8.12.13: Weekly Letter

ok so basically I felt so sick to my stomach all week (not literally) because my letter last week was so rushed and it was such a good week that I didn't even scratch the surface.  So this week I decided to write my letter first then respond to all others. So here we go.

This is the Higgins :) 

Monday

I got a wonderful package from my dearest mother. It made me so happy as I opened it and looked at the contents. It reminded me of home. It was a good uplifter and starter for the busy week. So after letter writing we went shopping! We live really close to a mall so we went there.  It is so weird shopping in a mall when you are a missonary.. We just felt like we were 3 girls shopping in the mall. We even got a pretzel to top off our day. Then after our long shopping trip,we got back to work. We headed over to a recent convert's house that we have not been able to teach or meet with since we've been there. Lo and behold she was home (!!!) and she let us in. her name is Hannah. She is 16. She has a little dog that looks like a lion. Ok one thing about being in Toms River is it has made me realize how much I love dogs. So many cats here that when I see a dog I get more excited than the dog. My companions make fun of me, but it's true. I'm a dog lover.  So we taught Hannah about the importance of the Book of Mormon. She joined the church because her older sister Kayla went to college in Florida, joined the church and didn't tell them until she came home.  Hannah started investigating then she joned.  Her sister is now gone to college at UVU in utah. I think hannah's motivation went with her. We will change that. :) After Hannah we headed to a referral that we've been trying to contact forever. and lo and behold, they were just getting home from 6 Flags!! Her son Anthony, he's 7, jumped out of the car and was like. 'Are you here to talk about God with us?' he runs over to his mom. Mommy can I please talk about God with them? we went inside and talked to Danielle (mom) and she was so cool! Her son is just dynamite. He told us he's going to be like us when he grows up. Telling people about God. He's a cutie. Sister Richardson and him ended up having a wall sit competition at the end. We didn't have time to teach a lesson so we set up a time to see her which is today! woot! We're excited.  We then went over to our classic higgins teaching lesson. we taught about the word of wisdom.  They are totally in on it! We asked them if they thought of a date to be married.. they said December . sad day. So we won't be here and he won't be baptized for a while. but we will see what we can do to change that. Then we headed to get a 'doctors proscribed' (not really) Rita's for my knee. it helped a lot. :)

Sister R's Birthday

Tuesday

Today we had our first zone meeting of this transfer. the cool part about this one is that president and sister Jeppson were there! They were there to have interviews with each one of our missionaries in zone 10 (the southern part). Oh how I love my southern zone. :) We have a new zone leader who is awkward but funny. we went to have accountibiltiy and we went outisde with our testimonies of the Book of Mormon in hand he brought out ballons and gave them to each of us.  We tied our testimonies to the ballon to celebrate that we met our baptismal goal for the month and to celebrate the awesomness which is our zone:) we set them free.. they didn't take off the ground. In the words of Sister Jeppson "well.. it was a cute idea" "our testimonies are just to strong" haha it was fun tho. Then I had the opportunity to have my interview with president. He is just so awesome. I love president. He is so incredible. He asked me how I was doing. He committed me to call for physical therapy ( oh president... using missionary tactics against me) and he also asked me why I was still here on a mission. I was taken back by this question but in my heart I knew. I'm here to serve my King. There is a work for me to do.  These people I've met are keeping me here. The love I'm gaining for them is keeping me here. We proceeded to talk more and it was a great interview. Goodness.. so much love for my mission I just can't contain it. After interviews we headed to Sister Armstrong's for dinner. As we taught her a lesson she broke out into song. She always gets the biggest smile on her face when we teach. She truly loves the Lord and loves serving people. Our day ended with an unexpected water fight, thanks to mamma clarks mini squirt guns. haha It lasted for a good long time. The best part was when Sister Kimball runs out of our room with a plastic bag over her head to keep her hair dry. hahah ya that didn't work. Those little squirt guns soaked us!! We had lots of fun. Thanks momma clark:)

1. Water Fight (yes it happened thanks for the squirt guns)

Wednesday

So I woke up on wednesday morning. and I just had a crazy maine going on (crazy hair) so I have been thinking about cutting my hair for a while because it's so hot. So I did it. Sister R cut off 5 inches. I didn't reallize how long it was untill it was gone. But in a strange way it was a way for me to show heavenly father my dedication to my mission-- a physical way to 'roll up my   sleeves and get to work'. Just to forget about myself and go to work. And as strange as this sounds, it's been working. I've felt so happy, more focused and more love for these poeple. I have a long way to go. but slowly and surely i'm getting there. :) 

So we went to Wanda's after to weed her lawn.. ok her rocks I guess you could say. She has a rock lawn that weeds just keep poping up. we have been weeding her yard ever since we got here. I decided to make a parable of Wanda's weeds. It has to do with sin. ok basically sometimes. we look at our lives and see all these weeds of sin we think, "whats the point? why try to get rid of them if we know they will grow back?"or, "there's to many, it's a hopeless cause." yet we still weed. We repent we use the atonement for those breif moments when the yard is completely cleared. Those moments of clarity is when the spirit speaks to us, and we learn and grow.  Altough we know that more weeds will grow, none of us are perfect. But we have to start somewhere and through Jesus Christ we have the ability to be weed free.  How beautiful we will be in the sight of God. :) That is my parable of Wanda's weeds. We then had other lessons and we met with Wayne again. He brought a friend who has short term memory loss. Yes.. a modern day Dori! She reminded me so much of Dori it was great!

Thursday

I got to watch The Testaments! woot! I dont' know why I love that movie so much. I guess it's just seeing the Savior visit the people and just to feel so connected and imagining how great the day will be when we can thrust our hands into his hands and in his side and know it was for us. We also went and taught a lady named Sharon. she's very religious and she let us in and was basically telling us to make sure we search for truth to. She told us that we might be deceived.  Her closing prayer prayed that we would know truth. It was a good moment for all of us to truly know that we know this is true. We know Joseph Smith is a prophet and that Christ's church is on the earth today. We then came home had a good planning session then went on a cricket hunt outside our room.

The Anwanders

Friday

We drove around, taught lessons. I hit a seagull with the car.. I repented.. it was raining like crazy. We attempted to change a tire. Then we headed to Raegan's to teach her a lesson. She has been feasting upon the word. She's been so busy but finally she's ready to have us teach her again. We taught the plan of salvation. She loved it. She tried to say all the kindgoms names but then she said pointing to Celestial " I'll just remember this one cause that's where I want to be." She accepted a date for AUGUST 30TH!!!! we're so excited and so was she. She pulled out her calendar and circled it and made plans to come to church every sunday! She's a rock! We love her.

Saturday

Today I realized the power of singing. We sung a lot in lessons and as we did the world was quite. We had people come up and talk to us. Singing and music can really bring the spirit. We had a lesson with Paul. He wanted to bible bash. We just sat calmly and told him to pray about it. Then he bashed on the apostles and we all defended them. It was a cool moment. But ya, this was a happy day. We were just happy. We went to the Lowery's for dinner. this is the man who bore his testimony and said that we were his new role models in life. They are they cutest couple. They've only been married for 3 years but they are older. They are so cute. As we ate dinner with them, they were just telling us advice of life. It was fun. We then taught Brother Mosely, a less active member, about the Priesthood. As we taught, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all the worthy priesthood holders I have in my life. Thank you family and friends who have honored and served many with the priesthood which you hold. It truly has blessed my life. I'm gald I had the opportunity to sit back and really think and reflect on how it has blessed my life.

me with isabell amiee's daughter

Sunday

Pure craziness WE HAD 9 PEOPLE AT CHURCH!!! Luckily we have 3 of us to divide and conquer.  It turned out well, but needless to say were were all exhuasted by the end of the day.  Before sacrament meeting brother Lowery gathered us all up he had a note in his hand and some goldfish packets. he told us about how when he was ward mission leader how he would instruct his missionaries to wrtie notes for memebers and people he handed us all goldfish and told us to eat one each time we make someone smile. He held this thank you note in his hand and said it was the best note he has ever gotten. He had tears in his eyes as he sat down. I had prayed that morning to ask if I was really making a difference in the ward, if I was having any effect on these members. This was an answer to my prayer because I wrote that note.. What a blessing to see the fruit of your labor. It helps a lot. We headed west for our appointments and 2 canceled so we headed to see a less active family. They were home. Oh my goodness words can not describe how much I love this family. I just relate so well to them and I just get a long so well. they have an alaskan huskey (my dream dog) and I just felt so comfortable. I'm so determined to help them come back to church. I sat and thought about how this could be the family why I'm here in toms river and if they are, I will do my best to serve the Lord.

The Fitsmaurice's 

 

What a great week. I'm sorry this is so long but life is good. The Lord has blessed us with so many miracles. I love this gospel The church Is true, the book is blue and God is Mormon:)

I love you all!

I would like to extend a challenge. For everyone reading this e-mail. LETS FLOOD THE EARTH WITH THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Everyone who is in the challenge is to give away 1 book of mormon by the end of the year. I will follow up at the end of the year but I would love to hear experiences and testimonies from it as well. By the testimonies of others we grow stronger! Lets work together and get this work moving!

Clear eyes full heart, can't lose!!:)

Love sister Clark

Krispy creams is so much better. but dunkin doughnuts is still ok

8.5.13

Ok.... this week was so great! I know I say that about every week. I just, oh man, I'm verry happy and life is good. Missions are great! I highly recomend them! haha I'll get right down to business.

Monday

We had our classic p-day: go home, sleep, do our thing, but after p-day was done we went to the Higgins.... We walked into their home and it just has a complete happiness about it.  Eric was happy, Krystall was happy, the kids were happy.  Oh man just such a difference from the first time we met them.  Krystall had wrote down some questions she had for us about sacrament. we talked about them then we started our lesson about the Law of Chasity. the Big Cahuna.. They are living together with 2 kids not married but engaged.  As we taught the spirit was there and Krystal talked about how they discussed getting married soon so Eric could be baptized .. so Sister K comes in and extends the baptismal invite to Eric and happily he says. "ya I'd like to do that". We had to use all our power not to jump up and down. We were grinning from ear to ear. Krystal made fun of us saying. You all are jumping for joy inside.. We didn't deny it.  W e all laughed and were so happy. Krystal expressed her sincere happiness as she's been living the gospel again. I asked Eric what made him decide to get baptized. He said he saw a lot of his prayers answered and he feels different and he knows its the holy ghost telling him it's right. OH MAN!!!! He was almost crying. We were all just smiling. They are going to be sealed someday and.. words can not express how much I love them both. We went and got celebatory Rita's.. yum!

Tuesday

We taught a lot of our people and it went well. we taught a less active lady who was smoking and it was blowing in our faces as we tried to sing. We were running out of air.. mom you would have hated it.. (for the sake of time i'll write quicker about everyday)

Wednesday

we did service for sister Rowe.  She gave us all dog book marks to remember her and Cuddles, her dog. My companion's are cute.. mine is a creepy dog. I stare at it everyday and it makes me laugh.

We taught Ray, a new investigator.  He's going to be a tough one to crack but he told us he feels something when we come over.. that's a start!

Joan...we cleaned, she started to ask about prophets.. We are getting to her.

ok I have no more time so I'm going to skip to sunday:( best day ever! most spiritual fulfilling experience of my mission, as Krystal stood up and bore her testimony of how happy she was to be back in the church and how she's greatful for us sister missionaries. We were all crying. The closing song was called to serve. We had no hope! ah I  love her THIS IS WHY I'M HERE

I have 2 minutes left. but we went to ellis island on saturday it was fun. we are meeting new people life is good oh and we went to carlos's bakery on the way home! i'll send pictures next week. I'm sorry I have no time left. I love you all! Heavenly Father loves us CHRIST LIVES! The church is true.!

Love, Sister Clark

7.29.13 : Toms River Transfer 2

This week flew by!!!! I can't believe it's already p-day already. My body can believe it but my mind is trying to catch up! It was a very busy week. Non stop. Today we've decided to just stay home and sleep and write letters for p-day. Ya I'm probably going to sleep for most of the day hahaha. Sleep is good. take it all in! Sounds like it was a great week back home! Little Henry's Blessings. He is a little blessing himself. I loved to hear about the impromptu choir. Sounds like an awesome idea. That's basically how it is in Toms River ward. Just whoever wants to just gets up and sings. Oh I love my ward. They are incredible. This week went by so fast I think I'll only share a few experiences but it was great!

Monday

Monday was a hard day. It was the last day of our district being all together. We have gotten so close to each other it was so hard to say goodbye. Elder Maglbey our district leader had to go home to have knee surgery. He is greatly missed. He was a great leader and excellent example to all of us. We decided to end on a happy note, so we all met at the chapel and ate lasagna, root beer floats, chips and cake and fruit snacks... basically anything we could find that we could make a meal together. We ate food talked and then went into the gym to play some SPORTS!!! and I played! oh man I was grinning from ear to ear. My companions are more of the cheerleader type so I played basketball and volleyball and ultimate four square with some of the uninjured elders. IT WAS SO FUN! I loved it. very therapeutic that's for sure. After we played for a couple hours we had Elder Magbley's goodbye testimony and hot seat. We all stood in a circle and sang God be with you till me meet again. I don't know what we were thinking. that song and my Sunday allergies, we should have known we all would be crying by the end. We knelt in prayer and said goodbye. It will be a fun day when we can all hang out again after the mission.

We then had dinner at a members house. It was fun we had a spiritual lesson and at the end they let me borrow there keyboard... haha so I sit in our apartment on the floor trying to pick out songs. It's very out of tune but it's fun to play I'm grateful for the kindness that was shown to me by letting me borrow it.

Tuesday

New people in the district. We were placed in a district with the Spanish elders and sisters. We will grow to love them. It's very different but all is well. We will do work!!!!

Wednesday

We spent the whole day by the shore. Oh man it is so beautiful. We knocked on beach houses and visited some recent converts. The beach houses are like a movie. The people are nice too. We had some less actives feed us stake and potatoes (just like a home cooked meal!) and then took us out for ice cream.

Thursday

SISTER Richardson's BIRthday!

OK so not only was it her birthday but we had an amazing experience I will never forget.

. It is one of those experiences that you look back on your mission and remember that you truly were just a tool in the Lords hands. So last Sunday we received a referral to go see a less active member who lives down in Whiting. We unfortunately don't make it down there that often, but as we looked at our schedule we decided to set aside a day to go and visit people down there. So on Thursday after planning we headed out. We were running a little late and we almost considered just going to our next appointment rather than stop by this referral. But we decided to go and stop by. As we parked our car and walked up to the door I saw this house and I just felt something. The less actives granddaughter answered the door, asked who we were and then went into the back to go talk to Marry Argust (the less active member). We were let in and lead into the back room where she was sitting on her bed. As she saw us her whole countenance just lit up, she stood up in unbelief and hugged and kissed each of us and she started to cry saying "I can't believe it, I just can't believe it." We sat down and she proceeded to tell us that she was just on the phone with her sister and she was telling her if the Mormons didn't come today she was done with the church. And a minute later we knocked on her door and she saw us out here window and started to cry. Wow so cool! Such an amazing experience. As we talked to her we found out she moved here a year ago but has been in and out of the hospital for 1/2 of that time. So most of the ward members didn't know her and just assumed she was less active. She is a very faithful member she just hasn't been able to come to church. She still wears her garments and set aside money for tithing. She was reaching out for help, asking for blessings and the sacrament to be brought to her for 1/2 a year and nothing happened. It hurt my heart to see this lady just trying to do what’s right and not having any support. We shared a scripture with her in 1 Nephi 22:25 about how Christ knows his sheep and they are numbered. We talked about how he leaves the 99 to go find the 1. And she looked at us and started to cry as she said "I'm the one." Oh my goodness. My heart was filled with so much gratitude that we went to go see her. And that the Lord had led us to her. The Lord knows and numbers his sheep. It was a big testimony builder for me about that. Anyways it was incredible.  So neat!

We then went to Brother Mosely. He is a dog lover, the nicest man you'll ever meet. He likes to paint and he loves wolves.. we get along just nicely haha he joined the church when President Kimball was president and he was so thrilled that Sister Kimball was related. As he prayed he thanked heavenly father for prophets and he started to cry. Wow So many tender moments. we then went to Applebees for dinner for sister R. It was good.

Friday

We meet 2 ladies from the Philippines. one of which was named Alma... ok how perfect. We told her about the Book of Mormon they were both so excited but they are just here on vacation so they gave us there address and had us promise we would write. They promised they would go find the missionaries and go talk to them. SO COOL!

Saturday

Was a day with the ward. We had a day of service where we donated 683 books to a local pantry. This pantry is run by a mom. just watching her was a testimony of the power that one person has to impact many lives. We then had a talent show that night. Ah I wish I could have recorded it and sent it home. Elvis was there,, we had some singing, some flexible people. It was so successful. I LOVE THIS WARD. We had all the members we just adore come up to us and talk to us after. One of which Sister Huestead comes up to me with a big smile on her face and gives me a hug and says. I Gave a Book of Mormon out. We all got so excited. It was awesome! Ward unity helps people grow in the gospel.

Then Sunday was good as well. There were a lot of lessons and things that happened in between, it is all a blur. haha it was a great week. I think the biggest thing I learned and saw was the Lord knows his sheep. He knows all of his children by name and he cares for them so much. He needs our help to show this love. I know he will never leave us alone when we need him and rely and trust in him. I know this church is true. It is so neat to have my testimony grow more and more everyday of that fact. Life is good! I love you all so much! thank you for all your love and support and all you do.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! CLEAR EYES FULL HEART,,, CAN'T LOSE

LOVE SISTER CLARK