Sister Sarah Clark

Hey Everyone! 

Good to hear from you all! What a fun week, Mom and Dad glad you had such a fun anniversary trip! Grandpa's birthday party looked like a lot of fun! :) I'll have to write him! :) Rachel, cute haircut! I loved the story about our little soloist in the family, Andrew is so cute! I'll have to send you back the memory card, I would love to hear him! :) How cute... I love our family! Mom, way to be in finishing the Book of Mormon! I am very close, I'm in Ether, and plan to finish today during preparation day! :) I have to agree on your favorite stories! I absolutely love the chapter about the 3 nephites, the Stripling Warriors, the Anti Nephi Lehi's, etc... So many great hero's to look up to. I think what especially touched me this time, was that after all the chaos, and unbelief in Jesus Christ's coming... As I read in third Nephi, about Christ's coming, it brought so much peace to me. The spirit touched my heart so strongly. Knowing that one day we will get to meet Jesus Christ. It's amazing to hear of all the miracles he performed, and how he healed people one by one. 

3 Nephi 11:15

 15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and ^adid feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

 I love knowing that today, Christ heals us one by one, and it's through the power of the priesthood that we have access to all the blessings that Christ blessed the people with while he was here. That we can feel his love today through the spirit. The Book of Mormon is the best! 

I was so sad to say good bye to Sister Lamb, she left for the mission home yesterday... I've learned so much from her. Saying good bye to her made me realize how fast this mission will go by. Time flies so quickly... Last night I got my transfer call, and I'm so happy! :) I get to stay in Moscow for another transfer, and my new companion will be Sister Reed! I get to go pick her up tomorrow. Pictures to come. ;) 

This week has been a great one! I think what I really learned this week is patience... I've learned that not everything happens in the time table we'd like it to. We've continued meeting with Chynna, and she'd really like her family to come to her baptism, so we aren't sure when she's going to be baptized. I think it will be great for her to have them there. Her Mom isn't a member and her Dad has been less active since before she was born. So I think this could be a great opportunity for them to feel the spirit, and support her. I'm praying that they will be supportive, and loving. Chynna is so incredible, I know she'll make the right decision. Then this week, Jacob our investigator who's athiest, said he's not willing to let go of the part of him that's resisting putting his heart into the gospel. He said one day he just decided there wasn't a God, and he said it's been difficult "Knowing-thinking" he's alone. But he's okay with it. We've invited him continually to pray to know that God's there, but he hasn't put his heart into it. So we are giving Jacob some time. It's so hard, because I just love the kid... I want him to feel Heavenly Father's love for him, but his heart is closed off... Ben Fujii came to church on Sunday! Which was wonderful! He's incredible, he's so open to learning... He's Catholic, yet he's open to knowing God's will for him. As well, Keegan is struggling and very busy, so we are trying to help him see how much this gospel can help him right now.

So funny story. We are teaching this sweet less active girl- Rachel. We came to her house to remind her about church, and she said, "Well, every time I go they seem to speak about marriage... And I'm just not ready." We said, "Oh.. it's not always about marriage. We need you there! :)" Then we talked about all the blessings that come along with coming to church. She said she'd make it a point to come. We were so happy! What do you know, at church on Sunday, she walked through the doors, we were so happy! :D In church they haven't talked about marriage in weeks. Well, guess what the topic was. Marriage! Haha. Sister Lamb and I were trying so hard not to laugh. We counted how many times the first speaker said marriage in his talk, 23 times! Haha. Afterwards we talked to her, and she said, "Maybe Heavenly Father's trying to send me a message." we started laughing. She comes every few months and each time she comes they talk about marriage. So I'll keep you posted about when she gets engaged LOL. I love serving in a singles ward. So that's the funny moment of this week. 

So ever since I've come to Moscow, It's been so much fun! We have been able to become involved in so many service projects, on Saturday we painted rooms in an Environmental center, we go to the "Kindred" care center every week to go paint nails, and do plastic canvas with the cute old people. We've been able to meet so many wonderful people this way! :) We're hoping one day in the future, when these people meet missionaries maybe they'll invite them into their homes. :) So this weeks been fun but crazy, we were in a trio because Sister Rasmussen's companion Sister Luki went back to temple square, so we've been serving over 3 wards! So I got to meet so many of her ward members. We got to teach her investigators Thomas and Kelly, who are athiests, they told us they'd been praying everyday, and they just felt more joy as they'd done so. We were able to teach them about the spirit and how it touches us and lets us know God is there. Thomas explained that he struggled with faith so he'd looked up in the index chapters on faith. He'd read Alma 32, and said he felt it was written for him! :) He said he prayed 10 times before his job interview, and he'd started praying about everything! I love seeing others develop their faith and discovering God in their lives. So incredible. 

Well, I love each one of you so much! I'm so grateful for each one of you in my life! :) Thanks for your encouragement, love, support and prayers! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Love Always, Sister Sarah Clark