Elder Cliffy Mission Vlog Episode 11

Week Twenty Two

What's good everybody?! Thanks for all the Christmas wishes from everyone! 

It was Christmas week and we had one of the greatest weeks of the mission so far! We got sooooo much done. We got 9 new investigators here in lil old Rockland. It all started on Tuesday really. We had like 4 hours before we had a lesson, and so we decided to just walk around. It was all fun and games until it started raining and the ground froze. While we were slipping around we got a text from the vehicle coordinator telling our zone that we were grounded. So we had to head home.


We set a baptismal date with W this week too. It has been set for February 17th and it will be really cool to see her get baptized. She was the very first person I street contacted into. We lost contact with her for a while, but then we found her again like 3 weeks ago. She's already come to church twice! So we will be working with her closely for the next month and a half.


This week we had a really interesting district meeting. We were all sitting there doing our own thing when President Blair came in and crashed the party. It was pretty awesome. He brought all the presents and a new car for Machias. Then he proceeded to give a sermon about next year and how it's going to be the craziest year ever for our mission. So that was cool. During it though Sister Blair was kinda trying to rush everyone out and get us home. Our weather apps aren't good so none of us knew that we were going to have a bunch of snow dumped on us. So we began our journey home, and we got a call from a concerned member who wanted to know where we were and if we were ok. We told her where we were about an hour and a half from home and she freaked out! She told us to go get a room and wait out the storm😂 we didn't have time for that though so we decided to keep going. By the time we got to our car we contemplated if we should continue. Our car is a two wheel drive Carolla with regular tires. It struggles in like 3 inches of snow. We pressed forward though. When we got to the hill next to our house we were following someone going extremely slow. Like ridiculously slow. Like I could have gotten out and walked faster than this guy. But he had 4 wheel drive, so he didn't have a problem. All I have to say is by the grace of God we still have a car here in Rockland.


We visited C in the rehabilitation clinic on Sunday, and my guy has lost over 85 pounds. He's a monster! He dropped all of it in a week and a half. He almost looks like a new man. Our next goal with him is to get him in a condition where he can go to the temple. I'm hoping I can be there once he's able to.

Another cool thing happened this week too. Our Branch President illustrates for The Friend, that kids magazine the church puts out.  We modeled to be some missionaries in it. So be on the lookout, I might be famous in the next few months😂

We also participated in the Christmas program, and I sang in the choir. That will probably be the only time you'll ever see me do that. That is until I'm an old man.

Anyways I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a happy new year. It's gonna be a good one. Cool thought that I will spend the entire year of 2018 in the service of my God. 

Cool scenery of the week:

Making cookies:

Before district meeting:

After district meeting:

(no wonder Sister Blair and the Sister from their branch were so worried!)

Random pictures from the week:

Modeling for The Friend magazine:

Cool new investigator used to own a skate shop:

 Selfie of the week:

Christmas Skype 2017

It was amazing to skype with our Elder yesterday.  He closed our short reunion with his testimony, which I want to share with everyone.  We are so grateful for so many things today - technology, our sweet Caleb, families, love and most of all our Savior.  May we all always strive to be more like Him in all that we do.

Light The World - Day 25

The Christmas story with Elder Clifford and Elder Petersen

Light The World Day 24 - Prayer

Light The World - Day 23

Light the World - Day 22

Light the World - Day 21

Light The World - Day 20

Light The World - Day 19

It makes me exceedingly glad to be a missionary, and the plan of happiness I get to share with everyone!  Today we walked the streets of Rockland talking to people, wishing them a Merry Christmas, and singing Christmas carols.

Week Twenty One

Another transfer down. I'm really grateful for the time I have served in Rockland, and I believe President Blair is a very inspired man. So I was more than thrilled when I was told I get to serve in Rockland for another 6 weeks! Elder Petersen is still my companion so this makes transfer 3 with him. Now I'm finally considered a regular missionary! It only took like 20 weeks😂 

Anyways this was another weird week. I started the week off in Bangor with zone p day! So it was nice seeing some other missionaries besides my district. From there I exchanged with Ellsworth, and was up there until Wednesday.

I had a pretty cool experience, and I learned some patience while I was there. We were knocking on some potentials doors, and it was cold outside. We got to one that they had met just a little while back. So we knocked his door, and no one answered. Then we knocked again, and waited. Then Elder Swainston the Elder I was with decided to go three times. At this point I had the "are you for real man" look on my face, because I was ready to start moving again. Still no one answered. Then Elder Swainston pulled out a pen and paper and started writing a note. So we spent a total of like 5 minutes at the door. While we were walking away a car pulled up into the driveway. The potential got out with his kids and he was pretty happy to see us. He invited us in, and we taught the entire restoration to his family. Now they are all investigating the church. So I learned to slow down a little, and not rush around everywhere. Because miracles like that are around every corner.

We went to the hospital again this week. C is in rough shape. He's asked for some prayers to be sent his way. The amount of love the branch has shown him is incredible. I'm glad we were able to find and teach C when we did, because he has such a big support group now. It's not fun seeing C in the shape he's in, but I know that with the support of the branch he's going to be able to do great things.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of this Christmas season, and all it has to offer. Take advantage of #lighttheworld and do something kind for someone. Remember even a simple smile can brightens someone's day. If that's all it takes, you might as well make someones day. Don't forget what Christmas is all about, and remember to take sometime to think about our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! 

It's hard to see but Santa is driving this car.

Selfie of the week:

Light The World - Day 18

Light The World - Day 17

Because Elder Petersen and I are currently in a companionship I thought I would post about us! We are together 24/7, and I thought this picture summed up our relationship pretty well!

Light The World - Day 16

Light The World - Day 15

Light The World - Day 14

One of the things I treasure most in my life is my family. Through all of the experiences we've gone through, and all of the fun times we had, I wouldn't trade them for anyone! 
They are also the reason I'm on a mission. I know that because of the gospel, we can be together forever! So I'm out here on my mission to bring families together, and help them realize the importance of the family.

Light The World - Day 13

Today we shoveled an elderly persons walk. I hope that when I'm an old man someday, someone will do the same for me!

Light The World - Day 12

Elder Cliffy Mission Vlog Episode 10

Week Twenty

Holy cow this week flew by. It feels like it was p day just yesterday! I don't even remember what I did last p day though. All I know is I've been busy up here in Rockland. Here is some news I'd like to drop off right here in the beginning. Skype calls have been changed to 40 minutes now! So yeah I was sad about it the first night they told us, but I'm fine now. Next is transfers are next week! So will I stay in Rockland or will I be heading off to a new foreign land? I don't know, nothing but time can tell. Anyways it's been a fun week,it all started in the ER.

So its a Tuesday right? And you know how Tuesdays are. I feel like it's the most random day of the week. Like if a dog randomly walked into your house, and made itself your pet, it'd probably happen on a Tuesday. So, we were just walking around minding our own business when we decide to flash visit my boy C. No one was home which is very unusual for them. So we gave them a call. He answered and he said something about the ER, and I wasn't paying attention very well so I was like "that's cool!" then I was like wait hold up. My boy C is in the ER. So we decided to go and give him a visit. Missionaries, another great place to find is an ER waiting room. That was some of the most success I've seen out here in New England. We picked up a few new investigators just waiting with C! He's all good now though. Send some prayers his way though!

This week we had an amazing experience on a street l'd like to call Miracle Street. So we received a referral to visit some lady in an old folks home. Well we were going to originally drive there, but I was like "let's park at the usual spot and walk." Well we did that, and we began our walk down Rockland Main Street. On that walk down we saw two investigators we had lost contact with and set up return appointments with them. Then we got to the old folks home. And I don't know how I find myself in this situation so much, but we walk up to the doors, and this random old lady checking the mail let's us in. Well the lady we needed to see was on the second floor. And here I am again sneaking up the stairs of an old folks home. We get to the floor she lives on and it was deserted. We knocked her door and she wasn't home. Or sleeping, because she's super old. After that we walked out and acted confident that we were supposed to be there, because if I've learned anything, just being confident like you know what you're doing gets you far. No one asked any questions and we made it out without angering any old people or workers.
After that we walked back towards the main road we take to see some of our investigators. Well the day before one of the people we talked to in the ER was a woman and her child. Her kid swallowed a Lego, and she was just there to make sure he was OK. Well we were talking and she was slightly interested, and we were about to get her contact info and everything to set up an appointment when one of our nurse friends working at the ER took her away! We were so sad that we wouldn't be able to contact her that we texted our nurse friend to give her our number. Our friend didn't see the text in time, and she was officially gone into the night. Fast back forward to us walking on the street, and I happen to glance over at a car passing, and the WOMAN WAS DRIVING IT! She turns the corner and  we chase after her in the quickest walk we can do without looking creepy. She had pulled into a bank drive through. So we walked into a bank drive through. She was amazed to see us. As were we to see her. We asked how the Lego was. It passed fine. Lol. We got her number and set a return appointment. That was a crazy 2 hours.

Then we had zone conference the next day. It was beautiful! I saw my brother Elder Wendel, and my homies from the MTC district. I got a pic with the Elders in my MTC district.

Then on Saturday we had M's baptism. She asked me to play my uke during the interlude. So I brought it up to Ellsworth, and played my first gig. I was payed in sliced cheese and crackers. It was actually pretty fun playing in front of everyone. 

It finally snowed!!

 

Random pictures from the week:

Selfie of the week: