12.9.13 Text Miracle

"RAIN"

Christmas Spirit 

The holiday season is here in Paterson!!!! Lights are up. a tinny bit of snow. and inflatable snowmen and reindeer are out. but the best part about it are the hearts of the people of Paterson are warm and opening up. I love being a missionary during the holiday season. Everyday feels like Christmas as we testify of the savior. I love being a missionary. especially this week was full of so much happiness and miracles! oh miracles and more miracles. 

Ugly sweater ('bough said)

Monday

So my companion and I came up with a goal to do one random act a week. so Monday as we were shopping I passed the hair coloring section of Walmart. Thinking of random acts I decided to be adventurous (as you can be as a missionary) so My companion and I died my hair on Monday. we had no idea what we were doing but it turned out OK. that was random act number 1. number 2 there was salvation army worker in front of Walmart who was singing Christmas carols trying to get more people to donate. we went over and talked with her and ended up singing Christmas carols with her. she told us how when she makes it on American Idol how she's going to talk about us and how we believed in her. her name was bonnie. She was really nice. so for those of you who can watch American idol, if she ever gets on let me know:) So those were our random acts this week, random but things like that can really make you smile on your mission:)

Our monthly Focus as a mission right now is "Always remember him." This is so perfect for the month of December to remember that he is the reason for the season. to remember his birth and the gift of the Atonement. also for our monthly focus we were challenged to make a goal of how we are always going to remember him. My goal is for every person I see to remember that Jesus Christ suffered for them to. It has really given me a kick in the pants. Every person we see we give a pass along card to and trying to teach them. We have seen so many miracles from it. many times my companion and I will be in the car ready to drive away and someone will pass us walking outside. We jump out of the car and go talk to them. (sounds creepy I know but we've seen so many miracles from it). The Lord has helped us and blessed us in so many ways. 

LisaMarie's text 

Biggest miracle this week "It's a Christmas Miracle!" So one of my first weeks here with sister Reed we were out with a member trying to contact some less active members. We knocked on a house and this man answered, He told us the family we were looking for had moved a couple of years ago, he sounded like he knew them well. We gave him our card with our number on it and pleaded with him to give it to the family. He took the card but wasn't interested in the message. A couple of weeks later we get a text from an 18 year old girl named Lisamarie. She's from the Dominican Republic, he texted us and just thanked us for stopping by her house and giving our card to her dad. and how she wants to come back to church. Come to find out the man that we talked with was the man we were looking for and Lisamaries dad, his Daughter, Lisamarie has been wanting to come to church for 4 years now. This week she texted us and asked us if we could come visit with her, and told us that she wants her sister to be baptized. We went and met with lisamarie and her sister, and heard her story of faith. Despite her families falling away she has strived to live the principles and study her scriptures as much as she can. She has been an example to many of her friends in her testimony of the word of wisdom. She was so excited to come back to church on Sunday. Her and her sister had been picking out there outfits all week. She cried as she thanked Heavenly Father that we got in contact with her. She also told us about her grandmother who is in the Dominican Republic who is suffering with a disease that hasn't been diagnosed yet. She told us that she wants to come back to church to help her. Yesterday Lisamarie attended church with her sister and partook of the sacrament for the first time since she lived in the Dominican Republic. Her sister Emilyen is on date for the 22nd of December! Miracles!

This week as a branch we also had the Christmas party. It reminded me of the time that i was an elf for our Christmas party. I'll have you know I wasn't an elf this year but I was and 'Angel'. we dressed up in white shirts and tinsel and helped the little kids with there Christmas program it was so cute! it was really fun and full of lots of ham. I love the Christmas spirit that I feel here.

On Sunday I was asked to speak. As I spoke I talked about gifts that we can give to the savior this year. This is my challenge for everyone reading the letter. Think of something that you can give to your savior this holiday season. He doesn't want Muir, Frankincense or Gold. A gift from the heart. Maybe it's being kinder to a sibling, or giving up your favorite sin, maybe it's reading scriptures everyday or maybe it's simply remembering him this holiday season. I know as you sincerely ponder and pray about what you will give him this year this Christmas will be the best one of all:) (besides when Christ was actually born). I love you all so much and I'm grateful for all you do! I'm so excited to Talk to you all soon:) 

Love,

Sister Clark

HEB tortillas!!!

Angels in the Christmas program