Doubt Not, Fear Not.

Hey there! Hope everyone had a great week!

 

 

​Last Monday we learned more life lessons from Wendy's. :)

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Alas- wings. As in, "One day this week we went to eat with a member and her grandchildren were watching one of the Tinkerbell movies. I saw out of the corner of my eye that one of the pixie's wings started drooping and she started to fall. I heard a huge gasp. When I turned to look at my companion, she realized that in her surprise at what had happened to the fairy, the gasp had come out loud. We laughed a ton."

Conferencia Regional- Regional Conference. As in, "Mexico had a regional conference yesterday. It was a broadcast from Salt Lake City. Sister Carole F. McConkie from the general young women's presidency, and President Nelson and Elder Hales from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke. I was super surprised when both Sister McConkie and President Nelson gave their talks in Spanish without a translator. They did very well speaking Spanish and their messages were beautiful."

Temer- to fear. As in, "...fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." Doctrine and Covenants 122:9

This week was a little crazy, but we worked our hardest.

We found out that the awesome investigator who we found in the park a month ago who was way excited to get baptized moved last week to a different ward. We super upset because we wanted to teach her until her baptism, but we passed the referral to the sisters in the other ward. They're great sisters, so we know she'll be fine.

Our investigator who postponed her baptism a month ago had postponed it for this week, but she postponed it again. We were with her on Wednesday and she told us that she still didn't know how to tell her family. We invited her to take the advice in Doctrine and Covenants 9:8, "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." She said she'll decide on a new date and pray to know if it's right. We also felt like we should read Doctrine and Covenants 122 with her, and when we did it impacted her. She said, "It's true, I shouldn't fear what man can do. I'll keep praying and reading and try to be brave and follow Christ."

Our investigator who set a baptismal date last week is progressing super well. She's excited to get baptized and she understands everything we teach her super well. We taught about the word of wisdom and we practically didn't have to teach her anything because she already understands it, lives it, and has a testimony of it. We're really grateful to be teaching her.

This week we moved to the same neighborhood that she lives in (which is where we do almost all of our proselyting) and we told her yesterday in a text message. Around 11 she answered and said "Seriously? Have you already eaten dinner? Do you want donuts?" It was super funny. (obviously we said no, thank you, because we are sleeping at 11).

This week we also went to see a part member family. The mom and daughters are members, but the dad has gone to church for more than 5 years with them and has never gotten baptized. Last Sunday we decided to put an appointment with him, so we went on Thursday. We went with another awesome member who goes with us to all of our lessons every Thursday and always talks very directly to everyone. She also knows this investigator very well. It was great, she looked at him and said, "God has worked very hard and spent a lot of time and resources on you. He's given you great friends, an amazing wife, and beautiful daughters. He's given you many opportunities to learn about the gospel. You are a great man. You need to make a covenant with God so that your can keep all the blessings you have for eternity."

He didn't accept a baptismal date yet, but he did accept that we start visiting him again to see if he could find answers to the questions he still has. We're hoping to help him find those answers so that he can be baptized and later be sealed to his beautiful family.

Well, we're looking forward to another great week.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." Doctrine and Covenants 6:36

Have a great one!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

The Humble, the Diligent, the Enduring

Hey! Hope everyone had an awesome week!

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

 

 

​Viejitos/viejitas- oldies. As in, "This is Hermana Reynoso who got to the mission the same day as me. We went to mission leadership council together again this week and everyone makes us feel like oldies reminding us how little time we have left in the mission. But we're trying to age gracefully..."

​psychic-psíquico. As in, "I think my mom is psychic. This week my favorite gray sweater bit the dust and I was pretty sad. But two days later, I got a package from my mom that I didn't know she was going to send. Sure enough, it had a gray sweater. I love you, Mom! :)"

Él vive- He lives. As in, "My beloved sisters in Christ, God is real.

He lives.

He loves you.

He knows you.

He understands you.

He knows the silent pleadings of your heart.

He has not abandoned you.

He will not forsake you." Dieter F. Uchtdorf

This week was a bit crazy, but it was a good one.

One of our great investigators set herself a baptismal date this week. On Monday we had a lesson with her and she told us that she'd prayed about the changes she needs to make to be ready, and set goals. She told us that she would be ready by a date that was after I'll be home. I was a bit sad that I wouldn't be there, but I was happy that she'd made the decision. Then, on Saturday, she surprised me. She said, "I was thinking about it, and it would be super sad that Sister Clark can't be in my Baptism and I'd like for the two of you who started teaching me to be there when I'm baptized." So she told us her new plan and decided on a date much sooner. We're looking forward to working with her toward the date that she chose :)

We had a miraculous day on Saturday. Since I had mission leadership council this week, we weren't able to work in the area for about a day and a half. It set us way back on the lessons we needed to teach to all of our investigators, so Friday n

​ight

 we planned a ton of appointments and backup plans. People cancel on us a lot here, especially on Saturdays, so we were praying a lot that our plans would workout or be changed in the way that the Lord would have them changed.

It was incredible, two less active sisters who haven't let us in the whole time I've been in this area let us in to share a message with them. Our investigators didn't cancel on us. We had a fantastic day and appreciated the extra hour of sleep we got the next day thanks to the time change. :)

"We walk by whatever faith we have, seeking always to increase our faith. Sometimes this is not an easy quest. Those who are impatient, uncommitted, or careless may find faith to be elusive. Those who are easily discouraged or distracted may hardly experience it. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring." Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

I hope everyone has an awesome week. Thank you for your prayers!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

Proclaim Christ's Caring Love and Peace

Happy Halloween! Hope everyone has some good plans today.

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

 

 

​Familia es para siempre- family is forever. As in, "We went to Wendy's last week to celebrate my sweet sixteen (16 months in the mission), and when I was eating my frosty, my companion showed me what my cup said. Even Wendy's knows that family is forever!"

Pan de muertos- bread of the dead (haha, that rhymes in English). As in, "the day of the dead is this week, and to celebrate people here eat 'bread of the dead.' My companion's mom sent her a ton of bread from Oaxaca in a one-day delivery package. we've been eating a lot of bread."

Bondad- kindness. As in, "Brothers and sisters, if we have not fully done so yet, let us turn more toward forgiveness, kindness, and love. Let us renounce the war that so often rages in the heart of the natural man and proclaim Christ’s caring, love, and peace." Robert D. Hales

We had a fantastic week! Our zone leader called us last night to congratulate us for all the work we did this week. We met higher goals than last week, and we're looking forward to working even more this week.

We had a lot of lessons with a lot of investigators, so it's hard to choose what to write about in so little time. But here we go.

Our investigator who accepted a baptismal date last week has been progressing super well. She's reading the Book of Mormon and praying. She went to church on Sunday and absolutely loved it. She said that she felt like they welcomed her into a huge family. In every lesson we have she tells us that she feels so much better than before and is so grateful for the blessing God gave her to meet us. She's such a blessing to us!

I was on exchanges in our area with a sister from another area on Tuesday and some appointments cancelled on us. so we went to look for some former investigators who we had met the week before but didn't seem to interested in hearing our message. When we got there on tuesday, we could tell that they were stressed out. We offered our help to wash the dishes and they let us help. After washing the dishes we shared a message about the Atonement of Christ and asked if they'd like to hear the lessons again and see how it can improve their lives. They invited us back on Thursday and we went with a member who knows them. She bore such a beautiful testimony about how the Gospel helps us to bear our afflictions and come out stronger. She invited them to church, and they came! They'd never gone before when they had listened the first time, but they had a good experience. We're looking forward to seeing them tomorrow.

I have to go, but I promise we're seeing miracles in our area. I'm so greatful to be here with my companion. We're working hard every day and the time is flying by.

"Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth." Mosiah 23:10

Keep praying and keep trying. The Lord hears our cries and answers our prayers.

Have a great week everyone! Eat lots of candy!

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark

 

 

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​And another companion has met the frosty. I even taught her to eat it with fries. :)​

It Works!

Hey there! Hope everyone had a great week!

First off,

 

 

​Happy Birthday to my awesome brother, Ben! Hope you had a great one! :)

Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

 

 

Obispo- Bishop. As in, "The church is organized in congregations called wards, and each ward is lead by a Bishop. We found a place that sells smoothies and milkshakes and has a milkshake called the 'obispo.' We had to buy one."

Rompecabezas- puzzle. As in, "The gathering of Israel is a miracle. It is like an enormous puzzle whose pieces will be set in place prior to the glorious events of the Second Coming...Each of us is a piece of the puzzle, and each of us helps to set in place other essential pieces. You are important to this great cause." Neil L. Andersen

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/a-witness-of-god?lang=eng

Corazón- heart. As in, "To believe, we need to get the gospel from our heads into our hearts!" Bonnie L. Oscarson

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/do-i-believe?lang=eng

This week was awesome. I'll tell you a few stories.

The first investigator I talked about last week is doing great. We saw her a few times this week and she loved the message of the restoration. She's told us several times that she feels so much peace when she hears the messages we share and when she reads the assignments we leave her. She feels like our arrival in her life was a blessing from God and an answer to her prayers. We invited her to set a baptismal date, and she said yes! So we're looking forward to helping her get ready to be baptized.

The other new investigator who we found last week is also progressing well. We saw her a few times this week and explained the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. She feels like reading the Book of Mormon answers her questions and she feels that this is the right path to take. She loved the Plan of Salvation because she has a great desire to have an eternal family. She knows she needs to set some goals and keep working to get baptized, so she told us she will pray to know what day she should get baptized. We know she'll be able to progress well toward the day she chooses. She's awesome. :)

We also saw our Jewish investigator! I didn't write about her last week, but we saw her and read the Book of Mormon with her. In that lesson she asked us, "how can I have faith in Jesus Christ if my whole life they've told me not to believe in Him?" We told her that as missionaries we have 5 lessons that we teach that are centered in Jesus Christ. We invited her to listen to them and see if she could find answers to her questions in our message. She accepted. So we went back this week with an awesome member. We started teaching about the Plan of Salvation and the member who went with us bore powerful testimony about it. She also used some great examples from the Old Testament to answer the questions that our investigator had. It was the coolest. We're going back this week to keep teaching her and helping her develop faith.

This week was special. We set some goals to have a lot more lessons than we were having before. We weren't sure how we were going to accomplish them, but Monday night our zone leader sent a message inviting the whole zone to fast to be able to meet their goals. We took his invitation and fasted on Tuesday. The results were miraculous. Fasting works. Prayer works. Faith works.

"As you exercise a little faith and begin your walk as a peaceable follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, your heart will change. Your whole being will be filled with light.

God will help you become something greater than you ever thought possible. And you will discover that the gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed working in your life. It works." Dieter F. Uchtdorf

We're looking forward to another great week! I hope you all have a wonderful week too! :)

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark