Sister Sarah Clark

Hey Mom, Dad, Rach, Josh, Michael, and Andrew! :) 

Thank you so much for your emails! It looks like you guys had such fun week! I always love hearing your stories. I loved the pictures this week, and last weeks too! Mom, you are such a good family historian! I'm so grateful to have all these fun pictures! :) I'm so happy for Heidi!  She and her husband are so cute together! I was so glad to hear you guys had a fun time in Bear Lake, and that you were able to spend time with the Allreds! :) I'm glad you had a good time. 

Mom, thanks for sharing with me everything you've learned, it's really brought peace to me, hearing that you guys are doing alright. I want to thank you again for the darling package with all the "Hugs" they were so cute, and it made my whole week! :) It came just at the right time, it was on a day that I was really going through a hard time, I'm so grateful for you guys! I couldn't keep going without you! Mom and Dad, I'll definitely keep you in my prayers. I'm sorry you had a hard week, but it was touching to me to see how Heavenly Father helped you through. You all have grown so much within this last year- it's amazing to see the perspective you have gained with your trials. Thank you for your wonderful example to me. I've come to learn that the deeper the trials we have, the more sorrow we feel- the sweeter the joy we are able to feel later. Heavenly Father has deepened my capacity to feel joy as I've gone through trials, which sounds contradictory, but it's true!   Mom, I know you are blessing so many lives as the Relief Society President, although it's not always easy I know you are growing so much, you are becoming more and more like the Savior.  Dad, I've been so touched to see how much trust you have in Heavenly Father, you are also cultivating even more deepened Christ like attributes. Sometimes Heavenly Father is helping us learn more patience. Something Sister Reed taught me is that- Faith is to know God can fulfill his promises, Hope is believing that he will. I admire that you are growing in your hope, and patience. I know I've definitely had to learn those two great lessons while I've been out on my mission. I know the lessons he's teaching us now, although they aren't exactly the blessings we wish for, are blessings of change that will bless our lives forever. I'm so proud of each one of you, and I know Heavenly Father is as well! 

This week was good, poor Sister Reed was going through a really difficult time this last week, in the mean time I went on exchanges with Sister Rees and Piliami. We covered three wards. We weren't able to get as much work done in our area as I'd wished, but I loved teaching with them. We were able to teach their incredible investigator Monze, she's so beautiful, she's from South America, and we were able to teach her that we have a living prophet today, and the spirit radiated so strongly as we taught. I asked her about the differences she'd seen as she'd been meeting with the Sisters, and she bore powerful testimony that she had found God again. That she had been wanting to raise her 1 year old son Eli with religion, but her and her husband hadn't decided on a church yet. Although I didn't know her, I felt so much love for her. I felt the spirit testify to my heart how special she was to Heavenly Father. I was able to teach that whenever Heavenly Father establishes his church on the Earth he always calls a prophet to be his steward over his household here on the Earth. That prophets help keep his truths straight, and they point us to Christ, and share exactly what God would have us hear. We showed the video We Need Living Prophets in the video many people share their testimonies of how they came to know President Monson is a prophet. She in tears bore testimony that she felt the spirit, that she believes he is our prophet. After teaching that lesson, I gained an even deeper appreciation for President Monson, an appreciation that we do have a prophet today. I'm so grateful for the safety and security I have in my life, knowing we have a prophet who speaks for God. As I looked at her little son, I saw a future missionary. It was touching to think about how many lives one person can influence. It was an incredible experience. 

We also taught a part member family. The Henry's. The wife is very strong in the gospel, but her husband isn't a member. He is a baptist, and is very devout in his faith. He believes in the bible, that that is it. That we don't need anything else. We had the opportunity to teach them about the Restoration, he brought up his concerns. We asked, "Brother Henry, Why would it be important to know these things are true? What difference would it make in your life to know we have a prophet today?" He sat and thought. He then responded, "I guess it would be important to know if there was a prophet." As he re-evaluated the messages importance, the spirit touched and softened his heart. He still is unsure, but I know his heart was softened. 

Other miracles this week. Every week we go fill up our car at the same gas station. One day while we went in to pay for our gas, we met the cashier- Scott. He said he was an athiest, but we gave him a Mormon.org card, and invited him to give us a call if he was ever looking for more in his life. 3 weeks later- this last week he called us and wanted to meet! We met with him, and his heart was softened, he said that he didn't have faith in God, but he wanted to. We have a church tour with him tonight. Another miracle, as we went to teach Meghan and Matthew this week, Matthew had invited a friend over from work, her name is Carrie. She came in for two of our lessons this week. Matthew told us that Carrie has a boyfriend who is inactive, that missionaries had stopped by her door repeatedly, but she'd never wanted to talk with them. After our lesson last night, she gave Sister Reed and I a huge hug. That was an incredible miracle! :) We also met a girl at the Farmer's Market this week- I don't usually go but I was with Sister Rees and Piliami. Things are so much more successful now! We made balloon animals for the kids, and while the kids were waiting for their balloons, others of us would talk to their parent's about doing family history. A member jokingly came up to us and said, "Are they teaching you missionaries to make balloon animals in the MTC?" aha, we got a good laugh out of that. I was able to meet a girl named Angeline, she came up to the booth wanting to know more about the Book of Mormon, we taught her the restoration, the spirit was so powerful! She lives in Spokane, so we're going to see if the missionaries there can get in contact with her. So many miracles this week!  

I've learned so much throughout my studies this week! I wish I had more time to write to you about all that I've learned, I was able to start over the book of Mormon two or so transfers ago, and I'm now in Alma 10. It's incredible that each time I've read the Book of Mormon, I learn something different from each chapter. It's amazing that as I've changed Heavenly Father teaches me new and different lessons. I know that the Book of Mormon was truly inspired by God. I receive answers every time I read it! 

Well, I love each of you so much! I know each one of you has an incredible influence on those around you, and that you are touching so many lives. Thank you for touching mine. I know that the Savior is always there to take us by the hand, that as it says in 1 Nephi 21:13-16, that we are graven upon his hands, that he is always aware of you. I know as we feel the spirit touch our hearts as we read of him, and learn of him, that it testifies of his love. I know before we came into this life, we walked and talked with him, he loves you and knows you personally and you know him. I'm so grateful for his atonement, I need it every day. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week, I love you and pray for you! 

Love, Sister Sarah Clark

Picture Caption- Pizza Dinner with the Davis's and Olsen's in the Sister's ward! :)