Transfers 4-2017, New Missionaries

Transfers were a little bit re-defined this time with seven Missionaries returning home and only one new Missionary, Elder Lilly, and the great blessing of Elder Crosby returning to the CFM!

So grateful to have them in the mission!  We are anxious to serve with them.

Elder Carnahan (Assistant) President Clark, Elder Crosby, Sister Clark, Elder Quinn (Assistant)

Elder Carnahan (Assistant) President Clark, Elder Lilly, Sister Clark, Elder Quinn (Assistant)

Transfer Hub 4-26-2017

There is a lot of work that goes into the organization of the "transfer hub". Thank you to the assistants, they are amazing!!!

Departing Missionaries 4-25-2017

What a wonderful group of Missionaries!  They have served so very well, with No Regrets and we will truly miss them.  We know they leave deeply converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will return home and be great Member Missionaries for the rest of their lives!  We send them forth with our deep abiding love and heartfelt prayers.  

Elder Poulsen, Elder Ford, Elder Nelson, Elder Watson, President & Sister Clark, Sister Larsen, Sister Dowdle, Sister Wadham, Sister & Elder Williams

Elder Watson

Elder Nelson

Elder Poulsen

Elder Ford

Sister Wadham

Sister Dowdle

Sister Larsen

Sister & Elder Williams

President's Weekly - We Serve at His Side!

We Serve at His Side!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

Last week Sister Clark and I were privileged to be in a Stake Conference with Elder Bednar.  Among the many wonderful things he said and taught, my ear and heart were especially caught by these words: "The Father and the Son know you and have a plan that is designed to bring you home to them.  They will seek you out!"  What comforting words spoken by an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Pre-Mortal Messiah said: For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick:" (Ezekiel 34:11,12,16)

In the Meridian of time He said: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10) He also said:  "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. This is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." (John 6:38,39)

And through modern day revelation the Resurrected Savior said: "But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me;" (D&C 38:7)

I love these descriptions of His mission by Him!  They are powerful reminders of how intensely involved in saving us He is.  It is His work and glory!  It is all He does!  And what a glorious time to be serving, even in the "cloudy and dark day", to assist him in this great work!

In Jacob 5, the Allegory of the Olive Tree, we read: "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things." (Jacob 5:72)

May we ever be mindful of who's work it is we are doing and that we serve at His side!  I have felt His presence in this great work and know these things to be true.  He will seek and search ALL of His scattered sheep!  He will find "that which is lost, bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and strengthen that which was sick."  I know this includes you and me and bear my witness of Him and HIs work to be divine and eternally rewarding.  Thank you for serving so diligently along the side of the Savior!  I know He knows and loves you!

With much love and enthusiasm for the great missionaries you are,

President Clark

Senior Dinner 4-2017

There are so many blessings serving here in the California Fresno Mission!  One of those blessings is associating with these wonderful seniors, we love them so much and enjoy having them in our home.

Right to Left:  Elder & Sister Marcom, Elder & Sister Gunderson, Elder & Sister van Uitert,
Elder & Sister Gressel

President Olzack, Sister & Elder Hammond, Elder & Sister Bradshaw, Sister & Elder Richards

Elder & Sister Winter, Sister & Elder Lilya, Sister & Elder Williams

Elder & Sister Williams have been serving in Oakhurst will complete their service on June 1, 2017

Elder & Sister Gressel have been serving in Lamoore at the Navel Air Base, they will be completing their mission on  April 26

We welcome Elder & Sister Lilya.  They will be serving in Porterville and Sister Lilya will also serve as the Mission Nurse

What?

Too bad I missed this object lesson!  Looks like they are all having a great time!

Elder Richardson, Sister Miller, Elder White, and of course, President Clark

President's Weekly - Your Invitation to "Come and Follow" is His Invitation!

Your Invitation to ‘Come and Follow’ is His Invitation!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

It's been a wonderful week in the CFM and Sister Clark and I hope you enjoyed Easter as you focused on the Savior in your Sabbath Worship. It is nice to observe the world focus on Christ for this day and as I drove by all the Churches with parking lots more crowded than usual, I thought: "I sure would like to be at their pulpits teaching them a true message of Easter; True doctrines and principles of the Risen Lord." Like Alma, I would that I "were an Angel...and could cry repentance unto every people!" But also like Alma, "I am a man and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things the Lord hath allotted unto me".

The good news is that all those wonderful Christian people in all of those churches yesterday live in your areas!!! He has "allotted [these people] unto you"! The pulpit you get to be at usually takes the form of their parks and campuses, driveways and sidewalks, doorsteps and doorways, and hopefully their living rooms and family rooms. It is at these pulpits you get to teach them the true doctrines of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "These Are Our Days" to teach True Doctrine in order to help them Change their Attitudes and Behaviors! As you do, "great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of [His] Father." (D&C 18:15)

As Elder M Russell Ballard taught: "If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel." ("The Atonement and the Value of One Soul", Ballard, April 2004 General Conference) And as Nephi taught: "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah...:" (2 Nephi 2:8)

And to the end of teaching Doctrines and Principles, I trust our call on Saturday was a help and a blessing to you. Please follow the spirit closely as to your timing of inviting those you teach to be baptized. My encouragement is that you be bold, full of the spirit so as to not to be obnoxious, and help them understand you are not on a "membership drive" but rather extending the Lord's invitation to "Come Follow" Him. You stand as His Representatives, His Missionaries in these Latter Days and your invitation is His invitation: "Come Follow Me! Come and See! Come!" I note the Savior's ministry was filled with invitations to Come and Follow and don't find any place in the gospels of the New Testament where he was slow, nervous, or apprehensive to extend the invitation to "Come", to "Follow" to "Become". I promise as you seek to emulate the Savior in this way, you will feel His love for you and those you are inviting in a more deep and profound way. Remember, your invitation to "Come and Follow" is His invitation!

It was also nice to have you as my investigators and teach you Sabbath Day Observance. I have provided below scripture references for your study and a few talks for your review. You'll need to study this and invest yourself in it. Most importantly, you'll need to consider in a very humble, spiritual, and heartfelt manner your Sabbath Worship - what it is and what it will be for the rest of your life. I offer my promise and witness again that the Sabbath is a delight, its observance is a window to Heaven's blessings to care for us and offer peace to us. Its observance will and does provide a fullness of the earth and a fullness of joy in your life!

We have been blessed to witness several Interlude Teachings at Baptisms this weekend and were so well pleased with what we heard and felt. Thank you to all of you who are working diligently to develop multiple Interlude Teachings to bless you in all facets of the work! Well done, CFM! Well done!!!

With much love and appreciation for the great servants that you are!
President Clark


Sabbath Day Observance scriptures for your study and learning:
Genesis 2:2,3
Exodus 20: 8-11
Leviticus 26:2,4-7
Ezekiel 20:20
Deuteronomy 32:13,14
Exodus 31:13
Doctrine & Covenants 59:16-21
"The Sabbath is a Delight", Russell M Nelson, April 2015 General Conference
Moroni 4:3
Moroni 5:2
"This Do in Remembrance of Me", Jeffrey R Holland, October 1995 General Conference
Mosiah 5:8
Doctrine & Covenants 18:24