Hey Everyone! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to email me! :) Sounds like you all had an eventful week! Andrew Happy Late Birthday! (You should be getting something in the mail soon here) I can't believe you're 4 years old now! It looks like you had a fun birthday party at Cherry Hill. :) Josh- it looks like your eagle project was a big success! It's touching to think of how many kids you're going to help. I can't believe you'll have your eagle! Congratulations- I'm so proud of you- it sounds like a  lot of hard work. Rachel, it was sure fun to get your email- and hear about all of your college adventures. Oh, Freshman year is definitely the best! I'm so happy for you. It was fun to see Brandon's homecoming picture, and see that Natalie was able to go through the temple. So much happened this week, I can't believe it! :) Dad, I'll be praying for you as you're deciding which direction to go. I know He has great plans for you- I'm excited to see where He takes you! Mom, thank you so much for the letter, & money- you're so sweet. We're going to go pick up the package after we email. That's so sweet of you. :) 

Well, It's been such a wonderful week. It's all gone by so fast! I feel like the weeks out here keep going more and more quickly! This week so much happened! 

People We are Teaching

It's such a blessing we get to teach all the time here in Plummer. We are teaching so many people. We are teaching a sweet woman named Linda, she's about in her 60's and about 20 or so years ago she went to church for 2 years, but never was baptized and has always wanted to know more. Sister Ridge met her at Plummer Days a few weeks ago. We went over this week to teach her, and she's been reading the Book of Mormon, and she says she feels a special spirit when she reads. She knows it’s true! :) She's so sweet, she had us over for dinner this last week, and I just feel this special connection to her. 

We had an amazing miracle this week. We were going to Tensed, and we were stopping by to see a less active member. We both had a feeling that Heavenly Father wanted us somewhere else, as we walked around the block we heard people talking, and went to go meet them. We met two women Kathy and Tori. Kathy has a cute little family- and Tori is a good friend of hers. They were just out chatting on the lawn. We starting talking to them about how the gospel blesses families, and shared Helaman 5:12. They both bore testimony that they believed building that foundation on Christ could bless them. We talked to them about meeting to share that message. Then we asked who they knew that needed this knowledge. Tori, told us about her son who really wants to change his life around, and has been going through a hard time. She told us he works at an expresso shop on the main street. We went to meet him, and he was so open. (don't worry we only bought muffins ;) ) haha. We gave him 3 Nephi 17 about miracles. We followed up yesterday, and he'd read! He said he has lots of questions, but he doesn't doubt that it's from God. It was sweet as we asked who he knew that could be blessed by our message- he referred us to his mom Tori- who is struggling with Health challenges. Kathy and Tori- told us about 5 different families to go see. I know that Heavenly Father truly guided us to them. It was an incredible experience. 

Other people were teaching- Nick- who works at the fire station. The fire chief- Brother Cuthbert, knew Nick before he was hired. Nick said he felt like he was missing something in his life, Brother Cuthbert said- "Well, I'll get you a job at the fire station." Nick gladly accepted. Nick later said, well I am happier, but I still feel like there's something you have that I'm missing. A week later, Nick came to church with Brother Cuthbert. He felt the spirit and started meeting with us. 

Chynna's Baptism <3

I was so grateful this week that I was able to go to Chynna's baptism. It was such a sweet experience. As I walked into the chapel, I saw Chynna so beautiful all dressed in white- she came and gave me a huge hug, and she started crying. I just love her! I really feel like we must have been friends in the life before this. I was able to stand on the steps, as she walked down into the water, the spirit was so strong as she was taking that step toward returning to her Heavenly Father. When Christ was baptized, and Heavenly Father said, "This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." I know in Heaven he was saying, "This is my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased." what an incredible blessing baptism is, that we are able to be made clean from all our sins. I'm so grateful for the sacrament, I know when we take it, it's just as though we are baptized again. It was so sweet Chynna's Aunt Marianne, who isn't a member of the church, gave Chynna a beautiful new set of scriptures with her name engraved on them. Her Mom, and all of her aunts and uncles came. It was a day I'll never forget. I'm so happy for her! 

Things I've Learned this Week 

Elder Johnson of the 70 came and spoke to us this week and something he said really stayed with me. He said, of all the qualities of our Heavenly Father- I believe the one he finds most joy in is that of being merciful and forgiving. It gives him so much joy to see us progress. :) What has really stood out to me this week in my scripture study- is that true joy comes only in repentance. I've been reading in Alma, and in Chapter 26 first he talks about the joy of the Glory of God in 

v16)  16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Then he talks about why they love God so much, and why this joy has come into their lives

v21) 21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

I'm so grateful for the atonement in my life, as I've tried to be better each day, I've felt so much joy! I'm so grateful for my merciful Heavenly Father, and loving Savior. The gospel is true! :) 

I love all of you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Much Love, Sister Clark

Hola Mi Familia! 

From the looks of the pictures you sent, It looks like you all had a wonderful week! It was fun to see the cute Wright Family, Rachel's cute Room-mates, and nice apartment- Looks like you're going to have such a fun year at Snow College! I'm so excited for you! Rachel, Thank you so much for the Package! You are so sweet! I got it this morning- I love the eye shadow and Mascara, I haven't bought nice make up like that for awhile, so that's sure a treat. :) I loved the cute pictures too! That was so thoughtful of you. :) I can't believe Brandon Winkelman is home! I remember going to his call opening like it was yesterday! You'll have to tell him hello for me. :) I can't believe Michael is off to Junior High, and Joshua is now a guitarist! I can't wait to hear him when I get back home. :) Josh, you'll have to teach me how to play. ;) I'm so glad you guys were able to see the pictures from the media blitz. It was such a fun day! Since the Book of Mormon Musical is going on in Spokane, it gives a really bad reputation for missionaries, and really mis-represents the church. So we did a Media Blitz Mission wide to show what missionaries really do. It was a lot of fun, we had members shadowing us throughout the day, taking pictures. There were two other photographers, so when they post the pictures I'll have them add you on face book too! 

I laughed as I read that you looked up Plummer, Idaho on Google maps. Yes, It's definitely in the Boons. That little cute place you saw is our apartment. :) Don't worry it's actually really nice inside. It's so fun, we get to serve with this darling senior couple, Elder and Sister Rockwood. Elder Rockwood is our Branch Mission leader. We love working with them! :) It's a dream come true! They have helped us so much this week. They are from Sacramento, California. I'll tell you more about them as the transfer rolls on. I love my companion Sister Katie Ridge. She is from Yucaipa, California. She was studying at BYU Provo before her mission, and wants to end up working in the medical field, or with Health Sciences. She is such a fun person, she was a class officer in high school. We've had a lot of fun together this week! :) Our area includes 3 different cities, Tekoa (Tea-Co) DeSmet, (Dee-Smet- as the natives say) and Plummer. We have a full time car, which is such an incredible blessing. Fun trivia about Plummer- the movie "Smoke Signals" was actually filmed here. I never thought I'd get such a foreign experience here in the states. I'm actually serving on a reservation, about 70 percent of the people here are native Americans. Our branch is pretty small, there are just a little over 65 people. Everyone has farms here, and there's lots of open land. I love it here, it's definitely going to be an adventure. 

This week we got to go to the temple to do baptisms with a recent convert named Joe who was just baptized 3 weeks ago. He's the man in the picture at the trailer park. He's one of the kindest people I've ever met. The Sister's taught him for about 7 months. He has made so much progress! He was able to take his Father's name to the temple on Thursday, and was able to be baptized and confirmed in his behalf. The spirit was there so strong- I really feel his Dad accepted the ordinances. You can tell Joe is truly converted, he wants to share the gospel with everyone- he brought his friend Mike to church this Sunday. We've been meeting with Mike and he really has desire to change. Joe has lived here for years and knows almost everyone in the town, He's like Amulek! I really think he's going to help so many people come to the gospel. :) 

This week I've started studying the lessons in Preach my Gospel from the beginning, and I really have been touched by Heavenly Father's love for his children. The fruit of the spirit comes as we access the atonement daily by living the gospel. As we live the commandments we are able to access the atonement. Every time we are obedient we access the atonement. As we have resistance, and overcome the natural man- we access the atonement. That is God's loving plan for us. Resistance equals growth. Just as we exercise and exert resistance- we gain muscle. As we exercise our faith- we are made spiritually strong. A story that particularly has touched me this week is the story of Abish in the Book of Mormon. Sister Ridge gave a talk about Abish at our Relief Society Activity this week and her story particularly touched my heart. 

Her story is found in Alma 19. 

(v19)  16 And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the Lord,in their might, even until they had all fallen to the earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable vision of her father—

She was touched by her father's testimony, and knew the gospel was true- Abish was a servant of King Lamoni, if she spoke and shared her testimony with others she could be killed it was against the Lamanite tradition. 

After Ammon had taught the King, and was fallen to the Earth, she felt the spirit and knew that what was happening was inspired of God, and that it could be an incredible spiritual experience for those around her. In (v.20) we learn what she did next. 

(v 17) Thus, having been converted to the Lord, and never having made it known, therefore, when she saw that all the servants of Lamoni had fallen to the earth, and also her mistress, the queen,and the king, and Ammon lay prostrate upon the earth, she knew that it was the power of God; and supposing that this opportunity, by making known unto the people what had happened among them, that by beholding this scene it would cause them to believe in the power of God, therefore she ran forth from house to house, making it known unto the people.

She gathered everyone she could so that she could share this great spiritual experience with them. Abish is now one of my Hero's. Would we have this kind of courage? I know as we follow Abish's great example of gathering people and following promptings, even when they may be out of our comfort zone, will help us bring so many people to Christ. <3 

I hope you all have a wonderful week, I'm so grateful to have a family that's strong in the gospel, I couldn't ask for any greater blessing. I know this is God's church on the Earth. I know that he loves each one of you so much, and I love you too! 

Much Love, Sister Sarah Clark. :) 

Hola Mi Familia! 

Thank you so much for your emails! :) I can't believe how much happened this week, my best friend got married! Oh, Tim and Cali, they are so cute! :) I am so so happy for her! I broke down in tears, I miss and love her. I'm so happy for her though. She looked stunning, I can't believe my best friend is married. I'm glad Michael is okay from the bike accident, I'll keep him in my prayers. Michael, I love you! I'm so so glad you're okay. I can't believe you biked 40 miles! You're going to make a great missionary one day. ;) My heart broke seeing Elena Utrillia's home.. that is so hard, I can't even imagine, I'm glad she's alright as well... I'll keep her in my prayers too. I'm glad to hear you guys are doing well. 

My favorite highlights of the week, Our emergency training. Sister Reed was having a really hard time this week and gave a training on Enduring to The End. She bore powerful testimony of how she knows God is there for her, even with her depression, she bore testimony of the atonement, and she bore testimony that God still sees us even when we feel like the pioneers at the back of the wagon train with dust flying in our faces, as we can't see the end. The spirit bore testimony to me that God has seen me all while I've been here in Moscow. He sees us, always. <3 Elder Frampton trained on Eternal Perspective, The title of his training, "Who Am I" he talked about how we are not just earthly beings. That we existed thousands of years before this life, that we were preparing and stayed faithful for thousands of years, that God loved us, and had a great plan for us. He invited each of us to pray for Heavenly Father to remind us of who we are. Then to read our patriarchal blessings and look for promises that God has made to us, then to read those and recognize that that is an expression of his love. He talked about the spirit of remembrance, it's there to remind us of who we are- eternal beings of a loving heavenly father. It was incredible. We ended with a testimony meeting, and we were all in tears. Moscow has been hard for every set of missionaries in our district, all of us were in tears, but the spirit touched our hearts. We have all grown so- so close together. I love this District so much! 

So huge changes are happening, the District Leaders called in last night and I got news that I'm heading to Plummer Idaho! :) It's out in the boons of Idaho, so it should be an adventure! I was brought to tears knowing that I'm leaving everyone I love... Sister Reed who I love so much! My sweet missionaries I live with Sister Rees and Piliami, Chynna and her boyfriend Michael Clark, Chynna's baptism is on August 23rd, and I'm so thankful that we'll get to come back for it. ... I'm so happy for Sister Reed, she's going to the Evergreen Ward! My first area. :) They are going to take such good care of her, and she gets to serve again with the companion she was with before me, and they are best friends. I'm so glad to know she'll be well taken care of. My new companion is Sister Ridge, and Sister Piliami that I live with served with her for 6 months and just loves her! Plummer is right next to Couer D'alene, so I'll get to serve by my MTC companion Sister Richardson! :) I'm so happy! Moscow has felt like Ammonihah, yet it's a sacred place to me. I feel like I learned so much about myself, God, and my Savior here- If it wouldn't have been hard I would not have learned. It has been a place that has helped me put my trust in God, that his plan is greater than my own. 

This week, we have had our last lessons with Matthew and Meghan, They are completely changed people. I love them so so much! I'm so grateful friendships are eternal, I cry just thinking about leaving them. They love the Lord, they love God, and they love this gospel! We had a church tour with the Sister's from the family ward, they'd come with us the night before to teach with us, and the spirit confirmed to my heart that they are the one's who will take care of them. I trust those Sisters. Sister Johnson, and Sister Thatcher. I'm so excited for them to be able to go to the family ward, they will take such good care of them. It was the sweetest thing, Matthew has been in tears all week- he was having a hard time knowing that we would be leaving. On Friday he prayed to know if things would be okay, and he said he felt a warm hug around him. I can't tell you how hard it is leaving those two. I love them so much! It breaks my heart, but I know it's Heavenly Father's will. We are seeing them one last time tonight. <3 We called Chynna last night to tell her, and she was in tears and so were we. 

Sister Reed shared a scripture with me that I love-  2 Nephi 1:30

30 And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever.

Forever means Eternal. <3

Sister Reed told me something another Sister said to her, Sister Rasmusson. Who lived with us a few months ago. She said, "Imagine the Savior, with his warm smile, and loving arms. Now imagine yourself walking up to him with each person you worry about and love. Now you ask the Savior, will you please take care of them for me? He wraps you and them in a warm embrace and says yes, you can trust me, I will take care of them." It touched my heart, I've done that several times this week, anytime I worry about one of you, I imagine the same thing and it brings peace to my heart. 

I love you all so much! Thank you for loving me, I know that Love is the power and force that helps us continually move forward. Remember who you are, whenever you feel you are struggling, remember how many years of preparation you had before this life. You are capable, God knew you could do it. :) Remember the Savior is there to make up the difference for the things we can't do on our own. I love you, he loves you! 

Much Love, Sister Sarah Clark 

Hola Mi Familia! 

It was so wonderful to read your emails this week! :) I love hearing from all of you! I can't believe the Ogden temple is finished! It's gorgeous! I'm so excited to go when I get back. What an incredible experience to be able to go through with the French Interns, you guys are such good missionaries. :) Oh, wish I could have been there, but I know I'll be able to see it when I get back. Thanks for the cute picture of Lilly! Oh, my little puppy... I miss her! I miss and love all of you guys. How fun that you had a reservoir just outside the back yard, Andrew and Jackson the cute little adventurer's- that picture made my whole day!  I loved seeing Andrew in the huge bed, I bet it's sure fun to watch him jump down off of it. It sounds like Josh, and Michael are becoming pretty musically versed, maybe between all of us we can start a family band! Aha. Oh, how fun! Looks like you guys had a good week. :) It's always a high light of my week hearing from you! So much is happening! I can't believe Jennica and Natalie are leaving for their missions, Rachel's off to college in a few weeks! Life is happening so quickly! I'm glad you've enjoyed the emails, I love being able to share my experiences with all of you. I want to thank you so much for all of your prayers in my behalf, and in behalf of the people I'm teaching, I can feel them answered every day. 

This week we were able to go the temple on Wednesday, it was so wonderful, and well needed. The spirit is always there so abundantly. Whenever I go inside the temple, all my worries melt away, I feel so much peace- that everything, my life, and the lives of everyone I love are in Heavenly Father's hands. I know that his plan for me, and for each one of you, is greater than anything we could come up with for ourselves. I felt the spirit testify to my heart that that is true. Mom and Dad, I was able to put your names in the temple, I felt peace in knowing Heavenly Father has a plan for you. <3. I'm so thankful we have the temple, it truly puts everything in perspective. This week I got really bad heat stroke, and so I was stuck inside all day on Thursday. I was able to contemplate & think about all that I've learned and what I want to happen before the end of my mission. At the end of the night I was able to get a priesthood blessing, from one of the Singles ward- ward mission leaders. As he gave me the blessing he was brought to tears as he said, "Sarah, you're Heavenly Father loves you." I felt the spirit so strong. I'm so grateful for the priesthood. I know as we receive blessings they are exactly what our Heavenly Father wants us to hear. I almost felt that Heavenly Father had let me get sick, because he wanted to speak to me through that blessing. Sister Reed and I had been having a hard time, wishing we could have brought more people to baptism here in Moscow. Then Sister Reed said, "If Heavenly Father has the power to make whatever he desires happen, if he wanted more of his children to be baptized, he would have made it happen. Instead he wanted us to change, and to grow. If we wouldn't have gone through these hard times, we wouldn't have changed to become who we are now. It's like Zion's Camp, Heavenly refined them, and he's refined us. Now he can use us more fully throughout the rest of our lives." I'm truly grateful I know I wouldn't be who I am today, if it weren't for my experience here in Moscow. Sister Reed and I have grown so much throughout our experiences here. I've been able to appreciate every miracle. I'm incredibly grateful each time I see his hand. 

This week we were able to teach Meghan and Matthew about Fasting, they have a strong desire to get married and baptized. We fasted with them yesterday, and later that evening, we got together to have a pot luck dinner with the ward. Matthew told us that throughout his experience he felt the spirit with him the whole time. That he'd been nervous that he wouldn't be able to make it, but he knew God had helped him. I'm so excited for them, I know Heavenly Father is preparing the way for them! :) They have both learned so much, the other week Matthew sent us a text that said, 

"Today at work, I saw a penny on the ground I didn't think much of it. I swept it up and tossed it in the trash. Then I saw two others throughout the day. I kept tossing them into the trash. Then I came to realize if I had only picked the pennies up I could have been richer. Then I came to realize that's what you Sister's do. You drop pennies of faith for others to pick up, before I didn't always pick them up. Now when you drop them, I'm going to pick them. I know my faith will be richer and richer." 

He sends us texts all the time of things he's learned. Oh, I sure love those two. :) Keri, has been doing well. We taught her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and she was brought to tears. She felt the spirit, she said, "This all makes sense, I just feel so much love." Earlier in the week, Meghan and Matthew had invited us over for dinner again, and Keri had questions about what missionaries do, so we watched "The District" Episode 2 with them, It was touching there was an episode where the Robles family gets baptized and then it later shows them making it to the temple. The spirit was very eminent in the room. We testified that that was our purpose- helping families spend eternity together, by baptism and helping them make it to the temple. If you have time some time, you'll have to watch it. 

We had many miracles this week, we were able to  meet with Don, who we've been trying to meet with for two months! :) He was baptized, but went inactive when he was 10, and he wants to know if the church is true! He's reading the Book of Mormon, I see so much potential in him. 

We read, Romans 8:16-18 and talked about his divine potential

 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

That was when it sunk in for him. He was able to make it to church yesterday! :) Kimi and Josh came! Meghan and Matthew! Oh, it was such a good day! :) It was touching Bishop Boydston said he was praying for each one of them by name every night that week. There is power in prayer. I know Heavenly Father truly hears and answers us. Well, transfers are next week, so we'll see what happens. 

I love all of you so so much! Thanks for your love and support, it means the world to me! I hope you all have a wonderful week! I'm so proud of you for all that you're doing. I know Heavenly Father is as well. 

All My Love, Sister Sarah Clark

Captions- 2244- The Field is white and Ready to Harvest! :) (Mission picture bucket list- Check!)

2261- Sister Reed is the best, wasn't feeling the greatest- she always takes care of me. :)