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
This week has been crazy weird and busy. My new companion is Sister Hinckley, and she is from Alberta Canada.
We moved into a brand new apartment, had to purchase an entire apartment's worth of supplies, and that alone took up our first day. After we had good parts of the day spent at the mission home and/or office, working with President and Sister Tew working out the details of our new assignment. Looks like it will last a couple transfers then we will go back to normal.
We will work with the missionaries in the ENTIRE MISSION and their investigators in 1-2 lessons to help ALL investigators find at least 1 name to take to the temple within the first month of baptism. The goal is after a lesson or two the missionaries in that area will know enough to be able to take over all other family history lessons and every missionary in this mission will know how to do family history. The hope is to have greater retention in this mission and change the culture of being a recent convert in this church since most older members seem to avoid if not hate family history without even giving it a try, and they aren't attending the temple like they should. (With exception to the Cambodian ward, they always are on top of things and love attending!) There is a great need for the hastening of the work here, so this should help a bunch.
Lately we have seen some good improvement in our ward members due to a new change in the ward. Our entire ward was split into committees according to their interests and talents: 1. Proclaim the gospel; 2. Temple and family history; and 3. Perfect the saints/care for the poor and needy (service). We saw that when the ward members were put into those committees, they seemed to care more for the work they discuss, and were much more willing to participate in the work they are over, more so than 1 or 2 people being assigned to a calling. They then support those in the specific callings and more things happen in the ward like it should. We hold those meetings every 5th Sunday and its been fun so far. Took a month for everyone to get used to, but since the whole ward is doing this, not just a few, almost everyone feels like they can help out instead of making excuses. Bishop is now more interested in the work our companionship is doing in now that he got assigned to the family history committee, so that is wonderful. Before it was less than what it is now, so improvement is always good! Lots of great things are happening in this ward!
No service this week due to trainings we gave to the whole mission and preparations we took to get it done where Sister Tew liked it and President put his stamp on it (sort of speak). Sounds like we will do MANY short training's possibly in the future as we go along and refine how we do things. I have never used up so many miles before, it's worse than STL mile status! Thank goodness we have to put on the paper log how many were for family history that will be deducted from our normal amount. Elders in Long beach who had our car before HOGGED tons of miles already, so this should get interesting. Our apartment is 1 mile out of our area, right next to the highway (which is great for travel around the mission) and is a nice and safe complex. Not as noisy as my last one oddly enough, too. We ended up splitting my last area, and now we are over 1/3... which is about 1/7 the size of the ward... UBER TINY.... Even more challenging is it is a nicer area with barely any investigators, potentials, less actives, or even members. I hope missionaries start using us soon, since we are running out of streets to tract in the meantime.
The first couple days were real hard adjusting, especially since I am sort of follow up training as well, so it's always hard for adjustments from one's first area and companionship. Sister Hinckley had a hard time getting used to how we had to drop every plan we had to get things done for our apartment with Elder and Sister Grossnickle, lots of travel time, and changing plan at a moment's notice if necessary. It was hard getting used to STL, or even YSA missionary lifestyle of constant re-planing, planning travel time, or dropping plans when something came up that we have to do. We are learning to get along, but it's been a bit of a rough go at the start. I hope it will get better as we get going the rest of this transfer, which is the 7 week transfer due to MTC time changes)
Good news is that Aisha will get baptized and even though I am not teaching her any more, and we will be able to come! They weren't able to find names of those involved on her record for the supposed baptism, so she was cleared for baptism in 2 weeks!
Other than that, we picked up a few new investigators. Most of them we had to pass off, but we hope that we can work with Michael, Gina, and Reynold still!
Monday, March 14, 2016
Monday, March 7, 2016
43 - Special assignment
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 found out I am staying! Odd thing is that I will be splitting my area up and I will get the smaller area of the two. Sadly I won't get hardly any good people to teach that we have so far. It will be hard to be so close to any recent converts and less actives I have taught (or have allowed us to teach them) and yet not be able to see a single one. And live outside my area.
Good news though,This is all happening because my new companion Sister Hinckley and I got a special assignment of Family history missionaries, FOR THE WHOLE MISSION! (As far as I have been made aware of.) We will be working closely with Sister Tew and will train all the missionaries on family history and any converts (or soon to be) one on one. The whole goal is that all converts have a name to take to the temple before they are baptized so they can have the goal to make it to the temple with that name before the first 2 months are over. All the stake presidents are in on this Idea, so it has been neat to be apart of this special assignment! I will still be a Proselyting missionary and do regular work, which should be an interesting thing to figure out. After a few transfers, the other goal is for my companion and I to work ourselves out of a job so that EVERY MISSIONARY in this mission knows, teaches, and helps out their investigators and recent converts to do family history work the same as we do; on their own.
Other than that, Marlyn and AC Dalaguit had their confirmation this Sunday and we also did wonderfully at the musical fireside. Not much turnout on the music fireside, but it impressed the stake president so much he suggested it be done quarterly!
Sad news is due to things out of our control, we had to put Aisha's baptism on hold. Some records popped up out of the blue and put a kink in our plans the NIGHT BEFORE.... we will be working it out with the Spanish branch and Salt Lake to figure things out. Good news is that it isn't the first time this has happened with that branch, so it should be a couple week fix to sort things out. We still had an amazing time with her family and friends for a dinner and had amazing Pupusa (which President Tew always gets for departing missionaries, and I was sad that I would never get the chance to have some once the change in presidents happens).
This week's miracle is that we were able to get things put together for the musical fireside as well as we did. We had some last minute cancellations, no before run through, and stress all around for my companions putting things together. We hardly had any lessons at all due to meetings and other things out of our control.
Other than that, lots of packing, LOTS of cancelled appointments, and Lots of goodbyes with my Companion Sister Skelton going home. She is off to Australia come tomorrow!
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
I found out I am staying! Odd thing is that I will be splitting my area up and I will get the smaller area of the two. Sadly I won't get hardly any good people to teach that we have so far. It will be hard to be so close to any recent converts and less actives I have taught (or have allowed us to teach them) and yet not be able to see a single one. And live outside my area.
Good news though,This is all happening because my new companion Sister Hinckley and I got a special assignment of Family history missionaries, FOR THE WHOLE MISSION! (As far as I have been made aware of.) We will be working closely with Sister Tew and will train all the missionaries on family history and any converts (or soon to be) one on one. The whole goal is that all converts have a name to take to the temple before they are baptized so they can have the goal to make it to the temple with that name before the first 2 months are over. All the stake presidents are in on this Idea, so it has been neat to be apart of this special assignment! I will still be a Proselyting missionary and do regular work, which should be an interesting thing to figure out. After a few transfers, the other goal is for my companion and I to work ourselves out of a job so that EVERY MISSIONARY in this mission knows, teaches, and helps out their investigators and recent converts to do family history work the same as we do; on their own.
Other than that, Marlyn and AC Dalaguit had their confirmation this Sunday and we also did wonderfully at the musical fireside. Not much turnout on the music fireside, but it impressed the stake president so much he suggested it be done quarterly!
Sad news is due to things out of our control, we had to put Aisha's baptism on hold. Some records popped up out of the blue and put a kink in our plans the NIGHT BEFORE.... we will be working it out with the Spanish branch and Salt Lake to figure things out. Good news is that it isn't the first time this has happened with that branch, so it should be a couple week fix to sort things out. We still had an amazing time with her family and friends for a dinner and had amazing Pupusa (which President Tew always gets for departing missionaries, and I was sad that I would never get the chance to have some once the change in presidents happens).
This week's miracle is that we were able to get things put together for the musical fireside as well as we did. We had some last minute cancellations, no before run through, and stress all around for my companions putting things together. We hardly had any lessons at all due to meetings and other things out of our control.
Other than that, lots of packing, LOTS of cancelled appointments, and Lots of goodbyes with my Companion Sister Skelton going home. She is off to Australia come tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
42 - Foggy temple and baptisms
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
It's that transfer again, we got to go to the LA Temple! It was Super foggy though, made for some unusual photos outside. We had to get up SUPER early to help get some other sisters where they needed to be so it looks like a nap will be in order instead of sports. It was all worth it in the end though.
This week Marlene and AC Dalaguit were baptized. This one was extra special since AJ was given the priesthood during the first part of the baptism meeting and was able to Baptize AC and Joel baptized his wife Marlene. It was so special to see the entire family in white! It will be a day I will never forget! We had amazing talks, testimonies, and memories made that day. Definitely the spirit was felt by the whole family and all those who attend. What a rare thing for me to be honored to take part in the lives of so many amazing converts baptisms. I will definitely miss Buena Park when I leave, just as much as I do Cerritos if I leave this transfer. Each of the people I have taught mean so much to me, and it hurts to say goodbye every time I have to leave.
Two miracles this week. First was we picked up Tiffany again this week. I was on splits with another sister, but my companions felt prompted to visit and she told them that God answered her prayer for us to come again. She got a car finally and so many other small miracles led her to conclude to come back to church with us. So exciting!
Second miracle was again when I was on splits, this time with Sister Tew, the mission president's wife. We were going to a back up potential, but it ended up being in an adjacent area and was put in the wrong page, so we went there and no one was home. As we were heading back to the car, a black car came up and stopped right along side ours. Then faster than fast Aarti and Diya ran out yelling, "Sister Clark!" and gave me and Sister Tew a hug and asked us to come visit them just around the corner in their home. There we met Aarti's Mother who is also an RN, only retired. She made us AMAZING Indian food (Sister Tew was impressed and loved it!), and we were able to try and figure out where they were in their reading The Book of Mormon and how they were doing. It was so great. I even was able to give away the Hindi Book of Mormon my companion insisted to shove in my bag earlier that day. It was great since their mother understood Hindi better than English, which is one of the 4 languages she knows from being a nurse in India and America. MIRACLES ALL AROUND THIS WEEK. I missed them all so much, and it was good to see the progress they have made. Diya has faithfully continued to pray and read The Book of Mormon every day since we first met her and was in Alma 13, such an amazing accomplishment for someone her age. (I know I wasn't that great about reading when I was her age.) Diya even said she knows God answers her prayers, since she prayed that we could see each other again; and we did. Too happy to teach them both again!
We also have been helping out the Spanish elders and YSA elders a lot, we heard that they are teaching some wonderful people who are on their way to baptism, which is wonderful that we were able to find them and pass them along to those missionaries.
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
It's that transfer again, we got to go to the LA Temple! It was Super foggy though, made for some unusual photos outside. We had to get up SUPER early to help get some other sisters where they needed to be so it looks like a nap will be in order instead of sports. It was all worth it in the end though.
This week Marlene and AC Dalaguit were baptized. This one was extra special since AJ was given the priesthood during the first part of the baptism meeting and was able to Baptize AC and Joel baptized his wife Marlene. It was so special to see the entire family in white! It will be a day I will never forget! We had amazing talks, testimonies, and memories made that day. Definitely the spirit was felt by the whole family and all those who attend. What a rare thing for me to be honored to take part in the lives of so many amazing converts baptisms. I will definitely miss Buena Park when I leave, just as much as I do Cerritos if I leave this transfer. Each of the people I have taught mean so much to me, and it hurts to say goodbye every time I have to leave.
Two miracles this week. First was we picked up Tiffany again this week. I was on splits with another sister, but my companions felt prompted to visit and she told them that God answered her prayer for us to come again. She got a car finally and so many other small miracles led her to conclude to come back to church with us. So exciting!
Second miracle was again when I was on splits, this time with Sister Tew, the mission president's wife. We were going to a back up potential, but it ended up being in an adjacent area and was put in the wrong page, so we went there and no one was home. As we were heading back to the car, a black car came up and stopped right along side ours. Then faster than fast Aarti and Diya ran out yelling, "Sister Clark!" and gave me and Sister Tew a hug and asked us to come visit them just around the corner in their home. There we met Aarti's Mother who is also an RN, only retired. She made us AMAZING Indian food (Sister Tew was impressed and loved it!), and we were able to try and figure out where they were in their reading The Book of Mormon and how they were doing. It was so great. I even was able to give away the Hindi Book of Mormon my companion insisted to shove in my bag earlier that day. It was great since their mother understood Hindi better than English, which is one of the 4 languages she knows from being a nurse in India and America. MIRACLES ALL AROUND THIS WEEK. I missed them all so much, and it was good to see the progress they have made. Diya has faithfully continued to pray and read The Book of Mormon every day since we first met her and was in Alma 13, such an amazing accomplishment for someone her age. (I know I wasn't that great about reading when I was her age.) Diya even said she knows God answers her prayers, since she prayed that we could see each other again; and we did. Too happy to teach them both again!
We also have been helping out the Spanish elders and YSA elders a lot, we heard that they are teaching some wonderful people who are on their way to baptism, which is wonderful that we were able to find them and pass them along to those missionaries.
Monday, February 22, 2016
41 - TIWIs and lessons
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 had a bit of a slower week due to Zone Conference. They instituted the Tiwi box on all the cars and went over how they are used. Sister Miller was so depressed when she had to drive the exact speed limit or lose her driving privileges eventually. Its amazing how sensitive those devices are.
We also had lots of meetings and practices for the musical fireside, sounds like it should be good from what I have heard so far.
We have been going through the last few lessons for the Dalaguits and Aisha. We had to push Aisha's baptism date a week so her parents could both be there, so it was for a very good cause. A good end to the transfer I say (less stressful for us as well.)
Lots of our investigators have fallen off the face of the Earth, and we are concerned where they even are so at least if they moved we can pass them off to wherever their local missionaries are. So confusing. Dianna and Debbie have also sadly disappeared from our regular visits and fallen into inactivity. Debbie I am not so concerned because of family situations, but Dianna I am. LOTS Of canceled meetings and lots of driving time lost with our TIWI box failing and keeping us from driving this week some times had made a huge hit in our work as well. We did find several people who we had to pass off, so we did do that at least.
One person named Reynold we had a lesson with yesterday who is connected to Brother Arbiso greatly loved the message of help, hope, and strength that we can have when we come to church, take the addiction recovery program, and work towards baptism. While he wasn't addicted to something bad, his drinking beer was noticeably to him keeping him from his family and creating a strain in his family that he wanted so badly to fix and was already looking into programs that would help him. I look forward to helping him progress towards that goal. Its so great when members we bring with us connect and instantly want to investigate further because of them. It's the best way to have converts!
We also did a stake wide youth splits day yesterday as well for an hour (which was more like half an hour), and while we didn't find anyone, we did get to talk about missions, the Bible on some rather interesting topics, and got to contact on the street a bit.. Not many youth did this (or even knew about it), so I hope that they do this again sometimes again and we could have more fun for 2 hours or so or something like that. I think it would be way fun and would help them get more used to missionary work and ease any worries they have that could possibly keep them from going.
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
We had a bit of a slower week due to Zone Conference. They instituted the Tiwi box on all the cars and went over how they are used. Sister Miller was so depressed when she had to drive the exact speed limit or lose her driving privileges eventually. Its amazing how sensitive those devices are.
We also had lots of meetings and practices for the musical fireside, sounds like it should be good from what I have heard so far.
We have been going through the last few lessons for the Dalaguits and Aisha. We had to push Aisha's baptism date a week so her parents could both be there, so it was for a very good cause. A good end to the transfer I say (less stressful for us as well.)
Lots of our investigators have fallen off the face of the Earth, and we are concerned where they even are so at least if they moved we can pass them off to wherever their local missionaries are. So confusing. Dianna and Debbie have also sadly disappeared from our regular visits and fallen into inactivity. Debbie I am not so concerned because of family situations, but Dianna I am. LOTS Of canceled meetings and lots of driving time lost with our TIWI box failing and keeping us from driving this week some times had made a huge hit in our work as well. We did find several people who we had to pass off, so we did do that at least.
One person named Reynold we had a lesson with yesterday who is connected to Brother Arbiso greatly loved the message of help, hope, and strength that we can have when we come to church, take the addiction recovery program, and work towards baptism. While he wasn't addicted to something bad, his drinking beer was noticeably to him keeping him from his family and creating a strain in his family that he wanted so badly to fix and was already looking into programs that would help him. I look forward to helping him progress towards that goal. Its so great when members we bring with us connect and instantly want to investigate further because of them. It's the best way to have converts!
We also did a stake wide youth splits day yesterday as well for an hour (which was more like half an hour), and while we didn't find anyone, we did get to talk about missions, the Bible on some rather interesting topics, and got to contact on the street a bit.. Not many youth did this (or even knew about it), so I hope that they do this again sometimes again and we could have more fun for 2 hours or so or something like that. I think it would be way fun and would help them get more used to missionary work and ease any worries they have that could possibly keep them from going.
Monday, February 15, 2016
40 - Valentine's baptism
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
Happy late Valentines Day!!!
We had a busy week with three transfers almost back to back. We found 12 investigators though this week!
We also took part in a huge service project with the American family housing and helped clean up a lot that they had abandoned 2 years ago when the community garden project closed, and it is now being turned into housing for 16 homeless veterans. We had to pull down huge vines that were taking over the buildings and trees nearby, pull out a few trees and bushes, and all the dead plants and weeds that are EVERYWHERE. It took the whole day, and now we can see the outline of the place, but we still have another day or so to finish the job within the next few weeks. So exciting. I also caught an alligator lizard (not an alligator, but a type of lizard), and I found that they don't make the best pets from what the volunteers said. They don't like being held, but they aren't fast; making them easy to catch!
We found some amazing people, especially one on exchanges at Whittier the last half hour that discovered groundbreaking research on the human genome who now believes in his own spiritual beliefs, but after talking with him, he realized we have so much more in common and is willing to let us come by again. It is amazing how they say that science truly understood ALWAYS proves there is a god! I hope those sisters get to teach him, he was so nice and polite and was excited to hear someone else's religion. He doesn't think he is crazy about there being more to this world's creation and our own purpose to life than others ridicule him for. It felt like I was just like Ammon speaking with King Lamoni and how at first we misunderstood one another, but once we made that connection that we were thinking about the same person, then we were able to testify and teach by the spirit and have them be open to what we had to say. SO COOL!
We also had the first ever (that I have ever seen) stake conference covering south California broadcast from Salt Lake City. The video wasn't the greatest, but being the first one, I can see how technical problems would arise. It was neat to hear the messages about how we can have fear and not and keep our eyes fixed on Christ so we don't fall like Peter did when trying to walk to Jesus on the water. Though the storms may be around us in our every day lives, we need to stay firm and fear not because Jesus Christ will fight our battles even unto the 3rd and 4th generation past us. That doesn't mean all will be well, but it means we need not be afraid of the things going on. Jesus foresaw this in the bible and with the apostles about our day and age, but the counsel he gave them is the same for us. We also had a great talk on how we need to use the message of the restoration, especially when talking to others about subjects like the word of wisdom, chastity, and so many other things that the world thinks we don't need. When we don't, we will always fall short when talking to others.
Another talk on how Satan will stop at nothing to put "plan stoppers" in our way to keep us from receiving the fullness of joy heavenly father has set up for us to receive from His Plan of Salvation. No matter what we need to stay firm and realize that the people around us, even ourselves aren't perfect, and that the church itself is true. Not to be swayed by clothing styles, food fads, drink choices, parties, or other temporary happiness things that are in fact "plan stoppers". Even that there is hope if we get caught up in one or more of these deterring things, that we can come back because of Jesus Christ's atonement and sacrifice, IF WE ACT on our part. His gift is open for all, it is our choice to accept it and act on it.
Our stake in particular did a neat handout on using family search's new features to do as President Monson and others have counseled to do our family history. Our stake here has only 2% participation to bringing names to the temple, a sad thing when things have been made so simple for us now more than ever. It was a VERY bold and a huge call to repentance like I had never seen before on the subject. Humbling too. God has commanded this to be done. It's his way of hastening the work. They are waiting patiently for their work to be done, and the missionaries there in spirit paradise have worked hard, and now we need to do our part. Be a part of the missionary effort for those who we love who have departed by doing family history. No age nor other requirements are needed to be this kind of missionary. This work is one of THE BEST ways to protect our families from falling away or being caught up in the ways of the world around us. That talk was one of the most powerful ones I had ever heard since I have never myself experienced a talk of calling to repentance that I can recall of this magnitude. Just thought I would share the highlights.
WE ALSO HAD THE BAPTISM OF AJ DALAGUIT!!!!! So cool!!!!! It went so well and he was smiling the whole time. I could tell the moment we met him that he would be the leader in his family to bring them to a higher ground starting with baptism and that he was prepared in his life to make that step. We had wonderful music and talks by the young men and others his family knew. After, he said he felt so lifted up and happy! He can't wait to receive the gift of the holy ghost next week and to see his mom and brother get baptized on the 28th! AJ even said when we introduced the temple lesson, he thought it was the neatest concept ever, to be able to be bound together as a family forever, and one day be married for time and all eternity. Not just till death do we part (which when you get down to it, it is basically a divorcement at death). So amazing how God in his plan created a way for us to all be together forever.
We even got word that Aisha's father gave permission for her to be baptized as well, and we are so happy for her, she will be baptized on the 27th!
Heavenly father has blessed us so much for these past few months. I hope they all continue to strengthen their testimonies and continue on towards the temple some day!
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
Happy late Valentines Day!!!
We had a busy week with three transfers almost back to back. We found 12 investigators though this week!
We also took part in a huge service project with the American family housing and helped clean up a lot that they had abandoned 2 years ago when the community garden project closed, and it is now being turned into housing for 16 homeless veterans. We had to pull down huge vines that were taking over the buildings and trees nearby, pull out a few trees and bushes, and all the dead plants and weeds that are EVERYWHERE. It took the whole day, and now we can see the outline of the place, but we still have another day or so to finish the job within the next few weeks. So exciting. I also caught an alligator lizard (not an alligator, but a type of lizard), and I found that they don't make the best pets from what the volunteers said. They don't like being held, but they aren't fast; making them easy to catch!
We found some amazing people, especially one on exchanges at Whittier the last half hour that discovered groundbreaking research on the human genome who now believes in his own spiritual beliefs, but after talking with him, he realized we have so much more in common and is willing to let us come by again. It is amazing how they say that science truly understood ALWAYS proves there is a god! I hope those sisters get to teach him, he was so nice and polite and was excited to hear someone else's religion. He doesn't think he is crazy about there being more to this world's creation and our own purpose to life than others ridicule him for. It felt like I was just like Ammon speaking with King Lamoni and how at first we misunderstood one another, but once we made that connection that we were thinking about the same person, then we were able to testify and teach by the spirit and have them be open to what we had to say. SO COOL!
We also had the first ever (that I have ever seen) stake conference covering south California broadcast from Salt Lake City. The video wasn't the greatest, but being the first one, I can see how technical problems would arise. It was neat to hear the messages about how we can have fear and not and keep our eyes fixed on Christ so we don't fall like Peter did when trying to walk to Jesus on the water. Though the storms may be around us in our every day lives, we need to stay firm and fear not because Jesus Christ will fight our battles even unto the 3rd and 4th generation past us. That doesn't mean all will be well, but it means we need not be afraid of the things going on. Jesus foresaw this in the bible and with the apostles about our day and age, but the counsel he gave them is the same for us. We also had a great talk on how we need to use the message of the restoration, especially when talking to others about subjects like the word of wisdom, chastity, and so many other things that the world thinks we don't need. When we don't, we will always fall short when talking to others.
Another talk on how Satan will stop at nothing to put "plan stoppers" in our way to keep us from receiving the fullness of joy heavenly father has set up for us to receive from His Plan of Salvation. No matter what we need to stay firm and realize that the people around us, even ourselves aren't perfect, and that the church itself is true. Not to be swayed by clothing styles, food fads, drink choices, parties, or other temporary happiness things that are in fact "plan stoppers". Even that there is hope if we get caught up in one or more of these deterring things, that we can come back because of Jesus Christ's atonement and sacrifice, IF WE ACT on our part. His gift is open for all, it is our choice to accept it and act on it.
Our stake in particular did a neat handout on using family search's new features to do as President Monson and others have counseled to do our family history. Our stake here has only 2% participation to bringing names to the temple, a sad thing when things have been made so simple for us now more than ever. It was a VERY bold and a huge call to repentance like I had never seen before on the subject. Humbling too. God has commanded this to be done. It's his way of hastening the work. They are waiting patiently for their work to be done, and the missionaries there in spirit paradise have worked hard, and now we need to do our part. Be a part of the missionary effort for those who we love who have departed by doing family history. No age nor other requirements are needed to be this kind of missionary. This work is one of THE BEST ways to protect our families from falling away or being caught up in the ways of the world around us. That talk was one of the most powerful ones I had ever heard since I have never myself experienced a talk of calling to repentance that I can recall of this magnitude. Just thought I would share the highlights.
WE ALSO HAD THE BAPTISM OF AJ DALAGUIT!!!!! So cool!!!!! It went so well and he was smiling the whole time. I could tell the moment we met him that he would be the leader in his family to bring them to a higher ground starting with baptism and that he was prepared in his life to make that step. We had wonderful music and talks by the young men and others his family knew. After, he said he felt so lifted up and happy! He can't wait to receive the gift of the holy ghost next week and to see his mom and brother get baptized on the 28th! AJ even said when we introduced the temple lesson, he thought it was the neatest concept ever, to be able to be bound together as a family forever, and one day be married for time and all eternity. Not just till death do we part (which when you get down to it, it is basically a divorcement at death). So amazing how God in his plan created a way for us to all be together forever.
We even got word that Aisha's father gave permission for her to be baptized as well, and we are so happy for her, she will be baptized on the 27th!
Heavenly father has blessed us so much for these past few months. I hope they all continue to strengthen their testimonies and continue on towards the temple some day!
Monday, February 8, 2016
39 - Miracle of the week
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
This week wasn't much for finding or lessons, but we had lots of willing members to come out with us. Its hard when the members come and do so much for us, but then our lessons fall through. You just have to take a step back and realize things like that are out of your control and to just be glad even a single member could come out. There have been areas where it was almost like pulling teeth to get even one member to come out with us for a brief lesson.
Eddie surprised us by coming to church this Sunday! He fell off the face of the planet for a week, and we worried we wouldn't hear from him again, but then he just showed up in the parking lot. We found out he does driving for Filipino care takers as a part time job since he is retired, and that is why he disappeared for some time and we couldn't reach him. He said he loved the friendliness of our ward and enjoyed the messages that cheered him up. It also helped having Sister Culala teach him in his native tongue so he better understood what we shared. He even stayed for the second hour, too, and is pretty good friends with some members now. We even found out that Brother Dalaguit and him grew up in the same providence of Sebu in the Philippines! I love it when members fellowship our investigators, it means so much more to them to come and feel loved like a ward family! This ward is super good about it with almost everyone we bring.
AJ passed his baptismal interview and we are working out the rest of the lessons before his baptism next week!!!! So exciting! His whole family is so proud of him, especially his mother Marlene who would have never thought of him to be the first to ask for that. I knew from the moment I met him and his family that they were special and it was their time soon to be baptized. I could just tell. Its amazing how you can see the Light of Christ in people even when you have only just met. Marlene and AC are also working towards their baptism in May and everyone is having fun with our lessons!
Aisha and Ashley came to church and with their mom as well. Aisha was also able to stay all three hours, and the young women are so excited to have her come to young women's with them. They almost demanded that they had to stay and have fun in the lessons with them since they are also friends at school. I am so happy to hear they have such great friends to enjoy classes with at church and more. Aisha is also getting close to her baptism on the 27th, so hopefully things don't pop up that make it so we have to move the date back. She has such a testimony, so it was amazing to see how much she has changed and grown since I first met her and her family only a few months ago.
The miracles of the week are:
1. We went by a potential we contacted and later found out that he wasn't there and his wife was very hurt over something he had done. At first she was very rough when talking about him to us, then after we shared a scripture she broke down crying and was in great deal of comfort. She even said she would love to have us come back and teach her instead. It's amazing the comfort and peace that comes from scriptures about our savior Jesus Christ! Many people who never read the book of Mormon, let alone the bible; hear what it offers to them. It truly is one of God's greatest gifts to us, both scriptures and his son Jesus Christ! So much more, even. It never ceases to amaze me and strengthens my testimony each time I have an experience like this.
2. We went by some less actives and they said we could teach the family, then as we were about to finish, their friends came in and they all said it would be good to hear it again so their friends could hear the message of the restoration for the first time and of the Book of Mormon. I could tell they had apprehensions about them hearing it, I have felt the same way in the past, too... I can relate.... but it went real well and said we could even teach them further again as a whole group and possibly more friends next week! SO AMAZING! I hope things work out that they can all come again. It would be great to reactivate and possibly bring others to come to church and baptism as well. It's the greatest gift any friend could give!
It suddenly went from cold to 80 to 90 degrees this week! Crazy for February from were I come from...... California is a strange place. No wonder why they were bringing out the swim suits just after Christmas in the stores... I just thought that was weird but now I see why.
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
This week wasn't much for finding or lessons, but we had lots of willing members to come out with us. Its hard when the members come and do so much for us, but then our lessons fall through. You just have to take a step back and realize things like that are out of your control and to just be glad even a single member could come out. There have been areas where it was almost like pulling teeth to get even one member to come out with us for a brief lesson.
Eddie surprised us by coming to church this Sunday! He fell off the face of the planet for a week, and we worried we wouldn't hear from him again, but then he just showed up in the parking lot. We found out he does driving for Filipino care takers as a part time job since he is retired, and that is why he disappeared for some time and we couldn't reach him. He said he loved the friendliness of our ward and enjoyed the messages that cheered him up. It also helped having Sister Culala teach him in his native tongue so he better understood what we shared. He even stayed for the second hour, too, and is pretty good friends with some members now. We even found out that Brother Dalaguit and him grew up in the same providence of Sebu in the Philippines! I love it when members fellowship our investigators, it means so much more to them to come and feel loved like a ward family! This ward is super good about it with almost everyone we bring.
AJ passed his baptismal interview and we are working out the rest of the lessons before his baptism next week!!!! So exciting! His whole family is so proud of him, especially his mother Marlene who would have never thought of him to be the first to ask for that. I knew from the moment I met him and his family that they were special and it was their time soon to be baptized. I could just tell. Its amazing how you can see the Light of Christ in people even when you have only just met. Marlene and AC are also working towards their baptism in May and everyone is having fun with our lessons!
Aisha and Ashley came to church and with their mom as well. Aisha was also able to stay all three hours, and the young women are so excited to have her come to young women's with them. They almost demanded that they had to stay and have fun in the lessons with them since they are also friends at school. I am so happy to hear they have such great friends to enjoy classes with at church and more. Aisha is also getting close to her baptism on the 27th, so hopefully things don't pop up that make it so we have to move the date back. She has such a testimony, so it was amazing to see how much she has changed and grown since I first met her and her family only a few months ago.
The miracles of the week are:
1. We went by a potential we contacted and later found out that he wasn't there and his wife was very hurt over something he had done. At first she was very rough when talking about him to us, then after we shared a scripture she broke down crying and was in great deal of comfort. She even said she would love to have us come back and teach her instead. It's amazing the comfort and peace that comes from scriptures about our savior Jesus Christ! Many people who never read the book of Mormon, let alone the bible; hear what it offers to them. It truly is one of God's greatest gifts to us, both scriptures and his son Jesus Christ! So much more, even. It never ceases to amaze me and strengthens my testimony each time I have an experience like this.
2. We went by some less actives and they said we could teach the family, then as we were about to finish, their friends came in and they all said it would be good to hear it again so their friends could hear the message of the restoration for the first time and of the Book of Mormon. I could tell they had apprehensions about them hearing it, I have felt the same way in the past, too... I can relate.... but it went real well and said we could even teach them further again as a whole group and possibly more friends next week! SO AMAZING! I hope things work out that they can all come again. It would be great to reactivate and possibly bring others to come to church and baptism as well. It's the greatest gift any friend could give!
It suddenly went from cold to 80 to 90 degrees this week! Crazy for February from were I come from...... California is a strange place. No wonder why they were bringing out the swim suits just after Christmas in the stores... I just thought that was weird but now I see why.
Monday, February 1, 2016
38 - Standard of Excellence
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
Things are going fairly well out here. We finally made the standard of excellence by being perfectly on time with studies, mornings, and nights. We also had to have at least 3 progressing investigators at church and one of them had to have been new...... Quite the task to get all of the above in one week's time.
Our car keeps giving us trouble. Each transfer we have to go without a car for a couple days and it creates chaos each time.... I really dislike Fords.
We met many new people and sadly had to drop quite a few as well. It was real hard saying goodbye to Aarti and Diya because they weren't progressing enough. Due to Aarti losing her baby and her culture, she can't go to church until she is done grieving. If it were only my choice I would still teach her, but my companions insist on moving on to other people who are ready NOW and not in a short while. Diya is all progressing, if it weren't for her being unable to go to church alone. I know she will make it one day, it's just hard to say goodbye to people you have grown close to.
The Dalaguits surprised us by saying they wanted to be baptized in the middle of our last lesson and even more by picking out their date. Marlene will go on her birthday (Joel says it is the birth of her salvation also jokingly) along with AC. AJ however wants to be baptized on valentines day! We are going to make it work, and we are so excited for them!!!!
Eddie got a lesson while on exchanges with Sister Culala and he understood so much more in Tagalog and that was so helpful! We haven't been able to meet with him since, but he accepted to be baptized so we hope all is well with him until we see him next.
Everyone else we kept missing or they got sick and had to cancel, but it has been a good week overall. We also found a shortcut we never knew existed because in older maps it was covered up in two of our areas (sections of our area) and that will help save on miles and time. I finished working on the new map for our ward boundaries so it should help a lot with navigation and helping the new elders on the other side of the ward figure things out (their new map wasn't the most accurate or good sadly) so I am very glad to have done that and finished it finally. I knew that extra effort would bring rewards, it just took time.
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net
Mission address:
Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
Things are going fairly well out here. We finally made the standard of excellence by being perfectly on time with studies, mornings, and nights. We also had to have at least 3 progressing investigators at church and one of them had to have been new...... Quite the task to get all of the above in one week's time.
Our car keeps giving us trouble. Each transfer we have to go without a car for a couple days and it creates chaos each time.... I really dislike Fords.
We met many new people and sadly had to drop quite a few as well. It was real hard saying goodbye to Aarti and Diya because they weren't progressing enough. Due to Aarti losing her baby and her culture, she can't go to church until she is done grieving. If it were only my choice I would still teach her, but my companions insist on moving on to other people who are ready NOW and not in a short while. Diya is all progressing, if it weren't for her being unable to go to church alone. I know she will make it one day, it's just hard to say goodbye to people you have grown close to.
The Dalaguits surprised us by saying they wanted to be baptized in the middle of our last lesson and even more by picking out their date. Marlene will go on her birthday (Joel says it is the birth of her salvation also jokingly) along with AC. AJ however wants to be baptized on valentines day! We are going to make it work, and we are so excited for them!!!!
Eddie got a lesson while on exchanges with Sister Culala and he understood so much more in Tagalog and that was so helpful! We haven't been able to meet with him since, but he accepted to be baptized so we hope all is well with him until we see him next.
Everyone else we kept missing or they got sick and had to cancel, but it has been a good week overall. We also found a shortcut we never knew existed because in older maps it was covered up in two of our areas (sections of our area) and that will help save on miles and time. I finished working on the new map for our ward boundaries so it should help a lot with navigation and helping the new elders on the other side of the ward figure things out (their new map wasn't the most accurate or good sadly) so I am very glad to have done that and finished it finally. I knew that extra effort would bring rewards, it just took time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)