Monday, December 1, 2014

Hey There Everyone! 
Thank you for your emails, and all the pictures! :) It looks like you had a fun eventful week! Rachel and her cute date, and I loved the throw back pictures of Josh. :) Especially where he's suited up in "the armor of God" I still remember that family night haha. :) I can't believe how fast he's growing up... Time is going by so fast! Mom, you about gave me a heart attack when you said I was coming home on a different date! haha. I'll be looking forward to seeing you guys on the 29th. :) The song "I'll be home for Christmas" has never had this much meaning to me.  I'm glad to hear you guys are doing well. P.S I'm looking forward to opening that package tomorrow, and thanks for the Birthday wishes! Mom and Dad, thanks for all you've done to help me get where I am today. I'm so thankful to have such wonderful parents! :) 

Fun News Thanksgiving with Linda and Lloyd was a blast! (Pictures below) :) the first presidency has come out with a video that talks about the blessings of keeping Christ in Christmas. It's called He is The Gift, the first presidency came out with it for us as members to be able to "Share The Gift" this year. :) If you get the chance, you'll have to check it out if you haven't already. In the new ensign, they are sending out pass along cards. Sister Larsen and I have seen so many miracles in being able to share it! :) If you haven't had the chance yet, it's a great thing to share with your friends!! 

So as always, I'm going to start off with a moment that made me smile this week- hope it brings one to your face too. :) ~ On exchanges this week, I got to go to Post Falls with Sister Nally, she is an incredible missionary- she's a power house! We went to a member family's home- The Clark's a young couple with a 7 year old son Bennett, we talked with them about the Christmas Initiative, and watched the video, after the lesson, Brother Clark asked Bennett to say the closing prayer. Bennett said, "Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us live here on planet earth. Thank you for the Straight and Narrow path, and even for the parts of it that are bumpy and twisty. Please help all of us to make it to the Terrestrial Kingdom. Please bless us that when we have to die, we will be ready. Thank you for all the people on this planet earth. A-men!" Sister Nally and I had such a hard time keeping straight faces, oh, from the mouth of babes. :) 

Miracles of the Week Carly!! :) This cute girl carly who's 14 just moved to Plummer from St. Maries 2 or so weeks ago. Her Mom has been less active, and they are going through a really rough patch right now, Carly's mom is going through a divorce... They invited us for dinner this week, and we were able to get to know them, we learned that Carly hasn't been baptized yet, and she's had several sets of missionaries. She is so prepared! As we taught, she really grasped the importance of the need for a Restoration after the Great Apostacy. As we talked about the atonement, and asked how they'd grown closer to their Savior during this hard time, They both bore powerful testimony that he's been their rock through all of this. You could feel how much Heavenly Father loves both of them. Carly is praying about Baptism for the 21st of December. :) We're so excited for her! 

Ed- A member of our Branch had given us a referral to go see her neighbor Ed. As we went out to Tensed, we saw him sitting on his porch, about in his 60's, smoking a cigarette. It was pouring rain. We went up to talk with him, and immediately we got the cold shoulder. Without us speaking a word, he told us how impolite it is to talk about someone's beliefs. That it was just such an impersonal thing to do, for Sister Phillips to just send us over. We just sat there and listened to him with love. After he was finished, we apologized if we'd done something to offend him. We then asked how he was doing, and he told us he'd just lost his mother. He told us how much he loves her, and started talking about his beliefs, he said he didn't believe in an after life. We asked him more about his family, it turned out he was pretty passionate about his family, and talked about how he has several old music compositions from his great great grandpa. We talked about family history, he still didn't seem to interested. He told us music was his way to feeling the spirit. I remembered Courtney Cox's story, about singing "I am a Child of God." I felt inspired that, that's what should sing. We asked if we could sing, he seemed hesitant, but let us. All of the sudden I saw his ridged gruff countenance soften, he closed his eyes and tears streamed down his cheeks. The spirit truly softened his heart, and changed him. He said that maybe sometime we could come back to help him with his family history! Huge Miracle! :) 

Things I've learned this week. This past few months, I've been reading through the Book of Mormon. I'm now in 3 Nephi- and I love it, with this time of year, reading about when Christ came to the Earth. <3 I thought it was interesting that in 3 Nephi 11- when Christ appears to the Nephites, in (v8)  it says that many thought he was just an angel, they didn't know and feel that he was their Savior. I reflected, would I recognize him, and know that he was Christ? I received an answer that as I feel the spirit, that is how we will recognize him. I think it's incredible that every time we feel the spirit, we get to feel what it will be like to be in his presence. <3 I also came across a verse about the Savior that is now one of my favorites. 
Doctrine and Covenants 45:8 came unto mine own, and mine own received me notbut unto as many as received me gave power to do many miraclesand to become the sons of Godand even unto them that believed on my name gave power tobtain eternal life.
Those words are so profound... he has provided the opportunity for every single person to obtain eternal life, to be cleansed of their sins, so they can feel peace and rest in God's kingdom. <3 that is what we are sharing this Christmas season, the greatest gift. The knowledge of Heavenly Father's greatest expression of love, sending his beloved son. Because of this we know how to find peace in this life, and Eternal life in the world to come. 
I love my Savior so much, I'm grateful for the opportunity to come to know him better everyday. As I strive to repent daily I feel the power in accessing the atonement. I'm grateful for the power of change in my life. I'm grateful to read the scriptures, it's like I get to spend time with him. 
I hope you each have a wonderful week! I love all of you so much, and I'm so thankful to have you in my life. <3 
Much Love, Sister Sarah Clark
0765- Our District- The Elders have better copies of this picture- sorry it's so blurry... 






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