Heyo!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Hey Family! 

So Festival of Lights is still going strong. We are all still alive and feeling the Christmas Spirit. It is like living in a Christmas fantasy land everynight...but it is even better because we get to share the Gospel and testify of Jesus Christ. :) I love you all so much and guess what....(Gyver included) our mission is allowed to skype this Christmas!!!! And it gets even better: We get 1 hour! :) So much better than a 40 min phone call!! So we need to figure that out! Hermana Graff and I will be with Missy Bethke (a member from the English ward in our stake) so she will probably call you mom and dad to make any specific coordination. But email me when and how we can do it....I think some of you are going to Mexico? Haha. Anyway, I'll get Missy to call you.

I don't have much time because the Library was closed yesterday and our P-day was half of the normal time BUT we had miracles!!! Gaby (from Glenmont ward) went on her mission! And I wrote a cool christmas song from a poem that an Elder wrote. I'm going to play/sing it Christmas morning for the mission. Should be fun! Carla, this awesome woman from El Salvador that we are teaching is in the Hospital from an ulcer and she just got fired....I pray that miracles come for her. She is so good and has a strong desire to learn the Gospel. I hope all is well and I will write more later!!

Take care and as for the kiddos....there is a special something coming your way. :) 

LOVE

Hermana Corrinne Clement

p.s.  Elder Mann...it's more getting pulled into music things than game things. they say, "oh you do music!" haha. I feel ya though.

It's Starting!!!!

December 2, 2013 at 12:27:03 PM MST

Festival of Lights starts tonight!!! :)

Man, this has been a fun past weeks of rushing to get everything ready for the month of December. Tonight is the lighting ceremony and it is closed to the public and only Ambassadors and their families are invited to come. Then this Thursday is for the Diplomats and their families. I remember myself here at this time last year thinking to myself..."what in the world is going on?" Now I get it. :) Took a little bit. The most confusing thing was that last year all that I remember from my training for these nights was to smile and look pretty (because we aren't allowed to invite ambassadors to learn more) so I just smiled really big last year.. this year I see much more of the big picture! It is really such a special night that involves bringing these highly influential people into the visitor center to feel the Spirit and meet members. By doing so, hopefully creating a good experience to look back on as they look at missionaries waiting for visas...or if their country is debating about having missionaries allowed there. It is a much bigger deal than I thought last year. Don't worry I'm still gonna smile big. haha

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun! We ate with two families and they both sent us home with way more than we can eat..which is normal. ;) Also, we were able to teach their families about God and why we would give thanks to him. Not all of their families are members and so we shared a broader message. The first dinner with Hermana Ranjabar we had the English Sisters there as well and they all speak other languages so we had fun with that. (German, Portuguese, Japanese, and us with Spanish) We sang I am a child of God with my uke and in all of the languages. Hermana Ranjabar's niece and nephew wanted to learn more and accepted a Book of Mormon. Super awesome!!

Hermana Graff and I are doing great! She loves singing jazz so we do that a lot and we are planning out songs to go caroling this month on a street corner somewhere so if you are out here in DC look for us!!! I love you all so much! Hope your Thanksgiving was magical and I look forward to talking to you in 23 days!! :)

Love,

Hermana Corrinne Clement 

2 min email

November‎ ‎25‎, ‎2013

 

Sorry I didn't email because Elder Mann was on at the same time! For the first time our whole mission.. hahah. I love you all! a lot of amazing things have happened! Festival of lights starts this week! I love you all so much!!!!

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Alo!

November 18, 2013

Mom Happy Birthday on the 22nd!! :) I love you so much and hope you eat chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream...and save me some. I hope you get to rest a bit and that it is not too crazy with the Theatre.

Also, thank you for the letters! I am still trying to write ya'll back but I hope you will be patient. And if the Primary class that wrote me asks, yes I got their letters and I am almost done writing them all back.

So this week we had Elder Zwick from the Quorum of the Seventy come and give our mission a conference, as well as all of the local leaders. It was very impactful and we learned principle that Sister Graff and I are using to teach: Simplify and Intensify. Okay so when you hear that you may think whoa! Extreme, but the whole idea is to use less words to tell the same thing. Sister Graff and I both like to talk a lot and so sometimes we get on a roll and we will teach, testify, then re-teach, re-testify the same thing....haha. It's not a bad problem because the people really understand the message BUT sometimes we have both agreed we could use less words to get the same message across more powerfully. It's good to keep growing and improving. :) 

We had some awesome miracles this week and some other random fun stuff. Miguel and Guierrmo, 2 of our investigators that are in part member families, came to church and are progressing! Please pray for them. Our cute little family that we were teaching now don't answer calls or the door...so we don't know what happened there, but we have been blessed with some great people. 2 fun things happened yesterday: I backed the car into Sister Graff...she has no injury, and we locked the keys in the house...the first time in my mission. So we talked to the maintenance man and invited him to the Temple as he unlocked our door. :) Good times. Things are going good. I can't believe how fast time is flying. February is near and then you'll all have to put up with me again. muahaha. I hope you are excited about it. Love you all!! And you are all in my prayers!

Mucho amor,

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Heyo!

November 13, 2013

Christmas is coming faster than I can keep up with...I'm so excited!! November just started but already we have Christmas trees, we're practicing the music for the program and we are working out of all the logistics of scheduling. It feels kinda like the last few rehearsals before tech week, if this was a play. BUT everyone is calm and although there is a lot to do, we still have so many opportunities to teach and visit families. There are a lot of good changes happening and a lot of miracles in our ward. Our ward is little but the members are so good and we are working on a ward mission plan that is only ONE page. The one from this last year was good and well thought out but the majority of the members didn't even know it existed and had never read it. It is amazing how the Spirit works, and how fast it can change someone's heart. Many of our members are struggling with inactivity but we all felt that putting our sights to the Temple as a vision for the ward will help strengthen their desire to come back.

Like MacGyver talked about in his email, the majority of converts in our ward (which are few) have gone inactive and sadly we've lost contact with some...but if anything it has made me reflect on how the Lord feels about us and mankind as a whole. If we truly believe that God's purpose and Glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, can you imagine how much work that is? How much heartache that is when they don't accept it? I feel like we experience a portion of the sadness He feels but not all. But on the other hand we also know that if this is His work, He will do everything possible to save each and every one of His children. I guess to sum this up, I have felt a lot of pain from what I have seen on the mission, but I have also felt so much hope for what the Lord has in store for each of us. No matter where we are or how far we are off, there is always a road back. I love you all! I know that when things get tough, He is always there. We just have to Hold On.

Life is truly an adventure!

Hermana Corrinne Clement

November 4, 2013

All of the Sisters at Arlington!!! So fun! 

French artists for the Primary Halloween Party!

Happy Halloween!

November 4, 2013

How was Halloween in AZ?? I would love to see pics of your costumes!! :) We had to stay in on Halloween here because they said it is too dangerous to go out that night. SO we planned for 3 hours, ate candy and dressed up for fun!....I'll show you those pics one day. :) It was good!

Also, happy birthday Morgan! And I'm so excited about your wedding!!!! I wish I could be there...you picked a good guy. :) 

So we have been doing a lot of things this week. I was put in charge of making a movie for the visitor center and we shot it and everything but one sister was offended...so we are re-writing it. ha. Also this week we had only 3 nights out teaching people because of the visitor center shifts and also Halloween so we were struggling to meet our goals that we had set to accomplish this week of many of our people we wanted to teach. So yesterday we fasted as a district, because the elders have a hard area and they were struggling too.. Well yesterday at Stake Conference we were sitting in the Spanish translation room when the English elders drop off the mom of Michael (their investigator) so we talk with her and sit with her and at the end we find out that she lives in our area and she wants to learn more so we set up and apt with her this week!!! :) I love miracles! Then we checked on some referrals that we had received and they from the English missionaries so the addresses were wrong BUT the guy that lived in one house turned out to be super interested. And then we knocked another door by inspiration and the people there knew Monica!! Monica= the woman I taught in the vc and she was baptized about 2 weeks ago. So we are sending the elders over to them! So cool!

Christmas is already on the way and I am 1 of 6 sisters that were here last year for festival so all of the Senior couples are tracking us down any free time they get...festival can get a little crazy and they want to know EVERYTHING... but I am so excited! We went to Arlington Cemetery today with all of the missionaries that go home soon. It was amazing and even more amazing because it is Fall. :) Love you all! I hope you all are going out of your way to share the Gospel....a ward that relies solely on the missionaries to do it, perishes. Harsh but true in so many ways. Congrats on being Bishop dad! I love you and know it will be an amazing experience for our family and the ward! Keep that fire burning!

Love

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Hello all!!

October 28, 2013

Grandkids!!! I heard you all got your presents!! I hope you like them :) And Emma I heard your baptism was awesome! I love you all so much!

I don't have much time because we had a zone activity and we played sports in a field...it lasted longer than I thought. But it was a lot of fun!

So with the little time I have I want to update you on a miracle that happened yesterday! So we have been working with this awesome man from Guatemala named Muhammad Ali (yes he was named after the boxer) he became a member when he was about 12 here in DC but after time he got into the Marines and kinda fell away. We found him sitting outside one-day and stared to talk and he let us in. He said that many missionaries had passed by from lots of religions (including ours) but he never let anyone in. Well he said he felt the Spirit tell him to hear what we had to say. Well after the first 5 min we were pretty much best friends and we have been visiting him every week...but he still didn't have the "prompting/feeling" to read the book of mormon again of come to church but he is now actively involved in another ministry and he is the Pastor for the youth. Well yesterday he called us and said that he had a feeling to watch the movie we left him (the restoration-movie about how the church was restored) and he felt the spirit so strong and he said that he got the answer that he was looking for. Now he has a desire to read the book of mormon again and he said eventually he will be coming back to church. It was the most amazing phone call to her a man who had lost his testimony suddenly remember and understand again the truth. We shed tears of joy that day! and then yesterday....are you ready for this Hermana Schoemaker??? He came to the Temple for a concert! It was so perfect and he felt the spirit at the Temple too. Such amazing miracles happen. It has been so much time and work with him but I know that each soul is important and that God has something amazing prepared for the Mormon Muhammad Ali! Pray for him!

Love you all and I hope you all have fun in Halloween!!!! We are still trying to figure out what we can dress up as and still wear the missionary attire...

Hermana Corrinne Clement!

I love you ALL!

October 24, 2013

Hey there! First off congrats Emma on your baptism!! I'm so happy and proud of you for taking this step. :) You are so loved!! Thanks for the invitation! It is on my desk. And I also heard your birthday party was so fun!! Happy Birthday!!

 

So I meant to write on Monday but the library we went to had horrible internet connection and so I just sat at the screen for 30 min and then gave up. BUT we had a miracle from that! So for some reason the computer that I had was double-booked but I got there first so the kid left to find another computer, but because of that I started talking to the man next to me with an Italia sweater...but he was actually from Chile. So I started trying to talk Italian with him...fail. haha. He was very open and we talked about life and about missionaries and about his family then as we were about to leave I find out that he is actually a member that is very less active in the church. He smiled really big and and felt like he had fooled me. So we kept talking and I found out that he had been baptized in Utah a long time ago because he said he felt that the Lord guided him to do so. Then he was active in Hawaii but when he moved to DC he just stopped. He didn't really have a reason why though. So he talked about how he hasn't read the Book of Mormon in a long time and I handed him one, then he said he didn't know where the church was and I gave him the mormon.org card  with info how to find his church. I couldn't help but smile and he told me that he knew that it wasn't a coincidence that we had met that day...His name is Luis. Keep him in your prayers that he gets back on track.

 

Also another really cool miracle that happened from the visitor center. So we give "tours" or lessons to missionaries and their investigators (those wanting to learn more about the Church) and not to long ago I had the opportunity to teach Monica (an awesome Spanish lady) about Eternal Families. I taught her that day and that was it. Then about 2 weeks ago I ran into her at the baptism of Edwin (from Glenmont) and she hugged me and told me that she was getting baptized with her husband and that they were so excited! Then this last Sunday we were able to go to her baptism and she had me sing. At the end of the service she pulled me aside and started to tear-up. She thanked me for that tour and for changing her heart. I did nothing, I know it was the spirit, but it is amazing to see how one lesson, or even one moment can influence a person so much. :) She said I have to come back in a year when they get sealed. :) I'm so excited for them and so humbled to see how much the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives.. I love you!! I hope that you are excited for Halloween! We are carving pumpkins with the young women. Good times! Take care!

 

Sister Corrinne Clement

Muchos cambios!!!

October 16, 2013

Wow, a lot has changed her! 3 Spanish Hermanas (including my Hermana Schoemaker) are going home today and we didn't receive any new Spanish sisters...but we got 7 new English. This is going to be a little crazy because we only have 10 of us. 10 is not a lot, BUT 10 means we are also really close so it's fun. I don't want to lose Schoemaker because she was the most amazing comp and I have never had so much unity, hard work/fun before. Luckily her parents came today and she's going to tag along to our appointments this week with them. :) So that makes the goodbyes less hard because she's pretty much going to be with us the whole time. haha. I am now with Hermana Graff, she is awesome! From Cali and was switched from English to Spanish about 2 transfers ago and She's picked it up crazy fast. We have so many people that we are teaching right now and a lot of them are amazing part-member families. They too are sad to see Hna Schoemaker leave so they threw a Family Home Evening to have a "party" to thank her for all she had done. it meant a lot to her.

Other change (as MacGyver mentioned in his email)...I am now a trainer at the Visitor Center....no that that means much to anyone that doesn't serve here. :) But I am one of the 3 leaders in charge and it is going to be an adventure that's for sure! It seems like just when we start getting a little comfortable, the Lord gives us another opportunity to grow. Yay growing!! It will be a great experience because my focus is the new sisters coming in and preparing them for the big festival of lights and helping them not run away from people when they come in. haha. Funny but true. I love this mission it has made an impact so deep on me. I can't even begin to say how much I have learned from the Latino people here. They are such hard workers and they have so much love! I love them. I love you all! I hope that as things change in life you are able to withstand the blows and just know that I'm doing my best everyday.

Love Hermana Clement

p.s. P-days are now switching to Mondays so I will be writing now every Monday! Love you!

October 9, 2013 Pics

Epic Jump 2 (Francis and I)

Epic Jump 1 (Engman and I)

 

The Butterfly Gardens!!!

 

Hello Hello!

October 9, 2013

So today is going to be short because it is my companion's last week on the mission and she wants to do as much as possible and see everyone we can. But it was a really great week! It was sad because Paula, our investigator from Columbia hasn't been answering us and said she's not ready to get baptized this Sunday. Same with Oscar in my old area (Glenmont) I've seen him quite a bit at the visitor center but during his interview he got offended and left. The sisters ran after him and talked to him and he said he needs more time. So a few sad things but I feel at peace because I love them both so much and I know that it will all work out when they are ready. But on a high we had a lot of fun watching conference with families. haha. I made bingo charts and we brought snacks and it got a little intense in the Morales home because the boys are competitive but it was still good and they watched conference for the first time ever! Then for one session we went to the Glenmont chapel and I saw all of the members there! It was so much fun and a few of my close friends there were screaming and running up to say hi! One, Cynthia is putting her mission papers in soon. So good!

Conference was really inspiring. I loved Holland's talk about depression and also Christofferson's on the equality and complements of men and women. It reminded me of all of those blogs on women and the priesthood I read before the mission and I just loved the message that he shared. I stand by it. So cool news. We now get to got to the Temple whenever we want!! You would think we would be able to go more than once a transfer because we work at the vc but until no...

Life is really amazing!! I feel blessed and watched over everyday. And everyday that I'm here my testimony grows about the Gospel. I know that the truth is here, in this church and not just parts of truth but the fulness. I am grateful for you all and to all of my nieces and nephews your surprise is going in the mail this week!!! Love you!!

Love

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Miracles part 2

October 2, 2013

We want to change from doing the usual pageant feel to be more centered on the international cultures that we have here and how the Savior is the Savior to ALL nations so we are looking for cool music that can be performed in different languages (Italian, Japanese, Russian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Estonian, French, and English) so if you happen to come across Christmas music that is of these languages I hope that you could send a copy, or a link to it...sisters and mom that is directed to you... :) This is such an amazing opportunity and I just hope it is what it needs to be...if you know what I'[m saying.

Sooooo... When it comes to our fasting miracles, we fasted on Sunday to find people who are prepared and yesterday we decided to fast from our car and walk the streets instead of driving from apt to apt. We taught this cool guy named Melvin from Honduras in a park, and then we found lots of knew people that we genuinely interested and we have apts with them this week. Then we stopped by this apt and taught an amazing family and the mom said that she wants all of them to come to church with us. he best thing is that they are our neighbors and we are going over for a birthday party there for the little boy and the little kids are pretty much our best friends. :) It's the best! We have been so blessed. And even though I've been asked to do lots of different projects in the ward and the VC and on top of that we are teaching, I know that the Lord will provide a way, and the best thing is that I just have to do my best. Super good bargain. ha. I love you all soooo much and I thank you for your love! Remember who your are- "He lives in you"-Lion King

Love

Hermana Corrinne Clement

mom-thank you for the boots and clothes :) they are perfect!!

Fasting always brings miralces!

October 2, 2013

Hey!

So the government is closed today, that's pretty crazy. I don't know all of the details but I hear some things about obamacare and such....lots of pros and cons. BUT luckily we aren't supposed to get involved in all of that stuff. But the Temple is still open!! haha. Maybe they'll take there break here and come feel more peace. Also, more people will be home and probably a little humbler. There are definitely positives to all of this. 

We had really good highs and lows this week. Sister Schoemaker and I did some good manual labor (ripping up tiles super glued to wood...ouch) I only hit my hand with the hammer 3 times, the elders hit their hands more so I felt pretty good about my construction skills. :) Also I'm getting assigned to be the primary pianist in this ward because literally NO ONE plays. So I hope all of the help I got from you guys pays off and by some miracle I can play these songs with the little practice we get. I'm actually pretty excited because I love the primary, it just came as a shock because she needs me to help with the music for the Primary program. ALSO, so every Christmas Eve during festival of lights (christmas lights at the Temple and concerts at the VC) there is a night of music that the Sister missionaries do and usually an elderly missionary couple puts it together and directs it. Well...I volunteered to help and in turn they asked me to do the whole thing! So I'm really excited and I'm co-planning it with Sister Lavrentyva from Russia. W

Sick in the VC

 September 25, 2013

First of all, JACOB,EMMA, CAMYLLE, CLAIRE, and GREYSON!!! I LOVE YOU
ALL SO MUCH!! I'm getting something special ready for you so I hope
you can be patient and I hope you'll like it. :)

Secondly, WELCOME TO DANA RANCH MANN FAMILY!!! :) haha. I knew that
you were moving close, I didn't realize it was the same ward! ha. I'm
so excited about that!!

So I have been sick the past couple of days and so while at the
visitor center I would be sitting there on the bench and literally
fall asleep...so they put me in the "sick room" (which is like Harry
Potter's cupboard under the stairs). I was there 2 days..FREEDOM at
last!!! But this transfer has been so good. Since this is Sister
Schoemaker's last transfer she doesn't care what she looks like AND SO
she liked my idea of matching everyday/ :) :) A lot like high school
again with Taylor Aiono, we literally look like twins everyday. It
makes getting ready in the morning a lot more fun and challenging.

So right now we are teaching an amazing man named Miguel, his whole
family are members and now after like 13 years he has a desire to
learn more. It is really neat because we are the first missionaries to
ever teach him and because of that he has a lot of trust and is very
honest. We are also trying to get permission to baptize Paula
(Aswald's girlfriend) in our ward because she lives in a different
ward but comes to our ward every week. She is awesome and it is a lot
like teaching a best friend when we are with her because she is so
crazy and random. But everything has been really great and everyday we
have been seeing miracles.

We had a funny family home evening the other day where we invited a
member named Jovino and he came late. So the teen daughter answered
the door when he came and looked at him and then shut the door. As she
sat down we asked her who was it? She said, "je...je....Jehovah".
(Jesus in the Old Testament)  We all looked her and said, Jovino? And
she nodded. We asked why she shut the dorr on him and she schrugged
and opened it up again. It was so funny and awkward and Jovino came in
and one of the people said, " you shut the door on Jehovah"....funny..

Well love you all!!
Hermana Corrinne Clement

Hey!

September 18, 2013

Hey!


Hope you all are doing well!! If you didn't hear there was a shooting here in DC but we weren't there. We were at that place 3 days before to go to the Nationals Game (as a mission) but just know that it was really sad here but we are all safe. We got to go to DC today and run the 4 mile stretch of the mall as the Sisters in our mission. It was a lot of fun. We also went to the American History museum and the old time pictures and music reminded me a lot of swing dancing with MacGyver. It was pretty cool! Sister Cooke (the President's wife) came with us this morning and mapped out her own route and had stops where we listened to patriotic music to get a full American expericene. :) The international sisters were less than exccited but it reminded me a lot of Heritage. i enjoyed it.


So this last week Aswald took that step and got baptized. It was a really special day and he was so happy. Even days after he still had that glowing smile. It is amazing what the Gospel does to those that are wanting to change. It literally heals them and helps them see more clearly that even through the darkest times there is still hope. We have been so blessed with amazing people to teach. We are still teaching Maria from Brazil and so we are working on a few words in Portuguese. It is really fun. :) We also are teaching part member families and the Acevedo Family is progressing so much and is really open. One thing that Sister Schoemaker and I have been continually trying to do is match everyday. ha. I sent you a picture of our grandma sweaters that a member gave to us to all wear. :) I love the members in this ward, they love the missionaries so much and it makes a big difference in finding people. When we are able to work with the members and not against, the Lord can show us miracles!! So I challenge you all to invite the missionaries over and find someone for them to teach. It's easier than you think it is. Love you all!! And congrats on the ZOnies!!!


Love you!
Hermana Corrinne Clement

September 18, 2013

American History Museum...strong women during the wars.

Hey!

September 18, 2013

Hope you all are doing well!! If you didn't hear there was a shooting here in DC but we weren't there. We were at that place 3 days before to go to the Nationals Game (as a mission) but just know that it was really sad here but we are all safe. We got to go to DC today and run the 4 mile stretch of the mall as the Sisters in our mission. It was a lot of fun. We also went to the American History museum and the old time pictures and music reminded me a lot of swing dancing with MacGyver. It was pretty cool! Sister Cooke (the President's wife) came with us this morning and mapped out her own route and had stops where we listened to patriotic music to get a full American expericene. :) The international sisters were less than exccited but it reminded me a lot of Heritage. i enjoyed it.


So this last week Aswald took that step and got baptized. It was a really special day and he was so happy. Even days after he still had that glowing smile. It is amazing what the Gospel does to those that are wanting to change. It literally heals them and helps them see more clearly that even through the darkest times there is still hope. We have been so blessed with amazing people to teach. We are still teaching Maria from Brazil and so we are working on a few words in Portuguese. It is really fun. :) We also are teaching part member families and the Acevedo Family is progressing so much and is really open. One thing that Sister Schoemaker and I have been continually trying to do is match everyday. ha. I sent you a picture of our grandma sweaters that a member gave to us to all wear. :) I love the members in this ward, they love the missionaries so much and it makes a big difference in finding people. When we are able to work with the members and not against, the Lord can show us miracles!! So I challenge you all to invite the missionaries over and find someone for them to teach. It's easier than you think it is. Love you all!! And congrats on the ZOnies!!!


Love you!
Hermana Corrinne Clement

comidaaaa!!!!

September 11, 2013

 Hello!

So yesterday was Sis Schoemaker's birthday (my companion from Canada) and she is the craziest sister missionary here...we have so many funny experiences! She has no shame when it comes to food so she just asks everyone when we can go eat with them, so we have a fridge full of leftover Latino food. :) She is the best. But I did eat something weird yesterday that caused an allergic reaction of a bad itchy throat..so I kept making faces in the lessons as I was scratching my throat with my tongue. I tried to play it off as if I was just smiling weird but I got a couple looks. haha. But we decorated the apt. and made her a cake and did the whole birthday thing. It was so great and she was excited all day. 

We are teaching quite a few people right now in the area and Aswald is getting baptized this week. He is from Columbia and very sarcastic, so teaching the commandments were fun as he kept cracking jokes...oh Latinos. ha. But he has come along way and has changed his life completely to follow the Gospel. We are also teaching his girlfriend and she has pretty much become our best friend. She is in the navy and buff but really funny. It's way cool to hear from the other sisters that are still in Glenmont last transfer. Three of them are getting baptized this transfer and I get to go to two of them. Sister Schoemaker and I have talked and pondered a lot about the mission (since she reflects back a lot-but in a good way) and we both agreed that the greatest joy we have both felt on the mission was hardly ever the actual baptism. While that special day brings so much joy and excitement, it was always in the preparing of the person to take this step that brought those  indescribable moments of happiness. We get to be a part of so many people's lives, we get to testify of Christ, and truly help them see that there in a plan and path to peace in this life. I love the Gospel, and I have grown to more fully understand the Plan of Happiness. It's more than a bunch of little cut-out pieces and circles, it is a blueprint of our lives before and a basic understanding of what we are meant to be. I didn't have a firm belief in the 3 kingdoms of glory before, but now as I study and truly meditate it in my mind and heart, it has brought me so much peace and respect for our Father in Heaven. 

I love you all! I'm taking in all of these amazing miracles everyday (Like Elder Mann's...way cool! :)) 

Till next week!

Hermana Corrinne Clement

ps..I almost forgot, my one yr mark is tomorrow! ahhh...apparently the tradition here is to "burn something"...I've had experiences with that in the past (I burned a heritage shirt with Marissa and Ben after graduation. Good times) So we'll see what happens. I'll wear an oven mit. ha. Love you!!!

VC TOUR!!

September 4, 2013

Okay, two words... Muslim Tour! We randomly had this very prestige group of Muslim Clergy come to the VC without any tour setup. Sister Burnham (a senior sister) comes into the call room and asks who wants to give a tour to a large group of Muslim clergy. All 3 of us looked at each other (Sis Bullock, Word and I) They looked terrified. hahah. So I volunteered and Sis Bullock cam with. We walked into theatre 1 and the room was full of gentlemen in turbans. Elder Burnham (senior missionary) was in front giving a basic overview and answering questions with the help of their Arabic translator. IT WAS SO COOL!! We sat in the back and talked with the only woman that came with them and she was very Americanized because she was raised Baptist but changed to Islam later. After the O & A. I was approached by a Muslim man who asked me a lot of questions. He had read the Book of Mormon 2x and he felt something different, but he was very sure to point out that they prove their beliefs with reason and he was hoping I would do the same. He asked me why I was here, if I had been forced, if I was being paid of receiving something. I honestly had no words, I mean he hasw studied religions for his whole life. All I could do was follow the words that came to me. I just simply testified that I felt the love of God and I know he asked me to do this because this Gospel is true. He just smiled at me. It was a really tender moment and then is tour was leaving so he asked to stay in contact and gave me his email. How cool is that? When am I ever going to have an experience like that ever again?? He is a leader in Islam and I just talked with him one on one. I fell so privileged to be here at this time in this mission, I know that I have learned so much about the importance of putting what matters most first..and that is people...and it turn we are putting God first. I love you all! I got transferred out today. I'm going to miss Glenmont like CRAZY and last night the members were so kind and gave me little presents to remember them. :) I always will. But I know that change is also a crucial part of life and I'm excited for what is ahead in Olney with.....HERMANA SCHOEMAKER!!!! She was my roommate when I first got to the mission and now I'm with her in her last transfer. :) She is super fun and new age and from Canada! It doesn't get better than that. haha.

Love you all! I hope that your aren't dying of heat there and you are all in my prayers! 

Love,

Hermana Corrinne Clement

PICTURES!!!

 

Sis. Clement in her cookie monster jammies and the Uke

AWESOME WEEK!!

Wednesday‎, ‎August‎ ‎28‎, ‎2013

Hey Family!

 

So our mission has just started implementing random Car fasts (cannot use car) on random days and we get the opportunity to walk and appreciate our cars..:) It's great.

So this last time we just decided to walk the city of Laurel in a loop and talk to every person in the path. It was really fun and we found too really awesome prepared people (people that are looking for the Gospel and you are put in their path and they tell you that they had been waiting for you). Oscar and Edwin! They both also came to church! And they understand the scriptures!!! It makes the lessons so much stronger when they have that desire and understand what we are sharing with them.

 

Also we ran into this Blue and White house that had a cute little old man out front cutting his grass. So we walked up to him and turned out that he was very Greek and declared he was athiest.. so we offered to cut his grass and he said no, he is athiest. It was just really funny because he is Greek and lives in a very Greek house and we walked away smiling. YAY car fasts!!!

 

So we also both got really sick this last week and Sister Aldridge is still sick. So we stayed home from going to the visitor center and she slept while I watched movies (Together Forever, and God's Plan-the 80's one with the guy on a horse talking about the plan of salvation...classic). Then we wrote a song together, in our delirious state, about the visitor center. Apparently it is good and I get to play it for the new sisters coming in this next transfer. so that is fun! Transfers are next week!!! ahh... I know where I want to go but I'm trying hard not to think about it and enjoying this last week with Sister Aldridge. She's so good and I have never worked so hard! She also likes running so we run the nearby lake every P-day. :)

 

Good things are happening and every once in a while I look back and realize how much I have grown and how much the Lord is a part of our everyday life. I truly am realizing that my role here  in the visitor center is different than a lot of other missions and we get to teach people that come from all over. I know that the majority of the people I teach, I may never see again but I wouldn't trade those tours/calls/chats for anything. The Gospel truly changes the lives of those that apply and love it. I love you all and I hope all is well! ALSO congrats on the theatre!!!! I'm so excited!!! :) hasta luego!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Lesson Learned!

August 21, 2013

Hey Everyone!

 

So this week I realized something that has taken me a very long time to learn. The difference between Sympathy and Empathy. I feel that is so tempting, when we see people go through horrible things, to sympathize and literally climb into the hole with them and try to feel what they feel and then leave super down and depressed...I don't know, maybe I'm the only one that has this problem. haha. Well, it all reminds me of the stuff we learned as a family before my mission with Helen. BOUNDARIES. I  am truly begining to see the danger of not setting boundaries when helping people. I could go and sit in the hole with them, but what good would it do? Not much. I see that I can empathize and realate with those around me that are struggling withought making myself go through what they are going through. THIS IS A BREAKTHROUGH!! This small thought process change has made a large impact on my mission. I can now leave people with more hope than they had before and walk away with a smile knowing that that is all that the Lord has asked me to do, "feed his sheep" not starve with them. Soooo ya, this has been really great and it's just funny that it took more than half of the mission to relearn it.

 

On another note, Margarita is lady we are teaching (going through horrible circumstances) but she is preparing to get baptized. We have been working so hard with her and she can feel the Spirit so strong when she truly seeks and acts. We also met somee crazys on the road...that is always fun! Well I love you all, sorry it's short, I just wanted to share with you that I'm doing good and I'm truly loving every minute. :) Thank you for your emails and love!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Woo!

August 14, 2013

Hello everyone!

 

The weather is perfect here! I hope it lasts for a little while before it gets super hot again. Sister Aldridge and I are doing really good. Her dad is a chef and so we bond with food. :) Every chance we get we make a special dish or find good eat out places, and in return I'm teaching her hymns on the ukulele. She is great!

 

We had another night of music and inspiration and I got to sing again. It was a really special night and I got to sing with Sister Mendenhall (who went to Heritage Academy as well). The day before that we had a group of opera singers. :) I smile because they personified opera singers and they were really serious and funny, BUT the music was beautiful and they ended with "America" from West Side Story. We have been making changes in the visitor center and they asked me to organize a program for the new sisters that come to the center. All of us older sisters had a lot of confusion when we first started at the vc and we felt like there was no one we could ask for help. So I am really excited because this will be extra training for them and help them learn their purpose in the vc a lot faster than it took us. It's crazy, I love being at the vc because you are always at the right time and place there, and the people come to you asking questions. That is definitely not always the case on the street. :) But I really do love both aspects of the mission and I love helping people I hardly know come to realize their divine potencial and who they really are. Thank you for your love! you are all in my prayers!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

 

Thank you mom for the letters, I'll see what I can do about that picture...ha

Alo!

‎August‎ ‎7‎, ‎2013

So this week we had really cool miracles. As we pull up to an appt one hour early, because there was no traffic (weird), we receive the idea to pass by Yiana from Panama (super awesome). She said it is good thing we did because it was the only day this week that it would work, and SHE READ!!! haha. She had good questions and she is starting to love the Book of Mormon. We then are rushing to her neighbor ( our appt.) and as we go we receive two new referrals for by text and I got the feeling that Margarita wouldn't be home and that we needed to contact them. And it was right! Even though she had confirmed, she wasn't there and so we went to visit the referrals that happened to live on the same street...so we got to Marcos and we decide to talk to this guy sitting on his porch and we ask him what his name was and he said Marcos, and we asked if he lived at the address that we had and he said no. Apparently the English elders had written down all of his info wrong. He was excited to met us and we have a return apt. Then the other referral across the street was just about to leave as we walked up and her eyes lit up. :) Then as we were about to leave this amazing street, we decided to stop by this apt with 2 little kids playing outside. We knock the door and it was the same family that I had met at the visitor center in Christmas, during the festival of lights!!! Miracles! We taught them and they are searching. Such a great 3 hrs on Evans Trail Rd.! :) Sister Aldridge and I just kept looking at each other with big smiles, like "Oh My Goodness". So there you have it, it is very possible to be at the right time, with the right people, at the right place if you follow the promptings of the Spirit. Love you all!!!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Hello!

August 2, 2013

So we got a special  tour of the Capitol with Senator Lee from Utah so I was not able to email on Wednesday. And as we speak I am at the Visitor Center and am using the little time that I have to write so sorry if it  is short. :) 

First off, I failed to mention my roommate Sister Connelly, she is close friends with Brooke Hiatt so it super fun to have her crazy personality in the apartment. haha. Crazy in a good way. She is really cute and street contacting in Spanish, even though she was called English speaking. It's fun to hear her stories about the Hiatts too...Love you guys! 

Also, the capital tour was great. We got to take the secret trolley underneath the city to get to buildings, legit yes. It was really cool and I never realized how much the designs in the capital reflect Roman/Greek Gods....it was really interesting and Sister Tembo (from Zambia, my companion for the day because my companion doesn't like going to the city) and I talked about it a lot and how the pictures of George Washington are of him exalted in the heavens. It amazes me how much the early Americans adored and almost worshiped him. He was an amazing man for sure. 

Funny story. So pretty much anytime a tour comes into the vc with children or older people I get it...I kid you not. haha. This last week I got a tour of a retirement home (none of which were members) and the theme was supposed to be light and centered on families....weellllll this little group was full of fired up little grandmas and grandpas talking about Gay Rights and asking really crazy questions about lots of things. They obviously have spent a lot of time on the internet. I was expecting this cute little group of nice old people and it was definitely a surprise. I took each question and answered it the best I could and then showed them some movies. They started the tour talking and talking and ended it completely silent and content. You all probably would have laughed at me in this tour but I did all that I could to keep them on board and at the end, when the Spirit was really strong.....they all started clapping. Oh my goodness. hahaha. I will never forget this little group and many asked if I had a boyfriend. :) Yes, I'm currently taken, I replied. Good stuff. Okay I have another tour to give right now but I love you all so much! Gyver congrats on your 1 year mark. You made it!! ha. 

Also exciting about all of the zonie nominations, thanks for the letters and love. Things are really good right now. 

Love,

Hermana Corrinne Clement

I'm still here!!!

July 24, 2013, 1:05:26 PM EDT

Oh my goodness!

 

Transfers were crazy! So every six weeks we change companionship or stay together. Well today was completely unexpected, we received 19 new missionaries and because our mission is so small geographically we now have so many trios. No, I'm not in a trio this transfer, I am staying here in Glenmont! I was so sure that I was leaving and I almost started packing, but I learned YET AGAIN to not have expectations but to just be ready and willing to work wherever I am needed. So, my new companion is Hermana Aldridge and she is actually from Delaware. haha. Not very far from here. She is a really hard worker and even just from our first few hours together I can feel that this transfer is going to be very good and we are going to be working crazy hard. We both talked about how these last two transfers because of various reasons we had slowed down a bit but now we are both full of energy and excited to find more people and love this ward and run till we drop. Like you said Cara, there is a time to rest and a time to work hard and push.

 

This week in the Visitor Center a cute little man from India came in and I got to take him around. He was hilarious and he reminded me a lot of Marissa's impersonation of an old person. :) He was trying to convince Elder Eyring (our VC Director) to let him enter the Temple without a recommend. He said that he didn't need a recommend and that he had enough faith to find someone who would let him in. He sat outside with the lady the brought him  (a member) and he took off his sandals and put a napkin on his head. Oh my goodness....he made my day! he was soo cute. ha.

 

We had a cool miracle on Sunday. We were walking around these apartments and we happened to be close to an old referral door so we knocked it and this super awesome Lady and her famous dancer son answered! She was talking and talking and we barely were able to say anything and so we were a little unsure of how it was going to turn out. After bragging about her son and after his dance demonstration to us, we finally asked her about the Gospel and she said that she had studied before and was really interested but her husband was Protestant and would not allow her to learn more...we sadly but also happily, they are getting a divorce and so she said she was open. I cannot tell you how cool it was when she felt the spirit. As we testified she completely stopped and just looked at us and then she wanted to learn more. So cool! There are truly people being prepared out there. I love you all! Thank you mom for the package. :) Sister Carcamo loved it and says she loves you and is coming to stay with us after her mission. Take care and keep doing the things that matter most!!

 

Love Hermana Corrinne Clement

Viviviveveve Chile!

July 17, 2013, 11:28:58 AM EDT

Buenos Tardes!

 

So we had another Night of Music and Inspiration at the visitor center this week and Sister Carcamo was really nervous because she didn't like our song. We sang have I Done Any Good in the World Today, but it was this weird version that Sister Engman found online...the kind that has the dramatic key change in the middle and the audience worries if you are going to make it. :)  haha. But it actually was pretty good. And Sister Carcamo didn't look up the whole song. But we have had a lot of good times and we have found some amazing people. And I'm teaching someone right now that reminds me a lot of Trevor Bowler. It's lessons full of random jokes and awkward pauses...It is really fun. :) We also have this house that we have been teaching, literally the house, because every time we pass by there are people visiting Carmen and they come in, so we definitely get a lot of referrals from her. ha.

 

Transfers are coming this next week and I'm probably leaving, but a big part of me wants to stay in this area. We have been having a lot of slow time at the visitor center, because the Temple is being cleaned, soooo Sister Carcamo walks around and then randomly strikes a dramatic dance pose (in her Chilean cute way). I just stare at her. Then she gets mad at me and 5 min later does it again. We definitely never have a dull moment between our weird personalities. "Some" mornings routine: Alarm goes off at 6:20 am. Sister Carcamo doesn't move. I practically fall out of the bunk bed to turn it off. I tell her to wake up. I tells me she doesn't like me and rolls over. I put on my shoes to go exercise and then fall asleep on the floor....we wake up at 7 to Christian music blasting from our roommates. She jumps out of bed and runs to the shower. :) I tell you this to show you that when you have 2 non-morning people together, some days it is just so hard to wake up! But we do good the rest of the mornings. :)

 

Love you all! We are doing good and sharing at every moment we get. Hope you all are having an awesome HOT summer! :)

 

Love

Hermana Corrinne Clement

 

P.S. Heidi Loar came to the Visitor Center yesterday as a missionary and I gave her investigator a lesson! Super cool! I was her visiting teacher in my single's ward back home. I didn't know that she was going to go! :)

July 10, 2013,

zoomed in photo de sopa del mar

us just before... SOFTBALL!!

Another Email! :)

July 10, 2013, 12:05:20 PM MST

Hey! Thank you so much for the love package Mom! We appreciated it and the little cactus plant is sitting on my desk :):).

 

So! We just got done playing softball with our zone. Softball and Humidity...not so fun combination. But it was actually really fun/funny because half of our zone is international and most of them had no concept of how to play softball. So every other hit a missionary would run the wrong way, or not move, or do something really random. haha. So as we played I tried to explain it to my comp in Spanish, and then translate to Sister Tembo from Africa, and Elder Nng from China. For this act of kindness I got the trophy for Sportsmanship!!! Woo hoo! It was a good time and even though they said they weren't keeping score, our team won!

 

We have some really awesome new people that we are going to start teaching this next 2 weeks (2 part member families)....transfers is almost here again. :( I really am hoping I get to stay here because there are so many things and people that we have been working with that I have grown to love. There are 2 recently baptized families that I know we'll be friends for always. The coolest thing about being here these last 3 transfers is to look back and to see the change that has taken place as they have continued to learn and progress after baptism. The saddest thing has been to see certain people who were strong and had a lot of faith, lose it all and push away from us and the ward.

 

I would say the my greatest joy comes from being in a moment with someone who is struggling and suddenly remembers or realizes that they are a child of God, and that there truly is a plan. Their individual life matters so much more than they even know. That makes this mission, and every sacrifice of you guys (my family and friends), worth being here. I miss a lot about being with the family and doing theatre and dancing with MacGyver, but I know that I will never forget the people who have touched life as I am here. I'm working on a workshop that I'm giving tomorrow in our meeting and it is all about our purpose as missionaries. It is not about numbers, or how many lessons you have, it is about lives changing for the better. I am so happy to be making a difference.

 

Love you all!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

July 6th 2013 PICS

Mustaches

The metro!

 

Beauty after Gardening

I'm still ALIVE!

July 6, 2013, 9:23:10 AM MST

 Hey! So happy 4TH of July!!! I hear it is smoking hot over there! 123 degrees??Crazy!

 

We had a lot of good un this week with the holiday. We got to go to the city and see the historical re-enactment of the reading of the Declaration of Independence.... :) I had flashbacks of Eagle's Aerie and Heritage...good times. We also got to see the parade and Natural History Museum. I found out pretty fast that Sister Carcamo doesn't like museums. But she still followed me around.

 

Just like MacGyver, we lost and gained a mission President. We now have the Cookes and I cannot not tell you how excited I am. I absolutely love and respect President and Sister Matsumori, I just got really excited when the Cookes talked to the mission about missionary work. They have so much compassion and are loving people and they have their 3 kids with them. He was a Major General in the army and she was a Lawyer, but you would not guess by the way they interact with people.

 

Things have been good and we have been finding some amazing people that are not quite ready to make changes in their life but they definitely have that desire. I've been learning a lot about their lives and there is a lot of soap opera/sad stories that they all have, but I find comfort in knowing that we all have different paths that we are walking and that the Lord is there every step of the way. And even when we don't want him there, he is that loving parent that always looks out for us. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful that I'm no in control of anything but myself. I hope that you all take each day at a time and breath when it gets tough. I love you all!

 

I heard the workshops went well! Great job Kendra and Trevor! Also, Aida. :) I look forward to seeing the recording someday! Love you all!!!

 

Hermana Corrinne Nicole Clement

Crazy dream teaching

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 10:39 AM

Family!

 

So I don't know if I mentioned this much in previous letters but...I sleep teach in Spanish....and apparently very loudly. And at first it was cute and all of my companions and roommates thought I was funny, but now they have problems sleeping because I am testifying to random things in the room. I wake up super tired. SO  I'm going to start drinking "happy juice" (as my family calls it) or camymille tea at night to help my mind stop while I'm sleeping. Pretty sad problem to have. haha. It reminds me of the time when Kendra was working at that school and would sing lullabys to me in her sleep. So tender. :) But ya, I hope you are doing alright on those workshops Kendra! I always just was weird and the kids responded well. So that's my advice!

 

This week was a good one. We had some lows because Sister Carcamo and I are going to have to stop teaching some of our favortie families for a while becuase they just aren't progressing and aren't ready to make changes at this point, BUT we have been working really hard to find more and we have quite a few people that are interested. YAY! Hermana Carcamo is really random and spastic. I know! Perfect companion for me. :) She really likes to make up songs and she will make up a song that lasts a whole carride home from the visitor center....such talent. ha. But we have a blast everyday, and even when we get bad news or our plans fall through she is always right there with me looking for the positive. One thing I did want to ask of all of you is to send her either a letter a postcard or something special. She is from Chile and hasn't received one letter since she got her a month ago. You can address it to the same address but with her name: Fernanda Carcamo. I would really appreciate your support on this this. She never says anything about not receiving mail, she just shrugs it off, but I know how nice it is to get a letter so I hope you could send something little! :)

 

Oh something cool! So this Sunday is a worldwide broadcast fireside about missionary work and part of it will be recorded in my mission! So if you watch it, you will see a lot of our missionaries. I won't be there, but my past companion and my roommate will be a part of it. So just a little fun side note!

 

I am really grateful to be here. Everyday I learn things that help me see more of God's plan for us. I am floored that although I have gone through many ups and downs, he has always been there, because I have felt it. I know he loves us and just as a true father does, he will never give up on us no matter how far we have gone. Love you all!!! I hope that you are well and know that I miss you!

 

love

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Night of Music Miracle!

June 5, 2013

 Family! So, I am over halfway through the mission. Crazy right? I thought that I would be going home in March of next year but this mission is on a different transfer cycle than others so I go home early in February. So WOW! It's bittersweet. But I still got a lot of time so I'm not worried about it. :)

 

I hope all is going well! This last Sunday was Night of Music and Inspiration (which I was producing/in charge of). So one rule is that Sisters and Elders cant sing together in the performances and also we cant practice all together until the day of. SOO thank you to the many years of theatre tech rehearsals, it was all under control and the practice ran smoothly. There were 6 songs total, 2 mormon messages and a photo slide show. Everything was going fine, then the storm outside started to pick up and the rain was loud with thunder. Suddenly the power went out then back on. We lost connection to the sound system and control of the lights 20 min before the performance was about to start. The senior couple missionaries were running around frantic as I sat in the audience having the slightest idea of what we should do. They called me over and asked me what I thought. One of the sisters suggested we could have the performance in the smaller theatre or in the upstairs lobby.....I got a really strong feeling and said lobby! So we rounded up the missionaries and explained the situation then we had them all grab as many chairs as we could find to put in the lobby facing the Temple. (Luckily it was pouring outside so the people were all still in traffic so we could get all of the seats out before they came). We moved the piano out and a podium and did it all with 5 min to spare. Then came the people. We had one of the biggest turn outs for night of music in a long time. About 200 people and they all fit! So as the program started we didn't have the videos so it was a good thing there were so many songs. One of which I played the Uke to the Lord is My Shepherd (Regina Spektor style) super cute. haha. The night was beautiful and intimate and the spirit was strong. The rain and temple were in the background while the missionaries were singing songs about life and how God loves us. Then as we were about to come to a close, we still had about 10 min and we had the idea to play the narration or Jesus Christ that we play near the statue of Christ. The words filled the room and after it was over complete silence. I looked around and so many of the peopel were crying. Then 3 sisters sang a song called Take it Home (with a cello = for you mom) and it was soooo good!!!

 

I am so grateful that even when everything fell apart, it came together again, even better than I ever thought it could be. It reminded me a lot of our experiences at AYT and how so many times seemingly bad things would happen but most times they turned out making the performance even better. Sunday was a miracle! And I had many comments that it was the best they had been to. I believe less and less in coincidences every day. I know that night touched many hearts, especially mine.

 

Love you all so much!!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Hello!

May 22, 2013, 11:58:25 AM MST

Family!

 

The baby was born! I'm so excited! Greyson Woolf looks really cute in the photos from mom. :) Hope you are all holding him and hugging him for me.

 

So this week was filled with a lot of weird stuff. Our GPS died (completely fried), which is bad because our area is huge and we got lost for about an hour or two because we had problems reading the many maps. BUT we made it home!!! YAY! That was sister Carcamo's first day in the mission. It turned out to be very fun, just kinda sad, but we talked to everyone we could for directions and then gave them a card to check our mormon.org. good stuff. Then the next day we were confident in not getting lost, then we got lost again at the opposite end of our area. :) Yup. I'm still directionally challenged but it's gotten better. Then We all got food poisoning from Wendy's and were throwing up for 2 days...stay away from the chicken sandwich. On top of that we just had a lot of sad things happen in the lives of the people we are teaching and all we could do was comfort them, a lot of deaths. Basically this week was very humbling and the good news is the Sister Carcamo still wants to stay on the mission. ahah. Not that she was about to leave. It was just a lot to handle in a first week. But all is picking back up and we are eating again. We have been really blessed! Maria Jose wont be getting baptized this week because her father now does not want her to, but I know that she will someday. She has such a strong desire.

 

I feel like every week I learn something new but then I look back and I realize that I tend to learn the same things over and over again, just in a new way. The hope that I continue to have is that the Lord does not give us more than we can handle. Life is full of changes and transitions and through these times if we continue to seek for the positive and continue to help others we can find a peace inside ourselves. I truly do love teaching these people the Gospel. Those that are willing to listen, feel the spirit, and they cannot deny it testifying of our message. There are so many questions, we just need to go to the right source. I love you all and I hope that everything is good!

 

Hasta luego

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Mother's Day!

May 8, 2013, 8:26:49 AM PDT

Happy Mother's Day!!

 

I don't know what you are all doing for mother's day, but here they're having a craft fair :) :) and the Men in our ward are doing a night of appreciation for the Women. Latino love songs!! Woo hoo! Also this Saturday we are doing this "missionary experience" with a big group of youth and we are taking them knocking doors...We don't really knock doors in our mission as much as other missions so this should be a fun experience. You never know who will answer the door nor what their response will be. It is pretty fun. ha. ALSO, we get to call home this Sunday night for 40 min....so we gotta make it good! I think we are 2-3 hours ahead of Arizona so I'll be planning to call that night anywhere from 6-8 (my time) so hopefully you guys can be around to wait. Sorry it's not very specific because we have the Visitor Center that night and we'll all be taking turns. But I'm excited to talk to you all!

 

So also, really cool news! We have events at the Visitor Center every month and one of them is called Night of Music and Inspiration which a sister is chosen to be in charge of. I was asked to do the next one!! How cool? So all of the theatre, workshops, and teaching kids is definitely being utilized in this mission. I'm still thinking of a catchy title that will cater to everyone (regardless of religion). But I'm putting together a version of There is Sunshine in My Soul Today (w/ the uke and 3 part harmony) Really excited! These events are so powerful and I love them because people from all different walks of life come and get to feel the spirit and feel uplifted when they leave. So if you have any ideas...write me!!

 

This last week has been really good with Hermana Shaw (from Utah). I was with her when she first came out and she has grown a lot. One of her biggest struggles has been Spanish, which I can relate to for sure, but this week I've been trying to step back and let her feel confident in doing this work. It sometimes gets overwhelming to balance both an area and the Visitor Center. It takes a lot of organization and multitasking (theatre has helped with that too). The cool thing is though, that even if everything falls through, you can still feel peaceful and unstressed knowing that you are doing your best and the rest is out of your control....I think that is something we need to always remember.

 

I love you all sooooo much!! And I am excited for Sunday! Take care!

 

Hermana Corrinne Clement

 

p.s. MARRISSAA is in the MTC!!! Yay!! Will you guys write her?? It makes the MTC experience a lot easier! Also, thank you for the recipe Kris and Ryan! I'm excited! Mom, thank you for your letters I love you!!

Short Message!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 8:39 AM

Hello Everyone!

Short message this week because we are heading to the city today (Preparation Day) to watch the Nationals Game!! (Baseball) haha. It should be pretty cool and the whole mission is going together and it is a full day in the city.

How is everyone doing? I've seen some people here from Arizona and they say it is already up to the 90's. I actually miss the heat. ha. But it's been pretty nice here lately. We had some good experiences this last week and some that were sad. One that was kinda sad was the fact that we had Stake Conference (multiple wards in church for a bigger meeting) this last week and not even half of our Spanish ward showed up, including a few people that we have been teaching. So we called them to see what happened and they said that they drove the whole 30 min (our area is HUGE) to get to church but there were no more parking spots so they went back home.....so apparently this is what happened to a lot of the members and instead of parking on another street and walking they all went home. :) Kinda sad but more funny than anything. Good thing we have normal church next week. haha.

I think one of the coolest things that I have been seeing here on the mission is that even if you make plans and you feel super good about them, it doesn't always work out and that it's OKAY. I have seen some of the most amazing miracles and met some really open people because of plans falling through. I feel like us planning and then trying our best shows faith and then the Lord guides us, if we let him, to a better sometime weirder path...but it all works out at the end of the day. I feel so blessed and I feel tired all of the time but I know that it's because I have honestly never worked this hard in all of my life...Super weird, but I feel strengthened everyday. I love you all so much!!! Transfers are coming up this next week so we'll see what happens! I get to call you all on Mother's Day!! Yaya!

Love you!

Hermana Corrinne Clement

Maria Jose

This is Maria Jose!

Noche de Musica

April 17, 2013, 8:14:15 AM MST

Hey!

So we have been so blessed this last week, despite illness and plans that fall through! It turns out that most times when your plans fall through there is just a better plan that God will open up to you. So Roxana was able to be baptized this last week and what a special moment that was. I have never met ANYONE in my life that wanted to be baptized as much as her. She is just so humble and sincere and has felt a confirmation in her heart that this Gospel is true. It has been an amazing experience to become her friend. And I also truly believe that there are people in life that we are meant to meet. Her daughter, Maria-Jose has some various handicaps but is so smart, she just needs love and patience. As we have been teaching them, she has been opening up and showing us so much love when we come. I know that I was supposed to be here to help her feel special and loved. She even loves to sing and I got the UKE!!! (Thank you mom and dad) and I'm going to teach her how to play a few songs so she can sing at her own baptism.

We had a really awesome event at the Visitor Center this week called, Noche de Musica y Inspiracion (Night of Music and Inspiration) and I got to sing again but this time in Spanish. :) It was so fun and also, Hermana Schoemaker, who was my roommate in my last area, and I wrote a song together and performed it...so I'll hopefully be able to send a copy home to you guys. My comp and I had a few hard times this last week, but I'm so grateful I'm learning this all now before I get married. haha. Like for real. But we had a break through and were able to talk it out and now we are establishing boundaries (like we learned altogether in Helen's workshops). Life is good, I have been able to relate with so many people here because of what our family has gone through and I feel so happy when I can testify to them that it does get better and that Our Heavenly Father loves us no matter what we our those we love do. This I feel so strongly. I love you all!

So for Birthdays....Dad yours is coming up,. Claire.. So I'm just going to write you all birthday cards and just please pretend like I sent them to you on your actual date.

Thanks again for your love and letters!

Hermana Corrinne Clement

The Shrimp had eyes!!!

No...we didn't eat it, we gave it to our Japanese roommate. haha

Sunset!

Hugging the Memorial with our fingers

Cool jumping picture!

We jumped again!!

I gave my cupcakes to a homeless man. He was happy!

The only thing to fear is fear itself

Love you!!!

Hello from DC!

April 10, 2013, 11:30:57 AM MST

Hey!

I hope that all is well and that it's not too hot already. It's getting hotter here, but it's alright because it's turning GREEN too! Today we went to the city to the Cherry Blossom Festival and the blossoms are in full-bloom right now. :) So amazing. And it
was really cool because people will just go and have picnics and do yoga and take pictures there all day long. We got to just walk through the blossoms and talk to everyone. Very Fairytale-like. We also met some really interesting people and a lot of
members would go out of their way to run up to us. They were really nice and excited to see us. haha.

I really enjoyed conference this last weekend. I watched part in English and part in Spanish, and I find it amazing that I could receive revelation during both languages. The Spirit truly is universal and can speak to us in whatever language we may speak.
I really loved Elaine Dalton's talk about the divinity of Daughters of God and how amazing we are, and how blind we are to that fact. I also really loved President Utchdorf's talk in Priesthood Session about us being Toddlers and how just like we do not
condemn little children that are trying to walk and constantly stumble, the Lord does not look to condemn us. He rejoices when we make even the smallest steps of improvement. When we look outside of ourselves for one moment to help another person.
We are not meant to be perfect in this world, and just as a toddler sometimes may feel like he can't do it, we too feel inadequate or unable. But I'm learning that when we just keep trying, we keep looking to do good, and we truly come to know who we are,
we will succeed......it may take a lot of tries....but we will! :) I love you all! I hope that you are enjoying the fun and special moments with everyone you meet. The world is full of amazing people, who just like us need a little help sometimes.

Love you all!!!

Hermana Clement

(PS. I just got the email that the uke should get here tomorrow! Thank you mom and dad! :) I'm playing in a performance this Sunday so PERFECT! Also, please use the Ukulele picture instead of the one I sent you fore the plaque. The guy at the passport picture place didn't let me check the photo before he printed it...So It's weird and too much white. hahaha. Sorry, I tried! Thanks again for everything!)

Sheep Duct Tape

April 3, 2013, 8:23:58 AM MST


Hola Todos!

Sooo...the weather is spastic! It's sunny one day, then rainy, then windy, then random snow! It has been really fun foretell the forecast together..we're are usually off. :) But, I hope that everything is going great back home and that Easter was fun! Happy Birthday everyone that is coming up!! ( Kristen, Camie, I think Claire???) Ah, I'm sorry I don't remember all of them but know that I love you and that I'm grateful you were all born!

This week has been a good lesson week, we have been teaching so many members that have been going through hard times and lots of KIDS!! I think that is one of the highlights, is getting to teach families and doing it in really creative ways. My companion just stares at me because I like using random pictures and tying them into the topic. It pretty much always works! Hermana Engman is super awesome though. She is little bit too much of a perfectionist at times, but she has taught me a lot about the importance of being organized, being consistent, and being on time to things. We have been trying to keep the happy balance of being efficient and hard working, but also, keeping calm and enjoying the times when nothing works out the way we planned it.

This week we had a referral for a guy named Byron who we called a lot and the appts we set up fell through. Well we were persistent and we finally got to met him and his mom and found out about halfway through the first lesson that they are members and were baptized in Guatemaula a long time ago. I brought out the Book of Mormon and they both smiled really big, and we learned more about how he had wanted to be a missionary, he had wanted this life, but life happened and he lost sight of it and he told us how he has lacked the light and the peace that he once had. It was a powerful moment and I realized how easy it is is to let life get in the way of what is truly important. Which can ultimately lead us to unhappiness. I am trying to focus of the positives and blessings everyday because, everyday really is a gift witht the people we love. Love you all! I missed being with you for Easter but I look forward to talking to you on Mothers Day!!

con mucho amor,
Hermana Clement

ps. Super excited for General Conference this next weekend!!! We only get to watch 2 sessions because we have a shift at the Visitor Center BUT, it's going to be amazing!!
ps. Ph also, I found SHEEP DUCT TAPE and have been using it to label my stuff. :) :) I was smiling all day.

so pretty!

yup...pretty awesome!

 Us at this super weird reenactment of the organization of relief society...Lourdes was confused. haha

sad night before transfers with my crazy roommate from Canada!

We get away with playing in all of the Latino restaurants. :)

Hermana Engman and I!