Highlands Ranch Ward Podcast
The Highlands Ranch Ward is a sharing of spiritual experiences, family history and inspiring Christian principles. The goal of the podcast is to help our members get to know each other better as well as inspire people to draw closer to Jesus Christ through prayer, scripture study, family history and living the principles Jesus taught.
Highlands Ranch Ward Podcast
Claire Stucki
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Tyler Dougal interviews Claire Stucki about her recent misison call, spiritual journey and thoughts about the future.
Welcome to the House Rand War podcast. This is Tyler, and today I'm going to be interviewing our other host, Claire Stuki. So thanks for coming on the podcast today, Claire. Of course, anytime. So to start, probably, you just got your mission. Do you want to tell everyone where you got your call to?
SPEAKER_00I got called to the Paraguay Cuncion mission. I'm actually so excited, Spanish speaking. It's actually gonna be so awesome. It's gonna be amazing.
SPEAKER_01So cool. What were you feeling when you were opening your call and you had everyone there?
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh. It was just it was so awesome. First off, thank you, anyone who's listening who came. Thank you so much for coming. Um, but it was so cool to see um everyone who came, and I just felt very loved, but um definitely opening it for the first time was very surprising. I I really did not think I was getting called there. I really thought I was going stateside, so I was very surprised. But it's just so cool. Like when you open it, you just like kind of like immediately create a new like love for this place you're about to go. Like I already feel like connected to this place somehow, and it's just cool to think about how there are people that are waiting to hear your message specifically, and the timing is gonna be perfect, and yeah, I'm just I'm so excited, I'm stoked.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's awesome. Yeah, have you known that you wanted to serve a mission for a long time, or do you decide this last year? Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00There, there seriously has never been a doubt in my mind that missionary work is the most important thing that we will do in this lifetime, besides obviously, you know, getting married, having family and stuff. But I seriously believe that there's nothing more important I can be doing with my life right now. And I don't know, there's just never been like a question, like it's always been like, absolutely, like it's not because like, oh, everyone else is doing it, it's because I wanted it for myself, which I think is really important. And a mission does should be something that you want for yourself, and it's something that I worked to prepare for, and um yeah, I just I think it should be something that you have a desire for and you're willing to work hard to do.
SPEAKER_01So you mentioned you you you started to prepare. So, what are some things you feel like you need to do before you leave?
SPEAKER_00Some things to prepare. Um, me and my brother Jack, we uh we taught our sister Stella from Preach My Gospel because she's getting she got baptized a couple weeks ago. And so she was kind of like our little investigator, and we um we just kind of taught her from preach my gospel, which was super cool to like see the actual like missionary curriculum, and so things like that, just going out and teaching, finding ways to teach and prepare lessons, um, and just bettering your your personal um spiritual growth and really getting to know the Book of Mormon, because that's really what you're gonna be teaching from in um on the mission. So that's really cool, but just really strengthening that connection with Christ, whether that be through prayer, scripture study, going to the temple, you know, those are all basic primary answers for a reason because those are the things that get us closest to Christ the simplest way and the quickest way, and um yeah, just strengthening that connection you have with Christ, and it's so much easier to trust him in his process when you feel like you really know him. So that's what I would say get to know Christ.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's amazing. When you look back on your life so far, do you feel like there were any moments that kind of helped you convert to the gospel and start to really just know that this um religion is true?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, totally. Um, there's obviously like big, big moments like um FSY and girls camp and things like that. Um, and especially like performing in Lamb of God was so amazing. Big things like that are just great things to look back on because that was kind of like a waterfall of spiritual um just spiritual revelation and whatever. But it's definitely what has grown my testimony the most is the small and simple daily things, and just really um trying your hardest to be consistent. It's so hard, but trying your hardest to be consistent with the small things. I found that just small little experiences with my family have really grown my testimony. Um so just looking for the the small things, you really don't have to go to big church camps and do all these huge things to feel the spirit. It should it should you should just be able to do the little things and um but that should help facilitate the spirit. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's great. Do you something that you're just super super excited for about your mission specifically?
SPEAKER_00Yes, I am so excited to learn Spanish. I know that's so like weird, like learn, but I've like always wanted to learn a new language. I feel like it's just such a cool thing to have. So I'm really excited to do that. The culture there seems so cool. I'm just excited to like learn the people because in these kind of countries where it's definitely more like poor, and you know, at least poorer than like the US and stuff. Um the people are just so unbelievably kind and welcoming. And they just it's just funny, like how I feel like the poorer they are, the happier they are. Like they just don't care about like material things, and they're just willing to give you all that they have, and that's so cool. And I want to be able to do that when I'm a missionary and give all that I have. So yeah, I'm really excited for the people. The food seems good, I think. I think I won't be able to like drink the water or anything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, I'm just excited to learn the culture. It's gonna be so different.
SPEAKER_01It's gonna be such an exciting two years.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. Oh yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
SPEAKER_01Is there anything you're super nervous about or kind of scared for?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um I would say probably like even before I got my call, the thing that I was most nervous about was like like spending all day every day with a person because for me, like I really kind of need my alone time, I need my space to like recharge and whatever. And on a mission, you can't really, you can't really do that. So I was kind of nervous that like I might like crash outside, especially if I get like really, really weird companions. Like, ooh, that will be a test of everything I have. So yeah, and I feel like that's probably I'm probably gonna get a lot of that, especially in paired by a lot of like native speakers, and it might be hard to you know speak sometimes. So that's something I'm definitely nervous about, and probably like getting sick a lot. My dad's been sick pretty much his whole two years. Oh my gosh, and just oh like awful stuff. Like, I that just sounds so horrible. So, yeah, definitely that kind of stuff, and like I don't know, getting jumped and whatever, but I think we'll be okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you'll definitely learn a lot from from all the crazy stuff.
SPEAKER_00Totally, it's gonna be awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and do you have a favorite family history story?
SPEAKER_00A favorite family history story. Uh I'm trying to think. We have this really cool story. I'm totally blanking on this guy's name right now, but he was kind of alive during the pioneer time. And um he so he was, I think I can't even remember. He's probably like great-great-great grandfather or something, but he was a really, really good um like butcher. Like he was very good at like uh I don't know, cutting up meats. So at one point he was in like a butchering competition, and I'm probably gonna tell a story so awful. Sorry, mom and dad, but it's so he was in this competition, and I think something happened where like there he had like a whole pig that was like on one of those racks, and the pig was like hanging down, and something happened where like the hoof of the pig like totally just like smacked into his eye, and I think he went blind and like in one eye because it got like infected and it spread to the other eye, so he went like totally blind. And then I think what happened is he kind of started having these visions of like um of like traveling to a promised land or something or helping Brigham Young, something or along those lines, and I can't remember if he was a member or not, but um I think like when the missionaries came to him or something happened where he was asked to help the pioneers like cross the lands and he was like blind, and but because he had been having visions of this thing, he was like, Yes, I will go and do it. And I'm pretty sure he helped uh across the plains and stuff. So that's just like a really cool story. I'm sure my parents could tell it a lot better, but um, that's just a cool story that he was just like willing to go and do this work because he because his mind was kind of prepared, like he he had been like seeing these things and he so much that he just kind of he just believed this what was happening. So when he kind of got that call, he was like, Yes, absolutely, I'll do it. So that's a really cool thing to think about that kind of like when your mind is prepared, that you're just more willing to just go and do um what the Lord asks you. So that's really cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's great, it's like a huge leap of faith. And I love how it relates to missionary work as well.
SPEAKER_00Totally, totally.
SPEAKER_01And do you have a favorite scripture story?
SPEAKER_00Uh favorite scripture story. The first that that I've always loved since I was a kid, just because I thought it was so like cool in aura was um Ammon chopping off all the arms. I thought that was just so cool. Just like how he just like gave his all and like protected this whole like kingdom basically and converted all these people. I just thought it was so cool. But um kind of like a more simple one that comes to mind. I kind of talked about this in sacrament meeting, like for the miracle thing was um the first person that Christ declared he like himself to, like I am like the first person he really like showed himself to um before he really started doing like all these miracles, and stuff was the woman at the well. He um this woman was kind of an outcast. She she was, I don't know, I think she like kind of had multiple husbands or something, or like had been married to multiple people, so she was kind of an outcast, and so she would go to the well in the middle of the day when it was super hot and she knew no one would be there. Christ he met her there, he was there, and I I'm not sure where the specific scriptures are, but he kind of just said to her, like, um just like follow me and just come and follow me. And I think she just like immediately believed him. And I just think that's so cool that the first person that Christ showed himself to was an outcast and someone of like no significance, no nothing. Most people would have totally avoided this woman, but that's just who Christ is is he he goes out in the hot sun in the middle of the day to meet the outcasts, and I just think that's so cool. That that's I think that's one of Christ's best traits is he's just he's just inclusive. That's he loves everyone, he doesn't discriminate, he he especially loves the outcasts, and um I just think that's awesome that like his first kind of miracle or whatever kind of saving this woman was um was just uh showing that um we need to go out to the outcast and we need to include all the people who are on the edges. So yeah, that's cool.
SPEAKER_01It's amazing. Reminds me of the parable where Jesus invited the rich man to come walk with him and join those commandments, and he said no. And so it just shows how he you know invites everyone to our gospel, and some people say yes, and some people will say no. And what's what's one thing you love most about our ward?
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, this is my favorite question. Oh, I love our ward so much. Like, I seriously have never seen a better ward. Like, I just love how like as a ward, like in I'm thinking of Sacrament Meeting, how just like open we are, and just like people aren't afraid to share their problems and their issues, and it's just so cool that everyone is so comfortable just sharing sharing problems because I think that really just connects award, which is really cool. But I would have to uh argue that our youth is probably the best part of our work. Our youth are so awesome, like so strong, especially our senior class. Like, we got the biggest senior class.
SPEAKER_01It's we have an awesome I agree, I agree.
SPEAKER_00It's so awesome, and I just think the youth are so strong, especially in our ward, and the youth are the rising generation, and I feel like we have been taught and we've been learned, we have learned a lot, especially from our ward, so it's so cool, you know. Not to say we carry our ward a little bit, but uh kinda joking, but yeah, I do seriously love our ward and love our youth, it's so awesome, and yeah, yeah, that's great, it's great.
SPEAKER_01When is a time that you were struggling with something and you felt Jesus Christ walking with you through that trial?
SPEAKER_00Um, a time that I was struggling. Um thinking back to last year, junior. Junior was kind of a harder year for me. It was like my first year of Cosmo. Cosmo kind of so the first semester, it wasn't like super what I expected at first. It was I kind of just heard from everyone that oh, it's just like such a fun time. It's like all here was just so much fun. But I got there and it ended up being like so much work, it was just so much work, a ton of learning, and like the first semester we didn't, we couldn't even like work in the salon or everything. So I was kind of like, what? Like, what is going on? So like that was kind of hard, and I was never at school. I felt like I never really saw my friends. I was just kind of going through a rough patch, especially kind of like in the spring. Like, I just I'm just having a really hard time feeling the spirit. I felt I felt just kind of numb to everything, and I I feel like that's kind of like one of the scariest places to be is when you just don't feel anything. And I I definitely noticed like it was just so hard to feel the spirit, which made me really frustrated. Like, even I would, you know, do really spiritual stuff. Like I would I would go to the temple and read my scriptures and set aside time for God, and I just like I just felt like there was a rock in my heart. Like I just I was like, why am I not feeling anything? It was just it was getting really hard. So in that point, I honestly felt really alone, is what I felt. So that was really hard, and I was like, I knew that Christ was with me. I never doubted that for a second, but it was just really hard not feeling that feeling that I that I always feel when I when I feel the spirit. But um FSY rolls around, it's like summer, and I'm like, okay, FSY is my chance to get back on track, get back on track spiritually, it'll be great. I um ended up not like paying attention in any of the classes. I just like felt like I was like messing around the whole time. I was like, okay, this is not good. I'm like messing around and like I'm not really getting anything out of this. And it comes to testimony meeting, and um I decided to get up, I brought my testimony, and I know that when I'm feeling the spirit, I start like crying. I like have a really hard time like not like crying and stuff, and that's kind of how I know. And I was just kind of bawling up there, and I was just kind of burying my soul, and I was like, it's been so hard to be consistent and be feel the spirit, and I really hope that this can sort of um like help me uh keep going and whatever. And I I know what it's like to not feel the spirit, and once I've felt the spirit, I never want to let that go. That's I don't know. That's basically what the gist of what I said. You know, I kind of said that, um, but then after um my FSY leader pulled me aside. He's so awesome. Shout out, K Love. He was so amazing. Um, but he pulled me aside. I've made I got really close to him in that week. He was just so awesome, he was always very kind to me. He pulled me aside, and he basically just said, Claire, I don't think you understand how special you are. He just kind of started saying these things to me. And sorry, I like get emotional every time I think about it, but he just started saying these things to me. And he was like, Claire, I don't I feel like I'm a messenger right now. I feel like I'm these words are being put into my head and to tell you. He's like, I think you've been needing to hear this for a while. I was just like, bro, what how did you know? Like, just like crazy. And he just was saying these things. He's like, Claire, just keep going. Like, don't stop what you're doing, don't stop for anything, don't stop for anyone, just keep going. And it was just really what I needed to hear. Like, I think God really, really knew in that moment, like, exactly what I needed to hear, and it was just so awesome. And I think God knows me, and he knows kind of this kind of sounds dumb, but like one of my love languages is words of affirmation, and so I think it meant a lot that I heard that from someone else like telling that to me, and that was just so cool. Like, he's just like, Claire, you are gonna be such an amazing missionary. Like, I can't wait to see where you go. And he was just telling me these things that were just like exactly what I needed to hear. I was like, Oh my gosh, Caleb, you have no idea how much I've been just like waiting for someone to like say that to me. Like it's just so awesome. So I think it's just cool how God knows exactly what we need, and I just felt so loved and seen by God in that moment, and that was so cool. That and he was like clear, I like I feel like I'm not even like I'm not I like I love you so much, but I feel like I'm not the one saying this right now. I feel like God's trying to tell you something. It was just one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me. Um, but yeah, that was just an amazing experience because it just shows that God caters to everyone differently, and in that moment, he saw exactly what I needed to be reminded and know that he was right there with me all along and he saw me. So that was really cool. Sorry, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's no, that's a really good story. Um that's that's great.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Is there a recent time? Where you felt the spirit, yeah, totally.
SPEAKER_00Like I said, um Lamb of God was so amazing. Like, have you listened to the music before?
SPEAKER_01I think well, you you sang in in sacrament, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but if you get the chance, like just like listen to the whole thing, like, oh my gosh, it's so good. Um, but it was just very cool, like um listening to the music and hearing the choir sing, but just like there's never a time I listen to that music and don't feel the spirit, like it is just so powerful, and so that's really cool. And getting to perform in Lamb of God was so awesome, and I just felt very connected to Christ and Christ's death. Um, but the whole experience kind of opened my eyes and gave me a new perspective on the atonement. Like, I love I love learning about the atonement, and I think it's it's just one of the coolest gifts we've ever gotten. But kind of like in it, so I was portraying the role of like the mother of Jesus, which was kind of interesting. I was like, I'm not a mother, I don't know how to like it's kind of like weird having to like step into that role, but a lot of the time I felt like um just like how unfair Christ's death was. He was so perfect, he didn't he didn't need to get baptized, but he still did it to be an example to us. He didn't need to die, but he did it for us, and sometimes I would get kind of like angry. I'm like, this his death was so unfair, like he didn't deserve this. He like there's nothing he did wrong, but it had to happen for us to be here and us to have all of our blessings, which was so cool. Um, but yeah, that really opened my eyes about the atonement and just like how miraculous it is that he took everything, took all of our pains, took all our sorrows. He hung there on the cross for us when he did nothing wrong. And when I think about it, I'm like, as humans, we have done absolutely nothing to deserve the atonement, and we have done nothing to deserve these gifts, but that just shows the pure like love of Christ that he loves us so much and expects nothing in but return but that we follow him and that we love him and we try to come closer to him. That's literally all he wants is for us to come back to him. So, yeah, I think that was cool.
SPEAKER_01I love that. That's great.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.
SPEAKER_01If if you could go a hundred years in the future and talk to your posterity, what advice or lessons do you think you would want to give to them?
SPEAKER_00Oh, this is a good one. Um, I think I would definitely say family is the most important thing in your life. Family and finding really good friends and just surrounding your people with yourself with really good people. I have been so lucky to find some of the best friends I could ask for. They have um they've pushed me to be a better person, they have been amazing examples to me, and just finding people that um help you grow in in the gospel and just really growing close to your family and especially your siblings, like it's so hard sometimes to be kind to your siblings because they're so annoying sometimes. But um, if you think about it, like your siblings are the people on this earth that you're gonna spend the most amount of time with. Like eventually your parents are gonna pass away, and friends will come and go. But your siblings are the people you are going to be the closest with. You grow up with them, you're with them the longest, and that you should just look at them as built-in best friends, like they are seriously such a blessing, and I would also just kind of say, like, um like just don't be afraid to to say yes to things, like obviously, you know, there's like boundaries with that, but um don't be afraid to just um do fun things, and I especially like saw this in in high school. I found that I just had a so much better experience when I just like said yes, and yes, I'll go to that basketball game, yes, I'll participate in this, yes, I'll volunteer. Like just by saying yes to experiences and saying yes to especially Christ and spiritual experiences, um, that just opens so much more many doors for you instead of thinking, no, that's not gonna be fun, uh, I'm not gonna get anything out of that, instead just saying like yes, and what can I what can I give to the situation? What can I give to people? And just stepping outside yourself and instead of thinking, oh, what can I get from this situation, instead of thinking, what can I give to these people? I think that's really cool, and just taking the time to slow down and just look around and realize what a beautiful earth we have, and um how many blessings we have.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, that's great advice.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Well, I really appreciate you coming on the podcast today, Claire.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_01Your testimony is so powerful, and you're just gonna be such a great missionary, and so excited for you.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much, Tyler.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, of course, everyone everyone from the ward appreciates you, and I think they're gonna love this episode.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yes, let's go. You too, Tyler. You're awesome.
SPEAKER_01Awesome, thank you, Claire.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much.