This week has been really slow in a proselyting way. We've knocked on a ton of doors, talked with everyone we passed by, we've been striving to be diligent and obedient and met a few neat people who might be interested later. One lady we met named C____ L____ talked our ear off for an hour and a half about all her experiences with God and how she's been looking and praying for a church to come to when she moved here and how we're an answer to her prayers... but she's staying in N_____ for a month!! She's taking her Book of Mormon with her, and we'll talk when she gets back, so until then we'll just keep praying for her! And we found a blind woman named A____ wanting to come back to church who plays the piano like Mozart, all by ear!!! She's so cool.
Although the amount of lessons we've taught has been low, my personal growth in the Gospel has been booming. I feel like I've learned so much. It's been snowing and bleh outside but we still keep going, and it's been really hard to find people to teach or for others to keep their appointments with us, but at the same time.... I'm learning diligence, and patience, and how to have joy when nothing really is going on to be ecstatic about. I understand that true success is in the invitation to come to Christ, not in whatever the other person's response is. I just kept asking Heavenly Father to stay near me this whole week and to talk with me throughout the days, and He has. I'm HAPPY, in all this week that normally would've been a little depressing, thanks to the tender love of the Lord and His kindness to me. The Gospel is desperately needed in everyone's lives, whether they know it or not!!
I've learned a lot about personal revelation and how God talks to me personally. It's been a neat journey. One thing I know for certain is that fasting and prayer WORKS, especially when you combine your efforts to know God's will with reading His word- even if you're just flipping through the pages. I found so many amazing scriptures answering my questions about various things I hope to do with my future; one of which is in 2 Nephi 32:9 saying, "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save it in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." This scripture, in addition to many others, helped me understand what I need to do about where I want to go for school and how it'll work out, and what I can say in letters sent to some friends I want to be there for... we just have to ask Heavenly Father. Truly, "ask, and ye SHALL receive."
I love being a missionary. This has all been so worth it, and I'm so glad I still have some time left to keep going!! And I'm so glad I have Sister Holtermann to share some of this time with me- I adore her, and she can make any bleh day a day of laughing and smiling. I love everything about my mission!!!
~ Now for a message from our current prophet that really boosted me up:
"Occasionally discouragement may darken our pathway; frustration may be a constant companion. In our ears there may sound the sophistry of Satan as he whispers, 'You cannot save the world; your efforts are meaningless. You haven’t time to be concerned for others.' Trusting in the Lord, let us turn our heads from such falsehoods and make certain our feet are firmly planted in the path of service and our hearts and souls dedicated to follow the example of the Lord." ~President Thomas S. Monson
Love,
Sister Clark
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