Hola mi familia y amigos!!
I made it to Mesa FINALLY! I feel so blessed and
excited to be here. I'm in love with Arizona. I was born to live here. It's my
bread and butter. Every morning I wake up to sunshine, palm trees, and the
opportunity to preach the gospel, what could be better?? I flew out of Idaho
Falls on Tuesday and then had a 4 hour layover in Salt Lake City, which is a
really long time.. and I was sitting there alone just listening to music and a
man came and sat down and I felt SO impressed to take my headphones off immediately.
So I did obviously and I had my name tag on my coat and my shirt. Being in Salt
Lake I just kinda assumed everyone knew I was a mission for the LDS church but
this man across from me was staring at me and then said, "You must be
extra special since you have two name tags." So I naively thought, Oh he's
making a mormon joke and just kinda awkwardly laughed. Then I told me I had two
in case my other one got covered by my shirt and that it was my missionary name
tag, then the most amazing thing happened, he said, "Oh what church are
you from?" Who says that? That's the most perfect conversation
starter that missionaries dream of. Well to say the least we ended up talking
for TWO HOURS. He is awesome and I felt so comforted. I'm an incredibly awkward
person and at the end of the conversation he said, "Well you are very
mature and this was very refreshing conversation, you are a great
representative of your church." How kind is that? He was an angel sent
from heaven to comfort me while I was at the airport kind of freaking out. Then
it gets even better. I got on the airplane and as I was walking past him he
gave me his card and said, "If my wife and I can do anything for you, you
just let us know!" Pretty awesome!
I got to Mesa at about 9pm and President Ellsworth came and picked me up with 2 of his kids and his wife, and then I stayed the night with Sister Javed (she's from Pakistan and was an amzing missionary) at the Nielsen's (I love them!) then I went and got to go to the meeting with all the new missionaries and met my Two companions. We're in a crazy awesome trio. Sister Newton and Mearns are awesome! Newton goes home after this transfer which is super sad but Mearns and I will have each other until the end :)
I just love Mesa. Everything about it. The sun, heat, palm trees, people, everyyything. Spanish is difficult but we teach a lot of english. We get to go to the Mesa temple Visitor's Center everyday and I couldn't ask from more in life :) We had our first baptism on Saturday for Eduardo, he's 9 and such a spiritual giant. He made us each a paper rose and said, you're giving me a gift to be baptized so I made you a gift. <insert an awwwww>
I got to Mesa at about 9pm and President Ellsworth came and picked me up with 2 of his kids and his wife, and then I stayed the night with Sister Javed (she's from Pakistan and was an amzing missionary) at the Nielsen's (I love them!) then I went and got to go to the meeting with all the new missionaries and met my Two companions. We're in a crazy awesome trio. Sister Newton and Mearns are awesome! Newton goes home after this transfer which is super sad but Mearns and I will have each other until the end :)
I just love Mesa. Everything about it. The sun, heat, palm trees, people, everyyything. Spanish is difficult but we teach a lot of english. We get to go to the Mesa temple Visitor's Center everyday and I couldn't ask from more in life :) We had our first baptism on Saturday for Eduardo, he's 9 and such a spiritual giant. He made us each a paper rose and said, you're giving me a gift to be baptized so I made you a gift. <insert an awwwww>
I love that kiddo. So much. His baptism was so spiritual and
amazing. It hasn't really hit me that i'm a missionary, but that night it
really showed me that that's what it's all about. Bringing others unto
Christ.
Eduardo's whole life changed Saturday and it felt amazing to be part of that process.
Eduardo's whole life changed Saturday and it felt amazing to be part of that process.
The gospel is true and brings the most amazing happiness. I
love being a representative of Christ and feel so blessed to have the
opportunity to preach it to the whole world (well the world in Arizona until
after my mission:)
I love you all!
I love you all!
Upward and Onward
Hermana Clark