Brownsville, Letter 5

Hola Familia y Amigos!

So, I know I say this every week, but this week is a miracle week! We received many blessings from Heaven this week, one of the greatest of which has been the opportunity to teach some of Heavenly Father's precious children and help them come unto Christ, some of them for the first time, and some of them again after they've wandered far away for a long time. 

This week we've been blessed to work closely with a very special family named the Reguenes family. We first found them a few weeks ago, almost a month, and they were just some names on a list we went to go see. When we first came to their door, Brother Reguenes, who is an inactive member, was sitting out on his front porch smoking a cigarette, and when we came up to him, he happily said, "oh hey guys! Sorry let me just go in and zip up my pants I didn't expect y'all! You caught me on my smoke break!" And proceeded to go inside, zip up his pants, put out his cigarette, and warmly invite us in, where we met his wife, who is a non member. They sat us down and told us about the illegal goat they had just got, and for us not to tell anyone about it, haha! Brother Reguenes was so kind and welcoming, and so was his wife, who speaks mostly Spanish. We lost contact for a while after that first meeting, but I just kept having the feeling that we really needed to go back there and catch that family at home, that something really needed to happen with them! We kept trying and it wasn't until a few weeks later that we miraculously caught them right after they had walked in the door. That night we met his daughter, who is also not baptized, and we sat down and had a lesson with their family. Brother Reguenes was able to share his conversion story, and we found out that his testimony and love for God was great. He shared with us that he loved God, but didn't think he was an average child of God, because sometimes he had problems with rebelliousness. Right when he said that, the most powerful feeling came over me and my companion, and it was as if I heard the words, "that's my son, and I love him. I want him back." It was the most powerful feeling and witness of the great love that God had for this family and for His wandering son, unlike anything I'd experienced so far with anyone we'd talked with. We told him what we had felt, and told him that God didn't want an average child - He wanted him, the way he was, and his family, the way they were. 

That touched their hearts deeply, and my heart was so fill after thay experience that my Heavenly Father would allow me to feel a tiny bit of His love for these children of His. We continued meeting with them after that, and yesterday they came to church for the first time in many months. Brother Reguenes got up in fast and testimony meeting and bore the sweetest testimony. He said (we didn't know this) that there had been many missionaries coming over for a long time and working with them, but it wasn't until now, and these missionaries were sent, that it was their come to come back to church. He said that he had felt of the love of God especially strongly for His family, since the missionaries (us) had been coming to see them. He wanted everyone to know that he knew of God's great love and that He had a plan for all His children. It was such a sweet experience to see and hear that, and to see everyone at church welcome him back and fellowship his family. His daughter accepted a BD last night! And his wife Jasmine is praying about the one we gave her. She has a strong desire to be baptized, and she knows how big of a commitment she is making, and she really wants to be sure - which I am so glad about! Because I want her to be strong and sure, not just because she feels like it. She is really taking it seriously and I am super glad about that. 

Brother Reguenes is so supportive and is reaching them about how big of a commitment baptism is, and that it is such a good thing and he is supportive all the way. When his daughter accepted her BD, he started suggesting people he knew that might he able to do it , but we were like no! We want HIM to prepare to baptize his daughter! We don't know what the process is for that to be able to haooen but alexis's baptismal date is in May because of divorced parent schedule, and may is Bro Reguenes' birthday is in May lol but there is some time. We are coordinating with the bishop to see if it is realistic for him to prepare to baptize his daughter, we're not sure if it is, but if it is we think this would be the greatest opportunity for him to he motivated to get worthy and straightened out again and have the most incredible experience of baptizing his daughter!!! My comp and I just feel that this family has been prepared for us to teach - that we are the ones they need and that it's finally their time! WHAT a blessinf!) His wife and daughter have both expressed strong desires to be baptized, and we are so excited to see the change that has taken place in this sweet family already and that will continue to take place as they come closer to Christ! 

The Herrera family is now regularly coming to church, and staying for all 3 hours! Reactivating them has been such a joy. We have been able to do a lot of good in aiding the Bishop to reach out to the members of his ward who need help. We know that it is overwhelming to lead a ward with over 900 people on record, a low rate of activity and many more people to reach out to than hands to reach out - but we have been able to support and help this ward and our Bishop, which is the greatest blessing. I'm starting to see what it means to change a ward one individual at a time, the way Christ changed the world.

As our transfer comes to a close, I've learned a lot about being a missionary, and I know there's still so much more to learn! But I am so grateful all the opportunities I have to serve and to help Heavenly Father bring His lost sheep back to Him. My love for the people here, members, nonmembers, and lost sheep alike, grows every day. 

I love you all - les quiero muchissimo!!!

Con todo mi amor, 

Hermana Clarke

Reply to Rachelle at rachelle.clarke@mylds.net

The Sisters with their new cookbooks

Sister Clarke multitasking

Their baby. Not sure why they need it...Is the water not good to drink in Brownville?

Rachelle's new love: Whole Foods Power Bowls

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Sister Riley's Email:

Hey!!!! How's everyone doing? Let me just tell you, this week has been super good! We are working with the best family EVER!!!! God literally blessed us so much this week! :) 

So the family we are working with is the Reguenes family. This family is super special because the dad is less active and his family are not baptized yet. We went over a few weeks ago to meet them and we have been teaching them. Missionaries have taught them before in the past but this time is a special time because they are more prepared to hear this message and for him to become reactivated and his wife and daughter to be baptized. We have been working with them a lot lately and this last week we taught them the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked with them about faith in Jesus Christ and repentance and baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost will help them to live with God again. This is something that Brother Reguenes has expressed to us that he wants him and his family to return to God. So they came to church yesterday and Brother Reguenes bore his testimony. The spirit was super strong! 

We are helping his wife and daughter to be baptized. So we set a date with the both of them. His daughter May 6th and his wife April 15th! I just feel like this is their time to come back to God and we are needed here to help them come back and return! 

So last Monday we helped a recent convert do family history. We were able to help her find a name to take to the temple! We are needing to work with her boyfriend to help him find a name too. 

On Tuesday we had our district meeting and I gave the spiritual thought on how the children of Israel took their 40 year journey in the wilderness but it should have taken them only 11 days. It took them this long because the Lord was trying to teach them to have faith and trust in him. And so while teaching them it took them a super long time to trust in God. And I got thinking how many things does the Lord want us to learn but takes us those 40 years not 11 days to learn. We also biked a little bit & that was fun because we met a few different people.

On Wednesday we had interviews with President!! These interviews were super good! President knows so much! He has so much wisdom and insight to give! That night we went and saw the Reguenes family! We talked about the atonement and we bore testimony about baptism and the Gift of the holy Ghost. Brother Reguenes also shared his testimony with his wife Yasmin and daughter Alexis. It was an emotional lesson for Yasmin, Brother Reguenes and us! We invited them to pray and come to church!

On Thursday, we had a really good lesson with Brother Abraham Ramirez. We are working on helping him and his family go to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity!!

On Friday we has a really good weekly planning session! We received like 5 referrals that day too say that was really cool! We have a super cool investigator named Lucy! Her husband is a less active member and so we taught her about the Book of Mormon and she is so excited to read it because she wants to be closer to God and have God in her life and in her son's life!

On Saturday we went by a referral but they weren't home so we talked to a few people that were having a garage sale. She gave is clothes for free lol! It was so funny! Sister Clarke got a super cute dress! We went up to Port Isabel and that was a true test of faith listening to and following the Spirit!

On Sunday was church! The Reguenes family came! Brother Reguenes bore his testimony! He knows that we came to his place to teach him and his wife for a reason - because God loves him and has a plan for him! He knows this is their time now! And what a blessing it is to be a part of it! :) we also had a super good lesson with them that night about the Restoration. Especially about the Priesthood. We extended baptismal dates to them and Alexis accepted Jasmine is praying about it! :) I love being able to work with them and help them! I love that family so much!  

I have learned so much this week from my Mission President and also from my companion. I am super grateful to have opportunities to be here as a missionary. I notice how the things that I am learning right now and as I apply them right now are going to help me in my future to be a worthy daughter of God continually. I love being here and finding and talking with so many awesome people who we can share this joy with. Especially the knowledge of eternal families and prophets to lead and guide. That God does speak to us.

And now as general conference is approaching, how are we preparing to listen and receive the word of God? As we get ready to listen, I would like to invite you to go in to conference with a question that you want answered. These are literally words from God through the mouth of his servants the prophets and apostles. He has given them the revelation and the words they need to say to help us and continue to guide us. To be that peculiar people (as in people who stand out because we are doing exactly what the Lord needs and wants us to do). Conference is this weekend and I encourage everyone to watch it and pray to recognize the holy ghost testifying of what is exactly for you!

I love you all!

A funny for this week: the duck is never getting loose! Lol (it's fake)