Elder Zach Benard

Sept - Oct. 2013

Hello Everyone!!

     (We asked about his area) It covers Ashland, Medford, Central Point, Yreka, Happy Camp, Etna, Phoenix, Talent, and some other areas. We are also a car-share area with 1500 miles.

     (How is working in the YSA (Young Single Adult) ward?) -Fun and hard, we have only 1 investigator and a lot of potentials we are trying to contact. Some of them have told us they don't want to have contact with us and the church, so it's been rough. Fun cause of FHE (Family Home Evening), we've had a lot of great activities and some more to come. It's fun to be in a YSA ward though.

     We have a temple trip every 3 months now and we actually go next week on the 17th so I'll have pictures to send don't worry. :)

     We've had p-day on Tuesday the past 2 weeks and we had a zone conference yesterday which was great. So that was like a chill day cause it took 6 hrs of our day and then we had a 20 min drive back to town to drop off some Elders and another 20 min to drive back to that same building to have FHE....our day was totally spent sitting and looking up at someone talking. I think my butt and legs are still recovering from sitting that long! 

     Well, in Zone Conference we talked about how we should doubt not, fear not. Have faith and don't doubt cause if you doubt then you have fear and when you have fear then Satan has a hold of you and you will make it easier for him to bring you into his grasp. 

     Well this week was pretty great! We had nothing better to do in "Ashland" so we decided to go knock on some apt. housing that we hadn't knocked on before. We saw this guy talking on his phone and we didn't want to bother him so we started walking away, and then we heard, "Hey, what are you guys doing!!?? Come here!!" I looked at Elder Hague and thought, this guy was just going to be trouble cause he sounded kind of mad. He asked us who we were working for and we told him no one, but that we were Mormons and asked if he knew who the Mormons were. He said sort of but not really. He told us to sit down and said he'd give us a drink of juice. He started to bombard us with questions and wanted to read the Book of Mormon. We were talking for about 20 min when his friend showed up and then his other friend. We started to teach all 3 of them and it turns out they're in a band and have produced 35 soundtracks! It's pretty cool cause we both got free CD's.  Milan (the guy we are teaching) told us to come back every day and that he is so excited to read and hear what we have to say. When we came the 2nd time he was on the phone and said to some guy he was talking to, "Hey man I think I might become Mormon, I got to go though my Mormon friends are here." He's pretty great.

     That day we also had a lady stop us in her car that wanted a Book of Mormon and said she had a dream she would receive a Book of Mormon by missionaries and that they would teach her....well she found us but we can't teach her cause she's over 32, so we gave her to the other missionaries. I'm so happy that I know that Christ lives and that I know of His Restored Gospel. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to share that knowledge with those that I come in contact with. I'm thankful that I make mistakes, learn from them, become a better person, then use the Atonement of Christ to repent of my mistakes and be healed from the guilt and sorrow of doing wrong. I'm so thankful for the closeness I feel with my Savior through praying and reading the scriptures each day. I'm thankful that He cares enough for each one of us to forgive us and love us after all the things we do to disappoint or hurt Him. No matter what He will always love, care, and be by our side. He will never leave us.

     We met a new investigator that the previous missionaries had been working with and after 7 weeks we finally taught her one lesson. She's coming to an activity tonight and wants to watch General Conference too!!! She doesn't know much about Christ or about His church, but she want's to and she has a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation.

     We haven't been able to meet with our new investigators cause they've been sick but we keep on stopping by and seeing how they've been and they're getting better so that's good, hopefully this week we'll be able to meet with them. Hopefully this weekend we can have some people watch General Conference because like most of you know that's the best way to get info on the church, heck it builds the testimonies of those who are in the church.

     Saturday's we chop wood at this place to help out poor people who are getting their power shut off. We cut the wood or load it and then people deliver it to their homes and they don't need to pay for heat cause the wood is free. It's so fun cause we help people and get a good workout too. :) It was fun this last time cause we had this guy from the Navy supervise us and he taught me how to chop wood in just one swing...I haven't got it down all the way yet but I'm getting there. ;)

     This past week was ok, we started a new challenge where we are going to hand out 20 Book of Mormon's. It was also pretty fun cause we walked around 15-20 miles one day and the next day 10-15!

     One funny thing was our fire alarm broke and we threw it in the dumpster and we asked our housing manager if we could just go and get another one...apparently we can't. Once we found that out we went back to the dumpster to get it and this guy saw us and said, "You guys look way too good to be dumpster diving." We told him we don't usually do it cause we get free food by other people and it's fresh from the oven so it's even better! It was funny.

     Sunday we had to give a talk at the last minute. (They called us sat. evening and we had things to do all that day so we couldn't prepare until 8 that night.) I decided since it was only going to be a 5 min talk that I wouldn't use any paper, since that would be pointless, cause it's pretty much like telling a story but in front of 30 people. We also were also asked to bless the sacrament and teach Gospel Principles because the people were late and the teacher in GP wasn't going to be there. (also a last min. thing) If that doesn't get us blessings I don't know what else could. ;)

     We handed out 10 Book of Mormons this week. We also got 11 referrals so that makes me happy.

Love You All!!

Elder Benard

Elder Zach Benard

How to strengthen families and how I can help, was a question asked for a lesson from mom and here was his answer.

When people are struggling in their relationships or with their families, we ask them if they are praying and reading the scriptures together. Most of the time they say no and we tell them that God can't help them have a better family if they don't tell Him that they are struggling and need help. Then we say He will give you ways to help your family and give you answers through the Book of Mormon. We then invite them to pray and read together and tell them we'll follow up with them.

I think always being there for family home evening was how I helped, even though somedays I didn't like the family, I still knew it was important so I joined in. In a way, it was like a “set appointment” for me.

He related to us, in answering a question from Sister Green about his favorite scripture, that it is Mormon 9:21 - “Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever;he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.” “At least that's the one I chose out of 3 other ones...I just can't say I have a favorite scripture yet because the whole Book of Mormon is great and now I love it, so I don't know what my favorite verse would be but my favorite story is the Alma the Younger story and how he made a change from bad to good and helped being people to Christ.”

He was recently transferred to Ashland so he is just getting started since he and his companion were transferred new into the area. 

Elder Zach Benard

Hey Everyone!!

We had a less active and his wife who is a catholic come to church for the first time in a while. I think it's been around 3 years or so, all because we did service and kept pestering them...sometimes that's what we need to do. The lady that we gave a blessing to could really use a lot of prayers cause she's going through a really hard time. She came to church yesterday and just cried the whole meeting cause every talk was what she needed to hear and then the bishop came and talked to her the rest of the church meetings. We went over that night with the elders quorum pres. and had a really great lesson. It's just been a really hard time for her so she could use some prayers.

Barbra is still Barbra. She loves taking what we say and mixing it with what she wants to believe and then puts some anti stuff in there and then makes that what she thinks we believe. We've been trying to teach her and it's been really hard to do that.

Tonya and Alex are ok. If we can get him to believe that the church is true then Tonya will follow cause she doesn't do anything unless it's with Alex. Alex doesn't believe that Christ had to die for us and that He could have done so much more if He had just lived, and since He's God He could have saved Himself from dying on the cross. I apparently told him that He chose to die and He did this out of love so we could repent and return to live with God and Jesus again, and some other stuff, but I don't remember saying that and the other things that I said. It did strengthen his faith, he said, so I'm happy.

It's funny this past month we leave our bikes at the DTC (Downtown Transit Center) and take buses to go to appointments and such. Then we sometimes miss the bus to get back and we think, "oh this is nice, we can get a long walk back"... (there was a reason we took the bus in the first place...) "and hand out some mormon.org cards", but we only get one handed out, if that, when a member shows up and says "hey do you want a ride?" So we say "sure thanks!" and get in the car and then rub our legs on the way back. ;) It's really cool how many times that happens and it's just the small blessings that God shows us missionaries once in a while that He's there and He loves us. I've had the opportunity to share experiences with youth and primary kids in church about the way God blesses missionaries and it's hard to think of what one experience I want to share. :) Well I hope you all have a great week and have fun!  Love you all!!

Love Elder Benard     

Elder Zach Benard

Hello Everyone!!

I don't remember if I told you this but HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! Ok well this week was fun, we had a stake breakfast at our church building and there were a lot of people there. We got a referral from 1st ward elders and they said she accepted to be baptized and she's praying for a date, she's also moving into our ward so we pretty much are getting a baptism handed over to us. This transfer so far is going great with E. Georgia who was also my MTC comp. We've been doing good together and he's been getting to know the area pretty well and learning how to be a DL.

At the beginning of the transfer we didn't have any food and I had 135 dollars. Now we have a lot of food and I have 30 dollars....that's supposed to last me the rest of the month?! Well I guess that's where my saving of money comes in where I hide money and it magically appears latter on when I need it. ;) My family can tell more about that...even though they'll probably just say "oh he stole from us." Nope not true, I hid 20 bucks and found it not too long ago. :)

I've been trying to learn a little of Spanish so I don't just sit there when I go on exchanges with the Spanish elders but it's not a huge priority yet. On my b-day and the 4th WE DID NOTHING!!! I did more stuff on Christmas and New years than on the 4th but oh well it's OK. It's only our countries Independence Day who really cares about that...obviously me! Anyhow I've been having a great week other than dealing with other people's problems and being stressed. The usual missionary work.

Well love you all!!

Love Elder Benard  

Elder Zach Benard

(5/14/13 marks the 6 month mark! Here are some excerpts from Corvallis, where he Currently serves. Transfers are 5/20/13 but we anticipate him staying there. Thanks for your support of the missionaries. As parents, we love love the growth that occurs and know it helps having great ward members supporting and praying for them. Thanks so much!) 

Hey Everyone!!! Some Great news!! This guy named Dustin wants to get baptized and he's getting baptized this Saturday. We also just set a date with a lady we ran into last...Friday I think, and she wants to be baptized on May 4th!!! Her name is Mickey, like the mouse. :) We have only taught her the 1st lesson but they are both really cool solid people and they are just really awesome!! This week has been great, even though we just haven't had that many people come through for us. The lessons have been really good, me an E. Phair started watching Mormon Messages before we go to sleep so that we know what they are, and then we know what ones we can use in a lesson. My favorite (and the one that has helped a lot of people) is “Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them”, with Elder Nelson. I mean if nothing else the person will feel the spirit that's for sure. I loved this exchange we just did with the Spanish Elders, cause they have language studies...obviously, I'm not learning another language, so I studied for the normal hour and then got to continue reading the scriptures for an extra hour. Those that really know me, know that I hate reading and know that I didn't read at all before my mission, but that 2 hours of reading the scriptures was so awesome!! I would recommend reading the Joseph Smith History, if you get the chance, cause that's really cool and shows a lot about his experiences and such. We just had an amazing baptism the 27th and we have 2 more on May 11th with a really solid golden investigator who is pretty much a member. The baptism was Dustin, he's a really cool guy. He moved in about a month ago and we've only been teaching him for about 3ish weeks and now he's baptized!! He and his wife Adria are really funny and cool people they are always saying weird stuff like "so the quorum of the twelve is kinda like the fellowship of the ring but without the ring." Then, baptism for the dead, "so you dig up dead people and baptize them then put them back in their grave?" They are just really funny people. Mickey is awesome! She postponed her baptism date from May 4th to May 11th so that her 10 yr old daughter could be baptized with her as well and she also cut down on smoking a lot. On Sunday she didn't smoke at all!! Blessings and prayer really do work and whoever says that they don't...well they just need to look at her and my other companion who taught someone that was smoking 5 packs a day and received a blessing and quit the next day. A great story about Mickey; she said that she wanted to come to church and that the 3 hours of church was amazing and that's how it should be cause you can learn more from that. She also read the BofM and cross referenced that with the Bible Saturday night, and she came to church Sunday and loved it! That's also when we set the date with her and had our first lesson. Mickey and Rose were baptized on May 11th. When Mickey was getting baptized they got in the position and everything and then she started to go under like she was getting baptized and E. Phair was like, “wait nooo no no no I have to say the prayer first.” And Mickey was like, “oh oops just got all excited.” It was pretty funny. When I baptized Rose, after I said the prayer and baptized her, she pretty much ran out of the font, so if I messed up or she didn't go all the under....we ain't getting her back in there, ;) even though she wants to be baptized every year cause she thinks it would be fun. It was awesome having them receive the Holy Ghost on Mothers Day, that was our Mothers Day gift to them and they loved it and hey, it lasts forever as long as we are worthy and it didn't cost anything so that was also a bonus.

Elder Zach Benard

 Zach was just transferred to Corvallis a couple of weeks ago.  He's been in Coos Bay ever since he arrived in Oregon 4 months ago.  Change is good but he sure is gonna miss the beach; he's always loved the ocean.  Here are some pieces of his last e-mail.

Hello Everyone!!

It's been pretty different here in Corvallis, the people here are more into...tracting. They think that tracting will bring baptisms and that asking members for referrals isn't as good of an approach, that's what we were doing in my last area and we actually had more appointments come through. But that's ok cause I've been tracting in the rain most of the time  and I'm perfectly fine with that. ;)

Elder Phair has been out 8 months and is really... obedient. He's one of those "tool" missionaries, but he's good at teaching and I've learned a lot from him. The people really seem to hate us or like us here and they say that we don't know what we believe cause we were raised in the religion and we can't choose for ourselves. I had the experience of kinda falling away and choosing for myself to come back and I told this guy a little about that and how he shouldn't say that we don't know what we believe, cause we CAN choose for ourselves! He said, well I'm a scientist and I'm just not interested. 

There are a lot of Mexicans and Hawaiians here, they are cool cause they know how to eat a lot of food and cook it good, and they give us the left overs! :) They are also really funny cause they like to have the 'Best 2 Years' playing in the background.

Well hope you all have a great week and love you all!!

My address is: 2788 SW Pickford st. #106 Corvallis, OR, 97333

Love you!!

Love Elder Benard