will be spending the last transfer of my mission in a new area...I am
almost positive it will be Monroe, but we will find out tomorrow! Also fun
news, Hermana Richey (my last companion that I trained), Hermana Harmer (my
current companion) and I all got training calls for the upcoming transfer.
Wahoo! That should keep me busy for the next 6 weeks. New area and new
missionary. The Lord is full of fun surprises!
Anyways, this week flew by! Investigator-wise, the week was a bit slow.
BUT, Luis Verde and Sahira are doing awesome, so that's a plus. Maribel
texted us late last night after missing church for the first time in like 2
months and said that her heart told her she needed her and her family to
stay at their church and they would not be coming with us anymore. We were
quite confused...she had been so excited and progressing...and then dropped
us. Not sure what happened, but I know the Lord has a reason and perfect
time for everything.
This week was super great less-active and recent convert-wise. We had tons
of solid lessons with many working sincerely on returning to church. We had
so many at church on Sunday...I think they outnumbered the active members!
It was super fun.
Probably the highlight of the week had to do with Carlos Loyola (hes 22 and
is the only active member of his family). I worked with him in Marysville
when we was not active, then less-active, and returning. When I left
Marysville he was going to church more consistently, but still was working
on lots of commandments and had doubts and gaps in his testimony.
Fastforward to now--he has been living with some super great members that
are in our branch and he has been helping us out a lot and this week we got
a text from him that just...made my heart so happy. It said:
"You know, I have actually been clean and following all the commandments
and "rules" of the church. I really wanna go to the temple! It's been a
long time since I have been to the house of the Lord. I'm excited now.
Well, all I really know is that I wanna be there, inside, I just wanna feel
his spirit, the peace, everything that comes with someone being there. And
get my temple endowment as well. And I don't know when I am going to go,
but as soon as I can get a temple recommend. That's my priority now. I'm so
proud of me. I can't actually believe what I am doing. There is almost none
of the bad Carlos anymore. But it's all a work in progress."
Yessssss. The Atonement changes hearts. Carlos has truly had a mighty
change in heart. So happy.
Good news for our branch! We now have a full branch presidency! Our poor
branch president has been literally flying solo with one counselor for a
looooooong time. But this week they called a new first and second
counselor. The first counselor came from one of the English wards in
Everett and the new second counselor is Hermano Neri (he and his family
just got sealed last weekend). Yay for much needed changes.
After they had called and sustained the new presidency, the branch
president asked his new counselors to talk a little bit about themselves
and a principle of the gospel. Hermano Neri gave possible one of the most
simple, yet humble and powerful talks I have ever heard. He said:
"I am not capable of this calling. I am a convert of less than 2 years and
there are so many other people more experienced, capable and qualified than
I am. But I know callings come by revelation from the Lord to our leaders.
No calling is small or unimportant. Small callings bring great promises and
great promises being great blessings. I know the Lord will qualify me
because I have been called of him."
The Spirit was so strong and it just made me so happy to see another
converted member. Yay!:)
May I add my testimony to that of Hermano Neri's? I know that the Lord
qualifies those he calls!:) President Thomas S. Monson
promised, “When
we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that
whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies." I know this to be true!
Challenge: In whatever capacity you may serve in: in church, out of church,
as a student in school--whatever it may be. Remember this week that the
Lord will qualify you for whatever you are doing if you do your bast and
rely on Him to make up the difference.
Quoting Hermana Richey's favorite scripture, Phillipians 4:13: I can
do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Of this I tesitfy!
Hermana Clark