Obedience is Bliss

 

February 11, 2013

 

Dear family,

Onward Christian Soldiers! We are forging onward in our area here in Ventura. We had a successful week topped off with an inspiring baptism. We had our last exchange of the transfer this week and I surprisingly was back in Moorpark for the day on Wednesday. We had some great lessons this week and saw a lot of miracles. It's neat to see that we can find miracles in every single day if we'll just look for them. I love my companion because she helps me recognize the miracles and I can see that we are growing together. We set goals as a companionship and work to reach them, as well as helping support each other with the individual goals that we have. We are preparing! We are preparing for the new sisters who will be coming, the exchanges that we'll have next transfer (if we're both traveling sisters still), and most importantly for the Lord's elect that He wants us to teach. Preparation precedes....well everything. I guess you could say that this is a lesson I definitely learned this week and have been thinking about a lot. 

This week, as I mentioned earlier, our exchange was with the sisters serving in Moorpark! At the beginning of the week, Sister Lillywhite and I weren't sure of who should go to Moorpark for the exchange and who should work in Ventura for it. I didn't want to say much because I wasn't sure if I should go back to Moorpark so soon. When the day for the exchange came, Sister Lillywhite suggested that I go to Moorpark for Sister Kiyotani's sake. We wanted to see how well she knows the area and how she would do with the lessons without Sister Stoker there since Sister Stoker knows the people better. I had very mixed emotions about being in Moorpark, but when it all came down to it I felt grateful for the time I had there and even more grateful to be serving in Ventura now. I think that helped me a lot. It was good to see how well those two sisters are doing there and I know that they are the ones that the people in Moorpark need at this time, so that was a great side revelation for me. Now, the more important part - Sister Kiyotani. She is from Japan! She came out the same day that I did. Actually, I sat in front of her on the plane ride here and she taught a guy about the gospel the whole way! She is so great! I really enjoyed working with her. She is doing really well with her English, but she gets nervous when we are out declaring so it gets a little bit harder to understand what she is saying. She is a really great teacher. She teaches simply and powerfully. I really loved how often she bears her testimony in lessons. It made me think about that for myself and I have a goal to be better about not just testifying at the end but throughout the entire lesson. Sister Kiyotani is so humble and she is always looking to teach, no matter what. In one situation, this lady that we had an appointment with was home, but she said that she just didn't have time right then. She set up another appointment, but Sister Kiyotani didn't just say "bye" and leave. She asked how this lady's scripture reading was going and then taught her about praying as she reads the Book of Mormon. I thought that was so great. That is our job as missionaries...we TEACH! She's definitely doing that. She is a great example to me and to all of the sisters. I actually got to see a lot of people that I LOVE while I was there in Moorpark.

 

 

 

 

 

Nanci Buchalter had a lesson with the sisters the night before I came and they told her that I would be there, so she said "I need service!" Haha. We went over and helped her put away Christmas lights. It was so great hearing about her. She's been going to church every week and is set on getting herself back to the temple. Man. It was just so great to hear about everyone from Sister Kiyotani. I just felt so happy and full of love as she told me about everyone and the progress that they are making. I almost started crying, not because I miss them, even though I do, but because it just made me so happy. Weird. I haven't been emotional AT ALL throughout my mission, but that was a bit emotional. Miracle - Sister Kiyotani and I were walking down a random street in a not so nice part of town, and this car came driving around the corner. You know me, I recognize cars. I thought to myself, "That looks like Nancy's car." It didn't make sense though, because there would be no reason for her to be in that part of town. Well, I saw her son and then recognized her....so I ran into the street waving my arms (sorry mom...I know, safety first. I was excited!). She pulled over and got out. She was freaking out! Haha. I was so happy to see her, and Sister Kiyotani said that was a real miracle because Nancy has been having a hard time with her family. I'm glad I got to see her. The cherry on top of the day in Moorpark was having dinner with the Lutz family, of course. Sister Stoker is so kind. When she found out I would be the one coming to Moorpark for the exchange, she called the Lutzs' and told them that I was coming and they said they wanted to feed me. It was so good to see them! I just love them so much. It was especially good to see Brenna. We've been writing each other since I left. We just became such good friends while I was there because she came out and worked with us and things like that. Brenna, over dinner, told me that she had her interview with the stake president (for her mission papers) and he asked why she decided to go on a mission. Brenna said that it was because of me, that she said she wanted to go on a mission before, but that she didn't really. Then we met during the summer while she was home from school and kind of became friends, but then in November she came back and I was still there! Hahah. She said she learned a lot from me and it really made her want to go on a mission not for herself, but for those who she will serve. Wow. That's just funny, because Brenna helped me so much. I think with her it helped me find the happy middle between being a missionary and still being me, and I am very grateful for that. I told her in one letter that "obedience is bliss," and the whole Lutz family kept saying that to me. haha. It's just funny because brother Lutz used to give me a hard time about always looking at my watch and for being a "stickler." I know he loved it, but he still made fun of me. Brenna did say that she really loved that and is going to make a bookmark out of it for herself....haha. Whatever, obedience really is bliss! It was good to be in Moorpark and it was harder this time to say goodbye to the Lutz family, but I'm glad to be serving in Ventura. I know this is where I should be. 

This week we had more time in our area, so we got to teach a lot more lessons. That was nice for me to get back to the everyday work. We taught Bob, Brother Dumond, Rhoda, Jimmy, Brother Wages, Cheryl, Denis, Jessica, Sister Rous, Sister Ellis, Zarima, the Biglers (less-active), and the Rabagos. 

It was really neat finding Jimmy. He is Hispanic and is 20 years old. We found him when we tried to contact a potential investigator who he lives with, but Jimmy answered the door so we just started teaching him. He seemed really interested, but I was kind of doubtful about how genuine he was. I thought he was just being nice and didn't want to say no to us. WRONG! When we went back to teach him later on in the week, he was home and ready. He talked about how he really wants to have God in his life more and that he's been looking for a church but just hasn't found one. Sister Lillywhite and I taught him the restoration and he really connected with it. As we taught, he would ask a lot of sincere questions that led right into what we were teaching about next. When we shared the experience that Joseph Smith had, with seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, he had a really positive reaction. He said "Wow, he really saw angels?" I was so happy to tell him "Not just angels. He saw our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ." The Spirit was so strong when we told him that and we invited him to be baptized. He accepted a baptismal date as well. His goal is to be baptized on March 23rd. Sadly, he is a young single adult, so we'll have to pass him off to the elders who serve in the YSA ward, but that's ok. He seemed excited about the idea of going to church with people his age and I know that will be really good for him. I'm just grateful that we got to teach him because I felt the Spirit a lot and it gave me extra "umph" to keep going. Those experiences are definitely blessings from the Lord for that reason exactly, to help us keep working and pushing on. 

Bob was baptized on Friday night! It was so great to see President and Sister Castro and Samuel there. I felt the Spirit so strongly. I was really grateful for all of the support from the ward. I was actually a bit surprised, but at the same time I shouldn't have been. Bob is so great. He just talks to everyone, so I know that he's met a lot of people at church. Bob asked me to speak on the Holy Ghost, so I talked about the story of King Lamoni's conversion. His story is one of my favorites in the Book of Mormon, because he felt the Spirit so strongly and then he acted on it. I just talked about how great the power of the Holy Ghost is, so how much greater it must be to have the GIFT of the Holy Ghost. You can basically read my talk in Alma. Read Alma 18:39-42 - that's when Ammon teaches King Lamoni the "discussions" and King Lamoni feels the Spirit and passes out. Alma 19:6 is one of my very favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon....it describes what exactly happened to the king. Then Alma 19:13 - the King wakes up and bears his testimony! It's all because of the Spirit, which Ammon has (Alma 18:34-35). That was my talk in a nutshell. :) There were some really powerful testimonies that were borne and I felt so grateful that I've made covenants with my Heavenly Father. I know that those covenants make us free. I know how much He loves me because He gives me the chance to enter into those covenants with Him. Once again, I'm just grateful to have been along for the ride with Bob. He was so prepared that we barely had to do anything. I'm not sure what I've done to deserve the opportunity to teach so many of the Lord's elect, but I feel very thankful. I told Bob that his baptism was so spiritual and powerful for me that I would be fine if I don't have any more the rest of my mission. I didn't say I don't want one, but I could survive from the strong feelings I had at this baptism. Hopefully we'll have some more baptisms. I really love them. :) 

 

Well, another great week to be a missionary! I doubt that will ever change! It's "always good weather" when you're a missionary. I love you all! I hope Brandice has her baby soon! Good luck to you on that one Nanner....you're definitely in my prayers. 

 Love,

Sister Bennett 

 

P.S. - I went to the chiropractor this week. Sister Ruiz is a chiropractor, a member of the ward, and she said that she would take care of me for free. I actually forgot to tell you that last week I had to go and get x-rays of my back. I just have discomfort in my upper back and can't breathe in really deep without it feeling really tight. Anyway, Sister Ruiz showed me the x-rays, which are SO SWEET! She talked about things that are going on with my back and the worst part of my spine is my neck area. She said she hadn't seen it like that before. The right side of my neck is SUPER tight...the muscles there are like always contracted. Anyway, she has realigned me a few times and I need to keep going so it will get back where it is supposed to be. Missionary medical paid for the x-rays and Sister Ruiz is taking care of me for free. I just thought you would want to know about that. haha. She's taking good care of me. She'll probably send you the x-rays so I have them after the mission. You'll have to check it out. They're saaaaaweet! I might want to be a chiropractor when I get home. I really enjoyed that. Maybe a sports chiropractor....we'll see. Ok love you! 

 

P.P.S. - This scripture describes Mom - Moroni 10:32.

 

 

 

Bob's Baptism