"I Said No Thank You!"

October 22, 2012

Bonjour Famille,

Congrats to Baby Eilish on being blessed! Woot! That's awesome! The pictures were super cute and all of the missionaries here agree, she's adorable. :)

It has been a really good week. My new companion, Sister Putnam is great! She's from Draper, UT. She's a really cute, sweet girl. She is always willing to compromise to how things have been run here in Moorpark for the past 4 1/2 months. We've had a fun week getting to know each other. I haven't laughed so much since I was with Sister Tippetts. She's a really good teacher and what I really like about her is that I feel like she always has my back. As we've been talking, I've gotten the impression that she hasn't always been EXACTLY obedient, but that's ok. She will be now, because I'm not willing to be disobedient in any way. Obedience is way too important in this work. We must be obedient to have the Spirit, and we have to have the Spirit in order to do the work. I think she understands that she's about to become exactly obedient. This morning, in companionship study, I actually asked her if she found it kind of annoying that I'm so obedient. She told me no and that she needed to be more obedient. She said she's always been obedient, just not exactly obedient. I then said "good, because we're going to be exactly obedient. End of discussion." I laughed a little after I said that, but I know she knew I was serious. I'm glad that I can help her recognize the blessings of obedience, because there will be blessings. Then, after we are companions, she can go on and be more obedient. I've heard way too much about how English sisters aren't exactly obedient. That needs to change, so I'm glad I can be an example. Anyway, Sister Putnam is awesome, so I'm excited for this transfer with her.

We were asked to speak in sacrament meeting yesterday. I was kind of nervous about speaking, but a little excited, too. I was excited to help the members feel more excited about missionary work by hearing both of us speak. I spoke about how we become converted to the gospel and what we see, as missionaries, in people as they become converted. I was praying a TON before I stood up to speak, because I was worried I wouldn't speak for long enough, but as I spoke the words flowed easily. I'm grateful that I had the guidance of the Spirit. A lot of people came up to me afterward and told me that they really loved my talk and they said that I'm a really good speaker - that was a new one. Haha. In my talk, I shared examples from people that we've taught, including talking about Tonya and Kayli - who were at church. It was good for me to speak, because I know that I will have to so much more throughout my mission and my life.

It's been a good first week of the transfer. It's nice to have a new transfer to review and refocus on things that are important at this time. It's been a great week here in Moorpark with Sister Putnam. I think we are going to be able to do some great work this transfer. We seem to work really well together so far, so I'm excited! I'm really grateful to be able to continue doing the work here in Moorpark because I still feel like there is more for me to do.

I really enjoyed transfer meeting. Something that stuck out to me was when President Castro talked about making the small choices to be obedient. I have seen the blessings in this work as my companions and I have decided to obey with exactness. It was a good reminder to hear him speak about those small decisions and how we should remember that we can only control the choices that we make. Having that perspective will really help me a lot, because sometimes I feel down when people choose to not listen or to reject the message when I know they've felt the Spirit. They still have their agency and I can only decide to use my agency in the best way possible.

This week we were able to teach the Matweyews, Nancy, Michael, Nanci and Kelsey, Anthony, the Eatons, Jim, Heena, Brother Mason, the Abdelsayeds, and Kayli. We also had lessons in which we dropped Annette and also Sam.

At the first of the week I was looking ahead and it looked like we were going to have to do a lot of tracting because we really didn't have many appointments set up to teach. I didn't want to do tracting all week, so I was praying that we would be able to get in contact with those investigators with whom we hadn't set appointments up yet so that we could have a good balance of teaching appointments and tracting. Well, it all worked out great. We contacted a lot of investigators and they were all willing to set up return appointments, which was such a blessing.

We taught Stephani and Gavin Matweyew on Monday night, as we always do. They usually feed us dinner and then we have a lesson afterward. We asked Sister Matweyew about how the Word of Wisdom was going, and she confessed that she had coffee the day before. I was really sad when she said that, because she had been doing so well. She went a week without drinking coffee. We talked to her about reading D&C 89 to gain a better understanding of the Word of Wisdom and we invited her to pray about it as she tried her hardest to keep that commandment. She said that she wanted to do it, and that she wouldn't mess up again. I know it's hard for people to give up these things, but I know the blessings that come as we obey God's commandments. I just need to remember to be patient with them about keeping the Word of Wisdom. I have never experienced trying to give up an addiction, so I will be doing my best to just support them and offer any help that I can so they can receive those blessings. On Monday, we taught Gavin and Stephani about tithing. It was a good lesson. Sister M said that it was really good and simple and she understood what was expected with tithing. She then asked if it was ok to just pay a small amount one month but then make up for it the next month. We explained to her that it is a principal of obedience and we are promised that we will receive blessings that we will not have room enough to receive (Malachi 3:10). She started to tear up and talked about how they're barely scraping by and that it was going to be really hard. Then brother M spoke up and told her that they should test God and see if He really will do that. He said that they should try paying tithing for a few months after being baptized and watch as God does bless them for their sacrifice. I was really grateful that he was there and that he could bear his testimony about the importance of being obedient. I know that they will be taken care of if they pay their tithing. I just want them to pay it as soon as possible because I know that it will give them comfort and peace concerning their finances. The best part of the week, with the Matweyews, was at church. Sister Putnam and I were sitting on the stand because we were asked to speak in sacrament meeting. As I looked over the congregation, I knew that Sister M was there with Gavin, but then I realized that Brother M wasn't sitting with them. They had come to church by themselves, without Brother M because he was sick. I was so happy! She told me that she really loved my talk and her eyes filled with tears as she talked to me about it. It was a sweet moment.

This week with Nancy was a little difficult. She just doesn't keep her commitments. She enjoys reading the Book of Mormon with others, but she won’t make time to listen to it on her own. She says that she just likes to read with other people. I was doing my best to try to help her understand the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and finally just told her that she can't expect us to do all of the work for her. She can't just wait for us to read with her or to take her to church, but she needed to do those things so that she can have the experiences that are crucial to gaining her own testimony. She has strong faith in Jesus Christ, but she still needs to really come to know for herself what we share it, that this, His one and ONLY true church has been restored to the earth. We read 3 Nephi 11 with her to help her understand and see that when the Savior visited the Americas, he established his church. He did the same in Jerusalem. We explained that chapter to her as we read and invited her to pray specifically to know if the Book of Mormon is true. We asked her if she had tried doing that yet, and she said "to tell you the truth, no." Then Brother Shorten, the member whose home we had the lesson at, spoke up and asked Nancy if she found it kind of scary to ask Heavenly Father that. She told him that it was. Then he shared his testimony and it was really powerful. I was so glad that we had the lesson at his and his wife's home because I wouldn't have thought to ask her that question. I just hope that it sunk in with Nancy and that she did go and pray about the Book of Mormon. She said that she would, so we'll see when we meet with her again.

Michael was a referral from the Spanish elders. It's kind of a cool situation, actually. When we were leaving an appointment at Nancy's apartment one day, I stopped and started talking to this Hispanic man. He told us that he doesn't really speak much English, so we asked if we could send missionaries that speak Spanish to his home. He agreed and gave us his address. Well, when the Elders went to meet him, they talked to Anthony (the 16 year old who is getting baptized) and Michael (Anthony's cousin). They then sent us back that same address and told us to go and meet them. I'm glad that we had been diligent in talking to everyone and had talked to that Hispanic man, because it ended up blessing us with two great people to teach. We taught Michael twice this past week. He has gone through a lot. He has two daughters out of wedlock who have different mothers and the mothers aren't the greatest about letting Michael be around his kids. It's hard to teach Michael because he just wants to tell us about his problems. Well, the second time we taught him, we made sure to go over the expectations of us coming to meet with him. We talked to him about how we are there to teach him about the Savior and help him know for himself if the things we teach are true so that it can bless him and his family's life. We then read through the introduction to the Book of Mormon with him and at the end of the lesson I invited him to be baptized. He first said "I don't know" but then I just asked him again and said "if you come to know these things are true, will you be baptized?" He said yes and we set the goal for him to find out for himself and be baptized on December 1st. That was really cool because I felt the Spirit urging me to invite him to be baptized again, even though I had just asked the same question. I'm excited to continue teaching Michael because I know that it will help straighten out his life and give him the perspective that he needs as a father.

We had a really good lesson with Heena. She hadn't done what she said she would, which was to go a week without saying Hindu prayers, but only praying to Heavenly Father as we have taught her to. She said that it was too scary. We read in the Book of Mormon with her and as we read, a verse about faith really stuck out to me. We talked about faith with Heena, and having faith that she can receive answers to specific questions like if she should be baptized. We invited her to just go one day without Hindu prayers and only pray to Heavenly Father and in those prayers we invited her to pray about baptism. She said that she could do that. I knew in that moment that if she did, she would get the answer to be baptized. We invited her to come to church and it was a blessing that we were speaking because she said that she wouldn't miss us speaking for the world. Well, when Sunday came around, sure enough, Heena was sitting on the back pew of the chapel and she brought her father, who is visiting from India, with her. She had a huge smile on her face and as I spoke I looked at her a few times and she had that same big grin on. She stayed for our Gospel Principals class, as well, which Brother Lutz taught. We had to leave in the middle of it to go to the other ward, but Sister Lutz told us that Heena had been asking really great questions and afterward she told Sister Lutz that she really enjoyed church. I can't wait to meet with Heena this Thursday and see what she has to say about everything! I love her!

Anthony is still doing really well. He has been praying every morning and every night on his knees and he said that he had been reading in the Book of Mormon. Before we could really ask him about how he felt as he did those things, he said "I feel really good when I pray every day. Plus, I really like reading the Book of Mormon, too, so it's not that hard to do it when you ask me to." I just had to laugh, because he's way too great! We taught him about the 10 Commandments and about keeping the Sabbath day holy. He agreed to obey those commandments. He came to church on Sunday in his nice purple shirt and black tie, and he said that he wanted to try going to the normal youth Sunday school class. I guess he wanted to meet some of the other youth, or go with friends that he knew from school. I kind of wished that he had gone to gospel principals because we talked about the Priesthood, but I'm sure it was still good for him. It is good that he's making friends so then, hopefully, he'll start spending his time outside of school with those kids. Anthony is a really good kid and he is always expressing how much joy he feels from learning.

It was a really great week full of great teaching experiences. I'm excited to continue seeing these people progress and come closer to our Savior. I have already seen the happiness that it has brought them and I know that that joy is only going to continue to increase as they work toward and are baptiz

I hope you all have a great week! I love you!

Love,

Sister Bennett

 

Moroni 7:41 - This is what we should all be striving for. The Kingdom of God.

P.S. - Funny Story

Yesterday we were tracting and we walked up to this open garage to talk to a man who was working inside. When we walked up, I introduced us as missionaries and he said "no thank you." Well - he doesn't even know what he is saying no to, so we proceeded to start declaring to him and he said "I said no thanks." Then sister Putnam started in and he SCREAMED "I SAID NO THANK YOU!!!"