More pictures :)

Sister Clark with her first companion :)

 

She looks tired but happy

 



 

 

 

With her Mission president and his wife. 

 

 

Dear Brother and Sister Clark,

 

Sister Clark has arrived safely in the Idaho Pocatello Mission. Upon arrival, we had an orientation meeting and personal interviews to get further acquainted. Sister Hancock and I are pleased to have the opportunity to serve with her and are dedicated to helping our missionaries fulfill successful, honorable missions.

 

 Enclosed is a photo of us together after her arrival in the Idaho Pocatello Mission.

 We are hopeful you will write or email letters of encouragement to her weekly so she will continue to feel your love and support as she loses herself in the work.  

 May God bless you as you sacrifice to support this great work

 

 Faithfully yours,

President Hancock
 

First Missionary picture!

Dinner at the Mission home after a day of traveling. 

 

1st week at the MTC (Misstionary Training Center)

(*Included below are emails to her dad and mom also only because they have some more good insights into her experience right now*)

Where do I even BEGIN? The moment I got here it was a blur of overly happy people shouting welcome and moving my bags to my room, and then BOOM I was already sitting in class with my new district learning about how to teach. It's so exciting :)

 

My companion is Sister Jarvis, and she's so fantastic!!! She reminds me a lot of Sammy Bond; just the greatest and nicest person and so sweet to everyone. We're getting a lot better at teaching together as a team, it's the coolest thing when we're practicing teaching and we pass off who's going to say what when to each other flawlessly. I'm so blessed with such a great companion! We still have a lot to learn, but already we're doing pretty great.

 

My favorite teacher here is Sister Wrubell, she is the sweetest and cutest and funniest RM (Returned Missionary) I've ever met. She's getting married this April too, she's just the happiest person! When she pretends to be Ashley or even if she's just being herself and letting us practice teaching on her, she's so good at helping us focus our message every time on Christ. I'm getting better at leading all our conversations back to Christ and how much he loves us, because that's my calling isn't it? I'm a missionary so I can testify of Christ and introduce as many people as I can to him!!
 

We watched a talk by Elder Bednar, it is the most fantastic talk I have EVER heard.  It changed my life, and I'm not exaggerating. He talked about how the character of Christ is all about being unselfish and "turning out", when the natural man would "turn in". When we are going through something tough, we turn in and say "wo is me, look at all this hard stuff I'm going through, everyone feel sorry for me." That's just the natural reaction we have. But Christ, even when he just barely got done suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane to the point of bleeding from every pore, when his friends couldn't stay awake with him one hour and when one of them even betrayed him with a kiss, Christ was so concerned about others that when a guard's ear was cut off, he healed the ear without a single thought about himself. He is the PERFECT example of turning outwards when everyone turns inwards. Because I was reminded of that with this talk, I'm trying to focus on others and even just writing little notes for all my roommates like He would do, instead of thinking about all my own issues. I'm so happy when I do that!

 

I already have two investigators! Certain people work at the MTC and help new missionaries learn how to teach by pretending to be street contacts like it'll be in the "real world", but we never know if they're members pretending or if they're actually people interesting in investigating the church. Kind of scary, but I've learned so much from them! Josh is an awesome newlywed with a strong Christian background, his dad was even a Lutherin pastor, but when we teach him about the Restoration of the church Sis. Jarvis and I felt the spirit so strong and we worked so great together as a team... I love that guy! He really is the coolest, but I have my suspicions he's a member pretending ;) 

 

The other one is Jonathan, and I'm nearly certain that he is not a member of the church. He's been working with Broadway for 10 years (wow!), and he writes and he teaches and he's traveled the world and he cares a lot about helping people find their meaning in life and find meaning to his own... he's so inspiring and open minded. Sis. Jarvis and I just talked and laughed with him the whole time when we met him, we just never felt prompted to open the book and say "ok now here's a lesson..." In the end, we were able to both share why we want to serve missions with him, and he said that he was grateful that we were able to show him that Mormons are human too. He opened up and said that actually, he doesn't like Mormons, but he's learning more about us so he can get over feeling prejudiced about us. He mentioned even getting beat up by "Mormons" in the past, so he really has had bad experiences. We were so grateful we listened to the Spirit and didn't try to barf a lesson at him! Now though, we know much more about him so we can pray about his needs and we have more mutual trust, so we can answer his questions about us much better. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about love, I am so sad that there were people out there who didn't know Christ much to have been so cruel to him. Jonathan is incredible though, and I really want to help him not just join the church to join the church, but I really want to see him happy! I pray for them both every night, and I get so excited to tell them about how much God loves them, because I KNOW that God loves me.

 

Sorry this was kind of a big email, but it's been a big first week! So much has happened, and I think I learned more than I have in this week than I have in my whole life. I love my Savior!! The more I learn the more I want to be like him..... I love sharing this love :) Life is just so grand when you're on the Lord's mission!!

 

I'll write to you guys next week!

Love,

Sister Clark

(Letter for Dad):
Thanks Daddy!! :') The MTC is crazy amazing, it looks like some church buildings accidentally got on steroids and multiplied like crazy... this place is huge! The moment you wake up you're on your knees praying and then you're getting ready in under 30min and then you're out the door to teach and preach and learn :) Super busy, but absolutely amazing! I get to bed by 10:30, although sometimes it's hard for us all to get to sleep on time because there's so much to read and write before we hit the hay, but we always wake up at 6:30. Surprisingly, I'm not having trouble with it! Actually, even if I get to bed late, I'm the one that usually helps everyone else get up XD

 

I went to the temple today with my district and I thought of you, and of course I cried in the celestial room because I just want to get everyone I know in there, and I want to see everyone I care about in there all dressed in white.... Fantastic day :D

 

Love you Daddy!!!

<3 Sister Clark

 

(Letter to Mom):

I did get the Dear Elders (*the free letter service on dearelder.com)!!! I was SO HAPPY!!! I don't have a ton of time left, I've been furiously typing haha and yet I STILL haven't even gotten a tenth of what's happened all this week down! But could you send me another towel and at least 5 more washcloths??  Oh and also some Q-tips? Spaced that one! Ooooh and also my thermos! 

 

You'll need to send it to the mission home though, I'll be there this Tuesday!!!AHHH!!! Please keep the letters coming, they make MY WHOLE DAY!!! They don't make me homesick, they just remind me of how much I love you all and how much I want others to be with their families for all eternity. I went to the temple today so I'm really feeling that strongly right now as well!

 

Thank Aunt Robin for "Where's Mom Now That I Need Her", I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!! I will use it for certain, and right now I keep it out and lying on top of my journal just so I can look at it and be happy :') I can't remember all the questions, but I hope I answered them all! 

 

PS I am taking pics but I forgot to bring it down, I was focused on getting laundry done! Next time I write, which may or may not be next week I don't know, but next time I'll attach all the pictures I'm taking! :)

 

I LOVE YOU!!!!

 

<3 Sister Clark

 

 

1st email :)

Hey momma!!! I'm alive! :D The MTC is absolutely GREAT, the spirit is everywhere. When they say that they put you to work when you get here, they really mean it! The moment we had our bags in our room we were already moving on to our first class, getting our nametags (AHHHH I LOVE IT), and meeting our "district" (all the people in our class). My comp is Sister Jarvis, she is WOOONDERFUL!!!! I love her so much, I'm so blessed to have a best friend in the MTC already!! I've been having plenty of powerful experiences already, and we (as a class) taught our first investigators yesterday. I don't know if the three of them were members pretending or not, and actually, no one knows! Either way, a lot of us made mistakes but more often than not, we had the Spirit. One investigator, a man named Jose, told us straight up that he didn't believe in God or heaven because of all the terrible things he'd seen in his life, and he was really bitter. But, a sister stood up and bore her testimony and told him that she loves him and she knows our God loves him, and he started crying!!! Everyone was floored and pumped and AH it was so fantastic! I really am happy, even if I'm busier than I ever have been in my life.

I love you guys :') I miss you all, but don't worry, I'm not feeling homesick too terribly. Father in Heaven is looking out for me, I am certain it's not possible to list all the ways He takes care of me, and being surrounded by His spirit.... I feel at home! Someone once said that once we get to heaven, the one thing that will surprise us the most is how familiar our Father's face is to us. So don't worry about me, I don't feel out of place or trapped in a bizarre environment. I'm adjusting pretty well- just getting ready for the day in 30 min is pretty tough! But I'm doing it B)

My MTC address is:

Sister Karoline Joyce Clark

JAN26  ID-POC
2005 N 900 E Unit  74
Provo UT 84602

I think the "unit 74" is my mailbox...? I'll find out! My P-Day is Wednesday, so expect more from me then :) Also, PLEASE check out dearelder.com, you can send me free letters every single day I'm here!!! I think you type it up and it prints it out for me here and I get the mail. Woohoo!

I love you, never forget it! Gotta go!

~Sister Clark

(I CAN FINALLY SAY I'M OFFICIALLY SISTER CLARK AAAAAAAHHHHHH :D!!!!!)

Day 1!!!

This is the one and only post Karoline will not write herself ;)  At this very moment, she is either already at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) or in transit on a shuttle!  This morning, our whole family took Karoline to the airport dark and early.  She left us completely at peace with only a few travel jitters :)  Her little sister (5 years old) said, "I wish little girls could go on missions.  I miss Karoline."  It was really sweet. 

Here are the only pictures we took at the aiport.

This will be the picture on my "missionary plaque" hanging on the wall at church while I'm away :) The scripture I chose to be on it is Omni 26: "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

 

I'm extremely nervous... often we forget that missionaries are human too! We're not just faces and nametags! It's scary leaving everything I know for 18 months, to spread the messege about Christ to people who may or may not accept me or even like me... but, I am also at peace with my decision to serve the Lord in Pocatello, and to do my very best :) I feel ready. I don't have to be perfect, only try my hardest every day- I can do this!! Ahh! :)

A little about me :)

I am called to serve in Pocatello, Idaho, and I report to the Missionary Training Center on January 13th! I can't wait!
This is the blog my family will help me keep while I'm away, and they'll post the letters and pictures I send to them here. But first, I wanted to share why I want to serve my church...

I grew up in the church. At first, I was a "Mormon", a member of the LDS church, simply because it was all I knew. Then hard times came around, bringing with them doubt and confusion. In those moments, when life was not picture perfect, I asked, "What do I really know for myself?" Desperation to know if I was crazy or not for believing in a God who knew me by name, literally drove me to my knees. Alone in my bedroom, I cried and vented out loud. It wasn't really praying, I was laying out all of my problems and pointing at each of them saying 'what is this for?!'. Finally, I stopped venting. I sat in silence, brooding in loneliness, and I asked aloud: "Heavenly Father, are you out there? Do you really love me like I've been told?" In that instant, I swear I felt a warm hug wrap around me. No one was in the room. Peace and warmth flowed into my heart, and I stopped feeling loneliness. Instead, with all my soul, I felt that I had a Father in Heaven who loves me, and my problems, whatever they might be about, are important to Him. Words in my mind said "I'm here. You never have been and never will be alone. I'm here." I cried more- but it was different. I was happy. The depth of my misery was offset by the sweet knowledge that God cares. Nothing so powerful had ever happened to me in my life, and when I feel discouraged again, I remember that moment and that peace. Why am I a Mormon? It's not just a religion. It's not just something I do every Sunday. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints because I believe it is true. I have a personal testimony in my Savior, and I believe that this is His church restored to the earth. I can't say I know everything, but I do have faith. God does exist, and if He loves someone as imperfect as me, He DEFINITELY loves you. It doesn't matter who you are, who you were, or who you feel like you can never be. I am happy because of the hope I have in Jesus Christ. My faith in the surety that I can be with my family forever with my God is the most precious thing that I own. So of course I want to share that knowledge! It's like when you watch a fantastic movie and you go around telling everyone about it because you loved it so much. I can't wait to tell everyone I can in Pocatello about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help them find happiness in their lives like I've found it in mine :)

For those of you who maybe stumbled across this and don't really know much about the LDS or "Mormon" church, check out the links to the right to learn more! And find the missionaries like me with the name-tags on the street! :D  For those of you that know me and are keeping up with my blog just because you're awesome, I love you!!! Thank you for all your support!

See y'all in 18 months!