Trust in God

Sometimes trusting in God is the hardest. I don't know why, but I guess it's because we can't see with his eyes. The scripture that immediately came to my mind was Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." We can't lean on our understanding, it's not going to work. I know personally when I have trusted in the Lord, my life turns out better. One of the biggest examples that I can think of is when I decided to go on a mission. It was a hard decision for me to make but it's been the best decision of my life. Is it also one of the hardest? Yes. I left behind my friends (and one of my best friends was getting married), my family who I love more than anything, my schooling, earning money for school and later life; but I have learned so much and my mission is preparing me for so much. It's the perfect place to learn. I do not regret it one bit. I would do it again! I wonder why I was so stubborn about not going in the first place. The Lord totally knows better than I do!

Just like with Aladdin asking Jasmine if she trusted him to go on that magic carpet ride, we need to trust our Savior with our lives. Jasmine did not fully understand about how the carpet was safe and how it actually could fly. In the end that did not matter. She trusted Aladdin and she had a wonderful time. It does not matter if we understand what the Lord wants us to do, we just need to trust in Him and do what He asks. I promise we will understand later.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8-9

Our Savior sees everything- He sees the whole field, while we only see what's in front of us. Trust in Him and I know that your life will be enriched and very blessed!

More scriptures on trusting in the Lord:

• Psalms 28:7 (Bible- Old Testament) "The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." 
• Psalms 62: 7-8(Bible- Old Testament) "In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."
• Mosiah 29:20 (Book of Mormon) "But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before himl and because they cried mightily into him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases anib the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him." 
• Alma 36: 3 (Book of Mormon) "For  do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."

Many Are Called But Few Are Obedient

Hello Amigas! 

One time back in October my companion at the time showed be this scripture. 

It's in Doctrine and Covenants  121:34&35. It says, "Many are called but few are chosen? And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of the world, and aspire to the honors of men that they do not learn this one lesson."

We replaced the world chosen with the word obedient, so it now reads like this, "Many are called but few are obedient. And why are they not obedient? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of the world, and aspire to the honors of men that they do not learn this one lesson." 

It's so true. The reason why missionaries are not obedient (or anyone for that matter) is because they love the world more than God. From a missionaries view- Why would we watch TV? -it's something from the world. Why would we go swimming? -it's something of the world. This is the Lord's time. This is the Lord's work. We need to be obedient. So true. 

And from a non-missionary point of view. Why would we not study our scriptures, pray to our Heavenly Father, go to church, etc... If we don't do these things it's because we love the things of the world more than God. 

In John 15:19 it says, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

I know that sometimes it's hard to be obedient. My companion, Sister Killian and I were talking this morning about obedience and we were saying how we know it's hard sometimes. God knows that but we came to the conclusion that if it was easy it would not be worth it. 

We need to continually be obedient to the Lord and the commandments that He has set for us. I know that as we do this we will be blessed because I know that when I have followed the way of the Lord my life has been enriched so much! Going on a mission was a really hard decision for me to make. And while it's not necessary for girls to go, my Heavenly Father was telling me that this would be the best thing for my life. It took me a long time to listen but I am so glad that I finally did and because I listened I have literally been able to see and feel the blessings that the Lord has given me that I would have missed if I stayed home. 

I am so blessed to serve a mission. I have literally felt my testimony of this gospel, and the Book of Mormon. It is a huge blessing in my life and the more I learn and the more my understanding deepens the more I want to share the news of the restoration with others. There are so many hard days out here but honestly there is no place that I would rather be. Seeing the changes that the gospel makes in people's lives is amazing!

I know that as we strive to be obedient to the commandments our lives will be so blessed! In ways that we can't even imagine. The Lord has SOOOO many blessings for us but we need to be obedient to receive them. Be obedient! It will bless you!

When I got my mission call. Huge blessing! 

Love,

Sister Clifton 

Our Mission Can Now Blog!

The Lord is truly moving His work forward! Now our mission has the opportunity to blog. Before these blog posts were part of the letters home to my family for those who wanted to keep updated on my mission. This blog will no longer be used for that purpose, I personally will be posting (not my dad) on different subjects, events, etc... I'm excited to see these new changes and how the will change missionary work by helping people become closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ!

If you have anything that you would like to share, please comment! One of my favorite parts of a mission is hearing (or in this case reading) others people's thoughts and how their faith and testimony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is growing and changing!

If you have any suggestions let me know as well. Blogging for missionary work is fairly new to me so let me know what you are thinking!

Thanks for all the support that you all have given me so far!!! Love you all!

Live Every Day Like It's The Only Reason You're Here!

Hello Friends! Sorry about these last few weeks with no updates. Maybe you read them maybe you don't (but if you don't you would not be reading it right now- so that was sorta pointless to say). A lot has been going on and sometimes you're just not in the mood to write how you are really feeling, and sometimes there's no time. But now there's time to write and I'm ready to write about my emotions for the past while. So I'm about to spill out my thoughts and feelings of the past awhile. I am sharing because I am hoping that will help someone out. And simply sharing the moments of mission life where it's not easy and you do have challenges and you really wonder "Why?"

These past few weeks have probably been the most difficult of my mission so far for a variety of different reasons. One reason was feeling the actual need to be here. My companion is so wonderful and I know she has her faults (everyone does) but that does not change anything else about her. She is a great example and I look up to her so much. In so many ways I wish I was more like her. She's hard working, she loves missionary work more than anything, she's an excellent teacher, and she goes by the spirit in all things. She connects with people really well and people can easily trust her. People are just naturally drawn to her. I know that I got the best companion in the mission! And while I have been striving to do the best I really love missionary work- I just felt like I was needed more at home than in California. Sometimes you get things stuck in your head that people have told you and you try not to let these things get to you but the things that have been said or done hurt- especially when all complied together and then you start to wonder why.

I started to reflect my purpose and I really started to feel that I would be accomplishing and helping more at home. I could be earning money, getting farther in my education, being with my friends and family and helping them in whatever they need. The desire that I had to serve a mission from when I was 18 and 19 was gone but I knew that there was some purpose for me being here so I was going to stay and finish my mission because the Lord told me countless times that there is a reason for my mission and that I needed to go. I did not want to go home and felt like I gave up and simply just quit because of things people have said to me and how I have felt. I wanted to stick it out. But I honestly have never absolutely LOVED my mission. I liked it and was enjoying the experience. But love? No. Changing me? No.

One night Sister Jefferies and me were talking and she told me, "Live every day like it's the only reason your out here." For some reason that really struck me. And it's obviously a "duh" statement but I never thought of it that way before. I was waiting till I was more experienced in the mission field, maybe it would happen when I got to a new area. But living each day for my purpose. It's not some day in the future- it's now. That's why the Lord wants me to be here. And since then I know that I have changed. I have felt it and I have really started to love my mission and have gained a deeper love for the people that I am teaching. Sister Jefferies said that the way that you know that you truly love your investigators is when that's all you can think of. You spend your time thinking of any way that you can help them. What they need to progress in the Gospel. And now that's really all I can think of. Before I was thinking of home A LOT more than I should have. Things and people I missed, what I would be doing now, etc.. Now, it's a lot less and the people that I am serving have been on my mind and how I can help them grow closer to the Savior. It's amazing how much your thoughts have an effect on you. And I have flipped the switch. I have grown to really love serving a mission. Now I'm here because I really want to be- not simply because the Lord told me to be. This past month I have really felt the mission changing me. I'm simply not going through the emotions of serving a mission, but I'm really starting to feel it change me.

A few weeks ago was also a hard time with one of the people that we are teaching. But it was also a time that I realized how much I love the Book of Mormon and how much I value and treasure the things that it says. Sister Jefferies and I bore our testimony and started bearing our testimony of the Book of Mormon. Sister Jeffeires went first and she cried. Then I followed and I said my thoughts from my personal study that morning. I was reading the Book of Mormon and I was thinking how much I love and treasure the book and how it has made such a huge difference in my life. And I started crying. This Gospel has brought so much joy into my And I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon is 100% true. It's been a huge blessing in my life. I love it.

We had the ward party Trunk or Treat on Wednesday. That was so much fun! I was Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Sister Jefferies was Minnie Mouse. It was really fun to dress up and we were still in "mission clothes" with our name tag. It was really fun to dress up as Disney characters for the ANAHEIM mission. I love you all! And I miss you so much! But as you know, I would not want to come home. I love this mission and I love serving my Savior. A mission has been such a blessing in my life, especially this past month. I was going to bed one night and I was thinking how much I have learned and grown since coming out here. I was wondering why I did not do certain things a certain way at home. And then I realized it's because of my mission. It's definitely been a huge blessing in my life!!! And I love it!

Love, Sister Clifton