My California AdVENTURAs: Teach the Restoration People!

October 14, 2013

Holla Fam! Oh, I mean Hola,

We're one week closer to Jed and Stefanie's wedding and Jed's baptism! I'm so excited, but at the same time I'm dreading the end of this next week. It's Sister Burwell's and my last week together, and we have to do two exchanges. That makes it a bit hard, because we have basically been companions for 20-30 minutes a day while we travel to our next exchange. We never see each other, but remarkably we are even closer than ever. We're going to make the most of the few days that we have left together. We know it's important to go on these exchanges, because the sisters we are going with need it. The Lord will bless us for our efforts. I'm just really not looking forward to next Tuesday at all. It actually makes me feel rather sick when I let myself think about it. Anyway, I just can't believe how quickly time has passed by. We had 4 exchanges this past week, and they were all really great.

We had two exchanges in Camarillo, one in Agoura, and one in Moorpark. On each exchange, we were blessed to see miracles and I felt that the Lord really helped the sisters have the experiences they needed on exchanges to push forward. My first exchange of the week was with Sister Clark. They had their district meeting that day, so we attended that together then went out to work. We spent most of the day out tracting, and we had some great experiences. Sister Clark is a bit timid when she teaches, and we were blessed with the opportunity to see how persistence breaks down the wall that some people put up. We went to one home to see an investigator that they've been teaching, and the investigator's son answered the door. We talked to him for a while, but he wasn't really interested. I could tell that Sister Clark wanted to go, but the brother of the person we were talking to walked out of the front door. I stopped him. Sister Clark kind of looked at me like "these people aren't interested," but how in the world can we tell if we don't talk to them? We talked to him for a while, and he was really open. He feels like the truth is so distorted today, and he really tuned-in as we taught him about the restoration. We got a return appointment with him so the sisters could go back and teach him. I'm glad that happened. Sister Clark and I talked about it afterward, and she recognized the importance of persistence and talking with everyone. It's not up to us to decide whether or not these people are ready. We just talk to everyone, and figure it out as we go. Sister Clark is great. She's just lacking confidence. I love when I have the opportunity to really build the sisters up and point out their strengths. She has a great desire to be a successful missionary, and she knows who's acceptance she is seeking. That's one thing I really admire about her.

On Wednesday, Sister Kiyotani and I worked together in Ventura. She is struggling with the same thing that I have struggled with my entire mission - being too hard on herself. She broke down and started crying at the end of companionship study. She said she just feels like she needs to hold it in because she's training. She doesn't want to place her burdens on these brand new missionaries who are her companions. I understand how she feels, because I felt that same way when I've trained. I'm glad that we had an exchange together, because I was able to share with her the new things that I've learned about not holding ourselves to a higher standard than the Lord is. She just feels like she hasn't accomplished all that she should have thus far on her mission. That made me feel so sad that she can't see how wonderful her mission has been. She is a missionary who can always be counted on. She's exactly obedient and is a Preach My Gospel missionary. She is letting her perspective of herself be determined more by numbers than by what Preach My Gospel teaches about being a successful missionary. I hope that she'll really understand how to overcome feeling discouraged, inadequate, or less-than what she actually is because Satan will continue to attack her in that way. I know he'll continue to attack me in that way, but those feelings can be overcome if we truly believe in and rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ. Sister Kiyotani is a phenomenal missionary. I've been praying that she can see that for herself.

Moorpark was our next exchange this week. Of course, because I was going with Sister Moure, I was in Moorpark for the day. We like to have the new missionary be in their area so they will take the lead. Sister Moure is so great! She is a doing well with teaching, she knows the scriptures really well and uses them often in her teaching, and she relates to people so naturally. She has an amazing conversion story that she shares freely because she knows that the experiences that she's had can help the people she is teaching. She struggles a bit more with talking to people on their doorsteps or on the street, but we had the opportunity to work on that. I love teaching new missionaries about teaching the restoration in every declaration. Every time I'm trying to make the point that it is the only way to teach people, the Lord blesses us to find someone who is very receptive to the message. Together, Sister Moure and I ended up talking to this young man, Sebastian, who is a senior in high school. He actually knows Anthony, who I taught and baptized in Moorpark, and thinks it was really cool that he is a member of the church. We taught him the restoration, and I now that Sister Moure was able to see, firsthand, the power of teaching the restoration and how it can help people understand why our message is different and how they can know of the truth themselves. Sister Moure is doing really great.

Guess who I got to see when I was in Moorpark!?!?!?!? The Matweyews!!! They had signed up for dinner the night I was there, but they signed up like a month ago and had no idea that I would be coming. Is that by chance? ABSOLUTELY NOT! The Lord blesses me so much. I was so excited that I had dreams all about seeing them the night before. I'm glad we were busy the entire day, or I would've been counting down the seconds! Finally, it was 5 o'clock and time to go to dinner. When we got to their house the door was open and just the screen door was shut. I got so nervous as I was walking up with Sister Moure. That was weird! I mean, I love these people...why would I be nervous? Anyway, I just stood at the screen door looked in, saw Sister M and screamed! I opened the door and ran in! As I ran in, Gavin came from around the corner and screamed when he saw me. We just hugged each other and jumped up and down (whoops...well, the white handbook doesn't actually say we shouldn't hug). We were just yelling and laughing. Then, I turned and there was Sister M. I probably hugged her for 10 minutes! I missed her so much. I haven't seen them in almost a year! Crazy! I just felt like I had never left their home. We had some catching up to do. Gavin has grown so much! Sis M didn't tell him I was coming, so he was in shock for a little bit. He would barely look at me because he was so freaked out that I was there. Haha. It was so funny. It was so amazing to see them. They've progressed SO MUCH in the gospel. I know I needed to see that right now, to push me into my last transfer. I almost wanted to start crying like a baby, I was so happy to see how far they've come. Brother M has the Melchizedek priesthood now. Sis M told me about how Gavin quit a soccer team because they play on Sundays, and Sister M is getting her patriarchal blessing. She said she hadn't gotten it yet because she had been lacking on her scripture ready. I was like "WHAT!? SIS M!?" She replied "I said WAS, I'm doing great now." Hahah. I even wanted to cry just when I heard Gavin pray. The way he prays is so much different now. It's so much more sincere, and thoughtful. Oh wow. I love that family so much. I know that I came on my mission for Sister M. Absolutely. We have such a special connection. We probably knew each other before we were here. I'm so excited to come back for their sealing in December, and we couldn't stop talking about it! Gavin has so many things he wants to do with me. Haha. Brother M was getting a bit choked up, and told me that he and Sis M really feel like I'm the big sister that Gavin has always deserved. That means a lot to me. I love them. I seriously am so happy for them.

The last exchange of the week was in Agoura 2nd ward. I was with Sister Mapa in Agoura. We had a great day together! I just love her. She is so respectful to me and really took in everything that I was sharing with her. She kept saying that she loved receiving correction so she can make sure she's getting everything right. One of her goals is to go through Preach My Gospel and do every study activity and read every page because she said if she's going to be a Preach My Gospel missionary, she needs to really know Preach My Gospel. I loved that! We were able to teach some good lessons. She seemed to want me to take the lead, but I wasn't going for it. I really felt like she needed to take the opportunity to take control. She did just fine with it. She was super nervous, but she pushed through it and just taught the people. Once again, I was stressing the importance of teaching the restoration. I also talked to her about sharing the first vision in declarations and not being afraid to. Right after we had been talking about that, we were looking for a less-active and she led us to the wrong house. She realized that the house we were at was the house of a potential. I told her we should just go try them anyway. When we knocked on the door, a young man, 17 years-old, name Brad opened the door. At first he stood with the door partially open, but as we started asking him questions, he asked if we were looking to have a discussion with him. We said "sure, if you want!" He then asked, "Do you have time for that." "Absolutely!" we replied. Then he came out and his little sister, Kelly (14 years-old), followed. Brad at first seemed to want to challenge our belief in God. He had some questions, and I think he was surprised that we never said "I don't know." We knew the answer for all of the questions he was asking, and we weren't timid about it. We let him know that we know exactly what we're talking about. Brad was raised Christian but doesn't really believe anymore. He said he just really isn't sure. Kelly is still Christian and goes to church sometimes with her mom. I began to teach them the restoration and Sister Mapa caught on right away. We both shared personal experiences of receiving answers and testified all throughout the declaration. When we got to the point of teaching about Joseph Smith, Sister Mapa shared his story including the first vision, just like we had talked about! Brad's eyes changed. They went from doubting and wanting to dispute, to earnestly searching and listening. When she finished sharing the experience that Joseph Smith had, Brad said, "Wow. That is an amazing story." We both bore our testimonies of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's experience, we taught about the Book of Mormon and prayer and gave Brad a copy. He immediately asked if he could have our contact information. We set up a time to go back and teach him, so the sisters will go teach Brad and Kelly on Friday. I'm so excited to hear about it!!!! I can't describe how much love I felt for him as we taught him. I could feel how much Heavenly Father loves him. I could just see the longing in his eyes to have the answers that he's never been able to find, and to feel the belonging that he'll feel as he comes to know that he is a son of God. That was a powerful experience. Sister Mapa and I were floating to dinner after that. I'm really grateful for that experience for myself, but also for Sister Mapa's sake. She was shown that if we are obedient to what Preach My Gospel tells us and to the promptings of the Spirit, we will be guided to those that are ready to receive the gospel.

It was a fantastic week of exchanges, even though I missed being with my companion. Sister Burwell and I got to teach Jed and Stefanie twice this week. They are doing so well. Jed is so strong. He came to church alone yesterday, again. I doubt that he'll miss another Sunday the rest of his life, he's so dedicated! They're both so excited for this weekend. All of us have been waiting for this for so long, it feels like! The next time you hear from me, you'll be hearing all about how amazing the weekend was! I can't wait!

Love,
Sister Bennett

P.S. - Here's a picture of the Castro kids and I. Then the other one is Sister Burwell and I. We took a short break from planning and walked down the street to get ice cream.