Hey y'all,

Another great week here in Alabama! Filled with some of the hottest, sweatiest days possible.  Sister Latu's bike

finally got here, and I've nearly biked that poor girl to death. 

I wasn't going to share this but I feel like I should. 

Most of y'all know that I love running.  There is a peace and satisfaction that comes from it that I love.  Two years ago I did a marathon- 26.2 miles. 

During training, you build up mileage each week.  While I was on my 20-mile week, we were on a family vacation in Hawaii.  I ran the first part by myself, Derek ran the second part with me, and my Dad ran the last leg.  I was so grateful for them.  

Around mile 18, I hit "the wall": the point where you don't feel like you can't go further.  I remember I couldn't breathe, I started to hyperventilate.  I thought I was going to have to stop.

I am so grateful my dad was there. He coached me through it, helped me to calm down. He encouraged me through the last 2 miles, and then said, "Let's keep running to that stop sign".  Then, "Lets keep going just a little longer".  Little by little, he showed me that I could do it. Actually, I could do more.  I ran just under 22 miles that day.

A lot of the time, life is like that way.  Lately I've just felt overwhelmed.  I'm not about to quit, but it's hard to put on feet in front of the other at times. I feel so inadequate. I'm not the missionary or person that I would quite like to be. I'm doing my best, but it never feel enough.  I feel as though I've hit a wall with my mission. 

Maybe you've had a similar experience? 

Just like my Dad ran with me when I didn't think I could do it, our Heavenly Father is running along side us, every step of the way. He is showing us that not only can we do it, but we can be stronger or better than we though possible.  He sees us for what we can be.  He sees our potential.  He is coaching us every single step of the way.

There are many people here that don't know they have a loving Heavenly Father.  Yes, I'm in the bible belt.  There are many people who know about God and Christ; much more than I do. I want to help them know him personally.  In Spanish there are two words for "know". Conocer is more of a word like familiar, or to personally know someone. Saber is like to know a fact.  I hope that I can help people "conocer" su Padre Celestial- their Father.  He truly loves us.   I met a gal this week who is very angry at God.  She was out on her front porch, trying not to make eye-contact with us, but we made our way up there anyway.  We started talking and she opened up about some of the very hard things she has gone through.  She feels abandoned and that her children were abandoned.  As she was explaining this, her daughter came out.  Her daughter then put her arm around her, told her Mom how much she loved her, and that she didn't feel abandoned.  It was neat to see how Heavenly Father used us to help initiate a conversation between a mother and a daughter that really need to happen.  They both cried as they told each other how much they loved each other, and were grateful for the hard times.  I told her that her Father was mindful of her, and that is why he had sent us that day.  He really is reaching out to is children in love.

That knowledge is what gets me through. It's what keeps me going when I feel like giving up.  It keeps me motivated to find the next person, after someone turns me down.  It's what keeps me peddling in the rain or hot sun. It's what gives me hope when I feel lost.  I am a daughter of God.

I hope you come to know him for yourself.  Your knees will get sore from praying, and your eyes might get a little bit tired from reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon, but I promise it's worth it.  Every step.

I know Heavenly Father loves us so much, that he sent his son.  I know Christ has felt all that we feel.  He is the only person who can say that. He felt that so he would know how to help us.  I know this is his church on the earth today.  I know he lives. 

McClune Clan: Thanks for always being there for me. I sure love you guys. Thanks for being with me every step of the way.

I love y'all!

Hermana McClune

Hola and Malo e lelei,

Hola and Malo e lelei,

That is how you say hello in Tongan! When did I become fluent in Tongan? When I picked up my new little, Tongan companion who is fresh from the Mexico MTC!

Hermana Latu is from Australia too, and so she has the cutest accent ever.  She has so much energy and enthusiasm for this work, which is awesome.  As it usually goes, I'm not training Sister Latu, she is training me.  Although I am teaching her American ways...like Twinkies. She had never had a Twinkie! or a Ding Dong! Don't worry, we fixed that very quickly. 

This week was filled with little miracles that I am so grateful for.  I have so many weaknesses, and am so inadequate. I can't do it all.  The Lord never lets me down though, he always steps in and takes care of what is really important.

Gevon was baptized this past Saturday as well.  The baptism was really awesome. Gevon bore his testimony, and shared a little bit of his story as well.  He shared how one night he had been praying really hard, asking God for help.  The next day: "Sister Stiles and Sister McClune knocked on the wrong door"... and that's how we found him.  We had told Gevon that we were trying to find another gal who we were teaching--one of his neighbors.  What we didn't tell him is that we already knew she wasn't home.  We didn't know why, but both Sister Stiles and I had the strongest impression that we needed to knock that door.   Then we met Gevon.  The Elders started teaching him, and a 3 weeks later-this past Saturday-he was baptized.  He is going to be a great missionary in a year! 

Keep smiling and remember how much I love y'all! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana McClune 

Lice. More Lice. Apartment flooded. Washing Machine....ready...set....laugh.

This week summed up in a few words:

Lice. More Lice. Apartment flooded.  Washing Machine....ready...set....laugh.

It was a crazy week! I was trying to figure out what exactly what I was supposed to learn from all these set backs, and I didn't get a huge answer, but I think it can pretty much be summed up in one word: laughter.

One of my favorite quotes is:

It's easy enough to be pleasant,

when life hums like a song,

but the person worthwhile,

is the person who can smile,

when everything goes dead wrong.

I found this on a plaque by California Screamin' my freshman year of high school. I liked it so much I didn't leave until I had memorized it. Only recently did I find that It was written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Heavenly Father wants us to be happy: " And men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2: 25) We have a choice. We can't control the circumstances around us, but we can choose to be grateful.  We can choose to laugh, we can choose to be happy.  This week I think Heavenly Father taught me that I could have had a really horrible week, but instead, it was a great week! And what made the difference for me, was laughter. 

We met some wonderful people this week, including a young couple that is going to be married this October.  He is a member, and she is not,  but wants to learn so that she can better understand his beliefs, and how to best support him.  We are very excited to teach her because we know the blessings of the gospel, especially in families. 

Through covenants that have been brought back in this day, we can be sealed in the temple for eternity.  Covenants are like a promise between us and God: baptism is an example of a covenant where we promise to follow Christ.  Those covenants bind us together in this life and the next. I could not imagine being in the next life, without the sure promise that I will be with my loved ones. I have the 2 coolest brothers in the entire world, and the best parents. One day, hopefully, I'll find someone who can put up with me enough and can love me enough to want to be with me forever, not just until "death do we part".

Today is my parent's anniversary (Happy Anniversary!).  I am so grateful for the promises they made to God and to each other over 20 years ago.  Thanks Mom and Dad for your great example, and for honoring those promises.  I love you both.  You have inspired me and continue to inspire me to be better everyday.  I hope I can be the kind of daughter you deserve.  I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you have given me.

Christ offers hope. Living the gospel offers happiness. I want everyone to have that "good-stuff".

The other night we were at Walmart, trying to find some people to talk too (it's a little more difficult for them to slam a door in your face...).  We met a young family. We talked with the young mother and really just clicked.  She has very strong faith in Christ and her family is extremely important to her.  She was not too interested in learning more about our message, but she did mention her husband's boss was a member of our church. About an hour later, we got a text from that member telling us that they had told him about us.  Long story short...we now have dinner with them scheduled tonight, and I've been trying to figure out all day how to best share a message that would invite them to learn more.  I know this gospel will bless them.  They are a wonderful family, and I want them so have the same happiness that I have had in my life.

Side note, I'm losing Sister Stiles Wednesday :( But I am getting a brand-spankin-new missionary to train! I am so excited! Mostly because I feel like I need to re-train myself. I've been out for 14 months now...and I still have so much to do! so much to learn!

Well that's it, I got to wrap up. Love y'alls guts!

Hermana McClune

Lice!

Our hair is perfect for lice!!

Loving

In

Christ-like  

Examples

(Don't worry Mom, it's just an acronym)

My professor at BYU called the Book of Luke the "Book of the Outcasts".  Christ is constantly doing things that really tick off the Pharisees and leaders during that time.  Often it's just by the crowd he hung out with...the outcasts.  Like in Luke 11: 37 40, Christ sits downs with a Pharisee but didn't wash his hands, which really upset the dude because of all the rituals they had.  The Pharisee's really emphasized being "clean", so not only would they not touch anything dirty (a sinner, someone with a disease, etc) but they also had very intensive cleaning processes.  To break one of those laws, was a big no-no.

Luke 11"And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

 38 And when the Pharisee saw it,‍ he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
 39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean‍ the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward‍ part is full of ravening‍ and wickedness."

Christ rebukes him, which probably didn't make the Pharisee feel too good.  Christ really didn't care what you looked like on the outside, or what things you'd done in the past, he saw you for the potential you had, for your heart.  Most of his ministry was spent among those who had serious diseases and were cast out from society, or sinners who were considered so unworthy.  Christ saw them for the Sons and Daughters of God that they really were. It happens again and again. 

SOOO how does this tie into my week?? 

Well this week we were sitting in a meeting for church, and the topic turned to helping a family that had lice.  Their intentions really were to help this family, but of course some of the individuals there were not very enthused about the lice (and by that I mean they were pretty grossed out)

Well, after church, we were sitting in another meeting and we get a text from a member:
"Sisters...[person] thinks you might have lice...let me know".

Yeah, we booked it out of that meeting pretty fast and ran to the bathroom.  Sure enough, we both had lovely little bugs crawling around our very long, thick, dark hair with all of their lovely little eggs being laid.  Charming.  We were pretty grossed out by ourselves, and went straight home, neither of us having a clue of what to do to cure lice.  We have people we needed to see and were obviously pretty worried.  We texted the member, and she showed one of the most Christ-like examples I've seen:

(Okay...its not just an acronym)

She came down to our apartment after getting to her house, which was a good 30 minutes away, armed with lice shampoo and all the things we needed to take care of it.  She didn't stop there though--she stayed and helped us comb out all of those little bugs and eggs, which took well over an hour of tedious work.  She didn't have to do any of that. 

Many of the members would have gladly bought us the stuff and helped, but she actually was there face to face with it. She didn't even care, she was willing to do whatever necessary to help.  That just really struck me.  I'm not trying to degrade any of the other members, and honestly I don't really judge the Pharisees for not wanting to touch "unclean" things either; hanging out with lepers wouldn't necessarily be my hobby either.  Christ could have easily healed people from a distance, and not touched any of them.  He could have stayed what others considered "clean" the whole time.  You know though, he loved those individuals so much, that he didn't care. He exposed himself, he was not physically "clean" by society's standards.  But because of the great love he had he dealt with each person on a personal level, and ministered to their needs. 

That is charity.  When you "turn your arrows out" and focus more on how that other person feels, then your own concerns or needs. 

This particular sister has demonstrated this many other times as well.  She has adopted children because of her great love, in order to give them the home they deserve. She sees people as who they can become, and looks at their heart. She is a great mother figure to a lot of the kids around here who don't have the Mom they need. She doesn't care what you look like, where you come from, or even if you have lice.

I hope that I can follow that example. I hope that rather than any other natural response, I can just jump in, and help.  I am so grateful that Christ sees more in me than I can see in myself.  I'm one of the most imperfect people you will meet, and yet through him, I can be more than I would ever be otherwise.  He has paid the price for me, and his church is restored. That's why I'm out here. To spread that knowledge. 

Throughout your week, I hope you think of the invitation Christ gives in Luke 10 after sharing the Parable of the Samaritan:
 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou
 likewise.

Alabama skies....

Love y'all's guts!
Hermana McClune

I am exhausted:-)

Howdy Y'all!

Last night, Sister Stiles and I collapsed on the floor after finishing our planning with a prayer at 9:30, and I really had no motivation to move to my actual bed. That is one of the best feelings in the world, being so exhausted because you have worked so hard. This work is the best!

Only in Alabama!

Some Highlights from the week:

Wednesday we were invited to lunch at a members, a tea part sort of thing. It was super fun! I rediscovered however, that I am much more myself around red necks, and ghettos. Get me a red pair of cowgirl boots, and I'm set.

Friday, we got very rained on.  Alabama gives you two options during the summer: to swim in your sweat and the humidity, or to swim in the flash floods. Take your pick.

Sunday: All of our plans fell through, so we hopped on our bikes and then just started walking around trying to follow up on different people we have taught.  We walked past this one house with a huge fiesta. One of the guys waved us over. I don't enjoy crashing parties, but I do enjoy talking to people about the gospel, so we awkwardly made our way over.  Next thing we know, two little "gringas" are sitting at the table with this very generous Hispanic family from Guatemala. They gave us a big plate of food, and we joined in the celebration. We talked to them and exchanged info, we are going to go over Wednesday to teach English, and about the Book of Mormon!

I love sharing the Book of Mormon with people.  It is one of the biggest blessings that I have. This week I was studying in Luke 22:

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove‍ this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
 43 And there appeared an angel‍ unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
 44 And being in an agony‍ he prayed more earnestly: and‍ his sweat was as it were great drops of blood‍ falling down to the ground.

In those short verses, we read that Christ prayed, and was in so much pain that he sweat great drops of blood. But we don't understand completely what happened. 
Then, if we read that with Alma 7, we understand a little bit more.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

In that moment, Christ was in a lot of pain. He was feeling what each of us have felt. He knows exactly what you, I, and everyone on this earth feel. He is the only one who truly understands.  He suffered that, because he loves us so much. Those 4 verses in the Bible, record the greatest act of love and sacrifice known to man, and we understand that, because of the Book of Mormon.
I know that Christ lives. He lives for each of us. He was sent here by our loving Heavenly Father.  He is there for us, we are never alone.

Love,
Hermana McClune

I don't have much to say this week, but it was a great week!

Friday, I drank 8 big bottles of water.  I only went to the bathroom once. Where did all that liquid go? My shirt. It is blistering hot here and we were out on our bikes or walking alllllll day. Too much information? Sorry!

We were out in the hot, on bikes, in skirts, getting eaten alive by bugs, talking to random strangers who didn't necessarily want to talk to us...but you know what? I loved every minute of it. Our circumstances were miserable, right?! But I didn't even notice! All I could think about is who was at that next door, that need this message. 

Our Savior lives. He lives and his church, which was lost after his death and the death of his apostles, has been restored. There are so many churches because many truths were lost, and good people were trying to piece it back together...but our message is that we don't have to be confused any more. We believe that the Christ's church was restored through a modern day prophet, just as in bible times, whose name was Joseph Smith. Heavenly Father is again reaching out to his children, and each person can know for themselves through prayer, and reading the Book of Mormon. 

It is a message that has given my life, that makes me happy in the worst of conditions! I know that it will bless each person who finds that truth for themselves as well.  I hope that everyone does!

And so what do we do in blistering heat? We work. My Mom says its going to be 107 degrees in Wenatchee, Washington, I purposely don't look up the weather here haha. 

I love this work. I am so blessed to be a part of the changes that Christ makes in the people's lives here. It's the best!

Love y'all's guts!,
Hermana McClune

Grateful to be an American!

Serving a mission, in the South, in the Summer, is the best! Yes, it's so hot and I swim in my sweat, but the South is where it's at! ROLL TIDE!

The week was filled with the normal, but I just wanted to take a moment and write how grateful I am to live in such a beautiful country.

We had a concert where the stake choir (they are very good!!!) sand with the something Army band...I should really remember the name. It was cool though. They go big in the south!

At Walmart today (yes...Walmart...), Sister Stiles and I each bought matching shirts that say "Blessed Girl" on the front. It's true! I am so blessed. I am so grateful.

I am grateful to live in a country where I can worship as I choose, and share that with others.  I am so grateful to all the men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. I am grateful for the leaders who have fought, and continually fight, to make this country "the land of the free". 

I am proud to be an American. 

I love the quote that says "Freedom isn't free". 

The battle I fight against is a little bit different, but I know that through the gospel, we can be free from other spiritual bonds and weights.  I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a soldier for the Lord. 

I'm not a poet, and  I don't put my words together very well always (plus I'm super short on time) but I am so grateful for this country.

Love y'all! Thanks for all the love and support!

Love y'all's guts!

Hermana McClune

 Churning homemade ice cream. Blue berry. Yeah, it was good.

Little Alyssa was baptized this past Sunday. She is so beautiful! They had been teaching her when I got here.