Beautiful sunset
Sister Missionary Training conference
Kolya baptism
Beautiful Donetsk
Sunday, June 16, 2013
The Donetsk Chapter conclusion "Today is the first day of our future" - May 29, 2013
Well, my family, I hope that you are all absolutely amazing! These last 16 weeks in Donetsk have been days incomparable with anything I have ever experienced in my life. I feel real growth, I see growth in the Lord's investigators, and I see growth in our members (both less- and active). We have seen so many miracles these weeks having lesson after lesson, miracle after miracle, and really...its not because we did something all that special, its because we were obedient and faithful to the Lord. He said, and we tried to do. There really isn't a greater feeling than simply doing a good work, and doing that work well. I was a completely different person when I came here to Donetsk and now, though the changes are minor, they're there.
We've seen less-active families renew baptismal covenants through the sacrament, investigators progress towards baptism, a less-active find joy in the doctrines of Christ, another less-active help his investigating girlfriend come to know Christ and be strengthened himself, and even unfortunately we've seen people turn from blatant testimonies which they have received deciding to remain in their own ways. I have a testimony more than anything else this transfer that the eternal principle of receiving blessings is preceded and founded upon the principle of taking care of, using, and magnifying what we have:
Kolya, one of the Lord's investigators, was to be baptized on the 15 of June. We were meeting with him last night after work talking about the Word of Wisdom, seeking to prepare him for his covenant with our Heavenly Father. To show you the humility of this man he, when learning that coffee and tea (2 very popular things here) were contrary to God's laws, said:"Well, you know, I admit that I drink coffee and that it is something that I rely on. I've read in places that it is healthy for you in some senses and that even green tea is super good for you...but I am so grateful that I have the Word of God to teach me what is true." In discussing his baptism he decided also that there was no purpose in waiting a few weeks when he could just meet with us every night, and be baptized this Sunday. And so he will be. He shared an experience with us - this man who really didn't have a relationship with God before, who has knelt with us in tears thanking God and promising to be faithful - about when he was at work earlier that day he was on a ladder and afraid he would fall. "I prayed to the Father," he said "and all of the sudden I was filled with this strength and peace and finished my work without fear. That is why I thanked my Father for helping me today."
The most amazing thing about this whole situation is not that Kolya started meeting with us a little over 2 weeks ago, it is not that he accepts everything with faith, it is not that he can feel and recognize the Spirit, and it is not even that he is reading the Book of Mormon every day according to a 5 month reading chart given to the members. What is amazing is that Elder Carley and I really didn't do anything to find him. We did as the Lord through his authorized servants and Spirit directed to work with less-actives. We really didn't have too many investigators that were progressing. One Sunday sitting there in class he came and knocked on the door wanting to learn more and change his life around. "And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a...commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you; Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation. I, the Lord, am abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (D&C 82:8-10). I know that when we just simply do as we are supposed to, the Lord will always bless us more than we can even imagine.
I read a wonderful quote the other day that I pondered on and rephrased a little: "A sunrise marks the beginning of a opportunity to make better the following sunset." In the sunset of this chapter of my mission, I look back and realized that in the heat of the day I wasn't always doing all that I could. But with the mercy of God and some effort on my part, my sunset is incredibly peaceful because I know my work in this area is finished. May we ever remember the sweet blessings that await us at the sunset during the scorching heat of the day. Don't wait till tomorrow, for today is the first day of our future.
I love you family! You are my example and one of my causes that keep me going when times are tough. Thank you!
"The Lord makes me sufficient" - May 20,2013
Thank you so much for your letter and for the input on the twins, I just sent them a letter and hope it will help. They are incredible!
I wanted to share with you miracles that are being given to me regardless of how unworthy I feel I am for them:
On Wednesday of last week we had a full day planned ahead of us with many lessons that were proving to be absolutely incredible. We started off meeting with a man named Valerie Lauren who has been paralyzed for a long long time. The doctors had told him that he would never move again...and he laughing told them that he had enough faith and sure would walk. Over the months and years he exercises every single day for 7 hours a day moving his arms, legs, and torso. It is incredibly painful for him, but he just says that he begins every workout with a prayer to pray for the strength to work through pain. He taught us more that day than we taught him. He really showed us that we have no reason to complain, but every reason to thank our Heavenly Father for all that he does. We get so caught up in what doesn't matter that we forget the miracles all around us especially with our health. He in exclamation pointed to the sky and said: "A man can know all about the cosmos," and pointing to his legs, "and nothing about the elementary." What miracles we are in merely existing. And with our faith strengthened from this man of incredible faith who's life goal is to ride triumphantly to church in his wheel chair wheeling himself 3km there and 3km back, we left with full hearts. He will soon receive the Melchizedek Priesthood in June.
We continued on the path with our member, after another less-active lesson following Brother Lauren, to our referral from Mormon.org. For all those of you who don't know, this hardly doesn't ever happen. Its a miracle when we receive anything from a media referral...and a miracle it ended up being. We took the trek to this man who lived a good hour walk from our house on foot in the sunny day with cotton blowing everywhere littering the ground as snow. We reached our destination and asked nearby neighbors where this man lived and if they knew him...the address did not exist. We had already tried to call this person...and the number didn't exist. When asking the neighbors if maybe they knew this man, they had no clue who he was nor had ever heard the name. So that was pretty lame....but as missionaries we always have a, drum roll please...backup plan! There was a less-active who lived nearby...actually, those neighbors who we had asked all the information too, they lived at the address we had...but they weren't the less actives. Fortunately they did know our less-active and pointed us in the right direction. We rang the door bell on the front gate...didn't work. We called...the number didn't exist...we were beginning to think that we were in repeat-failure mode. Randomly the neighbors drove up instructing us to just open the door, and yell his name; the gate was unlocked. So we entered hesitantly afraid of getting in trouble for trespassing and yelled "Victor Ivanovich!" No answer. The dog, a German Shepherd of sorts was completely quiet although almost all dogs in private homes bark. So with no answer we went farther into his property, and just felt that we needed to go all the way to the front door and knock...there was an answer as a man came out in his late 50's/60's and was our Victor. He was super nice, had been a member over 15 years ago, had an accident at work, lost his car, couldn't come to church, and the members kind of just forgot about him...in confusion he asked how in the world we found him when he used to live about 30 minutes away...we looked him straight in the eye and told him the truth: Heavenly Father sent us here. He's a wonderful man that loves the church and that we are working with to help get back to activity.
The final miracle was our lesson with a young man who had literally come to church himself and knocked on the door of the Gospel Doctrines class wanting to know more. We have been teaching him often this week and he is moving closer and closer to his baptismal date of the 15 of June. He feels the Spirit, recognizes it too, and has a sincere desire to know and do the will of God. When asking him if he had wanted to be clean and better, he said, "Well, its not that I want it, its that the Lord needs it. And if the Lord needs it, I'll listen." One of the most sacred moments of my mission happened with him as we knelt on the floor after teaching about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and listening to him plead with the Lord for forgiveness. It was the most powerful and personal prayer I have ever heard in my life. With a hug after the lesson and expressions of our gratitude one to another, he left that room with an unprecedented light in his eyes.
These are miracles that we can work with only with a small grain of faith. I know that the Lord will take all that we are, no matter how much we aren't, and make it enough to work mighty miracles. It is truly amazing what a little faith, hope, and charity will do. Believe me that you can have these miracles happen too...because there's nothing incredibly special about my faith or hope or charity. The Lord just makes me sufficient...and on days like this, more than sufficient. I believe in miracles of faith.
I love you all so much! Have fun on your trip!
Elder Claypool
Happy Mother's Day - May 13, 2013
Hello Mom!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to start off my Sunday on such a high note in talking to the best family in the world. I'm grateful for your support and for the love that you emanate in all that you do. The greatest thing that I think I could ever say is that the Lord is blessing our family with deeper testimonies of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ leading to becoming what we were created to become. This is the greatest of all blessings really...or at least this blessing of deepening our understanding and increasing our ability to do and become, really is eternal life. "And this is alife beternal, that they might cknow thee the only true dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast esent" (John 17:3). This is what were all here for. And our Heavenly Father is blessing us with this gift "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Ne 28:30). Speaking of gifts given to us, I had an interesting thought in my first area that I would like to share with you. "Work Hard and Let The Spirit Guide" May 6,2013
Happy...well there's always some kind of holiday here...I just dont know which one...oh yeah, MOTHER'S DAY!!!
It makes me so excited to hear just how much missionary work you are doing and how much it is blessing you. Seems like your going to pass me up in missionary success soon ;) It really is wonderful to catch the wave isnt it? In just thinking what it means to represent the Savior...I just am so grateful for such an opportunity. We've taken a lot of big steps this week for the future especially in the way that we do missionary work. Just so that all know, a missionary is not called to find or even baptize; they are called to teach and preach the Gospel with power and authority. The role of finding and even baptizing is actually the members' role. I wasn't a very good member before I guess ;) In our mission, the majority of our fruits are plucked by our own efforts in contacting, tracting, and our own programs like english. However, there is a better way, and that way is the way we are starting to walk. Its through the members! That's why in our mission we are taking a step forward, leaving our old missionary habits and becoming missionaries who work through the members. Its pretty rough for me actually because whenever we planned before, our back up plan was always contacting to find more people...now I have to learn to do missionary work all over again.
An Elder in our mission has always been a wonderful example of this, working with the members that is. He is a very successful missionary here too. However, when I came here to the mission, if a missionary spent a lot of time at a member's home it ment they were wasting time and really not a good missionary; or in other words, they just didnt want to work by getting out and hitting the streets. This became the focus of the mission: finding by our own efforts. There were weeks when between 8 missionaries we had received 200 contacts...but hardly any new investigators and maybe one baptism. But this was how we were trained. Now, under the revelation of our President, we are changing our focus and doing missionary work the way the Lord would have it done. We've proved to the Lord we can work hard...now we need to work smart and spiritual. It's not that we werent working smart or spiritual before, but now we are learning what the Lord wants of us. That Elder, whom I love dearly, was the pioneer for us all...how grateful I am for that.
This new style of missionary work has its fruits for us: The less-active family that you were asking about actually did come to church after a miracle of an experience.
We went to their home saturday, after calling them during the week a few times previous to share our excitement in coming over, and started our service. We were just moving bricks and dirt for a 2 hours along with Brother Andrei. We talked, laughed, and just got to know him better. However, that was not the part that made the highlights of the journal that night ;) We had a lesson with them shortly following our service about the sacrament. I don't remember all that was said, other than I have a very sacred feeling everytime I reflect on that lesson. We talked about the importance of the sacrament, the importance of the Holy Ghost, and just how much we need that weekly renewal. We took a pause asking the question, "What would a more abundant influence of the Holy Ghost do in your life?" They answered that question and then we said that the Holy Ghost was definitely present at this meeting and that we can all listen to what he will say, following which we took about two minutes of complete sacred silence to listen. I was praying pretty hard in all honesty that this would actually work. It was just a prompting and not a plan, but we put our trust in it. After a few minutes we said that of course the Spirit told us what to do and that even though we as missionaries didnt need to know, as representatives of Jesus Christ exhorted them to follow their promptings. Brother Andrei raised his hand and said, "I have a huge favor to ask of you: Could you call us at 8am tomorrow morning to make we sure we dont sleep in? We're coming to church." And you know, we aren't perfect as missionaries and dont do all that we could always, but I felt a deep gratitude and felt like a real servant of Christ when we said "We'll not only call you Brother Andrei, but we had already planned on being here at 8am to come to church with you." There was a happiness unexplainable after that lesson. The Spirit was there on the lesson. They came to church, were greeted by all the members who had so long missed them, it was an incredible easter service (easter is the 5th of may here), and they partook of the sacrament. Even though they only stayed one hour, its the first step. Truly no effort is wasted in the work of the harvest.
I'll see you on Saturday at 8:30a your time and 6:30p my time. Happy Mother's day! I love you so much!
Your Son, Elder Claypool
PS, Andrei Lukashuk, my Ukrainian brother, is getting married in a month and then in december when his year mark of membership is up they'll be sealed in the temple. Try to shoot him an email of congrats!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
“Remain Faithful, Don’t Judge, and Always Forgive” - April 29, 2013
Hello everyone,
Yes the weather here is very nice now. Thank you so much for your letter this week...it is always so strengthening to see the strength that the Lord gives his servants. I thought this last week that even if they did pay all the people who served in the church, it wouldnt make a difference...only the grace of God could help us fullfill our roles and callings in this great work.
Thank you so much for your advice on ward council...we are still a really far ways from that with a pretty young priesthood, but we will get there before the stake is built. The more we can be exposed to where other missions are, the more we would be able to catch a vision and go towards it. Do you think you could scan a Progress Record for me and send it just so I could see it to see where we could improve? That would be wonderful! We are working on improving member relations as you know, and getting our correlation meetings and ward councils in order are the first step.
This last week was pretty amazing in all reality but also pretty hard...but I do feel like although I always seem to feel like I'm not doing my best, I also realize that the more I am on a mission, the higher "my best" gets. Being grateful has really aided me in this quest for fulfilling the mandate of our prophet last conference to become more profitable servants in the Lord's vineyard.
I just wanted to share a story about one less active family we have that we are working with: Andrei Ivanov is a wonderful man who served as a branch president about 10 years ago. Due to a change in the mission, the Brethren decided to combine two branches and as a result he was not called as the next branch president. With his pride blinding his vision Brother Andrei left the church with his wife and 1 year old daughter and hasnt come back since. Here's where we come in. We started to visit them with the excuse of just getting to know them...and we have started to see some progress. This last lesson we were able to come out and say that we had prayed a long time and felt like we received revelation for them specifically....with this foundation of a lesson, we were able to be very straight forward and teach truth that would burn its course through the heart: Forgiveness of self. So many people in the world do not forgive themselves. Many of our less-actives leave the church for such small, meaningless reasons, and by the time comes to return years down the road, their pride says "no, God will not forgive me, the members will not forgive me, and I cannot forgive myself." We
taught the lesson, the Spirit presided, and by the end they knew exactly what we were implying and
what we were asking them to do: Put the past behind, believe not only in Christ but actually believe Christ (meaning to trust that he will forgive if we repent and remember it no more), and to forgive yourself. We talked about Alma the Younger and the shear fact that if Alma had not forgiven himself, where would half of the some of the most doctrinally based chapters of the Book of Mormon be? They wouldn’t be good. At the end of the lesson, Brother Andrei asked if we could come by Saturday to do some service, in order to help them have the time to go to church Sunday. This made me so incredibly happy! We were convinced that the Lord would forgive him and that he could in the future forgive himself. Sadly, on Sunday when we shared the good news with the branch, some of the people denied all hope of that family returning saying that they had already put their effort and time in. They said It was hopeless for them. This is wrong. That very same doctrine taught in D&C 64 speaking of forgiveness and in us having the greater sin if we don’t forgive, applies here. When we don’t forgive, whether ourselves or others, especially when the Lord would freely forgive them, we
have the greater sin in that we deny the Atoning and transcending power of Jesus Christ's Atonement. I would hope that our members everywhere keep firmly in their mind the verses found in 3 Ne 18:32:
Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.
Thank you for you wonderful advice in strengthening the members here...they need it badly just as any of us do. To read all that you are doing with the missionaries is so incredibly amazing! It really makes me happier than ever to know that my family is a missionary family. There is no greater family than that. Elder Clarke, a member of the first quorum of the seventy said it well when he said: "Do you want an eternal family? Then do eternal things." I know that the work of the Lord is the work of the eternities: “To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”. If any family wants to be eternal, I would say that missionary work is just as much of a necessary aspect as is attendance of temple and church, daily reading the scriptures individually and together, and daily family and individual prayer. There is no greater work. As I sat pondering my call as a missionary and what it means to be an authorized representative of Jesus Christ, I was overwhelmed at the short amount of time the Lord has suffered me to be his representative. I am called to help all mankind return to Heavenly Father. I am called to strengthen His Church and the children of Zion. I was foreordained before this world, and in this world, I am seeking to make my calling and election made sure. I am called to call the wicked to repentance, and righteous to path of perfection. I am an imperfect representative of the Perfect One, and through His Grace, or Enabling power, I am becoming as He is and will stand before him and be like him. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ.
Let us continue to be witnesses of the Savior in all times, in all places, and in all things even until till death, especially as we represent him in his perfect mercy and not his perfect justice, for justice is God's and we are required to forgive all men.
Your Son, Elder Claypool
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
"To Know. To Do. and To Be." April 22, 2013
Good morning!
I love that in all the things that you (mom) could tell me and let me know, you talk about missionary work first and foremost. That really shows me just how much you are in the right direction. This week was pretty busy for me too since we had a transfer meeting, a new transfer, I received a new companion (Elder Carley from Utah - an amazingly humble elder!), planning for the zone, the district (as in the future-stake), and our own area. There have been a lot of times this week when I was just super tired after really straining myself. However, it is exciting! There is no greater feeling than looking back on a day, being dead tired, and knowing that you did what you could in following the Lord.
Of course I look back and when I compare what I did with a General Authority or Mission President it's really nothing, but I still feel like the Lord is trusting me more and more as I seek His grace in becoming a more profitable servant in His hands.
Heavenly Father can say about every one of his children: "This is my beloved son/daughter in whom I am pleased," for as a loving Father, it doesn't take much for Him to be pleased with us if we try. He is so loving. But.. I want him to say unto me: "You are one of my beloved sons in whom I am well-pleased."
We've been doing a lot of work in preparing our mission for the next step of perfecting the work with the members by simply applying what is written in the Preach My Gospel manual. It's absolutely incredible that the Lord would bless us 18,19, 20 year old kids with revelation that can change the history of a country if applied right. How privileged we are! How much He trusts us...how much we could trust others more.
This last week we had some rougher moments in seeking to raise the bar (challenge ourselves more). We have a lot of people who will give out their numbers, receive the message with lukewarm relations and not really progress. These are not who we are called to teach. We are called to teach those who are prepared to hear, not be forced to baptism. So, we've been raising the bar of contacts and investigators with the promise from our mission president that if we let go of those who are not progressing, we will receive a new investigator who is ready for every one we let go. It happened. We let go of two investigators who for various reasons we felt were not ready or accepting or progressing, and literally that day, we gained one new investigator who called us, set up with us, went to a baptismal service, and just was incredibly interested and humble. Even yesterday we were coming back from a high-council meeting (we were translators in the meeting) and a crazy lady stopped us, and said we were beautiful and she moved on...it got weirder as a drunk man came up to us asking where his friend was that passed away that day...it started to seem like a movie. On top of this conversation a lady came up to us asking if we could carry her bags to her home which wasn't far away. So talking with this drunk man about the plan of salvation and life after death, and this lady walking along side listening, we carried her bag, talked to her for a second, and she even agreed to meet with us on her own accord! It was a miracle! The situation after that continued back on a very amusing path as that crazy old lady came back and started defending us and telling the drunk guy to improve and change his life in a very straight forward way...that was pretty funny...but because it can always get better... another drunk gentleman came up and yelled "What are you arguing about" to the crazy old lady and the first drunk man (who were arguing loudly as we just stood there in shock of all that was happening so fast), and then the second drunk man proceeded to join in the argument...oh, how days are never boring here. People defend us. Although it was a funny story, we really were blessed with this wonderful nice woman. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
Elder Lukashuk is doing well from what I know. He even was so kind as to call me on my birthday and congratulate me. He's been to the temple to do baptisms and he is just flourishing. I'm going to send him a letter soon, but if you would like to send him a letter I can send you the address next time.
It's all true. We can talk about the teachings of the church and step back and ask ourselves, "do I really believe that?!" That is when I step right back forward where I was, holding my ground, and say "Yes, I believe that." Although all my testimonies are a little more than simple beliefs, they are strengthening by the day. And by the fruits of the Gospel, I know this is from God. We all have that opportunity if we will just let ourselves experience it.
Wow...dad's last joke definitely made me laugh big time...especially since I have a University of Utah sweatshirt that I found and that I work out in...only to work out in though- ha ha.
It's super cool to hear that you'll be so close to Ukraine! Maybe you'll be able to feel the wave that is spreading over this part of the world with missionary work. It's pretty amazing. I really am starting to feel like a real missionary who is so blessed to do this work. I still have many things I don't do right and let my own self get in the way, but I really am starting to become a representative of Jesus Christ. It's all because of focusing more on: Preach My Gospel and the Scriptures (Preach My Gospel is a manual available to all members, not just missionaries) . Of course prayer plays a huge roll in such and all my incredible companions and circumstances, but really knowing and applying (which I would say to know is to have already applied and tasted the fruits) brings the change.
The Prophet and President Monson said something very interesting that I have come to know to be true in my life that really outlines the simple steps necessary to become what Heavenly Father would have us become: To Know. To Do. and To Be.
I still have that paper that you wrote us in priest quorum all those years ago that is all about becoming who we are meant to be, and I've referred back to it on my mission here.
First, however, is "to know". When we study the word, the word gives us desire, direction, and determination that is all carried to us via the Holy Ghost. We have so many opportunities to know something from our Heavenly Father thanks to ancient and modern scriptures, handbooks, manuals, internet, and so much more especially weekly attendance to church. We must first come to know.
Second we "must do". I love the quote by James Allen that says "Man is only subject to his circumstances until he realizes he is master over them." I have a firm belief that any excuse to not do will never be stronger than the eternal, God-given right we all have to choose. We have that sacred opportunity to, as Elder Holland put it regarding an olympic swimmer's mentality, "Kick when [we] don't want to kick, and stroke when [we] don't want to stroke." Some may call it pretending to be something we're not, but I call it practicing perfection, - and that is why we came here to this earth: To practice, to grow, to make mistakes, to learn.
However, there is a difference between "doing" and "being". We can do something only once and be categorized in the "doing" category, but in "being", that action is repeated not only once but comes from us naturally. That is a daunting task. But, that is a genuis of our character and the human body also, when we do, and do repeatedly, it becomes a part of us. Like one of the prophets had said after writing in a journal for 40-50 years, having started only because the prophet said to do so: "I feel like a fish out of water if I don't write in my journal before bed." We have to commit to become what we want. What He wants. If we only follow these steps, we can literally become all we were meant to be...and it all starts with doctrine. (see Alma chapter 31 verse 5)
Thanks for being so amazing and always making me smile! I love you and cannot wait to give you a huge hug when the day comes.
And pass my love to my wonderful siblings who will be even better missionaries than me!
Your Son, Elder Claypool
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)