His Neck is the Size of My BODY!

August 12, 2013


Dear Family! AMAZING WEEK!

This transfer is going to be a marathon! We had three exchanges in a row this week and we have three in a row for the next two! It's okay though, because it's been so great already. Exchanges are hard work. It takes a lot of focus to be able to teach to people's needs and teach to the sisters' needs at the exact same time. I feel like on every exchange I'm just racking my mind trying to understand where each sister is at and what I'm there to help her with. The most interesting part is how I go on exchanges multiple times with the same sisters, but each time I feel that I need to focus on something very different than the last time. That makes me appreciate the Spirit so much, because without it I wouldn't be able to help the sisters at all - I would just be guessing and the Lord's work is not a guessing game. I am so grateful for that.

This upcoming week is going to be so exciting! We have three exchanges - 2 in San Luis Obispo and 1 in Santa Maria, and we're having (hopefully) two baptisms! Both Lisa and Daniel haven't had their interviews yet, but I feel really good about them getting baptized. That, I believe, is a confirmation that all is well and they will enter the waters of baptism this weekend! I'm so excited! I love Lisa so much and I used to pray so hard that she would just recognize that she already knew that this is true. Well, she finally realized that this is true and that it's what she needs and what everyone needs. I'm so happy that I get to be here for it. The Lord truly works miracles. Sister Burwell and I are gone from our area a lot, but the Lord has blessed us almost too much. We keep finding amazing new people to teach in just the couple of days we have each week in our area. Isn't that wonderful. He truly works here in His vineyard, even when we are away. He is always and will always labor on  behalf of the souls of those who don't yet know Him.

We had three exchanges this week - Moorpark, Agoura Hills, and Santa Barbara. I was able to work with Sister Stoker on the exchange in Santa Barbara. She's having a hard time. At the beginning of the day, I thought that she was just basing her success on numbers so I talked to her a lot about the talk from conference "Being Accepted of the Lord." I was grateful that we had just had a discussion on the talk during Mission Leadership Council. I invited her to read the talk and she said that she felt that would help her. As the day progressed, I realized that what I originally thought really wasn't the root of the problem. She had gone back to a problem that she had when I was training her. She used to struggle so much with feeling the Spirit. It seemed like she wanted to "burst into flames" (as Brandice said to me once) every time she spoke to someone. When I was her companion, we really worked on that and she seemed to have progressed and gotten past it. Well, she's back to that same problem. She said she understands that she is used to feeling the Spirit so it's not always going to be a huge burning feeling, but she feels that it's a righteous desire to want to feel it more. I think it is, and I know that the Lord grants unto us according to our desires - if they're right. We just talked about sacrificing and showing the Lord that she really wants to have the Spirit with her in greater abundance. I know that she can have her desire, and I've been praying for her a lot. She's doing well, otherwise. She's a great teacher and a hard worker. She's really stressed, so I'm grateful that I was the one that went on exchanges with her because she is more open with me. She feels comfortable with me and like she can trust me. I feel blessed that the Lord allowed me to gain that trust so she could feel she can rely on me. That was a humbling experience.

When Sister Burwell and I went to Moorpark, I worked with Sister Dixon. She is doing a lot better than she was the last time I worked with her. She seems more focused and more obedient. She also seemed a lot more happy. Throughout the day, I would give her feedback and advice on things, but at times it seemed like she felt that she was being attacked or like I was putting her down. A lot of the time she gave excuses of why she did certain things, but she didn't need to. I was just doing what I do with each sister - as I see things they can do to be more effective, I share them, and work on those things with them during the day. I like to do it where we talk about a teaching skill, then I demonstrate it, and then she works on it with each new person we get to talk to. I think Sister Dixon hasn't realized yet, that a mission isn't like high school. We are not out to get each other or tear each other down, but we care about each other and we want to help each other be successful. I explained that to her and told her that everything that I said throughout the day was done out of my love for her and for the Lord's work. I want Him to have the best missionaries possible and I want her to feel successful. She seemed to understand and I hope that has helped her recognize a little bit about how she's in a new, wonderful situation that is nothing like the world. It is above the world.

When I worked with Sister Mason, we were in Ventura for the day. It was a good day. We got to talk to a lot of people and we had a lesson with a less-active member, so I was able to see Sister Mason in a teaching situation. She's doing well. She is very quiet and slow with the way that she does declarations so it's a lot different than me. I'm always chomping at the bit and it's like I'm a dog ready to go get a ball that's being held back. I talked to her about being more assertive, because a few times I had to just let the person slowly, and awkwardly, close the door because Sister Mason was going so slow. We talked about confidence and how she needs to remember that she knows what these people need, even if they don't (Elder Holland). In time she'll improve on that. I'm not worried about her at all. She's a great missionary.

Okay! One really huge miracle from this weekend while Sister Burwell and I were in our area! We met Jed. Background: Stefanie (Jed's less-active girlfriend) referred Jed to us through mormon.org. Sister Burwell and Sister Anderson had stopped by one day to contact them, but when they got there Stefanie just made it very apparent that they needed to CALL FIRST! Well, the first night I was back in 2nd ward, Stefanie called us and told us the situation. Jed has severe OCD, so an unexpected visit makes him very uncomfortable and uptight. She said that they really wanted us to come back and that having us in their home would be an honor...so we set up a time to go teach them on this past Saturday. Miracle: We got to their apartment and met Jed. He is huge! His neck is the size of my BODY! He used to be a tri-athlete and competed in the world championships. Now, since he retired, he goes to the gym everyday and works out. He's a very big guy, but he's the sweetest guy I've ever met. When we sat down and started talking, Jed explained how he and Stefanie have been on a spiritual journey together. Stefanie has shared a lot with him and he's taken it all in and loves it. He is so respectful as he talks about God. He actually always refers to him as Heavenly Father and repeatedly stated how much he feels that Heavenly Father has blessed him and how he just wants more of the Spirit in his life. Jed told us that he reads the Ensign everyday, and I know it's true because of his OCD. It's part of his routine now. He actually quoted things that he has read in the Ensign while we were there. He's also read the entire Doctrine and Covenants and bought a book to help him understand the Book of Mormon better. We encouraged him to read the actual Book of Mormon, so he's starting to now. Our lesson with him was amazing. I've never felt so guided by the Spirit and so aware of the blessings that God has in store for someone that I've taught. As we were teaching him the restoration, I could so easily see Jed and Stefanie standing outside of the temple after being sealed. They love each other so much, and I know it's because they're striving to have the gospel be a part of their lives more. At the end of the lesson, I had an amazing experience as we taught him about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jed talked about how he knew the Lord would help clear his mind as he continues to learn, and after we talked about baptism, we started explaining the gift of the Holy Ghost. I felt the Spirit building in my chest and all of a sudden the words came out; "As a representative of Jesus Christ, I promise you that through receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, your mind will be more clear than you've ever experienced in your life." I don't do that...ever. I never really use the phrase "as a representative of Jesus Christ" and I've never felt so much power in my entire mission. I knew that the promise I just gave to Jed came straight from His Savior to him. He accepted the invitation to be baptized on September 21st. Stefanie and Jed aren't married and they talked about how they're getting married in a year, but as they spoke about it I had the confirmation that something great would happen in a year but it wasn't going to be their marriage. I knew that they would be married within a month and that in a year they would be sealed together for all eternity. I could imagine Sister Burwell and I coming back and being at their sealing. That was such an amazing experience. Heavenly Father loves Jed and Stefanie so much! I could feel it. I also know that He loves me so much because he let me experience those things.

I'm so happy I could die!

Love,
Sister Bennett 

P.S. - The picture is of Sister Mason and I. Love her.