It's been an amazing week. We saw so many miracles.
The first miracle was that TIFFANY was baptized!! Honestly, I believe that was one of the highlights of the mission. The night before...I got asked to give the talk on baptism, and sing a musical number with another Sister! It was cool to see how the Spirit can really hasten preparation. I felt like I needed to focus on names - how God knows Tiffany by name, how when we are baptized we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ....etc. It all came together! Cassie was able to drive us down, and it was awesome to see her! It was SO good to see so many people I love from my last area, and Tiffany was just GLOWING. Also, Sister Capitan was so excited as well. This is her first investigator she's began teaching from beginning to end (or we'll call baptism a new beginning haha). The Spirit was so strong! I would love to send you pictures. I'm so proud of her. I've seen her make so many changes for good in her life.
That very same day, Sister Zelaya had a baptism too! Sister Holman and her had taught this man (in the Spanish area), and Sister Galarza got transferred in. BOTH of these Sisters are going home this week! It was cool to see them with their parents, who came to pick them up, at their very last baptism. Sister Holman lived with me in my very first area, and so it was amazing to see how she's grown, and to meet her parents and sister. There are nine kids in her family too! It was interesting to be at the baptism that was in all Spanish. The Spirit was strong there, too! And Spanish people know how to party. Afterwards there was homemade beans, pico de gio (I don't know how to spell it), and chips, and horchata, and everything that is good in life. Yum.
And now to talk about that morning. SHERI DEW came to our stake, and spoke to the Relief Society women!! We went with a reactivating woman, JJ, who is SO awesome.
It was incredible. She is a powerful speaker. She recently wrote a book which apparently has many things she said written in it...I think it has the atonement in the title? Anyway, I would highly recommend reading it. She began by telling us that we weren't there to see her. She wasn't worth the time, and neither was she worth getting fancied up on a Saturday morning instead of staying in our pajamas. However, she said, the Spirit was worth it, and if the Spirit spoke to us in any way while listening to her, then it made it more than worth it.
I'll tell you now that she was right. Personal revelation is more valuable than anything, and the Spirit was there. I was able to find answers to my questions, and I know my companions were able to as well.
Some things she shared really stood out to me. 1) Questions are good. Especially if we are willing to work for our answer. 2) Spiritual truth comes from WRESTLING for our answers. Anything meaningful comes because we worked for it. That's why Enos and Alma both describe their coming to know the Lord as a wrestle. 3) The Lord is in need of women in this church who are educated, who deeply KNOW and have a TESTIMONY of this gospel.
There was so much more, but I don't want to write a novel. It suffices me to say that it was inspiring, and revelatory. She shared a lot of personal experiences, especially about being 62 and single in the church, being a CEO of Deseret book, finding out that in a way we are all mothers, etc.
The last miracle I want to share is with a less-active gentleman we met last week, David. We asked where he was from, and he said, "Canada." I straightened up in my chair, and asked, "Where?!" He responded, "A place called Taber." "NO WAY! That's where I'm from!!" I was able to share the mormon message from Taber, "He Will Give You Help." It seemed to touch him. He hasn't been in church since he was 17. Well, we went back this week, and again it was perfect timing. We were able to talk to him more, and I told him my parents know his grandparents really well! He told me that his parents know Dennis Bennett, who is my grandpa! Small world. Well, Sister Zelaya shared an inspired message about doing the will of the Father, and we talked about getting out of our comfort zone, and searching for answers from God by doing His will. As we left, we invited him to church (I was singing), kind of as a last thought as we were walking towards the car. He asked when and where, and then we left. Well, the next day to my surprise, HE WAS THERE!! We were so happy! I honestly couldn't believe it. God works in mysterious ways, but I'm so grateful for his help and Spirit.
This work is true! God really cares. I challenge you all to seek to know how the Spirit speaks to you. Pray to know how to recognize those promptings. That's the only way we can come to know and truly cherish the truthfulness of the Gospel.
I love you! You all mean so much to me, and I'm so lucky to have family and friends like you!
Love,
Sister Bennett.
P.s. Transfers came, and we're all staying. :) Oh, and Sister Capitan is STAYING a 5th transfer in my last area, and training! She'll do good.
P.p.s. FUNNY MOMENTS: We went to Primary, and before we went up to talk, a member of the Bishopric was talking to the junior Primary. He asked them who the Prophet was today. A kid shouted, "Jesus!" and another kid responded, "It's Mario!"
The innocence of children. One of them went up to me and said, "Why did you dye your hair black? It looks weird."
Our sacrament meeting was unique. There was 6 speakers, and 2 musical numbers. It was all about hymns, and peoples favorite hymns. To be able to make it through, each talk had to be 5 minutes max. They were warned that if they went too long, the podium would move up or down to remind them. Well, this old guy gets up to speak. Five minutes pass, and the podium goes up slightly. Ignored. Two more minutes pass, and the podium goes down. Ignored. Two more minutes pass, and the gentleman made a comment about being able to talk all day if he wanted to, but that wasn't Bishop's plan. At that remark, the podium went WAY up and down haha. We all laughed.
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