Guess what, I have been in the sunset ward now for about 5 months! That is a while:) I love love love it. I have gotten to know most all of the ward fairly well. I love serving with these people. As I get a new companion, a whole multitude of opportunities open up! The same place but its Tacoma and SOOOO much work to do. Only now I know the ward very well and they are playing a great role in helping with our recent converts.
One guy: Thomas*. He was baptized last Sunday and confirmed this Sunday. WONDERFUL guy. I tied his tie for him and then Tyler* (just 12 yrs old) said oo! can I wear a tie? Yep sure, go grab one. I cant even tell you how proud I am to see this young man. Escaping the rough and rebellious teenage facade that he has created for himself, he wore a full suit! He came to a missionary prep fireside by my MTC mission president and....:D we are going to help get him ready for a mission. He can go from probation to proclaimer of truth. The road ahead of him is long and filled with obstacles. But the power of love!!! What a real thing. It has already helped him overcome fear about being baptized and making a covenant to follow the Savior. It has given him the courage to listen to the prickling of the Holy Ghost. I know as a person follows that guidance from above, it will continue to flow down! He is going to start reading the Book of Mormon from front to back. Now he'll need to get a job and have TONS of encouragement from the ward. Which we are well prepared to do. hahah It was funny, we took Thomas* to see a baptism and after asked him how he felt. He said he felt sleepy. We realized that the spirit was so comfortable to him and so warm-"sleepy" was the ONLY thing in his life that he could equate with it. Not excitement. Not a hug. But sleepy. I know the power of Christ is for everyone. I don't know how he saw my face when he was in the garden but I do believe he did. He saw and felt my personal weaknesses and trials. I can say this for the Spirit which testifies to my heart and the way I see a boy respond to the message of the Atonement-even when the world immediately around him is distracting and contradicts this message of peace and love. AHHH!!! I know I am just rambling on but really, missionary work is amazing. I feel bad for neglecting to share more details about teaching with you. lets see what else can I share....
My companion Sister Mayfield and I had and interesting discussion this morning. About love and admiration. Did I tell you that she talks a lot about boys and getting married? Yes that is good, marriage is the goal, and I DO have that as my ultimate objective...but I just don't spend every evaluation thinking about it. I imagine that if I did that, when I got to marriage I would be sadly disappointed or find it lacking because I had spent most of my thinking energy on only and idea and had not build up any experience to help me prepare for it. hmmm. If any of those thoughts make sense:)
Well she said that to her: love was synonymous with admiration. Upon reflecting, all the people that I love I have admired. She wondered if that was 'right' and I didn't know at the time. I mentioned that God loves us (and does he have much to admire in us? We are his creations...we are his spirit children...but is that enough for admiration?)
Well then I remembered an experience I had the first week in the mission field. I don't know if I shared this with you guys...I hope I did, I meant to, but I am not sure. So I will share it again now for it has helped me answer this question about love=admiration.
Sarah* had a lot of problems in her life, and struggled with so many different things. And I saw a pattern of behavior from this individual that was not impressive. I did not hold anything against her. This is the situation she had painted for herself. We've tried to help her. But what else can I do? Heavenly Father she won't let me help her...what am I to do? I felt like a bystander. And then I knew what I must pray for.
Right then in the middle of soap boxing from her sprawled out position on the couch I said I silent and fervent prayer to my Father in Heaven to show me the love that he has for Sarah*. Almost immediately I will overwhelmed with a strong feeling of goodness. Of hope in Sarah*. I felt that she was loved! I knew that Heavenly Father knew this daughter and loved her. I didn't understand why but I did understand the intense feelings of love that I felt for Sarah*. As she went on about idea that I completely disagreed on all levels ethical, moral, and spiritual - my heart went out to her. My mind, situation, and experiences with her had not changed; the only thing which solicited such a powerful feeling was my urgent prayer to my Father.
I know as a missionary and His servant I was able to feel love for her. With this, I asked. And I received. Knowledge poured out from Heaven upon my head that I don't understand. It truly was as if I was being drowned in the Missouri river. I knew and felt the power of God that comes through the love he has for his children.
Since that time I have not felt such powerful feelings of love just flow down to my heart upon request. But I know the line which has been revealed to me. I seek with an earnest heart for revelation to build upon that line. I have received a priceless gift. Know that God loves me. And knowing that he loves someone else.
God's mind is higher than our thoughts and his ways are higher than our ways. Our love is not His love. But As Moroni instructs us in chapter 7:44 we are to pray for this love. I testify that when we do, our prayer will be answered. We will come to grow in the wisdom of God and become more pleasing unto him.
I love the mercy that Heaven shows! I know there is so much I don't understand or comprehend yet. But I seek to use the time given to me to cultivate more fruit for my savior. He is the Lord of the vineyard AND He tread the wine press alone. We can both purge the bad and cultivate the good through his everlasting grace.
I have seen this work in my own life here as a missionary. I am ever growing as I recognize new areas that I can improve and the bring them to the Master healer to take them from me. Christ is King of Kings. Lord of Lords. and he wants to become my friend.
Nancy* (who was the second person I had the privilege to teach and baptize in Silverdale) went to the house of the Lord and received her endowments. WHAT A STEP!!! Her life had been fraught with difficulties and unfairness. She was knifed and received brain damage from an ex boyfriend, her daughter and been raped by her ex husband, she'd experienced moving her little family from house to house in the south just to keep them safe from those that were stalking her. She drove truck and met many unique and scary situations. But! Through it all, she was willing to have and open mind to the message of Jesus Christ. Through the authorized channels, following the covenant of our Father, she has found relief from all pain through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
On Wednesday the mission is going to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!! AGHH!!! I love it!! I am so excited! I am going with a very devoted spirit. AND!!! It will be great because I will be sitting with sister Gandolph! (or at least I better be! :))
Oh um the Parker's (where we are living) are having family come into town so we have to move houses for a week. inconvenient.
OH!!!!!!! HUGE MIRACLE!!! ok so our zone set a goal for 30 new and 30 on date by mid weeks. This averaged out to about 3 per companionship. Thus, everyday that week sister Mayfield and I set a goal of 3 new for the day.(usually 1 new is good) Thursday morning I prayed for the faith to reach this goal. That day we gave two church tours and Found 3 new people to teach. The lord works in mysterious ways!!!
Max Greene* : our apts had cancelled so I thought mmm lets go see the Johnson's* (which wouldn't really do much for our purposes) on the drive over there I passed an old investigators house-ooh! that would be good to show Sis Mayfield. ...mmm ok no, still go see the Johnson's*.
we pulled up beside the Johnson's and counseled about why and what was going to go on, What is our desired outcome here??? AND THEN! Max* walked by. We rolled down the window and started to talk to him.
Our conversation went from 'any church is good' to Max* recognizing the unique situation in which we had met and coming on a church tour. As I shared the First vision, the spirit bore powerful witness to Max* (and to me---which it does EVERY TIME!!) that this was spiritually grand. Max* looked and looked at the painting of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. After ages of spirit filled silence, He turned back to me to answer "how do you feel' and said he felt hungry. HUNGRY! like when you just need to eat something. He just wants to learn MORE about this. Then we introduced him to the Book of Mormon. He soaked everything in. We asked him: Will you read ____ Max*?" "I will read it all! I HAVE TO! I have got to know if this is true."
The lesson with Max* was so sweet. The other church tour was great too. Amazing things are happening here. I have no more time.
*names have been changed for privacy
Sister Clendening
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