"Where you invest your love, you invest your life"
 |
| Lebonise food |
 |
| Farmers Market |
 |
| Bag from Christopher completes the outfit |
 |
| Tribal skirts |
 |
| "Betty |
 |
| Reagan &Brendan with us at the temple |
 |
| Sunset |
 |
| Waiting for an appointment with Betty |
 |
| Swap exchange at the branch...my loot |
Wow my heart is just so overwhelmed with so much joy in seeing all those wonderful pictures of Christopher coming home. Everyone looks so happy!! I'm so glad everyone is doing well. Not going to lie it was so weird to see a picture of Christopher in our living room. But I'm glad He's home and is changing the lives of those around him now. I know that he served a faithful full time mission and blessed so many lives. I'm so proud to call him my brother. Someone I can look to as an example to me. So thank you all for the letters and pictures!!
I also want to thank you for the frog?? haha my companion and I laughed about it for days. The best part was the mail man just doped it off at our door not questioning why I was getting a rubber frog. it was great so thank you:)
This week went by really fast so I have to really look in my planner to even see what we did. but I'll just go through the highlights.
Yesterday I hit my 7 month mark. Wow it has come and flown! I still feel like a brand new missionary, and I still kinda am haha. So apart of this 7 month mark yesterday I took some time to really evaluate my mission so far and to answer the questions. Why did I decide to come out on a mission. and Why am I still here? So I hope you don't mind but those are the things I'm going to focus most of my letter on. First why did I come out on a mission. Well coming out on my mission was a definite process.. lots of praying and council from both my heavenly Father and my earthly parents. But it was a desire I always had. and as I prayed and asked Heavenly Father his will for me it felt like something I needed to do. It was where the Lord needed me. I was not the person He needed me to be, He knew that A mission would change and mold me. Secondly I had felt Gods love for me. and that was something that everyone deserves to know that they have a Father in Heaven who loves them so much. Basically I wanted other so experience the Joy that I had felt and the blessings I've had through out my whole life. A lot of other reasons but I can't fully remember without my journal.
Why am I still here? I need to explain this answer through an experience I had this week. This Saturday I had the opportunity to go to the temple with Reagan and Brendan 2 of my recent converts from down south. It was really a life changing experience. We took a while and some crazy Jersey driving to get to the temple but eventually we made it. We walked in and felt that immediate peace that only the temple can offer. we the I got to watch Brendan and Reagan dressed in complete white as we did baptisms and confirmations. Reagan had the opportunity to be baptized for her mom. we all cried as the name was read and as she was lowered into the water. But the greatest moment of the whole temple trip was sitting by the font next to Reagan and waiting to be baptized. I looked across at Brendan(12 years old) who was sitting with the biggest grin on his face kicking his feet anxiously awaiting to be baptized. then I looked over at Reagan who was grinning from ear to ear. just complete peace and joy. It was in that moment that I realized something. As missionaries we only get to see the Worldly effects of baptism. sure we get to see a change of heart and a change in people which is amazing, but do we realized the Eternally effect we have on people. This is the Work of Salvation. As I sat there I pictured all of us being in heaven together some day seeing all my recent converts there happy and beaming. I can not describe the sweet sense of peace I felt as I pictured this in my head. This is why I'm still here. Trials may be tough, people may not listen, but if I only help 1 soul come closer to that pure joy. Then it's all worth it. I love the people in Toms River so much and I'm slowing gaining that love for the people here.
This work is so much bigger then I could ever comprehend but I'm here as a laborer in the Vineyard ready to do my part. 2nd reason I'm here. My testimony. I have a testimony of the restored gospel that I can not deny. The gospel has become precious to me in my life. without the basic principles and truths I would be so lost. I love the growth I've experienced in my mission so far. even the painful parts.
Alright I'll get of my preaching box now. but I was really grateful for the opportunity I had to really reflect and think about my mission. It has been wonderful it has been hard but It has been worth it. I look forward to see what the Lord has in store for me next in NJMM. (New Jersey Morristown Mission).
OK so a little more about the temple trip. It was fun! I love new York. I'm learning to love cities. It's different than Paterson. Paterson is a city.. but not really. it's hard to explain. it's basically a different country. speaking of which. my companion and I are now wearing tribal skirts and we are going to have a cultural day. were going to go try different foods from different random restaurants. stay tuned! but I had the awesome experience to talk to Reagan alone after the temple about what she thought. she loved it. she just kept saying how pure she felt. and how she loved how everyone is dressed in white. she said it was quite surreal to see a little glimpse of Heaven.it was neat. She wants to go back soon:) she's basically awesome I love her a lot.
So update on Bianca our golden Investigator. We had a meeting with her this week and she was kinda sad about something then for the rest of the week... nothing. we couldn't get in contact with her or anything. but thanks from all your prayers back home and here we got in contact with her yesterday!! so we'll be seeing her this Wednesday. What a blessing!
We taught lessons to a lot of people this week but I think the most random was to Betty's less active brother who happens to be a fashion designer from Africa. and his friend a Graffiti artist! I talked with him about graffiti. and the fashion designer asked me "who i was wearing".... uhhhh Vera Wang? that's all i know but I don't know any others. I was mocked but non the less it was an interesting lesson. we talked about faith in Christ and they said they would come to church this Sunday so hopefully they will.
Shoot out to mom and dad! so this Sundays talks were all about families and one of the missionary spoke and he said this "All the attributes I have I can trace back to my parents". and it's true. I'm so grateful for the example and love you have shown me.
As for what I'm thankful for.. I'm grateful for so many things but I would say Family, and Also Prayer:)
I love you all so much. Keep up all the hard work you do! you are so wonderful and I pray for you always. I hope you all have a great week.
Love, Sister Clark
clear eyes full heart can't lose.
No comments:
Post a Comment