Monday, September 14, 2015

18 - Locked doors and happy people

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


We got locked out of our apartment yet again, this time after we went shopping first thing in the morning. Sister Paw and I have been checking for keys, but this time she thought she had them with her. Next time I will have the keys and we will have to present them in order to ever go out of the apartment. Thank Goodness we had our phone and car keys this time around. We went to the mission home and did studies with Sister Tew this morning, we were going to do it at our apartment already, but this time we had no choice. It was so much fun that we will do it again with her latter this week! Hopefully at our place. We have had to go back and forth so many times it is ridiculous, but we are still good on miles considering. I just say that we are following God's plan for us which is to learn and grow, we have excelled at that part of his plan this transfer!

Looks like we will definitely have elders in the area next transfer, I just hope I will still be there. I love the ward despite its unique stubborn qualities, and at times odd love of feeding us but forgetting our appointments on occasion. The other day we went to the Carlton's for dinner and we got on the subject of dying plants, I suggested chicks and hens plants among other drought tolerant plants, and Sister Carlton loved the pictures of the more exotic vibrant green and magenta ones. She will get some and plant them right away. it is such a drought it makes it hard to grow much anymore, and they limit watering to 20 minutes a day twice a week, or you get big big fines (like $500 fines) per each offence of doing any more watering than that.

I love the ward members and have found so many ways that life and knowledge that I obtained before my mission has been helping with almost everyone. I also received a blessing that said that THIS IS MY AREA, I was purposely sent here for people in here. It will be interesting to see how things play out two Tuesdays from now on with transfers. It's so odd to think I have been out already 4 months and after this next transfer I will be out almost 6 months! That's a third of my mission gone by. I am starting to see what they mean that this mission flies by and it's so brief in your life, it is almost too short in some ways.

Not much in the way of lessons. Everyone cancelled on us other than the ever faithful Amelia and Beckers, they always love us over, which is such a relief at the end of the day and you don't know where else to turn, and you are almost to the point of discouragement from doing nothing but driving to place to place in hopes that someone is home or will be kind enough to listen, even if they disagree. It really makes a difference in our day to have someone listen and let us in. It gives us a big boost, and sometimes is an answer to our prayer or concern we have. It's amazing when that happens. The other day Amelia told us that NOTHING will stop her from being baptized! She was so proud to say that, it's so heartwarming. When I first met her she was unsure about the concept of being baptized again in another church and many other things, now she won't let anything get in her way. I really do think having her at that girl's baptism really touched and changed her heart forever. I am so grateful for people like her and her constant love of making sure we never leave without food or a smoothie.

The Beckers are doing pretty good considering on the 19th Angel gets married to Jeff, we read more scriptures to them and even if they bring up not the most positive discussions, they know not to dwell so much on those things and to even bring up something positive! I am so proud of them. I also love it when Angel folds her arms and sits there waiting till we say the prayer, she will even look right at you till you start with a prayer. That is her way of saying I want to get down to reading scriptures so why the wait.


Other than that, Sister paw and I had a rough patch the middle of this week, but after meeting with President Tew a couple times due to time, we found the root of the problem is the area and frustration with it and the ward was getting to Sister Paw and a miscommunication one day set her off. we both got things straightened out and are working more on communication and talking more with one another to help from letting things get bottled up. Its been very hard for her because this area is honest to goodness hard, but I haven't had troubles with it and have been happy with it for the most part because its all I have ever known. When those two things met, it was causing lots of turmoil between us and hard feelings. I am just happy that its all worked out. 

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