Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 10): No Fuzz!

Allow me to quote from my journal:

It was an okay week. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. And I am talking about my spirituality and my mission prep. when I say that.

Because--overall--it was a really fun week. I don't think I've laughed as much as I did in a long time! I spent a lot of time with Levi, Skyler, and Timmy, and it was awesome.

But I am definitely hungry for more spirituality.

It's true! Although I had a really fun week, full of a lot of great experiences with the missionary work, scripture study, and prayer, I definitely feel like I need to do better this week. I was spirituality in-tune this last week, but I definitely feel like there was still a lot of fuzz and what not to go along with my spirituality in-tuneness (good word, I know). This week, my goal is to be so in-tune that the reception is clear--no fuzz!

A little side-note: I was starting to get really impatient with myself and the Lord. November 18!? I think one reason I've had some of that fuzz is because I've been so impatient and not trusting in the Lord as much as I should be, ya know? But I had a lot of time to ponder and church today, and a thought came to my mind: "The Lord has given me two and a half more months for a reason. He wants me to use the next two months to prepare as much as I can for my mission; not so that I can sit here, prepare, AND question why I have to wait so long to leave." And then I remembered the excellent scripture Proverbs 3:5-6. That scripture helps me and motivates me to change my attitude every time I read it!!

And so I came up with a new plan for my week. Allow me to quote from my journal again:

Here are a few things I am going to change this week:

• Temple: I MUST go back this week. I am gonna try and go 2-3 times this week to make up for the past few weeks I haven't gone.
• Scripture Study w/ Prayer: I am actually doing really well with this, but I know my prayers can be better. And I know my scripture study can be better; 2-3 chapters per day from now on, along with consistent studying of Preach My Gospel.
• Bike Rides (or runs) w/ Uplifting Music: I used to do this every day, and I need to do this again! Physical + Spiritual conditioning!
• Go Out With Missionaries: I need to continue doing this like I have been, but I MUST say a prayer and ask to have the Spirit with me before I go teach with the missionaries.
  
• Write Missionary Friends: This is also a must.

If I do these things, I know this week will be awesome!

Helaman 5:12

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 9): The Power of Prayer and Holding To The Iron Rod, My Testimony

Overall, this last week was awesome.

It was rough at first because I knew Tara was leaving on Thursday, and it was sad to realize that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday would be my last days with her until Fall 2011/Winter 2012. However, we spent all the time that we could together, and I helped her prepare for her trip.

Tara wanted a blessing before she left, and so I was able to give her that blessing Wednesday night. Taking her to the airport and saying goodbye was tough! But we both managed to stay dry-eyed. (And for those wondering...Tara is doing well in Arkansas. Even though she is attending what I believe is a Catholic Unversity, she found an LDS student who was able to give her a ride to church today! Awesome stuff.)

Matt left for Indiana on Wednesday night, and I was sad that I didn't get to say bye to him. I was also sad that Matt and I couldn't work out a date where we could both make the trip together. It was pretty disappointing, but I know Matt and KT are having a good time together.

Despite all the sadness and disappointment I felt earlier this week, this week--like I said before--was awesome, thanks to the experiences I had the last few days. I had the chance to spend some good, quality time with Timmy and our friends on Friday and Saturday, and I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. It wasn't only a good heart-lifter for me, but for Timmy as well. He definitely deserved to go out there and have some fun, especially since he will be starting school tomorrow.

The thing that made this weekend special and worth it, however, was Dalton's baptism. Dalton is a nine-year-old boy who lives next-door to us. He is part of a less-active family and has been meeting with the missionaries the last few months. While doing so, Dalton has reminded his family what the Gospel is all about and they are now active in the church again. It was awesome to witness his baptism and to help the missionaries out with the baptism! Today in church, my Dad and I helped with Dalton's confirmation, and the Spirit was so strong. I loved it.

Also, last night, I had an awesome experience that definitely built up my testimony of prayer and scripture study. I am not quite sure if it is really an experience I should share, but I am going to anyways because I know that everyone who reads my blog is part of my family and you'd love to hear what I have to say. :)

Well, toward the end of the night, I was really not in a good mood and the Spirit was not with me. And I've reached the point where I really hate not being able to feel the Spirit; and so I got on my knees and started praying to Heavenly Father. I prayed for a good ten-or-so minutes, telling Heavenly Father what was on my mind, including all the things I was going through.

I have been reading a Mission Prep book, and one thing I read was to listen after you are done praying. And so after I was done with my prayer, I stayed on my knees for another few minutes, listening.

I will not go into too many details on what happened next, but I basically received all the answers I needed. I could hear a very calm voice whisper to me, telling me to open my scriptures and to read them. The chapter I opened to was Mosiah 4, and that chapter included all the answers I was looking for. It was amazing.

I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and will help us if we do what He asks of us. I know that if we live our life in a way where we can always feel the Spirit, the Spirit will guide us and get us through any trial or obstacle that comes our way. The Savior Atoned for us, and I know that. If you apply His Atonement to you life and always remember Him, you will see His helping hand in your life every day, and He will bless you.

I love the Gospel, and it means more to me than anything else in this life. I love my Heavenly Father, and I am grateful to be His son.

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 8): The Temple

Last night, I went through the temple for the first time. :) It was so awesome!!

I woke up somewhere between 8 and 9 AM, and my Dad came in my room and told me that he and I were going to leave around 2:30 so that we could get to the Temple to buy my Garments and Temple clothes. (The Endowment session was at 6 PM, but my Dad and I had to be there at 4:30 PM.)

For the most part, I just sat at home until 2:30. However, around 11 AM, I went to SuperCuts and got a haircut because my hair was getting quite long. Afterwards, I just sat at home in my room, resisting any food or drinks in the house because I was fasting for myself before going to the temple.

Around 2:30, Dad, Matthew, and I set off. Dad and I dropped Matt off at Brent Nelson's house, and then we headed over to the temple. We got there around 3:30 PM and our first stop was the Distribution Center, where I was able to pick out my Garments and Temple clothes! It took quite a while to pick everything out, but it was definitely a fun little experience to have before entering the temple. And I am grateful to have a Dad who was willing to buy me everything I needed. Thank you, Dad!

As for my actual experience in the Temple...wow! I had a lot of people tell me before going that I shouldn't try to get everything the first time I went. Rather, I was advised to just focus on how I felt while I was there and what not. It was truly excellent advise!

Although it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like, the Initiatory was awesome! Brother Mormon was the guy who took guided me through it, and he was great. After that, I met back up with my Dad.

The actual Endowment session was so awesome! I'll admit I was a little lost at times (haha), but I definitely felt very peaceful during it. The Celestrial Room was so beautiful!!

After being in the Temple for a few hours, I was definitely able to feel a difference when I stepped outside the Temple. Although I was sad to leave the Temple, I knew that I could come back at any time! Which I plan on doing as much as I can before I depart in November. :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 7) AKA The Power of The Priesthood!

I went camping in Caliente with the Priest Quorum in my ward this last week. We left early Thursday morning and returned Saturday afternoon. It was such a cool camp! It wasn't an ordinary camp. It was meant to be a camp where we A)felt the Spirit and B)did some soul-searching.

Well, I had a lot of sweet experiences, and I won't share them all with everyone. But there is one special experience that I want to share.

Before going to camp, I really felt like I needed to know how to give someone a blessing. It made sense to me; since I was going to camp, maybe something was going to happen where I needed to give one of my old quorum members a blessing.

Well, we got to camp Thursday, and I was spending time with Timmy and our friends Levi and Skyler. We had a lot of fun doing some mountain climbing and some other random stuff. (There was even a game of badminton or two!) I even shot a gun for the first time, which was super cool!

Thursday night rolls around, and it is time for sleep. Timmy, Skyler, Levi, and I were settling down in our tent when I had the great idea to read them some of my old journal entries. Not a good idea! They laughed at some of the stuff I wrote and kind of made fun of me, and I--the fool that I am-- took great offense to it. Even to the point where I jumped out of my sleeping bag and started beating up my friend Levi! Haha.

My first thought: "The Spirit is definitely not with me right now." And so I pulled out a Mission Prep book of mine and started to read it. I could feel the Spirit again, and I fell asleep feeling pretty good.

I'm not sure how long I was asleep, but I woke up to a voice saying, "Ben! Wake up!" I sat up ASAP and looked around the tent. Timmy wasn't in the tent! And so I opened up the tent and I found Timmy outside our tent--bent over, breathing heavily.

Timmy explained to me that he felt very sick and that he felt like he was going to puke. I sat there and watched him for about two minutes, asking him questions about how he was feeling every couple of seconds. My last question was, "Do you think you can come into the tent for a few minutes?"

Timmy took a few deep breaths and then replied, "I think so. Why?" I told him that I could give him a Priesthood Blessing. He questioned whether I was allowed to do that or not, and I told him that I could give him a blessing of comfort like my Dad did for me when I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago.

And so Timmy and I got into the tent, and I gave him a blessing. Immediately after I was done giving him the blessing, he closed up the tent, laid down, and fell right back to sleep. It was easily one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am glad I made sure that I had the Spirit with me before falling asleep that night. Because if there is anything that I learned at camp...it was definitely the lesson that the Spirit can definitely lead and guide us if we are living our life in a way where we can hear the still, small voice!!

Again, it was a sweet experiences! Today I was set apart as a ward missionary, and that, too, was a great experience. It's cool to know that I will be a part-time missionary--working with the missionaries in my ward--until I depart in November! I love it.

But best of all...I figured out that I will most likely be able to go through the temple on August 8! I just need to call the temple on August 4 when they re-open. I look forward to going through the temple for the first time and then re-visiting often before I depart in November! :)