Hän oli kuolemaisillaan kahdeksan kertaa (He was about to die 8 times)

Hi Family :) This has been a really great week for me. I felt really blessed to be reminded of the importance of humility. One way humility is defined in Preach my Gospel is putting things of the world above things of God. To me that means we shouldn't put our strengths above the things of God, but also we should not put our weaknesses above the things of God. I felt a lot more peace as I strived to boldly talk to people and teach despite my own weaknesses remembering the promised power that we as missionaries have from our Heavenly Father. I'm really grateful that we can continually learn while on missions and in our lives because I think I need to relearn this (and much more) many times. 

This week has surprisingly been really warm (around 1 or -1) and wet. But now it is getting cold again and snowing....everything is ice. haha we walk like little 87 year old women every where. I gave a ten minute talk in sacrament meeting this last week. It went alright considering that I didn't have enough time to really write it out super well. We taught our recent convert more about priesthood and asked him to prepare to receive it and he humbly responded, obviously a little intimidated by it, well if it means that I can serve and bless people, then yes. (all of his answers and thoughts are always so great :)) Also, this week we found a new investigator street contacting and were able to meet him later in the week. He and his girlfriend were both there for the lesson. We learned that this man has almost died 8 times from drug overdose and has tried to quit 5 times. He is only about 20 years old. Him and his girlfriend were obviously heavily addicted to smoking and alcohol (but has been dry from above mentioned drugs for 2 months) and were shaking pretty badly when they weren't smoking during our lesson. It is pretty hard and scary to see. They don't have much religious background at all, but seem to just be grasping for something steady in there life. We are praying really hard for them. Seeing there situation really just makes me grateful for my life. Wow, suddenly all my "problems" become so much smaller.

I'm so grateful for this blessed opportunity and I'm so grateful for the Lords help in this week. I love you all and hope you have a good week :)

-Sisar Clark

Kaste ja Revontulet! (Baptism and the Northern Lights!)

Hey Fam! This week was definitely one for the books! First off, our baptism and confirmation went so well! The ward was so supportive and helpful and have just taken our recent convert under their wings. The biggest blessing for me this whole week was seeing how happy he is now! He truly has a light in his eyes and the spirit with him. It brings so much joy to hear him share his thoughts and testimony about how he has received his testimony of Joseph Smith. Wow! He will always be someone very dear to my heart and to my mission. 

Secondly, after a spirit filled and wonderful world wide missionary broadcast (which we ended up watching in Kouvola...long story and long night haha but at least we got to watch it) we saw the NORTHERN LIGHTS! There were pretty dim and we were sprinting to catch a train, but I have officially seen them and they are cool! Our world is pretty incredible. 

Another interesting fact that you might be interested in is that we only have 98 missionaries in Finland right now. Small, but happy and hard working mission :). So grateful to be here.

This week I have been studying a lot about knowledge and have especially just loved reading all of the promises in the scriptures about knowledge. One of my favorites is in D&C 42:61 "If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal." 

Sorry, don't have tons of time this week to write, but I love you and hope that things are going well at home :)!

-Sisar Clark

pics- walking on water.....ok walking on frozen lake Saima (plus the skier in the background :) we saw a ton of skiers and ice fishers this week)

- gorgeous snow everywhere :) (eli nothing else to send sorry haha)

Uusi vaihto ja uusi toverini (New change and new companion :))

Hey everyone :) Hope this week has treated you well. Sarah I hope you had a great birthday and I hope everyone is safe and feeling well.

This week was the start of another change with a new great companion. Her name is Sisar Richards and on of my my favorite things about her is her Finnish. This is her last change of her mission and her Finnish is great (I'm going to learn so much!! Ya hoo!). It is pretty exciting to learn a different language. Update on the weather: We finally are getting more snow! It is absolutely gorgeous and surprisingly we have had quite a few clear sunny days (which also means super cold days...-30 :))

This upcoming week we are planning a baptism for an investigator that is very dear to me! Sisar Hales and I found him street contacting last change and have taught him ever since. This young man is completely finnish (very quiet, smart, blonde) and has powerful faith. He trusts in the Holy Ghost strongly. We also were able to give a church tour to a family we are teaching right now which was super exciting. They ask great questions and are really fun to teach.

I'll give you more updates on how everything goes next week, but I'm so grateful to be a missionary right now. I'm so grateful for the small peaceful moments in prayer and scripture study when I can feel the confirming comfort of the Holy Ghost. Love you!

-Sisar Clark

Kaksikymmentäkahdeksen asteita pakkasta! (-28 degrees C)

Hey fam! :) It has been another excitingly cold week! We finally hit -28 degrees C but that was only one day of the week. Most of the week has been around -19 to -22 degrees which surprising now feels super normal! It is pretty incredible how fast your body adjusts as a missionary. Being outside so much you just kind of get used to it. I did get a little frost bite on my nose this week, but it isn't bad or anything...just enough to teach me that I really do need to cover everything up haha.

But on more important matters, this week we got change calls and I am the lucky duck who gets to stay in Lappeenranta!! ya whoo! Sadly, Sisar Hales is leaving to Tampere to be a Sister Training Leader (her wonderful missionary gifts are needed elsewhere :(....I'm going to miss her so much!) And my new companion will be Sisar Richards. This will be her last change before she goes home and she has been either training or a Sister Training Leader practically her whole mission, so it is pretty safe to say I'm getting the best and most experienced sister missionary in Finland as a companion. It is kind of intimidating (she is literally perfect), but I'm going to learn SO much from her and I'm grateful for it.

Recently we have had a lot of lessons with investigators that have very serious mental diseases. It has been pretty sad and difficult to see them struggle. However, it has also been a powerful reminder to me that the blessings of peace, joy, and clarity that come from the gospel and the book of mormon are truly to everyone. What a comfort it is to know that Jesus Christ knows exactly how they feel and knows how to succor them. I'm so grateful for how patient and calm our Savior, Jesus Christ is.

 I love you all and hope you are doing well! I truly am so grateful to know that I have such wonderful parents and siblings who support me, love me, and have strong testimonies of their own.

-Sisar Clark

pics: - this whole frozen eyelashes and hair thing is pretty normal now

- visiting the Russian border with some awesome members on pday!

Suomelainen talvi on lopulta saapunut!! (Finnish winter has finally arrived!!)

Hey everyone!! This week has been a crazy wonderful week full of answered prayers, laughter, and frozen boogers. So winter has finally come and it is awesome! Our normal street contacting weather this week has been between -13 and -18 degrees Celsius and we finally have been getting some snow (not buckets yet, but little by little!) Now I know why Frozen is said to be set in Finland, when it is this cold everything sparkles...everything is glitter...street lights.....the ground.....your companions frozen hair. Haha and one of our favorite findings of the winter is that not only does the cold make your nose run....but then it freezes it too!! But really we are actually having a blast and that was only a small blessing of the week. 

Our golden investigator we found a couple weeks ago is doing awesome!! Wow! He had a big concern about tithing and how he wouldn't have enough money, but we challenged him to fast and pray about it. (and totta kai (of course) we did too......Fasting totally works...I love fasting...it is awesome) Then our next meeting he sat there and just bore testimony to us about how through fasting, praying, and reading the Book of Mormon (specifically 2 Nephi 2) he realized the importance of tithing and was willing to take that step of faith. Wow...the excitement after that lesson kept us warm for the whole walk home to dinner! He is looking forward to his baptism and we are too!

Another investigator who found us this week (he came up to us and immediately asked to meet) has a huge desire to be baptized. The first thing he told us when we sat down in our first lesson was that he was ready to be converted. He also decided to bear his testimony in his first sacrament meeting ever, in which he proudly told the whole ward that he was the newest member of the church! His desire is really helping stick to the plan we set to help him quit smoking. His determination is pretty remarkable.

There were so many other blessings that happened this week, and there is just never time to write them all (sorry) but I hope that you had a great New Years! Also, I got the calendar you all helped to put together for Christmas and it is AWESOME! Thank you so much! Our family brings so much joy and peace to me. Thank you! I love you!

-Sisar Clark

pics- "pre-snow" but frozen lake and beautiful scene of the harbor :)

- best posti day ever! Excitement of getting mail!

Onnellista Uutta Vuotta!! (Happy New Year!)

Hey Fam! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift; seeing you and hearing your voices was so fun! I hope the rest of your Christmas went well and I hope you enjoyed the snow for me. Sisar Hales and I are laughing a little because right after we got done telling our families all about how it has been so warm etc. and how ridiciulous it is, it finally started to cool down a little more. Still no snow, but atleast we are getting the cold.

So a little info on Finnish Christmas. Joulupukki (Santa Claus....or direct translation Christmas goat) comes to the door on Christmas Eve. (He lives in Finland btw...not the north pole). Christmas is a three day event: Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and Boxing day. All three days are practically like Thanksgiving in America. You eat, sleep, and then eat some more. It was wonderful to experience a little piece of Finnish Christmas :) 

This week we shared Helaman 14:2-5 with a lot of people, discussing how Christ physically and spiritually brings light into the world. I love also how in verse five we read about the star that they had never before seen. I know there have been many times in my life, especially on my mission, were I am able to see a "new star" that I hadn't seen before as I study the scriptures and pray. That has helped me find understanding and peace when I feel anxious, worried, and burdened. I love that Christ's light is continually shining; we can always find more light. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ.

I hope you all have an exciting new year :) I love you! Thank you for your examples in my life!

-Sisar Clark 

Hyvää Joulua ja Ihme Bussissa (Merry Christmas and Miracle on the Bus!!)

Merry Christmas everyone!! :) I have received a few Christmas letters from people (thank you...so fun to see everything!!) and Sisar Hales and I have thoroughly enjoyed our Holiday time in Lappeenranta sharing about Jesus Christ. (Sisar Hales is such an awesome comp!) The ward here has been incredible and we have so many dinner appointments this Christmas. We are looking forward to seeing more and more of the Finnish Christmas traditions.

This week my ponderizing scripture is D&C 43:15-16 and I love how at the end it reminds us that all the power that is promised and the things taught from on high are all so that we can GIVE. We are here to give and serve.

This week we had a miracle on a bus that I will always remember and be so grateful for. We started talking to the man next to us with just our normal approach of wanting to share the Christmas video with him etc. and it continued till we realized he had a ton of connections to Carson City, NV (where my comp Sisar Hales is from!! What?!). The more we talked the more I felt like I knew this man. I later realized he was a man I met in Kerava. When I met him there he told us of how he had just returned from fighting in Iraq and he seemed to be having some very heavy post traumatic depression effects (obviously hadn't slept in days, blood-shot eyes, shaking, unable to make decisions). He approached us recognizing that we were church representatives and gave us his number, basically pleading for help and then walked away. We tried to give him a Book of Mormon and any help we could offer, but he wouldn't take it. We tried to call throughout the following week, but we were never able to get a hold of him and eventually had to move on. But now here he was right in front of us on the bus in Lappeenranta! He was in a much better mental state and also recognized the connection when I pointed it out. He went quiet and took the Book of Mormon with tears running down his cheeks. The spirit was so strong, and I am so grateful for this special tender moment when I could see so clearly the Lord's hand. This was a memorable reminder to me of how we are just tools in his hands. He couldn't meet because he was returning to Iraq before Christmas, but was so grateful for the Book of Mormon and talked of what a miracles this was.

I hope to remember the joy and peace it brought this man to just receive the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ! I hope especially this week we can all ponder what the Book of Mormon means to us and our understanding of our Savior. I hope the peace of Christ's birth fills your homes this week as well. I love you and am looking forward to skyping with you! :)

Merry Christmas!

-Sisar Clark