I only have a few minutes this week to write, but I will give a little
update!!
I am currently serving in the Sky Valley Branch in Monroe! I love it here!
I have been here on many exchanges, so it is fun to actually be serving
here! It is teeeeeeny tiny and up in the mountains almost. It's sooooo
beautiful. LOVE IT.
My new companion is Hermana Blake--I am finishing her training. Hermana
Jensen and Fifita (who left last transfer) trained her first half and now I
am finishing her training before I leave...poor girl has never had a
constant companion who stays...but she's great! I love her! She's 21...I
believe and she's from St. George, Utah. She is super chill. I love it!
So we got to the area and she says...ok so we are going to be busy. We have
a baptism this Sunday and all we know is that it's Saturday at 5...how do
you set up a baptism? So we spent 3 days running around like crazy trying
to arrange a baptism without knowing basically anyone or anything...but it
all worked out. Wahoo.
They also dropped like all their investigators right before I came...and
then I came and met a few people and we dropped them too because they
really weren't investigating...so we basically have no one now. With the
baptism over, we are onto finding, finding, finding. We have big hopes for
this transfer. Should be fun!! It'll be hard, but we got this!!
Miracle this week...other than actually getting the baptism and
confirmation all arranged and good, was on Sunday. I fasted that we could
at least find one person that Sunday who was prepared. In branch council
that morning someone had shared how we should all try to start by making
lists of common beliefs to establish trust with people, then try to share
the gospel.
Fast-forward.
We went to go see a less-active and that person who answered the door was
someone we had never met before. He talked to us a little and explained
that he was the boyfriend of the older sister of the less active member.
We asked if he had met with missionaries before and he said no and that he
was Muslim. Right as he thought that, the comment made by one of the
brothers in branch council came to mind: first make a list of
commonalities, then testify of truth.
So I quickly said, great!! We are actually making a list of common beliefs
we have with others, could you share some of your beliefs with us? We had a
great conversation and had a good list of common beliefs: belief in God,
respect for women, importance of prayer, and chastity. In talking about
these things, he opened up to us and explained that he himself had many
doubts and questions. He was raised Muslim, but wasn't active at all. He
expressed a desire to know the truth--especially about the
importance/non-importance of Jesus Christ.
We were able to share with him the Restoration and a Book of Mormon and he
received it all gratefully. He is excited to read and learn more.
Maybe he wasn't a prepared person for the Sky Valley Spanish branch, but he
was for sure the prepared person that I fasted for! Perhaps I should fast
more specifically next time...haha kidding! Heavenly Father has a perfect
plan!
Challenge: Find a friend or someone of another faith, make a list of
commonalities, and then testify of restored truth!:)
I know as we do this, Heavenly Father will prepare ways for us to share the
gospel and will prepare the hearts of people to accept!
Have a great week!
Hermana Clark