The 2 Best Years For My Life

Hello!

 

Something we have been talking a lot about is that God is our loving heavenly Father and because of that: First, we know we have a divine potential and divine ability to grow. Second, ALL things will work for our benefit when we are in the service of God. Third; the people we teach are children of God and deserve to be treated that way.

 

In John Chapter 21 it talks about this a lot. In verse 9 and 10 it talks about the Savior (who already has fish) is asking the apostles to bring over their catch. The Savior, of course, doesn't need the fish. In fact, as a resurrected being, he doesn't even need food. However, the fish were important to the apostles, so it became important to him. It was an offering of sorts to the Savior. A meager, not very helpful offering, but to be honest that's what our offerings often are.

 

The Savior wasn't satisfied with just fish. He wanted much more from his disciples and for his disciples. He then asked Peter. Do you love me more than this offering of fish? In that question He was asking a few things that can be related to our day. He was asking Peter: Do you love me? Do you love me more than the world? Does your love extend to more than just this offering?

 

Oftentimes it can be difficult following the Savior. Worldly distractions, painful opposition, and outside pressures can make it easy to just let go of the iron rod. When the Savior died, the apostles assumed it was the end of their mission. They in a sense, had finished their 3-year proselytizing service. So, what did they do? They went back to there former lives. But Christ didn't build them up for 3 years only to watch them fall back in old ways. I think it is the same for missions today. What will happen when it's all over?

 

Will we go back to our former lives, or will we continue to be life long, if not eternal, missionaries? Will we fall back into bad habits or enjoy the blessings of the gospel? Jesus commissions Peter to do just that. He commands him to "Feed my lambs". He tells him to be a missionary again.

 

It's interesting the first time Jesus says feed my lambs and the second time, he says feed my sheep. Jesus himself was called the "lamb of God". Lambs have a lot of symbolism. They represent purity, innocence, and holiness. Lambs also need to be protected and guided. They are the ones most in need. 

 

Currently about 50% of missionaries are going inactive within the first six months of returning home from their missions. The purpose of missions isn't to be the best two years of your life, they are meant to be the two best years for your life. It's meant to be a training period and foundation for the rest of your life. Elder Bednar spoke about how sad he gets when people just quote stories from their missions. He goes on to say that after your mission should be just as spiritual, even more so in fact, than during your mission. 

 

Sorry for rambling. Just a few thoughts on my mind.

 

About the area. It was exciting to hear that someone I was teaching in my last area was put on date for baptism. We also started teaching three different people. 

 

We had an interesting experience. We saw someone on the street we had been trying to meet and tried to contact him, but he didn't seem to hear us. So, we chased after him - hoping we could catch up to him, when suddenly a hidden hole in the ground caused the man to trip and sprain his ankle. Because of that, we were able to catch up. We ended up talking to him, invited him to church and set up a time to start teaching him.

 

We were also able to start teaching a Polynesian family. The parents hadn't been active since they were six years old and wanted to teach their children but honestly didn't know how. They want to start going back to church and we want to help them embrace the gospel as a family.

 

We have been going on so many exchanges these past few weeks. It's been great seeing how other missionaries work, and to see their talents and skills.

 

Our area has been great. Lots of work to do!

 

Elder Cluff

A Great Week!

This week has been great. Elder Barney and I had some lessons with recent converts and have been helping them prepare to go to the temple. We also started teaching some new people including someone from Korea. We also put someone on date for baptism for the 30th. Unfortunately someone that we're teaching has fallen off date. Her family is opposed to it and she had a 6 hour long phone call trying to defend herself getting baptized. She is struggling now but we know she wants to be baptized.

 

We are hoping to start teaching a new polynesian family. They are super nice but struggle to see the necessity and blessings of Baptism.

 

It's been a lot of fun on pdays . . . Lots of pickelball, volleyball, spikeball, Frisbee Golf, bowling, and some basketball.

 

Elder Cluff

Called As Zone Leader

Dear Elder Jacob Ryan Cluff, 

 

 

Thank you for accepting the call to serve as a Zone Leader in the CHERRY HILL (CH). This is a position of great responsibility and trust. Your example of love, humility, and service will be the hallmark of your leadership. Love requires courage and integrity, with decisions based on correct principles.

 

 

Your main duty is to help missionaries understand and live by the guidelines and standards in Preach My Gospel.

 

 

The most important assignment a missionary can receive is to preach the gospel. Leadership assignments are important and necessary; however, in the Utah Orem Mission they are generally temporary. Missionaries may serve in leadership positions for a time and then serve later in full proselyting positions.  How one serves is more important than the position he is in.

 

 

As you show forth a good example, the missionaries you lead will want to follow. I have full confidence in your ability to do an outstanding job in this assignment. Thank you for approaching this responsibility prayerfully.

 

 

With Love in the Gospel,  

James E. Evanson

Mission President

4th Of July Pictures

Transfer, Car Crash & Commitment

Crazy Week Everyone,

 

This past week has been hectic for sure. On Wednesday was transfers and I left my area to head back to Geneva Heights, only this time covering 2 YSA stakes and to cover a Tongan ward and a Samoan ward. I am now with Elder Barney, who is from Dallas, TX, has been out about a year, and is a great guy. He's an incredible missionary and a hard worker. We were in a 3 some for a day, as we had another missionary with us named Elder Allen who was joining us for his final day before going home. He was with us with as we got everyone in the zone settled from transfers, drove around to different FHC's, and tracked down some sisters since keys were locked in one, found missing paperwork, went to Pleasant Grove to look for a missing card and fill out reports for an hour. After transfers, we were taking everyone's luggage around, and got into a car accident. We were at a red light, to go straight, when the light to turn left turned green. The driver coming up behind us thought our lane had a green too and didn’t slow down – just rammed into our bumper. The bike rack on the back hit into the back window and shattered it. Thankfully we were all ok.

 

I also had the pleasure (LOL) of dealing with a cut finger from glass, when giving out a copies of the Book of Mormon to other missionaries. We got to finish up the day by driving to the mission home to drop off Elder Allen and pickup some missionaries who were doing departure activities and leaving in a couple of weeks.

 

Thursday was great as well. Elder Barney and I were in a meeting from 8am to 3:30pm. We got to listen to our mission president with some other missionaries. One of them said something interesting. He said "It's a fact we try to ignore, that the spirit is involved in everything we do." The spirit really is or can be a part of everything we do. It can lead us, guide us and uplift us. Later that day we also put someone on date for baptism which was great. She is from Japan, so we had a translator there, but the spirit was so strong and she really opened up to us about hardships in her life. It is amazing to be able to testify about the peace and hope the gospel can give everyone.

 

Friday didn't get any less busy. We did about 4 hours of planning, went to an apartment complex to get a parking pass, met with some Samoans, and finished up the night with a lot of knocking doors. Interesting enough, of all the doors that answered, not a single one was a nonmember - which really is a Utah thing.

 

Saturday was fun. We had a 2-hour meeting in the morning where we met everyone in our zone. Afterwards, we reached out to some members about sharing a message, had some contacts, dinner, then back out knocking doors. There are great people in this area. We went through an apartment complex that was kind of creepy. There were spider webs every 3 feet we had to brush to the side and one door we actually hoped didn't open because of the amount of spiders on it which would have just crawled inside. (Feeling a bit like Halloween around there.) 

 

Sunday was amazing. I've found that fasting isn't too difficult if you’re busy and doing something every moment. We got to go to 5 sacrament meetings, including the Samoan ward. They are such kind and nice people. Their spirit is beautiful and they are so open about everything. I joyfully got to deal with them teasing me due to my lack of knowledge about the Samoan language, me being too skinny for them and my general whiteness. Even as they teased me and my companion it was impossible to mistake the love that they extend towards everyone. I was also able to meet a recent convert named Dee who is epic – although he is leaving to play basketball for college. At dinner I was able to meet someone from Beaverton, a city right next to where I'm from and a sister who knew my brother from his mission. We had a great evening meeting with members, practicing the piano to play in zone conference and giving a blessing to a sister who had moved in recently.

 

I hope everyone's week has been great as well.

 

Elder Cluff