70 - Loud celebrations

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


Yesterday was quite loud with constant helicopters going overhead for memorial services/displays/ ect. Tons of them too, and cannons going off.... they sure do celebrate with a bang around here and make it no small thing. They want the whole world know their patriotism!

Other than those tributes yesterday, Bishop Terry gave some great words of tribute during sacrament meeting. Someone in our ward was born on 9/11, so that day has double meaning for her.  It's also interesting, I think I heard for the first time what happens to a speaker who doesn't prepare for their talk, especially the 30 minute one. You can tell. As they say here in the mission field, the atonement is real, or in other words repentance is real! I'm just happy they remembered what they learned in primary and our investigator Fay was touched by his words. It was her first time there so first time impressions count. Lots of themes about overcoming the constant barrage of perfectionism the world portrays and reality with its truth and Christ's atonement to make things better for class time as well. Made for a good day.

Isn't it just life when I come up with amazing things to share, then when Monday rolls around, I have all but forgotten it all.

I was real sick on Tuesday, but we still got some work done which was great. Feeling better now thankfully!

We had dinner with Kenneth and his girlfriend came as well even though she had her second round of chemo. She was thrilled to tell us she wasn't as sick as she was expecting and is going along well. Just has to avoid the sun at ALL costs. Kenneth even bore his testimony of his mission experiences in Japan and how that has blessed his life. Such a neat experience!

We also saw all of our investigators except one so it's been a great week. Anthony is going on a cruise, but we did get to talk before he left that day. He said he would be so proud of us and the work we do if we were his daughters and our lessons have made a difference. At least we can still see his daughter who is house sitting and dog sitting so we are looking forward to that!

We also saw a former who we dropped. He called us saying he had questions from his reading The Book of Mormon like we asked, but sadly it was the usual bible bashing so we left it at that one requested visit. Glad he likes us, but that isn't our purpose.

Sister Painchaud and I have agreed to disagree for the most part so things will most likely remain as they are now. In life, it is true when they say there are just some people in this world you won't get along with, some more than others. Other than that, work keeps moving along in our area fairly well despite that.

We are working a lot with the ward council and trying to implement new ways to work with the ward for missionary work so things have been interesting.

Miracle of the week: We went by formers and knocked on the door of a lady named Paige. We almost walked away when she talked through the window and said to come another day, then a moment latter said, "Wait right there, I feel like I should talk to you, so let me get properly dressed." She let us in and we talked about the restoration, and she said how happy she was to hear that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. She had been going through a tough spot, and her only daughter is almost done with school, so her life is going to be empty nesting soon. She then told us about her goals in life and how she writes it down (no matter how high set they are or crazy), then she keeps inspirational stories with it in a binder to help her achieve her goals. She is such a giving and nice person. She even said how happy it was to see ladies on a mission and would love to learn more and have her questions answered. She knew God sent us that morning,  and she was getting so down on life, then we picked her right back up and strengthened her faith as well. I love it when that happens!