COURAGE

Mom,
they celebrate fathers day a different day here though so looks like dad get two fathers days from me, which is still not enough from what he deserves. :D
thats awesome to hear that mason has already returned, i heard college is a lot of work so i decided im not gonna do it.haha
we had a huge miracle happen this week with us! theres this young man named fernando who is 16 and already been to church about 3 times but his mom never let him be baptized. he was taught about 9 months ago by some other elders and they took him to church 2 times but the mom is super difficult and she would never listen to what they say nor let him be baptized. we took him to church last sunday and talked to him about baptism and he said hed like to but he was scared of him mom. we asked him if he was still drinking coffee and he said that he had stopped 9 months ago when the other elders taught him the word of wisdom, even though his mom didnt let him get baptized he stopped drinking coffee and was keeping all the commandments, thats a strong young pup right there. so everyday in the week elder denna and i passed by the house to teach him but he was never there cause he also works all day to take care of the family and studies at night, his mom doesnt have a job and never gets off the couch, so wed always try to talk to the mom and shed never come to the door or talk to us. one time we caught her in the front and were able to talk to her for about 5 minutes, we were talking about nothing, just small talk trying to get to know her, and then when we started asking about fernando she started yelling at one of here kids cause he brought the ball in the house,and she left the room and we called her to come back and she never answered us or came back. she knew what was happening. so on friday, with the week almost over elder denna and i were sitting in the house and talking about how we could get this signature to baptize this kid! and out of nowhere elder denna gets crazy and starts gettin me all excited about how were just gonna go their and put the baptismal form in front of her and beg her to sign it, just beg, beg, beg! now were both going crazy, super excited to get stuff done, we say and a prayer then we leave with confidence to where fernando lives. theres fire in our eyes mom, weez be crazy in this moment, i walked by this full grown man in the street bout 6'4' 260 lbs. and he started crying in the middle of the street just from the sight of us. we show up on the street where he lives and start talking with his friend whose a member whose name is gabriel whose street name is "Bat" hes a little guy, but you dont get a street name like Bat without gettin stuff done. so were talking to him about fernandos mom and how he thinks we could get the signature and he said you cant his mom is an angry person. while were talking he points to this little bridge thing that crosses over some train tracks and says thats fernandos dad right there. (fernandos parents are divorced and his dad lives in a city called Jandaia, he visits 1 time every 1-2 months). we took off running for his dad, because if the mom isnt nice, maybe the dad seperated from here cause hes cool and shes not. we make it to him out of breath and begin to talk him, hes an awesome guy with a humble heart. approves the baptism!!! We still faced challenges though because fernandos mom is absolutely against his baptism and knows were wanting to baptize him so shes got him on lockdown in the house and also is a controlling mother so she told him if he ever gets baptized in that church shell kick out on the street. friday we werent able to get him. so on saturday night we went to gabriels house and told him were baptizing fernando tonight! it was about 6 30 at night. and gabriel who also is scared of his mom was like, forget about it, shes crazy man she told him if he gets baptized shell kick him onto the streets! we were like if he doesnt get baptized he cant enter into the kingdom of God! id rather live on the street in my mortal life then be doomed to an eternal hell! he went with us to his house and we waited outside on some bricks behind some truck and gabriel went in there to get him, they both came out!!! i dont know how gabriel got him out of the house but like i said you dont get the nickname "Bat" gettin nothin done! so we were talkin to fernando and he was like ill go to do the interview but im not gonna be baptized. we all walked to the church together showed up with him to the interview and when we showed up he said im not gonna be baptized man, my mom is very controlling! he walked out of the interview and said, im gonna be baptized right now!!!!!!! the Holy Ghost does miracles! talking to Elder Bandeira, who is my district leader and did the interview for him to be baptized, Elder Bandeira said that in the interview he invited fernando to be baptized but he said he couldnt be baptized and that he said his mom told him shed kick him out of the house and also kill him, but fernando sat there thinking to himself for a while, and then said, " ill be baptized." Elder Bandeira said that in this moment he started crying because of how much courage that the young man showed in that moment. when Elder Bandeira cries, its for a good reason. when fernando was getting changed for the baptism, he said, " looks like ill be living in Jandaia with my dad here in a little bit" what courage! what strength! can you believe this, a 16 year old going against his mom for what he knows to be true! Jesus said that any one who loves there father or mother more then Him is not worthy then. this is a valiant and worthy young man! during the baptism i couldnt help but think of a modern day waters of mormon. how alma used to teach that little group of believers near the waters of mormon and they were all taught and baptized there without there friends, relatives knowing because king noah was gonna kill whoever was a believer. here we have two young man doing the same thing, one watching out for the other, and following Christ in secret because king noah (the mom) would kill them.
yeah so while you all were in bakersfield having a blast i was sitting on some bricks hidden behind a truck in brazil trying to baptize someone haha.
im very grateful the Lord put the father in our path though, it was a perfect answer to our prayers.
i dont care where dakota gets called, he better baptize people there or he is no cousin of mine! i think hell get called to somewhere in europe.
ya ill be watching the training for the new mission presidents also on sunday :D
im super excited for the new mission president coming and im gonna miss pres. and sis. tavares. i just hope that this new mission pres. wants baptisms alot otherwise ill be forced to do the worst thing ever. mutiny.
LOVE YOU ALL
- Elder Bennett
that picture is me and e. bailey hes from rocklin, do linds and jared know his family.

Dad, hey we get to watch that training session next week also with the new presidents, were all pretty excited also haha.
Crazy to think that mason already got home, i hope he marries soon!
were all working really hard in the zone here, our zone is moving up slowly but surely were getting there. why are the bennetts having there reunion in nevada?
i hope this new mission president means business and wants baptisms. i love you dad, have fun in nevada with the family
- Elder Bennett