Getting "Mugged"

This week has been great.  We were able to help Tara get baptized on Saturday.  Her boyfriend of 3 years, who is a RM [returned missionary], was able to come down and baptize her.  Even in a singles’ ward we help families become eternal, which I had never really thought of before.  It is a sweet thing.

Sister Cluff, Tara, Tara's Boyfriend, Sister F

This week we have been doing a lot of tracting (knocking on doors). On Friday we knocked on a door and there was this girl in her 20's, Julie, who has been dating a member and she told us that one day she was going to be baptized because she wanted to be married to James in the temple.  She came to church this Sunday.  She is so ready, but the sad part (for us) is she is going to be moving up to Portland for an internship this summer.  We only have 2 weeks before she goes up and we are also going to try to get her involved in a YSA [young single adult] ward up there.  I am so glad we tracted into her so that we can help the missionaries up there find her and teach her.  It is also good that we could help her have a "home ward" here as well.  She is a great miracle for us as well as for the missionaries up in Portland.... They don't even know how lucky they are yet.

On Saturday when we were tracting, we knocked on this guy’s door.  He served over in Iraq and he gave us 2 mugs that he made.  I wish I had taken a picture.  They were half blue and half purple and had faces on them -- one smiley one a little sad (but even the sad one was cute).  So we got "mugged."

I love you all so much!  Thank you for the nice letters and prayers and thoughts.  I am so blessed to have such a great family, how did I luck out?  I love you!  Love, Sister Cluff.

Member Missionary Work

You know how you forget everything the minute you sit down to the computer?  Yep, that happens to me too.

Are you wondering how our movie went last week?  As you recall, we passed out flyers for about 10 solid hours on campus, probably hundreds of flyers.  Our campus outreach had solid member turn-out but despite all the ward missionaries’ best efforts there were only 5 non-members, and 2 of those were from member efforts.  Members are vital to the work.  Missionary success is pretty meager without member help. This activity just showed me this to a greater degree, so will you all please make the effort to invite friends to activities?  I promise you will be happy you did.  Think of how great it would be if your friend, neighbor, etc. was sitting by you at church.   

We have a baptism coming up.  Yah for baptisms!  Tara is going to be baptized on Saturday night.  She has had a lot of members help her to get to this point.  She has gone to church (our church) off and on since she was in middle school and she is finally ready to be baptized.  She was scared to tell her parents, they reacted badly when she mentioned it about 3 years ago.  But, she decided and told them and the Lord smoothed her path.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ truly love us and watch out for each of us, we just need to trust in them. 

I love you all so much!  Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. I love you!!  Love, Sister Cluff

Driving Around Oregon



Sister Cluff smiles and drives.









Here are a couple of photos taken along the roads of Oregon.

 

 



Electric Poles

Sprinklers in background.



Best view from car window.



First Sunburn

So, this last week was super sunny and nice except for the fact that I got a sunburn.  It wasn't too bad and it was mostly on the one arm.  I guess that was a big "first" of my mission, my first sunburn.  We spent time to handing out flyers on campus and I didn't even notice it until an hour and a half later, after we were done.  It was good though.  We are having a movie this week on campus.  It is the Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration movie.  It is going to be great.

This last week I found something really cool in the bible dictionary.  I think it is one of my favorite parts of the scriptures.  Under faith it says, "Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith.  Miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one's faith."  I look at so many people and I see that.  Miracles don't automatically make you believe.  We look at people in the scriptures like the Israelites, Laman, Lemuel, and others, and see how they see these amazing things but they forget or disregard them.  We need to have faith first and miracles will help strengthen that faith that is already there.  Obedience strengthens faith as well, and the opposite is also true.  Disobedience destroys faith, it breaks it down.  These are just some of my thoughts.  Thanks for letting me share.

My week was pretty normal, we tracted, taught lessons, etc.  It was great.  Thank you for all of your support and love!  I love you all and pray for you every day.  Keep going!  Love, Sister Cluff.

Missionary Highlights

Yesterday’s Highlights:

I got to talk to you all, since it was Mothers’ Day, and there was a baptism.

The Baptism: 

The baptism went really well.  I was able to play “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” on the piano and it went pretty well.  I don't particularly like playing [the piano] in front of people.  Luckily, it wasn't my big day, but Lauren’s. 

Lauren is amazing.  She invited a bunch of people.  About 8 people that she invited came to her baptism.  We also had a good turn-out from members of the ward.  Sister F and I got to give talks on baptism and on the Holy Ghost.  We also had the confirmation right after the baptism.  [Confirmation is when priesthood holders lay their hands on a person’s head in order to become a member of the Church and also to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost on the person who has been baptized.]   The reason we did this right away is so she can go on the temple trip next Saturday to do baptisms for the dead.  [“Baptism for the dead” simply means that a living member acts on behalf of a deceased ancestor.  We believe baptism is the first ordinance needed for salvation.  Members also believe that those persons for whom they do vicarious ordinances will have the chance to either accept or reject any work done on their behalf.]  My mission president and his wife came to the baptism as well.  It is always really great to see them.

Sister F, Lauren, Sister Cluff

Miracle Quarter: 

On Saturday we were using the library computers to make a baptism program and print it.  We had figured out how to get a library card and everything and we had printed 2 pages, then another because of a goof-up.  So, I had printed 3 pages which cost $.30.  I accidentally printed off 2 more pages (5 pages = $.50).  I only had 1 dime and 4 nickels ($.30).  It was a problem.  I knew if I just had a quarter I could pay it then.  (Exact change was preferable and I didn't want to break up $20 for a quarter).  The only alternative I could see was to pay what I had and then come back another day to pay it back.  I really didn't want to.  Sister F only had 2 pennies.  I had a prayer in my heart and went on a search in my backpack.  Nothing.  I checked my wallet and when I took out the $20 there was a quarter.  I am pretty sure it just appeared as I have no recollection of seeing a quarter there before.  It was my miracle quarter.  It was not that big of a deal to anyone else, but I know my prayer was answered.  I know God loves me because He does answer prayers.  It is not always how we expect or want, but He does answer.

Exchanges:

Exchanges went well.  I got to be with Sister W for 24 hours and my regular companion, Sister F, got to be with Sister R in Albany (Albany, Oregon not New York -- Oregon does that a lot, mooches names from other cities i.e. Dallas, Phoenix, Albany, Springfield, Salem, etc.).  Anyway, it was fun to be with Sister W and reminisce a little.  But it was also great to have Sister F back, she is truly my companion right now and it was sad with her gone.

Transfers:

Another thing, I am not getting transferred.  Although I have loved meeting everyone so far, it is nice to not have to pack or switch companions or wards.  One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is getting to know new people. 

More Mail:

Thank you for your prayers and support.  By the way, I would love some mail.  I have had a mail drought!  Love, Sister Cluff.

Mothers' Day

This is Sister Cluff’s Mom writing.  I thought I would take a few minutes to share some of my thoughts about the Mothers’ Day phone call.  As you can imagine, I was greatly anticipating talking to her. 

We agreed on a time to talk and she found a ward member who was willing to let her use their computer.  We were able to Skype.  With her mission president’s permission, we attempted to add two other households to the conversation.  During the time Sister Cluff has been serving both her sister and her brother have married… so she has a new sister-in-law and a new brother-in-law.  She was as anxious to talk to them as to us.

Oh, the joys and the frustrations of technology!  It was so fun to see her face and watch her as she talked.  She looked well and seemed happy.  The frustration came in when we tried to add extra people.  Only two households could see each other at a time, while the others listened.  Also, due to some password problems (we had to switch some accounts around); it was hard to keep track of who was saying what.  The user name that would flash up didn’t match the voice of the person talking.  Another sort of funny thing was that her companion was in the same room as she was.  The companion was also on a Skype call… and sometimes we could hear her louder than our missionary!     

Overall, it was great to see her and talk to her.  She was excited about the upcoming baptism later that night.  She spoke kindly of her companion.  We got to hear her laugh.  I love her laugh.  I admit it was a little bittersweet when the call was done… knowing it would be 7 more months before another call.  A little piece of my heart is with her in Oregon.   

Phone Call Anticipation

I don't really have time to write this week.  Sorry about that.  I am not sure where my time went to.  I guess it was spent trying to figure out how this Mothers’ Day thing [phone call] is going to work.  President said I could Skype, but I need to keep it all within the 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minute limit.  We will be Skype-ing at a member's house if we can find someone.  We are not exactly sure who.  Maybe our dinner appointment person will let us?  [Note:  Missionaries are allowed to call home twice a year, on Christmas and Mothers’ Day.]

Some things I am excited for this week:

Mothers’ Day - (of course)

Lauren's baptism - (on Mothers’ Day)

Exchanges - (My companion, Sister F is going to be with Sister R.  Sister W is going to be

my companion for a day.)

Transfers - (I’ll find out what is going on this Friday or Saturday.)

I love you all!  Sorry for the short letter.  Talk to you soon!!!!!  Love, Sister Cluff.