Week #41

Mom!

Well this week started off really great. We did some tracting and found this awesome guy Tyson. He initially rejected us and then we just kept talking and pushed past the no and asked him again if he wanted a Book of Mormon and he said yes! Let me tell you, missionary work is like finding a needle in a haystack. It has been so hard to find people to teach! We helped Vickie move apartments and I am so grateful that you and dad taught me how to work. It's crazy how many people just stood around until someone told them what to do and I was just like let's go and get this done.

We've been running super low on miles because this area is just so dang big so we have to get rides as often as we can. Thursday we drove down to have lunch with President and Sister Nilsen at the mission home with the other sisters in the zone. We have had members at all of our lessons for the past 7 weeks so they rewarded us with Cafe Rio and he knows how to make the knock off stuff real good since, well, he owns the company. But did you know no one knows the official recipe?? It's locked in a vault somewhere. Crazy! So that was really fun. We got to ask him any question we wanted and it was just a really neat experience. I love them, they're so great. One sister asked how we can know at the end of the day if we've done enough and President just said if you sat down with the Savior at the end of the day, he would never be disappointed with your work, only grateful. Our nightly prayers should be prayers of gratitude. Sister Nilsen got a little emotional. But it was way cool to just have that time to actually get to know them.

Then Thursday night we had the most spiritual lesson ever! We went to see a potential, Heather, and we showed her a Mormon message about the Book of Mormon. I love using the media. It's so helpful. Anyway I was just so excited to tell her about the Book of Mormon and I've never felt that way my whole entire mission haha by the time we got in the car I was just out of breath and I just invited her to church out of nowhere. Unfortunately, she didn't come to church and we saw her yesterday and she's going to "stick with her baptist". The battle's not over yet. Sister Collins said she would still work on her.

Last night we had another lesson with Troy. We're still working on the smoking thing. He just won't quit, but he got himself an e-cigarette, which is supposed to help him smoke less and save money. And then he found out those things have some of the same ingredients as anti-freeze. People just shouldn't smoke. It's not good for you any way you look at it. But we watched Earthly Father, Heavenly Father (Mormon message) and he said something finally just clicked for him. Sweet!

Let me tell you about this ward, these people are faithful members of the church. And I have so much respect for the women in this ward. I can't tell you how many are divorced, on their second marriage, have a husband that's not a member or active, and they come to church faithfully. These are the strongest women I've ever met.

I love being a missionary! It's great! I can't believe time is getting away so fast.

Love you!
Sister Clark

Also just checked my status and my visa is authorized but not ready for collection yet. We'll see on Saturday if I get a call from the office.

Week #40

Hi mom!

 I think I'm going this transfer. I feel really strongly about it. Just like I felt about getting transferred. And Sister Hibbert thinks I'm going too. When I first got to the area I heard a little voice in my head that said it's only for 6 weeks. The spirit.

 

Well this week was a pretty slow week. Not every week can be perfect on your mission I guess. I've decided that I hate agency. Well, I love it but I hate it. We have a love/hate relationship. Our investigator Vickie fell off date. She knows it's all true. She told us! She just won't get baptized. It's pretty frustrating when it's all out of your control and you don't want to push them because ultimately it has to be their decision. 

We met a great guy Monday night! We drove past him and he waved so I told Sister Hibbert to pull over. I jumped out of the car and asked if we could give him a card. He said he believes in Jesus Christ but "doesn't know how it all works". Perfect! We're the people for you! We set up a time to bring him a Book of Mormon and he asked if he could pass out some of our cards. Um yes! So saw him Saturday  Super nice person. 

 

Tuesday we got to go to the temple! Ah it was awesome! And it was 70 degrees when we came outside! 

Sister Reyes, a recently reactivated member told us Wednesday that she wants to go the temple! I'm so excited for her. She's the cutest lady ever! I just love her. And she flirts with her neighbor all the time. It's hilarious. I'll send a picture next week. But I really hope we get to go with her because we've been reteaching her the lessons and she just loves us. We also saw Sister Hibbert's recent convert, Ruthie, who lives in a nursing home. She was really alert and like her old self and then the next day the senior couple here said she didn't even recognize them. We all think she might pass away soon. 

This week was kind of frustrating. We haven't been able to find anyone! And the area is so big. There's so much work to do and insufficient miles to do it. We're down to 300 miles and we still have half the month left. This area stresses me out. We need another set of missionaries. Oh it snowed again this week! What else is new? Sister Hibbert drove us into a ditch and we were stuck in the snow. So we had to wait for someone to come pull us out. I'm pretty much risking my life every time I step into that car but oh well. 

 

We had a lesson with Mike and he says he's seen God. So basically he told us he was pure and without sin. Ummmmm only Jesus Christ is perfect. Then Sister McKinney (she's less active) said "I think Jesus said he wasn't perfect". Sheesh some people are so confused. 

 

Troy is awesome! We taught him the restoration and he said it all makes sense. But he won't give up smoking. he doesn't even like it! Addictions. They're the worst! But he wants to get baptized. It's just a matter of when. 

 

That's pretty much it for this week. Hopefully next week will be better. 

Love you!

Sister Clark

Week #39

Mom!

Monday we had dinner with Sister King. Her husband isn't a member and she was married in the temple once before and anyway she went through a nasty divorce but she's still faithful about church. She is the FUNNIEST lady I've ever met. She made us a steak dinner first of all, and then she was telling us all about her life and stories and I literally choked on my food I was laughing so hard. Ah I want to teach her husband. She was like I need friends in the ward. And then Sister Hibbert says yeah we'll try to baptize someone your age. And then I said how about your husband?! She and her daughter were laughing so hard. It's gonna happen. I just know it. Tuesday we went up to Plymouth and Sister Collins, a recently activated member is manager at some apartments so we went to see her and she called one of her tenants and was like get dressed I'm bringing the missionaries over. She is awesome! That's just how all members should do missionary work! Just do it! Then we had a lesson with our investigator who is on date and she's a little hesitant. She thinks God is going to put her through some big trial before she can be ready to get baptized. That's a new one. So we're just trying to work through that and we pray that she goes through her trial soon. I don't think she realizes that becoming a member of the church is a trial. Satan works on you so hard!

Wednesday we had zone conference. It was pretty awesome. We had to be there super early because our zone had to sing a song. Oh man it was terrible. Because, well, not everyone can sing. But we pulled it off pretty well. Thursday we went all the way to Willard. Sister Hibbert and I have decided we're going to work the northern areas even though it will be difficult with our miles. Everything around us has just been slammed and Willard, Plymouth, and Shiloh have never been worked. We got two return appointments up there! And one of the members lives next to an Amish school! I got a picture. Oh also the elders called us that morning and asked us if we wanted to teach Book of Mormon class that night. I don't think they really wanted to prepare haha but we did that and it went awesome! We really want to get some investigators there. So now we're going to switch off every other week with the elders teaching the class.

Saturday we went back to Willard. One of our appointments wasn't there but the other one was! She's the cutest littlest  lady from Laos. She doesn't really speak English but her nephew was there and we were teaching him. He likes the sound of his own voice and he really values his own opinion. Finally I was just like look, we're basically gathering Israel. This is where the fullness of the gospel is. If it were in the Lutheran church or the Catholic church that's where we'd all be! It's not about being a Mormon or LDS. It's not about the label at all. It's about being a disciple of Jesus Christ and having his full gospel in your life and what that means. This just happens to be where it is. He got real quiet and then he finally started to listen as we taught the restoration. Kamla said at the end "I didn't really understand what you were saying but I feel really good. I like the way I feel when you're here". We're going back on Sunday! And then after the lesson Sister Sommers drove us around Willard and gave us 12 referrals!

Sunday was the best day of my life! Church was just fantastic and all about missionary work and then we had a lesson with Sister Collins' husband, Troy. He is so prepared it's not even funny. He wants to take it slow but he comes to church every Sunday and we taught the Plan of Salvation and he was like I have no doubt that what you're telling me is the truth. I believe it. WHAT?! Troy just get baptized already! I'm super excited to teach him and he said he hadn't felt the way he did during the lesson since the first set of sisters that taught him. He is ready. I told him that he better get baptized so I can go to Brazil because this is who I'm in Clear Fork for. He just laughed and said not yet.

Okay I think that's it. It was just the best week ever! I love this area and I love Sister Hibbert! She's just so cute!

Love ya!
Sister Clark

Week #38

Mom!

 

Tell Sister Miller I miss her too! And Jackie! And Meta! And just everyone in Huber Heights! 

Well the beginning of the week was pretty good. We were super busy the first couple of days. We met an awesome lady who is a Jehovah's Witness. She's been disfellowshipped but is still pretty solid in her faith. But she let us in and wanted a Book of Mormon! So we delivered one to her on Friday. We also got in with a part member family. We're having dinner with them tonight! Tuesday we went up to Shelby, which is our most productive area and we were just so busy! We didn't get to half our plans because almost everyone we planned for was home. We met this awesome guy Tim who kind of reminds me of Brett. He wanted a Book of Mormon so we delivered one to him Tuesday night and he was super excited to read it. I'm excited to go back and teach him! We had dinner with our investigator Vickie who makes the best chili in the world. She's super solid and has a date for the 22nd. Her daughter isn't as sure and has a hard time with prayer so we addressed that concern this week. We'll see how it goes. 

Wednesday we met a less active that plays tennis! I'm going to play with her one p-day. She says there are some indoor courts around here. Woo hoo! Thursday we had Sister Specialized Training and we had to go alllll the way to Powell. We carpooled with some other sisters and I had to get permission to drive because Sister Hibbert doesn't know how to drive, Sister Openshaw got her license for her mission so she doesn't know how to drive either and Sister Hayford tore something in her knee. I was not going to risk my life haha. So we left bright and early and took a little unplanned detour and guess what? We saw two buggies!!!!!!!! Ahhh I love Amish people. I'm going to baptize one! Sisters Training was awesome. I got to see Sister Loder! I was counting down the days. I miss her! They focused a lot on mental and emotional health and overcoming trials.  But it was really good. I seriously feel like when I'm done with my mission, I will be unstoppable, because it's the hardest thing I think anyone can do. 

Oh cool thing: We had 100% member present as a whole zone for 4 weeks so we get to eat out with President and Sister Nilsen! Cheesecake Factory? That's my vote. Or we're going to see if they'll take us to Kirtland even though it's out of the mission. We're only like, 30 minutes away. I basically just got dropped in to the best zone in the mission. Pretty sweet. 

So pretty much nothing in the area book has been updated since October. Pretty frustrating so I'm teaching Sister Hibbert to write things down. Especially contact information!!! There are tons of potentials now lost because they weren't written down. That's I don't know how many of God's children, our brothers and sisters, that are now lost for the time being! Taking care of records is so important!

Last week at church we had about 120 people at church! Miracle! This week we had only about 70 but that's because it snowed. again. I had to teach Sister Hibbert how to drive in the snow. Pretty fun/scary. I love her she's so cute and just the sweetest person ever! We work really well together. 

So hopefully this week will be better and a little more productive. We get to go to the temple soon! Yay! 

Love you!

Sister Clark