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)