october 5 conference

Conference was incredible. If I had to put a picture to Conference it would be a large perfectly spherical (I don't think that's a word .... hopefully you get the point) metal ball. It was smooth, it was simple, the basics, the CORE. Pretty much everything talked about the things we teach about. Lots and lots about prophets. I loved the talk by Elder Oaks (maybe?) about two lines of communication. That is what people have issues with. "God is with me ... why do I need a prophet" Oh Conference was just wonderful. It just seemed so simple and pure. Bold and powerful. Though I still have some talks to finish from last conference, I can't wait to read these again! Watching conference now with families and such reminds me of how grateful I am to live in a time like this. How grateful I am we can watch them later, read them. It really provides a way that EVERYONE has access to these messages from a prophet from God. I just think of one day having kids and they will not have patience to watch conference .... but that's ok. I love conference, I always have, ever since Camey Hadlock shared her thoughts on it when I was in YW and I always wondered WHY she liked it so much! Wahoo!

There is an apartment complex we're in a lot named San Fernando. Nice apartemtns (in comparison to my other area .... the 2nd lowest rent in Mesa) and lots of people that speak spanish. We knocked on a door of a man we met one night as he came home from work. He was so excited to meet two missionaries that were girls, talking about la palabra de Dios. Unfortunately they weren't there for the appointment last week, but we found them this week and taught them! They are such a great family! One thing we worked this week in training was inviting the head of the household to offer the pray at the end, kneeling. An act of love of God. Most people resist, but oh how much love was in this home! This family, Carlos, Paty, Carla, Angela! In this area we do much better at finding/teaching/baptizing families! Oh what joy to see a family learning about God's ways! Last night we also finally taught a family about prayer and the power of the Book of Mormon. The mom might have been baptized when she was 8 in Mexico. Last night though they were so excited to say a family prayer every night and read the Book of Mormon! We left soooo excited for them!!! Oh man! The gospel is amazing to see how God knows each of His children and wants them to be happy. There's no getting around that!

We stoped to talk to a man yesterday and he started asking us, "when the Mormon church treats women as equals, that's when you can come talk to me." I was really confused how he, a man, could talk to me about how the church that I belong to, treats women wrong and unequally. His comment was, "look at the news" Oh my heart hurt. Where do we look for truth? I certainly hope it is not the news. I have a feeling he is confusing us the polygamist but possibly with the notion of women working in the home. Oh my heart hurt. I pray that people learn truths from God - the Holy Ghost; his servants, the prophets, those with authority to teach; and not from any other source. Yikes. The world has so much evil and yuck in it. No thank you. I think of one of the homes in my last area (granted ... pretty much every home is like this ... but one home especially). The home just felt like burdens were lifted. The Spirit was there. I don't know if it was becasue of what was said .... but that home is such a refuge and safe haven! That's how I always want my home .... even if it's a little apartment somewhere!

We are searching for a lot of menos activos right night and it is so sad to hear of their stories of things getting too hard. Our hearts just sink. Sin is disobedience and distances us from God. I want to be close to God!

We had Zone Development Meeting (while we're having interviews) and it is so great to hear missionaries testimonies and experiences of what worked. Ultimately it's the Spirit. You can never say, "this worked before so it'll work again" from your head. If you think of it by the Spirit, it'll work. Anything from the Spirit will work ... even if at first it doesn't seem so. Joy is a feeling of the spirit!

Better run to play miniature golf. Reminds me of a time I was on a date and something funny happened .... and it was really funny. I think you can guess the rest of the story :)

Love you all! So happy to hear things are going well! Mom and Dad, you're awesome! Mackenzie and Spencer .... I love your little family! I hope it's not too cold yet and December will come soon enough with news of schools! Abby you rock my world! Love you love you! Hermana Clark