February 13, 2012

Well Hello!

This week has been just lovely, we have been teaching Tabby (9 year old girl) and she is set for baptism! woot woot! She will be baptized this Saturday. My companion (Banks) and I are going to go to Goodwill today and buy her a Baptism Dress! She came to church with us yesterday, she smiled the whole time! Her grandmother also came- she is inactive but has the desire to come back to church. They have a son who is in a wheelchair- he has Hepatitus C, he's had 2 hearts, a kidney, and a lung all put into him. He's pretty much a miracle. The family is super neat though. We are so excited for Tabby's Baptism on Saturday!

We are also teaching this lady named Dorene- she is a way  bad alcoholic and is also addicted to cigarettes. I love her so much it's unreal. Her house is so trashed, so messy, and smells like a casino- but her smile is contagious. It's hard going into her home sometimes, but we say a prayer that we will be able to handle it- and we always do :)

She believes in the church, she knows it is true- she just is having a hard time with the Word of Wisdom. We got her information to do a Detox program at the hospital, she is supposed to call this week! We went over to visit her last night and she had a friend over. Her friends name is Courtney, she is 29 and So So depressed. It was so hard seeing somebody so sad. If anyone needs the gospel, it's courtney.

She lost her brother in a car accident a few years ago, and has blamed God ever since. She is craving happiness so bad, she kept asking us funny questions about stereotypes on mormons. It was so awesome to see her say that we were "the prettiest, most normal people she has ever met".

She is a big drug addict- her ex boyfriend actually showed up at the house when we were there. He stood outside waiting for her, we said a prayer that he would leave- I turned to my companion and said "let's go talk to him".... she looked at me and said "are you kidding me?" and I was like "Banks... we need to go talk to him". So we walked outside, approached him, asked him (very politely) if he would leave.

He looked at us, asked us who we were and why we wore a nametag- we explained that we were missionaries. He said that he watched a documentary on Mormon Missionaries one time, he said that he admired us for the devotion we have to our church... I said "thanks, but before you leave- do you want a Book of Mormon?" he took one, and left.

It's so funny how ever since I have been out here, you learn to immediately love EVERYONE. EVERYONE!!! I will see a person in the street and I'll be like "oh my goodness, I love them, they need the gospel" and we will then pull over and share a message with them.

I have never been more confident in sharing the Gospel. It's so funny how the spirit will just be like "amy, go talk to them" and I'll be like "what the heck spirit?! what should I say?!" and the spirit will be like "amy, just go" .. and next thing you know, my mouth is filled with words.

It's so hard to describe! I wish I could explain it better!

I just love that the spirit is so strong when you are on your mission. It's so awesome to just follow the smallest voice of the spirit- it has lead us to SO many incredible people. Our days are full of people saying "I'm so glad you came today" it is AWESOME!!!!!

The ward I am in is fantastic! Everyone is so nice and so helpful! they help out with missionary work so much, it is AWESOME!

We are also teaching this lady named Tiffany- she is 26, and going through a divorce. Her husband was mean, very very mean to her. He is currently over seas with the millitary. She has been taking the discussions for about a month- yet she wouldn't get baptized. She knows it's true, she was having a hard time with Joseph Smith and the fact that her parent's wouldn't be at the baptism.

The first night I met her, I told her about my trip to Palmyra- I shared with her how I felt and my thoughts on Joseph Smith. She said "I just wish I could know for myself that he is real" I turned to her and said "let's do it... let's say a prayer right now." I told her that I was confident that she would get an answer during our prayer. my poor companion.. my poor poor companion hahaha she turned to me and said "Sister Clement, are you SURE you want to do this?" and I said "I honestly am not, but the spirit says we have to" she couldn't argue with that.

We kneeled down, and Tiffany began to pray...

I have never in my life been more sure of Joseph Smith. I know that he restored the one and only true church here on the earth today. I know without a doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the Sacred Grove.

My testimony grew so much that night- It's funny how in the end your investigators are the one teaching you.

Anywho- I love you all!!!!! Please take comfort in knowing that I am in the Lords hands- he may be putting me in some scary/interesting circumstances- but I will ALWAYS be taken care of! I love you all!

Sister Clement