Gift of Hands

May 27, 2013



Dear Family,

This past week was very successful in more areas than just numbers. Sister Burwell and I are just becoming closer and closer, and as our relationship is being strengthened, our teaching is getting better and more powerful. The Lord is really helping me see the things that I can do in our companionship to uplift Sister Burwell and help her to grow. My focus is directed toward her so much more than in my previous companionships, which at times I feel regret about. Becoming a better companion has been something that I've prayed for/about my entire mission, and I've seen myself growing, but with Sister Burwell I've been growing so much because I'm finally getting it. Something that Sister Tippetts said to me in my first transfer always plays in my mind when I try to figure out how to be a better companion; "Your companion is your first and most important investigator." Those words are profound. I wish I would've reflected on this and made this realization sooner...Sister Tippetts showed me exactly how to do that - put my companion first. Everything Sister Tippetts did was to help me and to teach me. She was a true leader- she taught just as Elder Robbins said, "Teaching is the essence of leadership." When I think about my time with Sister Tippetts, I can't always remember everything that she said, but I will always remember how much she loved me and taught me by example. This transfer I've really been trying to implement the things that she did with me with Sister Burwell. My love for Sister Burwell has grown so much and I can see who she is as a daughter of God and as a representative of Jesus Christ. Sometimes at night we just stay up and talk about our day and the spiritual experiences we've had, and a few times I've been overwhelmed with the Spirit...feeling the love that Heavenly Father has for her. She has taught me so much and has pushed me to grow and change because she looks to me as an example and she really trusts me. That is a great responsibility, and I take it very seriously. I know that the Lord has been blessing our companionship and will continue to do so as we give all we can to be unified.

The work this week was amazing! We got some really great new investigators and have someone that really wants to be baptized this transfer! That will be the other baptism we need to reach our goal of two baptisms this transfer! Amazing! It's so true, if we desire baptisms and expect them, as we are obedient and work hard the Lord will provide. I just feel so indebted and overwhelmed by how much He has blessed me during my mission. I sometimes wonder why. Why me? How can I be deserving of these blessings when I've seen other missionaries that are so much better than me not have as much success? I guess those questions push me to work harder, because I don't want to be ungrateful.

We taught Aubrey and Tyler 3 times this week, Jim (less-active), Sharon, Lisa, Jacob, Julie (less-active), Sister Ellis (less-active), Suzanne, Bri, Geno, Ted, and the Rabagos. Oh, and we had the most amazing baptism of my mission!

I'll start with Suzanne. She is so prepared! She has been searching for a long time and she already knows that she's found what she's been looking for. When we met with her for our first lesson, she had read in the Book of Mormon and was raving about what it taught about baptism, she had been reading in the Gospel Principles book and thought that the teachings about prophets are so great, and she was asking about how she's going to be more involved in the church. What? Where do these people come from? As we taught her about the restoration she was just eating it up. She just kept saying "I believe. That's true. I know it!" When we got to teaching about the great apostasy and we read in Amos 8 about a famine, she said, "It's like this time was a spiritual famine. I know it. They were famished spiritually!" Hahah. She is so funny, but she was picking everything up so quickly! I was just so happy as we taught her because she was so excited about everything. When we invited her to be baptized on the 15th of June she almost jumped out of her chair and said, "Oh yes! That would be perfect! My birthday is two days later and then it's Jeanen's (the member) birthday. This will be a milestone day in my life!" I had to keep pushing my jaw back up because it was hanging open the entire lesson. I could hardly look at Sister Burwell because if I did I would've jumped out of my chair and started dancing around with her. Suzanne is a miracle and an answer to our prayers. This has strengthened my testimony that angels are truly declaring to people at this time, preparing their hearts to receive the fulness of the gospel. Isn't that so great? Isn't this work so amazing?

Exchange. We went and worked with the Dos Vientos sisters this week. I went to Dos Vientos with Sister Tagaloa and Sister Burwell stayed in Ventura with Sister Casper. Sister Tagaloa is doing well. She is a little stressed about this round of training. Sister Casper is different than Sister Randall, so she's trying to figure out how to adjust to meet Sister Casper's needs. I was happy to work with her and give her advice on what to do to help Sister Casper. Our day in Dos Vientos wasn't the most successful day ever, and I felt kind of bad about that. I felt that maybe I wasn't doing enough and that Sister Tagaloa didn't have the best exchange ever, but when we had the exchange review she shared a lot of things that she learned from me. I was grateful that I could help her in some way. She has been growing a lot. Training has really pushed her to trust more in the Lord and to do things in His way. His way is the best way, isn't it? It's so neat to see how these sisters have grown since the last time I had an exchange with them. That's what I get this transfer, I get to go with a lot of sisters that I've already worked with. It's so wonderful.

OK, now for the baptism!!! This baptism was the most powerful baptism of my mission. It was even more powerful than the Matweyew's baptism, and I never thought that I could feel the Spirit more than at their baptism. Heavenly Father loves Aubrey and Tyler so much. As soon as the opening hymn started the Spirit seeped into the room. It was almost like someone turned on the air conditioning and the Spirit came into the room through the vents. It just slowly came upon me and was overwhelming me. The talks were great and the musical number was wonderful...some young women had learned how to sign to the song "When I am Baptized." Aubrey really enjoyed that. Sister Burwell said the opening prayer and I said the closing prayer both in sign language. Sister Wood taught us how. We had written down what we wanted to say and then we went over and she taught us how to sign it. I could tell that Aubrey really loved that we made the effort to do that for her, and I wasn't even nervous to do it. I was just so excited to be able to actually communicate with her and help her see my testimony, through a prayer, for herself. That was really neat. Everything was so great, but the best part was seeing Aubrey's face after she was baptized. She literally LOOKED different. She looks so happy now and there was an obvious glow about her. I can't describe the difference, but there is one. I know that. Sister Pellum, the mom, stood up at the end and thanked everyone and, as she was crying, said that she's never felt the Spirit so strongly in her life. That meant a lot, because we've wondered if she's even been affected by the lessons. I'm glad that she felt the Spirit and I hope that it will propel her onward into truly being active in the gospel...not just in the church. The confirmations yesterday were just as powerful. Aubrey's confirmation was almost like a patriarchal blessing! In the blessing she was told that she had conversed with her Father in Heaven about this trial she's been given in life of not hearing and that she agreed to it and knew the things that she would need to do. She was told that through her inability to hear, she will be more in-tune with the Spirit and she was told that she was given this trial so that she can take the gospel to the deaf community. I almost started crying because all of those things answered prayers that I've prayed since we first started teaching her. I just love Aubrey so much and I have learned so much as we've taught her. Heavenly Father knows His children and His plan is perfect. I know this.

That baptism just topped off a great week. The Spirit that I felt at that baptism can carry me through the rest of my mission...easily. I'm just grateful that I was there and part of it. 

Love,

Sister Bennett