Haravan masterit (Masters of the rake)

Hey Family :) Thank you all for your emails and letters! What a wonderful blessing you are. There was a large amount of time spent this week traveling for "sister training leader duties" but also a lot of member work. One of my favorite parts of this week was helping two families rake leaves in their yard. Not only did we get to take in Finland's fall beauty, but we got to enjoy the joyful sounds of Finnish children and improve our raking skills.

Right now we have an investigator that is a member referral. We met her through an english hour that we held. She is a single mom and has great faith in the Jesus Christ. She wants her children to learn about it as well, so we are definitely looking forward to that. 

I have read Luke 77:12-15 many times in correlation with a study of charity, but reading it this time I recognized another aspect of the story. It says, "behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her." I may be wrong in this, but I wondered when it says much people of the city was with her it probably didn't mean that she was front and center with everyone surrounding and focused on her. Instead, I pictured her very possibly blending into the crowd that came to see Christ.There could have been many more with their sick and afflicted. He had to have an eye of discernment to recognize her. Without that she couldn't have been easily over-looked. Like Christ we should all have open eyes and hearts to those that need our attention.

Thank you for the Christ like love you have shown to me all the way over here in Finland. I'm so grateful for you and love you. Have a great week.

-Sisar Clark

pic- an advertisement for a delicious Finnish candy :)

Meidän valmistautumispäivänä Ouluun matka! (Our trip to Oulu on P-day!)

Hey Everyone! So sorry this email is going to stink, but it is for a super great cause. We got a surprise trip up to Oulu to be here for the zone conference. Due to us taking over the Oulu STL's they decided that we should be there...so yep terverisin from Oulu! Love you all! I'll write more next week, but thanks for your emails :) Oh btw Laura I think you birthday is before my next p-day so Hyvää Syntymäpäivää!! I hope it is a great one. 

 In my studies recently I have continued my study on charity as a Christ-like attribute and loved in 2 Nephi 33:7 "I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat." Even though Nephi had seen the wickedness of his people, he could see their potential and had hope and faith in them. What a better example of the love Heavenly Father has for us. 

Love you have a great week!

-Sisar Clark

Yleiskonferenssi :) (General Conference)

Hey Family! Wasn't conference powerful and energizing? I was very grateful for the emphasis on Plan of Happiness and missionary work. It was such a good motivation for me to continue strong these last few weeks, but then also to not fear going home. I'm not actually "going home" I'm just going to be transferred. It may be a pretty foreign and intimidating new area, but I'm going to be doing the same work and striving to live according to the same true gospel of Jesus Christ. We also had a meeting for all the departing missionaries about setting goals for post mission life and how to apply what we have learned. It was a good reminder and addition to what was shared in conference. So now that we don't have to worry about that any more...

This week we found a new investigator that is very very strong in his Lutheran beliefs. I was honored to again bear pure testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon after we read in 3 Nephi 11 and John 10:14-16. The spirit was strong and again reconfirmed what I have felt many times before. I love missionary work! I also love exact obedience! We found small and simple tender mercies in our work this week as we strove and searched for every opportunity to be obedient. 

In connection to the plan of happiness focus, I was specifically touched in my personal study by the simplicity and light of 2 Nephi 10:23 "Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life." It is truly a message that should cheer up our hearts!

I hope that you also are able to feel that joy and excitement from knowing God's plan for us. I hope you have a great week. I love you!

-Sisar Clark

ps p day next week I believe will be on monday..just fyi

pics-- I got to be with SIsar Toomey for travels down to Helsinki for our meeting :) fun!

Kaste meni hyvin!

Hey Fam! This week has been pretty good. Transfer weeks are always a little crazy, but our baptism went well and the members did a great job at supporting him there. Sisar Jones and Sisar Dupaix are really great. Wow Sisar Dupaix's finnish is incredible for just coming out of the MTC. She is a really hard worker. It is actually a lot more fun than I expected to be in a tripe and the blessings are just pouring down. It is so fun! In our contacting we are able to have very substantial and influential conversations where the spirit is present. We are excited to find some new investigators this upcoming week. :) Here is a fun picture of the beautiful fall that is taking place in Tampere right now :) Love you all!

-Sisar Clark

Meitä on kolme (There are three of us)

Hey Everyone :) What a wonderful week it has been. Wow absolutely crazy week (I feel like I say this every week, sorry, it just somehow seems to get crazier each week) Zone Meeting and the youth Superi event went really well! I loving having the opportunity to learn how to prepare and lead spirit lead discussions and role-plays. I know that despite our obvious weaknesses, as we strive to prepare and seek the Lord's guidance, he will lead us by the spirit and give us the words that we need to say in all types of teaching situations. We also rejoiced as our Finnish young man made the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. In our lesson with him after he shared how he felt nervous right before his baptism thinking what if I can't fully endure to the end, what if I make a mistake. He said right after, he suddenly felt to calm and at peace about things. He said he felt free. Wow, what an honor it is to hear his powerful testimony of how the Holy Ghost has come into his life. It truly does bring peace and joy!

So this week we also got change calls for my last change in the mission and...... 

I will be staying here in Tampere (woohoo I love being in areas for six months!) Sisar Jones will be coming to be a sister training leader with me (I have never met her before, but I'm sure she is great). We also will be training a new sister. Also due to how many new missionaries are coming in, they have taken sister training leaders out of oulu, meaning we and the helsinki sister training leaders will be in charge of all the sisters in the mission (eli we get to go on exchanges with Oulu and Vaasa in addition to our zone's sisters). It will definitely be a busy 9 weeks. Pray for us!

One of our newer investigators this week came back after a very very short intro lesson saying that he after reading parts of the book of mormon now believes in God and wants to exercise faith in him. We are so excited for him! But his is actually moving to Scotland this week (what a shame)...but no doubt he will continue to exercise his faith by learning from the missionaries there. 

Last week in our mission president's email to all of us he included the words to the children's song "I hope they call me on a mission" 

 1. I hope they call me on a mission

When I have grown a foot or two.

I hope by then I will be ready

To teach and preach and work as missionaries do.

2. I hope that I can share the gospel

With those who want to know the truth.

I want to be a missionary

And serve and help the Lord while I am in my youth.

I loved this reminder. Although, it is very intimidating to think of training, being in a tripe, organizing time/exchanges etc., just all of missionary work, I know that I'm here doing the Lord's work and that he will be here with us. I'm living that dream that I sang about forever ago. What a blessing! I love you, have a great week!

-Sisar Clark

"vaan nostakoon Kristus sinua" (but may Christ lift thee up)

Hey Family :) This week has been a lot of preparation for what is coming this following week: help leading a zone training meeting (we are focusing on teaching the doctrine from the scriptures rather than just using the scriptures to back up what we say---also on what we learned from the mission tour when Elder Johnson and Elder Sabin came and taught us), the Finland youth Superi (we are teaching a class in this giant activity for all the youth of finland), and our baptism on friday (yay, our finnish young man investigator is getting baptized! One of my favorite things he shared with us recently is how he came to know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and the Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. He talked about how he read diligently in the New Testament and bore powerful testimony of how it felt so right and good. It was a good reminder of the scripture's power.). Also on friday we get change calls (therefore next p-day will actually be on monday just as a heads up). Things are crazy busy, but crazy good. It is wonderful to see little tender mercies such as a thought of what to share to in investigator, or a perfect scripture to base a discussion off of in a meeting. I'm so grateful the Heavenly Father helps us in fulfilling his work.

Also, just one really cool scripture that stood out to me this week was Moroni 9:25. "My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever." I think it is such a wonderful explanation of what having faith in Christ means.

Thank you for your emails and support :) I love you and hope you have a great week!

-Sisar Clark

Nöyryyden tärkeys (The importance of humility)

Hey Family :) This week was a great one. We went on exchanges with the other Tampere sisters. Their area is just a half hour away but it feels like a completely different city. Pretty crazy. Fall is starting and I'm very excited for winter. The young finnish man that was going to be baptized last week is going to be baptized in two week now, but is progressing well. We are excited for that.

A main insight from my studies this week emphasized the importance of humility. In Moroni 7:42-43 (I think those are the verses) it mentions multiple times being "meek and of lowly heart." And also in Elder Snow's conference talk from the April 2016 conference he quotes President Kimball saying "How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one's self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer." This has meant a lot to me this week. Pondering, especially as a missionary, who do I represent and who must I look to for guidance? has brought comfort and confidence in my actions. It is wonderful that strengthening in humility and in confidence (in the Lord's support) can take place at the same time. Also in Preach my Gospel it mentions the importance of gratitude in humility. One example of Christ's gratitude is his immediate acknowledgment of gratitude to Heavenly Father in his prayers after the disciples on the American continent have received the Holy Ghost.  I too have so much to be grateful for. 

Love you all, thank you for your emails and support!

-Sisar Clark

pic- the sky while running this morning