Week 37: "This Week"

August 4, 2014

Dear Amigos and Amigas,

Si, I do indeed need to brush up on my Spanish. I want to learn one day! 

Alright! So, a little about my week. 

This week....

We went out and did the work! Knocking on doors, helping a single mom move, teaching the gospel, bearing our testimonies, encountering people who are very friendly, and on the other hand some who are very anti...

I've learned that you really can't leave a mission naive. On a mission, it seems as though we become aware of every trial and condition anyone can possibly go through. We help others going through those things, the best we can. And sometimes, we sit back and are not able to do much, other than let others know we love them and are there for them, because sometimes that's all we can do. I'm not going to sit here and make a list, but it's really expanded my view of the world, and really how blessed I've been in my life. I've had things easy. I'm so grateful for my family for giving me the gift of the Gospel, which has helped me so much. 

Ok. So the wonderful moments of this week. 

1. One of the most rewarding moments on my mission are hearing someone pray for the first time. That always means a lot to me, because prayer means a lot to me. Really, it's my lifeline. I wouldn't be who I am without it, and I definitely wouldn't have the trust I have in God without it. 

2. Helping people that would have felt overwhelmed otherwise. It's the best feeling.

3. We went out with an investigator to make copies at an office depot, and we got lost. :P We ended up just cruising and she told us all about her life. It was good, in the long run, even though nothing we planned to get accomplished got accomplished. 

4. That same investigator, along with several others, have made remarks such as, "I feel happier when I'm meeting with you", or "you guys have a light about you". It's amazing how frequently we hear this. My testimony has grown in the sense that I know the Spirit is with us. :) Thank goodness God trusts us, even though we are far from perfect. 

5.  There have been a couple distinct moments where we followed the promptings of the Spirit, and were in the exact right place at the right time. In particular, there was a moment where we were going to drop by to see one of our investigators, when we got the prompting to drive past that point to visit another lady. Well, she wasn't home, but right when we turned around to leave she turned around the corner with her daughter! After visiting her she expressed that she felt she really needed that visit.

6.  Jay, a 70(ish) year old man we've been working with, has been away from the church for over 50 years. We found him when we first got to the area, and have been meeting with him for a few months now. Well, yesterday, he bore his testimony. He told his life story - and about how no matter what choices he made he always knew the church was true. He expressed how grateful he was to be back, and that even though he doesn't have many years left he was going to do his best to be true to who he wanted to be, and to his Savior. That right there was probably the highlight of my week. :)

The anti-highlight of the week was the fact that a teenage girl I had worked with and gotten really close to ran away from home...we wrote her a letter including our number, and I sincerely hope she gets the letter and calls. I would hate to not see her again, especially since this week is most likely my last in this area. I hope she's ok. Keep her in your prayers! 

I love you all. You're amazing! 

-Sister Rachel Bennett

P.s. Apparently I have a lot of energy?