Hello Family,
It has been another awesome week here in Clinton. We are starting to see some real success out here. We have been praying quite a bit lately for help to find those people who have been prepared to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been asking to find someone who will really want to accept this Gospel. We teach more and more different people every week, but their level of commitment is pretty low. However we did find this one family. Edgar, his wife (haven't seen her much), Eileen, and Kelly. They are actually seeming more and more interested every time. This is the same family we met when we came but they are showing some real signs of interest. We taught Eileen about the Plan of Salvation this past week focusing on her (real) father who passed away about 8 years ago. She loved it and she already prays every day and night and now she is praying about her father and if our message is true. We taught her step dad Edgar last night. We taught a whole lesson on the importance of the Book of Mormon. Very spiritual lesson. He said if he knows the Book of Mormon is true he will get baptized. Sweet, because guess what Edgar- it really is true! I am super excited for him. It has been a slow month so we are happy to see some progress here in Clinton. We are so pumped.
We have been getting good at contacting people in the street. I can actually say I like doing it. Yes, I like walking up to random people and sharing the Gospel with them. It is probably one of the most fun things. You never know what their reaction will be. Yesterday I contacted this guy named Samuel (in a Spanish pronunciation) and he was so happy to talk to us. He didn't want to leave. He has met with missionaries before, but works a ton, going to see him this week. We have only about two active Hispanic Families in the ward, The Mandez and the Semperteguis. So we have to do a majority of finding new investigators on our own. We can’t just rely on them giving us referrals. So we have to do it the old fashioned way: lots of contacting and knocking doors. Its teaching me tons, and I love just talking to people especially about the Gospel.
It’s crazy how much I have had to step up my game in this new area. It was tough at first being senior companion and finalizing decisions and being the example of exact obedience, but man I am so grateful for it. I have learned so much. My mission is really becoming my mission. And now that it is becoming mine, I can give my mission 100% to the Lord. There is no more relying on anything else but the Lord. I have learned to start acting instead of waiting for other people to act. If I don’t act nothing gets done. It’s been fun learning how obedience plays a role out here. I mean its everything and some missionaries just don’t understand that. A lot of people don’t understand that either. If we want to be blessed and happy we better be obedient because it is the only way. It has changed everything. Doing the Lord's will over my will makes all the difference. There is NO failure in that path. I cannot fail when I put God's will before my will. Everything will be for my benefit and others. Such an interesting thing to dwell on. But we can’t be perfect yet and that's where repentance comes in. That's where living the Gospel comes in. We keep changing every day to become more like Christ because that is the happiest way. It is really the only way. I love that.
Well it’s snowing again today. We have received about 6 inches more of some thick wet snow. It was 60 degrees yesterday and now snowing again. Such random weather. But at least it’s not freezing anymore.
Being district leader is getting more fun and easier every day. Learning so much and loving the chance to serve. My district is so awesome and such hard workers. District meeting is getting super fun too. I am getting more and more comfortable giving my training and doing role plays.
SO grateful for such an awesome mission. The missionaries here are so obedient and so into Preach My Gospel. President Jeppson is one of the most inspiring people I have met. Probably be an Apostle someday.
Spanish is coming along well. Forced to speak it out here and it is starting to really flow. Still not 100% but wow sometimes I walk away from lessons in shock because of how little I had to think about what I was saying. We can hold hour long conversations just fine now with people. We don’t get to speak it much other than lessons. District meeting and all other meetings are English because of the English missionaries. It really is an English Mission but there are about half of us speaking Spanish. We are trying to speak it more and more just with each other around the house. But it’s coming along well.
Thank you for that awesome package as well. We loved all the treats and Hawaiian stuff. Haven’t had time to make it quite yet. But thank you for all the dinner ideas too. And I loved the oatmeal cookies. My favorite. That was so kind and loving of you. Elder Aspinall loved it too. Thanks for thinking about him.
Loving the work out here. SO much. Thank you for letting me come out here and serve. Its changing my life.
Elder Sumsion
Shoutouts!!!!
Aunt Keri/ The Harris'- Thank you for the package with all the gummy sweets and fun scriptures to look at. Thanks for thinking about me. Glad to not be a greenie anymore!
Valerie Cannon- Thanks for all the things to keep me warm the next few weeks. That was so thoughtful of you. They will be in good use soon enough.
Tyler Alden- Sent me a crazy perfect missionary package with all the missionary needs. Thank you Tyler. You sent me things I didn't even know I needed until I got them. Thanks.
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