OKAY OKAY So much has happened this week I feel like; it's just been incredible. Seriously. So many miracles, so many people, good times, everything.
 
Sister Clark and Hermana Porter
At the beginning of the week, we had exchanges! I kicked Sister Johnson out and into the Spanish area, and Hermana Porter came here with me! It was an incredible day. Started out with meeting a less active, who is super sweet and inspiring and really just needed that extra push to get to church. We're praying that we see her there this week! But the Spirit was so strong there. 

After that, we had STM by the Zone Leaders (and guess who decided to crash? President Walkenhorst and the AP's. Poor Elders must have been so nervous, but they did awesome) that was totally inspired, and totally inspiring, too. They talked all about the spiritual messages we do at members' homes, how we have that hour to bring them closer to Christ and inspire them to do missionary work.
 
So that night, we had a dinner appointment with a member, and the ZL's would be there, so we were a little nervous. We had to apply everything we learned, of course! Little did we know they'd be on exchanges, so guess who else was there? AP Ravsten. Offf Course! But it's not us who teaches, it's the Spirit, so it went so much better than we could have hoped for. We invited her to invite her friend to take the lessons, and she said yes! THEN two days later we followed up, and her friend agreed to take the lessons! IT was such a miracle, really. We're definitely looking forward to teaching her. I'll let you know how it goes. :)
 
Did some good tracting this week, too. Some good'uns (always after we offer a prayer):
 
Man: "If you let me tell you how you can be saved by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, for 30 minutes, I'll give you 5."
Me: "Only 5 minutes? Really?"
Man: "Yup."
Me: -seriously SERIOUSLY considering it, but the Spirit sad no- "How's about we leave you with a card and you can check out our website?
He said no. :)
 
Woman with incredibly pink lipstick: "OH HONEY You scared me to death, oh we're on our way to church right now, Christ the King, blahblahblah my church is so awesome blahblahblah I'm way rich k byyyyeeee!" -shuts the door-
 
16-17 year old girl prays with us, is definitely wanting to take the lessons, and then dad comes out and shuts us down. Kindly. But it was an almost miracle!
 
Me: "Have you heard of us before? What do you know?"
Man in polo AND cardigan holding a tiny dog: "I know how you differ from Christianity."
Me: "What? Really? How so?"
Man: "Uhhh"
Me: "We believe in Jesus Christ, He died for our sins."
Man: "Are you gonna pray or what?"
 
Nonah and Carl: Nonah opens the door (she's pretty old) and her dogs try to escape; one gets out and she starts grumbling and gets all flustered cause she's "gon hafta chase him down and get the car" so I run after this dog and coax him back into the house, meanwhile, she asks Sis J: "WHADDAYA WANT?" "We want to pray with you!" So she invited us in. She introduced us to her husband, Carl, and to her son Mark (who looked as old as her but was a little lighter on his feet). Carl and Nonah came into the kitchen and asked Mark to join us. He marched off, yelling, and none of us could understand him. "What did he say?" Nonah asked me. I shrugged.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" 
"I'M CATHOLIC!" 
"HUH?" 
(Me:) "I think he said he's Catholic." 
"What? YOU AIN'T NEVER SET FOOT IN NO CATHOLIC CHURCH YOUR WHOLE LIFE!"
So then we prayed with them. It was a lovely little prayer, the Spirit was strong and Nonah cried. We gave them a book of Mormon, and they said they'd read it. Carl told us he'd been given one years ago as well.
So then I gave Nonah a hug, and Carl wanted one too, and we just couldn't say no, they were so cute and old! It was an old grandpa hug - he smelled like smoke and his big mustache whiskers scratched my head. Then Nonah says, "he likes to hug all the pretty girls, and I let him." It was so sweet and a great experience.

OH AND BILL! Bill told us all about his life, flying dive bombers in Korea, his beautiful wife that passed away 3 1/2 years ago (he showed us a picture, saying, "let me show you why I fell in love with her the first time I saw her.") It was so sweet, and he took the Book of Mormon like it was a precious gift. I love it when that happens - so often people reject it, or look at it like it's Propaganda or something, so when people accept it for what it is, it's a very Spiritual experience for me.
 
Sis. Johnson and Sis. Clark at the Zoo
We went to the Zoo for PDAY yesterday! So that was super fun. It was really crowded because it was a free day, but it was awesome. It's always good to do something against the norm, you know?

A Couple of Strange Flamingos!
Something else interesting this week that I realized. When I was on exchanges with Sister Porter, we had a good talk about the things going on in our lives, and she kept saying, "I'm sooo sorry!" and "That must be SO HARD for you!" But I don't feel sad, I don't feel bad, and I don't feel sorry. I really don't think my life is difficult or that hard, because I just feel so blessed. I'm happier than I've ever been. So when she said that, it took me by surprise. I just know that all of these "horrible trials" are blessing me and everyone they affect, and I'm not worried because God knows what He's doing, so I just need to give my all and He'll take care of everything else. I know I won't be happy all the time, but I know I can be most of the time because God put us here to be happy in the first place! I know that the only reason I have this attitude is because of constant prayer and scripture study, and being in the work of God. I just feel so blessed. I have a testimony of the promise that God won't necessarily take away our trials, but often just makes us strong enough to handle them. (Mosiah 24:15) I'm living this!
 
I feel like I'm forgetting something.... but maybe not. There are so many good things in this world, and I love being able to see them. People are incredible. God is, too, so much more so. I read Mosiah 4 this morning - try and read that today. It talks all about the nature of God, and I love it, and I know it's true.

I love you! The Church is true so go tell everyone about it!
 
Love, Sister Clark
 
p.s. At the zoo, we were kinda famous, and kinda steered away from. It was weird. We had a lot of Mormons come up and talk to us. And we had a few snide remarks, like "Hey, let's get out of here before they try to give us a Book of Mormon!" I was humbled and grateful that not a single of the missionaries had a retort or a single bad thing to say about them.

AFTER
BEFORE

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
p.p.s. CHOPPED OF MAH HAIR! It's super short and I love it!