Last week was a bit of a struggle, I was really missing home, but thanks to a lot of love and support and prayers I was able to pull through! Sister Bueno and I have made it a point to still have a lot of fun, but also make sure the work is getting done. We're getting up on time again and making sure we study, and do all of that important stuff :) I feel a million times better and lighter and more prepared for the day when I do this, even if I'm really tired! Sitting around and wasting time makes it SO easy to miss home and miss watching TV and miss having a phone... etc. I got caught up in my own head. But getting out of my head, getting out and focusing on finding OTHER people, has been the best help for me.
Something has been confusing me lately. These past few weeks have been the laziest of my mission, but we were still seeing miracles. I know hard work and success don't necessarily correlate, but... I was so confused! Why is the Lord handing me all these people completely prepared to be baptized when I haven't done anything?
Then it hit me during Sacrament meeting the other day. The Lord's work will always go forward, nothing can stop that, but I was missing out. I wasn't learning and growing from spending all my time and efforts for His cause, I wasn't learning how to teach better with my companion, and I wasn't receiving any benefit from my time wasted in Idaho. My testimony wasn't growing because it wasn't being shared.
The entire reason I'm out here is to help others come to Christ, and one of those people is myself. People will get baptized and miracles will continue whether I'm involved or not, because God loves ALL of His children. But I don't want to miss out being the one who knocks on the door and gets rejected so that next time the new missionaries will knock on the door and that person will change their mind and come to a knowledge of the truth that much faster!
Seeing miracles doesn't mean you're not doing anything though, on the other end of things. If you're doing your best at what you can and see miracles every day, that's AWESOME!! That doesn't mean the Lord is picking up your slack or whatever you might be thinking. Seeing miracles and the hand of the Lord in your life is always a privilege and a great blessing.
I'm so glad I was able to learn that this week. It really hit home and I'm so grateful for it.
We DID see more miracles this week, AND we've been working like we're supposed to :D On Tuesday I gave a training in District Meeting on humility. It was really good for me to study, and I'm still studying it. It was one of the most spiritual meetings I've had, one of my favorites! We asked the elders for a blessing and every. single. one. of my concerns that I hadn't told anyone about was addressed. The Priesthood is real.
Sister Bueno's Hump Day (halfway mark) was on Thursday!! It was weird because my Hump Day is only in October... what is this.... But! Some really, really nice members brought us over two cheesecakes!!!! It was so cool!!!! I got an oreo cheesecake all to myself........ mission weight is real though.... oh well. It was fantastic.
We went tracting with the H____ family, and while the mom drove us around her two 11year old daughters brought cookies with us and we tried to meet less-active members and introduce ourselves while showing the girls what missionary work is like. It was so fun!
(Sis. Clark has been teaching Sis. Bueno how to play the guitar)
I don't remember if I emailed about M______, the autistic 9 year old afraid of water that her parents want us to teach, but she's getting baptized this Saturday! We're keeping it small so she doesn't get too scared, but she is such a brave little girl and so excited to get baptized!
Also, we got a referral from Church Headquarters this week, a man named D____ H_____ who referred himself, and when we went to meet him the first thing he said was, "Yeah, I was talking to the missionaries in Salt Lake and I want to get baptized. But I want to learn a little more first, is that ok?" WOW. Yeah it's ok!!
The Gospel is true. I don't know what I can say more. God loves us all and teaches us how we can learn the best :)
Love,
Sister Clark
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