Thanks so much for the emails! I loved every single one of them! Well, miracles are happening here in Santa Cruz. This week we have focused on really talking to everyone. And one night we were contacting people in the street, and everyone was rejecting us. And my comp asked, "What am I doing wrong? Why doesn't anyone want to listen to us?" I reassured her that we weren't doing anything wrong! And that one time Hermana Willard told us that we needed to talk to everyone, even if no one was listening because Heavenly Father sees our efforts and blesses us for them. And then the very next people to come along was a family. We contacted them, and they were very excited to have an appointment with us. We have one this Tuesday! We also taught our neighbors last night, another family, and as we taught the Restoration, they were so surprised and excited to hear about living prophets and apostles. I can feel more than ever that Heavenly Father is preparing His children to hear this glad message.
Something funny someone asked me yesterday was, "How do you say 'no' in English??" And I said,".....no...." Haha and I asked my comp her favorite word in English and she said it's "Slay him!" I asked why and she said because she was reading the Book of Mormon and it says that Nephi needs to slay Laban! And the Spirit says, "Slay him!" She's so awesome. I love my companion more and more everyday. I don't think she realizes how much she blesses my life. :)
Well I was studying a talk this week that I printed out from the devotional for the single adults or something and it was a really awesome talk!! It's called "Living With Purpose: The Importance of Real Intent." There was this story about the "Parable of the Oranges" that I loved so much. I'll try to summarize it.. There was a young man who worked for a company. He wanted to receive a higher wage and position so everyday he came in early and stayed late so his boss would see him putting in long hours. After five years, the position became available, but to the young man's dismay, another employee, who had only worked for the company for six months was given the job. The young man angrily went to his boss to ask him about it. His boss said, "Before I answer your question, would you do me a favor?" The young man agreed. "Go to the store and buy some oranges for my wife." The young man went, and came back with the oranges. The boss asked, "What kind of oranges did you buy?" And the young man said, "Well, I'm not sure. You just said to buy some oranges, so here they are." And his boss said, "And how much were they?" And the young man said, "I don't know, you gave me $30, here is your change and the receipt." Then the boss called the young man into the office who got the promotion, and asked him to go to the store to buy some oranges for his wife. When the other young man came back to the office, his boss asked, "What kind of oranges did you buy?" And the young man said, "Well there were many varieties, so I called your wife to see what she needed them for and how many she needed. She told me that she wanted to make orange juice for a group of 60 people. So I asked the grocery worker what kind was best for orange juice and bought those." "And how much were they?" "Well, I asked if there was a discount for buying so many, and there was! Instead of 75 cents for every orange it was 50 cents! Here is your change!" You might say one was more efficient or careful to detail, but the most important difference had to do with real intent rather than just going through the motions. And that is what is important! Are we just going through the motions as we read our scriptures, or praying, or partake of the sacrament? Or are we doing these things with real intent? Diligently search the scriptures, fervently pray to our Father in Heaven, and worthily partake of the Sacrament every Sunday. And that is what we must do! I love you all so much! Keep being amazing, and searching for ways to share this wonderful gospel!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Clark
