December 1 - Temple Lights are Up!

Hermana Ghan, Fransisco, Carlos, and Hermana Clark at the Mesa Temple

Hola todos! Mesa is officially lit up by the temple lights that started the day after Thanksgiving! We get to go there once or twice a week from 6pm-10pm and talk to people and answer any questions and such. We live so close to the temple we are also able to go with some of our investigators! We have two investigators, named Fransisco and Carlos. They are both very excited to get baptized on December 26.  Carlos this week stunned us in telling us he got off work on Sunday and was able to come to church! We've been teaching them for a month and a half and this was the first time he was able to come!  The lights are stunning. It reminds me when we would go to the Washington DC temple and see the lights. As a child I didn't understand why I absolutely loved them so much. Now I understand it's because it was the feeling of the spirit while walking on the temple grounds.

We have another investigator named Fransisco who is a miracle. He has been diagnosed with a debilitating disease and is in his mid20s/early 30s.  He does not know how many days he has left and recognizes something he wants in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He can only be in his wheel chair for about 4 hours a day.  We taught him a very brief lesson this week and invited him to church. He was able to stay for 2 hours (half his entire time each day).  We are very excited to teach him more and see his life (this one and the next one) be blessed forever by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Oh, sorry about not saying where I am. I am serving IN MESA. My area is called the Liahona 4th East area. (We're in the Liahona 4th ward).  We cover a long skinny area mostly in the Mesa Central Stake. Most of our investigators/members are towards the very south of our area so we rarely go up north.  This week we did go to "our little town up north" that seems to be in the middle of nowhere, like its own little island. We knocked on some doors and very few people had any interest in hearing what we had to say. As a missionary, I definitely get to see the consequences (that word does not only mean bad) of God's gift of agency. It is one of the greatest gifts here on earth.

Most mornings we do our exercise in a cemetery and run around in circles. It is very interesting to be in a cemetery every morning right as the sun is coming up. Very humbling to realize how precious this life is and how important it is to tell those we love how much they mean to us. It's also nice to use the body that I have and get some exercise!

What else? Spanish ... is coming along. Working at the temple is fun becuase we are paired up with an English Sister so I talk to anyone who speaks Spanish!

Last night we made some study journals to help some recent converts write their feelings about what they read in the scriptures. It is fun to use whatever resources we have to help others in the ward.  The ward is great and very welcoming to a new Hermana who barely knows Spanish!

Que mas? We have many funny moments during the days. We were sitting with some former investigators in their home and had just eaten dinner with another family.  The food is delicious, though I do look forward to eating mexican food ... right now we're only with English speaking families. Anyway ... you never know how you're stomach is going to weather certain foods but what is put infront of us we eat (and love!) Anyway, we're sitting with this family and one of our stomachs rumbled. LOUD. The woman we were talking to started to get up from her seat and asked her husband "do you have something on the stove?" Oh man we laughed so hard after that! Hahaha It is so funny how the littlest things make us laugh and keep us entertained.

The work is hard and wonderful. I have been studying the conference talks and just loving them. We studied "Love and Law" by Elder Oaks last week and couldn't get enough of it. It applied to so many situations right now with investigators. Every night we go to bed exhausted. We are being given extra strength. It is a huge blessing.

Hna Ghan is such a great example to me! Oh ... Thanksgiving. We made sure to only have one dinner and it was plenty! Yummm! That morning we played ultimate and basketball and volleyball with lots of other missionaries. Fun to meet so many and play in the sun!

Last but not least I will tell you how we got here. Usually we drive, but the Elders were borrowing our car so we had their bikes. Hna Ghan's is ... a normal bike ... you know ... brakes, gears ... what not. The one I have is a trick bike. Pegs. And definitely no brakes. I'll take a picture for next week. Hilarious to ride, especially as a missionary.

Anyway, time is up. I love you all! I'm glad the family had a wonderful thanksgiving all together! Love love love! Thank you for your prayers and letters of encouragement!

Love always, Hermana Clark