Sister Bonnie Parkin

Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, former General Relief Society President, and Sister Clark enjoyed each other's company at Fresno North Stake's wonderfully done Women's Conference.  BTW, our Assistant, Elder James Parkin, may know this wonderful lady.

Sister Bonnie Parkin & Sister Bonnie Clark

Elder Cook, President and Sister Clark, Elder Parkin (Our Assistants)

Mission leadership Council 3-15

Mission Leadership Council (MLC) is the best!  Sister Clark and I get to Council with our Zone and Sister Training Leaders to determine mission direction and solutions to challenges.  This was one of the best yet as we, in a very inspired way, tackled the challenges of why our baptisms have dropped.  The Lord helped us understand that its about Missionary Purpose personal conversion and as we strive to help each Missionary live their purpose, baptisms, even 1,342 of them, will happen.  President Spencer W. Kimball once taught to Missionaries in London that if they thought they were there only to baptize, they had been deceived.  He said it was about their personal conversion then and for the rest of their lives.  We know, as a MLC, that if we can help Missionaries become more converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and live their purpose as a Missionary, all other things desired, including baptisms, will take care of themselves. 

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - In Sync with the Brethren

In Sync with the Brethren

Dear Elders and Sisters:

Doctrine and Covenants 88:73 teaches that the Lord will hasten His work in its time.  Clearly the Lord is hastening His work and we get to participate to the extent we choose to.  In 2 Nephi 27 He quite emphatically states that He can do His own work.  We simply must decide what He wants us to do and then seek to keep pace.

We have been blessed in this mission with a vision of what He wants.  It is based on what the Twelve Apostles have taught and are currently teaching in regards to the hastening of the work.  It is now augmented to include what Elder Ballard, one of the Twelve Apostles, has revealed we should be doing...or return to do. I am grateful for the prompt manner in which I have witnessed all of you embrace his instruction and know we will be greatly blessed as we incorporate all of the Lord's Inspired Vision for this mission into what we do each and every day.

Prior to our Mission Conference, Elders Ballard and Hallstrom met with and instructed all of the Stake Presidencies and Bishops in the Mission/Council.  For four hours we received wonderful instruction from these brethren and then for another hour as all of the Presidents had lunch with them we received additional instruction.  Then, as you may know, Sister Clark and I were blessed to host them for dinner in our home that evening.  While there was a lot to hear, I believe I had "ears to hear" and want to share a few additional things with you.

As further confirmation of the Inspired Vision and without any prompting from me whatsoever, Elder Ballard instructed the Stake Presidencies and Bishops to ensure that the Full-Time Missionaries are allowed to seek out and visit the LAs/PMs/PEs.  He then further and quite emphatically added, "please don't send them without the Members.  You will not do any good!  You must have the Members that know them get the Missionaries in to meet them and Teach them so faith will be increased and they will be prompted to change their lives.  This is how the Full-Time Missionaries will help you Rescue (see D&C 88:72) and how they will Find people to Teach."  He also mentioned that the effective way to correlate all of this would be in MCM and WC - no surprise since his ministry is defined by his great instruction on the value of Councils.

 

At a different point in the meeting, Elder Hallstrom was taking questions and the question was asked by a Bishop: "How can we better retain the people the Full-Time Missionaries are baptizing?"  Elder Hallstrom said: "I will have President Clark answer that question."  I went to the pulpit and discussed the merits of Member involvement in teaching, the Bishop meeting with them prior to baptism, the RC getting right to the temple with family names, and President Hinckley's great quote on what every new member needs.  Then Elder Hallstrom came to the pulpit and described how the wall between Members and Missionaries had been taken down and that we are to work closely together - Members with Missionaries - and to do it through out Councils. Music to my ears!

It was manifest to me by the Spirit in all of these meetings how "In Sync" our Inspired Vision is with the Brethren. I am so grateful for their wonderful instruction and teaching that is blessing this mission.  I promise you as you follow and do all of these things, this great Mission will be blessed with the righteous desires of our hearts - Missionaries fulfilling their Missionary Purpose...and Baptisms - 1,342 to be exact!

As I believe you are becoming accustomed to, last week was transfer week and so I was not able to answer your letters.  I did read them all and love and appreciate your sustaining love, support, and prayers.  Also, interviews are coming up and I am looking forward to sitting down with each of you. 

Remember, we serve because we love the Lord Jesus Christ and we are "Complete Missionaries" who are worthy, committed, obedient, and focused and we serve with No Regrets!   I love you deeply and want more than anything that you fulfill your purpose as a Missionary! It is the best thing you can do for the significant blessing it will be throughout the rest of your life. 

President Clark

Senior Couple's Dinner 3-2015

Each month we have the opportunity to meet with the Senior Couples serving in the California Fresno Mission for dinner at the Mission Home.  It is always a wonderful experience to get together with these great individuals - as Elder Ballard stated - they are the diamonds our the mission.  We love and appreciate them so much!!!

Left to right:  Sister & Elder Brown, Elder & Sister Redd, President Clark, Sister Besser, Sister & Elder Seay
Sister & Elder Winter, Sister & Elder Walker, Elder & Sister Christensen, Elder & Sister Fanning,
Elder & Sister Morrill, Elder & Sister Gale, Sister & Brother Penny, Sister & Elder Lund

7th Transfer - March 2015

I can't believe we have just finished our 7th transfer. We sent 13 wonderful missionaries home after their faithful service for 18 months/2 years and we received 6 new missionaries to the California Fresno Mission. It's a great day to be a missionary!
(I posted a video on Facebook of the new missionaries arriving in the CFM, check it out)

Elder Frame and Elder Agazzani

Elder Robertson and Elder Collins

Sister Hopkin and Sister Corbridge

Elder Dale and Elder Johnson

Elder Salomon and Elder Van Vleet

Sister Horning and Sister White

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - Direct Revelation - Thank you, Elder Ballard!

Direct Revelation – Thank You, Elder Ballard!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

I trust you are feeling blessed by our Mission Conference with Elders Ballard and Hallstrom.  It was a once in a mission-time opportunity and I am so appreciative of your wonderful preparation and reverence of Elder Ballard as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Not every missionary receives this opportunity and privilege.  It is on par with Paul visiting the Ephesians, Philippians, or Colossians. And just like Paul of old, we have Elder Ballard's teachings to forever change and bless our lives. 

One of the things that impresses upon me is what he taught us to do to Teach more - talk to more people.  He promised that if each of us will talk to ten people every day then we will Find more and Teach more. He said that it would lift the Mission because we would be helping each other Find.  That's direct revelation in my book!  We don't need to stop and consider what to do or whether or not to do it.  We've had an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ give us very clear direction how to better bless the work - the work that he along with his Brethren of the Twelve are charged to do and have called us to assist in. 

And what timing!  Just at a time when we have been struggling with Finding the Lord has provided.  What a great compliment this will be to the Lord's Inspired Vision!  MLC is Friday and we will determine where to incorporate it into the Vision but it will be there.  Very simply he said: "If you want to Teach more, then talk more.  If you need courage to talk more, then kneel and pray more. And know what you teach!"  So, now it is upon you to "go and do" as instructed by an Apostle.  Thank You, Elder Ballard!

The second thing that impresses upon me is what he said relative to working with Members.  This was in answer to one of your questions.  His instruction was to determine how we can better serve with them and serve them.  He said that if we will change our attitudes towards them and not merely see them as a hurdle to the work but those we need to partner with and then figure out how to do that by serving them and considering their difficult circumstances as they juggle life, family, and work with service in the Kingdom.  Elder Hallstrom reiterated this to me as well when we were talking later that evening.  He confirmed that we need to see the Members as our partners and love and serve them and then they will serve us.  Wise counsel from two very seasoned servants of our Heavenly Father! 

Both things I have shared with you were important enough that they reiterated them to us that evening while we ate dinner at our home. At one point Elder Ballard said to me: "What I was teaching the Missionaries I am teaching you.  If you want to teach more, talk to more people."  I think these two things added to our Vision statement will serve to "complete it".  After all, they were given to us directly by His Apostle.  As for me, "I will go and do" what Elder Ballard has instructed.  Will you?

We serve because we love the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We are worthy, obedient, committed, and focused and serve with No Regrets!  Go Find, Teach, Baptize, and Rescue!  What a wonderful day to be a Missionary in the great California Fresno Mission!

With all my love,

President Clark

Elder M. Russell Ballard 3-21-2015

The great California Fresno Mission was blessed today to have Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder D. Zachary Smith our Area Seventy host a Mission Conference – yes, that’s all 272 Missionaries together in the same place!  We were taught such wonderful things to assist us in the work of salvation and to fulfill our Missionary Purpose.  Elder Smith taught that the Missionary who loves his companion and the people with the pure love of Christ will be successful – especially as a baptizer and related an account from his mission about “Baptizing Elder Bart Brown” as an example.  Elder Hallstrom taught about priesthood lines of authority how to better work with Members.  Elder Ballard, was our master teacher and taught us how to better find by talking to everyone.  He shared that if we want to teach more we need to talk more and if we need courage to talk we should get on our knees and know what we teach. While he taught many more things which will bless this mission, suffice it to say we are all basking in the rich opportunity of being with and learning from Elder Ballard, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was too big of an effort and time to put a mission conference picture together with Elder Ballard, so we “settled for” this picture of our guests.  We will be sending it to all of our missionaries so that they will at least have a picture of Elder Ballard in their mission for their scrapbook.

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - A Fertile Field for Finding

A Fertile Field for Finding

Dear Elders and Sisters:

In a Stake Correlation meeting yesterday I used those words to describe the Less Actives, Part Members, and Perspective Elders in a Ward we were discussing - "A Fertile Field for Finding".  As I did so I felt a powerful confirmation of the spirit that this is the work our Heavenly Father desires we focus on.  It is the work of the Inspired Vision for this mission.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated in his training to Mission Presidents in June of 2014 and he quoted the same again in October 2014 General Conference: “Keep the eyes of the mission on the leaders of the Church. … We will not and … cannot lead [you] astray. And as you teach your missionaries to focus their eyes on us, teach them to never follow those who think they know more about how to administer the affairs of the Church than … Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ do through the priesthood leaders who have the keys to preside."

In June of 2014, in a united voice, the First Presidency and the Twelve announced an historic change in the way Missionaries would work with Members and Members with Missionaries.  Effectively the wall that had always isolated the Missionaries from the Less Actives, Part Members, and Perspective Elders was taken down and the Brethren instructed us to "go get them!"  This change in approach is largely manifested in the Lord's Inspired Vision for this Mission.  The Brethren clearly want us to assist the Wards and Stakes in the "Rescue".  "Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up Elders (and Sisters) and send unto them." (D&C 88:72)

As Sister Clark and I listened to this historic change announced, one brave Mission President asked the question "how will baptisms increase if we are spending all of our time teaching NMLs and assisting the Wards and Stakes with their LAs/PMs/PEs?"  Elder Russell M. Nielsen of the Twelve, who is the head of the Missionary Committee and was making the announcement, got a puzzled and concerned look and responded: "Oh no!  You don't understand.  Baptisms will be going up.  As you work with the LAs/PMs/PEs you will Find many more people to baptize."  This group, just like Investigators, knows many, many people who aren't Members of the Church...yet.  Their friends are not Active Members or otherwise they would likely be active themselves.  They have family members that need to be baptized and they have many non-member friends who need the gospel and so working through them clearly represents a "Fertile Field for Finding".  If I were in the field like you, I would want to be in the Ward with the biggest list of LAs/PMs/PEs.  That would represent the most Fertile Field for Finding.

But we must be very careful with this precious resource.  We cannot merely go boldly forward, knocking their doors and/or calling them.  We must plan very effectively!!!!   And once we plan effectively, we must work with the Ward Members in order to carefully and appropriately approach these LAs/PMs/PEs or we will quickly exhaust the resource.  This is why effective MCMs have become so important to our success.  It is in the MCM meeting where all of the coordination to carefully and prayerfully select those names to be focused on and then determine who in the Ward is the best candidate to get the missionaries in the homes of these LAs/PMs/PEs so we can teach them, testify, increase faith, and help re-open the windows of Heaven for them to receive revelation in their personal lives again.  When a Ward Member who is somehow connected to the LAs/PMs/PEs gets us in to teach them, we will be doing the Work of Salvation in accordance with the Lord's Vision and desires. 

Can you see why it will be so important to have the full contingent of Ward Missionaries and Quorum and Axillary Presidency Counselors with the WML and his Assistants in the MCM?  To me the sanctity of this approach is how it merges the Members with the Missionaries in the Work of Salvation - it aligns our covenants and commitments.  It enhances the Rescue and will provide Teaching and Finding opportunities.  But please, be very careful and prayerful in your approach so as to not waste this precious resource.  As Elder Russell M. Nielsen has promised, baptisms will go up as we follow what the Brethren have outlined as a new way they desire us to do the Work of Salvation. We must approach this as a sacred trust and a rich opportunity to Find, Teach, Baptize, and Rescue!

Please make the Lord's Inspired Vision a priority in your area.  As you do, please continue to Find in other ways as well.  I am convinced that ultimately working through the Lord's Inspired Vision will have us so busy Finding, Teaching, Baptizing, and Rescuing that we won't have time to do some of the time honored traditional Finding we have done in the past in this Mission.  But until that day comes, please don't stop doing all the great things you've always done to be such successful Finders.  The Lord will bless us as we do and we will be able to be merged with the Members of these wonderful Wards and Stakes as we do our part to help them bring 1,342 souls unto Christ through the waters of baptism - the gateway to the blessings of the Temple!

At the core of what I always pray for is you and your success in fulfilling your Missionary Purpose knowing that as you do you will "become" who the Savior would desire you be....and you will baptize.

Sister Clark and I send our devout love and appreciation,

President Clark

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - Member Missionary Work in the Great California Fresno Mission

Member Missionary Work in the Great California Fresno Mission

Dear Elders and Sisters:

It was so wonderful to be with all of you at Zone Conference and I appreciated all the wonderful trainings we received and the spirit that confirmed their truth and timeliness for this great mission.  Can you feel the spirit "brooding" over this mission and directing the changes that are upon us in order to better participate and keep pace with the Lord as He hastens His work?  It is amazing to me.  Sunday alone I was in four different Stake Correlation meetings where all the key holders present were so aligned with the Vision of this Mission. The Lord is impressing upon them to fulfill their calling as well and it is clear that we are all in sync with Him as He leads and guides this great work of salvation.  it is such a privilege to "be in His employ".  He is so very, very generous!

Baptizing over 1,000 people in a year is a reflection of the great Member Missionaries in the California Fresno Mission.  We truly are blessed to serve with wonderful, missionary minded Members. I am convinced that the hastening is about the Members. The pace at which it will continue and accelerate will be dependent upon our personal righteousness and willingness to do those things with and through the Members (the topic of Zone Conference) He has revealed to us in order that we better participate and keep pace with Him in the hastening of His work. A friend asked me to outline this.  I thought it worthy to share here:

1.      The Lord is Hastening His work (D&C 88:73)  and He can do HIs own work (2 Nephi 27).

2.      He has sent Elders and Sisters to assist with the “flocks” helping them live up to their covenants as Member Missionaries (D&C 88:72).

3.      Two of the Twelve have said (paraphrasing) that the Hastening of the Work of Salvation has little to do with an increased Missionary force of 85,000 Missionaries and most everything to do with the Members as Missionaries.

4.      Elder Bednar has taught us IWADWWADTWAGWWAG (If We Always Do What We’ve Always Done Then We’ll Always Get What We’ve Always Gotten)  While what we have done in the past is wonderful, we must do things differently in order to;

     a.      Keep pace and participate with the Lord as He hastens His work, and

     b.      Recognize that it is a spiritual work and must be done in a spiritual way

5.      When Members (Active, Less Active, Part Members) and Investigators allow the Missionaries to teach them in a way that will;

     a.      Invite the Spirit through prayer

     b.      Teach the principles from Preach My Gospel

     c.      Testify, then

     d.      Faith will be increased, and

     e.      The Lord will reveal to the Members and Investigators what they should do or who they should invite

6.      There is roughly 3% of the population in the US that “’would join” the Church and ten times that many that “would listen to the Message” – based on a study the Church commissioned.

7.      The Lord has no intention of these people being found to teach and be baptized through a missionary force of 85,000.  They don’t know them but the Members do.  They are people that are in their path, their neighborhood, their workplace and the Lord is preparing them and will tell the Members when to invite them.  (See #3 above)

8.      A Missionary force of 85,000 is interesting but a Member Missionary force of 15 million is powerful.

9.      Couple this with the Spirit of Elijah and the fact that FH is the #1 hobby in the world and clearly the Lord is looking to the “Members” (either of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or Pre-Mortal Day Saints) to participate in the Hastening.

10.   It’s a wonderful day to be a Member Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – be it as a full time set apart Missionary or a full time covenanted Member.

I am pleased to announce that Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy will be visiting us for a Mission Conference on March 21, 2015.  The Conference begins at 2:30 pm and you are requested to be in your seats quietly studying at 2:00 pm.  Friends or WMLs, etc are unfortunately, not invited.  This is for set apart, fulltime missionaries only. It will be at the Fresno West Stake Center.  If the Church lot is full, please park on Valentine rather than on Sierra. You should stand when Elder Ballard (a Prophet) comes in and stand when he leaves, unless we have other direction from him.  This is a wonderful opportunity to be with one of the Lord's anointed and I know you will come prepared to receive.

Sister Clark and I love you and pray for you each and every day.  We feel your love and prayers always and continue to feel a little overwhelmed each and every morning as we kneel in 7:55 prayer knowing all of you are praying for us.  Thank you!  May the Lord continue to bless the great CFM with the righteous desires of our hearts - fulfilling our Missionary Purpose and assisting the Members to baptize 1,342 of Heavenly Father's prepared children into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints this year.  Go Find, Teach, Baptize, and Rescue!!!!

Love,

President Clark