3.31.14 "Goin' to the Chapel and we're...ganna get baapppttttiiized!"

First off I want to thank you all for your letters and love. I am so blessed to have an incredible family whom I look up to in so many ways. Thank you for your examples. 

Let's start with Tuesday,

Tuesday I was able to go on an exchange from a sister in my MTC district. Oh how I love these sisters I serve with, I learn so much from them and their testimonies. We had an incredible experience that I wrote my mission president about that I want to share with you all. 

We had a great experience with sister Greenall and sister Collins when we were exchanging back. Sister Collins and sister Greenall had an appointment with one of their investigators but could not find a team up. We received permission from the zone leaders and sister Houser and I teamed up with them. We had an incredible experience as their investigator Bill, had his friend over. We started our lesson and read from the Book of Mormon and slowly Bill's friend Rick started asking questions, then it changed into a mini restoration lesson, he was a little misty eyed as we talked about the apostasy and he said "I didn't know" Then I had an impression to ask him what it would mean to him to know the book of Mormon was true. He broke down and told us how he has seen it change is friend’s life and how he needed help and he feels like this is what will provide it.

This 70-year-old man broke down to 4 complete strangers and asked for help. It was an incredible lesson. The spirit was so strong. We asked him to say the closing prayer, in his prayer he thanked Heavenly Father for us and referred to us as 'His representative'. Keep in mind we had not used that how to begin teaching bullet point. The spirit manifested that to him. It was an incredible lesson. Anyways it was a miracle, so glad to be apart of it. 

What an amazing experience. I loved being apart of that miracle with these sisters. That's something that I've been apart of here in Jersey, miracles upon miracles. This church is true, I know it. I know that God knows it, and now I know that Bill and Rick now it as well. 

Thursday we had a ward relief society activity dinner where sister Houser and I role played in front of all the woman of the ward about how to share the gospel with your friends. It was amazing as we had the members teach us. The spirit was strong, and the food was delicious. 

Friday was our Mission leader Council. Our Monthly focus this month is on consecration, and consecrating ourselves to the work and to the lord, I am so excited for this focus for the chance to become more focused, more receptive to the spirit and to be able to remember my savior and why I’m serving a mission at all times. We are also focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ and teaching the principles of the gospel, Faith, Repentance, Baptism (by proper authority), receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end. All made possible through the loving sacrifice of our savior Jesus Christ.

Something president Emphasized to us this week was that we are saved by grace, by the grace and mercy of our savior Jesus Christ, but we are only saved after all we can do. (See 2 Nephi 25:23) I am so incredibly grateful for my savior Jesus Christ and to be representing him for 18 sort months of my life. I know that I may not ever be a perfect missionary, I cannot fix all their problems, challenges or concerns but I can point them to the Man who can. What a blessing. 

Saturday...

BAPTISMS! This Saturday we had 2 of our investigators get baptized. Luis Andrade and Denise Bustamante. They were member Referrals from a member who lives in a different ward. But the efforts and the fellowship of the members is really what got them to where they are today:). These two have become some of my dearest and closest friends. They are so wonderful. I think the reason I feel so connected with these people here is because we grow together spiritually, and when we grow spiritually there is such a deeper routed connection. Its fantastic:) anyways to see them in white was one of the happiest moments ever.

After they both were baptized. (The member who referred them) they both gave him a huge hug. Sister Houser and I ran into the woman’s bathroom after Denise to find her standing with a huge grin on her face and tears running down her checks. She is so happy. So is Luis. What an amazing day.

Later that evening was the Woman’s Broadcast. It was a great experience to know that I had a connection to the family by watching it. And when we were asked to smile at our moms. You better believe I had a big grin on my face for mom:) I loved the talks and all that was learned:)

In other news, this is the end of my fist transfer here in Caldwell. Wow, it flew by.. The sad news,, Sister Houser is being transferred:( I'm going to miss her so much; I've learned so much from her. But I know she will go on to change the mission:) So here I embark on another new adventure. I'm excited. I know I have the Lord on my side and I'm ready to go on a search and rescue mission for my king:) love you all so much! Keep on keepin on:)

Love,

Sister Clark

3.24.14 Mustache of Revelation

What a wonderful week! OK I’ll just jump into my weekly letter because this week and the pictures will speak for themselves. 

So Tuesday I was able to go on exchange with Sister Waddoups (my MTC companion) we had a blast! It was so neat to be able to see how much we've both have changed and grown on our missions, I learned so much from her about listening and just loving everyone with your whole heart.

We had a lot of fun, one of the greatest parts was we were serving together in Paterson...:) so we went and picked up Betty as a team up.. One of the greatest moments of my life when we walked into her house and she looked at me then looked away and did a double take then she attacked me with a hug and wouldn't let me go... oh man I miss her so much:) it was so great to be with her again:) so much happiness.. can't contain it.. heart will explode!!!

Wednesday, I was still on exchange and I was praying to prepare a training that sister Houser and I would be giving later that week and this is when I received the mustache revelation.. I'll explain later..

Thursday

We had a leadership training which is basically 2 days straight of role-plays, sister Houser and I were asked to do a role play in front of 30 missionaries, without any warning.. we did our best and it went OK.. but I just wanted to go and hide in a hole after it. We left that evening and had a great lesson/ dinner with 2 of our investigators that made the rest of my night better. They are so great I love them. (They are getting baptized on Saturday!!!! wahooooo!!!)

Friday

Here is the day of revelation... So on Friday we were asked to give training on how to work with the ward counsel. When I was on my exchange I prayed to receive some direction for what the missionaries needed to hear. And the first thing that came into my mind was to dress up in a mustache and pretend to be a ward mission leader. So, sister Houser and I did our training then ended with a demonstration role-play where I ended up dressing up in a mustache and in a crazy outfit and pretending to be a ward mission leader..

Yes.. I am crazy.. But I cannot tell you how much it helped me this week. Heavenly Father knew that I needed to have fun and be random and crazy to be able to be myself again. As strange as it sounds, being able to dress up crazy in front of a lot of people helped me gain my confidence back from the day before, I felt normal in such an abnormal situation. It helped me feel the spirit more as well.. the lord works in mysterious ways. But I testify that he does hear and answer prayers.

Saturday

Day of miracles. We first had a lesson with 2 of our investigators who are struggling to keep some commandments, but they want to be baptized.. we shared a message with them and asked them I they believed what we taught was a commandment of God.. they said yes. And immediately as they did the spirit came into the room and there was no way to stop it. They committed to change and live the commandments so they can be baptized:)

Then we had another lesson planned and we went to go pick our team up. After we went and picked her up, our other lesson canceled so we ended up talking to our team up, it turns out the Lord needed us to talk to her more then our other appointment. We talked about the Atonement and it was the best car lesson I’ve ever had:)

Sunday 

I was asked last minute to give a talk about prophets. It was one of the members' farewells as well. As I sat back and watched him talk it reminded me of my farewell. And how when you start your mission you go in not knowing too much but you put in your whole heart and everything you have.

I’ve noticed on my mission, if you love the people, if you just love with your whole heart, love the Lord, your companion, yourself. The Lord can work miracles through you, as you humbly allow him to. We also had 8 of our investigators come to church!

Today

We went to the zoo!!! It was so much fun! I loved it! OK well I got to go but I love you all so much! Can’t wait to hear how you all are doing!

Love,

Sister Clark

I pet sting rays and a shark!!!

3.17.14 Happy St. Patricks Day/ Em's TWINS

Oh my goodness so many good letters this week! So many inspiring things. I just love you all, thank you for your love and your letters they mean so much to me:)

I'M SO EXCITED FOR EMILY AND WES! Holly cow.. I leave for 18 months and I’ll get home to just babies and babies, and more babies.. it's crazy! But amazing I’m excited and so happy for everything that is going on:

Package with clues Emily sent to announce they are having TWINS!!!

This week was amazing. I've been learning a lot. I'll try to keep it to the highlights. 

So at the beginning of the week I went on and exchange with Sister jakins:) it was so fun to be in our old' companionship. I was so amazed at her growth and her progress. We had so much fun, laughing and remembering old times. 

And a lot of people that I was working with in Paterson are getting baptized.. 3 of them! 1 of them is Azam, the Muslim man we met.. well not Muslim anymore, the other is Kim; she grew up in a less active Jewish home, and then Tasha, a Lady who I felt impressed to knock on her door. So many amazing things. I love being able to be close and to be informed on what is going on in Paterson. SO AMAZING! 

My second exchange was In a Spanish Area, It was so fun, I don't know a lick of Spanish, but we had a good time anyways, mostly we just tracked and tried to find people, and ate a lot of food.

 Ok so story time. We were getting ready to go to an appointment and this sister that I was on exchange with gives me an empty food container before we go inside and tells me to put it in my purse. I was confused but I followed her lead. As we started to eat.. more and more food appeared. So as she would leave the room this sister and I had to shovel some of the food into our empty containers before she got back. We ended up eating some sort of chicken beans and rice, a sandwich a smoothie and some other unidentified food. (Don’t judge me sister Jeppson told us to use food containers if we needed to) ha-ha anyways that was a funny experience for me.

On Saturday we had 'Ammon Academy' where all the laurels from the stake are set apart as missionaries for a day. We had 2 girls, they were really sweet, girls we had an amazing experience with them as we talked to a man sitting down on a bench and we ended up teaching him the whole first lesson and he wants to learn more. And then I got my first Rita's of the Year.. and so it begins... 

Also I received Em’s package about her announcement. I will admit the riddles took me a long time to get.. (I ate the Twix before finishing the rest of the riddles) but it was so worth it. I was so excited!!! So amazing.

Sunday was by far the best. We had a lot of our investigators show up to church and we were crazy busy but 2 of them pulled us aside and wanted to talk to us. They told us that they want to be baptized by the end of the month......WHAT?! Who does that? Comes up to you and tells you they want to be baptized.. Amazing prepared people that's who. Their names are Luis and Denise they are so incredible.

Then later that day we also went to teach our investigator from Haiti, his name is Jean Michael. He asked us if he could say something before we start. He started to explain how he felt the spirit when he comes to church and he told us that he had a dream that he was baptized, so very humbly he asked when the next baptism was going to be and that he would be there. He wants to be baptized as well. Then also we had another investigator who also committed to be baptized.. Heaven knows this is the Lords work.

Sister Houser and I have just been trying to keep up with all the miracles and blessings. He has been taking care of these people as we strive to serve in our calling. It has been amazing.

 I know He is aware of us. That He can do so much more then we ever could. We need to simply put our trust and faith in him.

Also we had a sisters party today it was fun to see all the sisters!

Ok well I got to go but know that I love you all! Thank you so much for your love and prayers.. they are felt! I love you the church is true. CHRIST LIVES!

Love,

Sister Clark

Got my first Rita's of the year!!!  Yum!

District meeting with pineapple

Sister training is giving me gray hair!

New "old" dress

Sister Reed "my daughter"