mission leader had co ordination thats where we give him a
update and we went to Wendys. :) YUMM! and planned all day! THen yesterday
was a really great sunday I love fast sundays out in the mission field our
branch has such amazing testimonies . we went and taught an investagator and
taught him the restoration it was so powerful. Then we went and helped
someone in our branch give blessings. I again am so lucky to exercise my
priesthood. Then we had 2 dinner appoitments those are rough ha ha. and
trisha I ate dinners with sister Horne she is so nice. My companion sleep
walks which is scary ha ha but fun because then i get to practice teaching
lessons ha ha he is like wide awake but asleep he will collapse to the floor
then wake up in another dream its fun but its hard to go to sleep at night.
it helps make me a better missionary. I love my companion im learning alot
from him. we teach so well together!! we are going to do great here in logan
I know we will build it back up intoa place of zion. we ahve alot of work to
do

Mom thank you for the package I really like the sweatshirt and the watch and
everything I LOVE YOU SO MUCH you are the best mom ever how did I get so
lucky to be your son??, Thank you !! Thank You Grandam so much I love you I
love papa too and thank you for all you have done for me and sacraficed for
me to get me to where I am today !!! DAD I LOVE YOU !!! thank you for
exercising your priesthood and being an example to me and good luck with
working out i know you can be MR. ARIZONA AGAING :). CODA I LOVE YOU!! be
good mind mom and dad im thankful I get to be an example to you and cade YOU
BETTER SERVE A MISSION. NANA I love you tell your friend I leave for to
years to help make other families be together for eternities just like ours
is:). and cade I love you bud dont be sad that im gone be happy and know
that I love you I cant wait for to be a missionary. SHADERS !!! its almost
your birthday I LOVE YOU!!! MUFASA!!!!! DRAW ME PICTURES!!

I just want my next door neighbors (marty and sue) to know how thankful i am
for you. I know that this gospel is true. I know that joseph smith restored
this church and saw god the father and his son jesus Christ, I know that the
book of mormon is true and can help us overcome trials and bring us more
happiness as companionships and as families and I know it brings us closer
to our heavenly father because it has done that for me growing up and since
I have been on my mission. Thank you for watching over my family. WE
seriously got the best neighbors ever. Thank you for being an example to me
and my family and I love ya.

Well family I love ya. I love you cousins hope you areall partying it up.
:) ( the modest mormon way) and thank you to all my uncles for being an
example to me and helping me get here on my mission. Thank you aunts for
everything I GOT THE BEST AUNTS in the world!! Papa i love you thank you for
everything i miss going to the hot dog place with you. I GOT THE BEST FAMILY
IN THE WORLD!!

I want alll my friends to know how to know how thankful I am for you. I am
so thankful my mom has made such good friends . I want all my leaders to
know how thankful I am for you for teaching me and preparing me for this
time in my life. BIshop I love you and I hope our ward is doing well im
greatful to be your 1st missionary to be out .

I have been really missing the temple this week. i wish I could go so bad.

Well I love you all take care and may we all press on in the work of the
lord. im looking foroward to my next email.

DAD ( todd) I love you . thank you for being an example and working hard.
Ginger thank you for being a good step mom. TOURn and haven I love you.



love:

- elder bentley