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
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. :)
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