This past week has been all over the place. A lot of stuff happened!

So on Monday last week we went on a 7 mile hike which was really fun but it took long enough that I didn't really get a chance to email. On the hike we saw a lot of ruins from the ancient Native Americans. It was alright, but not as impressive as other places I've seen.

I went on an exchange to Durango from Wednesday evening to Friday morning. Those Elders stay in a VERY nice place! They stay on the second story of some member's giant garage. The members there are very nice! They gave us eggs from their chickens which we had for breakfast Thursday morning. We also walked their dogs and took care of their cats in the morning. They have an outdoor exercise area that's way nice, too. I was with Elder Packer on the exchange. He was my district leader my second transfer in Sanders. We were running all over the place trying to make it to all of our appointments, but it was a good day! 

We picked up a Spanish missionary named Elder Padilla, and it's been great having him in our companionship. We have been visiting a lot of people who speak Spanish, and it's kind of weird sitting there not understanding what people are talking about. Elder Padilla is trying to gather up enough Spanish people to make a branch, and it's a lot of work! There aren't very many Spanish people out here to work with, so he's working with the Durango area also to help it start up. 

That's basically all that's been going on. Thanks!

Photo with Elder Luke from 2018 (Mancos).

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We went four wheeling to some ruins with a member today .

Woohoo, a new area!

There have been a lot of changes these past couple of weeks! First of all, I got transferred to my next and probably last area - Cortez 2nd ward!

I haven't served in a city like this before. It's off the reservation, too! Everyone here is white! It's crazy!!

My companion is Elder Kelley. He's a goof and it's the best. He's also the district leader up here, so that's another new thing for me. I haven't served with a district leader since my first 2 transfers on the mission field, and the district leader's duties are completely different from what they were 2 years ago. There are a lot of ministering calls involved with being the district leader, and I'm going to be going on quite a few exchanges. I'm excited to visit Mancos again! It's pretty much guaranteed that I'm going to be going on an exchange there, and I want to say hi to a few people if the Elders down there will let me.

There's a Coldstone here that gives us missionaries free ice cream on Thursdays! And there's a Dairy Queen that gives us free 5 or 6 dollar lunches with Blizzards! I'm going to get fat! 

That's all I got for now. 'Til next week!

 Elder Benson

Sand Canyon Trail

The whole district went with us too, including Mancos missionaries. It was good getting to know everyone.

No official letter this week, probably because I was able to talk with him for an hour and a half (blissful!)

Wow you totally guessed what district I'm going to! The Durango district. I'm going to be a district monkey! Hehe!

I'm going to Cortez 2nd. It's right next to mancos. Elder Kelley is my new comp. He's the technology specialist in the mission and he's a district leader. I know where I'm staying, I think the water pressure is really bad lol. It's a house, I think. It's kinda small and compact.

Tortoises are so neat. I was feeding lettuce to the little tortoises at the Anderson's place, and it was fun watching his little mouth try to pull off pieces of lettuce.

The Farmington chapel where the mission office is located.  Arson is suspected.  The mission office was able to salvage most things but had smoke damage.  

 Tuba district had a fun day of goat roping.

 When the Anderson's found out Elder Dittmer was being transferred, they bought a cake.

 I was contacted by Sister Maylene Pearson who lives in Sanders and has been so wonderful to Elder Dittmer (and all the missionaries).  She was driving through and offered to take a box to Elder Dittmer (Gossner's was involved as well as rhubarb cake).