July 28, 2014

WELL HELLOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Well, Greetings! How in the world is the family and friends that I love oh so much!? I am excited to read your emails...

Well...this week was the BEST WEEK OF MY LIFE!!!! Oh my word I can not tell you the miracles we saw! 

Number one....Dirk got baptized!!! Man! It was so tender and I had the same feelings I did when I saw Jasmine get baptized...JOY for them...joy that they were making the best decision in the entire world! All of Dirks family was there (13 non-members) (Did you know that 80% of non-members who go to a baptism eventually get baptized??) YAY...I am stoked! The baptism couldn't have been more perfect and the ward supported him so well! It was a moment I will NEVER forget and something I count as sacred. It has been the most rewarding thing to see from literally day one with Dirk till now. MMMM...my heart is so full of gratitude! 

After Dirk's baptism we had the opportunity to go out to dinner with him and his family (We all talked and had a great time. Just before we headed out, Sophie, his daughter came up to us and started crying. She told us she really felt something at the baptism and told us that one of her friends just recently past away. We were able to give her a Book of Mormon and teach her the plan of salvation. It was a very touching experience. I know that Dirk getting baptized is going to bring miracles to his family. Sophie lives in Plainfield and I am so excited to see where this story goes.  (I am secretly praying I will be sent there!) It touched me just as much as Dirk getting baptized did!!  The Lord is in charge and that is for sure!

This week we were our personal contacting and we were about ready to get into the car and the spirit screamed at me to look up!! As I looked up a woman was walking her dog. I grab Sister Hofhiens and on we went to talk to her. We hit it off immediately and it was a precious moment. She began to cry and said how much she needed this in her life. She gave us the biggest hug and we set up a return appointment. I walked away from that experience with tear filled eyes thinking "How did I get so lucky to be the one to share this message of the restoration of the gospel?" 

I am so humbled to be a missionary. I am so humbled to have served in Westfield for 6 months. The Bishop asked me to bear my testimony in Church and I didn't have the words to measure up to the love I have for the Westfield ward and the people I have had the opportunity to teach. Carlos, Tim, and Dirk were all there... my heart was fill once again with thanksgiving.

I have a testimony of God's love or each of his children. I know He loves us more then we really ever could understand because I can't even describe the love I have for the people I have here and I am HUMAN! God lives and loves us. This is His work and I am just a tool.  I love each and every single one of you! You mean the world to me! Pray for me as I leave my home and get transferred this week...cute Carmel, Indiana.  It will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart!  

Love you!

Love ,

Sister Clegg 

July 21, 2014

Hola Familia! 

Well...I am so glad that Redfish is safe and sound! I am with Mom on this one...God really does love Redfish! WOO! A fire at employee housing is a little too close!!!! 

Sounds like everyone had a fun week! Lots of hiking and game nights! I love it! So glad that you are all enjoying your summer! Redfish summers...mmmmm! 

This week for us was incredible! We really have shifted our mind set since the missionary department has come here and it has been incredible! We are all inviting like crazy and miracles are taking place because of it! It has been so fun! 

Dirk is right on target! He is doing so good! I love him so much! I cannot believe his baptism is this week!! The 26th!! What a miracle!!  Tim is also doing really well! We watched the Restoration video yesterday night with him and the spirit was SO strong! WOO! He bore a simple yet pure testimony of how he is feeling really good about everything, it was so neat and I don't think there was a dry eye in the house! I am so thankful for the spirit that testifies of truth. 

We met a lady named Linda this week...she invited us right in and we began teaching her. We told her about the Book of Mormon and she has already read half of it and she said she knows it is true! When we told her J.S first vision...she said..."Wow.. I cant imagine an experience like that!" It was so neat! We invited her to be baptized and she said she would pray about it. She has been a minister for about 20 years now, but it was a miracle to find her and she is so sweet!  I think it is so wonderful to find the people as her!!! 

Funny story/ miracle- This week we were on our way to the Carmel Sisters baptism and they texted us asking if we could grab a towel. (because the man getting baptized forgot one!) We were almost to the church but we told them we would figure something out. So, I don't know what got into me but... I told Sister Hofheins we were going to knock on a door and get a towel and invite whoever it is to the baptism. We knocked and introduced ourselves, we told our situation and asked for a towel, they gladly gave us one...but said they had to work so they could not go to the baptism. After the baptism, we went and returned the towel and began talking to them. The Mother was so curious as to why we choose her house out of all the houses on the street...she said she wanted to come to church and was interested in learning more! We are excited to see what comes of this one! Haha   MIRACLE! In the most random way! :)  

Church this Sunday was incredible! We had over 7 less actives at church and 3 investigators! It was so fun! I thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a missionary 500 times that day!!  Sometimes explaining what a mission is and does to you is undescribable!

Well...this will be probably one of the best weeks ever! :)  I love you all and cant wait to tell you all about it! I know that Heavenly Father is hastening his work.  He is working hard and I am trying to keep up with Him! I re-read a quote this week that I really like... "Pray as if it depends all on Him, Work as if it depends all on you!" I know that as we do our part He will come in ten fold and do His! I love you all and miss you! 

Have a great week! 

Love 

Sister Clegg the 3rd  

July 14, 2014

HOLA! 

What a wonderful week you all had! Harry the man conquered hiking Williams ugh? Good work team! I am proud of you all! Save me a spot for next summer alright? :) You all sounded like you had a good week...(well except for Alex...I am pretty sure he lost my email address some how or something?????? :)) ALEX...YOU EMAIL ME OR....well I'll....just email me okay?!!  Haha!  But, if you don't, one of my nick names out here is "pleasantly persistent" so...you make your choice! : ) 

Is has been an incredible week! Dirk moved his date to the 26th because his WHOLE family is going to come..so that worked better for his family...who are not members so that is worth it! He is doing so good! His whole countenance has completely changed and he has quite smoking for a month now! :) This was and continues to be one of my favorite miracles on the mission!! 

Tim Dellinger (we have been teaching him...don't know if I have told you about him?) but...he committed to be baptized August 30th! He is doing really well and is so sweet! He is married to a member and is one of the most humble person I have ever met or taught thus far...YAY! I will probably transferred by then would be my guess - but President lets you come back for the baptism... so we are good! :) 

Everyone is doing really well...miracles happen everyday!!  I wish I had the time and the fingers to type and  to tell you all about them! haha!!

This week we had a lot of "stuff" go on!!  We went to girls camp- I spoke. I spoke on Courage. I think it went well. It was fun to be with all the girls! The spirit was so strong and there were some testimonies that grew which is the best! President spoke as well. We got home at almost midnight and I felt so weird!!  (yes Dad..that may come as a shock to you...but I am a 10:30 lights out girl now!) 

Girls Camp Night

Our Zone

We were invited to go to MLC (mission leadership conference) with the missionary department this week. We were the only ones who were not trainers and felt so lucky to be invited!!  It was so good! I walked away from that this with about 7 pages of notes and 5 of them were goals to be better! I am inspired to be a better missionary and servant of the Lord. I am very grateful I got to go to it! (Brother Littlefield was on the missionary department...I guess we are related!?) He said he was facebook friends with you Mom and Dad! haha-  Small World! 

We had interviews with President this week! That was just wonderful! He helped me a lot and I am excited for the work that I get to do! He told me I was going to leave Westfield...Transfers are July 30...I don't want to talk about how much I am going to miss Westfield. Brother Rennie (Ward mission leader) said he was going to email President and tell him I have to stay! haha So...maybe it will work? 

Its been a wonderful week! We had a lot of meeting, trainings, and girls camp ...so this week I am excited to have a good old working week! My favorite kind! The field is white and ready to harvest! 

I love this work! There literally is nothing greater. I know that God lives. I know that he uses his servants as much as possible. I know that we are His children and He wants to see us ALL again some day. That is why I am here in Indiana...to bring His children back to our loving Heavenly Father. To bring them closer to Christ. I am so thankful for my purpose as a missionary! 

I love you all! 

Love Sister Clegg the 3rd! 

July 7, 2014

Greetings Loved ones!

Wow! This week sounded so busy for all of you! I am glad Redfish has some action!  Did the fire get put out okay? Sounds like everyone has been so crazy busy! I hope the 4th of July was a blast! I thought of you all and know you are taking good care of our Redfish!!! 

MAN! This week was so good! We had exchanges - which were incredible and the 4th of July party at the Freeze's home- which President and Sister Cleveland came too! Which was the best thing in the entire world...when do you as a missionary get to celebrate the 4th with your Mission President!??? LUCKY! Plus we got to stay up for fireworks! MAN oh MAN! I love America!!!  Dirk came as well...so he met a lot more members and is starting to build some really good friendships so that will make all the difference in the world! :) (the man they found one winter day and offered to help shovel snow with him)

Speaking of Dirk...he is doing SO GOOD! Still going strong and moved his date up for the 19th of July! Yes...that means THIS WEEK WE GET TO PLAN FOR A BAPTISM! :) Man! I can not tell you how excited I am for him! We went over the baptismal questions with him and he has truly gained a testimony of Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon!! He is so happy and he continues to thank us for the "hope" that he has in his life again! Dirk was and continues to be a walking miracle!

Jim - (Don't know if I have ever talked about him...hard to remember??)  But, he made a HUGE step this week! We were on exchanges and I stayed in Westfield. We were in a lesson with Jim (who is the sweetest 80 year old man!) and we were talking about the importance and the power of the Book of Mormon. We then asked what he would do...if he found out if the Book of Mormon was true !? He was very quite and I KNOW that he was feeling the spirit. I turned to John 3:5 and just let him read it. He then said..."I should get baptized".  We remained silent and let the Holy Ghost teach him. He then promised that he would pray to know if the Book of Mormon was really true...because he knew that if it was, then he would have to get baptized. The spirit was so strong and I couldn't hold back the tears. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost and the power of it's conversion. The spirit is real and can testify and teach better then I could even try. I am so grateful for that. 

This week was so good! There are so many wonderful people that we work with. The ward members have my whole heart and the people I get to invite to come closer to Christ are in that heart more then I could describe! This is the work of HAPPINESS AND JOY! I continue to reflect on how people need "hope" in this world and I am so grateful that I get to be a messenger and an instrument of the only REAL hope there is...and that is of Jesus Christ. I testify that He lives, and we can gain strength from him every day. The enabling power of the Atonement is real and we have the opportunity to partake of it everyday. I am filled with gratitude.

I love you all! This week is looking good! We have a specialized training that we got invited to go to (even though we aren't training leaders) on Wednesday...Thursday I was asked to speak at a stake girls camp....and Friday we have zone meeting. I love it! BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY... I LOVE YOU! 

HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER! 

Love Sister Clegg the 3rd



A part of Jeffs weekly letter to Mikesell - telling a neat story to her!
It had been a very crazy two hours with a boat almost sinking and a fire starting in sight range of from the lake and people everywhere on the 4th of July. It was just nuts!  Just an hour or so later, I am upstairs trying to finish the cash bags for the bar / servers to open dinner service with and Mom is on the radio saying I have got to get back to the cabin because everyone is waiting for the parade!  I was running late and  Mom was on a time crunch with an event that evening.  As I finally leave the front door of the lodge and walk quickly down the front porch of the lodge a woman says…”Jeff, Jeff – are you Jeff?”  I was truly in a hurry, but said “I am”.  She said “I have something for you.”  I said, “Will you be here for a while…I'm so sorry - I am really in a rush”.  She said, “I have something for you from Indiana.”  Well, she then she got my attention!!  Then she gave me this big heart-felt hug and said that is from your daughter Mikesell.  In the middle of the crazy... I got a slap in the face of what truly matters.  "Heidi" said she drove all the way from Idaho Falls (vacationing from Indiana) just to give me and Mom a hug from you.  It was so touching.  I said, “Give me another one.”  I radio-ed Mom, who was trying to be nice on the radio because everyone was waiting for me and I told her she needed to come to the lodge.  She was trying to be nice, but I could feel her anxiousness.  I said, "Can you just ride your bike down real quick? It is important".  Heidi jumped in my truck with me and we met Mom coming down the road on her bike.  It was a very touching experience.  Heidi could not stop talking about how wonderful you are and how much you have done for her and how amazing she thinks you are.  We all shed some tears.  She was in a hurry because her sister was waiting for her... but Mom convinced her to stay a few minutes for the parade.  As we started down the front road of the Lodge with the parade, she was standing there.  It was a moment in time. She now can better understand why you love the 4^th and why you love Redfish so much.  For her to drive all the way from Idaho Falls just to give Mom and I a hug from you…Wow!  That is amazing.  You must mean the world to her... and it meant the WORLD to us!!!  Bless her---- 

June 30, 2014

Hello my fellow citizens! 

How is the air there up there? Fresh? Clean? Mmmmmm..... 4th of JULY! My favorite holiday! I am so excited to celebrate the birth of this wonderful country! :) :) Sister Warner always thought it was weird that I loved 4th of July ...Is it? I don't know? Ijust have the best memories and feelings of that day! 

But Happy birthday to Rachelle and my dear old Daddio! I love you so much and miss you every day but....just know a little girl in Carmel, Indiana is thinking of you and singing at the top of her lungs HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  (in my best Opera voice you could imagine!) YA..I know....!! :) 

Oh man...Let me just tell you about this week! IT WAS THE BEST WEEK! Dirk is doing incredible! He hasn't smoked for a week and a half! He talked to his whole family about his baptism and everyone is going to try and see when they can come!! As of right now the date is set for July 26th but, we are hoping to move it up sooner! He grew in testimony about Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon so much this week! His prayers are so humble and so is his countenance! Man....seeing the joy of the gospel in other people's lives is the MOST rewarding thing in the world! He is doing so great! 

Nanette and Shelby are progressing quite well! They both committed to prepare for baptism..they will have to work through the bishop for a date though..but hey...they are working!  We have had a awesome week! I truly have found no greater joy in loosing myself in this great work!

The Wirtz family spoiled me on my birthday and so did everyone! Everyone was so kind! Thank you! We had dinner and a cake and candles...The two youngest boys in the family helped me blow out the candles and we are three missed the first time we blew!  EMBARRASSING! (there was only four candles too!) haha But, it was a wonderful day and I was very spoiled. Humbing...

We had a tornado warning this week and it was AWESOME! We got stuck in the nursing home and so we personal contacted all the older ladies and gents! :) It was actually really cool...a lot of them were scared and so we prayed with them and read the scriptures together! It was a blast! 

I love you all!  You are the best! Daddio have a great week and Birthday! Put up a good fight when they try and get you in the lake okay? That is if they aren't to afraid to touch you with all that P90x you have been doing!? :) 

Love you all! This gospel is the foundation of my JOY! 

Love you!   

Sister Clegg