decided it was a great teaching opportunity. I sat him down while everyone
else was changing their shoes and began to teach him the Restoration using
the pamphlet I had. We got to a picture of prophets. I asked him, "do you
know what a prophet is?" "Of course!" He exclaimed. "A profit is when you
go to work and then you get money for working!" It was funny. Definitely
made my day.
For those of you who are wondering, don't worry. We discussed the
difference between a "prophet" and a "profit" and we both agreed that a
"prophet" was much more valuable!:)
Well..this week just zipped by. We talked to a ton of people and knocked a
ton of doors, but we didn't find many people to teach. Summers can be
hard--everyone's always out of the house or busy doing something. Yay for
daily challenges! Endure to the end!!
This week we had a fun miracle!! About a year ago we were working with a
less-active named Cesar Palmas. Long story short, he must have moved and
was MIA. Yesterday, we were contacting all sorts of people because we
committed to the Lord that we would talk to whoever he put in our path. So
I started talking with a 12 year old boy and Hermana Richey and I helped
him carry his trash to the dumpster.
We found out his dad spoke Spanish, we asked if we could meet him, and he
took us right to his dad. We talked with his dad for a while and at the end
he said, "wait, you are the Mormons?" "Yes!" We replied. "I have a Mormon
that rents a room here." "He speaks Spanish?" We replied. "Yes." He said.
We thought, how could we not have known that a member lives here?
I asked what his name was.
He said, "Cesar."
"Palmas!?" I exclaimed.
"Yes, that's him!"
I was amazed. We found Cesar Palmas. Of alllllllll the places we could have
gone, and we found him there. (He moved from Lynnwood to Everett).
Yay for following the Spirit during planning and talking with everyone!
So recently I have been studying the Atonement and the Sacrament a lot so
that I can enhance my experience in renewing my covenants and taking the
Sacrament. I have been studying the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas
in the 11th chapter of 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon. My favorite verses
in the chapter are 14 and 15 which say:
*Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side,
and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my
feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the
whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world. *
*And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands
into his side, and did 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 have studied these verses and as I have done so, I have received great
insight that has enhanced my Sacrament experience.
*Arise and come forth unto me: *Although I was not present at the time the
Savior appeared and ministered to the Nephites, his invitation still
applies to each and every one of us. Perhaps I was not one of the 2,500 who
touched the Savior's physical body 2000 years ago, but He invites you and
me to partake of the emblems of his body weekly through the Sacrament. He
invites each of us to *arise* out of our comfy beds each Sunday morning and
to *come forth unto Him *as we go to His church.
*And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands
into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his
feet: *As we go forth to church and are prepared to participate in the
Sacrament ordinance, we are able to partake of the emblems of His body,
symbolically, similar to the way to Nephites did so many years ago.
My favorite part is:
*and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone
forth: *The Sacrament is an individual experience. Just as the Savior
invited the Nephites to come to him one by one, the Sacrament is extended
to each and every one of us, one by one. Just as the Nephites would have
had a few seconds alone with the Savior then, as we participate in the
Sacrament, we are able to have a few seconds alone with the Savior as well.
Do we think about the Sacrament this way? That each time the bread and
water is extended towards us, it as if the arm of the Savior is extended
toward us, inviting us to come unto him, to touch his body, and to know for
ourselves of his reality and divinity? That he doesn't want us to have to
wait to have the experience like the Nephites? It's true!
Elder Dale G. Renlund told a story in his talk last conference about
someone who came to that very realization. He said:
"When Diane was a new convert, she attended a branch outside of Johannesburg.
One Sunday, as she sat in the congregation, the layout of the chapel made it
so that the deacon did not see her as the sacrament was passed. Diane
was disappointed
but said nothing. Another member noted the omission and mentioned it
to the branch
president after the meeting. As Sunday School began, Diane was invited to an
empty classroom.
A priesthood holder came in. He knelt down, blessed some bread, and handed her
a piece. She ate it. He knelt down again and blessed some water and handed her
a small cup. She drank it. Thereafter, Diane had two thoughts in rapid
succession:
First, “Oh, he [the priesthood holder] did this just for me.” And then, *“Oh,
He [the Savior] did this just for **me.”* Diane felt Heavenly Father’s love.
Her realization that the Savior’s sacrifice was just for her helped her feel
close to Him and fueled an overwhelming desire to keep that feeling in
her heart,
not just on Sunday but every day. She realized that although she sat
in a congregation
to partake of the sacrament, the covenants she made anew each Sunday
were individually
hers. The sacrament helped—and continues to help—Diane feel the power of godly
love, recognize the Lord’s hand in her life, and draw closer to the Savior."
I know this is true! Diane is not the only person that Heavenly Father
intended to have this experience. It is available to you and me each and
every Sunday. One by one.
*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: *
Again, perhaps we did not truly see the Savior with our eyes or feel his
wounds with our hands, but we can sure *feel *the Spirit witness to us, as
it did to Diane, of the reality of our Savior, Jesus Christ, His atonement,
and individual love for each of us.
Challenge: Do something to better your Sacrament experience. It is what you
make it. Put away the phone. Center your thoughts on Christ. Close your
eyes. Study and prepare the week before. Prayerfully choose what you need
to do to enhance your weekly, one-on-one experience with the Savior.
I know that, as you do, you will feel the individual love that the Savior
his for you.
Of this I testify!
Have a great week!
Hermana Clark
We drew self-portraits for a relief society activity. Call us Hermanas
Picasso y Michelangelo;)