September 23, 2013
Hey Fammmmilllllze,
We had another very busy week this week. I felt like I was "on the go" even more so than usual. That's saying a lot because missionaries are always "on the go." I'm grateful to be so busy and even more thankful for what I'm busy doing. It's really fulfilling to go and help the other sister missionaries in the mission. I think so often about the counsel that President gave Sister Burwell and me a while ago. He told us that now we need to focus on helping the other sisters have the experiences that we've had throughout our mission. He also promised that we would continue to have wonderful experiences, which we have (Jed and Phillip). It feels good to focus all of my attention on the sisters and helping them baptize. I never imagined my mission being like this. I would never have guessed that I would think about the other missionaries as much, or more, than the people I teach. I didn't ever imagine that I would love all of the other sisters as much as I do now. This transfer, Sister Burwell and I set a goal to be more spiritually prepared for the exchanges and interactions that we'll have with the sisters. We've decided to fast each Sunday to prepare and to really focus our thoughts and studies on the sisters. We usually do fast at the very beginning of the transfer just once, but we felt the need to really sacrifice for the sisters this transfer. I've already seen blessings from this decision. This past week, I was able to have some really wonderful experiences on exchanges. I felt so much love for each sister that I was with, and I felt that I really, clearly knew how to help them feel loved and how to help them improve. I feel really close to the Lord when I'm on exchanges, and I know that it's because those times are when I'm focused outward more than ever. I don't have any time to think about myself on exchanges. I'm too busy thinking about the sister I'm with, and then any other time that's left I spend thinking about the person we're talking to or just talked to. I feel an added measure of help through the atonement, this transfer, to continue on. I'm so grateful for that enabling power, because without it there is no way that I could ever do what I've been doing for this long. I'm grateful that I have never been left to do this work alone, and that I have the assurance that I never will be left in the future. Now, I'm just trying to help the sisters understand that.
Guess what!?!?!? We got to go to the temple for Mission Leadership Council. We have MLC once a month on the first Tuesday of the month. For some reason we didn't have it at the very beginning of September, so we had it this past Tuesday. It was so inspired that we had Mission Leadership Council at the very beginning of the transfer rather than at the usual time that we would've had it, and that it worked out in a way that we were able to have that experience of going to the temple. It's totally helped me feel more prepared for all of the work ahead this transfer. I know that the Lord has, again, raised my vision for myself but even more so for the sisters. I love the temple so much. It was such a special experience to be there with President and Sister Castro, as well as the other missionaries. Going to the temple caused
me to ponder a lot on sacrifice, and the covenants we make having to do with sacrifice. I've really learned on my mission what it means to sacrifice, but I've also learned how. I'm so grateful for that, because when my mission is over that's not the end of that covenant that I've made. I'm going to be sacrificing throughout my life as a member of Christ's church, but my perspective of sacrifice is so different now that I'm grateful for the many opportunities that I'll be given to do so.
Ok, something cool that we've done this transfer - President asked us if we felt it would be a good idea to take a few sisters to do exchanges with us. Basically, we're trying to prepare the sisters that will become sister training leaders after us. I thought it was a great idea, especially because it'll help me figure out who my companion will be. Haha. Honestly, it hasn't helped me at all in that way, but we took Sister Randall, Sister Hiatt, and Sister Hegstrom with us this past week. I feel peace about eventually leaving one of them with this assignment after I'm gone. The sisters will be in such great hands. Really, they'll be in better hands. These sisters are so much better than I am.
I took Sister Hiatt with me for an exchange in Dos Vientos. That was a neat experience. It was nice to get to talk with her and learn from her. She is a wonderful missionary and it felt so natural to have her there with me to do an exchange. She's very focused and dedicated to this work and I want all of the sisters to have the opportunity to learn from her. I forget so often that she has only been on her mission for three transfers. She just has something about her that is so special. I always feel the Spirit so strongly when I'm with her. She did really well with the exchange, and I know that she gave Sister Klemm the help that she needs. Now, Sister Klemm just has to act on the things that she learned from Sister Hiatt.
While Sister Hiatt was with Sister Klemm, I was with Sister Unga. I love her. She is one of the kindest people I've met. She has such an even temperament about her and is always willing to compromise. I talked to her a lot about not compromising on obedience. It made me feel bad because I know how badly she wants to be obedient. She told me many times that she knows that is all she can do, be obedient. However, with Sister Klemm she struggles because Sister Unga doesn't want to cause any tension in their companionship. I helped her understand that if she loves Sister Klemm and, more importantly, the Lord she will do whatever it takes to be obedient. Sometimes we need to sacrifice being liked to do what's right. I know that Sister Unga is so capable of helping Sister Klemm. Sister Unga is also really impatient with herself, and that just broke my heart because she is so great. She is doing a wonderful job, and she is a great missionary. I'm grateful that we can go on exchanges with sisters that feel that way so we can reassure them and help them see how well they really are doing. Sister Unga is great. I love her.
I also went on an exchange with Sister Randall. I went with her last transfer as well, but this exchange was so much better. We were in her part of 2nd ward, so I think she felt a lot more comfortable with taking the lead. She is doing better than before, but she still seems so unsure when she is teaching. She's so obedient, diligent, charitable, and humble. She also has great leadership skills, but she still needs a push in the teaching department. I talked to her a lot about really studying the restoration. She seems very uncomfortable when we talk to people on the street, and I know it's because she hasn't totally made the restoration a part of who she is. I know that I can go up and talk to anyone, because I feel like teaching the restoration is now a part of my DNA. Sister Randall now has to pay the price to be/feel the same way. She needs to get that down before she can really grow in teaching. I am just so grateful for a missionary with her attitude. She loves this work so much and is so open about it. I can't tell you how many times throughout the day that she told me she loves this work. I told her to be even more open about that in group settings, because people need to hear and see that. She's great.
My last exchange for the week was on Saturday. I took Sister Hegstrom with me to Westlake to work with Sister Thurgood and Sister Miller. I can't say how grateful I was to have that time with Sister Hegstrom. She is such an important part of my life now, and I was so happy to talk to her and train her a little on how to do exchanges. I always used to think about how cool it would be to train her as a Sister Training Leader. I guess I kind of had that opportunity this past weekend. We talked a lot about how she's doing and why she's doing so well. I'm always so amazed by her focus on the Lord. She knows why she's here and what she needs to do to reach her goal of helping others. She understands who's work this is and who is truly having the successes. She understands that she is simply an instrument and she knows that it's a privilege. She absolutely belongs in a leadership position. The other sisters need the opportunity to work with her so they can learn from her. There's a reason that she's so great. She has prepared so well to be a missionary, and I know that preparation didn't start when she had her mission call. That preparation has been taking place throughout her life, and she's made choices in a way that she could come here to impact not just those she will teach, but thousands of others through having the assignment of being a Sister Training Leader. She still has a lot to learn, but she will learn it and quickly. She has changed a lot just since I trained her, and it's because she's allowing the Lord to change her. I just love her so much. I can't express how grateful I am to the Lord that He allowed me to be her trainer and to become a close friend. Honestly, we're closer than just friends....we are sisters. It's so great because she pushes me to be better. I know she looks up to me a lot, for what reason I'm still curious, but I'm grateful. I want to be better for her and for any other sister that may look to me as an example. Sister Hegstrom is doing so well.
Now, about my exchange with Sister Miller. I won’t lie. I was a little worried about working with Sister Miller. Sister Burwell and I had discussed her needs a lot to prepare me for my exchange with her. I know that when Sister Burwell worked with her last transfer, Sister Miller was struggling with being teachable. She's grown a lot since then. We had a really good exchange together. We talked about goal setting and how much goals can help us on a day to day basis to reach bigger goals that we've set for ourselves. I know that will help her a lot. She has a lot that she wants to accomplish, but she wasn't sure exactly how to do it. Now she does. She will be a great teacher, but first she really needs to study and learn the restoration. She knows how to recite it beautifully, but that doesn't do anything for people. I talked to her about being herself, but she can't be herself until she feels like teaching the restoration is natural to her. We had some cool miracles as well, and I think that really helped her feel excited about the work. I'm glad I got to work with her this transfer.
Ok, enough about everything else, time to talk about Jed. He is so great. I love him so much. It's crazy how much I love these people! Jed came to church on his own yesterday! That is HUGE. He doesn't do very many things without Stefanie, but Stefanie was sick yesterday. The most amazing part was that Jed stayed for all three hours. I was so glad that he made the decision to come because he needed to hear the talks in sacrament meeting. Sister Wood spoke on the atonement of Jesus Christ and it was amazing. I personally learned so much from her talk and I felt he Spirit so strongly. She is just an amazing person and someone that I know we can count on...not just for missionary work, but for anything. Anyway, Jed was really touched by her talk. I know that he really needed to hear about the healing power of the atonement and how we can change through Jesus Christ. He actually started crying during the closing hymn, How Great Thou Art. I didn't think I would ever witness that, but I know the Spirit was teaching him exactly what he needed to learn at that moment. I love him. I love Stefanie. We had a lesson with them last night, and at the end of the lesson they told us that they've bought rings for their wedding. We also decided on a time for Jed's baptism and for their wedding the day before! This is really happening. I never doubted, but it's coming so fast and I can't wait for the day that I see Jed standing in that baptismal font. The only day that can be better than that is when I'm sitting in a sealing room in the temple, a year from now, as Jed and Stefanie are sealed together for all eternity. I LOVE THIS WORK! Have I ever said that before?
We're working hard here, and we're going to keep doing it. :)
I love EVERYONE!
We had another very busy week this week. I felt like I was "on the go" even more so than usual. That's saying a lot because missionaries are always "on the go." I'm grateful to be so busy and even more thankful for what I'm busy doing. It's really fulfilling to go and help the other sister missionaries in the mission. I think so often about the counsel that President gave Sister Burwell and me a while ago. He told us that now we need to focus on helping the other sisters have the experiences that we've had throughout our mission. He also promised that we would continue to have wonderful experiences, which we have (Jed and Phillip). It feels good to focus all of my attention on the sisters and helping them baptize. I never imagined my mission being like this. I would never have guessed that I would think about the other missionaries as much, or more, than the people I teach. I didn't ever imagine that I would love all of the other sisters as much as I do now. This transfer, Sister Burwell and I set a goal to be more spiritually prepared for the exchanges and interactions that we'll have with the sisters. We've decided to fast each Sunday to prepare and to really focus our thoughts and studies on the sisters. We usually do fast at the very beginning of the transfer just once, but we felt the need to really sacrifice for the sisters this transfer. I've already seen blessings from this decision. This past week, I was able to have some really wonderful experiences on exchanges. I felt so much love for each sister that I was with, and I felt that I really, clearly knew how to help them feel loved and how to help them improve. I feel really close to the Lord when I'm on exchanges, and I know that it's because those times are when I'm focused outward more than ever. I don't have any time to think about myself on exchanges. I'm too busy thinking about the sister I'm with, and then any other time that's left I spend thinking about the person we're talking to or just talked to. I feel an added measure of help through the atonement, this transfer, to continue on. I'm so grateful for that enabling power, because without it there is no way that I could ever do what I've been doing for this long. I'm grateful that I have never been left to do this work alone, and that I have the assurance that I never will be left in the future. Now, I'm just trying to help the sisters understand that.
Guess what!?!?!? We got to go to the temple for Mission Leadership Council. We have MLC once a month on the first Tuesday of the month. For some reason we didn't have it at the very beginning of September, so we had it this past Tuesday. It was so inspired that we had Mission Leadership Council at the very beginning of the transfer rather than at the usual time that we would've had it, and that it worked out in a way that we were able to have that experience of going to the temple. It's totally helped me feel more prepared for all of the work ahead this transfer. I know that the Lord has, again, raised my vision for myself but even more so for the sisters. I love the temple so much. It was such a special experience to be there with President and Sister Castro, as well as the other missionaries. Going to the temple caused
me to ponder a lot on sacrifice, and the covenants we make having to do with sacrifice. I've really learned on my mission what it means to sacrifice, but I've also learned how. I'm so grateful for that, because when my mission is over that's not the end of that covenant that I've made. I'm going to be sacrificing throughout my life as a member of Christ's church, but my perspective of sacrifice is so different now that I'm grateful for the many opportunities that I'll be given to do so.
Ok, something cool that we've done this transfer - President asked us if we felt it would be a good idea to take a few sisters to do exchanges with us. Basically, we're trying to prepare the sisters that will become sister training leaders after us. I thought it was a great idea, especially because it'll help me figure out who my companion will be. Haha. Honestly, it hasn't helped me at all in that way, but we took Sister Randall, Sister Hiatt, and Sister Hegstrom with us this past week. I feel peace about eventually leaving one of them with this assignment after I'm gone. The sisters will be in such great hands. Really, they'll be in better hands. These sisters are so much better than I am.
I took Sister Hiatt with me for an exchange in Dos Vientos. That was a neat experience. It was nice to get to talk with her and learn from her. She is a wonderful missionary and it felt so natural to have her there with me to do an exchange. She's very focused and dedicated to this work and I want all of the sisters to have the opportunity to learn from her. I forget so often that she has only been on her mission for three transfers. She just has something about her that is so special. I always feel the Spirit so strongly when I'm with her. She did really well with the exchange, and I know that she gave Sister Klemm the help that she needs. Now, Sister Klemm just has to act on the things that she learned from Sister Hiatt.
While Sister Hiatt was with Sister Klemm, I was with Sister Unga. I love her. She is one of the kindest people I've met. She has such an even temperament about her and is always willing to compromise. I talked to her a lot about not compromising on obedience. It made me feel bad because I know how badly she wants to be obedient. She told me many times that she knows that is all she can do, be obedient. However, with Sister Klemm she struggles because Sister Unga doesn't want to cause any tension in their companionship. I helped her understand that if she loves Sister Klemm and, more importantly, the Lord she will do whatever it takes to be obedient. Sometimes we need to sacrifice being liked to do what's right. I know that Sister Unga is so capable of helping Sister Klemm. Sister Unga is also really impatient with herself, and that just broke my heart because she is so great. She is doing a wonderful job, and she is a great missionary. I'm grateful that we can go on exchanges with sisters that feel that way so we can reassure them and help them see how well they really are doing. Sister Unga is great. I love her.
I also went on an exchange with Sister Randall. I went with her last transfer as well, but this exchange was so much better. We were in her part of 2nd ward, so I think she felt a lot more comfortable with taking the lead. She is doing better than before, but she still seems so unsure when she is teaching. She's so obedient, diligent, charitable, and humble. She also has great leadership skills, but she still needs a push in the teaching department. I talked to her a lot about really studying the restoration. She seems very uncomfortable when we talk to people on the street, and I know it's because she hasn't totally made the restoration a part of who she is. I know that I can go up and talk to anyone, because I feel like teaching the restoration is now a part of my DNA. Sister Randall now has to pay the price to be/feel the same way. She needs to get that down before she can really grow in teaching. I am just so grateful for a missionary with her attitude. She loves this work so much and is so open about it. I can't tell you how many times throughout the day that she told me she loves this work. I told her to be even more open about that in group settings, because people need to hear and see that. She's great.
My last exchange for the week was on Saturday. I took Sister Hegstrom with me to Westlake to work with Sister Thurgood and Sister Miller. I can't say how grateful I was to have that time with Sister Hegstrom. She is such an important part of my life now, and I was so happy to talk to her and train her a little on how to do exchanges. I always used to think about how cool it would be to train her as a Sister Training Leader. I guess I kind of had that opportunity this past weekend. We talked a lot about how she's doing and why she's doing so well. I'm always so amazed by her focus on the Lord. She knows why she's here and what she needs to do to reach her goal of helping others. She understands who's work this is and who is truly having the successes. She understands that she is simply an instrument and she knows that it's a privilege. She absolutely belongs in a leadership position. The other sisters need the opportunity to work with her so they can learn from her. There's a reason that she's so great. She has prepared so well to be a missionary, and I know that preparation didn't start when she had her mission call. That preparation has been taking place throughout her life, and she's made choices in a way that she could come here to impact not just those she will teach, but thousands of others through having the assignment of being a Sister Training Leader. She still has a lot to learn, but she will learn it and quickly. She has changed a lot just since I trained her, and it's because she's allowing the Lord to change her. I just love her so much. I can't express how grateful I am to the Lord that He allowed me to be her trainer and to become a close friend. Honestly, we're closer than just friends....we are sisters. It's so great because she pushes me to be better. I know she looks up to me a lot, for what reason I'm still curious, but I'm grateful. I want to be better for her and for any other sister that may look to me as an example. Sister Hegstrom is doing so well.
Now, about my exchange with Sister Miller. I won’t lie. I was a little worried about working with Sister Miller. Sister Burwell and I had discussed her needs a lot to prepare me for my exchange with her. I know that when Sister Burwell worked with her last transfer, Sister Miller was struggling with being teachable. She's grown a lot since then. We had a really good exchange together. We talked about goal setting and how much goals can help us on a day to day basis to reach bigger goals that we've set for ourselves. I know that will help her a lot. She has a lot that she wants to accomplish, but she wasn't sure exactly how to do it. Now she does. She will be a great teacher, but first she really needs to study and learn the restoration. She knows how to recite it beautifully, but that doesn't do anything for people. I talked to her about being herself, but she can't be herself until she feels like teaching the restoration is natural to her. We had some cool miracles as well, and I think that really helped her feel excited about the work. I'm glad I got to work with her this transfer.
Ok, enough about everything else, time to talk about Jed. He is so great. I love him so much. It's crazy how much I love these people! Jed came to church on his own yesterday! That is HUGE. He doesn't do very many things without Stefanie, but Stefanie was sick yesterday. The most amazing part was that Jed stayed for all three hours. I was so glad that he made the decision to come because he needed to hear the talks in sacrament meeting. Sister Wood spoke on the atonement of Jesus Christ and it was amazing. I personally learned so much from her talk and I felt he Spirit so strongly. She is just an amazing person and someone that I know we can count on...not just for missionary work, but for anything. Anyway, Jed was really touched by her talk. I know that he really needed to hear about the healing power of the atonement and how we can change through Jesus Christ. He actually started crying during the closing hymn, How Great Thou Art. I didn't think I would ever witness that, but I know the Spirit was teaching him exactly what he needed to learn at that moment. I love him. I love Stefanie. We had a lesson with them last night, and at the end of the lesson they told us that they've bought rings for their wedding. We also decided on a time for Jed's baptism and for their wedding the day before! This is really happening. I never doubted, but it's coming so fast and I can't wait for the day that I see Jed standing in that baptismal font. The only day that can be better than that is when I'm sitting in a sealing room in the temple, a year from now, as Jed and Stefanie are sealed together for all eternity. I LOVE THIS WORK! Have I ever said that before?
We're working hard here, and we're going to keep doing it. :)
I love EVERYONE!
Love,
Sister Bennett
Sister Bennett
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