Returned Missionaries Return!

There is nothing better than to see former missionaries visiting the mission doing so fantastic!  We love these missionaries - once a missionary always a missionary!

Parker Feltner and his new bride

James Shepley with his mom and dad

KayLee Roemmich

Dillon Rector with his fiancee and family

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - Your Purpose as a Missionary

Your Purpose as a Missionary

Dear Elders and Sisters:

For the past two weeks I have been studying Preach My Gospel Chapter 1.  I love this chapter!  It inspires me!  Last week I noted to you that I felt it was instructive that the very first paragraph was about finding people to teacher.  And we all know that "nothing happens in Missionary Work until you find someone to teach!"  I consider that thought is my 3 second lead in.  So in the spirit of 3:30:3 and assuming you want more based on my 3 second offering, allow me to offer my 30 second message to you about your purpose as a Missionary.  It goes as follows (all quoted from PMG Chapter 1):

"As an authorized representative of Jesus Christ, you can teach people with power and authority that ‘redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah,’ and that no one ‘can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah’ (2 Nephi 2:6, 8).”

"You are called to represent Jesus Christ in helping people become clean from their sins. You do this by inviting them to come unto Jesus Christ and become converted to His restored gospel.”

"Spiritual power is a gift that makes it possible for you to do your work more effectively.”

"Baptizing and confirming the people you teach is central to your purpose.”

"Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost."

I trust my 30 second message has created great interest in you.  If so, please prepare to receive the 30 minute version in Specialized Training.  Your assignment in order to be prepared to "receive" is as follows:

Please review during your ASKS Time or Study time the following;

1. PMG Chapter 1, the section on "A Successful Missionary", and memorize the first paragraph - "Your success as a missionary....."

2. PMG Chapter 10, How to Begin Teaching - Please memorize the HTBT bullet points!

I offer my testimony that your ability to represent the Savior Jesus Christ will be manifest in great power as you live in exact obedience and work in all faith and great diligence to fulfill your Missionary Purpose.  I know this to be true with every fiber of my being! 

With great love and anticipation of the wonderful vista to be experienced from higher ground,

President Clark

Transfer "Hub" 2-2016

Well, we attempted our first “Transfer Hub” in our efforts to relieve the Members from driving us all over the valley and to comply with the Brethren’s request that we not conduct transfer meetings….and it was great!  We will refine it and make it even better in the coming transfers but it went very well.  We had every companion affected by the transfer come with their soon to be former companion and lined the cars up in order to expedite the process (ie: Companion Elder A in Car 1 now goes with his new Companion in Car 2 whose Companion Elder B now goes with his new companion in Car 3, etc, etc, etc).  Wish us luck!!!!

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - We are Finders! It's Who We Are!

We Are Finders!  It’s Who We Are!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

There is a wonderful spirit brooding over this mission right now and it seems to be driven by Missionaries' desires to find people to teach.  This quest for New Investigators is really helping Missionaries better live their Purpose and have greater desires to do the work.  A few examples:

1. Recently the Assistants felt inspired to go with two companionships in an area with a goal to talk to 100 people.  After working hard all day, they had talked to 153 people.  There are people to talk to in any area! 

2. After our weekly Zone Leader call, two Zone Leaders got down on their knees desiring to know how to help their Zone become better finders after a week where their entire Zone only found six New Investigators (NIs).  They felt guided to challenge their Zone members not to stop working that day until they had each found a NI.  At the end of the day they had found 11 NIs.  There always are NIs to be found!

3. Saturday there were two Zone Meetings.  The Assistants attended one and Sister Clark and I the other.  Each of them ended with a finding activity which yielded tremendous results.  We need to always be finding!

I note that there is a great pattern in the way PMG is outlined and organized.  If you step back from the words on the pages, step back from the chapters, you will note and instructive order to how it is laid out and organized.  To this end note this.  The very first thing, of all the "first things" the Brethren could have chosen to talk about in this great volume they chose to talk about finding people to teach and how they are and will be prepared to receive:

"You are surrounded by people. You pass them on the street, visit them in their homes, and travel among them. All of them are children of God, your brothers and sisters. God loves them just as He loves you. Many of these people are searching for purpose in life. They are concerned for their families. They need the sense of belonging that comes from the knowledge that they are children of God, members of His eternal family. They want to feel secure in a world of changing values. They want “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23), but they are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12)." (PMG chapter 1, page 1, paragraph 1)

While we want to work through the Members to help them rescue LAs and find people to teach, we cannot be excused from our duty to always be finding.  Always!  If we are here on the Lord's errand, dedicated to doing His work His way, and recognize the pain of regret will be to have not served diligently and in exact obedience, then we will always, always be finding!  With faith and our diligence coupled with our exact obedience, He will put people in our path and us in people's path whom He has prepared under the hastening of His work to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as we seek to bless each of our respective areas/wards/branches to achieve their inspired goal for baptisms, we will be blessed to do so if we are always finding people to teach.  Nothing happens in Missionary work until you find someone to teach! 

And with all the recent focus and emphasis on finding, may I gently remind you that it needs to be "Who We Are versus What We Do!  Well done CFM!  Way to go great leaders!  Excellent work to you our wonderful Missionaries! 

Go Find truth seekers, Teach repentance, and Baptize converts!!!!

With much love,

President Clark

Transfers - Day 3, 2-2016

Each transfer we are amazed by the quality of our new missionaries and the appropriateness of their Trainers.   This group will be fantastic as they go forth to serve in the Great CFM!

(Video on Facebook: bonniecampbellclark)

Sister Maw & Sister Barker, Elder Beltran & Elder Del Carmen, Elder Mapp & Elder Rushton
Sister Maxfield & Sister Maxwell, Elder Morales & Elder Horrocks
Sister Corbridge & Sister Troth, Elder Cummings & Elder Ostler

Trainers

Transfers - Day 2, 2-2016

You can feel the power of these new missionaries!  We are so excited!  We are missing one new missionary who is arriving later in the day from the Mexico MTC.  The missionaries are taken right to the mission office where they are paired with a seasoned missionary, they do their office work then go out on the streets of Fresno and "Open Your Mouth".  They share their experiences on OYM at a dinner at the mission home that evening, followed by a testimony meeting.  

Another great day in the California Fresno Mission.

Transfers - Day 1, 2-2016

This transfer was relatively small in comparison to other transfers, we had four missionaries return home and we received 7 new missionaries.  No matter how large or small the transfer is, it is always a wonderful time to spend with the seasoned missionaries who are reflective, a bit sad and a bid excited to be finishing their missions.  Then to receive new missionaries who are a little bit scared, excited, glowing with anticipation, it is a great day all in all!

Elder McGovern, Elder Ballard, Elder Ayala, President & Sister Clark, Sister Barney, Sister Smith, Sister & Elder Walker

Elder Ayala

Sister Smith

Sister Barney - who has extended, so we get to have her here for another month!

Elder & Sister Walker, who will be leaving also at the end of this month.

Elder McGovern

Elder Ballard

For those leaving the mission in the morning, we had dinner at the mission home and then held a very sweet testimony meeting.  I LOVE OUR DEPARTING MISSIONARIES, their testimonies are so strong and powerful!