" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.." - Romans 1:16
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Flour Game
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(:
Helllooooooo!!!!
Like Elder Clark said.... "What a week!" We just heard that we are staying together in Belize City with the same assignment for another change! I think I will end my mission here working with inactives... and I think I would just loooove that. Though people aren't making the instant changes that pray and would hope that they would make... we are seeing daily tender mercies that keep us running (pedaling?) every day.
I added pictures of the Smith family. We were visiting a sister, and she told us of the Smith family down the road that hadn't been to church in.... far too long. We get so excited with such "references"- because for us right now- they are as golden as new investigators! We went to the door... to be greeted by a very unhappy women and an immediate, "no. Nope. No no no. I do not have time for this, I do not want you here, I am not ready for this. Nope". I said a quick prayer... and opened my mouth... and as we talked a little more... she continued to hard... and we had no idea why... but by the end.. she softened a bit, and agreed to think about talking to us in 2 weeks. We left her our number (totally assuming she would burn it afterwards…) and told her to please call us if she ever needed help. We returned 2 weeks later, and she wouldn’t answer the door. We kept praying for her… and passed by many times… with no success. Then.. weeks later… we received a phonecall… from Sister Smith. When she said who it was.. I saw the heavens open… and I tried not to start dancing and shouting! She asked us to visit them the following night. These are pictures of the sweet FHE that we had- and we played the classic flour game. Turns out that this family is INCREDIBLE- that they still have testimonies, but Sister Smith is frustrated because she only has every 7th Sunday off of work… so she packed up the scriptures and put them away. They are such a beautiful family and I have fallen in love.
The family that I had told about before with the 6 beautiful and hungry children and tormented parents… continues keep us running. The father came back… and the mother took off. The father is so broken and hurt…and started talking about doing things that one should never think of… and it was scaring us. We starting leaving him BIG BIG BIG reading assignments… since he doesn’t have work or anything to do… we’ve been leaving him to absorb himself in the scriptures. We have seen such changes in him. I love the scriptures SO much. He finally came to church this Sunday- after months of praying, working, and fasting. I love fasting. I KNOW it works. Sunday was a huge triumph with him and a number of people that came back on Sunday.
Last P-day we had a zone activity and went to the ruins of Lamoni. It was SO neat to the see the work of the posterity of the Lamanites. I feel like I personally know the people in the scriptures… and I was living the dream out there. I added pictures of the Mennonites in their buggies. We passed through their land to get out there. It was in the jungle, so Morgan, I took clips and pictures of the howling monkeys we saw. You would have LOVED it. We saw other tourists and took the opportunity to teach them about the people of the Lamanites and explain to them how important such sites are to us. They were all very interested in the Book of Mormon. I love being a missionary.
I could go on forever more... but time is short and I still need to file nursing stuff. Hardly anyone came to church this last sunday- only the forever devoted ones (I put in a picture of beautiful Brother Wallace Bellgrave- he is a celestial man and deserves a whole seperate letter with what I could rant about him and all that he's taught me)- and our baptismal dates and the ones that are starting to return to church. It was frustrating, because we taught the most lessons in the whole zone, and of my whole mission- we ran ran ran and had so many great lessons and saw progress...... and then I just learn more and more about... hope. I hope to make a difference here. I imagine I'll have another 6 months... so I've been doing a lot of reflecting of how much I need to change and what more I can give to these wonderful people here. Oh how much I love this time of my life. How continually precious it is to me.
Love you all!
Sister Clark
Like Elder Clark said.... "What a week!" We just heard that we are staying together in Belize City with the same assignment for another change! I think I will end my mission here working with inactives... and I think I would just loooove that. Though people aren't making the instant changes that pray and would hope that they would make... we are seeing daily tender mercies that keep us running (pedaling?) every day.
I added pictures of the Smith family. We were visiting a sister, and she told us of the Smith family down the road that hadn't been to church in.... far too long. We get so excited with such "references"- because for us right now- they are as golden as new investigators! We went to the door... to be greeted by a very unhappy women and an immediate, "no. Nope. No no no. I do not have time for this, I do not want you here, I am not ready for this. Nope". I said a quick prayer... and opened my mouth... and as we talked a little more... she continued to hard... and we had no idea why... but by the end.. she softened a bit, and agreed to think about talking to us in 2 weeks. We left her our number (totally assuming she would burn it afterwards…) and told her to please call us if she ever needed help. We returned 2 weeks later, and she wouldn’t answer the door. We kept praying for her… and passed by many times… with no success. Then.. weeks later… we received a phonecall… from Sister Smith. When she said who it was.. I saw the heavens open… and I tried not to start dancing and shouting! She asked us to visit them the following night. These are pictures of the sweet FHE that we had- and we played the classic flour game. Turns out that this family is INCREDIBLE- that they still have testimonies, but Sister Smith is frustrated because she only has every 7th Sunday off of work… so she packed up the scriptures and put them away. They are such a beautiful family and I have fallen in love.
The family that I had told about before with the 6 beautiful and hungry children and tormented parents… continues keep us running. The father came back… and the mother took off. The father is so broken and hurt…and started talking about doing things that one should never think of… and it was scaring us. We starting leaving him BIG BIG BIG reading assignments… since he doesn’t have work or anything to do… we’ve been leaving him to absorb himself in the scriptures. We have seen such changes in him. I love the scriptures SO much. He finally came to church this Sunday- after months of praying, working, and fasting. I love fasting. I KNOW it works. Sunday was a huge triumph with him and a number of people that came back on Sunday.
Last P-day we had a zone activity and went to the ruins of Lamoni. It was SO neat to the see the work of the posterity of the Lamanites. I feel like I personally know the people in the scriptures… and I was living the dream out there. I added pictures of the Mennonites in their buggies. We passed through their land to get out there. It was in the jungle, so Morgan, I took clips and pictures of the howling monkeys we saw. You would have LOVED it. We saw other tourists and took the opportunity to teach them about the people of the Lamanites and explain to them how important such sites are to us. They were all very interested in the Book of Mormon. I love being a missionary.
I could go on forever more... but time is short and I still need to file nursing stuff. Hardly anyone came to church this last sunday- only the forever devoted ones (I put in a picture of beautiful Brother Wallace Bellgrave- he is a celestial man and deserves a whole seperate letter with what I could rant about him and all that he's taught me)- and our baptismal dates and the ones that are starting to return to church. It was frustrating, because we taught the most lessons in the whole zone, and of my whole mission- we ran ran ran and had so many great lessons and saw progress...... and then I just learn more and more about... hope. I hope to make a difference here. I imagine I'll have another 6 months... so I've been doing a lot of reflecting of how much I need to change and what more I can give to these wonderful people here. Oh how much I love this time of my life. How continually precious it is to me.
Love you all!
Sister Clark
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Oh boy how I love this place.
I suddenly noticed that my planner is heading towards the last few pages... which brings me to the cold and painful realization.. that ANOTHER transfer has nearly flown and ended... and it just getting out of control.
It has been a total roller coaster-week... and I, as usual, have so many mixed feelings and thoughts.. that have been stewing and blending in my mind... and might come out a little.... mixed. Belize is such a beautiful place, so unique in SO many ways... the kind of place that no one will understand until has personally and fully experienced it- no matter the attempts I make to paint it out... the colors are too vibrant, exotic, and bizarre to fully capture in any way besides one's personal eyes. I feel like serving here as a missionary has only 2 possible and strong effects. It can complete smash one's testimony.... or it can build it to be unbreakable and eternal. I feel like every day... my experiences are carving my heart.. sometimes I wonder if the carver is applying a little too much pressure, that the tender heart might be penetrated too hard and break.... but I have faith that in the end... through the expertise of the Carver's hand... that as long as I make my heart available to His work... it will eventually become the masterpiece He had initially imagined and intended to make.
We watched the dedication of the temple in El Salvador, and I have so much to try to say about it... but... even in the little chapel in Belize... I felt a taste of the temple. It's true as they explain, that in the broadcasting of this sacred ceremony, that the chapel becomes an extension of the temple. I can testify of that. I wept with such relief to feel the familiar security and warm of the temple... like we had our own oasis of Heaven here. It was so beautiful. I think sometimes the missionaries here are a little tempted to feel a little alone, or that they're carrying a huge load. Like the Elders that serve on the far out islands or as branch presidents in other areas of Belize... because the church is still so new here.. and Satan's presence is so strong. He's becoming more and more obvious and dummy to me... and doesn't strike me with fear.. but with a big tweak of frustration to see his deceitful and relentless work with the leadership here. He is constantly busy. We are so busy too, trying to do clean-up work, and build up the "fortifications" stronger. It reminds me of the hurricanes here... but that's another theme. Anyways... to be able to participate in the dedication yesterday what just what this weak little missionary needed. It was just as an angel was telling Sister Clark personally," lift up your head, be of good cheer, turn back, and get to work!!" It refined and broadened my perspective, and was such a tender mercy to me at this time when so much is happening here.
We were blessed to watch the big cultural celebration on saturday night and then the 3 dedication sessions. I fell in love with the people of El Salvador all over again. Oh how I loved them. Watching these youth in their costumes, performing the dances that they had labored for about a year to organize and perfect... I saw a big part of my heart in that stadium on the big screen. These people are so happy, and SO grateful for their temple. The dances they performed told their history, starting from the Lamanites to today. Watching the light beaming from their faces, the happy tears they shed, and the joy they expressed in their dance... the words of the prophecy of Doctrine and Covenants 49 floated in from my memory, that the Lamanites would "blossom like a rose in the desert"... and we are so clearly seeing that revelation coming to pass. They are such a chosen people. Listening to the promises completed and more given to them in the dedication, I could almost feel and hear my good friends Mormon, Moroni, Nephi, and Enos... who had all so fervently prayed that these people would again come to the fullness of truth and would again be a "delightsome people"- I know they were rejoicing and celebrating with us to see so clearly the completion of the promises God made to them because of their faith and prayers on behalf of their people. They truly are once again, a delightsome people... and will continue and blossom and grow more than we can imagine right now.
There are so many things that have happened this week that would just be too hard to try to explain... and I feel like prophets when they say, "I was going to write more.. but..." .... so we'll just leave it there. :) I love this gospel so much. It truly is my life. Not just because I'm a missionary... but it has become who I will always be. I realize every day how much I needed to be out here... and I just hope and try to give even it everything- even if it's just a fragment in comparison of what I have ultimately received.
I love you all! Thanks for all your support and good work over there!
Sister Clark
It has been a total roller coaster-week... and I, as usual, have so many mixed feelings and thoughts.. that have been stewing and blending in my mind... and might come out a little.... mixed. Belize is such a beautiful place, so unique in SO many ways... the kind of place that no one will understand until has personally and fully experienced it- no matter the attempts I make to paint it out... the colors are too vibrant, exotic, and bizarre to fully capture in any way besides one's personal eyes. I feel like serving here as a missionary has only 2 possible and strong effects. It can complete smash one's testimony.... or it can build it to be unbreakable and eternal. I feel like every day... my experiences are carving my heart.. sometimes I wonder if the carver is applying a little too much pressure, that the tender heart might be penetrated too hard and break.... but I have faith that in the end... through the expertise of the Carver's hand... that as long as I make my heart available to His work... it will eventually become the masterpiece He had initially imagined and intended to make.
We watched the dedication of the temple in El Salvador, and I have so much to try to say about it... but... even in the little chapel in Belize... I felt a taste of the temple. It's true as they explain, that in the broadcasting of this sacred ceremony, that the chapel becomes an extension of the temple. I can testify of that. I wept with such relief to feel the familiar security and warm of the temple... like we had our own oasis of Heaven here. It was so beautiful. I think sometimes the missionaries here are a little tempted to feel a little alone, or that they're carrying a huge load. Like the Elders that serve on the far out islands or as branch presidents in other areas of Belize... because the church is still so new here.. and Satan's presence is so strong. He's becoming more and more obvious and dummy to me... and doesn't strike me with fear.. but with a big tweak of frustration to see his deceitful and relentless work with the leadership here. He is constantly busy. We are so busy too, trying to do clean-up work, and build up the "fortifications" stronger. It reminds me of the hurricanes here... but that's another theme. Anyways... to be able to participate in the dedication yesterday what just what this weak little missionary needed. It was just as an angel was telling Sister Clark personally," lift up your head, be of good cheer, turn back, and get to work!!" It refined and broadened my perspective, and was such a tender mercy to me at this time when so much is happening here.
We were blessed to watch the big cultural celebration on saturday night and then the 3 dedication sessions. I fell in love with the people of El Salvador all over again. Oh how I loved them. Watching these youth in their costumes, performing the dances that they had labored for about a year to organize and perfect... I saw a big part of my heart in that stadium on the big screen. These people are so happy, and SO grateful for their temple. The dances they performed told their history, starting from the Lamanites to today. Watching the light beaming from their faces, the happy tears they shed, and the joy they expressed in their dance... the words of the prophecy of Doctrine and Covenants 49 floated in from my memory, that the Lamanites would "blossom like a rose in the desert"... and we are so clearly seeing that revelation coming to pass. They are such a chosen people. Listening to the promises completed and more given to them in the dedication, I could almost feel and hear my good friends Mormon, Moroni, Nephi, and Enos... who had all so fervently prayed that these people would again come to the fullness of truth and would again be a "delightsome people"- I know they were rejoicing and celebrating with us to see so clearly the completion of the promises God made to them because of their faith and prayers on behalf of their people. They truly are once again, a delightsome people... and will continue and blossom and grow more than we can imagine right now.
There are so many things that have happened this week that would just be too hard to try to explain... and I feel like prophets when they say, "I was going to write more.. but..." .... so we'll just leave it there. :) I love this gospel so much. It truly is my life. Not just because I'm a missionary... but it has become who I will always be. I realize every day how much I needed to be out here... and I just hope and try to give even it everything- even if it's just a fragment in comparison of what I have ultimately received.
I love you all! Thanks for all your support and good work over there!
Sister Clark
Friday, August 26, 2011
Time? I know not of what you speak of!
What? Another week has flown by...AGAIN? Wha' happened?
Someday I will write a letter in Kreole. I'm still trying to learn. Someone tried to teach me.. and told me not to form any consonants, and then to just not think before I spoke. Ya... I'll keep practicing. People just think I'm from England and always tell me what a funky accent I have. haha.
We have had such a great week. What week in this last year has not had contained something ridiculously great and beautiful? Ya.. the mission is hard.. but it is out of control sweet. I love what I get to do every day. ....will I ever get tired of declaring that? :) This week I was was dancing behind the piano to see the big Usher family come in. They're a huge inactive family... and when we finally found them... Brother Usher was drunk, smoking... the wife wasn't talking to him, the kids were happy to see us, but had such sadness in their eyes... and it was a rough sight. We've been working so hard with them.. trying to help Brother Usher understand the Atonement (he, like so many people say, "I'm just not worthy to go back to church yet." - oh that gets me going! We shouldn't wait to loose weight before going to the gym, right?) and get everyone excited again.... and they came this week! They were SO happy... and though the fight isn't over... we definitely won this round against satan this week. Also, one of our past and fallen branch presidents came to church this week- after almost 2 months of working with him.... he came. HE CAME! It's been so wonderful to work with him... these kind of men.. when they let satan in just a little in their lives... it's more destructive than these famous hurricanes here. This brother had fallen into some hard things- being a sea captain and out in sea for weeks with a dark dark social atmosphere... made it so so so hard. I have learned so much with working with him... trying to help him believe in, understand, and apply the Atonement in his life... has brought so much personal healing in my own. We are starting to see true fruits of repentance with him... and sunday was a joyous occasion.
The Lord has continued to put people in our path... and our prayerful pleas are repeatedly answered. We were lost the other day.. and we heard, "Hermanas!!" .... and to our surprise we found a man with crutches calling out to us from the other side of the road. He was one of THE FIRST baptisms in Belize in 1982, and was the first branch president of one of the branches here. Many tragic things happened to him that were out of his control... but the depression influenced him into a big and dangerous fall... and he's one of the most broken men.. I have ever seen. He still remembers his covenants, knows and truly believes the doctrine..... and hardly lives any of it... and it has brought him nothing but misery. Also living with him is member that too still has a testimony... and the both want to return.. but are in such a weakened state from years of sin. I am so grateful for the cleansing, purifying, and edifying power of the Atonement in my own life... that has helped me enter these homes with such confidence and surety that no matter how far one has fallen...that the Atonement can reach way down there. I continually ponder Christ's order to His disciples to "cast into the deep"- and I feel like that applies perfectly to what we are doing here... every single day. We are seeing so clearly the results of sincere repentance... and the sweet joys of when one has been truly forgiven..and the healing and hope it brings to the lives of these families.
The young women of the spanish branch have been working and saving their "shillings" for months and months to be able to go to the Guatamala temple- 9 hours away- to do baptisms for the dead. Many adults went for their first time... and sunday all that had gone shared their testimonies. It reminded me of when the Jaredites finally made it to land, and they fell to the ground and wept with joy and gratitude. I feel like Belize is so much like what it may have been like crammed in and tossed about in those tiny little boats- with the temptations, depression, poverty, anger... you name it- it's here. - So... the experiences that these saints had in going to this heaven on earth- was like when the Jaredites hit land- they were finally safe, comfortable...and most of all... in the place the Lord had prepared for them. The gratitude and overwhelming joy that these sweet members tried to express on sunday was so touching..and it made me homesick- but for the temple. I love love love teaching these temple preparation classes- I would LOVE to have this calling after my mission. Though it's almost been a year since I've been in that sacred place... my understanding, appreciation, and love has blossomed. Sometimes I think about how if I were still El Salvador I'd have taken investigators to the open house... we'd be participating in the cultural celebration and the dedication... but I hardly affects me.. because I am constantly reminded that HERE is where my Heavenly Father wants me- and it's far more important to me to prepare these families to get there.. than that I be there myself right now. We will watch the dedication of the El Salvador temple this sunday... and I am SO SO SO stoked- for myself, but especially the members and recent converts here. We're counting the days! :)
Having hit my one year mark has brought a lot of reflection of the incredible year the Lord has blessed me with. I really couldn't dream of anything better. I am excited for the next 6 months. I feel like I've grown, experienced, and changed so much in the last 6 months... I'm so anxious to see what the next 6 bring.. and what I can bring to them. I got a call from El Salvador yesterday.. giving me the option of ending my mission the transfer before, since my 18 months ends in the middle of a change. I burst out laughing... and nothing more to say but, "What kind of question is that?". :) I will be staying. I love this work. There's no possible way to describe it. I think the closest is what Nephi said when he stated that God had filled him with such love even to the "consuming of my flesh". - I often feel like that.
- Sister Clark
Someday I will write a letter in Kreole. I'm still trying to learn. Someone tried to teach me.. and told me not to form any consonants, and then to just not think before I spoke. Ya... I'll keep practicing. People just think I'm from England and always tell me what a funky accent I have. haha.
We have had such a great week. What week in this last year has not had contained something ridiculously great and beautiful? Ya.. the mission is hard.. but it is out of control sweet. I love what I get to do every day. ....will I ever get tired of declaring that? :) This week I was was dancing behind the piano to see the big Usher family come in. They're a huge inactive family... and when we finally found them... Brother Usher was drunk, smoking... the wife wasn't talking to him, the kids were happy to see us, but had such sadness in their eyes... and it was a rough sight. We've been working so hard with them.. trying to help Brother Usher understand the Atonement (he, like so many people say, "I'm just not worthy to go back to church yet." - oh that gets me going! We shouldn't wait to loose weight before going to the gym, right?) and get everyone excited again.... and they came this week! They were SO happy... and though the fight isn't over... we definitely won this round against satan this week. Also, one of our past and fallen branch presidents came to church this week- after almost 2 months of working with him.... he came. HE CAME! It's been so wonderful to work with him... these kind of men.. when they let satan in just a little in their lives... it's more destructive than these famous hurricanes here. This brother had fallen into some hard things- being a sea captain and out in sea for weeks with a dark dark social atmosphere... made it so so so hard. I have learned so much with working with him... trying to help him believe in, understand, and apply the Atonement in his life... has brought so much personal healing in my own. We are starting to see true fruits of repentance with him... and sunday was a joyous occasion.
The Lord has continued to put people in our path... and our prayerful pleas are repeatedly answered. We were lost the other day.. and we heard, "Hermanas!!" .... and to our surprise we found a man with crutches calling out to us from the other side of the road. He was one of THE FIRST baptisms in Belize in 1982, and was the first branch president of one of the branches here. Many tragic things happened to him that were out of his control... but the depression influenced him into a big and dangerous fall... and he's one of the most broken men.. I have ever seen. He still remembers his covenants, knows and truly believes the doctrine..... and hardly lives any of it... and it has brought him nothing but misery. Also living with him is member that too still has a testimony... and the both want to return.. but are in such a weakened state from years of sin. I am so grateful for the cleansing, purifying, and edifying power of the Atonement in my own life... that has helped me enter these homes with such confidence and surety that no matter how far one has fallen...that the Atonement can reach way down there. I continually ponder Christ's order to His disciples to "cast into the deep"- and I feel like that applies perfectly to what we are doing here... every single day. We are seeing so clearly the results of sincere repentance... and the sweet joys of when one has been truly forgiven..and the healing and hope it brings to the lives of these families.
The young women of the spanish branch have been working and saving their "shillings" for months and months to be able to go to the Guatamala temple- 9 hours away- to do baptisms for the dead. Many adults went for their first time... and sunday all that had gone shared their testimonies. It reminded me of when the Jaredites finally made it to land, and they fell to the ground and wept with joy and gratitude. I feel like Belize is so much like what it may have been like crammed in and tossed about in those tiny little boats- with the temptations, depression, poverty, anger... you name it- it's here. - So... the experiences that these saints had in going to this heaven on earth- was like when the Jaredites hit land- they were finally safe, comfortable...and most of all... in the place the Lord had prepared for them. The gratitude and overwhelming joy that these sweet members tried to express on sunday was so touching..and it made me homesick- but for the temple. I love love love teaching these temple preparation classes- I would LOVE to have this calling after my mission. Though it's almost been a year since I've been in that sacred place... my understanding, appreciation, and love has blossomed. Sometimes I think about how if I were still El Salvador I'd have taken investigators to the open house... we'd be participating in the cultural celebration and the dedication... but I hardly affects me.. because I am constantly reminded that HERE is where my Heavenly Father wants me- and it's far more important to me to prepare these families to get there.. than that I be there myself right now. We will watch the dedication of the El Salvador temple this sunday... and I am SO SO SO stoked- for myself, but especially the members and recent converts here. We're counting the days! :)
Having hit my one year mark has brought a lot of reflection of the incredible year the Lord has blessed me with. I really couldn't dream of anything better. I am excited for the next 6 months. I feel like I've grown, experienced, and changed so much in the last 6 months... I'm so anxious to see what the next 6 bring.. and what I can bring to them. I got a call from El Salvador yesterday.. giving me the option of ending my mission the transfer before, since my 18 months ends in the middle of a change. I burst out laughing... and nothing more to say but, "What kind of question is that?". :) I will be staying. I love this work. There's no possible way to describe it. I think the closest is what Nephi said when he stated that God had filled him with such love even to the "consuming of my flesh". - I often feel like that.
- Sister Clark
Sunday, August 14, 2011
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