Sunday, March 3, 2013

"Great Success in the Work" - February 25, 2013


If there is something that I have learned it is that we are commanded to do all things in the name of Jesus Christ. I've taken this is stride and really try.  As you know I have kept a journal every day for the past 6 years.  Now I start even my journal writing with a prayer. If there is anyone to thank, it's the One who gives me the inspiration. 

Your pictures were incredible and I'm so glad to hear that you had a good trip in Japan. I eat fish very very rarely here, but when I do....it is an incredible delicacy!

I also was able to have a little taste of how your Sundays are because we were asked to translate the high council meeting for the few senior Russian couple missionaries and members who are serving in district callings who don't speak English. There were a lot of words I did not know since I'm still learning Russian, but it was super amazing to be a part of the growth of the church here in Ukraine. We had two baptisms this last Sunday, and we will have 4 baptisms next week.  There are currently 24 investigators ready for baptism all around our mission with a baptismal date. 

Nina's baptism was amazing from what I heard! She was baptized by Elder Lukashuk and had to be baptized 5 times because her elbow kept coming up... :) I wasnt able to be there, but I wrote her a letter, talked to her on the phone afterwards, and she was confirmed Sunday. How incredible and blessed I feel mom! Her husband wasnt baptized and still is having a ton of issues, but we still hope and pray!

Cool story for the week:
We have an investigator named Natalia who is a professor, super smart, and read the entire book of mormon already. She shares the Gospel with everyone. She believes the Book of Mormon is true and this last tuesday we had the oportunity to come over, learn a lot about the ukrainian culture, (they cooked for us, sang, told history) and then we got to sit in a circle on the ground with 10 other people and just talk about the restoration and book of mormon. What a blessing! Thisnext friday, we have an appointment in a university here to give a presentation infront of about 20 professors about our missions and why we are here. Amazing! 

A large part of our missionary work is self-contacting on the streets. The average per comapnionship is 10 new people teaching per week, there is one companionship in my zone who I think are some of the best missionaries in this mission, and they got 47 new interested people to teach in one week!! There are miracles happening!

The paper that I sent you in Russian is called "roots and branches" and maybe it would be a good way to help members get excited in temple work and missiorary work in saving their own families to be together forever. They need to understand the eternal doctrine of the family better found in the Bible by the prophet Malachi, the last verses of the Old Testament.

This last week I wasn't great with exchanges. We didn't wisely use all the time we could, but I'm starting to realize this one thing: Those who fight for a cause greater than themselves are going to have a greater strength, desire, and capability. The cause of God's work and glory is the greatest. Building Zion is our goal. However, the only way we will be able to become "one heart, of one mind" (Moses 7:18) and dwell in rigtheousness, we have to have charity. Charity is the driving force that allows the disciple of Christ to press-forward and work beyond his own abilities. (see 2 Nephi 26:29-31).

Seek The Zion!

I love you.

Elder Claypool


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