You
think it'd be nice to chill in our apartment and relax a little, but I
didn't realize how much I loved getting out and doing the Lord's work
till it was gone!
It
has, however, been a great time to do some self-evaluation and
recognize the things that I need to work on. It's been humbling to see
where my strengths and weaknesses lie. I think I'll be studying the
"Christlike Attributes" chapter in PMG for the rest of my life. I'm so
grateful for the ability we have to change.
JUST A SIDE NOTE:
I
AM A FLICKERBALL CHAMPION. Yep, I said it. And when I say that, I
really just mean that I'm getting better. But I am! I'm better at catching
and throwing and DEFINITELY MADE LIKE 3 BASKETS... WHAAAAA?! I'm a baller.
Also I caught a FAR throw (after dropping a couple) AND caught while I
was running. I still scream a lot when I'm playing but it's whatevs. :) I
LOVE SPORTS. . . . WHATTTT??!!??!!
So
we have a new investigator! We went over to the Thackers for dinner on
Monday, in what we call "Way-the-heck-out-there." After we got back we
only had 8 miles left for the month... but it was worth it. They are a
hilarious duo - cliche, bickering married couple, you know? Brother
Thacker isn't a member - he belongs to the Church of Christ. But Sister
Thacker is an endowed member and is in the RS presidency! They've been married
36 years. One of these days we'll get him to the waters of baptism. :)
He's pretty rough around the edges, but we can tell he likes us a lot.
We're gonna read the BOM with him and that will soften his heart! He
comes to church every week, to support his wife, but comes in jeans to show
that he's not a member. He asked us something about the "Looner
Schooner...." apparently it's like a space ship that's going to pick up
all the Mormons and take us to heaven. S. Thacker thinks he's just
making it up. :D
OH
HALLOWEEN WAS AWESOME. Weird day, but awesome. We had no miles left for the month, so we
rode our bikes up to Sonic (Halloween means 50 cent corndogs. YESSS) and then
we were grounded at 5 pm, so we just dressed up like Sister missionaries...
as foxes and lions and renaissance and dolls and Miranda Sings (who is
apparently a youtube sensation??). The Tuckers all came by to drop off
dinner to us which was SO NICE, and Eloise (my favorite 5 year old ever, also a whovian; we're best friends) loved our costumes. :)
Unfortunately she was our only trick-or-treater for the night... but
that means more caramel-apple suckers for me!
So Friday was
an awesome day too. At District Meeting, we walked in and there was all
sorts of contention in the room. It was really just rude jokes back and
forth between all the Elders, but everyone was kinda grouchy and snappy
and things. So District meeting turned into District inventory, a good
honest one like my companionship had a couple weeks ago. We talked about
each others weaknesses, and also about all the strengths (I'm pretty
sure my district is super weird and no one does this, but it was much
needed!).
The
weakness mentioned for me was one that I'm already trying to work on,
but it needed to be reiterated. Basically and very nicely, Elder Buhler
told me that I don't always need to be right, and everyone else agreed.
Which is definitely true. He said something to the extent of "We can
only learn when we're humble." I'm so glad I'm surrounded by
missionaries who all want to be better and we want to help each other
become better too. Humility is the main Christlike Attribute I'm working
on this week. Not in that I think I'm better than everyone else,
because I definitely don't, but I'm not looking outside myself and
forgetting myself in the work.
I did have a
good laugh to myself about it though, because of our family motto... "I
don't always have to be right... and Chelsea is always wrong" heeheehee
:)
They
had some really nice strengths for me too, and it was good to hear. Some
of the ones that struck me the most were that I've grown, A LOT, and
I'm really good at applying the things I learn (from E. Tripp), and that
I'm strong (from E. Winterton). He told me he could tell that I've been
through a lot and had to make plenty of changes to get where I am
today. I really appreciated those.
Also, on Friday, we had exchanges! Sister Main came
to our area and my companions went to Sister Pfister's area. IT WAS
AWESOME, we went out and went to work! Some highlights of the lovely
people that live on Poppy Lane...
- Old lady: "Well I'm Christian, uh, so I'm busy!"
- Little girl: "Uh, can you come back later?" and then walking away Sis Main: "Little does she know that when they say that WE ACTUALLY COME BACK hahaha"
- Woman: "I'm breastfeeding. Now's not a good time."
- Colin: -flips out thick long red hair so it will flow lusciously in the wind- "Well, you can pray for my brother, but not with me!" (he looked like Ryan... haha)
- Woman in bathrobe: "WHELP! I'm getting ready for the Philharmonic so I'm just getting out of the shower and we're an Atheist family but come back whenever bye!!"
- Star Trek Shirt Guy: "I'm... uh... kinda... uh... Atheist.
The
best one, though, was when we were out in the boonies driving back and
forth trying to find a less active member's house, and we didn't know
where to go or what to do because we just couldn't find it! It was like
8:30 at night. So we said a prayer, and were both drawn to this house
out in the middle of nowhere to ask directions and offer a prayer. We
were both scared of getting a shotgun pulled on us, or dogs let loose on us, or
something! But we were brave because the Spirit told us to go, so we
knocked on the door. He was super skeptical at first "Uh, can I help
you?" And we were like, "yeah, actually! We can't find this house, can
you give us directions?" and then he was like "OH! Of course!" and then
he gave us really bad directions, but told us we could come back anytime
for questions or directions. We gave him a card cause he didn't want a
prayer, but we're definitely going to go back sometime and return the
favor by giving him directions for his salvation. :) Hahaha it was
awesome. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
Sunday was wonderful too. We taught the gospel
principles lesson and even though we didn't have any investigators
there, it was a good discussion. A little weird because we were talking
about eternal marriage. In the end it kinda turned into the Tuckers and
the Gosneys giving us advice on choosing an eternal companion. It was
great, if a little awkward because we're missionaries! But Brother
Tucker mentioned how when you're on your mission, you get to find out a
lot of the qualities you do and don't want in a spouse, just because
you're with your companion 24/7 and you can find out what things are
deal breakers for you, and what qualities you admire and things like
that.
Then we had a short lesson with the Jingozians, too!
They told us they didn't have time because they were trying to sell
things, but they let us have ten minutes so we taught an introductory
lesson to the plan of salvation. We really feel like they need to know
of their divine nature. "You have to know Whose you are to know who you
are!"
 |
| Oklahoma City Temple |
Sister Hannah organized a pie social for Sunday night
that was really successful. Everyone brought pies and had a great time!
We played "get-to-know-you-bingo" and it was super funny. One sister can
say Supercalifrajwhatever backwards like a pro and apparently Bishop
Balkman grew up in Ferris Buhler's house (the one in the movie)!
Annnnnddd we went home with like 5 and a half pies. Oooh man! But we did
give one to the Jingozians last night because they weren't able to make
it, and they were happy about that, and we'll take one to the Feasels
tonight.
GUESS WHO'S GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY??! GABRIEL!
I know he's not our investigator anymore, but I'm so excited and we are
definitely going to be there. :) I'm so happy for him. He keeps talking
about how he's excited to be the first member in his family and such,
and he's just solid. I'm grateful that Elders Ravsten and Traasdahl took
over because that was definitely inspired. :)
So I think I'm
getting transferred. I'm not training, because training calls were on
Saturday and I didn't get one (whew!) but we all just kinda have the
feeling that I am. So I don't really know what's going to happen because
no one ever does, but if I am transferred, it will be nice. I think I
need a change. And I just feel like maybe I'm not needed in Norman any
more, and I don't know if I need Norman anymore either. But we'll see!
I'll definitely know by my next letter!
I
love you all so much. My testimony grows every day. I just finished the
Book of Mormon - only my second time reading through. I'm excited to
start again because I learn SO MUCH. The prophets in the Book of Mormon
and in the latter days, plus many others, have sacrificed incredibly -
their lives even - that we could have their record to help us in our
day. I know without a doubt that it's the word of God. If you haven't
read it, please do! And ask Heavenly Father to know if it's true or not.
He will answer your prayers because He loves you so much.
Love,
Sister Clark
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