Tuesday, April 9, 2013

April 9, 2013

Hey everyone! Yeah, so Chicago is AWESOME! I will be very sad when I have to leave. We are teaching about 6 investigators. It is so cool. All of the houses here are colonial looking and really neat! I always just think about the civil war and the Red Coats or whatever marching through the city haha and Paul Revere. I can't drive out here, so my companion will be driving sometimes and I will be like,"PULL OVER! We need to talk to that mail person!" and we do. She probably thinks I'm crazy, but oh well. Her name is Sister Najarro. We are English speaking, so all the lessons are in English. It's really cool. I have put off my focus on the language so I can focus on what the investigators need and I just study that. I figure Heavenly Father understands and He will help me with the Portuguese when I get to Brazil. I still pray in my head in Portuguese and also I am singing hymns in Portuguese every day so that I can try a little bit. A less active actually hasked me to say a prayer in Portuguese yesterday and it was actually very good!

So on the way to Chicago, there was me and 4 other Elders. No Sisters. They were really nice, and also visa waiters, so we just spoke Portuguese the whole time, very fun. And then On the last flight, of course, all the Elders sit next to each other and I am far up towards the front of the plane! -_- So I see the person I am sitting next to and the thought pops into my head,"Sister Clarke. This guy needs a Book of Mormon." I was like,"Oh geeze..." because I knew I would have to give him one, and I was very scared! So, I tried to make small talk. He kind of brushed me off and went to sleep. The entire airplane ride, for one hour, I prayed and read my scriptures so I would be able to know when to give him a Book of Mormon. I wrote a small testimony down on a mormon.org card for him and kept reading. I felt a warm feeling in my heart the ENTIRE HOUR NO JOKE. It was the Holy Ghost! I knew could do it and I just had to press forward and remember why I am on a mission anyway. So, I pull out the Book of Mormon and I saw him look at it and at my name tag. Then I asked him if he had ever heard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He said yeah, and he knew where I was going with his bahaha. So I explained I was just arriving on my mission and that I wanted him to have a Book of Mormon. He said,"Well I'm not gunna read it, but I'll take it if it makes you feel better." and I thought,"Oh...you'll read it." I had such a great feeling when I got off that airplane, it was like I was floating. Then I stepped outside and almost froze to death because I had on clothes for warm weather. A member in the ward gave me a coat and I got some boots and tights. I didn't really want to buy them, because it costs money, but I knew I needed them. So I did.

So we went to teach this lady named Sister Backus. She has been investigating for 3 years! She goes to church with her husband and 2 kids, but none of them are baptized. They even watch General Conference! and I really wanted to be able to teach her something that really touched her heart. SO I was praying and praying and trying to study and know what to say. During her lesson I had the prompting to ask a question, so I did. And after that, words just flew out of my mouth. I was talking, but it was like somebody else was actually talking for me. It was so hard to explain, but I know that she felt the Spirit that day. I could see it in her eyes. She is just awesome. We went over to watch the Saturday morning General Conference. It was very nice. I really love it here. I wish we tracted more, because I like being outside and I love the weather, and I just wanna get on the rooftops and scream about how awesome the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ are! But my companion never seems to want to. I am trying to be a good example, and I don't get mad at her or anything. She has been out for 15 months and I think it's just that 'senior-itis' setting in, but I want to get out there! She is awesome, though. I love my companion! But I keep accidentally calling her Sister Wharton, my MTC companion bahaha.

I love all of you! You are all in my thoughts and prayers! My p-day is Monday (it was Tuesday this week just because our zone went to the temple) and my address is:

Sister Indago Clarke 
Chicago Illinois Mission
1319 Butterfield Rd. Suite 522
Downers Grove, Illinois 60515

I would like to have pictures, so please just email me a couple so I don't forget what y'alls faces look like! You guys are great!

Love,
Sister Clarke

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