Hello!
This week has been like Texas weather in April! It was clear skies nearly the whole week, and just started raining again today. The funny thing is I'm glad! Since we have to wear dress shirts, ties, and smart trousers (slacks) all the time, it's much nicer when it's not 28 degrees outside! I'm starting to like the rain a lot.
The work this week was pretty great. We went to Dublin for a big All-Ireland conference and heard from some people about the use of family history in missionary work. It was a big waste of time in my opinion. Both Elder Leonard and I feel like there's no loophole or better way to find people to teach than to chap or GQ, bringing people the message of the Restoration as quickly as possible.
After the family history people we got to hear from the Assistants an President Brown. Both meetings were great! We did some neat role plays and I learned how to better ask for referrals from people.
After we got back from Dublin we hit the pavement! We met some people that really have potential, including one miracle woman named Zee.
Every day when we plan, Elder Leonard and I do what's called a who-what-when-where. We write down a time, place, type of person, and gospel topic that we want to fin and teach the following day. This allows us to present a goal/expectation to the Lord as we have focused finding the next day. Zee was our spot on who-what-when-where.
Zee is a South African woman with a cute little 3 yr old daughter. We met her when we were street contacting in City Center and she was really nice an open to talking right away. I told her that we're sharing about how we can find greater purpose and direction in our lives and for our families, and when I pulled out the Book of Mormon she gasped! She said she had found a copy of 'that book' in the hostel she's been staying at and she had started to read it -- but didn't know where it came from! We were really surprised and we knew that she was such a blessing from God. She eagerly listened and accepted the message of the Restoration, accepted the commitments to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and told us we could come meet with her again a couple days later.
We taught her again and she was perfectly prepared and ecstatic to learn. She'll be preparing for baptism on the 6th of July!
This week has given me so much strength in knowing that God is preparing His children to receive the hope and joy that comes from Christ's restored gospel.
Everything else has been going well! I'm getting pretty good at driving on the left side of the road. Drivers are crazy over here and there are hardly any, any, any cops that pull people over. The Garda (police in Ireland) are kind of a joke when it comes to that.
Traffic has been pretty nuts because this huge, 3-lane roundabout in the middle of the city is being removed.
It's so nice having a guitar to play during meal times and before bed! the 3 other elders are having me teach them how to play. attached is a picture of Elder Leonard and Elder Nordfors trying to get callouses on their fingers so they can play.
I haven't really talked much about the food here because there's not much to talk about! It's pretty much everything I expected, but a little more disappointing. They eat essentially the same foods but more bland stuff and more potatoes. We also don't get fed too much in this little branch so I wouldn't have anything to mention but the food we buy for ourselves.
A few of the member families are sweet, though, and have held barbecues for the Texan Elder. In Ireland that consists of hamburgers and hot dogs! hahaha.
The people here are sweet.
Elder White made us deep fried french toast with homemade buttery syrup this week at the flat. Pictures attached.. yumyumyum.
I hope everything is well at home! I love you all and hope to hear from everybody soon!
I want to leave you with our mission scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17 --
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.
Do everything you can to help everyone you see recognize God's hand in their lives this week. Many times the greatest blessings in my life have been through the Christlike love of someone else. As we do all we can to help others; physically and verbally, we allow others to see God's hand and to find His joy.
That's the joy that I've found by being here. No matter who you are, the revealed truths of Jesus Christ's gospel can help you! The words of His modern day Prophets and Apostles help us know of His love and His plan for us individually and collectively.
Till next week,
Elder Clement
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