I love every minute of this work. As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course or turn it up stream as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge upon the heads of the latter day saints. As I prove the Lord’s law of obedience and service- this scripture is coming true for me! Nothing that my well meaning totally devoted and loving sister could do would stop that. :) keep it all coming my way!
I am glad that you get to go to girls camp. It is there in YW that they are going to start waking up and realizing that they need to figure this "church is true" thing out. You have a powerful testimony to share with them. This morning sister Lyles and I were talking about Alma 17:2+3. I will be so happy to come home and find that my family are still my brothers and sister in the Lord.
So today we went to Point Defiance Park. We met up with the Lakewood sisters and some elders from our Zone. I touched anemones and star fish and saw this huge-O walrus and elephants and monkeys!!! I want to be a monkey. If I picked an animal to be, it would not be a bird-definitely a monkey. It was really fun only sister Gandolph and sister Nybo went faster than we did. WE really enjoyed our time!
Have you ever watched flight of the concords? Oh man. They are so supper funny. And no I am not watching them while I am on my mission...but these Elders think they are funny and sometimes we talk about it. funny. And Sister Lyles and I made up mission lyrics to Chris Brown's forever song. Which is also fairly hilarious.
Missionary work this past week! amazing. Our family is still progressing. Still loving coming to church. They are trying to read the Book of Mormon and get an answer about its origin and Joseph Smith. How cool. What church
we belong to. All of the vital questions are answered: why do we need church? How can "church" help me? Who made church? What does this mean for me? How does my family fit into the picture? What is the POINT of it all!? No wonder people have become disenchanted with religion. So much of the cake is missing. We have such an obligation to use our knowledge to the fullest.
This up coming week will be amazing. Mark* is getting baptized. We just knocked on his door before church Sunday and asked him to come to church. He agreed. We taught him the restoration (and sister Lyles said the
first vision! I was so proud of her. She is very nervous and feels so inexperienced but I encouraged her and the spirit's promise is true. She taught with power and authority.) and after that lesson, our fellow shipper Brady* gave us the name and number of one of his friends!!! To teach!!! YAY! he trusts us! And what a marvelous thing to share.
I have learned that we must take breaks when we are tired. YES: don't waste a minute and be a HARD worker. However, the Lord even commands us to take breaks. Mark 6. YAY!
I have also learned how to stay calm. What it is that is pulling me to give in to just blowing up and letting things go wild. But it feels so much better (and keeps the spirit with me) when I just contain it, and then
swallow it. Gone! Nil. Shnin. Ate up.
We met a very humble Mexican man named Jose*. He is full of questions and openness. I hope that we can continue to teach him.
Transfers are coming up next Monday. I probably (and HOPEFULLY) don't get transferred because sister Lyles is not ready to take this area by herself.
Did I describe sister lyles? She is 18 -turning 19 on july 13th and from Aberdeen. She is so so so so so sweet. she is part Filipino. I love her. She is going back to BYU in the fall. I want to play with her and be her friend when I return home. Hahaha. she likes Country. she likes pizza! and fruit. and is funny. and sings with me. and plays the guitar. and...has a fat dog she likes at home.
Yes! I was going out with sister Anderson (a senior couple lady from the office) the morning before sister Lyles got here and sis Anderson said that President Bowen was bragging about me the other day! said that I had been through a lot and was still going good. :) President Bowen is so kind. He knows my situation and reads about my struggles.
The Lord is exponentially expanding the work here in sunset! We are getting many people at Church, finding new, and giving church tours.
One tumultuous event: I have lost my planner. This is ultra sad. 1-it was my favorite decorated one thus far. 2-has a BUNCH of investigator/potential phone numbers in it. 3-is a journal/mind keeper for the past 6 weeks of my
life (which in missionary world IS AN ETERNITY!!! no joke) AND! 4-it has appointments for the remaining weeks.....i really really really hope that we find it.
OK! great news. Richard*, baptized in February, has the strongest testimony ever! His family it 7th Day Adventist and they won't have anything to do with the church. But he said that doesn't get him down. He said, 'this
church will stand the test of time. Nothing can stop it. I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon will continue to change other people's life because it has changed mine." He recently went to the temple to do
baptisms for the dead and now his daughter wants a bible of her own. YAY!
And Max* is almost done reading 2 Nephi! He was baptized at the beginning of the transfer. I have much concern over him for he is still faced with many temptations but when I see him make progress like that! I
have strong faith in the power of the word of God.
*names changed for privacy
The sun in now out in Washington. It is the source of life!!!! I am so grateful for the sun. I didn't realize how much I loved it and how much I missed it!!!! I LOVE SUN!!!
Love Sister Clendening
No comments:
Post a Comment