My California AdVENTURAs: Wedding Bells Are Ringing....with a SPLASH!

October 21, 2013

Dear Family,

My last companion will be.....drum roll (Ammon or Jordan) please......Sister Stoker! Do you remember her? I was her trainer! I'm excited to have her with me for my last transfer! I'll be staying in the 2nd ward with her, so that's really a huge blessing as well. There's actually going to be another set of English Sister Training Leaders this transfer as well. They'll be working in Camarillo, but we'll be seeing them a lot. President Castro told me that basically I'm training three sister training leaders at once, rather than just one. He also made it very clear that I have a lot on my shoulders - their success will depend primarily on me. No pressure, right. Woah. That's a heavy load to bear sometimes, but it'll be ok.

This past week went by so fast! Usually week six is a regular week of missionary work, but this past week was just as crazy as the rest....which was probably for the best. It's good for me to stay busy so I don't let my mind go where I don't really want it to go. We had two exchanges this past week, and both went really well. I love serving the sisters. We met last night with President Castro to talk about the trainers and who they're training as well as what's going on with the other sisters. As we met with him, I felt a great deal of anticipation. I felt excited for the new situations that the sisters will be in and the things that they'll learn. I'm excited to see how they'll change as a result of their new companions and areas. I really felt so much love for them and I realized how much I really think about and desire their success as missionaries. I love every single sister. There isn't one sister that I would skip over. I think about all of them all of the time and I always look forward to seeing them. I never saw this being such a huge part of my mission. When Sister Burwell and I look back on our missions, we'll be looking at a very different picture than a lot of missionaries. Yes, we've had baptisms and taught less-active, but we've had so many other investigators that have progressed and grown as we've taught them - the sisters. That's really neat. I'm so blessed to have been able to experience this for so long. I have so much that I want to accomplish for my last transfer. I feel a huge sense of urgency and a weight on my shoulders, but I'm grateful for that. I know that with the Lord's help I can accomplish all that He has planned for me for these next 6 weeks. I'm going to exhaust every last bit of myself in the Lord's work. That is my goal for this transfer.

I'm dreading seeing Sister Burwell go, but I need to move on. President Castro was very straight forward with me about it last night and told me that I need to cut the cord and move on. I still have a lot of work to do, and he's right. The Lord needs me too much for me to be moping around here missing Sister Burwell. I've set goals that I want to achieve and President has things that he needs me to do, so I won’t have time to even think about that or about the great and dreadful day coming in December. This work is great, because if you don't want to think about something you just get busy and think about others and you're fine!

Now onto exchanges! Our first exchange this week was with Sister Morrison and Sister Hiatt. I worked with Sister Morrison for the day. We only had a half-day exchange because Sister Burwell and I had to finish doing the week 5 report. It was a very productive day, even though we only had half of a day. Sister Morrison has such great potential and I feel like she wants to reach that potential, but at times it seems she's afraid that she'll fail. Due to that fear, I think she holds back on being totally obedient or putting herself totally in the work as a defense in case she fails. Then, she can say that she didn't do all she could anyway, so that's why she failed. It hurts more to fail when you give every ounce of yourself. However, she's missing the point. When we're on the Lord's errand and we do our best, we will NEVER fail. I was pretty straight with her about those things. I told her that it's time for her to choose to be obedient, to live her purpose, and focus on others. She took it well and it seemed like it's exactly what she needed to hear. She'll do well this next transfer. I know that she can be such a great missionary.

The last exchange of the transfer was with Sister Hegstrom. We worked in 4th ward for the day and it was great. She's doing really well. It's so easy to see how much she's grown since I was with her....training definitely has that affect on people. I love her a lot. I'm glad that I was able to go work with her, possibly for our last time, and teach her more. We always have such great conversations about missionary work or about the gospel. The Spirit was strong the entire day as we talked with each other. She will do well with whatever the Lord requires of her. She still has areas that she can and will improve on, but she'll get there. The Lord will take her there.

This past weekend was a very busy weekend. It was an amazing weekend. Jed and Stefanie were married on Friday, Jed was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to Sister Burwell. We were both so glad that we could be there together and have that experience with each other. The wedding was great, but it wasn't the highlight for us. It was definitely an important stepping stone, but Bishop Allen touched on the truth of the matter when he did the wedding ceremony. He talked about how he didn't have the authority to bind them as husband and wife for all eternity. He made it very clear that the authority he has would only keep them together until death. He then spoke of the importance of the temple and the sealing power. I felt the Spirit a lot as he spoke about it, and I know that Jed and Stefanie see things the same way. They will be sealed together as husband and wife in a year, and that day will be the most special compared to every experience that we've had with them. Jed's baptism was amazing. Throughout the entire service, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Even when people were giving talks or whatever, I kept watching him because he just looked so happy. He was honestly glowing. I could just see and feel him communicating with his Heavenly Father. He seemed to be off in a different place where no one else could join him except Heavenly Father. I felt of God's love and how proud He is of him when Jed was lifted out of the water and stood there clean and pure. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face for the rest of the day. I love him so much. He has changed my life. I've never met someone who loves Heavenly Father in the way that he does. I know that Jed is so close to Him and because of that, I've come closer to Him. It's been such an amazing journey with both Jed and Stefanie, and they will be a part of my life forever. Amazing experience. I love this work.

I'm so excited to work with Sister Stoker. I know that it's exactly what needs to happen. She's exactly what I need and I'm exactly what she needs right now. I love her so much and we already have a great relationship. I'm grateful for that, because we'll be able to hit the
ground running. We have a lot to do, so that's a really great thing!

I love this work. I can't say that enough.

Love,
Sister Bennett