President's Weekly - Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement

Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement

Dear Elders and Sisters:

What a pleasure and a blessing to be with you in Specialized Training this week and we thank you for coming so prepared to receive and trust you left changed, rather than just entertained.  There was much preparation put into the Training and we hope you were blessed by being there. As you know by now you tend to get out of these trainings what you put into them in the way of preparation and humility to receive.  We truly hope you were prepared and will now go forth with a greater understanding and resolve to get more by doing more, in particular, exercising greater faith!

President Nelson has taught: "Faith is not by chance but by choice."  And as we heard Elder Anderson teach in our Training: "Where faith is present things that need to happen will happen."  I firmly believe one of the things we need to exercise more faith in are the unit goals of each of our areas and the Zone goals of each of our Zones.  We need to have a faith based confidence that, since they were developed under inspiration, we will be able to achieve them since they are the mind and will of the Lord.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught the following on Faith: "Working by faith is not the mere speaking of a few well-chosen words.  Anyone with the power of speech could have commanded the rotting corpse of Lazarus to come forth but only one whose power was greater than death could bring life again to the brother of Mary and Martha.  Nor is working by faith merely a mental desire, however strong, that some eventuality shall occur.  There may be those whose mental powers and thought processes are greater than any of the saints, but only persons who are in tune with the infinite can exercise the spiritual force and powers that come from Him."

"Those who work by faith must first have faith; no one can use a power that he does not possess, and the faith or power must be gained by obedience to those laws upon which its receipt is predicated...And then--when the day is at hand and the hour has arrived for the miracle to be wrought--then they must be in tune with the Holy Spirit of God.  Men work by faith when they are in tune with the Spirit and when what they seek to do by mental exertion and by the spoken word is the mind and will of the Lord." (New Witness, pp 191-92)

We say it every time we repeat our Missionary Purpose – “receive the Restored Gospel through ‘Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement’” but do we really believe it and help investigators understand it?  While there is a checklist of things we need to do, things we ought to say, and how we should approach the work, please remember it is a spiritual work that requires we exercise great faith.  And the faith required is not for just a season or up to the point we accomplish the last task or items on the missionary checklist, it is a faith that must be exercised all the way across the finish line, no matter how difficult that may appear. 

One of the great blessings of serving a mission is that you develop great faith that will lead you to repentance/change which will lead you to be more worshipful and reverent, especially as you renew sacred covenants at the Sacrament table each week.  This will lead you to a great endowment of the spirit which in turn will assist you in great measure as you endure to the end - which is really all about repeating this process under the temple covenants.  So what we are teaching, what our purpose is, is exactly what the Lord would have you develop personally.  There are NOT two doctrines - one that we teach and a different one that we live.  We live the Doctrine of Christ and we teach the Doctrine of Christ! 

I am hopeful and prayerful that it was impressed upon you how important it is to help investigators develop faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, teach them how to repent, and prepare them for baptism. Yes, we want you to challenge them to baptism in the first lesson!  Yes, we want baptisms, many, many more baptisms!  And I believe the Lord would have us better help them understand the need to increase their faith in Him, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement and as we do baptism will be a natural desire of our investigators.  I also believe as you develop greater faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, your desires to renew sacred baptismal covenants each week will increase and your desire and willingness to repent will increase.  Again, we need to live what we are teaching and we need to teach all aspects of our Missionary Purpose!

Please plant seeds of faith!  Please allow the Spirit to provide the initial endowment of faith and then nurture it and allow it to grow through your good works.  It will take work but it is work that is worth it!  

With much love and appreciation for all you do, President Clark

Trainer/Trainee & District Trainings 8-2016

We love meeting with all of these great missionaries!  They are so "anxiously engaged" in the 

great work of salvation!  WE LOVE IT!

Trainers & Trainees

Back Row, Left to Right:Elders Olsen, Witt, Richardson, Smith, Arebalo,Strommen, Muir, 

Merrill, Poukovic, Nesom, Gibson, VanVleet, Allen, Riley, Bishop, Morales, McGraw, Speer

Middle Row, Left to Right: Sisters Padilla, White, Rendon, Murray, Bermudez, Jefferies, Malica, Jones

Front Row, Left to Right: Elders Vastbinder, Kloepfer, Fernandez, Nelson, Austin, Pettit, Nielsen

 District Leaders 

Back Row, Left to Right: Elders Speer, Wilmots, Vastbinder, Call, Keeley, Smith, Mapp, 
Watson, Quinn, Lillywhite, Van Vleet, Richardson, Morrison, Rearte, Hibbert, Olsen

Front Row, Left to Right: Elders Lee, Muir, Gray, Hopkins, Kennewick, McGraw, 
Del Carmen, Ordonez

President's Weekly - They Love you! They Love This Work!

They Love You!  They Love This Work!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

"Teach them to be dignified!  Teach them to rise up to the sacred level of their calling at all times, in all things and in all places.  Help them understand that someone is always watching them and they should think twice before they do something they might have done often in High School or before their mission.  They are ambassadors of the Lord now and must uphold this high and holy calling!  Everything they do either adds to or detracts from their calling as the Savior's representatives.  Help them to be dignified."

As I finished a Stake Correlation meeting yesterday I asked the Stake President what we could do better.  The above was what he said (perhaps not word for word but the essence is quoted here).  He was not correcting us as much as encouraging us.  He was not pointing to any instance in particular but just desirous that we avoid an instance.  He was simply encouraging us to Rise Up, to become more like the Savior in word, in thought, and deed!  As I drove away I was overcome by his great love for you.  He only wants you to be successful.

Later in the evening I was blessed to be with one of our stakes for their General Priesthood Meeting.  I witnessed a great Stake President there, having prepared much and in an inspired way, seek to help young men prepare and be prepared to serve missions.  It was so deeply touching to witness the desire he has that these young men grow up and mature in the priesthood, make good decisions as to what they participate and don't participate in, who their friends are and aren't, and how they should strive to be clean, pure and worthy in preparation to serve a Mission when they are 18 or 19.  Again, it was such a manifestation of a Key Holder's love for those he has been called to serve and how he loves the Work of Salvation.

I love our Stake Presidents.  It is an honor to serve with them.  I have such a testimony they are called and chosen to lead this great work and that among the many keys that they hold, they hold the keys of the Work of Salvation for their Stakes.  And so I sit in counsel with them often and am always uplifted and edified as I do.  Our meetings are often revelatory and always spiritually uplifting as we strive to move the work forward.  I know they love the Missionaries (you) and are working very diligently to bless your lives and the experience you are having.  I also know this is true for all of our good Bishops and Branch Presidents who likewise hold the keys of the Work of Salvation in their respective Wards and Branches. 

I am grateful, and I hope you are as well, for our Stake Presidents' examples of love towards those whom they have been called to serve and towards each of you who are serving as full time missionaries.  They truly serve in a Christ-like manner with their love of Him central to all they say and do.  They are such a blessing to so many and it is clear to me how they desire to bless each of you.

With great love and appreciation to them and to you,

President Clark

Mission Leadership Council 8-2016

We had a wonderful MLC as we gathered to learn the Lord's will as to specific things we need to do in order to better minister to the Missionaries.  It is always great to gather with these fine young Elders and Sisters, men and women, who will soon be leading and guiding the Church.  Sister Clark and I always leave having increased confidence in the future of this Church that will be lead by these most excellent Disciples.  And what a great training ground to gather in counsel with them each month to bless the Mission.  

Back Row, Left to Right:  Elders Speer, Peterson, Nelson, Agazzani, Valenzuela, Wilson, Roberts, Noffal, Draney,
 Tongish, Cummings, Knapton, Walker, Olsen
Front Row, Left to Right: Elders Vargas, Carnahan, Sisters Aboussou, Larsen, President & Sister Clark, Sisters
Tyler, Bangerter, Elders Halliday, Perkins

Add caption

Our treasured Senior Missionaries 8-2016

Every six weeks on the Friday following transfers, the Senior missionaries gather together at the mission home for dinner, socializing, mission updates and a brief message from the President.  We are so grateful for these wonderful missionaries, they are truly an inspiration to us all.

Back Row, Left to Right:  Elders Winters, Bradshaw,  Richards, Beutler, President Clark, 

Elders Johansen, Hammond, Levie, President Olzack

Front Row, Left to Right:  Sisters Winters, Bradshaw, Richards, Beutler, Clark, Hammond, Johansen, Henderson, Besser, Levie, Olzack

New Missionaries - August 2016

Now that is a great looking group of Missionaries! Not just in appearance but we are so thrilled to receive so many new Missionaries (16 new Golden Trainees).  With each group of new Missionaries Sister Clark and I feel so loved by the Lord because he sends us such worthy and prepared Missionaries.  They're going to be great!!!

Back Row, Left to Right:  Elders Kloepfer, Fernandez, Nelson, Vastbinder, Allen, Arebalo, Strommen, Muir, Van Vleet, Gibson, Nesom, Merrill, Paukovic, Smith, Richardson, Witt, Bishop, Riley, Morales, Nielsen, Austin, Pettit,
Front Row, Left to Right: Elders Speer, Olsen, McGraw, Hibbert, Sisters Padilla, White, Jones, Malice, Rendon, Murray, Bermudez, Jefferies, Sister Kara Liston, Elders Tongish and Halliday

Sisters Jefferies & Bermudez; Elders Van Vleet & Allen; Sisters Jones & Malpica; Elders Vastbinder & Gibson; Elders McGraw & Fernandez; Elders Arebalo & Kloepfer; Elders Muir & Merrill; and Elders Strommen & Nelson

Elders Tongish, Nesom & Halliday; Elders Morales & Nielsen; Elders Bishop & Riley; Sisters White & Padilla; Elders Richardson & Witt; Sisters Murray & Rendon; Elders Smith & Paukovic; Elders Austin & Pettit; and the airport arriving group not including Elders Paukovic & Nesom (different arrival times)

Trainers

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY -

Departing Missionary Advice

Dear Elders and Sisters:

One of the most tender and spiritually instructive things that Sister Clark and I are blessed to do is sit in final testimony and counsel with the departing missionaries the evening before they leave the mission.  After having gathered in the temple together that day, we enjoy a great meal in our home and then teach one another through testimony and counsel.  Recently, I have made it a practice to write down the counsel these fine missionaries share as they complete their full-time, consecrated missionary assignment. 

Today I feel impressed to tell you what they would have you know and do different.  Here is their counsel to you:

"What we talk about indicates what our focus is and I have learned it is an indicator of our reverence towards our call and the Lord, Jesus Christ."

"I love the counsel to teach repentance and baptize converts - I fear Missionaries don't understand this as well as they need to." 

I wish I could help Missionaries see that correction is the way to be exactly obedient versus ‘only’ obedient." 

"Change/Repentance brings true power and unity of a companionship to us.  It will make us more powerful servants."

"Our own conversion is the most important conversion and this is best accomplished by seeking to convert another."

"Slang is much, much too prevalent!  Our speech, what we talk about has everything to do with Reverence to the Lord!"

"We must protect our companions at ALL times."

"Two principles that changed my mission - The Book of Mormon challenge did so much to bless my testimony; and President Clark's teaching of 'Act versus being acted upon' did so much to change my life."

"District Meeting/Training needs to be a spiritually uplifting and motivational meeting.  Please encourage District Leaders to rise to their call better in this respect."

"Focus on the fundamentals!  Always focus on the fundamentals!"

"Good role models and examples to look at are the District videos, the Fulcher Case, and Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts."

"I love the way President and Sister Clark portray their love for the missionaries and wish the other leaders would follow this example."

"Over a Year/Under a Year is a blessing.  Also, don't tell anyone you are training."

"Living our Missionary Purpose is so important!  Also, using time versus doing time will bless your mission/life."

"Please teach the Leaders to conduct effective exchanges!  They are often too casual.  Effective changes changed my mission!" 

"Be dignified!  Rise to Your Call!"

"Variety is important for each day's plan.  Don't be robotic!"

As I go through each week I often receive inspiration on what to write about.  I write these thoughts down and refer to them each Sunday evening/Monday morning as I write this letter.  This week I had written two notes: “Help Missionaries serve in a truly ‘Set Apart Manner’ and help them better understand how to consecrate/fast from the things of the world for two years.”  I believe these wonderful departing Missionaries have provided the perfect counsel to you and have helped me fulfill my “errand of the Lord” this week.  I have great respect for these missionaries and know their counsel will/should be a blessing to this great Mission.  I truly appreciate them for how they have left this final portion of their great missionary seasoning upon this mission.

Love and prayers,

President Clark