Jed. I Love Him so Much.

August 26, 2013

Dear Family,

It looks like I got this right this week. :)

I just wrote an entire letter and it got deleted. That is frustrating. I will do my best to recreate everything that I just typed up, but I don't want to take forever doing it.

We had a really great week. We had three exchanges and they all went pretty well. I'm always so grateful for the guidance of the Spirit as I'm working with each sister, because they have individual needs that I can only be aware of through the guidance of the Holy Ghost. It's been amazing how almost every transfer, the sisters that I work with for that transfer cycle have very similar goals. The even neater thing is that almost every time their goals have been exactly what I had been working on the previous transfer and they have been things that I really felt that I had improved on. That's amazing! It's helped me know what to do to help the sisters reach their goals, and helped me feel adequate to give them feedback and insights on trying to reach their goals.

I worked with Sister Randall on Tuesday. We had a great day together in my area. We talked to a lot of people, which was great because her goal was to work on connecting with people. Sister Randall is so personable and outgoing with other missionaries, but when she is out teaching she almost freezes up and doesn't know who to be. I talked to her a lot about being herself, and understanding that the Lord called her to serve a mission - that includes her personality. I had a hard time with that at the beginning of my mission too, so I was grateful that I could pass on the advice that I had been given. Sister Randall has really great leadership skills. She's confident in decision making because she relies on the Spirit. Now, she just needs to refine her missionary skills so she can be a well-rounded missionary.

The next exchange I had was with Sister Xayadeth in Camarillo. She has improved a lot since her last exchange. I could feel a difference from just sitting and talking to her while we were planning on Tuesday evening. She is now a very obedient missionary and I could feel that she was ready to learn. I told her that she would be the senior companion for the day because it was her area and I didn't know the people. She didn't look excited about that at all, but then I saw a quick change in her expression and in her attitude. She put the fear behind her and decided that she was just going to do it. I reassured her that I would be right there with her and just like a normal companion. She did so well. She was nervous with almost every person that we talked to, but she kept going and kept growing. It was amazing how much she grew in just one day. She is such an optimistic, happy missionary and I'm grateful that I got to work with her.

We had some amazing experiences this week with Jed. I love him and his girlfriend, Stefanie, so much. Jed has a lot of tattoos and he's a really huge, muscley guy so from the outside you would think that he is a harsh, rough person. However, when you look in his eyes you can see the light of the Savior and you can feel how much he loves his Heavenly Father when you speak with him. I love that so much. Every time we go and see them I leave their home feeling so good and full of the Spirit. On Tuesday night, while I was on an exchange with Sister Randall, Stefanie texted us and said that Jed needed a blessing. We called the Bishop (I felt very strongly that it was supposed to be him giving Jed a blessing) and headed over to their home. When we got there it was obvious that Jed was having a very hard time. He was having an OCD meltdown/anxiety attack. The Bishop sat down and talked with him for a minute but then Bishop Allen decided that Jed should get a blessing first and then we could all talk. The blessing was so powerful. I have never felt the Spirit in that way before. I felt like that blessing was not only for Jed, but for me, too. In the blessing Jed was told how much Heavenly Father loves him and how aware of him He is. It talked about how proud He is of Jed and that He would never leave him. He promised to guide Jed through this journey and that He knows what's best and would make it known to Jed in the right timing. I almost started crying. I just felt so much love from Heavenly Father for me and for Jed and Stefanie. After the blessing, the Bishop sat down right in front of Jed and shared his (Bishop Allen's) conversion story. He talked about emotions and concerns that I know Jed is feeling and how he got through them. Jed shared that he just wants this so badly that his OCD is making him freak out, wanting it right now, this second. We taught him about the Lord's timing and how there is no rush. I know that the Lord is so aware of Jed and his needs. He knows what's best for him and will guide Jed on this journey. Jed and Bishop were just sitting there crying together, and I was so grateful that Bishop had come. I know that Jed needs someone like the Bishop to look up to that he can trust and confide in. Jed is a very special person. I have never met anyone like him, and I know that he is an elect son of God.

I am so grateful that the Lord entrusts such precious people to our care. I know, however, that He doesn't leave us alone to take care of these people, but that we truly do have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost which will always guide us and tell us what we need to do. He will not leave us, not in this work. This is too important. These people are too important to Him.

I love this work.

Sister Bennett