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
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