What motivates you? "PAIN"

Hoi hoi hoi!!!!

Mom, I'm glad the Nativity was good! I love the Nativity, and I'm glad you're excited for next year! I'm also glad that you want to change it up a little, because I was thinking the same thing- it's been pretty much the same for the last few years. I'm excited to hear what you do. I still can't believe that Alex is getting married, but I'm super happy for her. I don't know why President Bunnell sent that letter to you, because it's really no big deal. We're careful, I promise, but also, the Lord protects His missionaries. I don't have any specific experiences to attest to that fact, but I just feel it. The Lord asks a lot of 18 and 19 year old kids, but He blesses us with so much. Holy cow! Losing 50 missionaries is rough! That's like, a third of our mission. 

Father Cluffy, thank you for the Dutch lesson. I feel very enlightened. And yes, my Dutch spelling is atrocious. A makeshift pie is a bready sort of crust because you made up the recipe covered in a peanut butter chocolate concoction that you made up followed by a layer of vanilla pudding and topped off with chocolate sprinkles (which actually taste like chocolate in Belgium, not the waxy cardboard things we have in America). So yes, quite akin to a cow pie. Ha! I can't believe you let all those young whippersnappers walk all over you in the token department. If Grandpa Cluff's hard line is 420 tokens, then he better be footin the bill for little J. Heber (Tyson's son, not mine). 

Also, I have a Christmas present request from the two of you. I want life histories of the two of you. Not like, birth and where you grew up and stuff, just like a few stories of defining times in your life, or times when your testimony of something really grew or developed, or when you really became converted. Dad, I especially want mission stories, because I have realized that I have hardly ever heard you talk about your mission. Were there people you really came to love? Did you have a moment when your heart just broke or you thought you couldn't do it anymore? Did you have a moment when you really realized why you were there or what the Lord wanted you to do? I just really want stories about how you two became who you are today. That sounds cheesy, but that's my request. Please email me!

On to the week, then. First about the subject line. This week in district meeting, Zuster Berrett was sharing a Christlike attribute spiritual thought, and she asked "What motivates you?" And a few people threw out, "my family," "wanting to do what's right," etc. and then this pretty serious, kind of quiet elder just says really nonchalantly, "Pain." We just all kind of looked at him, and he was like, "What? I mean, I guess if I think about it, love is probably a better motivator, but sometimes pain just works better." It was really funny, but it has been a little bit true for us this week. It has been pretty darn cold, which has been great motivation to get into people's homes and teach. (On the bright side, our hot water got fixed, so I took my first hot shower in over 3 weeks, YAY!) 

We had some really good lessons with our investigators this week, and we also taught a few first lessons this week. I love teaching first lessons. In the MTC, I studied the missionaries in the Doctrine and Covenants and thought, "How cool would it be to be one of those first missionaries and get to tell people that the perfect gospel of Christ has been restored to the earth again and that He has called a prophet to lead us again in our day?" Then I realized that I am doing the exact same thing. There are so many people who still don't know, and when we taught about the restoration of the perfect gospel of Jesus Christ this week, I just really felt the significance of it. They didn't clap their hands and shout Hosanna the way the people in my imagination do, but they were willing to find out for themselves if it is true or not, and I'm excited to help them find an answer. 

I have thought a lot about the Savior this week. I read a talk that pointed out that by earthly standards, His mortal ministry probably looked like a failure. Most people who heard Him ridiculed Him or didn't understand. Very few chose to follow, and even those who did weren't able to keep His church going more than a generation or two after His death. And yet, He accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do. He made possible the salvation of every single soul ever to walk this earth, and His atonement continues to change people and change lives in a way that nothing else can. His mortal ministry may not have looked like much by earthly standards, but it changed the course of history and made possible an eternity of joy for each one of our Heavenly Father's children. I love my Savior. I am so very grateful for Him, and for the chance that I have to help others to come unto Him. 

I love you all and pray for you daily! Have an incredible week!!!!

Groetjes,

Zuster Cluff