Thank you so much for your emails! It's so good to hear from all of you. :) Looks like you had a really fun week! I loved the picture of Josh's choir. My year as a Choralier in Junior High was one of my favorites. :) What a fun group of kids, you'll be friends with them all throughout high school, I still consider my choir friends, some of my best friends it was so fun to be able to go to Derrick's farewell, oh good memories. We had so much fun together! It looks like you all had a fun time at the carnival, I loved the picture of Josh and Tate with Charley and Andrew on their shoulders. That's priceless. Oh, and cute little Dave Jr. and the flash back photo! Thanks for the pictures Mom, they really make my week. :)
Thanks for all the stories you've shared with me, I loved the story about the Relief Society being the Sister Missionaries Mom. It's so true, I love that we all take care of each other. I am so thankful for Relief Society, we've been teaching the 9-12 year old class (which I do love, we got to teach them the story of Josiah this week, its an incredible story.) , and haven't been to Relief Society, and I really feel a difference when I go. We really all do need each other. It's definitely a program inspired by God.
Rachel and Mom, I read your emails, and I feel peace about going to Snow College. I'll definitely pray about it, but it sounds perfect, I feel like that really would be a great way to transition. I would LOVE to be room-mates with Rachel! That would be so much fun to get to spend that time with her. :) That would be a dream come true. So yes, tell Aariah, it's a 95% yes. I'll let you know for sure next week. I'll pray about it.
Funny story of the week.
I was on exchanges this week, and the only night the Sisters could exchange was the night we went to the temple with Linda. They made an exception to getting home a little later. Sister Scott- who lived down the street from me in my first area, one of my good friends got to come with me. We were driving home from Tekoa, 20 min from Plummer, so we made it back about 10:20pm. I was exhausted at this point. We came home to the garage door opened, Sister Larsen accidentally left it open, we'd been gone since noon. I about died. I worried. Should we call someone to check our place out. It was so late... Finally Brother Cuthbert came to check it out for us. He checked every closet, we were clear. We finally went in hit the pillow and were out. Then at about midnight, someone was knocking on the door very adamantly. Then they rang our doorbell 5 times! I woke up Sister Scott, she peeked through the blinds to see who it was, to our relief it was the sheriff. We answered the door. They asked if a man named Ed Dorman lived here. We replied, "No sister Missionaries have lived here for a year now." "Okay, well thank you. We saw the garage open, and later saw a car in the garage, and thought it was him. Well good night ladies." The sheriff motioned to his deputy and they left. I said, "Well, Sister Scott welcome to Plummer." we both just laughed. Oh, aren't you glad life is un-boring? Mom, don't worry, we're safe. That story is proof that Heavenly Father was watching over our place.
My Favorite Miracles of this Week
This has been another incredible week full of miracles! :) The highlight of my week, was going to the temple with Linda for the first time. :) After we'd walked up in front of the temple to take pictures together, we started walking up the stairs. Suddenly I saw a beautiful familiar face. She ran toward me and gave me a hug. It was Sister Demars from my first area, I just love and adore her. She came to almost all of Sue's lessons with us. "Sister Clark, Sister Clark! You'll never guess who's here!" she said, as she had her arm around me, she walked me into the temple. Suddenly I saw another beautiful face and her face lit up with a bright smile. It was Sue Metzger! She gave me a warm hug. I just felt so much joy! I hadn't seen her for almost a year! It was so wonderful to see her. :) We were able to talk and catch up for about 15 minutes. I also saw the rest of the Demars family, Sue's friend Paula Therber, one of Sue's best friends, who'd also come to all the lessons with us. I felt joy beyond words. Sue is doing wonderful! It was sweet, she told me her 18 year old daughter had called her last week, and said "Mom, I'm so glad you're a Mormon." :)
After Sue left, I was worried, Sister Ridge had told me she may not be able to make it... They had other appointments they didn't know if they could change. Moments later, Sister Ridge walked in. :) Then I walked into the baptistry, and saw Sister Olsen, from the Evergreen ward. I sure love her. We've written back and forth while I've been out here. She's now a temple worker. I got a small glimpse of what the Celestial Kingdom is going to be like. <3 Everyone of the friends we make here, can be there with us. <3 I'm so grateful friendships are eternal. It was definitely no coincidence, It was an answer to prayer, I prayed to know if I'd done enough these last few months. He showed me that night, that I had helped him make a difference in these areas.
This week we had so many other miracles. Jed's Mom Lisa's heart is softening. We were able to teach her a short version of the Plan of Salvation, I really think soon she might join us for the lessons. She always listens in from the kitchen. <3 We are going to fast with Bry tomorrow that she'll be able to get Sunday's off of work, or find a new job. If it weren't for that, she'd be able to be baptized already. She's still so excited and can't wait. We were able to get in contact with a less active who hasn't been contacted for over a year! Her name is Carol Antelope. She has 15 dogs that all ran at us as we walked into her home, and her care taker Gabe- this tall native american picked them up and tossed them out of her bedroom so we could hear her talk. Oh, that was an adventure. We taught a powerful lesson about Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and she really felt the spirit. At the end of the lesson we explained how the Book of Mormon answers the questions of the soul. We asked her what questions she had for Heavenly Father at this time. She said, "I want to know how to get back to church." We gave her Moroni 6. She has a power chair, but we're going to find her a way to church. <3 That was such a miracle!
What Heavenly Father Has Been Teaching Me this week
I loved a talk Sister Scott told me about it's called, "Trying to serve the Lord without offending the Devil" By James E. Faust.
I love that he talks about how powerful statements of restored truth are! Here are my favorite snippets from his talk.
______________________________
I wonder how much we offend Satan if the proclamation of our faith is limited only to the great humanitarian work this Church does throughout the world, or to our beautiful buildings, or to this great university, marvelous as these activities are. When we preach the gospel of social justice, no doubt the devil is not troubled. But I believe the devil is terribly offended when we boldly declare by personal testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he saw the Father and the Son; when we preach that the Book of Mormon is another witness for Christ; when we declare that there has been a restoration of the fullness of the gospel in its simplicity and power in order to fulfill the great plan of happiness.
We challenge the powers of darkness when we speak of the perfect life of the Savior and of his sublime work for all mankind through the Atonement. This supernal gift permits us, through repentance, to break away from Satan’s grasping tentacles.
We please the devil when we argue that all roads lead to heaven; therefore, it does not matter which road we take, we will all end up in God’s presence. And when we contend that “we are all God’s children; therefore, it makes no difference to which church a person belongs; we are all working for the same place.”
This man-made philosophy—for such it is—sounds good, but the scriptures do not support it. I assure each of you that the road to God’s presence is not that easy. It is strait and narrow. Elder Delbert L. Stapley said,
I feel certain that the devil chuckles whenever this false opinion is expressed, for it pleases him that the minds of men have been so blinded to revealed truth by his cunning craftiness and deceit that they will believe any religion to be acceptable to God regardless of its tenets and ordinances or how or by whom those ordinances are administered. [Delbert L. Stapley, CR, April 1958, p. 115]
We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat. The apostle James counseled: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). And Nephi states that “he hath no power over the hearts” of people who are righteous (l Nephi 22:26).
______________________________
I also have learned that as we are obedient to the spirit, in standing for what's right, even when we may stand alone. We are not alone because God is with us. <3
______________________________
I know that each one of you has a powerful testimony, that we have the blessing of knowing who we are, what our potential is, who God is, Who our Savior is, and that Because God called a Prophet after the time of Apostasy, and Restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Earth. We have the knowledge that because of the Priesthood, we have access to the atonement, we have blessings beyond comprehension. I know as you share your testimony, the spirit will be kindled in the hearts of those you share this testimony with.
I love all of you so much! Hope you have a wonderful week.
Love, Sister Sarah Clark
No comments:
Post a Comment