September 2, 2013
Dear Family,
Alma 22:7-8 - "Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And the king said . . . if now thou sayest there is a God, behold I will believe. And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice." Aaron realized that his newest investigator, King Lamoni's father, was elect, prepared to receive the truth at that time, and his heart rejoiced. I read that this morning during my personal study, and I know exactly how Aaron felt in that moment. I have felt that multiple times on my mission, but I've been feeling it more than I've ever felt as I have been blessed to teach Jed and Stefanie. Every time we go over and have a lesson with them my heart "rejoices" because Jed has shared so much with us. I can clearly see how the Lord has prepared him and Stefanie to receive the gospel at this time. Jed came to church yesterday and had an amazing experience. Sister Burwell and I had been praying so much to have a great fast and testimony meeting and our prayers were answered. I was so grateful for the Spirit that I felt, and even more grateful because I knew that Jed and Stefanie were feeling that same Spirit. I am thankful that the whole meeting was so focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ because they needed to hear other people's experiences with using the atonement to change themselves. After sacrament meeting ended, they were going to leave but Jed asked if we could show them around the building so he could feel more prepared for when he comes for all three hours. There were so many people who came up to meet them and the members were so loving and welcoming. That was another blessing. When we were talking to them before they left, Stefanie said, "Well, big things have to happen if we want the big things to happen." She said that they are willing to take the big steps and they know they have to if Jed's going to get baptized in October. Sister Burwell and I almost screamed because we were both fasting for them to get married so Jed doesn't have to wait to be baptized! Stefanie and Jed know what they want, and they're putting their faith in the Lord rather than in themselves. In our lesson with them this past week, Stefanie had gotten her paycheck and had made the decision to pay her tithing. That was huge! When she said the opening prayer for the lesson, she prayed that the Bishop would be able to come (because we invited him to) so she could get that money away from her and in his hands. That made me smile. Well, a few minutes later the Bishop walked in and she immediately went to get her tithing to give to him. What a huge step of faith she took. I know that was just the beginning. I know that because she acted on her faith, that her faith will increase so much and she'll be able to do the things that she really wants to do for herself and for Jed. Amazing. We are teaching two of the most amazing people I've met on my mission and we're just praying so hard that we'll be together to see Jed get baptized and to see Stefanie take the sacrament again. Miracles can and will happen.
Maliah was baptized on Saturday! It was a really great baptismal service. She was so happy, and it was really cute because she wanted to say the closing prayer for her own baptism. However, when it came time for her to do it, she was so nervous that she just whispered it. She really loves Sister Burwell and me, and it's so sweet of her. Her older sister, Monica, also seems to have attached herself to us, but I'm grateful for that because she needs people to look up to. I'm happy to fill that role for her. They both need to be really strong for their parents. Brother J is less-active and their mom isn't a member. She's actually pretty against the church but says that her children can make their own decision about it. I think she's been disappointed that they've both decided to be baptized. Monica and Maliah also need to be really good examples for their younger brother. I just hope that Brother J will ponder on the feelings he had this weekend and act on them. He knows the church is true and he knows that he needs to get his act together, but he just doesn't do it. Fear is stopping him from preparing for the time when his wife will be ready. He needs to think about that and have that be the driving force for him to come back into full activity in the church. I love the J family. They are really great people and they've been so welcoming and kind to Sister Burwell and me. We've been very blessed in this area together.
Now for a report on our exchanges this week.
On Tuesday we had an exchange with the sisters in 3rd ward. Their area has been struggling, so we decided to fast together to find new investigators that day. I know that was a key to us having such a great day. I was with Sister Hiatt, and we really enjoyed working together. I felt the Spirit a lot throughout the day and I'm really grateful to have Sister Hiatt in the mission. She is a wonderful missionary. She works so hard and she is so dedicated. She just wants to help other people - that is her entire motivation. She's funny because sometimes she would say things to me, and then she'd say "anyway, never mind, but...." It was almost like she regretted sharing things because it made her seem vulnerable. I talked to her a lot about allowing her companion to see her when she is vulnerable. I want Sister Hiatt to feel like she can trust her companions and to confide in them. I know that will make her a lot happier. She's stressed about the work in her area because she feels like she is failing. She feels like she's been wasting the Lord's time because she hasn't had a baptism. I talked to her about what success really is and told her to not demand more of herself than the Lord does. She's a great missionary and she'll be a great leader.
On Wednesday, we went on an exchange with the Camarillo 5th ward. I worked with Sister Tagaloa in our area. It's hard to work with Sister Tagaloa sometimes because it starts to feel like she thinks it's just time to have fun with one of her friends. I talked to her about that at the beginning of the exchange and asked her what she felt the purpose of exchanges is. I didn't want her to feel like she had to be straight faced and super serious, but I felt that she needed to take the opportunity to learn more seriously. I was also tired, so that may have made me less-patient. After we talked about that, we worked hard that entire day. I talked to her a lot about slowing down. People have a hard time connecting with her because they can't really understand her with her accent and with how quickly she talks. She and Sister Clark are doing well together. She said she really likes being her companion, so that made me happy. Sister Tagaloa is doing well.
We had our last exchange of the transfer on Thursday. I had the opportunity to go back to 4th ward and to work with Sister Arndt. It was a really amazing day that Sister Arndt really needed. I just let her lead the whole day and she was amazing. She's a great teacher! She teaches so simply. I was so impressed by how well she teaches, so I told her to let Sister Hegstrom know that she wanted the opportunity to lead more often. I know that Sister Hegstrom will willingly do that, but she probably didn't know that Sister Arndt needed that. Sister Arndt said that the day was a huge confidence booster for her. She had been feeling like she really wasn't cut out for missionary work because she didn't feel effective. After our exchange her perspective changed, and now she knows what to focus on now rather than just having a huge list of things that she wants to change. I really love Sister Arndt. I'm grateful for missionaries like her that come out here and are so obedient and so dedicated.
Well, that's all that I have time to share. It was a great week. I'm looking forward to this next one.
Love,
Sister Bennett
P.S. - That's a picture of Sister Burwell and I at the Ventura Harbor. It's sweet! The other is of Maliah's older sister, Monica.Alma 22:7-8 - "Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And the king said . . . if now thou sayest there is a God, behold I will believe. And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice." Aaron realized that his newest investigator, King Lamoni's father, was elect, prepared to receive the truth at that time, and his heart rejoiced. I read that this morning during my personal study, and I know exactly how Aaron felt in that moment. I have felt that multiple times on my mission, but I've been feeling it more than I've ever felt as I have been blessed to teach Jed and Stefanie. Every time we go over and have a lesson with them my heart "rejoices" because Jed has shared so much with us. I can clearly see how the Lord has prepared him and Stefanie to receive the gospel at this time. Jed came to church yesterday and had an amazing experience. Sister Burwell and I had been praying so much to have a great fast and testimony meeting and our prayers were answered. I was so grateful for the Spirit that I felt, and even more grateful because I knew that Jed and Stefanie were feeling that same Spirit. I am thankful that the whole meeting was so focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ because they needed to hear other people's experiences with using the atonement to change themselves. After sacrament meeting ended, they were going to leave but Jed asked if we could show them around the building so he could feel more prepared for when he comes for all three hours. There were so many people who came up to meet them and the members were so loving and welcoming. That was another blessing. When we were talking to them before they left, Stefanie said, "Well, big things have to happen if we want the big things to happen." She said that they are willing to take the big steps and they know they have to if Jed's going to get baptized in October. Sister Burwell and I almost screamed because we were both fasting for them to get married so Jed doesn't have to wait to be baptized! Stefanie and Jed know what they want, and they're putting their faith in the Lord rather than in themselves. In our lesson with them this past week, Stefanie had gotten her paycheck and had made the decision to pay her tithing. That was huge! When she said the opening prayer for the lesson, she prayed that the Bishop would be able to come (because we invited him to) so she could get that money away from her and in his hands. That made me smile. Well, a few minutes later the Bishop walked in and she immediately went to get her tithing to give to him. What a huge step of faith she took. I know that was just the beginning. I know that because she acted on her faith, that her faith will increase so much and she'll be able to do the things that she really wants to do for herself and for Jed. Amazing. We are teaching two of the most amazing people I've met on my mission and we're just praying so hard that we'll be together to see Jed get baptized and to see Stefanie take the sacrament again. Miracles can and will happen.
Maliah was baptized on Saturday! It was a really great baptismal service. She was so happy, and it was really cute because she wanted to say the closing prayer for her own baptism. However, when it came time for her to do it, she was so nervous that she just whispered it. She really loves Sister Burwell and me, and it's so sweet of her. Her older sister, Monica, also seems to have attached herself to us, but I'm grateful for that because she needs people to look up to. I'm happy to fill that role for her. They both need to be really strong for their parents. Brother J is less-active and their mom isn't a member. She's actually pretty against the church but says that her children can make their own decision about it. I think she's been disappointed that they've both decided to be baptized. Monica and Maliah also need to be really good examples for their younger brother. I just hope that Brother J will ponder on the feelings he had this weekend and act on them. He knows the church is true and he knows that he needs to get his act together, but he just doesn't do it. Fear is stopping him from preparing for the time when his wife will be ready. He needs to think about that and have that be the driving force for him to come back into full activity in the church. I love the J family. They are really great people and they've been so welcoming and kind to Sister Burwell and me. We've been very blessed in this area together.
Now for a report on our exchanges this week.
On Tuesday we had an exchange with the sisters in 3rd ward. Their area has been struggling, so we decided to fast together to find new investigators that day. I know that was a key to us having such a great day. I was with Sister Hiatt, and we really enjoyed working together. I felt the Spirit a lot throughout the day and I'm really grateful to have Sister Hiatt in the mission. She is a wonderful missionary. She works so hard and she is so dedicated. She just wants to help other people - that is her entire motivation. She's funny because sometimes she would say things to me, and then she'd say "anyway, never mind, but...." It was almost like she regretted sharing things because it made her seem vulnerable. I talked to her a lot about allowing her companion to see her when she is vulnerable. I want Sister Hiatt to feel like she can trust her companions and to confide in them. I know that will make her a lot happier. She's stressed about the work in her area because she feels like she is failing. She feels like she's been wasting the Lord's time because she hasn't had a baptism. I talked to her about what success really is and told her to not demand more of herself than the Lord does. She's a great missionary and she'll be a great leader.
On Wednesday, we went on an exchange with the Camarillo 5th ward. I worked with Sister Tagaloa in our area. It's hard to work with Sister Tagaloa sometimes because it starts to feel like she thinks it's just time to have fun with one of her friends. I talked to her about that at the beginning of the exchange and asked her what she felt the purpose of exchanges is. I didn't want her to feel like she had to be straight faced and super serious, but I felt that she needed to take the opportunity to learn more seriously. I was also tired, so that may have made me less-patient. After we talked about that, we worked hard that entire day. I talked to her a lot about slowing down. People have a hard time connecting with her because they can't really understand her with her accent and with how quickly she talks. She and Sister Clark are doing well together. She said she really likes being her companion, so that made me happy. Sister Tagaloa is doing well.
We had our last exchange of the transfer on Thursday. I had the opportunity to go back to 4th ward and to work with Sister Arndt. It was a really amazing day that Sister Arndt really needed. I just let her lead the whole day and she was amazing. She's a great teacher! She teaches so simply. I was so impressed by how well she teaches, so I told her to let Sister Hegstrom know that she wanted the opportunity to lead more often. I know that Sister Hegstrom will willingly do that, but she probably didn't know that Sister Arndt needed that. Sister Arndt said that the day was a huge confidence booster for her. She had been feeling like she really wasn't cut out for missionary work because she didn't feel effective. After our exchange her perspective changed, and now she knows what to focus on now rather than just having a huge list of things that she wants to change. I really love Sister Arndt. I'm grateful for missionaries like her that come out here and are so obedient and so dedicated.
Well, that's all that I have time to share. It was a great week. I'm looking forward to this next one.
Love,
Sister Bennett
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| Monica and me holding the picture from Maliah's baptism |
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| Monica Juker and Me. I love her! |
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| Hermana Walker and I at the Ventura Harbor |
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| Out to dinner with Sister Rabago. I'm sure she was embarrassed by us |
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| Maliah's Baptism! |
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