THE BADLANDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA

(THIS POST WAS SENT ON JULY 20, 2015)

I've decided that mint Oreos are one of the greatest creations. Sister Pierce is a mint addict, and I'm afraid she's sucked me in.

Last Monday, we were able to go to family home evening with Sister Hansen and her daughter, Amanda. I always love when Sister Hansen teaches anything. Her testimony of the gospel is so strong! Plus, they fed us cake afterward, so that's always good.

On Tuesday, Sister Pierce and I went back to a home we had contacted last week, and we were able to meet a girl named Sarah, her mom, and her sister-in-law Kate (or Katie. My memory has become progressively worse). We found out that the sister missionaries before us had visited them a lot, that they aren't interested, but that they're super friendly.

Apparently there's a member that lives in Columbus, Nebraska who occasionally comes to Valentine to deliver frozen foods to the stores here. Every time he's in town, he takes the sister missionaries out to lunch and gives them frozen pizza. He called us on Tuesday night to ask if we were free on Wednesday, and so we ate lunch at a place called The Bunkhouse, which has really good pie, by the way. As we were talking to him, I was just amazed at how much of a missionary he his! Everything we talked about related to missionary work and the gospel. He constantly talks to the people he works with about the gospel. And the best part is, he doesn't sound like he has an angle. He just genuinely loves Christ and wants others to have a better relationship with him. I want to be just like him someday.

We had a lesson with the Honeycutt family on Thursday, and it went SO WELL! We discussed obedience and following the prophet, and they completely understood that Heavenly Father gives us commandments because he loves us and knows what's best for us. It was amazing. AND THEN, George talked to us at the end about how he's noticed a change in his wife, Brenda, ever since she joined the church, and he's noticed a change in himself as well. He knows that God has a plan for him, but he doesn't know what it is yet. I WAS SO HAPPY! He's going to do great things, I think.

On Friday, our district (of a companionship of elders and a companionship of sisters) got permission to drive down to Rapid City together to go to our zone conference. We passed through the Badlands, which I've never seen before. It was so beautiful! I should've taken pictures, probably, but I'll see them again. I just wanted to soak it all in.

  

                                       SISTER CLARK MEETS SISTER LEWIS (LEWIS & CLARK)

We finally got to meet our new mission president and his wife: President and Sister Hess. They are absolutely wonderful! The love between them is evident. They're an equal companionship for sure.

I LOVE being a missionary. It's one of the best things. The church is true!

Love,

Sister Clark