Sister Sarah Clark

Hey Everyone!

I'm so glad to hear you're all doing well! :) Mom, thank you so so much for the thoughtful gifts you sent! You are so sweet! That was so sweet of you! I love the oils, I've been using them, and I especially love the peppermint, it's definitely helped alleviate my headaches. Thanks for the Vitamins, yummy soup, the cute clothes, and your sweet letter. That was just what I needed! It's been a best and most emotionally draining last two weeks. That brought me a lot of comfort. :) So thank you again! I'm so grateful for you! I'm so thankful for all of you! I love each one of you so so much! I don't know what I would do without you! 

So much has happened this week, I don't know where to begin! First off we got a new bishop in our singles ward, and it was such an answer to prayer. Bishop and Sister Boydston are now serving in our ward. :) They are the sweetest couple! They are both converts in the church, and they lost their son to heart disease when he was in his 20-30's. They have such strong testimonies. Bishop Boydston reminds me a lot of Dad, sense of humor, enthusiasm, everything. It's such a tender mercy, because I miss Dad! Bishop and Sister Boydston have made us feel so loved. They had us over for dinner the other night, and they have the most beautiful home, and just made us feel so at home! It was the first time I've been in a nice home in a long time. :)  Anyway, Bishop told us if we ever need anything that they are here for us. It was such a relief that he said, "Well missionaries are in-human right?" haha.. Then he said, "I know you guys still go through hard times, if you need anything, we are here!" It made us both feel so loved. Sister Reed and I are so grateful for them both! :) 

This week we saw so many miracles! We had a lesson with Ben Fujii and he happened to bring his roommate Matt, who has read the whole Book of Mormon, he dated this girl before she left on her mission, and he was really interested! We were a little worried, because the lesson we had prepared for Ben was about Fasting. Yet Sister Reed and I both still felt we need to teach fasting. Ben has been praying and praying to recieve an answer, and he's been continually reading, yet it's been difficult for him to accept change. As we taught them both about fasting, Matt said "I think I'd like to fast too!" we told him he was more than welcome to fast, and we were so excited for him! :) Both Ben and Matt fasted yesterday to know if The Book of Mormon was the word of God. We told them that we would fast with them. Yesterday was probably the hardest day of my life... With daylight savings time, we only got 6 hours of sleep because we had to be at ward council at 7a.m, and without any breaks we were in church till 2:30, I didn't know if I could make it... I felt the spirit so strongly throughout my fast. We have our follow up lesson with them tonight. I'm so excited to hear how things went! 

This week Chynna was really struggling, her grandma was just taken off of life support, and yesterday during church she recieved a text that her brother was in the emergency room, her Aunt has a life threatening condition, and her uncle goes in for surgery on Tuesday! As she told us, she broke down in tears, all I could do was hug her. It broke my heart. When it rains, it poors.... This cute girl in our ward Audrey, who's come to several of our lessons with Chynna, told her about priesthood blessings, although we had to go, Audrey went and asked Michael in our ward to give her a blessing. I feel that although this time is such a struggle for her, Heavenly Father is really helping her learn to rely on him. I was touched as she told us, she had been fasting for her uncle.. She's been going to church every Sunday and is so dedicated! I know that when the time is right, she'll be baptized. I've learned that things don't work according to the missionaries time table, they work according to the Lord's. He see's the big picture, and I feel he really wants her family to be able to support her when she makes he decision to be baptized. She's incredible, I feel so blessed to get to be on this journey with her, she's become one of my close friends, and I feel like she's a sister to me. I love her so much! 

Another miracle, there's a sweet girl named Kimber in the Palouse River Ward, and she is dating a non-member, Michael Mueller. She invited him to take the lessons and he's a student, so we've had the opportunity to teach him! We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and he kept saying, "Yes... That makes sense!" you could see in his eyes that he felt the spirit. Our recent convert Avery bore his testimony of how the plan of salvation has given him a purpose and Eternal perspective, and I feel the words he spoke were exactly what Michael needed to hear. It such an incredible experience! 

Other events, Keegan accepted baptism, and wants to be baptized April 26th! He still has concerns so it's not solidified, he keeps fearing he's not ready. I feel with encouragement, he'll make it there! :) We had our last lesson with Jacob Preston, sadly he is not ready to progress... He doesn't want to strengthen his relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so we can't help him... He asked what we benefit from in living the gospel, and knowing it's true, I felt I was able to bear the strongest testimony I've ever born. I told him that I'm so grateful to know I'm not in this alone. That Heavenly Father is supporting me, and that through the spirit, I feel his love every day. I told him I know I'm truly a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father, and that through Jesus Christ, I have strength through trials. I felt the spirit so strongly. I was worried that teaching an athiest would tear me down. It really strengthened my testimony. 

My favorite scripture this week has been 3 Nephi 28:10- The Blessings of living the gospel. I know this Gospel is true, because of the effect it's had on my life, and the changes it's made within me. 

10 And for this cause ye shall have ^afulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are ^bone;

I know this gospel is true, and it brings lasting happiness! I'm so grateful for the spirit that touches my heart every day. I feel Heavenly Father speaking comfort to me every day. We are never alone... I love each one of you so much! I hope you all have a wonderful week! :) 

Love Always, Sister Sarah Clark