When life gets turned upside down...

When life gets turned upside down...what do I do? I run with it! :)
Needless to say my life has changed quite a bit in the last few months. I started this school year just like last year. Taking classes, working, trying to be social and all that. It seemed to be going pretty well. Then conference rolled around and I was just wanting to have a good experience, feel the spirit, maybe get some things that I need to do better. But then within the first 15 minutes my life was completely turned upside down. As soon as President Monson announced the age change for missionaries, I got a huge confirmation that I was supposed to go on a mission, and that I was supposed to go NOW! It was completely not what I expected (not that I was expecting anything huge or major to happen). I basically immediately started crying, as did both my parents :)
So after that session was over I talked to my Dad who also happens to be my Bishop in my home ward. We got me started on my mission papers, and I had my interview with my Dad in between sessions on Sunday.
Sunday night we had a testimony meeting with my Mom's side of the family as we do every conference, and 5 of my cousins both announced that they would be going on missions as well. It was really an amazing experience to hear all their testimonies, and that we all can share this experience together.
So that week I got into the Doctor and the Dentist which is crazy because usually you can't get into my Dentist within a day, normally it takes about 2 weeks. I found out that I needed to get my Wisdom Teeth out, which was a bump in the road, but it was okay. I got them out and it really wasn't that terrible.
I got my papers submitted and I got my call within 10 days, on Halloween.

When I opened it I saw where I was going and I immediately started crying.

As did both my parents. 
I Sister Benjamin, have been called to serve in the Australia, Sydney mission. I report to the Provo MTC on March 13, 2013.
I skyped in with grandparents and cousins who weren't able to be there. As with everyone else being at my house. It was a really cool experience to be able to share with them.
Then about an hour later we skyped in with my cousin Annie Tanner and she was called to the Perth, Australia mission. That of course is about the distance from L.A. to Boston, but we both go to the MTC on the same day. So that will be fun :)
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord for 18 months of my life. Australia will be amazing, and I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to bring people to the gospel.

Then another wonderful blessing, I am going to go through the temple on Saturday with my Cousin Annie and our families. I am so glad! The temple is the most amazing place and this is what I have been preparing my life for.

I know that just as President Monson said, God really is in all the details. I have been prepared to serve my mission. I can't even count the many ways I have been prepared for this and I am so grateful. I am so thankful for wonderful parents who immediately jumped on the ball for my mission as soon as I did. I am also very grateful for my Sister Ashley, who helped show me that God really does care about us and wants the best for us, and that he really does have a plan for each of us. I love this gospel and I am so grateful to share the Gospel with the People of Australia. :)

Life Right now.

Well life right now is pretty crazy but I am definitely enjoying myself. I am living with my Aunt and Uncle in American Fork this summer helping with their kids and such, and I am working part time at the MTC. It gets super busy sometimes and a little overwhelming but I really think it is the best thing for me right now.
Living here as been really good. I am getting A TON of experience with kids, like more then I ever have before and I love it. My aunt and uncle have seven kids, 6 boys and a girl ages ranging from the oldest at almost 11, and the youngest are twin infants. I mostly only spend time with the 4 youngest, because they oldest three are in school.
My Aunt is really wonderful to talk to and we talk a lot and she is just loading me up with all this info about being a mom and I really appreciate it. She is so fun to be around and I am glad we are spending the time together.
My Uncle is really fun, and we definitely have the same sense of humor. We can just get going back and forth and crack each other up. It is very similar to the way my Dad and I talk to one another. Overall it really has been a great time. I love playing with the kids and getting to know them better, and I love all the things that we do. It certainly isn't easy but I am glad that I am doing it.

Here are some pictures to document our time so far.

We went to the farm country at Thanksgiving point and saw the cutest baby goats! 

This is David who is the 4, feeding the goats. Or at least trying to. He got a little scared...

I saw this Llama and I had to take a picture. He was definitely the Rockstar of the group.

Here is the peacock showing off his feathers for the girls...quite impressive if I do say so myself.

David Feeding the sheep...

David with the peacock. He thought it was pretty cool :)

I'm pretty sure this was David's favorite part though. He got to ride Elvis, and he didn't want to get off when the ride was over. 

Now this is Scotty who is 2 3/4 and he was quite afraid of the horse but I think he did end up enjoying it after clinging to JoAnn's neck for the first little bit.. :)

Now these are the baby twins. Aren't they adorable?! I just love them! Timmy is on the left and Lizzy is on the right. They are about 3 months old and The sweetest things. 

David and I enjoying the park. He is so cute in his sunglasses. I love this picture! 

This one too.  :) 

And of course Scotty had to try the sunglasses too!

Happy Mother's Day

I just wanted to give a shout out to my absolutely wonderful mother! And isn't she just beautiful?

So for Mother's Day I wanted to write something in celebration and appreciation of my Mom. She has done so much for me and she continues to and I just can't seem to thank her enough. So here are just a few of the things I love about her...

She is very loving and considerate of others.

She loves to do things for other people as well.

She has a wonderful personality.

She loves to make sure that everyone is happy.

You can talk to her about basically anything and she will listen.

She has so much knowledge and I have learned so much from her. 

She loves my Dad so much and I think it is a great example of a relationship I want someday.

She loves the gospel so much.

She comes from a wonderful family and it shows how much she loves and cares for them.

She treats everyone with kindness and respect.

When I am at school I know I can just pick up the phone and call her whenever I want/need to.

She has a great sense of humor.

She loves to spend time with me. 

She just makes you feel like a better person when you are in her presence.

She is great at planning trips. I swear she is the best tour guide I probably will ever have. 

She never EVER says she wants anything for birthdays or Christmas because she would rather do something for us. 

She has great relationships with all of her children and family, and not because it just came that way. 

She knows when I need help even if I don't ask for it. 

 Her kids make her things for mothers day and she will wear it. 

I can ask her anything and she usually will know the answer. 

Of course these are only a few of the wonderful traits and qualities that my mom has. She is amazing. I love you mom! I am so grateful to have you as my mom :)

Facts of Today

Fact #1: I am done with my freshman year at BYU, and let me tell you IT FEELS GREAT! I had a lot of fun this year a long with a lot of trials. I have grown so much and hopefully will be a much better friend, roommate, and student in the following years to come. I just can't even believe its over.

Fact #2: I am going to NYC in August, and I couldn't be more excited. I absolutely love New York. I can tell you right now it is my absolute favorite place in the world. I love the people, the experience, the FOOD, and all the great sites to see. Heres a really good video too:

Fact #3: I am going to be nannying for my Aunt and Uncle this summer. They have 5 kids all under the age of 11 and then they just had twins as well. So wish me luck. I really am excited about it though. They really are great kids and I can't wait to spend more time with them.

Fact #4: I am super excited for football in the fall. Watch this video and then maybe you might be able to understand why I feel this way. :)

Fact #5: I really had the best friends and roommates at BYU. Now we did surely have our ups and downs but I really am glad I got to spend time with all of them and get to know them so much better.

Grateful...Thats All I Can Say.

“Truly, my dear young friends, you are a chosen generation. I hope you will never forget it. I hope you will never take it for granted. I hope there will grow in your hearts an overpowering sense of gratitude to God, who has made it possible for you to come upon the earth in this marvelous season of the world's history.” -President Gordon B. Hinckley

I am so grateful for this opportunity to be part of the Chosen Generation. It really is a huge blessing to know that we are chosen to be here at this time and age in life. I was put here because of my courage, faithfulness, bravery, willingness to support the Lord, and a lot of other things. I was chosen because of how ready and worthy I was to come to this earth to be tested and spread the Gospel to everyone. 

There is a lot of talk in the world today about the "Mormon" religion. There is a lot of horrible things said and it breaks my heart to see and hear things like that. It truly just makes me sad to see people of the world who have no sense of what they are doing in this life. I am so grateful to know about my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I am so glad that I know that there is something worth fighting for in this life. When you have the gospel you can see the bigger picture. 

I am not a perfect person in any way, shape or form. I know that I make a lot of mistakes and I still have to learn the hard way A LOT. But I do know this, that when you are part of the LDS faith, you are in  it 100%. It isn't something that you can just have a half-hearted effort in. You have to be committed to make it work.

I am changing and trying and making my life better. If I want the blessings I have to work for it and I am prepared to do so. I am so grateful for this Gospel. It truly brings so much joy and happiness and it makes this life worth living. I am glad that I am part of the Chosen Generation who was picked to come here for this time. I know that we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, who leads and guides this church today. I know that the Book of Mormon is the most important book and I know that it is true. I love this gospel and I am so glad that I get to be a part of it. 

Snow!

Can I just say thank you to Loralei Gilmore for making me love snow! 

Yesterday I was walking home from school and it was snowing pretty hard and I didn't have my umbrella and I got soaked. Usually getting soaked isn't my favorite thing but I loved seeing the snow. Snow to me just makes everything magical. I love how it coats the trees and the fields and just puts us in a blanket of snow. It seems to make everything better. I love it. 

It made me think a lot about my life to and making sure that i was appreciating the important things in life and not just going through the motions. 

Even though school is hard, I am getting an education from one of the top schools. I get to take classes where we say a prayer at the beginning of every one. I love that I don't have to fight to believe in the church when everyone around me believes it to. 

I love being here and I love when it snows and when everything is just a little better because of the blanket of snow.

Da Fam!

Let's just say I'm thankful for my family! I spent an hour talking to my brother today. I haven't seen or talked to him since conference. Crazy right?! Well I called my house trying to talk to my mom and my brother answered and we just started talking. It was so fun. He is CRAZY but then again so am I. I laughed pretty hard but I also got to hear about his life and i'm really proud of him, and all that he is doing.

I think i have been getting homesick lately because I don't get to go home very often and it just seems weird to me. I miss my siblings and all the laughs we have when we are together. I never really thought that I would get to this point...when I was living at home my siblings were just crazy and I didn't want to spend a ton of time with them, but now I miss them all the time.

I am so so EXCITED for thanksgiving. Because I get to go home! Yay! And it also means that the semester will be ending in 3 weeks after that. :) Weird but Great!