Idaho Falls Temple Tours- they're the best!!

We've finished exchanges and now we're on to the real crazy part of the transfer- TEMPLE TOURS!!!! They're going so well already! I've ran into 3 different people I knew from before my mission and it's only been one day, so that's a little weird :O

We have someone new to teach!!! We're really excited, and he seems to want this in his life. J___ grew up Catholic but never really practiced, and he's excited about baptism washing away his sins and having the Holy Spirit with him always to bless his family.

For those of you who are members, go back to the temple often. For those of you who are not members yet, become a member so you can go!! I've been thinking a lot about the solemnities of eternity lately, and what truly matters. It boils down to our Heavenly Father and families.

Well, we're off for another adventure!! :D  Take care!

Love,

Sister Clark

(Sister John and I at the temple! She's so cute!)

WOW what a good Easter Sunday!!! :D And the rest of the week, too!!!!!

I had the pleasure of going on THE most amazing, productive exchanges I have ever been on during my mission this past Tuesday and Wednesday.

So during MLC this last time, I got a random idea to write down some thoughts for my sisters specifically as MLC went on, kind of like a mini prayer journal for each of them. I started off the meeting with a little prayer asking to know what I could share with each of them on exchanges, specifically, what God may need them to hear.

When I went on exchanges with Sister Costa first, she opened up to me so much and talked, talked, talked... it was really good. She felt comfortable talking about how things are really going and how she really feels, and what she might be struggling with. I felt strongly at one point that I should get out the card that I wrote some notes down for Sister Costa of what I planned on sharing during the exchange, but instead of just bringing up the points without telling her where they came from like I'd planned, I felt like I should just tell her openly about what I did at MLC and give her the card. I had written down, "You ARE a disciple of Jesus Christ. You are a powerful teacher." Sister Costa began to cry, and she told me that was exactly what she'd been worrying about the most, feeling like she wasn't a good teacher or being too bold or not doing things right. She wants so badly to be the best companion and best missionary she can be- I respect her so much. We proceeded to teach 6 amazing, profound, and extremely powerful lessons that day and found a new person interested in learning more about Christ.

THEN with Sister John, the same thing happened. She opened up, talked about her insecurities and her desires to do better, and she told me something she'd never told anyone else that she ignored a really strong spiritual prompting to do something, and she feels so guilty and like she'll have to account for that at the last day. I testified with all my heart of the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ that can cover even that, and then I felt prompted to get HER card from MLC out too. It only read, "You are better than you think you are. You are perfect the way you are." She also cried and we cried together. We also had a day of 5 amazing, powerful lessons taught, and also found a new person interested in learning more about Christ.
Sister Holtermann and I continued the trend of teaching tons of amazing, powerful lessons after exchanges!!! It's awesome!!! So many miracles!!!!!!! And L______ CAME TO CHURCH!!!!! For her first time!! She stayed the whole time too! In that same day, Bishop B_____ told us in our Ward Council meeting that he would set up lessons for us with a potential investigator, and after church a returned missionary from Rexburg asked us to teach his friend and he'd set up those lessons too. WOW!!!!!!!! L_____ also researched her family's history with Brother C______, and she loved it. She's so excited to be a member and she keeps telling us this :D She'll be baptized May 6th, it's so perfect!!!!!!! Right in between the weeks we'll be at the Idaho Falls Temple to help with the tours!!!!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!

We went to Idaho Falls on Sunday night for some training on how to run the tours (most of us had been through the Star Valley open house already so this was all old news haha. They played the exact same video from before to introduce the temple, and we all were whispering the words lol). After the training, we were taken through the temple for our own private tour. It is AMAZING. Wow. At one point, we were taken to a lobby area where we gathered around a HUGE painting of Christ teaching a group of people, and He was painted to look down directly at us as if He were teaching us personally. While we were staring up at the big picture of Christ, I just suddenly had a gentle urge to kneel and say a quick prayer. I didn't want anyone to see me, so when no one was looking I knelt really fast, and stood up with tears in my eyes. It was a 2 second, silent moment that has changed my heart. I love my Savior. I love Him so much. I KNOW that He lives and loves us. I'm very grateful to Him, and I owe Him more than I could ever offer.

Now for a few short stories:

My winter boots are dead and gone now! Worn out in the Lord's service.

One day Sister Holtermann ran towards the horses in the backyard and they ran away of course, because they were scared. LOL she laid down and fake cried. She's so weird, I love her.

Another day we did some rock art. One of them is my rendition of Jubba the Hut, and the other is a pun. Do you get it???

Last Monday we went bowling with a few missionaries- the other elders are scrubs so they didn't make it in the picture. BUT my District Leader is going to help me out and shine my shoes for me for the temple open house, so they've been redeemed!

The other pictures I sent were mostly about the temple and I was reunited with BUENO!!! And Sister ARCHER!!!!!!!! This is my last time seeing them as missionaries before they go home :'( But we'll get together again soon. My time is getting really short, and it's not ok....

Love,

Sister Clark

Week of Trainings and Study

This week has been slow but action packed at the same time! How, you ask? Well, let me tell ya.

So on Tuesday, as I said before, we had a big missionary meeting for Zone Conference and my poor baby Sister Holtermann helped me with giving my training for everyone- she did AWESOME!! Proud mama moment, no one can tell that she's only been out a few months. She's my hero <3

Then after that, we went to dinner with a sweet, sweet member family and they accidentally poisoned my girl with uncooked chicken... she was down and out for 3 days. 

BUT! In those three days not only did I study the whole time, but I LEARNED. I feel like there's a difference- I didn't just read the scriptures, but I learned about Christ through them. It was so cool!! I also had the opportunity to buy all the Bible Videos on disk and so I spent all my time watching the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ. WOW they did such a great job!! :D I spent all my mornings crying because the Spirit was so strong, testifying to my heart that Jesus truly is the Christ, and His Gospel is the only way back home to heaven.

Then on Thursday we had Zone Training, which Sister Holtermann was a champ and made it through without throwing up, and we had so much to talk about Charity and showing the zone how to have a good companionship and how you can talk things out... we went over time quite a bit, but it was really good!! For being so stressed out about it, all my study time helped me to be at peace and figure out what to share, and then we carried out the training with confidence :D Life is good!!!

I have learned so much this week. Poor L____ wanted to go to church so badly this past Sunday, but she woke up with strep throat and so she didn't make it :( PLEASE pray with us that she'll be able to make it to church soon!!! She's picked her own baptism date and we REALLY want to help her to reach it!!

Some words from our Prophet that really inspired me: "How do we find the Lord? I believe we have to seek Him in simple things.  I believe we have to seek Him in personal prayer.  I believe we must seek Him in personal service.  I believe we seek and find Jesus when we follow His example." ~President Thomas S. Monson

I know the Gospel has been restored!! The power of God through the Priesthood is back after it was lost for so long, but IT IS BACK! It's a HUGE deal!!!! Ask the nearest missionary about it!!!!!

Till next week :)

Love,

Sister Clark

1. We were caught in a sleet storm out of nowhere! Bleh!

2. P-Day with the Hermanas!

3. The Mansfields gave us Easter baskets!!

4. A member took us shopping!

General Conference!!!

Can we just take a moment to consider how EPIC it was to watch General Conference and to hear the words of the prophets? WHOA. I had so many questions and concerns answered! 

AND POCATELLO IS GETTING A TEMPLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

This week was FULL of good things!! :D L_____ came with us to conference!!!! She LOVED it!! And when we were over at her house one day with Sister North, L_____ started asking about baptism, like "Is the water warm?" and "How many people have to be there? Can it be a small event?" We stopped her and said, "WAIT. L_____?! Are you planning out your baptism?!" She answered, "Well I think I'm ready, so I guess I am!"

WOW!!

Then at conference, when they listed out all the statistics from last year, they talked about how many thousand converts or so joined the church and she said, "Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to be one of those numbers the next time!!"  WOW!!!!!!!!!

It's been a really good week :D This week will be madness though, I already know it.

So there's Zone Conference on Tuesday with 3 zones and I have a part in that, to figure out something to talk about with the elders on planning and following promptings. And then, on Friday, we have Zone Training and I have to again work with the elders and figure that out and help with a lot of practices and role plays to help teach skills, not just preach. And THEN, President decided I could handle even more responsibility and he gave me another set of sisters to do exchanges with. So Between this crazy week and then doing 4 exchanges and continuing to train........................... AH! 

And THEN, the Idaho Falls Temple tours start on the 22nd!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!! I need to get exchanges done before then!!!! :O And THENNN, suddenly it'll be Mother's Day in the middle of the tours. And THEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN I'm on my last transfer and then I DIE. No rest for the weary. But this is all a good crazy! I'm also totally fine to handle it. I received a really powerful blessing the other night and I feel empowered and prepared to handle anything :)

It's amazing to me how much the peace of the Gospel fills my life. No matter what is going on, I know that I have my Redeemer behind me and I feel safe, secure, and confident.

That's been the gist of my week! I feel peace, I feel confidence, and I feel my Savior's love :) I'm a little rushed, there's so many little stories I wish I could tell but I just gotta go! Sorry! Have an amazing week!!

Love, 

Sister Clark

President Monson announced that Pocatello is getting a temple!!!!

L_______'s cat plopped down on her Book of Mormon, LOL.

I'm staying!!

Transfer calls came and went! I get to stay and finish training Sister Holtermann, and I get to keep going on exchanges with my favorite Hermanas!! We're all staying! But now they're adding in a companionship of sisters to our zone, so now I get to hang out with MORE sisters!!!!! God is so nice to me, I'm so happy! :'D

This week, L____ told us that she believes in the Plan of Salvation and she knows she needs to be baptized, but she's just got a lot of social anxiety about going to church. WE WERE SO EXCITED!!! We told her that she should come with us to watch the General Women's Conference so she could sit in a church for a different program and ease into coming. She was so excited to go! But the night of the broadcast... we were devastated to find that she never came. She didn't make it to church either, like she said she really wanted to. She hasn't been responding to us since, so we hope she's ok....

It was so sad that she didn't make it to feel the AMAZING, powerful spirit that comes from listening to our church leaders and the prophets, but I was grateful to have it reconfirmed to me that I'm in the right place doing the right things and inviting others to join us. It's a good feeling.

Happy Early Easter, everyone!! We were given the cutest Easter dessert EVER <3

This week we taught the Seminary (Bible study) classes for the youth, all day! It was amazing. The YSA elders were there too and set it all up for us- we answered questions, taught truths, and testified ALL DAY to high schoolers. I'm thinking now that being a seminary or institute teacher would be an amazing job.. :)

We pranked our District Leader's car with an inside joke... haha we put Wheat Thins all over their car!

In other news.. the L____ are moving :'( They're out of their house now. But it's ok, we got to say goodbye to them this morning!

Sister Holtermann made it to 2 months!!! Woohoo!!! Two potatoes down!

We have a mission grandma now, Grandma Nelson!! She's so cute!

Well, that's it for now :) I promised some stories, but next week, I'm out of time......

Stay strong! Keep on keeping on!

MOM I DIDN'T TELL YOU!!!!!! J_____ IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON APRIL 8TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was an atheist when I met him my 3rd day in the field! And now he's getting baptized!!! I promised him he would!!! They sent me emails thanking me for helping them!!!!! :'D

Love,

Sister Clark

Yet Another Fabulous Week in Paradise B)

I'm going to quote Sister Holtermann's email for the story about L_____:

"So last Monday, we met with an investigator of ours named L_____. We were planning on dropping her because she wasn't keeping commitments and appointments, but when we talked to her about it, she just said she was having a tough couple of weeks. So on Monday, we had a lesson with her (my first one with her, by the way), and it was INCREDIBLE! She was finding how the Book of Mormon was speaking directly to her and how she receives answers to a lot of her questions through reading. The Spirit was so strong, I know that she knows it is true. We committed her to coming to church on Saturday night, which she has always been nervous about, and she didn't come on Sunday. *Cries* It was so hard to not see her there! But my goodness; she KNOWS it is true! I know that when she does come to church, she will FOR SURE be baptized. Church answers prayers, y'all. That's why it is so important. Alright, off of my soap box."

Hahaha I LOVE Sister Holtermann- I have a few stories to tell, but next week, since I left my camera at home...

But this was a good week. I think I say that just about every week unless it was really hard, but it really was good. We have amazing leaders, especially our stake president and of course President and Sister Hancock, and we've got MLC coming up again this week which I'm really excited about.... My greenie is a professional, we have our Idaho Falls Temple Open-House pass along cards now that we're handing out to EVERYONE we see, and General Conference is coming up.............. HOW IS MY LIFE SO CRAZY AND YET PEACEFUL AT THE SAME TIME?!?! I'm very, very happy :)

Life is so good when you rely on Christ for everything. It'll all work out. Even the crazy tough times, you'll look back and marvel at how much peace you had in the situation. That's what is happening to me, right now.

Pres. and Sister Hancock (Mission president and his wife)

Pres. Kunz (stake president in the area who texted Sis. Clark's mom late at night to let her know her daughter is a great missionary)

I'm having some amazing experiences with the scriptures, lately. I've been reading the D&C backwards, kinda like a countdown reading a section a day (I'm at 134 days left on my mission today! D: ), and I'm also trying to finish the Old Testament (Ezekiel is cray!), and I'm also trying to read two chapters of the Book of Mormon daily with the topic of Faith in mind..... I am learning so much. I'm AMAZED at how much ties together in all the most inspiring of ways. There is NO WAY a young boy/man could have written the BOM in the time it took to get it published, and there is NO WAY that those words are not from God.

I ponder sometimes what my life would be like if I hadn't been born into "Mormonism". Would I listen to the missionaries? Would I believe this church is true like I do now?

My answer came to me this week- the more I come to know how to speak to Heavenly Father, and how He speaks back to me individually, the more I understand that He's telling me "THE GOSPEL REALLY HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE EARTH- YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS TODAY, SO GO AND SHARE IT!" I love it. 

Absolutely, even if I'd never heard of Christ before in my life, when I read the words of the Book of Mormon combined with reading the Bible, I KNOW in my soul that they are of God, and they teach me how to speak to the Most High, and what He wants me to do to be happy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth again today is REAL.

If you don't know it for yourself, or if you're not sure how God speaks to you personally, I challenge you to find out like I have.

Love you all!! Have another fabulous week!

Love,

Sister Clark

WE CAN SEE GRASS AGAIN!

THE SNOW IS FINALLY GONE.  GONE!! Praises be.

I found a scripture that really, really helped me out this week- Matthew 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto to the end of the world. Amen."

God is behind you at every second with His hand on your shoulder, no matter what! It lifted my spirits when I was a little down about not having many people to teach, currently. But even if I never teach another lesson again for the rest of my mission, if that was God's will to test my diligence, then I will happily carry through. I'm filled with the Joy of Christ- nothing can keep me down or hold me back for long. The Gospel makes everything worth it!

President Thomas S. Monson said, "The road signs of life enticingly invite every traveler: This way to fame; this way to affluence; this way to popularity; this way to luxury. Pause at the crossroads before you continue your journey. Listen for that still, small voice which ever so gently beckons, ‘Come, follow me’.” 

Whatever God asks you to do, I PROMISE YOU that following His will, especially when it isn't convenient or easy for you, causes blessings to flow your way like a torrential river. It's not a sprinkle of nice things that happen, but it's a FLOOD. It's never easy, but it's all worth it. I promise. I'm seeing it in my life right now :)

Last P-Day, we had an epic Nerf war as a zone. I looooooved it, ah, my heart... also, Sister Holtermann and I are picking up a little Spanish from exchanges this week, so at random we'll say "MI CORIZON!" or spout random phrases like "gracious, de nada, por favor, que, por que mi amor...." but when you translate them out loud all together it doesn't sound near as fancy haha! 

This P-Day we'll take it easy, though. I'm looking forward to a wonderful nap and some time to write out letters, relax, wear sweats all day..... life is so good. 

We saw a really neat miracle this week!!! On exchanges we tried to knock on a house, but the moment we got out of our car this HUGE beautiful Doberman came running over and only an electric fence stopped her, but her hackles were up and her big white teeth were bared and they had her voice-box removed, so she was barking like crazy but she sounded like a furious possessed chicken. It was terrifying. We couldn't even approach the door, so we left.

The other day, however, when I was back with Sister Holtermann, we came to the house again and I explained it might be impossible and the dog might try to eat us, but Sister Holtermann said, "Well, let's say a prayer and then God will help us." So we did. We got out of the car, the dog was chilling in the sun and perked up when we came over, and she trotted over as we tried to casually walk in her territory telling her "hello puppy, please don't eat us, puppy...." And she came up and wanted us to pet her, she wanted to sniff all the other dogs she smelled on us, she was so friendly and just wanted some loving.............

Compared to Daniel 6:22 saying, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." .... sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? Modern day lions' mouths can be shut too, when you use a little prayer :)

Thank you everyone for supporting me! Keep on keeping on, or rather, siga adalente!

Love,

Sister Clark