email from March 13, 2023
Hey Everyone!
Hope y’all have had a good week! Haven’t had a normal email in a while so hope this one goes well haha.
Last Monday we were able to go up to Gray and had dinner with the district.
Tuesday, we had Texas Rhodehouse for lunch and then interviews with President Farias! As always, those were super awesome!! I am so grateful for what President Farias does for us missionaries :). Right after those, we started Exchanges with the Gray Elders, so I was able to go to Gray with Elder Jarvis. We didn’t get home till later, but we were able to have a good exchange! We taught one of their friends who got baptized on Saturday. It was a Dad, Mom, and daughter. They were some of the most prepared people that I have ever met!! They had no concerns, and the whole time the Dad was like, “Well that’s how it’s supposed to be, that’s true!” So that was funny.
Wednesday, we unexchanged and then were able to meet some of the members in the Gray ward because it was youth night. There are some pretty funny members there lol. The peeps that we taught on Tuesday had their baptismal interviews and those were good.
Thursday, we had weekly planning. That is always super stressful, and there is not much else to say about it lol. Imagine just having a ‘monday’ on Thursday and you get the picture.
Friday, we were actually able to have quite a few lessons planned that all went through! That is alwasy so satisfying when people are home when they say they will be home. We were able to have a lesson with our friend that is on Date for baptism and we pretty much taught him everything… it was definitely the most principles taught in any lesson that I have ever taught before. Right after, we were able to join the Elder’s Quorum activity which was a low country boil (Pronounced Low Countree Bowl), which essentially is all you can eat sausage, potatoes, and little shimpy dudes.
Saturday, we had a good lesson with a long lost friend, and then the rest of the day was pretty much contacts.
Sunday, day light savings killed me a little bit. Definitely was not ready to get up in the morning lol. I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting and it was a whole 20 minute talk. Long story short, the person talking after me said to make it a 20 minute talk, so I took the challenge and did it haha. It was about Loving one another :).
Which brings me to a spiritual thought for today! Love one another! In my talk I took a missionary approach to it (as I am a missionary right now) and the main things that I talked about is the why we love one another, and how sharing the gospel is probably the best way to show your love for others. The reason we love others is because we Love God. King Benjamin teaches when we are in the service of others we are in the service of God. In the context of loving one another, it really puts into perspective how all good acts for others are also us showing our love to God :).
There is no greater work than that of the Lord. The Gathering of Israel is happening and I am so lucky to be a part of it! I hope that y’all have a great week!
-Elder Claussen
