I feel so so blessed. Like, I have cried so many times FOR JOY in the last week.
Okay, first of all. I LOVE my companion, and I feel so so very grateful to be with her for another change. That was definitely God-inspired. I feel so grateful to be in Puno where the work is flying, with a companion that does her best to keep up with it, and is flying right alongside it. It is seriously the biggest blessing.
I am also so happy and grateful (It also made me cry when she called and told me on the phone) that Hermana Bingham, from my group will go train and open sector in Quillabamba, in my dear sector that I spent 6 changes in, La Granja 2. That is craycray, and seriously such a blessing.
I know this work is real, and true, and I LOVE IT. Last night, we set a date with Solina, a devout Adventista, and I felt the spirit so strong tell me to "be bold". We invited her for the 24th, but she will be out of town, so she is getting baptized on the 28th of June, a Wednesday, which is a little strange, but we are SO determined to get her in white, and last night, the spirit in the room and in the lesson made it happen. Our Bishop accompanied us, along with his wife, and they are THE BEST. Seriously, Bishop throws some serious fire, but with a whole lotta love. THAT is how member missionary work should get done. It was awesome.
Juan, our convert is doing good. He came to church this sunday, but a little too late to pass the sacrament. Poor guy was a little bummed, but he'll get to pass it next week. :)
We did an activity this week, una "busqueda de tesoro",(scavenger hunt) for a Mission Night, where we get together with the ward, and they invite their friends, and we play games, and share a message about the gospel. Investigators, recent converts, and members came, and they were in 3 teams. We hid clues around the church, and labeled different classrooms different names of cities in the Book of Mormon, and then the scriptures led them to different towns on their "journey". The very last clue led them to the chapel, which had a sign that said "eternal life". We talked about how the scriptures are our guide, how they are the "barra de hierro" that lead us back to our Heavenly Father's presence. There were also some who cheated in the game, and who tried to enter without having all 12 of the clues that we hid, and we later explained how there are requirements to be able to live with God again, how not everyone will be let in, because it will depend on how firmly we grasped the iron rod the whole way, or in other words, how faithful and enduring we were to the very end. Sure, we are saved by grace, but we should also be changed by grace, and that means that our bad habits should be made into good ones in this life, and that we should follow the example of the Savior seriously, with a heart converted to Him.
It was a really good experience. I love this ward, I really do.
Sports are just so God-inspired, you know what I mean? I was thinking about soccer this week (because we play a lot of that here) and just like any sport, you have to have good form. When you shoot a basket and you miss, there was something a little off with your form. Gotta bend your knees more, gotta follow throw, etc. When you swing a bat, TAMBIEN, gotta have good form, or you’re gonna strike out everytime. I was thinking about that with life, and how sometimes in life, we shoot for the stars, we throw the ball out, but we miss our goals and dreams, and the ball sometimes doesn’t even touch the rim. In those situations, it’s really important to ALSO analyze our form. What am I missing? What am I maybe not doing exactly right?
I am also so happy and grateful (It also made me cry when she called and told me on the phone) that Hermana Bingham, from my group will go train and open sector in Quillabamba, in my dear sector that I spent 6 changes in, La Granja 2. That is craycray, and seriously such a blessing.
I know this work is real, and true, and I LOVE IT. Last night, we set a date with Solina, a devout Adventista, and I felt the spirit so strong tell me to "be bold". We invited her for the 24th, but she will be out of town, so she is getting baptized on the 28th of June, a Wednesday, which is a little strange, but we are SO determined to get her in white, and last night, the spirit in the room and in the lesson made it happen. Our Bishop accompanied us, along with his wife, and they are THE BEST. Seriously, Bishop throws some serious fire, but with a whole lotta love. THAT is how member missionary work should get done. It was awesome.
Juan, our convert is doing good. He came to church this sunday, but a little too late to pass the sacrament. Poor guy was a little bummed, but he'll get to pass it next week. :)
We did an activity this week, una "busqueda de tesoro",(scavenger hunt) for a Mission Night, where we get together with the ward, and they invite their friends, and we play games, and share a message about the gospel. Investigators, recent converts, and members came, and they were in 3 teams. We hid clues around the church, and labeled different classrooms different names of cities in the Book of Mormon, and then the scriptures led them to different towns on their "journey". The very last clue led them to the chapel, which had a sign that said "eternal life". We talked about how the scriptures are our guide, how they are the "barra de hierro" that lead us back to our Heavenly Father's presence. There were also some who cheated in the game, and who tried to enter without having all 12 of the clues that we hid, and we later explained how there are requirements to be able to live with God again, how not everyone will be let in, because it will depend on how firmly we grasped the iron rod the whole way, or in other words, how faithful and enduring we were to the very end. Sure, we are saved by grace, but we should also be changed by grace, and that means that our bad habits should be made into good ones in this life, and that we should follow the example of the Savior seriously, with a heart converted to Him.
It was a really good experience. I love this ward, I really do.
Sports are just so God-inspired, you know what I mean? I was thinking about soccer this week (because we play a lot of that here) and just like any sport, you have to have good form. When you shoot a basket and you miss, there was something a little off with your form. Gotta bend your knees more, gotta follow throw, etc. When you swing a bat, TAMBIEN, gotta have good form, or you’re gonna strike out everytime. I was thinking about that with life, and how sometimes in life, we shoot for the stars, we throw the ball out, but we miss our goals and dreams, and the ball sometimes doesn’t even touch the rim. In those situations, it’s really important to ALSO analyze our form. What am I missing? What am I maybe not doing exactly right?
Those things could be keeping the Sabbath day holy, a more effective study of the scriptures (or if you aren’t studying, just a study in general), being kinder to your family member, more patience, etc. Ask yourself, “what’s wrong with my form?”
That being said, I hope you all have a great week, and especially now that it’s summer, start new with good habits.
You all are the best, I am so grateful for you!!
Love you lots and lots,
Hermana Clark
PS I’m sorry to all those that I haven’t written back. My time is running out here, and I’ll see you all by the end of the summer. (THAT’S crazy) Love you all!
Me and my bff. We have another transfer together, and THAT is a tender mercy of the Lord if I've ever heard of one.
The zone, last pic together, because SO many have changes.
We went to the muelle (the docks) and they are seriously so beautiful.
