Definitely Didn't See it Coming.

Hey there!

So last Monday we got home from our zone meeting and started to plan.

Around 9:30 my District Leader called and said, "Hermana, your day has arrived."

We had special transfers Tuesday morning at 5:30! Hermana Ramírez and I both got sent to Juárez, but we're in diferent areas. My new area is Frontera 3 and my companion is Hermana Hernández from Honduras!

 

 

 

She got here the transfer after me, so I've only been here 6 weeks longer than her. She's super funny and we enjoy each other.

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Frontera- border. As in, "As you can tell by the name of my area, we are right on the border. I can see El Paso every day."

Bochitos- slugbug (the car). As in, "I never realized how many slugbugs there are in Juarez. Now that my companion points them out every time that we see one, I know that there are a lot. She calls them my family."

Pacientemente- patiently/with patience. As in, "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." Mosiah 24:15

We did not see this transfer coming, and it's been an interesting week. We're both new in the area, so we spent a lot of the week walking around looking for people. We're familiar with our area now and we found several new people to teach, so this coming week should require less walking. It was a bit exhausting, honestly, and we had a few discouraging moments. But we're working hard and we have plenty of opportunities to laugh.

On Saturday we walked around all day looking for people and nobody was home. Out of nowhere we received a referral from the mission office in a text message. So we went straight there to contact them.

The person who had requested the visit wasn't home, but his mom was. At first she didn't want to let us in- she said she's hesitant about letting in anybody who she doesn't know- but after talking a while with her, she let us share a message with her. We explained a bit about the Restoration, and she loved it. She told us that she lived in the mountains as a child and that there were some senior missionaries who used to go teach classes to the children about Jesus. She remembered that they were Mormons and she always loved hearing them.

She accepted to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. She's super cool, and we're excited to work with her.

We're working with patience, but it's not too hard when we both want to work and try to laugh every day.

I hope everyone has a great week!

​~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

God Loves Us

Hola hola!

First off, a Happy Birthday to my Dad, my brother-in-law, and my sweet nephew who spoke Spanish to me on Mother's day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a huge thanks to all those who sent me "Happy Birthday" pictures! I couldn't open the file that my mom sent me last week, but I saw them today. Love you all!

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Campaña- campaign. As in, "The county has been in campaign for county president for months, and it finally finished this week. After recounting the votes, a member of the ward won!"

Presidenta- female president. As in, "The new county president is going to be the first female president. She's cool! We also got a new relief society president on Sunday. Things are changing here in the Pueblo!"

Testimonio- testimony. As in, "A testimony is a declaration of the things we know to be true. It isn't a speech, it isn't a time to give thanks to all the people we appreciate. It is a moment to testify."

We had a good week, and I'll tell you two stories.

On Tuesday we went to an appointment with an investigator expecting to just teach her. When we got there, we saw that her husband was there and she wasn't home yet. Once she got home, we were able to teach them together with their daughter about how the Gospel blesses families and how if we make covenants with God to keep His commandments, we can have eternal families. When we asked the husband if he'd like to prepare himself to be baptized and eventually have an eternal family, he siad that he wants to learn more and that if he comes to know that it is true, he would love for his whole family to get baptized together. We're excited to keep working with them. :)

Last Sunday we were looking for a referral and we knocked on the wrong door. But it ended up being the right door, because we found a young adult there who is friends with an awesome member of the ward and told us that she'd like us to visit her.

We went to get to know her better on Thursday, and she listened to us explain a little bit of our message then said, "This is all great. I know it's good stuff because my friend is always so happy, and especially when she talks about the church. What do I have to do to get baptized?"

It was awesome to see that her friend's example bore such strong testimony that our message is one of happiness and that it blesses people and families. She's excited to keep learning and preparing herself to get baptized.

I just want to end with my testimony.

I know that God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us perfectly. He loves us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to pay the price of our salvation. He also loves us so much that He sends prophets to teach us The Way back to Him, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that He doesn't change, and since He has always called prophets to teach us, He calls prophets in our times. He called Joseph Smith as a prophet to be the means by which He could restore the Gospel in its fullness. Today, Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and he teaches us the truth. Everyone can know this if they will read the Book of Mormon, ponder what it teaches, and pray to ask God if it's true. I've done it, which is why I know that it's true.

I invite everyone to try it. It will change your life for the better.

I'm going to send a few pictures from my birthday on a separate email.

Have an awesome week!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

 

 

 

Hermana Ramírez and me :) All but two of the other 10 sisters here in Casas Grandes also came for ice cream to celebrate, but I don't have the picture of everyone.

 

 

​Thanks for the Birthday crowns, Mom :) It just so happens that Hermana Benitez's birthday was in May, and Hermana Blackham and Hermana Lorenzo's birthdays are in June too. So I shared :)

We have a good time in our district.

 

 

​The Sister's in my district also went with us to Tortas Parra for my birthday lunch. This is a chicken torta with mango chipotle sauce. It was delicious.
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~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

One Year Older (and Wiser Too?)

Hola :)

This week was crazy and great.

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Mudarse- to move houses. As in, "On Monday night we found out that we had top move on Tuesday morning. It's cool though, because our new house is great!" 

Lavadora- washing machine. As in, "our new house has a washing machine. It's great! And it's a Westinghouse! (only my family will understand that joke.)"

Cumpleaños- Birthday. As in, "Thanks for all of your birthday wishes! It's been a great one so far. :)"

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My family sent me an awesome package which I opened this morning. Thanks guys!

My great dad and my brother-in-law, Nate, also turn one year older and wiser too this week. 

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

I'll have photos next week.

We had a lot of cool experiences this week, but I don't have time to tell them all...

We had a Family Home Evening last Monday and a family from the ward introduced us to their friends. We watched the video of the Restoration and they liked it a lot. After answering a few of their questions, they said that they'd love to learn more and prepare to be baptized if they come to know that our message is true.

I did exchanges with Hermana Hale this week and we went to see an investigator who is super cool. She reads the Book of Mormon a ton, and this time we found that she had just finished Mosiah 18. It's a great chapter about baptism. So we talked about the example of the people in the chapter and she loved it. She said she wants to get baptized and she'll pray about a day in July that she can prepare to be baptized.

"And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?" Mosiah 18:8-10

Love you all, thank you for blessing my life these past 20 years. I hope you all have a great week!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

Continue in Prayer

Hola!

Hope everyone had a lovely week!

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Arándano- cranberry. As in, "I ate cranberry ice cream this morning and it was delicious."

Llamamiento- calling. As in, "Everyone who serves in the church serves voluntarily. The positions in which we serve are called 'callings.' Callings come from God through our local leaders. One of my awesome converts accepted a calling in the young men's presidency yesterday, and it sure made me smile. :)"

Persistir- continue. As in, "Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him." Alma 34:19

I have a few stories this week.

We have a great investigator who loves the Book of Mormon and the message that we share. This week we invited her cousin, who is a member, to come with us to a lesson, but he said he wasn't going to be able to. The day of the lesson, to our surprise, he found time and showed up there. It was great to see him bear testimony of our message and hear him encourage her to prepare herself to be baptized and receive blessings like those that he has received since he was baptized.

We have another awesome investigator who loves our message, but something always seems to come up on Sundaywhen she wants to go to church. This week, 2 young women from the ward came with us to a lesson and bore testimony about obedience. We prayed a ton for this investigator to be able to come to church without obstacles this week, and.....she came! She was there! It was an answer to many prayers!

We went to a lesson with a new investigator and we had planned to teach about families and how the gospel can strengthen them. When we got there, her husband didn't want to listen to us, and she was super upset. We felt like we should teach her about the Plan of Salvation, so we did. It was exactly what she needed to hear, and it answered some important questions she had. We hope to be able to teach them both soon, but at least she is finding direction in her life through our message.

Lately in my scripture study, when I read stories about people I look for opportunities to substitute my name into the scriptures to apply them more to me. Here's one that I found that I hope we can all work to substitute our names into. Put your name where it says "Moroni" and ask yourself it it's true.

"Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."

Let's all strive to be more like Moroni.

Have an awesome week, everyone!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark