Brilliantly Serving the British: "Steady Course of Progression"

Heyyyyy.... I am doing wonderful. I remember last week it had felt like forever since I had emailed and today it felt like I wrote yesterday. Interesting... I think I'm going mad. Eek! No, but really. Life is splendid, and I am always learning and loving this dream world. My, this is going to be a struggle because I am just on one today if you know what I mean! So lets crack on, a funny stories to share and a little insight as always. Plus a little explanation on why I always share something. Look at all those emphasized words.

Story time. Ahem. The other day we were driving in the car with our (old) Ward Mission Leader. We just got done with a tea appointment and coordination at his home and we were going in for the night. Of course I am just exhausted and out of the blue he just yells "Bang!" Flippin' 'eck, I just jump out of my seat! Almost went on the news "Mormon Missionary Killed in a Car Scare by a Heart Attack." Yeah, so no one else really got scared. I start joking with my companion that it is my new goal to scare him sometime this transfer. He says he never gets scared. I like threaten to dress up like a bandit or something and then he tells me this story. He was like walking in Johannesburg sometime, and a man pulls out a gun on him and says to hand over his goodies. Elder Konyana says something like "Look, I don't think you'd do what you say you would really do." Then he said he went on a walk with the man. Like, the way he said it made it sound like they linked arms, skipped down the street, whistling a toon or something. Haha, yeah, so basically, stand up for yourself and you can have a good time with a robber.

Sooo.. on to why I share an insight at the end of basically every blog post. Usually it is based on something that I have learned lately or feel like sharing with others. It takes me to a part of Preach My Gospel when it talks about commitments or invitations to give people. It says something like it is an essential part of repentance. People become converted as they live the principles, and will not likely change unless invited to do so. I'll give it to you nice and bold like; I share things at the end because I want my loved ones or anyone reading these words to repent.

Yikes says everyone (I'm sure). Why yikes? Repentance has such a bad cover to most I suppose. As if you see someone and whisper to your friend "He's repenting... he's done a no-no... we are totally judging him even though we make mistakes.." Hah, I hope you catch my drift. As President Uchtdorf has once quoted, "Don't judge me because I sin differently than you." Everyone makes mistakes! No one is perfect. Elder Richard G. Scott once shared, "Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, each of us can become clean and the burden of our rebellion will be lifted. Remember, repentance is not a punishment. It is the hope-filled path to a more glorious future."

So, some may think that to repent means only to like be forgiven for a sin. Thats the basic definition I suppose, but I know it is much more than that. Repentance is a fresh view of God, ourselves and the world. That view needs to constantly be freshened up. Like a window on a car. It gets dirty over time, and we need to keep it nice and shiny. Again, sorry I don't know who quoted this, but, "Remember that most repentance does not involve sensational or dramatic changes, but rather is a step-by-step, steady, consistent movement towards Godliness". I know that perhaps the best repentance is demonstrated by righteous actions over a period of time.

All in all, if you would like to come closer to Christ and experience change little by little, I will most likely always share some sort of "challenge" or "action" at the end of each post. Constant invitations, and you can always choose to take them or not. I love you all so much. So much, that I simply want all to freshen their view of God, of life, themselves and focus on the eternal scheme of things. I testify that this is all a glorious journey we have been blessed with; to really become what God would wish we would.

Repent oft,

- Elder Bennett