So, we had a hard week, with low numbers, and a lot of trial of our faith, but we are going to really turn things around this next week! Here is what I wrote to President Boswell, "This last week was rough. We have been diligent in applying all the new things, but it hasn't shown in our work yet. We really are experiencing the trial of our faith, but Sister M and I are not giving up! We are going to work hard and do all that we can to get the work done. We had a very thorough planning session last week, and we are going to change how we are doing the work and really make a difference in this area. Sadly we don't have any investigators that we are meeting right now. We have been working on teaching instead of contacting and just talking to everyone we meet, but we still haven't seen the results of our efforts. This has been a really hard week, but Sister M and I committed to each other while weekly planning that we are going to change this situation.
"We went caroling with the Latvian elders and two of the russian elders this last Saturday, and we really touched a few people. People opened doors who wouldn't usually open it up to missionaries. We are hopefully going to be doing it again this week, and trying to make them turn more into lessons and ask if we can come back again another to share a message about Christ, who we are singing about. We did ask for Who they knew who could also use some music and Christmas cheer in their life and we hope that that can help. It was a fun, and different approach to help people see that this church believes in Christ and we are here to help people learn and come unto him.
"We have also done some reaching out to members even more this week, and we have several potential new investigators. On member wants to share the gospel with her gym trainer, another with her new boyfriend, another with her friend, I, who is in a wheelchair and received a blessing from Elder Vira, and another (one of the Senkāne) who is going to set up a lesson with her and her friend this week. So, while none of that shows up on our numbers, we are really working to touch people and help bring even more people the gospel.
Thanks for your guidance, and I am sorry that this is so short, but this last week was just rough. We are going to work hard and have a lot of miracles to tell you about next week."
This is a little something from an Elder Bland who served in this mission and went home about three weeks ago. He wrote this to President Boswell, who forwarded it to me. It was so cool to hear that Elder Bland met Grandma Sharon (I'm assuming)! :D It made me cry. It was a tender mercy I really needed. Here is his accounting of it. "Today I went to the temple and I was probably the biggest headache for the temple workers because I wanted to listen to the session in Latvian, and there were a lot of different problems that came because of that, but it was definitely worth it. The reason why I wanted to share this with you is because it is another really small world story....So I was one of three people in the session. I finished it and walked out of the temple to have one of the temple workers that was on the session stop me. She heard that I was listening to it in Latvian and it turns out that her granddaughter is sister cloward, the latvian sister. I had the opportunity to be sister cloward's first district leader so I got to brag about her to her grandma for a second. It really brightened my day, because I got to reflect back on a lot of memories that I had back in Latvia."
Also, of course, this last week was thanksgiving! It was really fun! We went with our district, which is Sister M and I, and two other Elders (Elder M and Elder G) to a senior couples house (the Y) who fed us and treated us really well. It was quite a wonderful and simple thanksgiving, but it was really fun. We played uno for a little bit at the very end, and it made me think of home and how we play lots of games at Thanksgiving. (I heard that didn't happen as much this year....:(..... probably because I wasn't there to make it happen .... ;)...) Well, anyways, this last week has been and up and down roller coaster, but I can tell you one thing, winter is just around the corner!! It has been a lot colder here (still not as cold as Idaho), but we have gotten snow this last week. None has stuck, but it has snowed!! I'll send pictures. :) The Latvians all say that this is a very weird winter and that this is very warm for a Latvia winter. I am okay if it doesn't get much colder, but I do want some snow soon!!!
Well, that is all I have time for! I love you all!!!
Love,
Sister Cloward
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