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!

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - "Ask Why?" and "Should I?"

“Ask Why?” and “Should I?”

Dear Elders and Sisters:

One of the most difficult tasks we face in this life is to prioritize and do the right thing in all cases.  It is a learning experience and one that seemingly takes a lifetime.  For that I am grateful that the 'Enduring to the End" phase of life with all of its learning, growing, and developing is generously long that we may become refined and wise in our abilities to prioritize.  President Hinckley taught: "You have to establish in your life some sense of prioritizing things, of giving emphasis to the important things and of laying aside the unimportant things that will lead to nothing."

Recently I observed a few instances that re-affirmed to me the importance of Missionaries needing to prioritize and protect their time in their areas.  This is an ongoing challenge that you have to decide over and over again, and often between good alternatives. But I promise you if you will make the time in your area your priority, you will make the best decision in each instance by protecting that priority.  I call it the "Ask Why? and "Should I?"  I know you'll all remember this because it has a catchy ring to it.

Example #1:  I was attending a Priesthood Leadership session of Stake Conference where I was asked to speak/train by the visiting General Authority.  In the audience were two of our Elders. I wondered why they might attend?  I have not yet been able to catch up with them to ask...but l am sure they will explain it in their letter today.  Elders are not Priesthood Leaders in this mission.  So if they had "Asked Why?"  they would have quickly decided attending Priesthood Leadership was something they shouldn't do - "Should I?"  The answer is no.  The answer is that their area is/was more important than Priesthood Leadership, even if a Bishop or Ward Member may have invited them.  Again - "Ask Why?" and "Should I?"

Example #2:  Sister Clark and I were asked to attend a Stake Missionary Preparation Fireside to assist in the teaching.  As we arrived we found two Elders there also.  I asked if they had been invited.  They responded their Bishop suggested they come.  But if they had stopped for a moment and "Asked Why?" or "Should I?"  I am pretty sure they would have quickly reached the conclusion that their area time was far more important than sitting in the back of a youth/parent fireside.  Worse, they had arrived without their suit coats - elders never attend a church meeting without their suit coats.  Again, "Ask Why?" and "Should I?" even in what you wear and how you appear.

This little mantra will help guide you as you seek to prioritize.  As missionaries, your priority is always your Missionary Purpose and therefore your area.   As you are faced with options, often offered with the best intentions and love and concern for you, simply "Ask Why?" and "Should I?" and I believe the spirit will guide you to make the right decision - likely to protect your Purpose and time in your area.

As we begin this new transfer, I do so with so much enthusiasm and confidence that you will continue to do great work, be exactly obedient, and journey to higher ground in all aspects of your ministry and discipleship as you strive to live your Missionary Purpose. 

With much love,

President Clark

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY - The Divine Design of Transfers

The Divine Design of Transfers

Dear Elders and Sisters:

I want to share my testimony of Transfer Boards with you. I want you to know that the Lord is in charge.  Every time we go about this work, I am reminded of how well He knows each of you and how involved He is in the details of your life, including and especially in this case, where you serve and who you serve with.  And while I know you feel the same and go into each transfer with a renewed energy and commitment to the work, please understand there is often a bigger purpose and plan in motion that could take years, even decades to unfold.  I promise you there is divine design in all transfers and that the Lord is in charge of the California Fresno Mission Transfer Board.

I was impressed by this during this Transfer Board when it came to me, 37 years since serving with a particular companion in a particular area in Spain, a blessing emanating from that time and place I had not been able to inventory and recognize until now.  Something that I was taught then that I drew upon now to guide and direct and bless this work.  Oh how sweet it is to be in His employ!  And how "wondrous and great" are His ways and how good and kind He is with all of His children! 

So whether you are staying in your area or leaving, getting a new companion or remaining together, please know that the Lord has purpose in all He does and that your part is important, valuable, and necessary right down to where you are now and who you are with.  And with that conviction, go forward and find, teach repentance, and baptize converts!  What a great day to be a Missionary in the California Fresno Mission!

We bid farewell to Sister Smith and Elders McGovern, Ayala, and Ballard!  They have definitely served with No Regrets!  Elders and Sister, adieu!

With much love and high anticipation for the work you are about,

President Clark

President's Weekly - If Ye Are Not One, Y Are Not Mine!

If Ye Are Not One, Ye Are Not Mine!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

When two missionaries yoke with the Savior and set their wills aside for the work, they become the ultimate in consecrated servants.  I am observing a pretty amazing display of companionship unity in this mission and how such unity serves to bless the work.  We have two missionaries who are serving as companions who couldn't be more different from one another.  They really are as different as night and day.  One loves sports and the other could care less for them.  One is about as green as they come and the other about as yellow as they come - polar opposites under the HBDI Quadrants.  But they love the Savior, they love His work and I believe during this entire transfer they have been together, they are yet to have an argument or even a cross or short word with one another.  They are very productive, efficient, exactly obedient and want more than anything each and every minute of the day to live their Missionary Purpose.  They truly are of "One Heart" and know and live the Savior's admonition: "if you are not one, ye are not mine!"

Too many of you in this mission are struggling to achieve this kind of unity.  Some of you don't even imagine it as a possibility.  Shame on you!  This is His work and you are on His time.  It is far too precious to waste and the worth of souls far too great for you to be caught up in petty differences, arguments, heated discussions and anything else that is putting your will in front of the Lord's; your way as better than His.  In the great words of President Uchtdorf; "Stop It!"  Repent!  Move forward and set your wills aside for the work, His work. 

I find the 11th Chapter of 3rd Nephi instructive on so many levels.  Relative to our purpose, we note how many times Christ commands all men to repent and be baptized.  Within all of this instruction are verses 29 -31 which condemn those who have the spirit of contention as being Satan's followers.  This is taught in the context of the manner of baptism and couldn't be more applicable to us as companionships, yoked in our Missionary Purpose with the best way to accomplish that to be through finding people to baptize (PMG).  Any contention whatsoever is contrary to us accomplishing our Missionary Purpose of baptizing and being "One With Him".

We are California Fresno Missionaries!  We are One with the Savior in accomplishing our Purpose!  Therefore, we will be unified with our companions, setting our wills aside to bless and do His work in His way.  I encourage you to access the enabling powers of the Atonement to draw the power you need to make these changes, Elders and Sisters and become completely yoked with Christ and unified with your companion to do His work, His way!

The key principle in the City of Enoch was that they were "Of One Heart!"  They all wanted the same thing - to be one with Christ.  This is done only by being truly and completely oriented to what He (Christ) wants and He has been very clear that He would have us yoke with Him and fulfill our Missionary purpose - in great unity one with another!

With much love and some anxiety to see you make these changes,

President Clark