11 - I can drive!

Email address (preferred):
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net

 Mission address:
 Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
 California Long Beach Mission
 6500 E Atherton St.
 Long Beach, CA 90815

I wouldn't say this has been my best week ever, but you need one every now and again I suppose.

We got quite a few referrals, one named Aaron who said he would get baptized (that's what the elders said when they passed him off) but he was unable to go to church this week, we stopped by and found he wasn't there but his brother was and he said he would like to have a lesson this week. He was drunk and high, but surprisingly coherent. He even ripped up some music posters that weren't the most appropriate. He loves cars and sometimes drinking, but said he honestly needed to change and stop doing those things. He hoped we could help him do that and agreed to be sober when we see him next. He is though a very skilled and talented car repair person and loves fixing old classic cars up and making them new for clients. next door where some kids and they loved listening to Sister George and I sing a child's prayer to them. We even met a veteran across the street with his little boy and talked for awhile. he was Buddhist, but he sometimes listens to different faiths. It wasn't till I said thank you for his service that he surprised us as we were about to walk away and said that since we went to the trouble to talk with him that he might as well accept our plan of salvation pamphlet. I hope we get to see him again. I think he has PTSD (though I could always be wrong) because he had a service dog with him and the dog quieted down once we had a normal conversation and it wasn't making him nervous (most people who meet us expect us to act like Jehovah witness around here, apparently they have a bad rep in these parts for being obnoxious)

Other than that Sister George has been needing to meet with the councilors lately and having trouble with anxiety with going home. I have been trying my best, but some days I can't handle the mounting stress and anxiety of trying to help her and its been getting me hard this week. 

We didn't do much service this week other than the final touches on the flowers for the luau for the Olympics, never got a final picture, but a member said they would try and get one to me. Chances are though I won't get it.....

We have been watching during lunch and dinner the D&C video's and they have been so wonderful! Already we have seen a third of them and have used several in lessons. Amelia was so touched by one last week. I don't think she fully understood the video, but she did feel the spirit strongly from it. Hopefully next week we can set a baptismal date for her!

Luis has been so kind in helping a friend move this week, so he wasn't able to come to church this time around, but he will try for next week. Either way he won't be baptized on the 9th, so we will set a new date for him as well. Good news though, he finally got a job at a food prep warehouse nearby and has all Sundays off, so we are so happy for him and that Sundays won't be a problem. He was definitely happy that heavenly father answered his prayer for work after searching for a couple years for work! Goes to show that heavenly father does answer prayers, and this job is exactly perfect for him! He even is excited because of a friendship with a girl, not a girlfriend yet, but possibly. Even the possibility is perking him up!

I miss the dry heat of Utah..... its been so humid that I never feel dry this whole month. Hopefully winter gets better.

My training is almost up and I am the designated driver now. SO NICE, Sister George is so relived since that was a huge stress to her. Also she kinda makes me nauseous when she drives, so not having that is nice!