Letter Excerpts from Aug 30

I AM TRANSFERED! Yep I got my companions addresses and full names. They are going nowhere without me. We really are going to be friends forever.

Ok WHOA! haven't been to the new house yet but it is sounding awesome. Two houses on the property, a guest house, and a barn w/ carpeted upstairs for entertaining. Wow. Ritsy! hehehehe

AWESOME!!! President Bowen made us a promise that if we put away childish things as Paul encourages we will have the strength to bear testimony of the atonment and find a family! I am going to find a family this transfer if I put all the dedication that this work deservs in. 

I hope to work well with my new companion Sister Nybo. Time to put into action the patience and giving lessons I have learned from my previous companionship. Missions are amazing.

We had a baptism on Saturday. It was great. The ordinance had to be done again after they were changed, the ice cream melted, our musical number (US singing) was a fiasco .... but out of all this the convert made covenants and the Lord was pleased. I love the gospel. It gives us such a solid path to look to. The Savior is the power. Study his life!!!!!

 

I love you so much. Give my love to everone!!! Thanks so much for your support

Letter Excerpts from Aug 23

The Restoration video of Joseph Smith is pretty amazing. It does a great job of bringing up different concerns our investigators might have and addressing them. I love the beautiful message of the Restoration...it is such a testiment of God's continued love for his children!! Truly revealing again, to us, so there is no mistaking-that He is in control and that He has a design of love for us.

 

We are so blessed with knowledge. AH! And we are so blessed to have living prophets! Thanks so much for the Neil A Maxwell talk in the package. It was very profound and I am so conforted that you found application for your life. It's not nice to hear of the rough spells that go on but I am confident that you know how to access the saving and enabling power of God. What an awesome God.

 

Oh there is this song that we listen to and among ourselves. And well amid the funny lyrics of the song it says "Our God is an awesome God" and one day at a door I said " Our god is great" and my comps started laughing because they thought I was singing the song to them! oh dear. haha but some other funny lines from the song (all sang N*sync boy band style) are " puttin on the ritz...lightning in His fist The Lord was jokin when he kicked em out of Eden, It wasn't for no reason that He shed is blood, ....so you better be believin' that our god is an awesome god!! *chorus* our god is an awesome god he reigns over heaven and earth he "...blaha something something.... and ok listing out what the songs says its quite true and all but oh wow. its funny the things that we listen to and get pumped up by as a missionary!

OHHHHH!!! Holy Monly MY BAG!!! the one you made that is pink and bluey green with a reinforced bottom!??? LOVE LOVE. It is my favorite thing. The PERFECT size for my scriptures and my planner. you did a number one job and I think its the cutest thing on the planet!! So fun to have things that I love in a world here, where really everything that matters is about other people.

 

This work is so amazing. It is all about other people. No time for me. What I want is not really what I should be concerned about or thinking about. It is a window into what it will be like to be a mother. That is interesting....hahha I'm glad you are going to stay my friend forever. My mind goes into another relm when I'm reading your letters or sending you one of my own. It's a valuable thing for my sanity and such a pleasure to look forward to. Oh my goodness you are such a support. And I know your efforts are combined with Mom's too! That is so loving!! When I think of the two people I love the most, working and worrying about me together-I am filled with joy and love for you!!! I can't even imagine what kind of love I should have for my Heavenly Father.... What He and Christ have done for me is so divine and eternal. Sometimes the Holy Ghost makes known to me little snippets more of what a great and grand thing they have put in place for me...oh and then I am humbled. But the point is! I love you and I love the Lord and I know he loves you!!!!

 

Umm did I mention that you are perfect and the wallet thing is an excellent idea? You just know everything that I need. And hhaha I am wearing that weirdo craft exchange ring. I am happy and well fed, and I am getting comfortable with my eating/exercising pattern, and I am becoming more patient!!! (total evidence of the atonement and prayers!)

 

Transfers are next monday, so I probably won't get to e-mail until Tuesday. I am guessing that I will stay in Silverdale. But! Who knows...dun dun dun! hahaha. If I focus on my self then I get nervous about the upcoming changes for I love my current companionship and stopping the work we are able to do so cheerfully together. BUT! If I think about serving others and loving the people I am called to serve... it really doesn't matter who my companions are. AND! The Lord is behind all of this and He knows what he wants for his children and that will be enough for me! Exciting!

 

I have grown so much to understand the ground work of missionary work. It's impressive what a machine of miracles and organization exist in the church. I love being a part of it.

 

Funny that you should appologize for mentioning relationships. We did a 40 day fast from things that poke at the spirit. Today that is over and so technically I can think about relationships again. Bishop Stoner said some interesting things about them yesterday. The things that are good about creating a "list". ahahaha the list of doom! jk. umm but the point is....mmmm...don't know exactly. But! I am going to work in this life as the Lord would have me work. And I believe that includes me not being to worried about the logistics of who when where and why. :) The What of now is enough for me. And again I really liked the Maxwell talk. 

 

Read preach my gospel! It has so many gems of truth in it. AND!!! I think it is so funny that you send me all these quotes from "the blessing of scripture" by elder christopherson because I was going to do the same thing to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the cut out pieces were floating around on the kitchen table forever. lol I guess you are familiar with it:) but Holmes we are connected!!! I hope you can feel blessings in your life from my end of the world. 

As for me being in a foreign country!! YA! jk. but there are monsters here on every corner. They masquerade as house dogs. Big Stinky and OH! FLEEEE inhabited! oh my goodness! Yep! Went on splits and into a home which was fleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee infessted!!!! Jumping up my legs as I sat in the many folds of my skirt. My mind was telling me that many places on my body were itching....and I am pretty sure that was paranoia after the successive jumper flees that were picked off of me. What an interesting experience. Who puts their baby on the floor when there are flees all over the house? Hmmmm I guess it's ok if "they don't like her" and only give her one or two little bites? ahahha the way people in washington feel about their pets that I haven't felt for a long time! hahaha

 

my companions are awewsome! 

Letter Excerpts from Aug 16

I really appreciate your support from so far away! As for journaling. You and I know all to well how hind sight taints the tail. I need to record things as they happen so I get the full process of my learning! For example....I am learning the purpose of why Emily Clendening has been called on a mission and what it is going to do for me. WHOA! That is so cool! When the Lord blesses us he blesses other people....I just love knowing a little bit about the nature of God. Study and application are a hard thing to master. I'm so grateful my days have been lengthened out. I can learn over and over, practice, and enjoy great blessings along the way. My family is the dearest thing in the world to be besides my family. I am glad we are all together and I am glad we recognize what we have:)

 

We went blueberry picking for an hour on Saturday. Now we have tons and have made blue berry pancakes twice. Yummo.

 

Ok. Lacey* was baptized on Friday. OH my!! The baptism was so spiritual. Brother Jansson from the family ward is amazing and he shared a super good parellel between the Holy Ghost and a shadow.  When you step into the sun you have a very prominent shadow. When you live the gospel (step into the light) you will automatically and immediately have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He will be right behind you to guide you, just look for him.

 *Names have been changed for privacy

When Lacey* was confirmed she huged everyone. Sitting down she said, "I've never been so happy." and was literally bouncing in her seat. AHH!! The light of the Holy Ghost is real and I was so privileged to be sitting right next to her for that experience. Declaring the restored gospel truths is so rewarding! YAY!

 

We had R&R which is where we meet with the Mission President and get interviewed. It went pretty well. It is terrible because not even a week later I have trouble remembering what it was I felt impressed to do. Good thing there are notes!

 

Always face your fears! Don't be discouraged or turned aways because something seems to be a bit awkward...I've let too many concerns go unresolved becuase I just accept their situation and do not try to help them out of a doubt. Agg!! The gospel is true and the Lord will work his work but I still must do my absolute best to present it as such. That means always improving. which missionaries strive for.

 

I love you and am doing super at keeping my mind focused on the work. I love the Lord so much. He requires us to have faith in him but it is only THROUGH him that we CAN have faith. I will forever be indebted to Him. The miraculous thing about it, He suffered and lives so that I can have faith and overcome; no longer droop in sin but I can surpass the flaws of my natural character and partake of His Salvation!! I can come unto that same Glory. That is truly Divine and I love it with every fiber of my itty bitty soul. I never want to let those fibers get buried beneath the grosser matter that also accompanies me in life. I am grateful that one day this corruption may put on incorruption and see His Saving Grace!

 

Sister Clendening

Letter excerpts from Aug 9

It is great to get things in the mail from you! I would love to see Benjamins little video. And whoa! I sent an SD card to you in a letter...did you not get it??? At least...I'm pretty sure I sent you an SD card...if you didn't get it that probably means I put it somewhere else...which means I will need to go a searching for it. Lanta my brain is totally not on all the time. I forget things like CRAZY! 1.5 transfers in and I still can't pull up a face to ward members names! I never imagined this part of my mission. But it is great just the same.

 

Glad you liked the stories! Glad I get to tell them to you because I do not have the time to do Journaling! If I wanted to be a crabby crusty companion and the second we are done planning run off to my own corner and journal-I would have time. But if you don't spend any time relaxing together, it is harder to have harmonious relationships when you are working! So...yeah. Glad I get to journal to you! You are the best!

 

Hmmm....what news this week. BAAHAHAHa. sister Gandolph had her foot ran over!! Sister Bailey and I had already gotten in the car and then the member starts to drive.. BLHCOMPH!....Sister Gandolph? So the break is applied. Sister Gandolph in calm tones says, "Ok you have ran over my foot you need to drive forward." Taken aback at the even-ness of the declaration, the member is somewhat confused and puts it in park so she can turn around herself and get a better look at what is going on back there. "NOOO!" Sister Bailey and I jump in to help explain that the CAR is sitting ON TOP OF HER FOOT and the car needs to move forward. Ahahahahaha. Sister Gandolph was in somewhat of a laughing hysteria afterwards so that she would keep from crying and upsetting the member.

 

Sister Warner in the ward is the wife of the Ward Mission Leader of the family ward. She always asks us in her Japanese voice if we want her fried rice. "FrIed rIce!?" and on the phone "...HelLOo" hahaha

 

And now  the Dad of the family we've been working with forever, does our hand signs to us. Hahaha. After so much attention and sister gandolph trying to come up with a sign for herself, it has made me self concious about my "sign" (which is twisting my middle and ring finger into the west side sign.) ! NO stop! It's natural and when they make a big deal about it, it ruins my concentration and makes me think about people watching me when I teach! ick!

Can you even imagine how much we need to understand about the Atonement!? It is hard to imagine that we can learn about the same topic for our WHOLE LIVES! The Bible is set. The Book of Mormon is set. BUT! The Holy Ghost is our constant teacher and can lead us to know all things! Plus it is such a blessing and a comfort to have prophets and apostles to continue to provide insights!!! From GOD!!! I love that we can know that the scriptural interpretation is what God wants for us. That is something that no one else in the world has! Even if you grabed 300 groups of Christian faiths and tried to come up with the nature of God, it would not be as exact as if you learned from God himself. His servants speak his words. I love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a choice and so many ways to exercise that in this life and it is reassuring to know that we have a solid base to start from, and continue to guide us as we go along!

 

I rest assured that as you and Eric go through this time and are making big changes that Heavenly Father is aware of you. He knows the rightous desires of your hearts and has been with you thus far. It is exciting that you are still progressing on in life, continually building your faith and being molded and shaped. I see far too many members who have left that progressive mode and no longer strive for more and better. This is hard to see because God is never ending and if we stop improving, we move farther from Him. Stay close to him and I know that you will find the strength to conqure anything. I love this idea from sacrament yesterday:

Some things we cannot overcome. But we can conquer them with Gods help.

 

:)) ahhh! the Spirit is the Key! Yesterday during sacrament meeting it was about prayer and personal guidance via the Holy Ghost. There was much taught to our investigator and I was every grateful for it! As he tries to stop smoking he will need comfort and the courage to look and listen for the guidance of the Holy Ghost in his life. I know that he will be able to give up his habits if he puts his hand in the Lord's.

 

I can't even stand how much love and joy fill my heart as I teach the investigator's wife. She is her own unique person who is so tender and loved by the Lord. I feel such a connection with her and if that was the only reason God had sent me to Washington -to touch her- that would be enough. But I know there is more! I know that the Lord has many people for me to testify to! I love loving others and sharing my greatest treasure with them. I feel His blessing as I share my witness from the Holy Ghost with them. I don't know what the Lord has specifically laid out for me to do, but I understand the feelings I feel when I go about the work. I know this is a wonder-the work! No other explanation can cover the miraculous things we see transpire. The Spirit of Truth is in this doctrine and it is the way to life eternal! It is terrible when they push it away but I stand firm relying on the power of the promises that the Lord has made unto those who testify of him.

 

Love Sister Clendening

July Pictures

Sister Gandolph, Sister Clendening, Sister Bailey

June Pictures

Emily with her Zone? or some group...

Isn't this a beautiful picture??!!

Pictures from the Mission Field

*Note: These pictures are pictures of pictures that Emily sent in a letter-- I know the quality isn't the best, but this is what we have :)

Sister Bailey with Sister Clendening

Emily was playing with her companions (gasp! :) and this was the result as she describes it on the back of the picture shown below:

Observation: Bruising
Cause: Force
Cause of Force: Running to avenge, and a door slammed by Sister Gandolph
Result: Two objects collide
(Needless to say, I died laughing-- I can totally see Emily doing this! Love this girl!)

Letter excerpts from Aug 2

So I will start out my letter with funny things that happened. Because...hmmm I don't know if I've updated you on funny things lately. SHeesh funny things happen allllll the time! There is so much more going on in my life that I leave out of journaling/telling you about than I did before! So I will try and be better right now:

Hahaha! So we are trying to back up. Sister Gandolph is taking instructions from me on where to turn her wheels and I direct her thus. However, just as the words are coming out of my mouth I think, "hmmmnope she's not gonna be able to make that" but all that comes out of my mouth is laughter as she follows my directions and high centers the car. Ahhh! and this is doubly funny because Sister Bailey is outside the car watching that nothing goes amiss and her directions...are not followed? where is she? hahaha wow. *side note: I don't think I'll be able to drive when I get home! My backing up capabilities are completely untested as its a rule that there always has to be a missionary behind you when you put the car in reverse. hahha bring on the awkward 22 year old!*

Okay, the day before the Ward's 24th of July picnic thing we went around telling everyone and inviting them to it. One of the activities was going to be a seed spitting contest. No fail, at everydoor I said speed sitting contest. EVERYTIME!!! hahha I would even pause before to be able to say it slowly and correctly but even then when I thought I had it prepared and that it was going to come out properly...nope. It didn't!

So it has come to my attention (curtousy of a member family and my companions) that when I teach, I do the westside sign!! Haha what? But yes-I DO! I don't even think about it..it just forms in my fingers! so...we laugh about that and tease often about it. (and no, that doesn't stop the reflex from occurring--)

We were visiting Jude*, this less active guy, and he was just chattering on and on and on out side in the sun. Great opportunity! I flipped my freshly washed hair over to its underside to lighten it and was stroking it becuase it was soft. Now the man Jude was so wrapped up in telling us about the truck project he's been working on for eternity and still pouring his soul into- that this didn't even come to his attention. But Sister Bailey just looks at me and ...puts my hands down. Hahhaa.....mmmm super sorry after writing this out it really does not sound as funny as it really was.

(*Names have been changed to respect individuals)

Then one time (with the same Jude guy) I started raising my scriptures up and down behind my head. (you can figure out the obvious motive) so Sister Bailey starts to twirl her fingers in her bun (BUN! that is on top of her head) to mock me {becasue this one time I was doing that a lot...actually I think it was the same day I had washed it and had it down, experiencing the fine and soft texture} so then! I start to mock her and do this little finger gun thing she does and then she starts doing my westside thing. whoa. ummm this is not a wonderful portrayal of missionary sisters. But! I want you to know that we are laughing a lot of the time. Culminating that at the end of the day we have wrapped up a lesson and simultaneously Bailey and Gandolph start raising their srcriptures over behind their heads!!!!! WHAT!!! aaahahahahha.

We played ulitmate frisbee wtih the Elders again today. It was great fun. I love exercise. I love it when the Sisters play with the Elders because it helps with the unity within the zone. Unity is so important. 

NOW!! oh wow!! The spiritual stuff. THIS IS GOOOD!!! So awesome. We have been teaching the Jones* family.  The parents have word of wisdom issues. BUT!!! Sam* stopped drinking coffee this week and when the family came to church Sam WAS IN A WHITE SHIRT!!!! A shirt and tie!!!! And all of his boys had ties on! Whoa!!! So much happiness for their progress! We were fasting and praying specifically that he would be able to tell the difference since the missionaries started teaching his family and feel the blessings from keeping the laws of God. Awesome! They are going to be such a good gospel family. Mary* (a daughter) was doing something during the sacrament and Sam leaned over and told her to quiet down because this was a time to reflect. He still doesn't allow anyone to take the sacrament but that is ok because he knows its significance and we are working to let him be able to take it as a renewal. SO EXCITING!!

(*Names have been changed to respect individuals)

The Lord is so wonderful. We are trying to be better and as the 40-day fast contintues, we have been blessed. When we recommit and up our efforts to please the Lord we are blessed. Cleansing the inner vessel is a hard thing, but as I do so I know it is rewarding! Even as I go through the process I never truly experience pain or sorrow. Anger maybe but that is the natural man. I KNOW that Christ has suffered for my sins. He has taken the full consequence of my incapabilities. I witness that He is now my debtor and I know that what I go through is meeted out to me through him. He is the Master Teacher and as I go working out my salvation before God with fear and trembling I am kept on a higher plane. One of hope!

We are teaching a man named Davis*. He is very philisophical and prides himself on his cultural perspective being analytical and exacting. As we teach about God's plan and the Book of Mormon he has gotten hung up on some things-waiting for an explanation but assuring us as we continue to talk he is doing so "assuming the Book of Mormon is true." He is so influenced by his knowledge of worldly cause and effect occurrences and so he " has never been comfortable with a Divine whipping boy." He doesn't understand why we can't just suffer for ourselves and why Christ has to. OH NO!!! That is the Merciful side of our loving Heavenly Father! He loves us and wants to encircle us in the arms of his love! Atonement-when looking at Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin roots of the word we see that it connotates holding and bringing to sit down with. We don't have to suffer because God loves us! He wants us to have so much and we can if we accept his Son. I love knowing that my Savior loves me. I know he loves his children and pray that I will be able to teach Davis that. The God or supreme being he now knows is not a personable God. He does not see him as his Father. But I testify ever so humbly that He is our Father full of love for us!

Another thing: I am so blessed with the spirit that I have. I can use it to pump up my companions, demonstrate without words my love of the Savior and this gospel, create excitement and energy within my disctrict, and make people smile. I thank my Heavenly Father so much that He gave me this. I am thankful he allowed my brain to function to workable capacities. I am thankful that I am not super uber smart, I am blessed with a faulty memory. It does so well to keep my pride always before my eyes and ever looking towards my Savior who is always looking after me. I am thankful that I am worthy of the Holy Ghost and that this missionary work does not come about by mortal means alone. I know this is a work of miracles and I think it is a miracle that I get to be a part of it.

The feeling I get after I invite someone to come unto Christ throught baptism and their acceptance of that is pure ecstasy! I know nothing else like it! Whoa! And I am ever grateful for a loving family at home who prays for me and the people I teach and meet. I know that prayers unto the most high return answered here to even the most low. Never forget that you are privilaged to address our Ultimate Creator and that His whole focus is our progression. Do not ever leave the grace and mercy Christ offers you. Take hold of the hope that is ours if we will but believe in the Savior. If you are having trouble with that-start thinking about love. Love never faileth and perfect love casteth out all fear.

I LOVE THE LORD! He is my number one. As I serve and grow each day each week with His help, I find the joy the scriptures talk about in loosing yourself.

Love Sister Clendening