Brilliantly Serving the British: "New Year, New You!"

Hiyya!
Happy New Year's to you wonderful people! I hope this answers a lot of questions many have been asking concerning my Christmas and New Year's. Last week the library was closed, so I didn't get the chance to write the blog post. Oh well, control what you can. This one may be a bit longer than usual, I guess we'll see!

The Tuesday before Christmas, my zone met with two others and had a wonderful Christmas Dinner. There was turkey, potatos, gravy, carrots, and mince pie. Pretty great if I do say so myself! Beats cooking in the flat, thats for sure! It is always so much fun to be with other missionaries, and the happy spirit everyone is in. During this meeting we played a white elephant game, I ended up with two Frozen posters (jackpot). Heh, and then each zone did a skit of some sort. The other zones' were great, proper funny, but ours... well.. was like a bad joke. We did the 12 Days of Christmas, missionary edition, but.. yeah. Just didn't work out too well. Bad joke meaning, it went so poorly you just kind of had to laugh? So embarrassing. We had a great training by our mission president as well!

Christmas Eve was great as well! Our ward's primary put on a Nativity, and my companion and I were asked to be the innkeepers. Costumes and all, it was quite the entertainment. Afterwards, many of them said I was like so mean to little Joseph and Mary, but hey! I'm just becoming the character, and I'm sure they were all nice and kind. Hah, I love the Hyde ward. Christmas was truly brilliant! Everyone, myself included, I think worries a missionary would get home sick, or be disappointed to one degree or another, but I really wasn't! We went down to the chapel for a choral service, then went to a member's home for Christmas Dinner. Similar foods to the one at the multi-zone dinner. We had an absolute blast! We imitated some accents of people in the ward, and played a game called pass the parcel which had some crazy things you had to do. It was a very good time. That evening, we headed over to another member's home. Best Christmas present arrived, and that was of course seeing my family! Ahh, nothing compares to family. I just can't even describe how wonderful that was, and how much I love my family. They are the greatest! Had a good talk after Facetiming my family with the member's home we were at. They are great, had plenty of laughs there as well. Don't know what else to really say, feel free to ask me any specific questions, but it really was great!

So yeah, the past week has been a good one! Hard work is the greatest, and there is nothing quite like finding those who are interested in learning the truth of our message. The weather has been quite cold, always bundling up with gloves and a scarf. If the wind blows, the cold just blasts, and you won't know whether you still have a face or not. Hah, we keep moving forward, face or not, there are people who need to hear about the Restoration! New Year's Eve was fun! Of course we didn't stay up til midnight, wouldn't want to have done if even given permission. We watched Frozen at the chapel, and some members brought loads of sweets. As nice as it was to have a holiday break due to everyone being busy, it really nice to just get back to the work.

I think a great thing to write about would be.. (no surprise here) goals! With a New Year at a start, we each have the great opportunity to start it out great, and really become something! It would be wise to not simply have a check list of things to do this year, but rather, things to become. Little wonders we can look back in a year and be astounded by the changes we have made. I guess I could use myself as an example. Not to boast in any way of course, but just to show how it can be done. I know, I know, I'm a missionary, I have all the time dedicated, but, this can nonetheless be applied! This year, I have a goal to become a better representative of Jesus Christ. To do my best and have my words to be His words. My acts His acts. Do as He would if He was personally ministering to the people of England. Quite the goal at hand! However big or small we want a goal to be, it starts out with simple, applicable steps. I will do this by studying Christlike attributes, then setting daily and weekly goals on opportunities to apply what I learn. Many of you may have worries, or think you may slack out a couple months down the road. Still, were those month not good ones? We aren't going to be perfect, but we can surely set goals and do our best to achieve them! Frankly, that is what we are here to do. To become something, and chisel out the things we don't want. "One of the biggest barriers of man is starting." At least give it a go! I hope that we may all find something we want to change. I know we can do this through prayer, consistent goals and actively applying. I am absolutely excited for this full year of service as a missionary, and to better become what Heavenly Father wants me to become.

These little wonders,

- Elder Bennett