november 1

Why is time running away? The temperatures have officially cooled off and I can say I will probably never see another 100 day again (PHEWWWWW!). It was in the 90s the other day and it felt gross .... oh how I will NOT miss those hot summer days! We left our house this morning and it was a chilly 63! The more I live in the Crandells house the more I think I'm in Seattle. The mornings feel like a cool summer morning in Seattle. We keep the windows open. There is a little airport nearby and so we constantly are hearing little plans fly by (they're not sea planes though!) The basement smells like grandma's basement (that sounds like it'd be really gross ... typically people grandparents houses don't smell good .... I beg to differ) Last night I even had a dream that we went running (we always try to find somewhere new to run ... I get bored running the same route most of the time) and we passed Pronk's house ... in Seattle. Then I pinch myself and remember I am ON MY MISSION in MESA, ARIZONA! But yeah .... I don't know what it is ... smells, sounds, and looks like Seattle (except no pine trees ... mostly palm trees here!) OH and plus people here have boats. I am definitely glad we're not near a lake though or I'd look at it everyday wanting to go swimming.

This week felt kind of weird. Last night our district leader asked how our week was ..... I don't know ..... it's over? We are in the process of trying to look at our area and find the people who are READY to keep commitments and prepare for baptism. Right now we're working with a lot that aren't ..... which is about 99% of people. I hate to use the word weeding out .... but you can't just keep going to houses that keep letting you in. OF COURSE we are here to bless people and help them strengthen their faith in Christ but we also have the blessing of being surrounded by lots and lots and lots of members. We can all do this work together!

Something we want to try this week is share miracles. We are excited to bring more of the spirit in their home and to help them fulfill their purpose as parents, children, family, leaders, neighbors, etc.

Today and tomorrow Elder Evans of the 70 is here training our mission. We're meeting with half the mission tomorrow from 8-2. We're excited!!!!! Then Wednesday we have Zone Conference with President Ellsworth! Wahoo for being instructed by our leaders on how we can be better! I think I only have one more zone conference after this one. Yikes my time is limited. I'm excited to have these trainings now so that these last few months we can be more effective than ever!

Yesterday church was just ... awesome! We were asked to speak, all 4 of us misioneras, on la obra. 2 weeks ago we'd mentioned it was something we could do and that whole week all I could think about was church ... bringing investigators to church .... helping members see the importance of bringing people to church and helping them enjoy their experience. Needless to say, when they said, "yes we want you to speak" .... I knew what I'd be talking on. I studied a lot about the sacrament and a talk Pres. Bassett gave us a few months ago on how "el poder de la divinidad se manifiesta en las ordenanzas" (DyC 84:19-21). We went to church and had an incredible lesson on reverence by the 2nd counselor in the bishopric in RS/P. Kind of a .... we can do better .... we NEED to do better. It was good. The Spirit was felt and I think we all recognized things we can do better. I just hope the two mothers whose kids are always running up and down the aisles in Sacrament meeting weren't offended and rather took it as the branch is going to help out. I kind of worry about that one day ... how will I keep my kids reverent? Teach them, be reverent, but also be patient. It is appropriate to take them out so others can enjoy the meeting and the spirit there. I was a little nervous after that before if they were listening ... it meant they'd all be very reverent and try to listen to the sacrament talks ...... our talks?? Well, turns out it was High Councilor week and they'd forgot. We'll talk another week! He and a recently returned missionary de Guatemala spoke on the importance and great significance of la ley de diezmo. Awesome.

We went on splits this week. I was with a sister who's been a member 2 years. Her daughter (16) loves seminary. Her son got baptized just this past year but at the age of 14 is falling into inactivity. Her husband has a hard time with the word of wisdom and though recognizes the church is great, can't find the willpower to overcome an addiction. She and I were accompanied by our branch president and well as the 1st counselor in the stake presidency. What a strange night it was! Strange because we're rarely with Priesthood members .... let alone two leaders! It was SWEEEEEET though. We had an appointment with a family and we were going to go bless their home with the desire to learn of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The wife was not there however so we will return. We were left with an hour to contact people I know. We talked to everyone who passed by ... including the men hauling their budlight into the house who pretty much just mocked us. We knocked on a door of a family who is attending another spanish branch. The mother answered the door very flustered because she just had word her husband was in a car accident. Lucky for her, President Smith is an accident laywer. We began talking to her and invited her to the rama, now that she knows the branch president and Pres. Stoker of the Stake presidency. After all, the Priesthood authority keys are here in this branch. We continued talking and President Smith asked the heaven-sent question - have you received your patriarchal blessing yet? She stopped and just said ... ok .... you got me. It has been on my mind for weeks .... months .... I know I need to get it! Well, here we are, ready to help you! It was wonderful to visit with her and our leaders. The Spirit was felt, she felt loved. That's what this work is about.

We visited with Florita de la Rosa. She was offended a long time ago by a leader and since hasn't returned. We watched the Restoration movie and she immediately brought up .... why did the blacks not receive the Priesthood until 1978. She didn't accept anything we taught, but I certainly learned a lot in that 20 minutes that we discussed how our Heavenly Father loves us. I'm pretty sure nothing changed for her ... but the spirit testified to me of something I've been wondering for a long time. That's exactly how the Spirit works. I love 2 corinthians 2:14 (or 1 Corin? no recuerdo) Spiritual things can ONLY be learned by the Spirit.

Guess what? I'm 3 for 3. Jehovah's witnesses have knocked on every single house that I"ve lived in and I"ve been the one privileged to answer everytime! This time was a little different through. I was making a taco in the kitchen and heard Sis Crandell talking with men about the kingdoms. Usually they're listening to conference talks or something ... but this sounded different. My first thought was Is she .... learning about other churches??? Should .... we be living here? HAHA no the Jehovah's Witnesses were at the door and she always wants to hear the message they share. It's not that they're wrong ... they just don't have the full truth. I did testify to them about the need for a prophet to help us interpret the scriptures.

Success ... Mari Hernandez (was baptized 10 days ago ...) went Visiting Teaching this week. Booyeah! She's awesome! We're teaching Carlos .... he came to the Halloween party! Progress!!!!

I love this work! It is certainly hard. I am remembering who I represent and how it wasn't easy for Him ... so how can I expect it to be easy for me? Thanks for your examples, love, and prayers! Love always, Hermana Clark