President's Weekly - Worthily Obtain and Use!

Worthily Obtain and Use!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

It was so nice to sit with you in interviews this past week and I thank each of you for your preparation.  Receiving in advance your summary of how you have changed, the "Doctrinal Diamond" you've unearthed through your studies, your greatest conversion experience, and your testimony was a great blessing to me.  To be able to review this in advance, discuss it in our interview, and cherish it for all time will be a treasure to me.  I hope to you as well. 

I shared with you in our interview that I had earnestly prayed to know what I should counsel you as my final advice in our final interview together.  As I pondered and prayed to know, some poignant advice from my Mission President came back to me in a powerful way.   While it would be nice to speak of many things, my counsel given, while brief, covers a wide array of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

As I completed my final interview at the end of my mission, including my interview for a new temple recommend, my Mission President very simply and straight forwardly said this: "Elder Clark, I promise you if you will worthily obtain and use a temple recommend the rest of your life you will be exalted."  While exaltation was and is my goal, when he said that I was a little skeptical he could promise me such a thing.  But I had only been in the temple 3 times (Spain did not have a temple) and so when I returned home I listened and I heard it.  I heard and was reminded that in the temple we learn all that is necessary to pass sentinels and be admitted to the presence of the Lord. That's exaltation!  And that was the desire of my heart!  

If you consider what is involved in "Worthily Obtain", it is a lot.  There are many great sermons in that relevant cue!  We could talk of Tithing or Sabbath Observance; Of a testimony or the doctrines of the Godhead and the Savior as our Redeemer; Of the principle of being honest or fulfilling our Church callings.  If you will keep doing all that is necessary to Worthily Obtain a temple recommend you will never stray.  It will be the "Hold Fast to the Iron Rod" of your life!  Trustfully, it will become a "Life's Vision" for you.  Just think about it!  You will never need to decide whether you are going to Church or paying a Full Tithe or obeying the Word of Wisdom.  You've already made those decisions once and now you simply "Go and Do" for the rest of your life.  The Lord promises (covenants) if you will, Exaltation will be your reward!

And then "Use" it!  Now there's a whole other sermon in that, isn't there.  I suppose if it were allowed, Missionaries would be more than willing to attend the temple on a weekly basis while they serve.  But the test will come after your mission.  As you seek to find a balance in your post-mission life, one of the most important things you'll need to determine is what your temple attendance will look like.  How will you Use your temple recommend the rest of your life?  The great Jehovah has said: "For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.  Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice...and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out..."  (D&C 110:7-9) 

As you Use your Temple Recommend regularly, my promise to you is that in the Temple the Lord will always be willing to counsel you in every and any aspect of your life.  The Lord will "speak unto [you] with His own voice" regarding personal, marriage, family, children, career, education, financial, and any counseling needs you require so "that in [you] and [your] seed all generations after [you] shall be blessed" (D&C 110:12). 

And so, in what has become a very tender interview and final counsel experience, I pass on to you what my Mission President shared with me; I promise you if you will Worthily Obtain and Use a Temple Recommend the rest of your life, you will be exalted!  And it's not really his promise or mine, but rather the Lord's!  I would desire with all my heart that each day, week, month, and year for the rest of your life you will always remember this relevant cue: "Worthily Obtain and Use" a Temple Recommend to be Exalted!  I promise it will be a vision guide in your life for the rest of your life!

With much love, admiration, and respect!

President Clark 

President's Weekly - Something Great in Porterville!

Something Great in Porterville!

Dear Elders and Sisters:

We've studied the Fulcher case, the Donaldson Papers, the Fourth Missionary and other articles that teach and inspire us to become better Missionaries.  These examples, outlines, and teachings guide and inspire us to "Journey to Higher Ground" as we strive to live our Missionary Purpose.  I am pleased to share we have our own case study developing within the CFM - the Porterville Plan.

In our Porterville Zone, Missionaries are working very faithfully and diligently to live their purpose just as all of you are.  But beyond that there is something more.  Everything seems to have come together well in the Porterville Zone to find a wonderful balance of doing all the things required to be a Complete Missionary.  I highlight here a few key ingredients that stand out to me to highlight the results.  I know you are striving to obtain these results as well and encourage you to read and study this for the revelatory experience it can be to bless you in your ministry.

In Porterville, Zone Leaders are ministering (also means teaching) well to District Leaders and when inspired, and with District Leader coordination, ministering well to other Zone companionships.  District Leaders have gone way above and beyond their call to "do" exchanges and are "accomplishing" some marvelous results as well as they minister/teach the Missionaries in their stewardships through extra exchanges, follow-up, encouragement, etc.  Sister Training Leaders are accomplishing the same as they work with their stewardships.  As important as what leadership is accomplishing, paramount to the success is the buy in and commitment of the Missionaries.  Are they striving to be exactly obedient?  Yes!  Are the willing to sacrifice?  Yes!  But more than this they have become consecrated in all they do.  They seek and receive correction and are so very willing to do all their leaders are teaching and encouraging them to do.  While I recognize this may not be different than where you are serving, there does seem to be a difference in the love that exists between all of them and their common commitment to the Standards of Excellence of the Mission.  They seem to have become equally yoked (and this means Missionaries with Missionaries and Missionaries with Members) in the Work of Salvation.

These Missionaries also seem to have found a wonderful balance between finding on their own and through Members.  Coupled with the support of Stake and Ward Leadership, most every night Missionaries are on splits with Members - one companion as a Home or Visiting Teaching Companion and the other with a Ward Missionary or Member teamed up to work in the area.  While this takes an enormous commitment to planning and organization, the fruit of this is sweet.  Members and Missionaries are working very well together and not only are New Investigators found each week going up (for the last three weeks each companionship has exceeded the CFM Standard of Excellence) but all the other Key Indicators are going up as well. Each week the number of w/date and @Sac increases and the baptisms are following to be sure.  One key thing I have also noted is that the finding on their own has not gone down and overall finding has increased because finding through the Members has increased. They are doing well at "Finding when you Teach" Less-actives and Part-members.  Yesterday as I sat in correlation with the Zone Leaders and Stake Presidency, it was noted that Home Teaching has increased significantly in the Porterville Stake.  

I believe what is key to Porterville's success is an attitude and willingness to be "all in", "fully invested", and completely focused on living their Missionary Purpose in a well-rounded, PMG way.  I believe love for one another and a willingness to give and receive correction are key ingredients as well.   Another way to describe this is they are becoming Consecrated in living their Missionary Purpose.  This consecration can only occur on a foundation of exact obedience and sacrifice and the three are inextricably connected.  

Now, please do not be offended.  Highlighting the Porterville Zone as an example is only meant to help you receive revelation on what you might do differently, more of, become better at, or what weapons of rebellion you should lay down to better live your Missionary Purpose and work better with Members in this great labor.  Each week when I review CFMOPPS and your individual letters for the Key Indicators, the numbers tell me a story.  The Key Indicators teach me a lot about Missionaries, Districts, Zones, and Leadership and these Key Indicators tell me that something is happening in the Porterville Zone we need to take note of and study.  To watch Missionaries consistently find in excess of our Standards of Excellence and have all the other Key Indicators increase as a result, tells me there is something great going on in Porterville and we need to learn from it.  

I love the CFM for its wonderful Missionaries, for all you do in your quest to be exactly obedient, your willingness to sacrifice, and most of all, your love for the Lord.  I truly appreciate how diligent you are and simply encourage you to learn from one another that we may all "Journey to Higher Ground" in this great Work of Salvation.  

With much love and great appreciation,

President Clark

MLC - June 2017

MLC:  These are the best leaders and it was so nice to be with them in counsel seeking to lead and guide the great CFM!  One of the great characteristics about these leaders is that they know well how to minister to the other Missionaries.  They are exactly obedient, faithful, diligent, and focused and willing to sacrifice in order to receive the Lord's choicest blessings as they strive to live their Missionary Purpose!  

Back Row, Left to Right: Elders Carnahan, Sparks, McGraw, Morales, Gray, Mederos, Muir, Frei, Biggs, Wilson, Facer, Quinn, Millburn, Sullivan, Rushton, Rogers, Keeley, Perez, Kennick, Del Carmen;  Front Row, Left to Right: Sisters Murray, Whitney, Jefferies, Jones, President and Sister Clark, Sisters Miller, Baldwin, Maxwell, Jeppesen

New Missionaries - June 2017

New Missionaries and their Trainers:  This is always such an exciting time.  They come so prepared and excited to serve.  And it is such a revelatory and confirming experience to put them in their companionships and feel the spirit confirming all is as it should be.  The Lord truly does have His hand in this work!

Back Row, Left to Right: Sisters Maxwell, Murray, Kelly, Elders Gray & Quinn, Sisters Rendon, Tompkins, Peterson; Front Row, Left to Right: Sisters Fisher, Gillespie, Va'enuku, President and Sister Clark, Sisters Burnside, Morse, Johnson