October 28, 2013
Dear Family,
Well, this was the longest week of my mission....and the hardest. I feel like I've just been thinking about myself all week and how hard things are for me. Of course I won’t feel happy if I do that, but at the same time, it's really difficult to just ignore how I'm feeling. This is how I feel: I miss Sister Burwell a lot. I knew that I would. I think a huge part of why this week has been so hard is that while she was here I was so focused on her and helping her feel better that I didn't take time to figure out how I was feeling. It's hard to think about how we'll never be companions again. We'll never teach together again, we'll be living in different places. I know that we'll be best friends forever, but how can it be the same? As I've been praying, I have felt Heavenly Father’s love for me. I know that he's aware of how I'm feeling. I feel a lot of comfort as I pray and I know he's there listening. Anyway, that's what's been going on with me. I'm trying to stop having such a pity party. Other people need me right now, so I need to push these things aside and stop focusing on myself. That's what I'm really striving to do right now.
Sister Stoker is doing ok. She is so great but she doubts herself a lot. I understand how overwhelming it is at first to have this assignment and to feel like there is no possible way that one is qualified to do this. That's how she's feeling right now, and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful to see how humble she is, but also that I'm here to help her not go too far with that. There are so many reasons why she will do so well as a Sister Training Leader, and it feels good to tell her those things. She's felt very unsure this whole week and I think it's a little weird to be my companion again because I was her trainer. It's almost like she thinks it needs to be the same as the last time that we were companions and she should take the backseat. We've talked about that a lot and I've really stressed to her that we are totally equal companions. I need her to push me right now. I know that she will help me do the things that I want to accomplish this last transfer - mainly wearing myself out in this work. I want to leave my entire self on the altar of sacrifice, and I know that she's the companion that will go with me to do that. She'll do really well working with the sisters, it's just the anticipation that gets her. It would seem like there's so much to learn and do, but when it's time to just go and do it then it all comes together just fine. She has her first exchange on Wednesday and I'm excited for her to have that experience.
We had an interesting experience this week with an investigator named Andrew. He's in his late 30s and has heard a lot about the church. We weren't planning to back to teach him, but Sister Burwell went back and set up an appointment for us. Thanks Sister Burwell. :) Well, we went back and Andrew said that he had done what we asked – read part of the Book of Mormon and prayed about it. He said that his answer was to tell Sister Burwell and I to do something in return. He wanted us to pray and ask Jesus who He is for 5 days, in a quiet place. I told him that Sister Burwell was gone, but I would do it. It's not a big deal to me. The only problem is that I don't pray to Jesus, I pray to God, but I didn't bring that up with him. He really wanted us to come back so he could ask me what my answer was, but I didn't want to spend time there with him because he has no intention to learn. However, the member who came with us, before we left, asked what day we're coming back. Oh well, so now we're seeing him this week and I will be telling him the answer I've gotten. I've been praying and asked who Jesus Christ is, and the answer I've received is just a greater focus on Him throughout the day and as I read my scriptures. It's actually been very good for me. I don't know how Andrew will take it, but we'll see!
One miracle of the week was when we went to see Bob, one of our recent converts, to read the Book of Mormon with him. He recently had a brain tumor removed and he struggles with his speech, so we go over and read the Book of Mormon with him because the doctor said he needs to be reading out loud. Well, when we went over twice this week, both times his roommates, Alan and Ghana, came out and sat with us. That is a miracle! Ghana would never talk to us before and would always be inside and avoid us. Now, she came out and she's read with us and kept telling us how great she thinks we are and the church is. We invited her to come to the Halloween trunk-or-treat and chili cook-off and she and Alan said that would come and bring Bob! That was amazing. I was so taken aback about that, because they just have always seemed a little embarrassed/ashamed to talk to us because of their lifestyle. Ghana said that she really appreciates how we don't judge her and are really kind even though she lives in a different way than we do. I am grateful that the Lord has softened their hearts, because Bob needs that support from them. They support him so much more now. That is wonderful.
Well, there's a little update from the week. I'm doing ok. I just keep thinking about a phrase from the "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" movie that we watched this week with Brother Dumond. Joseph, when in Liberty Jail, says, when asked how to endure well, "We just trust in God and go on." I keep telling myself. I want to be more temperate. In our gospel principles class yesterday we talked about talents, and Sister Wood said about another member that she was really impressed with this member and her temperance and asked her how she did it, and the other member said "I just keep going, be steady and be strong." That's my goal. Just keep swimming, right? That's what we do...we swim.
I'm fine. Keep me in your prayers. I do need them.
Love,
Sister Bennett
Well, this was the longest week of my mission....and the hardest. I feel like I've just been thinking about myself all week and how hard things are for me. Of course I won’t feel happy if I do that, but at the same time, it's really difficult to just ignore how I'm feeling. This is how I feel: I miss Sister Burwell a lot. I knew that I would. I think a huge part of why this week has been so hard is that while she was here I was so focused on her and helping her feel better that I didn't take time to figure out how I was feeling. It's hard to think about how we'll never be companions again. We'll never teach together again, we'll be living in different places. I know that we'll be best friends forever, but how can it be the same? As I've been praying, I have felt Heavenly Father’s love for me. I know that he's aware of how I'm feeling. I feel a lot of comfort as I pray and I know he's there listening. Anyway, that's what's been going on with me. I'm trying to stop having such a pity party. Other people need me right now, so I need to push these things aside and stop focusing on myself. That's what I'm really striving to do right now.
Sister Stoker is doing ok. She is so great but she doubts herself a lot. I understand how overwhelming it is at first to have this assignment and to feel like there is no possible way that one is qualified to do this. That's how she's feeling right now, and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful to see how humble she is, but also that I'm here to help her not go too far with that. There are so many reasons why she will do so well as a Sister Training Leader, and it feels good to tell her those things. She's felt very unsure this whole week and I think it's a little weird to be my companion again because I was her trainer. It's almost like she thinks it needs to be the same as the last time that we were companions and she should take the backseat. We've talked about that a lot and I've really stressed to her that we are totally equal companions. I need her to push me right now. I know that she will help me do the things that I want to accomplish this last transfer - mainly wearing myself out in this work. I want to leave my entire self on the altar of sacrifice, and I know that she's the companion that will go with me to do that. She'll do really well working with the sisters, it's just the anticipation that gets her. It would seem like there's so much to learn and do, but when it's time to just go and do it then it all comes together just fine. She has her first exchange on Wednesday and I'm excited for her to have that experience.
We had an interesting experience this week with an investigator named Andrew. He's in his late 30s and has heard a lot about the church. We weren't planning to back to teach him, but Sister Burwell went back and set up an appointment for us. Thanks Sister Burwell. :) Well, we went back and Andrew said that he had done what we asked – read part of the Book of Mormon and prayed about it. He said that his answer was to tell Sister Burwell and I to do something in return. He wanted us to pray and ask Jesus who He is for 5 days, in a quiet place. I told him that Sister Burwell was gone, but I would do it. It's not a big deal to me. The only problem is that I don't pray to Jesus, I pray to God, but I didn't bring that up with him. He really wanted us to come back so he could ask me what my answer was, but I didn't want to spend time there with him because he has no intention to learn. However, the member who came with us, before we left, asked what day we're coming back. Oh well, so now we're seeing him this week and I will be telling him the answer I've gotten. I've been praying and asked who Jesus Christ is, and the answer I've received is just a greater focus on Him throughout the day and as I read my scriptures. It's actually been very good for me. I don't know how Andrew will take it, but we'll see!
One miracle of the week was when we went to see Bob, one of our recent converts, to read the Book of Mormon with him. He recently had a brain tumor removed and he struggles with his speech, so we go over and read the Book of Mormon with him because the doctor said he needs to be reading out loud. Well, when we went over twice this week, both times his roommates, Alan and Ghana, came out and sat with us. That is a miracle! Ghana would never talk to us before and would always be inside and avoid us. Now, she came out and she's read with us and kept telling us how great she thinks we are and the church is. We invited her to come to the Halloween trunk-or-treat and chili cook-off and she and Alan said that would come and bring Bob! That was amazing. I was so taken aback about that, because they just have always seemed a little embarrassed/ashamed to talk to us because of their lifestyle. Ghana said that she really appreciates how we don't judge her and are really kind even though she lives in a different way than we do. I am grateful that the Lord has softened their hearts, because Bob needs that support from them. They support him so much more now. That is wonderful.
Well, there's a little update from the week. I'm doing ok. I just keep thinking about a phrase from the "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" movie that we watched this week with Brother Dumond. Joseph, when in Liberty Jail, says, when asked how to endure well, "We just trust in God and go on." I keep telling myself. I want to be more temperate. In our gospel principles class yesterday we talked about talents, and Sister Wood said about another member that she was really impressed with this member and her temperance and asked her how she did it, and the other member said "I just keep going, be steady and be strong." That's my goal. Just keep swimming, right? That's what we do...we swim.
I'm fine. Keep me in your prayers. I do need them.
Love,
Sister Bennett
P.S. - We got the Halloween package, Mom. Perfect timing...Sister Stoker was wanting candy right when I opened it. Haha. :)
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| Sister Bennett with Sister Castro at transfer meeting |
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| Sister Bennett with Samuel and Hannah Castro at transfer meeting |
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