May 27, 2013

Hello!
 Me and Elder Dewey get along great! His Dad is actually an artist for the church so we talk about art a lot. He was training Elder Harr's for the first half of last transfer and then Elder Harr's went home, so he served with the Zone Leaders for the rest of the transfer. My second MTC companion, Elder Karl, is still in the mission though so that is good. Technically I'm still in training, but since both of my companions have been District Leaders I have to do a lot of planning on my own, So I feel like I'm not a trainee anymore.
 That's so cool that Chris gets to go to the temple. Do you know how often he'll get that chance? We only get to twice a year, if we're within an hour of the Brampton temple at the time. I really wish we had the chance more often here, it would help having so much time to feel the spirit of the temple.
That is neat that Brother and Sister Tolman are home.  We love the office missionaries, they're pretty much our parents while we're out here. Although not having a car area, we don't hear from them much. They did call us instead of Windsor South once and told us to get an oil change. It was funny when they realized they called us instead. Elder Ree's said that we didn't actually need to change the oil on our bus. And here I thought it was a great service opportunity.
 I'm glad to know that Dad's doing better, is there really no one else who can work on the pump though? It sounds like Dad though thinking he can do everything himself.   Tell Drew Happy Birthday for me, I can't remember if I did last week.  I know you will laugh, but I actually really miss Drew.  Engineering State sounds fun, tell him to buy the 2.5 gallons of Aggie Blue Mint Ice Cream for me! The Tradition must go on!  Has he finished his Eagle yet? He just had the project to do right? Sounds like he might have to get a new project if that lady keeps putting it off.  That would be frustrating.

 Tell everyone hello for me today at the BBQ. I wish we could have BBQ's here, but it probably wouldn't be safe in an apartment. We always have perogies though...Speaking of food, what do you do with corned beef?  I know you cooked it, but I honestly can't say I remember how or what you did with it. We found some in our freezer, but we have no idea what to do with it.

 Send me pictures! 

Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner

May 22, 2013

Hello :D
First off, I'm still in the same area! But my companion, Elder Smith, was transferred to the Don Mills South Area. So my follow-up trainer is Elder Cameron Dewey. He was actually training my MTC companion that went home last transfer. He's originally from London, England and his family moved to Alberta, Canada a few years ago. He's pretty awesome and his Dad has done alot of artwork for the church so we have alot to talk about. It's amazing how working with someone fresh to the area is though. We already have 2 new investigators this week, 2 member presents, and a Referral Present Lesson, and its only been two days! Our new investigators are both pretty cool. Khosi is 9 years old, his mother Sibo moved to Canada from Zimbabwe and was baptized in 2006. We don't know why she's not coming to church yet, but she says she wants to come. We tried to set Khosi with a baptismal date, or at least a goal to shoot for, yesterday but she wouldn't let us yet. We don't know too much about our other new investigator other than she's friends with one of the Less-Actives were working with.
About 90% of the mission was transferred this time, which doesn't happen often. We only have 3 members of my original district here and only 2 of us stayed in the same area. District Meeting is going to be so weird this week. One of our Zone Leaders just finished his last transfer as well, so he's going back to Brazil this week. 

Speaking of hard talks to find, do you know any by the 'Swearing Apostle' J. Golden Kimball? One of the Elders managed to get a recording of one somehow and its apparently pretty awesome. Other than that any talks you find on the lessons in Preach My Gospel would be appreciated, I'm trying to learn as much about every one of them as I can, but lesson 4 has such short sections. Actually do you know any talks that talk about the importance of setting goals?
I'll be praying for you Dad, I love you and I know that the Lord loves you as well. Happy Birthday Drew, how does it feel to be 17 finally? Don't worry, you'll be here in Toronto soon enough ;) Chris got some knives? That's awesome! Elder Smith said he's going to send me his when he 'dies' so I can use it as my letter opener.

Thanks Mom :) I'm sure its a great present. Skittle Tithing sounds fun, maybe I'll use it when we teach Khosi about tithing. Tell Kenzie and Jordan congratulations! 
Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner

May 13, 20`3

Hey Dad, Do you know if any of my cousins have served a mission in Paraguay? One of the YSA leaders in the ward said he had an Elder Warner as one of his companions when he served there. 

May 6, 2013 - A little out of order (sorry)

Hey Dad, 
That's really cool! I think I've heard most of those stories about your parents joining the church before, but I didn't realize they knew about the LDS church before they started going there. I always thought they didn't like the others and hadn't heard of that one. How is Chris doing, he's sent me a few emails, but just a couple lines each.  I was also wondering how much you teach during priesthood? I know there's certain things they want you to teach, but I was wondering if you could read Preach My Gospel chapter 13 and teach that to the young men? It seems like all our leaders and most of General Conference are pushing Member Missionary Work. 
I love it here. I feel like I've already learned so much, but I also know just how much more there is to learn. I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with our zone leaders this week and they know so much. Elder de Moura is going home at the end of the transfer which is sad, I feel like I could learn so much from him, and despite being from Brazil he knows a lot of the games I played at home and played a few of them himself. Elder Gedlaman is still here for a while though. He's a machine. We had a few appointments bomb or go short while he was here so we went street contacting. He talks to literally everyone, even when I told him we'd talked to someone before and they weren't at all interested. He's also go eyes like a hawk, there were about 5 different home we walked past and I didn't notice anyone, but he went right up to the porch and started talking to someone. How he can see that well with the sun in his eyes beats me. 
Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner

May 13, 2013

Hey Mom,
 First off, we apparently don't have p-day until wednesday next week because of a canadian holiday and transfers. So don't worry when you don't get anything until then.
 It was good to hear how everyone at home was doing, everyone mostly just asks me questions instead of saying how their doing in their emails. I guess I say more in emails and letters because I have more time to think about what I'm saying and remember what else I need to say. Like I forgot to tell you yesterday that the Golden Investigator we lost, he had already moved into the other area anyways. Also, could you ask Drew what 'Repent and Do Better' would be in Latin? We came up with a Windsor Missionary Coat of Arms and wanted to put it on there.
 As for Drew and Cheyne, I think they'll be ok. Cheyne seems smart and understanding. I guess just help him stay away from bad situations. But I also won't tell Drew about the missionaries whose girlfriends have converted while they're gone, just in case.
 Less-Actives can go both ways, it usually just depends on why they don't come to church. We actually visited some yesterday who just didn't like some of the people in the ward and now that they know there's a lot of newer people they said they'd come back. Another family we've visited just needs to be visited during the week and they show up that week, we're trying to find a way to get them to come all the time though. The hardest person to work with so far is Wayne-Alexander. He's the one I mentioned that was supposed to leave on a mission. His main problem is that he feels like he can't give 100% so its not worth giving any. He wants to, but he feels like he can't. I think I'm going to talk to Elder Smith and see if he knows any good missionary stories that could help motivate Wayne, but other than visiting him a couple times a week, we don't know how to help him.
 We can read the Ensign and other talks, but I think the only actual books are the ones in the Missionary Library and the Priesthood manuals for church. The only talk I know for sure I want is Character of Christ, but it sounds like we can't get that one so I'll tell you any more I think of later.
 I think telling Chris to send longer letters worked, he sent me a whole paragraph today. ;) Can you send me a link to the blog so I can read Chris emails? 
Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner.

May 6, 2013

Hey Mom :D,
 First off, Elder Smith's Mom asked for your number. She likes talking to his companions families apparently. I told him the Home Phone #, so expect a call from Orem I guess?
 I think you spelled it right. Why is the 4th day of a month that always works in a sentence? March Fourth (March Forth!) and May the 4th be with you :D Don't be surprised that you can't drag him away from Skyrim. You remember how much the games I play have side-quests? Skyrim practically is side-quests and I think they're still updating it with more. You may have to hide the laptop cords to get him to do anything else.
 I haven't received any letters or packages yet actually, not even at zone mail when we get anything sent to the mission office. Are you using international stamps? I had to get special ones to send you letters. I think the MTC said foreign mail takes 3 stamps if you use regular ones though. If you send anything this week or next send it to the mission office, transfers are coming up and there's always a chance, however small, that I get sent to a different area to finish my training. I also have a few things I think you should look up in regards to missionary work. When you get a chance you should read Preach My Gospel chapter 13, its all about member missionary work. And last but not least there's a talk I would like you to look up. I think it is called Bill Carpenter Conversion Story. It's awesome, especially near the end when he talks about one of his investigators Patriarchal Blessing.
 I think I heard they were engaged before I left, if not it was at least assumed they would be soon. I don't really know either of them that well, but its definitely not a couple I would have guessed when I knew either of them.
 For mothers day we should actually be able to Skype. You need to create two Skype accounts, one for you and one for me. I will be able to call for 5 minutes on Saturday to find out the Username and password for mine and set up what time we'll be Skyping on Sunday. I'll try to remember that I'm a couple hours ahead here. We already know which members house we're going to, we just don't have a definite time yet.
 In mission news, my area actually shifted over a few streets on Saturday. The members in our ward don't think they feed us enough and complained to President Scott. I'm not sure how I feel about that, especially since we lost a Golden investigator and our chance to hit the Standards of Excellence this week because of it. I guess it gives Windsor South a chance to do better though.
 Church was pretty great yesterday. We have an investigator named Linda, who Elder Smith has been working with since December. She and Her soon-to-be-Husband FINALLY came to church this week. She said she liked it and will be coming back, I just hope that if Mark doesn't want to come she will anyways. He's been a member forever but he's less-active and sort of bi-polar when it comes to the church. I read his teaching record from 2008 and 2010 (Yes he has two, there's a long story there. Short version is someone didn't check records and he's been taught and baptized twice) He seems to do well and then see something on TV that just shatters his testimony and then he stops coming. Missionaries stop by a few months later and he's ready to come and learn again. And the cycle repeats. I hope when Linda is baptized she'll be a support for him to come back and gain a stronger testimony. 

 Our other investigators are doing ok. Valerie has been progressing, but she decided she had something more important than church this week. And when we last taught her, it seems like she doesn't understand Priesthood Authority and that she needs to be baptized by someone with that instead of any random church's priest. We're hoping to meet with Wayne this week, but we probably have to cut next weeks p-day short so we can teach him when his brothers there. Did Dad have any investigators whose brothers or sisters that are members insisted on being present when they were taught, even though they live in a different city? Technically Detroit is in a different country too, but everyone here seems to go back and forth like they aren't.
 The Ward Mission leader here is pretty great. His names Brother Ianni and he is so willing to help us. He keeps records of everyone were teaching, both Investigators and Less-Actives, and asks us how were doing and what the next step is during Ward Coordination every week.
 I'm learning so much here. We were able to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders on saturday. Elder Gedlaman and Elder de Moura know so much. I'm going to miss Elder de Moura, he goes home at the end of this Transfer.
 I'll send any more pictures I take. Did you get the ones I sent this week? I know I'll have to take some if we get sushi again though. We got some a couple weeks ago on P-Day, but I forgot my camera so I couldn't take any pictures. Sushi is really good!
 I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well. Have fun at home!
Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner

April 30, 2013

Dear Mom, 
I know you're probably worried because I didn't email yesterday. Sorry, I forgot to tell you we had a mission conference so they moved p-day to today. It was a fantastic week! We hit our standards of excellence, which is 2 Progressing Investigators, 2 With a Baptismal Date, 4 Member Present Lessons, 2 Investigators at Sacrament Meeting, and 2 New Investigators. We're planning our days better and getting better at contacting so everything is going right for now. 
We do have a couple investigators who are struggling though. There's a couple that Elder Smith has been working with for months who finally said they'd make it to church this week and then didn't come because it rained. :\ I don't get why rain would stop them, but whatever I guess. 
We did finally get a Referral from HQ this week though. He's this awesome 70ish man whose brother is a convert and wants him to convert as well. He already knows pretty much everything, but we can't get a full lesson in until May 13th which is in the middle of a P-Day as well. Hopefully we can figure everything out though. 
Its hard working through members though. They are all nice and willing to help, but they don't bring friends to meet with us on Sport's Night or give us referrals when we ask who they know that would benefit from the gospel. We did get some tips on getting referrals at the mission conference though. Elder Paul V. Johnson of the First Quorum of the Seventy is touring the mission and spoke to us all at the conference. That was really cool :D
How is everything going at home? Anything exciting happening?
Love,
Elder Benjamin Warner

I believe my shoes are size 10 1/2. I've emailed Chaun, Melanie, and Joel, and some friends I made in the MTC but no one else has emailed me. Just don't forget to post the blog on my FB so my other friends can see it if they want. I'm okay with you posting the emails. Get Drew to exercise with you. I already told him, but I'm regretting not exercising regularly before I got here. I think that might work with the stamps, I'm going to send you a cool stamp holder I found last week when I get a chance. They gave me a whole roll of stamps instead of the book I asked for though since I bought them at the same time. So I already have 50 stamps, Elder Smith keeps saying I won't have to get any for the rest of my mission.