Elder Jacob Bentz: Service = Success

Hello family,

We had to do emails pretty early today because we are out of miles 'til next month. We got cut like 500 miles. So, we have to bike everywhere for now.

This week's been pretty good. We've been doing a LOT of service for people. That's one of my favorite things we do. Me and Elder Thayne were riding along on our bikes and we saw a guy smoothing out cement for a walkway he was building to connect two houses together. He was working alone and the sun was going down, so we decided to stop and ask if he wanted help. He said he'd take all the help he could get. So, we worked with him in our white shirts and ties and got all the cement smoothened. I got my pants sooo dirty =P He was extremely grateful for our help. He told us that he had been saying a silent prayer that someone would come by and help before the sun went down and the cement hardened. We happened along just in time. We also did a bunch of other things throughout the week for service.

The numbers that we report have been low. Not very many lessons taught, no baptismal dates, and no serious investigators. But that's okay. Me and Elder Thayne have adopted the philosophy of the influences we have on people that we can't see and can't put into a number. There isn't a section in the weekly numbers summary for hours of service performed, number of hearts softened, number of days brightened, or number of friends made. High numbers are not always an indicator of success. True success.

I'm very, very tired. Missionary work is TIRING! I come home just as exhausted at the end of the day whether we walked/biked 20 miles, or drove in the car all day. I think when I come home, I'm going to take 3 days off and just sleep. (;

So, one of my shirts got ruined. I got grease all over it from my bike. Oh well, I figure it was bound to happen eventually, right?

Well, everything else is pretty much the same old story over here. We're still trying to help strengthen the branch, we're still trying to find people to teach, and we're still waiting for our visas (as far as I am aware, anyways). Please continue to pray that the visa will come as quickly as possible. I think that's about all I got for this week. Talk to y'all soon!

Love always, Elder Jacob Bentz