A special message from Elder Bentz

Ed McMullin, new YM President asked Elder Bentz to write a few words to the Priests in his home ward. Here's Mooker's take on serving a mission. Enjoy!

Listen guys, Missions are DA' BOMB! you learn so much out here, no matter where you are. I know that. You have a lot of experiences that help build your testimony. It takes a butt-load of work, but there is no better feeling than going to sleep at night knowing that you have given it your all that day. Some days, you don't feel like that, others you do, but the main thing is that you give your best. The best is different for everybody, and only YOU can decide what YOUR best is, and at the end of the day, the Lord knows your best, and accepts it, but you have to give it first! If Ed and Bro. Painter are there, I hope they know that they are great guys, I don't care what everybody else says, and that all of you young men are LUCKY to have them with you. Examples like them helped me decide to go on a mission, and to try my best. Now, I am not saying I am the best missionary in the world, far from it, but to have this opportunity to serve a mission has brought me the best memories and experiences I have had in my life. It has brought me closer to the Savior, and truly to understand the doctrine, and to feel the joy that comes from helping others learn about it as well, in German nonetheless! We really don't know what we have as members of the church. It is truly the greatest message on the face of the Earth (next to the atonement of course) but really, I love the Gospel, and am thankful for the decision I made to go on a mission. If any of you are having trouble deciding to go, listen...Do this one thing, and you will know what you are supposed to do: PRAY. That is the cure-all to problems in life, when you really pray, knowing, and trusting that God is listening to your concerns, and that he loves you, everything else seems just like a task that can be accomplished, a problem that will take care of itself, and so on. The feelings I have when I pray are the best in the world, and I know of no better place in the world. I remember one time, Ed and I and I think it was Ed's cousin, Mike? anyways, We were hiking the Grand Canyon, South to North, and we started really early in the morning, like 4 AM. We were only about 20 minutes down the trail from South Kaibab, and there was a sharp switchback, and Ed and Mike were ahead of me, I paused to look over the edge, and observe the scenery. They went ahead a little ways, until I was alone, and could hear absolutely nothing. It was so quiet that I could seriously hear the beating of my heart. Out over the ridge, I could see the orange of the pre-sunrise coming up. As I stood there. I felt peace, I didn't have anything to weary my mind, and the sound of nothing was so awesome that I remember it to this day, and will forever I am sure. That feeling of peace and complete content and gratitude are what I feel when I really pray to God, and truly ask for his help, and WANT it too. It has taken a while for me to gain that kind of appreciation of prayer, but I am thankful that I have it, and I know that anyone can have it too, all it takes is Humility, Faith, and of course doing it! I love the church, and all of you. Auf Wiedersehen! Love Elder Bentz aka Mooker