An average day in the Life of a CA Fresno Missionary

1- Elder Eggleston and I (Elder Checketts) baptized Michael Reyes into the Heritage YSA ward on Saturday, June 27th. 

2- We had a big Luau in for all the YSA wards in the Fresno area. It was a great event and we were able to get a few less actives and investigators there.

3- 8 hours of church: 2 ward councils to attend, 3 hours of Heritage, and 3 hours of Mountainview. It's so fun being a missionary!

President's Weekly & Welcome President and Sister Palmer 6-29-2015

“So Great a Cause”

Dear Elders and Sisters:

So here we go as the new California Fresno Mission - sleeker, slimmer, more agile, efficient and productive. We feel so blessed to be here, now with you and to be engaged in this wonderful work. It's going to be a blessing to be a smaller mission and learn how to be even more productive and efficient in all we do. So, "shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward and not backward.  Courage [Elders and Sisters], and on , on to the victory!  Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad."  The Work of Salvation we do here is such a great cause!

While Sister Clark and I always knew we would have to bid our missionaries farewell after their service of 18 or 24 months, we just don't feel like we signed up to have 51 of them prematurely depart from us but, we know the Lord has called them to work in another part of His vineyard.  It has truly been a bitter/sweet experience and we know that the success of the great CFM has been a contributor to the need to create the Modesto Mission.  So, as I always say; "All good things come to a change in our assignments in the Church."  We bid these wonderful missionaries farewell and send them forth with our blessing and prayers that their success will continue in abundance.  We are eternally linked and will simply miss them but for a short season.  The Work of Salvation they do there is also a great cause!

Sister Clark and I are looking forward to being with you this week in Specialized Training.  Please come prepared to talk about your areas, your Ward/Branch's baptismal goals, and fulfilling your Missionary Purpose through Effective Planning and the Eight Fundamentals. 

Sister Clark and I love each and every one of you so much and truly appreciate your sacrifice you have made to come and serve the Lord.  We know your families are making meaningful sacrifices as well and love and pray for them in all that they do. 

With much love,

President Clark

The New California Modesto Assistants:  Elder Boswell - formerly from the CA Fresno Mission and
Elder Murdock formerly from the CA Sacramento Mission

We and the Assistants welcomed President and Sister Palmer at the San Jose Airport on Sunday evening, 6-28-2015

President & Sister Jardine - CA Sacramento Mission, President & Sister Palmer - CA Modesto Mission,
President & Sister Clark - CA Fresno Mission.  Pictured here at the new Modesto Mission Home

President & Sister Palmer in their new Mission Home

Mission Split 6-2015

We always knew we would have to bid our missionaries farewell after their 18 or 24 months of service here in the Great CFM but never contemplated having to bid them farewell to another mission after having served with them for twelve months or less.   But alas, the Lord would have these remarkable missionaries serve in the newly created California Modesto Mission and what a blessing they will be to that new mission and President and Sister Palmer who have been called to lead there.  We were blessed to gather with them one final time to bid farewell.  We taught, bore testimony, talked, and enjoyed farewell hugs, embraces, and ice cream.  May God be with you till we meet again is our humble and heartfelt prayer.

We love you,

President and Sister Clark 

A heartfelt farewell to President McAndrews who has faithfully served five mission presidents in the CFM  What a Servant!

The Nielsens will be a great blessing to the new California Modesto Mission.  It has been a pleasure training with them in the office these last few weeks!

The Gilberts will also be a great blessing to the new mission.  They come very experienced and prepared to serve!

President's Weekly - “The Spirit of God Like a Fire…”

“The Spirit of God Like a Fire…”

Dear Elders and Sisters:

You know how you get a song stuck in your head and it just won't go away. In one of the many meetings I attended this weekend we sang "The Spirit of God" and I have had these words in my mind ever since.  Well, I realized the Lord was trying to teach me something.  He was trying to help me feel and know what He is doing for this mission.  His spirit is being poured out in abundance on Missionaries who serve because they love the Lord Jesus Christ and live their missionary purpose in exact obedience.  I learned some amazing things as a result of these words rattling around in my head all weekend.

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the heart of each missionary leading them to serve because they love Jesus Christ!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the heart of each missionary as they exactly obey and serve with No Regrets!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the hearts of companions who set aside all differences and yoke together to bless this great work of salvation and live their Missionary Purpose!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the hearts of investigators to help them discovery the truth contained in the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Plan of Salvation!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning bright in many Members who do so much as Member Missionaries to listen to the spirit and direct us to friends and acquaintances who the Lord has prepared to receive His gospel!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning creating miracles in abundance as we strive to achieve the Power of One in the month of June.  And by the way, we are looking very, very good so don't you give up!  Expect a miracle!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the hearts of Stake and Ward Leadership as they strive to teach and encourage Latter-Day Saints to participate with the Lord in the hastening of His work!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the hearts of "the fathers" as they wrought upon the hearts of their posterity to join this great church and bless their eternal lives!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning in the patrons of temples as they do vicarious ordinances for the dead!

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!  The Latter-day glory begins to come forth; The visions and blessings of old are returning, and Angels are coming to visit the earth.

I promise the Spirit of God is brooding over and blessing this great mission (Members and Missionaries alike), including the Modesto Mission and those who will be serving there!

Sister Clark and I love you and appreciate all that you are willing to do and give for this wonderful work we are participating in.  What a blessing to participate with the Lord as He hastens His work!!!

With all my love, prayers and my sincere gratitude for making my Father's Day a very rich blessing,

President Clark

Departing Missionary Testimony Meeting 6-2015

 Farewell Testimony Meeting - Losing this many Elders and Sisters from a mission at one time definitely leaves a big hole - not just in the missionary count but in our hearts.  What a blessing to have served together the entire first year of our mission with these wonderful missionaries.  They were "Pioneers" in that so many of them were the first to go from Cap and Gown to Temple to Mission.  We feel so blessed to be eternally linked from serving together in the great CFM!

Elder Herrera with his family

Elder Gentle and his Mother

Pictures of a few of the baptisms this week 6-2015

Yes, the President was in the water again!

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - AS FOR YEARS

As For Years

Dear Elders and Sisters:

In D&C 51:16, 17 the Lord gives us His perspective on what our attitude should be towards our areas: He states: "And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence; And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good."

The Lord would have us work in each area assigned "as for years". He would have us truly "own our areas" and then when/if we are transferred He would have us do the same in our new area. In our last Zone Conference I asked you to discontinue setting transfer goals but rather to be setting area goals. This better aligns us with His will on the matter and as He promises, "this shall turn unto [us] for [our] good."

With this transfer the Lord has "provided otherwise, and commanded [us] to go hence" to our new areas and to "act upon [these areas] "as for years". Remember, the whole earth is the Lord's mission and he consecrates parts of it to each of us at times and "for little seasons" to do His work and labor as one of the laborers in His vineyard, His mission - the whole earth. I promise as we make this our attitude and our approach to the areas we are assigned to labor in, we will please the Lord and "this shall turn unto [us] for [our] good".

As you complete your labors in your current areas this week and then move to a new area, if assigned, please remember we are all about the Lord's work and one of the ways we have chosen to focus on accomplishing His will and keeping pace with Him in the hastening is through the Power of One. I know sufficient faith exists to work diligently and receive this blessing we seek from the Lord. "Don't give up on me now!" Don't let a transfer be disruptive to the work we are about! I know we can do this and am grateful to know it will require miracles because I know this mission knows how to call down miracles from heaven.

Sister Clark and I love you each dearly. We pray daily for your success, your companionship, your areas, and your investigators. We have great faith in each and every one of you as you work in exact obedience and all faith and diligence.

With much love and earnest prayer,
President Clark

Departing Missionaries 6-2015

How do you say farewell to 28 of the most amazing missionaries?  You take them to the greatest place on earth - the Temple!  Split into two groups/days, we enjoyed being in the temple with our departing missionaries beginning with breakfast at the Mission Home and finishing with final Mission President interviews while packing and shipping bikes and doing other service at the Mission Office.