Edinburg, 6/17/2019

The baptism of Jessica Robles and her four children 6/16/19

Updates this week from Rachelle:

• Jessica Robles's baptism with her four kids. This has been a miracle story. Jessica Robles (Jessica #2 from far back posts) had been regularly attending church a few months back. She accepted a date for baptism, but during the interview she admitted that she was not completely over her smoking habit yet. So the baptism of the family was delayed while Jessica worked to quit smoking for good. Then, through a series of unfortunate events, Rachelle and her companion lost track of the family. Just two weeks ago, the sisters followed an impression to go down a certain street and stop to talk to some people they saw in the front yard of their home. When the missionaries introduced themselves, the lady walked to her front door, opened it, and yelled, "Jessica. Are these the girls you were talking about?" It turned out that Jessica was visiting her friend that day--the very friend the missionaries decided to stop and talk to after following a prompting to go down a particular street. In short, the sisters were reunited with Jessica and her family, and they resumed teaching them again. It turns out that while they were on hiatus, Jessica had made a promise to God to stop smoking--which she did, completely--and Jessica had continued to read the Book of Mormon. She was now ready for baptism, and she and her four kids were baptized yesterday! Her words after she got baptized? "That is the most Bad-A-- water in the world. It washes away all your sins!" Of course, this made Rachelle laugh. Conversion is an ongoing process, isn't it? And she's not wrong, actually.

Jessica Robles and her three sons & 1 daughter

• The Baptism: Rachelle said it was the happiest day because Jessica Rodriquez and her whole family (who were baptized two months ago and is well-integrated in the church), Jessica Rodriguez's aunt (who was also baptized two months ago), Jorge (who was baptized three weeks ago), and Brother Falcon (who was baptized four months ago) were all there to watch Jessica Robles's family's baptism. Brother Falcon now serves as the assistant ward mission leader and he organized and ran the baptismal service. Also, two family members of Jessica R came to baptism, and they are now asking how they can be baptized too. They are pictured below. Rachelle looked around and saw the room full of some of her recent converts, and it was such a happy time for her. She said she can't imagine a happier feeling. 

Jessica Rodrigues (left with jean jacket), her aunt (front left in black dress--recent convert), Jessica's four children (the girls and one boy--recent converts), are pictured here with Jessica Robles's mother (wheelchair) and sister (pink shirt). Jessica Robles's mother and sister now want to know how they can be baptized too.

• While Rachelle is riding shotgun in the car, she spends her time contacting and chatting about the Gospel with people through Facebook--friends of ward friends type of thing. She said that the zone leaders called her and told her that they had met three people this week who stopped to talk to them because they were chatting with a "Rachel Clarke" on Facebook! Every seed--every positive experience counts, right?

• What else? Because a missionary had to go home for a tonsillectomy, Rachelle has another new companion: Sister Turrini, her BFF from the MTC. Now the girls are serving in a foursome (not two companionships), but a foursome. Rachelle says that it is wonderful because they are able to split up and reach the 40 progressing investigators they are teaching right now--which is hard to do when you only get three hours in your area each evening--after office duties and everything else. 

The foursome: Sister Turrini (front left), Sister Drury (front right), Sister Clarke (back left), Sister Anderson (back right)

• Rachelle is very very happy. We got her departure letter today. It's getting real. We are so excited to see her, but we know she will leave her heart in Texas when she goes.

Here is the week in Rachelle's own words:

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Hola todos!

So as always I have been terrible at writing weekly emails. But this week was one of the most special weeks of my mission. This week the Robles family was baptized and confirmed members of the church of Jesus Christ! When discussing their family with President Torres he had told us that she would get baptized before I went home. We had no idea how that would happen because they have faced so many obstacles in their path to the gospel. This week by a miracle the Lord led us to them again this week, and the next day they all passed their interviews and two days later were members of the church! We had passed months teaching them before, and a few dropped baptismal dates had us discouraged about their progression but the Lord truly knows the perfect timing for them. She joined her best friends family as new members of the church and the ward has rallied together to support them. She is a really special daughter of God. God kept leading us to her so we didn't let her go, and these two families that have joined the church together are just exponentially growing because now her best friends mom and grandma have desires to be baptized. I have a hard time imagining how a person can be happier than I was to see all those new members, old members, and joining members together in a room to support a family taking their first steps on the Covenant path. That family completely glowed after their confirmation.

This week has been an incredible week, I could say all the incredible miracles that have happened if I tried. It would take me a year. Right now we are in a quadpanionship jaja that's super crazy and cool but it means we get to go on more splits all the time and work this area to the ground which is good because it is SO READY for the harvest and we always have double sometimes triple appointments so its good to keep up with it all! As of yesterday we were working with over 40 people and they are almost all soidly progressing people who have real potential. I can't say with words how blessed I am to spend 9 months in Edinburg. I LOVE THIS MISSION. and I love the Lord because He has a way of doing His work that converts the worker and the worked on, and in such a way that both parties know that the work is done by the Lord and not them. He is marvelous and merciful and I love Him and seeing these people come to know Him. ♥️♥️♥️

I LOVE the mission and am so excited for all the miracles still to come!

Love, Hermana Clarke 

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Write to Rachelle at rachelle.clarke@missionary.org

Hasta Luego!

Sister Clarke with her beloved mission president and his wife: President and Sister Torres. This was at their farewell dinner. Rachelle says that taking him to the airport on June 29th will be the saddest day of her mission. We are so grateful she was able to serve under President Torres.

Jorge (recent convert) and his mother who works in the watermelon fields. They like to give the Sister Missionaries watermelons whenever they see them.

Rachelle and Jessica Robles's youngest son on his baptism day.

Sister Drury, Sister Clarke, Sister Anderson. One of the ward members left dinner for the sisters by tying a sack of food to a tree where the bugs wouldn't get it.

Sister Drury, A laurel from the Edinburg ward, Sister Clarke, and Sister Anderson making the most of their time by doing splits.

The STLT's eating dinner with the President at his farewell training.

A few of Jessica Rodrigues's girls. Rachelle says they are just so beautiful!

Rachelle's departure letter. My heart hurt so much when she left. Now it hurts again to know that it will soon come to an end.