" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.." - Romans 1:16
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
More Transfers
Wow! Thank you ALL SO MUCH for your letters! I feel so blessed and totally spoiled to have such spiritual bombs awaiting me in my inbox- to have such support and examples in my family... you all inspire me to find MORE FAMILIES to enjoy the blessings that we are relishing.
Kyle Brown- thank you for writing me! Your letter made me ever so weepy... and I`m SO THRILLED to hear about your joy and successes. I`m still going to do it this saturday and I invite you to join me. I am so happy for you. Please let me know what you submit your papers. I still don`t have my new address... and I don`t think I`ll be getting letters very frequently in Belize... but please keep me posted on EVERYTHING. :)
Tae- I am SO glad you`re almost out of there! I hate it when you`re at war. Please keep me posted too... especially on the mission thing. GET OUT HERE! Let me know when you have an address for me.
Anna- Hello?
Josh- I keep starting to write you. I haven`t forgotten you. You`ll get a letter from Belize soon. Tell me everything.
I feel like I`m a little more emotionally stable today than the last time I wrote. This week has been... so bittersweet. We didn`t have water for 8 days... and that got pretty old. I will NEVER take running water for granted again- I guess I didn`t really value it sufficiently... the role it plays in washing dishes, clothes, ME, mopping, flushing toilets.... EVERYTHING. We found ourselves hunting down tanks around San Salvador in the truck of the neighbors with buckets on our laps... just praying to get some dropps of water to shower. We got super creative... and just learned to laugh even more this week... but just as our creativity was about out.... the water came on. Happy day!
I think it`s better to find out about changes the night before... totally blindsighted... and just go. It`s been so hard to know that I`m leaving El Salvador... the culture and people that I have come to embrace and love so dearly. The Familia Diaz who have been cooking lunch for us... made it a ¨tipical El Salvadoranian food week!!¨... so every day... Hermano Diaz.. a professional cook... planned and worked so hard and with so much love... such WONDERFUL food. I haven't enjoyed the food here like that until just now... and it kinda just made me sadder to leave. Not because his food is so good... but because of the love we shared in that house. My darling Andrea is still progressing and just doing awesome. I know she`ll get baptized. I think she`s reading this... but I don`t feel weird saying it... because she knows she`s getting baptized too. :) I love her so much. As I was saying goodbye to her yesterday... I was overwhelmed with emotion when it hit me... that I knew her before this life.... and that I have always loved her.
A cool story.... earlier this month... Hermana Coleman and I were... as usual... lost. We found ourselves pouring over a map... when a man passed by and said, ¨hey, I know you guys walk a lot... can I give you something to drink?¨... we of course accepted the chance to talk to someone... so we went. But... it was really weird. He get giving us more and more food and drinks... and I kind of wanted to vomit... and he told us he had talked to like, 4 different sets of missionaries... but didn`t get baptized. I started to think it was a classic black hole that missionaries fall into... that he lures them in with cookies... but wants nothing more than friendship. He was really funny.. and laughed a lot... especially when we tried to talk about SALVATION! SO... we left... I did not really plan to come back. Then... almost 3 weeks later... we passed by... and we both at the same time... felt like we should visit him. We had a beautiful lesson... and made a baptismal date for this week. He has been pouring over the Book of Mormon since then... came to church... and is totally looking forward to his baptism. I guess it was finally just his time. As I was saying goodbye yesterday... he got emotional... and thanked me for coming back. When he prayed... he thanked the Lord for another chance... and promised to truly take it this time. It gave me so much hope for so many people that we have talked to... that I have loved... but have not yet been willing or ready to make this covenant with God. I`m putting a picture of Jim in this letter. He`s really great.
I keep wishing that we had baptized more this change... but I just take comfort in knowing that we have been obedient and worked HARD. President told me of a sister that had 8 months in this area and had ONE baptism. I know that we are not limited by past records or limits... and I have come to love the Palmeras SO MUCH and there is SO MUCH potential... and we have people, and 2 families that are on the brink of baptism. Whether I`m here or not... I feel so blessed to have knocked their doors... and watch the light enter their eyes and lives.
Everyone has been telling me things about Belize- the outrageous heat and humidity, the HUGE areas, that there are only branches- not one ward in the whole country, that there is only junk food there (yikes! What do I do!??), and that the president only visits every 3.5 months... but really... I am more and more excited to go. I know there are people, families, there waiting for me. It seriously does not matter what country or area I am. I don`t even want to waste time packing... I just wanna get on the plane and GO! :)
Please keeping telling about all the beauitful miracles that are happening there. Hearing about Joe and Lexi in the temple left me sobbing. I am so happy.
Love you all!!
Hermana Clark
P.S.- mom, don`t worry about sending packages or anything. I really don`t think I`ll be able to get anything- because the only mail that gets in is with the president when he visits.. and he takes all the mission materials with him, so I doubt there`s weight available on the plane. I`m totally good with everything, I need nothing but your love and prayers. Thank you!!
Kyle Brown- thank you for writing me! Your letter made me ever so weepy... and I`m SO THRILLED to hear about your joy and successes. I`m still going to do it this saturday and I invite you to join me. I am so happy for you. Please let me know what you submit your papers. I still don`t have my new address... and I don`t think I`ll be getting letters very frequently in Belize... but please keep me posted on EVERYTHING. :)
Tae- I am SO glad you`re almost out of there! I hate it when you`re at war. Please keep me posted too... especially on the mission thing. GET OUT HERE! Let me know when you have an address for me.
Anna- Hello?
Josh- I keep starting to write you. I haven`t forgotten you. You`ll get a letter from Belize soon. Tell me everything.
I feel like I`m a little more emotionally stable today than the last time I wrote. This week has been... so bittersweet. We didn`t have water for 8 days... and that got pretty old. I will NEVER take running water for granted again- I guess I didn`t really value it sufficiently... the role it plays in washing dishes, clothes, ME, mopping, flushing toilets.... EVERYTHING. We found ourselves hunting down tanks around San Salvador in the truck of the neighbors with buckets on our laps... just praying to get some dropps of water to shower. We got super creative... and just learned to laugh even more this week... but just as our creativity was about out.... the water came on. Happy day!
I think it`s better to find out about changes the night before... totally blindsighted... and just go. It`s been so hard to know that I`m leaving El Salvador... the culture and people that I have come to embrace and love so dearly. The Familia Diaz who have been cooking lunch for us... made it a ¨tipical El Salvadoranian food week!!¨... so every day... Hermano Diaz.. a professional cook... planned and worked so hard and with so much love... such WONDERFUL food. I haven't enjoyed the food here like that until just now... and it kinda just made me sadder to leave. Not because his food is so good... but because of the love we shared in that house. My darling Andrea is still progressing and just doing awesome. I know she`ll get baptized. I think she`s reading this... but I don`t feel weird saying it... because she knows she`s getting baptized too. :) I love her so much. As I was saying goodbye to her yesterday... I was overwhelmed with emotion when it hit me... that I knew her before this life.... and that I have always loved her.
A cool story.... earlier this month... Hermana Coleman and I were... as usual... lost. We found ourselves pouring over a map... when a man passed by and said, ¨hey, I know you guys walk a lot... can I give you something to drink?¨... we of course accepted the chance to talk to someone... so we went. But... it was really weird. He get giving us more and more food and drinks... and I kind of wanted to vomit... and he told us he had talked to like, 4 different sets of missionaries... but didn`t get baptized. I started to think it was a classic black hole that missionaries fall into... that he lures them in with cookies... but wants nothing more than friendship. He was really funny.. and laughed a lot... especially when we tried to talk about SALVATION! SO... we left... I did not really plan to come back. Then... almost 3 weeks later... we passed by... and we both at the same time... felt like we should visit him. We had a beautiful lesson... and made a baptismal date for this week. He has been pouring over the Book of Mormon since then... came to church... and is totally looking forward to his baptism. I guess it was finally just his time. As I was saying goodbye yesterday... he got emotional... and thanked me for coming back. When he prayed... he thanked the Lord for another chance... and promised to truly take it this time. It gave me so much hope for so many people that we have talked to... that I have loved... but have not yet been willing or ready to make this covenant with God. I`m putting a picture of Jim in this letter. He`s really great.
I keep wishing that we had baptized more this change... but I just take comfort in knowing that we have been obedient and worked HARD. President told me of a sister that had 8 months in this area and had ONE baptism. I know that we are not limited by past records or limits... and I have come to love the Palmeras SO MUCH and there is SO MUCH potential... and we have people, and 2 families that are on the brink of baptism. Whether I`m here or not... I feel so blessed to have knocked their doors... and watch the light enter their eyes and lives.
Everyone has been telling me things about Belize- the outrageous heat and humidity, the HUGE areas, that there are only branches- not one ward in the whole country, that there is only junk food there (yikes! What do I do!??), and that the president only visits every 3.5 months... but really... I am more and more excited to go. I know there are people, families, there waiting for me. It seriously does not matter what country or area I am. I don`t even want to waste time packing... I just wanna get on the plane and GO! :)
Please keeping telling about all the beauitful miracles that are happening there. Hearing about Joe and Lexi in the temple left me sobbing. I am so happy.
Love you all!!
Hermana Clark
P.S.- mom, don`t worry about sending packages or anything. I really don`t think I`ll be able to get anything- because the only mail that gets in is with the president when he visits.. and he takes all the mission materials with him, so I doubt there`s weight available on the plane. I`m totally good with everything, I need nothing but your love and prayers. Thank you!!
Friday, May 27, 2011
probably the longest letter of my whole mission. Ready?
....I´ve been sitting at this screen... trying to think of what to say or where to start... because my head is reeling... my heart is racing... and I feel like I should be running around a track instead of sitting at the computer. Thank you sisters for the beautiful letters.. for sharing your experiences. I am so blessed to have such angels in my family. It`s ridiculous how blessed I am. You are my best birthday presents that I will EVER get.
This week has been... as Hermana Coleman has put it, ¨a character builder¨. I am unexpressably grateful for weeks like these... and I am trying to build that character of mine through them! :)
We visited Sandra and her family earlier this week... and when we walked in... the air was so thick... we weren`t greeted with screaming kids running to play with us... but rather with a mother with swollen tear stained face. Her husband drank again. Just when they thought they made it out of the clear.... he fell. We sat with them for an hour... and then he came home.... very drunk. This man that I love so very very much... came sauntering in... in such sadness, defeat, and shame. He said, ¨Wow... it feels like someone just died...¨.... and then collapsed sobbing. We sat on the couch with the three sobbing kids.... and cried with them. Then... we sang hymns for the next 30 minutes... and the Spirit just washed over me... and when I looked at Mauricio... I saw him again... and again... and again... in this drunken man... I saw him with more respect and love than I had seen him before... and I saw him in white all over again... and I knew that he would make it. This was not the end. This is NOT the end. I started thinking of the COUNTLESS times the Lord has forgiven me... the innumerable times that I have fallen... seeing this man in such dependence on the Atonement... I felt like I was looking.. at myself.... because I am equally nothing without my Savior and His mercy.
It`s been so beautiful to see the ward just jump in and support this family... with everything. There are men that have had such similar obstacles in their conversion and begining in the church... that they are so anxious to help and understand their brother. The last 2 days... he has been in his room... fasting, praying, and reading the scriptures- really engrossed in studying and applying the Atonement. This family has so many stories about the reality of demons at their door... and they have learned to depend so deeply in praying personally, as a family, and as a couple. When they started to slack off for 2 or 3 days... is when the darkness entered their doors again... and he fell. I know that the Atonement is real... and that this humble man will recieve the strength needed to continue forward. His testimony and humility astounds me. His mother, who faught their conversion this whole time and has done nothing but try to impede our visits, has told lies and rumors about the church to the kids..... is changing drastically. Through this sweet and difficult experience this week... she was so touched by the patience and perseverence of the members and missionaries with her son... that she started listening to us. She and her other grandaughter came to church this week... and they loved it. I know they will get baptized. I love this family more and more every day. I have hurt so badly for this this week..but my love has just exploded.... and I am determined to go with them to the temple in a year.
We had so many investigators that we loved... but weren`t progressing... and after praying and fasting... we`ve dropped a lot of them and have been on the hunt to find people that really are ready and willing to follow Christ. Hermana Coleman and I were contacting all day the other day... looking through the Cime... really trying everything we could think of... with such little success. As we came to a door... I was telling her that I didn`t understand... because I woke up with such a jolt of confidence and inspiration... that something really GRAND and SPECIAL was going to happen... and that we would find a FAMILY.... but many many doors later... I was starting to doubt those thoughts and feelings...... when suddenly... a woman answered the door, told us she had a migraine... and when I told her I had exceedrine migraine... she let us in! We found a FAMILY. The missionaries had come to that home 4 years ago... left a book of mormon... but never came back. The family Rincon started reading it... but when they never came back... they stopped reading... and life continued. They are MARRIED... and go to a Christian church and have such faith and the Mom is SO SO SO wonderful... she begged us to wait an hour with her so that we could meet her husband. (well... she didn`t have to beg too hard! :) ) They are reading... and I know that once they pray... they have the faith to follow it.
We have hit such a trend here... that so many in this city like to read... know a lot... say they have faith... but no one believes it`s important to ask God if it`s the truth. I don`t understand. I know that every single person that reads the Book of Mormon and asks our Heavenly Father if it`s true..... will receive an answer from Him. People say that they want to hear more.. want to study more... but I often feel like we are wasting so much time with them... because if they don`t PRAY and ASK for themselves... we cannot help them. We do not have the power of convincing... we are not the Holy Ghost. I hurt for my dear brothers and sisters here that for whatever reason don`t want to ask God for the truth... because they are missing out on.... eternal bliss.
The wonderful angel in our ward, Hermana Araceli has continued to teach me SO much and I am continually in awe by her example. She was took all of her money of her account to pay for the house, utilities, and food for the month.... when someone assaulted her and robbed her. I don`t know what she is doing to provide for their needs.... but I do know that I have seen 2 different families with hungry children from the ward leaving her house with bags full of the last of her food storage. I do know that she is still continually serving eVERYONE around her... and we have are having an FHE at her house tonight with a family that she is trying to introduce the gospel to. The more I learn about her situation... things that have been happening in her life... and seeing how she is fighting her sadness, fear, and loneliness with service- that her love and service is NOT conditional on convience or opportunity........ the more and more inspired and determined I am to become an Araceli. I love her so much.
We just got another missionary in the house with us! They were going to join the two areas in this ward into one... but once the other mission realized how really huge it is and how the ward is on the verge of being about to divide........ they sent Hermana Lopez from the Dominican Republic to come learn the area too. This sister is SO SO SO fantastic. I guess I`d never met someone from the Dominican Republic... and she totally surprised me. She is so beautiful- so dark, like she nearly looks African. More than that... she has an accent of an African American... and the spunk and attitude of one too! It is so crazy and fun for me to hear spanish with a black accent... and she is so expressive and passionate and FUN! I guess the Dominican Republic has a lot more of the culture of the states... so she even uses english words.... but in a spanish way. For example, just last night she said, ¨ y ellos se freakaron¨ ( translation: and they freaked out)- I nearly died of laughter. I want more time with her... she is a hoot- not to mention that she is here to WORK.
I continue to walk into strange situations.... and since Hermana Coleman is almost always with me... we just laugh A LOT. The other day, Hermana C needed the bathroom, so we stopped by a convert`s house. All the boys are baptized... but the mom hasn`t never given us the time of day.... but let us come in to use the bathroom. While waiting... I started talked with their sister who is 23... and I think has some sort of Autism. I was trying to chat it up... get to know her... when I suddenly saw HER FINGER. She had a ring from a key chain wrapped and contorted SUPER tight on her ring finger... and apparently it had been like that for over a month and had swollen up.. cut into her finger... and appeared to be really affected. As I tried to get her to let me look at it more... it became apparent that she had a serious phobia of going to the hospital.... and was not going to budge. I tried to explain to the mom how she could lose her finger over something like this... the mom just said, she doesn`t want to go! I can`t get her to go! SO... Hna C and I spent 30 minutes using some theuraputic communication... and finally convinced her to go to the clinic for a ¨quick cut of the metal¨.... and we eased her in to the street... and she nearly wouldn`t get on the bus... then wouldn`t get off... then wouldn`t go into the clinic... then the doctors in the clinic freaked out.. freaked her out... and here we are this gringas that really don`t speak spanish that well.... trying to help everyone understand they they needed to shut their mouths, and play along that it wasn`t that bad so that she wouldn`t sprint out. ANYWAYS.... loooong story short... we ended up on the other side of town- I don`t even know where... waiting OUTSIDE the hospital because they wouldn`t let us in... teaching a suffering family in the street... taking 2 wrong buses and getting really lost, midly scared... but eventually back in our area safe. The point of the story is... that now the mom loves us... and we`re going to teach and baptize her. - did that story make any sense?
So many weird things happened this week... I think the favorite of Hna Coleman was when a drunk followed me in to the chapel yesterday... and of course I invited him in to sit with during sacrament meeting. (I have a cold and couldn`t smell how plastered he was. All the same... I think the chapel should have a lingering stench of smoke and alcohol- because if they`re doing it... that´s where they need to be- in church. ) Yet... he just stared at me ALL DURING SACRAMENT MEETING.... until the closing prayer... when he fell very asleep. Then later he came up to me in the hall... being very drunk and awkward. A priesthood holder kindly escorted him away as he was wailing, ¨but I`m in love with her! I`m in love with herrrrr!!¨..... awkward. I think that one will be funnier in 4 months.
The zone planned a free carwash this week.. and we were all super stoked... and told everyone about it... so many of our investigators were gonna come...... when the morning of... the water went out. Apparently the iron er, steel? pipes of the city were STOLEN.... so we`ve been out of water for 3 days and don`t know when we`ll have running water again. (don`t ask about showering or flushing the toilets....) So... we traveled 30 minutes to another chapel in another area... and as we had 2 cars all soaped up... the water died there too. As we trying to figure out how to get more water.... a drunk came and started walking off with our signs and supplies. Awkward. I love the mission. We laugh A LOT.
With ALL that said... (this is a really long letter... my hands are about to die.).... the biggest new of the week!! Today we went and played soccer with all the sisters in El Salvador and the President (just what we want to do when we have NO running water. :) Whadya do, right?)... when the topic of changes came up. As we were eating lunch... the sisters started begging to know what sisters were going to Belize- a hot topic of the mission because 2 sisters are going home this change. (There are only two zones there... and when sisters go there... they usually stay... forever. Until the end of their missions... so everyone wants to know who goes.)... I basically wasn`t listening... because I get tired of mission rumors and the assumptions about changes... and it didn`t concern me because I already knew I was leaving my area and going somewhere in Santa Ana... Belize never was my calling. During lunch, President was teasing sisters that had gained weight that they like the papusas too much... when he turned to me and asked me how I like El Salvador and the papusas. I replied that I liked them well enough... but didn`t find myself eating them very frequently... when he replied, ¨oh good, then you won`t miss them too much when you going to BELIZE.¨- then there was a heavy moment of silence... and I really thought I misunderstood his spanish... but as I stopped chewing and blankly stared at him... I reminded myself that I actually did understand spanish and that my brain couldn`t use that excuss for not understanding and accepting things that I didn`t want to hear.
SO... here we have it! I will one of the 2 sisters leaving El Salvador and going to Belize for who knows how long! I`m sick of guessing.. I don`t even care about changes! I just want to WORK! SO... I am packing my bags... leaving my brown latins, papusas, and spanish... and jumping on a plane to the world of blacks, english/spanish/kreol. I have a million and a half mixed feelings... but like Dad always said, ¨I don`t care how you feel about it! Just do it!¨ . :) I will go and do... and I am happy to know that there is revelation running in the fibers of the mission... and that I have no reason to fear or regret ANYTHING. I have LOVED El Salvador... and I will LOVE Belize... because the gospel is needed EVERYWHERE!
I love you all!
Hermana Clark
This week has been... as Hermana Coleman has put it, ¨a character builder¨. I am unexpressably grateful for weeks like these... and I am trying to build that character of mine through them! :)
We visited Sandra and her family earlier this week... and when we walked in... the air was so thick... we weren`t greeted with screaming kids running to play with us... but rather with a mother with swollen tear stained face. Her husband drank again. Just when they thought they made it out of the clear.... he fell. We sat with them for an hour... and then he came home.... very drunk. This man that I love so very very much... came sauntering in... in such sadness, defeat, and shame. He said, ¨Wow... it feels like someone just died...¨.... and then collapsed sobbing. We sat on the couch with the three sobbing kids.... and cried with them. Then... we sang hymns for the next 30 minutes... and the Spirit just washed over me... and when I looked at Mauricio... I saw him again... and again... and again... in this drunken man... I saw him with more respect and love than I had seen him before... and I saw him in white all over again... and I knew that he would make it. This was not the end. This is NOT the end. I started thinking of the COUNTLESS times the Lord has forgiven me... the innumerable times that I have fallen... seeing this man in such dependence on the Atonement... I felt like I was looking.. at myself.... because I am equally nothing without my Savior and His mercy.
It`s been so beautiful to see the ward just jump in and support this family... with everything. There are men that have had such similar obstacles in their conversion and begining in the church... that they are so anxious to help and understand their brother. The last 2 days... he has been in his room... fasting, praying, and reading the scriptures- really engrossed in studying and applying the Atonement. This family has so many stories about the reality of demons at their door... and they have learned to depend so deeply in praying personally, as a family, and as a couple. When they started to slack off for 2 or 3 days... is when the darkness entered their doors again... and he fell. I know that the Atonement is real... and that this humble man will recieve the strength needed to continue forward. His testimony and humility astounds me. His mother, who faught their conversion this whole time and has done nothing but try to impede our visits, has told lies and rumors about the church to the kids..... is changing drastically. Through this sweet and difficult experience this week... she was so touched by the patience and perseverence of the members and missionaries with her son... that she started listening to us. She and her other grandaughter came to church this week... and they loved it. I know they will get baptized. I love this family more and more every day. I have hurt so badly for this this week..but my love has just exploded.... and I am determined to go with them to the temple in a year.
We had so many investigators that we loved... but weren`t progressing... and after praying and fasting... we`ve dropped a lot of them and have been on the hunt to find people that really are ready and willing to follow Christ. Hermana Coleman and I were contacting all day the other day... looking through the Cime... really trying everything we could think of... with such little success. As we came to a door... I was telling her that I didn`t understand... because I woke up with such a jolt of confidence and inspiration... that something really GRAND and SPECIAL was going to happen... and that we would find a FAMILY.... but many many doors later... I was starting to doubt those thoughts and feelings...... when suddenly... a woman answered the door, told us she had a migraine... and when I told her I had exceedrine migraine... she let us in! We found a FAMILY. The missionaries had come to that home 4 years ago... left a book of mormon... but never came back. The family Rincon started reading it... but when they never came back... they stopped reading... and life continued. They are MARRIED... and go to a Christian church and have such faith and the Mom is SO SO SO wonderful... she begged us to wait an hour with her so that we could meet her husband. (well... she didn`t have to beg too hard! :) ) They are reading... and I know that once they pray... they have the faith to follow it.
We have hit such a trend here... that so many in this city like to read... know a lot... say they have faith... but no one believes it`s important to ask God if it`s the truth. I don`t understand. I know that every single person that reads the Book of Mormon and asks our Heavenly Father if it`s true..... will receive an answer from Him. People say that they want to hear more.. want to study more... but I often feel like we are wasting so much time with them... because if they don`t PRAY and ASK for themselves... we cannot help them. We do not have the power of convincing... we are not the Holy Ghost. I hurt for my dear brothers and sisters here that for whatever reason don`t want to ask God for the truth... because they are missing out on.... eternal bliss.
The wonderful angel in our ward, Hermana Araceli has continued to teach me SO much and I am continually in awe by her example. She was took all of her money of her account to pay for the house, utilities, and food for the month.... when someone assaulted her and robbed her. I don`t know what she is doing to provide for their needs.... but I do know that I have seen 2 different families with hungry children from the ward leaving her house with bags full of the last of her food storage. I do know that she is still continually serving eVERYONE around her... and we have are having an FHE at her house tonight with a family that she is trying to introduce the gospel to. The more I learn about her situation... things that have been happening in her life... and seeing how she is fighting her sadness, fear, and loneliness with service- that her love and service is NOT conditional on convience or opportunity........ the more and more inspired and determined I am to become an Araceli. I love her so much.
We just got another missionary in the house with us! They were going to join the two areas in this ward into one... but once the other mission realized how really huge it is and how the ward is on the verge of being about to divide........ they sent Hermana Lopez from the Dominican Republic to come learn the area too. This sister is SO SO SO fantastic. I guess I`d never met someone from the Dominican Republic... and she totally surprised me. She is so beautiful- so dark, like she nearly looks African. More than that... she has an accent of an African American... and the spunk and attitude of one too! It is so crazy and fun for me to hear spanish with a black accent... and she is so expressive and passionate and FUN! I guess the Dominican Republic has a lot more of the culture of the states... so she even uses english words.... but in a spanish way. For example, just last night she said, ¨ y ellos se freakaron¨ ( translation: and they freaked out)- I nearly died of laughter. I want more time with her... she is a hoot- not to mention that she is here to WORK.
I continue to walk into strange situations.... and since Hermana Coleman is almost always with me... we just laugh A LOT. The other day, Hermana C needed the bathroom, so we stopped by a convert`s house. All the boys are baptized... but the mom hasn`t never given us the time of day.... but let us come in to use the bathroom. While waiting... I started talked with their sister who is 23... and I think has some sort of Autism. I was trying to chat it up... get to know her... when I suddenly saw HER FINGER. She had a ring from a key chain wrapped and contorted SUPER tight on her ring finger... and apparently it had been like that for over a month and had swollen up.. cut into her finger... and appeared to be really affected. As I tried to get her to let me look at it more... it became apparent that she had a serious phobia of going to the hospital.... and was not going to budge. I tried to explain to the mom how she could lose her finger over something like this... the mom just said, she doesn`t want to go! I can`t get her to go! SO... Hna C and I spent 30 minutes using some theuraputic communication... and finally convinced her to go to the clinic for a ¨quick cut of the metal¨.... and we eased her in to the street... and she nearly wouldn`t get on the bus... then wouldn`t get off... then wouldn`t go into the clinic... then the doctors in the clinic freaked out.. freaked her out... and here we are this gringas that really don`t speak spanish that well.... trying to help everyone understand they they needed to shut their mouths, and play along that it wasn`t that bad so that she wouldn`t sprint out. ANYWAYS.... loooong story short... we ended up on the other side of town- I don`t even know where... waiting OUTSIDE the hospital because they wouldn`t let us in... teaching a suffering family in the street... taking 2 wrong buses and getting really lost, midly scared... but eventually back in our area safe. The point of the story is... that now the mom loves us... and we`re going to teach and baptize her. - did that story make any sense?
So many weird things happened this week... I think the favorite of Hna Coleman was when a drunk followed me in to the chapel yesterday... and of course I invited him in to sit with during sacrament meeting. (I have a cold and couldn`t smell how plastered he was. All the same... I think the chapel should have a lingering stench of smoke and alcohol- because if they`re doing it... that´s where they need to be- in church. ) Yet... he just stared at me ALL DURING SACRAMENT MEETING.... until the closing prayer... when he fell very asleep. Then later he came up to me in the hall... being very drunk and awkward. A priesthood holder kindly escorted him away as he was wailing, ¨but I`m in love with her! I`m in love with herrrrr!!¨..... awkward. I think that one will be funnier in 4 months.
The zone planned a free carwash this week.. and we were all super stoked... and told everyone about it... so many of our investigators were gonna come...... when the morning of... the water went out. Apparently the iron er, steel? pipes of the city were STOLEN.... so we`ve been out of water for 3 days and don`t know when we`ll have running water again. (don`t ask about showering or flushing the toilets....) So... we traveled 30 minutes to another chapel in another area... and as we had 2 cars all soaped up... the water died there too. As we trying to figure out how to get more water.... a drunk came and started walking off with our signs and supplies. Awkward. I love the mission. We laugh A LOT.
With ALL that said... (this is a really long letter... my hands are about to die.).... the biggest new of the week!! Today we went and played soccer with all the sisters in El Salvador and the President (just what we want to do when we have NO running water. :) Whadya do, right?)... when the topic of changes came up. As we were eating lunch... the sisters started begging to know what sisters were going to Belize- a hot topic of the mission because 2 sisters are going home this change. (There are only two zones there... and when sisters go there... they usually stay... forever. Until the end of their missions... so everyone wants to know who goes.)... I basically wasn`t listening... because I get tired of mission rumors and the assumptions about changes... and it didn`t concern me because I already knew I was leaving my area and going somewhere in Santa Ana... Belize never was my calling. During lunch, President was teasing sisters that had gained weight that they like the papusas too much... when he turned to me and asked me how I like El Salvador and the papusas. I replied that I liked them well enough... but didn`t find myself eating them very frequently... when he replied, ¨oh good, then you won`t miss them too much when you going to BELIZE.¨- then there was a heavy moment of silence... and I really thought I misunderstood his spanish... but as I stopped chewing and blankly stared at him... I reminded myself that I actually did understand spanish and that my brain couldn`t use that excuss for not understanding and accepting things that I didn`t want to hear.
SO... here we have it! I will one of the 2 sisters leaving El Salvador and going to Belize for who knows how long! I`m sick of guessing.. I don`t even care about changes! I just want to WORK! SO... I am packing my bags... leaving my brown latins, papusas, and spanish... and jumping on a plane to the world of blacks, english/spanish/kreol. I have a million and a half mixed feelings... but like Dad always said, ¨I don`t care how you feel about it! Just do it!¨ . :) I will go and do... and I am happy to know that there is revelation running in the fibers of the mission... and that I have no reason to fear or regret ANYTHING. I have LOVED El Salvador... and I will LOVE Belize... because the gospel is needed EVERYWHERE!
I love you all!
Hermana Clark
Hellooooo!
How good was it to talk yesterday!? A little surreal SEEING everyone... but so sweet. Thanks Megan for getting out of bed to talk to me! :) It made me think of when Andrew called for Christmas and Jared was just a little baby... but was so excited to garble to him on the phone.... such a magical connection that even though he had hardly seen him in his life... he KNEW that he was his brother.... haha... I can still hear his little voice and lack of formal words (like me in spanish sometimes, haha) trying to tell Andrew about how he had thrown up in the kitchen... haha... magical.
Speaking of throwing up... Yesterday we were talking to some investigators in the street when the creepy neighborhood taco man pulled up in his motocycle... and just... stayed there behind us... reving his engine. When we tried to ignore him... getting really nervous... he started yelling, ¨Senoritas!! MAMASITAS!!!!¨... the investigadors got nervous and weirded out... I said to them, ¨help us!¨... and when they didn`t do anything.... we started running and darking through neighborhoods.. and he followed us until we cut through different allies and finally lost him. But all day, every time we heard a motocycle engine, we were diving behind cars. It was funny/creepy. I tried to warn Hermana Coleman (we did exchanges because they have an investigator that doesn`t like americans. haha.. ) that if she was with me... that she had to be ready. She didn`t believe my luck until we got held up by an angry drunk in the street like 2 hours later. I love my pepperspray, huh? hahaha... and my life. I love love love my life.
... like the time on friday when we were handwashing Rosa`s clothes... but pile kept getting bigger and bigger... and an 1.5hr into it.. we were realizing that we were not going to make our appointments going like this... Hermana Coleman had the sudden brilliant realization... we have a washing machine!!! So when Rosa went to the store to get us food... we took the bucket and started hobbling down the highway giggling to ourselves. We washed them really quick and hobbled back to her house... but as we were hanging them up on the line over a pool of really old oily/rotting food tub(they share the house with 2 restaurants, and that`s where they put their oil after they cook)... that Hermana Clark just had to break the line, and sink her skirt into the pool.... with half of the recently washed clothes. We spent the next 3.5 minutes nearly wetting ourselves with laughter... and then realized how really gross/awkward/inconvient the situation was. My poor companions.
On a higher note....
We received a reference from a family (HEY! GIVE MISSIONARIES REFERENCES!) in the ward... and this new family is GOLD. It`s a grandma, Yolanda, that lives with her 2 grandchildren Barsali and David. Barsali just had a BEAUTIFUL baby 3 months ago... and it was so magical to step in to that house with such a fresh and new spirit- having such a new baby makes a house sacred ground. Barsali is 16 and the father of the baby is still in the picture. I can`t really express how humble and kind this family is. When Barsali prayed the first time... she thanked God that He had sent us this time to them. They all have so much faith and with the recent events... have become even more sensitive to the Spirit. We have been having such beautiful lessons with them and are working on arranging everything to help them be ready for baptism. Yolanda is such a mighty and valient woman at 4 ft 10¨.. and has so much love for the Lord.... I am so amazed and humbled to be in the presense of such greatness.
I feel so blessed to be in El Salvador at this sacred time of preparation for the dedication of the temple. Even though area of temple is being taken out of our mission and given to the East... I feel so apart of it. When we pass by the temple on the bus, we stand up and announce to everyone on the temple that that- right there- to the left- is the most sacred place in the world. That families can be eternal... and that God wants us all there... and that everyone can come to the open house this July!! :) This stake conference, multizonas, ward conferences...everything is so centered and focused on the temple.... and getting families there- just like it should be. As a mission we are seeing miracles as the Lord prepares His people to enter His house.
We have been visiting inactive families... people that have known the truth, and for some reason or another have allowed the things of the world to get in the way of their eternal quest.... and every time we invite them to prepare to enter the temple together... there is such a strong presence of the Spìrit... and no matter how many years it had been since they had come to church... not a single person has said that they don`t want to enter the temple. It is so much more than a pretty building... and the undeniable attraction that the public has to it... is far more than a visual interest. It`s a spiritual yearning. I yearn for the temple too. I cannot wait to go back in. I have met families that back in the day traveled 2 weeks from there to go through the temple in Arizona when that was the closest one to them... the sacrifices that they made to do it..... and now years and years later.... the incredible blessings even in this life... are tangible.
I LOVE this gospel and this work. Thanks for your prayers and support. Please... go find families there!
Hermana Clark
How good was it to talk yesterday!? A little surreal SEEING everyone... but so sweet. Thanks Megan for getting out of bed to talk to me! :) It made me think of when Andrew called for Christmas and Jared was just a little baby... but was so excited to garble to him on the phone.... such a magical connection that even though he had hardly seen him in his life... he KNEW that he was his brother.... haha... I can still hear his little voice and lack of formal words (like me in spanish sometimes, haha) trying to tell Andrew about how he had thrown up in the kitchen... haha... magical.
Speaking of throwing up... Yesterday we were talking to some investigators in the street when the creepy neighborhood taco man pulled up in his motocycle... and just... stayed there behind us... reving his engine. When we tried to ignore him... getting really nervous... he started yelling, ¨Senoritas!! MAMASITAS!!!!¨... the investigadors got nervous and weirded out... I said to them, ¨help us!¨... and when they didn`t do anything.... we started running and darking through neighborhoods.. and he followed us until we cut through different allies and finally lost him. But all day, every time we heard a motocycle engine, we were diving behind cars. It was funny/creepy. I tried to warn Hermana Coleman (we did exchanges because they have an investigator that doesn`t like americans. haha.. ) that if she was with me... that she had to be ready. She didn`t believe my luck until we got held up by an angry drunk in the street like 2 hours later. I love my pepperspray, huh? hahaha... and my life. I love love love my life.
... like the time on friday when we were handwashing Rosa`s clothes... but pile kept getting bigger and bigger... and an 1.5hr into it.. we were realizing that we were not going to make our appointments going like this... Hermana Coleman had the sudden brilliant realization... we have a washing machine!!! So when Rosa went to the store to get us food... we took the bucket and started hobbling down the highway giggling to ourselves. We washed them really quick and hobbled back to her house... but as we were hanging them up on the line over a pool of really old oily/rotting food tub(they share the house with 2 restaurants, and that`s where they put their oil after they cook)... that Hermana Clark just had to break the line, and sink her skirt into the pool.... with half of the recently washed clothes. We spent the next 3.5 minutes nearly wetting ourselves with laughter... and then realized how really gross/awkward/inconvient the situation was. My poor companions.
On a higher note....
We received a reference from a family (HEY! GIVE MISSIONARIES REFERENCES!) in the ward... and this new family is GOLD. It`s a grandma, Yolanda, that lives with her 2 grandchildren Barsali and David. Barsali just had a BEAUTIFUL baby 3 months ago... and it was so magical to step in to that house with such a fresh and new spirit- having such a new baby makes a house sacred ground. Barsali is 16 and the father of the baby is still in the picture. I can`t really express how humble and kind this family is. When Barsali prayed the first time... she thanked God that He had sent us this time to them. They all have so much faith and with the recent events... have become even more sensitive to the Spirit. We have been having such beautiful lessons with them and are working on arranging everything to help them be ready for baptism. Yolanda is such a mighty and valient woman at 4 ft 10¨.. and has so much love for the Lord.... I am so amazed and humbled to be in the presense of such greatness.
I feel so blessed to be in El Salvador at this sacred time of preparation for the dedication of the temple. Even though area of temple is being taken out of our mission and given to the East... I feel so apart of it. When we pass by the temple on the bus, we stand up and announce to everyone on the temple that that- right there- to the left- is the most sacred place in the world. That families can be eternal... and that God wants us all there... and that everyone can come to the open house this July!! :) This stake conference, multizonas, ward conferences...everything is so centered and focused on the temple.... and getting families there- just like it should be. As a mission we are seeing miracles as the Lord prepares His people to enter His house.
We have been visiting inactive families... people that have known the truth, and for some reason or another have allowed the things of the world to get in the way of their eternal quest.... and every time we invite them to prepare to enter the temple together... there is such a strong presence of the Spìrit... and no matter how many years it had been since they had come to church... not a single person has said that they don`t want to enter the temple. It is so much more than a pretty building... and the undeniable attraction that the public has to it... is far more than a visual interest. It`s a spiritual yearning. I yearn for the temple too. I cannot wait to go back in. I have met families that back in the day traveled 2 weeks from there to go through the temple in Arizona when that was the closest one to them... the sacrifices that they made to do it..... and now years and years later.... the incredible blessings even in this life... are tangible.
I LOVE this gospel and this work. Thanks for your prayers and support. Please... go find families there!
Hermana Clark
Mothers Day
Hellooooo!
How good was it to talk yesterday!? A little surreal SEEING everyone... but so sweet. Thanks Megan for getting out of bed to talk to me! :) It made me think of when Andrew called for Christmas and Jared was just a little baby... but was so excited to garble to him on the phone.... such a magical connection that even though he had hardly seen him in his life... he KNEW that he was his brother.... haha... I can still hear his little voice and lack of formal words (like me in spanish sometimes, haha) trying to tell Andrew about how he had thrown up in the kitchen... haha... magical.
Speaking of throwing up... Yesterday we were talking to some investigators in the street when the creepy neighborhood taco man pulled up in his motocycle... and just... stayed there behind us... reving his engine. When we tried to ignore him... getting really nervous... he started yelling, ¨Senoritas!! MAMASITAS!!!!¨... the investigadors got nervous and weirded out... I said to them, ¨help us!¨... and when they didn`t do anything.... we started running and darking through neighborhoods.. and he followed us until we cut through different allies and finally lost him. But all day, every time we heard a motocycle engine, we were diving behind cars. It was funny/creepy. I tried to warn Hermana Coleman (we did exchanges because they have an investigator that doesn`t like americans. haha.. ) that if she was with me... that she had to be ready. She didn`t believe my luck until we got held up by an angry drunk in the street like 2 hours later. I love my pepperspray, huh? hahaha... and my life. I love love love my life.
... like the time on friday when we were handwashing Rosa`s clothes... but pile kept getting bigger and bigger... and an 1.5hr into it.. we were realizing that we were not going to make our appointments going like this... Hermana Coleman had the sudden brilliant realization... we have a washing machine!!! So when Rosa went to the store to get us food... we took the bucket and started hobbling down the highway giggling to ourselves. We washed them really quick and hobbled back to her house... but as we were hanging them up on the line over a pool of really old oily/rotting food tub(they share the house with 2 restaurants, and that`s where they put their oil after they cook)... that Hermana Clark just had to break the line, and sink her skirt into the pool.... with half of the recently washed clothes. We spent the next 3.5 minutes nearly wetting ourselves with laughter... and then realized how really gross/awkward/inconvient the situation was. My poor companions.
On a higher note....
We received a reference from a family (HEY! GIVE MISSIONARIES REFERENCES!) in the ward... and this new family is GOLD. It`s a grandma, Yolanda, that lives with her 2 grandchildren Barsali and David. Barsali just had a BEAUTIFUL baby 3 months ago... and it was so magical to step in to that house with such a fresh and new spirit- having such a new baby makes a house sacred ground. Barsali is 16 and the father of the baby is still in the picture. I can`t really express how humble and kind this family is. When Barsali prayed the first time... she thanked God that He had sent us this time to them. They all have so much faith and with the recent events... have become even more sensitive to the Spirit. We have been having such beautiful lessons with them and are working on arranging everything to help them be ready for baptism. Yolanda is such a mighty and valient woman at 4 ft 10¨.. and has so much love for the Lord.... I am so amazed and humbled to be in the presense of such greatness.
I feel so blessed to be in El Salvador at this sacred time of preparation for the dedication of the temple. Even though area of temple is being taken out of our mission and given to the East... I feel so apart of it. When we pass by the temple on the bus, we stand up and announce to everyone on the temple that that- right there- to the left- is the most sacred place in the world. That families can be eternal... and that God wants us all there... and that everyone can come to the open house this July!! :) This stake conference, multizonas, ward conferences...everything is so centered and focused on the temple.... and getting families there- just like it should be. As a mission we are seeing miracles as the Lord prepares His people to enter His house.
We have been visiting inactive families... people that have known the truth, and for some reason or another have allowed the things of the world to get in the way of their eternal quest.... and every time we invite them to prepare to enter the temple together... there is such a strong presence of the Spìrit... and no matter how many years it had been since they had come to church... not a single person has said that they don`t want to enter the temple. It is so much more than a pretty building... and the undeniable attraction that the public has to it... is far more than a visual interest. It`s a spiritual yearning. I yearn for the temple too. I cannot wait to go back in. I have met families that back in the day traveled 2 weeks from there to go through the temple in Arizona when that was the closest one to them... the sacrifices that they made to do it..... and now years and years later.... the incredible blessings even in this life... are tangible.
I LOVE this gospel and this work. Thanks for your prayers and support. Please... go find families there!
Hermana Clark
How good was it to talk yesterday!? A little surreal SEEING everyone... but so sweet. Thanks Megan for getting out of bed to talk to me! :) It made me think of when Andrew called for Christmas and Jared was just a little baby... but was so excited to garble to him on the phone.... such a magical connection that even though he had hardly seen him in his life... he KNEW that he was his brother.... haha... I can still hear his little voice and lack of formal words (like me in spanish sometimes, haha) trying to tell Andrew about how he had thrown up in the kitchen... haha... magical.
Speaking of throwing up... Yesterday we were talking to some investigators in the street when the creepy neighborhood taco man pulled up in his motocycle... and just... stayed there behind us... reving his engine. When we tried to ignore him... getting really nervous... he started yelling, ¨Senoritas!! MAMASITAS!!!!¨... the investigadors got nervous and weirded out... I said to them, ¨help us!¨... and when they didn`t do anything.... we started running and darking through neighborhoods.. and he followed us until we cut through different allies and finally lost him. But all day, every time we heard a motocycle engine, we were diving behind cars. It was funny/creepy. I tried to warn Hermana Coleman (we did exchanges because they have an investigator that doesn`t like americans. haha.. ) that if she was with me... that she had to be ready. She didn`t believe my luck until we got held up by an angry drunk in the street like 2 hours later. I love my pepperspray, huh? hahaha... and my life. I love love love my life.
... like the time on friday when we were handwashing Rosa`s clothes... but pile kept getting bigger and bigger... and an 1.5hr into it.. we were realizing that we were not going to make our appointments going like this... Hermana Coleman had the sudden brilliant realization... we have a washing machine!!! So when Rosa went to the store to get us food... we took the bucket and started hobbling down the highway giggling to ourselves. We washed them really quick and hobbled back to her house... but as we were hanging them up on the line over a pool of really old oily/rotting food tub(they share the house with 2 restaurants, and that`s where they put their oil after they cook)... that Hermana Clark just had to break the line, and sink her skirt into the pool.... with half of the recently washed clothes. We spent the next 3.5 minutes nearly wetting ourselves with laughter... and then realized how really gross/awkward/inconvient the situation was. My poor companions.
On a higher note....
We received a reference from a family (HEY! GIVE MISSIONARIES REFERENCES!) in the ward... and this new family is GOLD. It`s a grandma, Yolanda, that lives with her 2 grandchildren Barsali and David. Barsali just had a BEAUTIFUL baby 3 months ago... and it was so magical to step in to that house with such a fresh and new spirit- having such a new baby makes a house sacred ground. Barsali is 16 and the father of the baby is still in the picture. I can`t really express how humble and kind this family is. When Barsali prayed the first time... she thanked God that He had sent us this time to them. They all have so much faith and with the recent events... have become even more sensitive to the Spirit. We have been having such beautiful lessons with them and are working on arranging everything to help them be ready for baptism. Yolanda is such a mighty and valient woman at 4 ft 10¨.. and has so much love for the Lord.... I am so amazed and humbled to be in the presense of such greatness.
I feel so blessed to be in El Salvador at this sacred time of preparation for the dedication of the temple. Even though area of temple is being taken out of our mission and given to the East... I feel so apart of it. When we pass by the temple on the bus, we stand up and announce to everyone on the temple that that- right there- to the left- is the most sacred place in the world. That families can be eternal... and that God wants us all there... and that everyone can come to the open house this July!! :) This stake conference, multizonas, ward conferences...everything is so centered and focused on the temple.... and getting families there- just like it should be. As a mission we are seeing miracles as the Lord prepares His people to enter His house.
We have been visiting inactive families... people that have known the truth, and for some reason or another have allowed the things of the world to get in the way of their eternal quest.... and every time we invite them to prepare to enter the temple together... there is such a strong presence of the Spìrit... and no matter how many years it had been since they had come to church... not a single person has said that they don`t want to enter the temple. It is so much more than a pretty building... and the undeniable attraction that the public has to it... is far more than a visual interest. It`s a spiritual yearning. I yearn for the temple too. I cannot wait to go back in. I have met families that back in the day traveled 2 weeks from there to go through the temple in Arizona when that was the closest one to them... the sacrifices that they made to do it..... and now years and years later.... the incredible blessings even in this life... are tangible.
I LOVE this gospel and this work. Thanks for your prayers and support. Please... go find families there!
Hermana Clark
New Zones!
Hi family!!
With the east mission in our zone now... we are now writing on mondays... so here I am with another P-day.... my least favorite day of the week. Yet, that gives me another chance to drop a quick note.
I´m starting to see some of the reasons that I am in the area still, even though I was not the most qualified to have charge of it. President Lopez requested of the president of the East mission, President Perez, that he send his best to come do the transition of the zone... and President Perez requested of President Lopez that he leave those that could fully help with the change. So... the reason that I get to stay... is because I needed to be with some of THE BEST missionaries of the 2 missions... and not even a week in to the transfer... and I feel SO fortified and inspired to be with some ridiculously powerful, focused, and well trained missionaries. Our first zone meeting left us all running out of the building to get working those miracles and baptizing the world!! :) I feel so blessed to be able to learn from everyone around me... and obviously the Lord knew that Hermana Clark needed to learn a thing or 105 from missionaries like them. It´s gonna be a good transfer. No... it`s going to be an INCREDIBLE transfer.
I got a call at 6 this morning... with an announcement that one of our investigadors is ready to get baptized this saturday! GOOOOOD MORNING! :) An answer to months of prayers from many missionaries... and I`m blessed to see the answer.
Hermana Hernandez from Guatamala rocks my world. She`s had so many great experiences... and the chance to study with her gets me showering quicker so that we can start sooner. I LOVE it.
I guess if anyone has wondered what happened with wonderful magical Elsy...... she doesn`t answer our calls and doesn`t answer the door when her husband is home. He has her so trapped and scared... we just passed by the other night, and her 5 year old son was at the window and mouthed to us to be quite... and with terror in his eyes, he wispered, ¨He`s here.¨ It breaks my heart. I love her SO much and refuse to give up on her.
Jorge and Rosa keep progressing and learning and are increasingly happier and more faithful. It is SO SO SO cool! Yet... as always... when a family is going to be completed and obey the commandments, and be eternal, and all that happy business...... Satan has to come and TRY to ruin it all. Jorge is trying to get information and documents from his angry crazy exwife, that isn`t his ¨exwife¨yet.... but last time he tried... she called the police on him... and it was a lot of drama. Their faith and hope has really inspired me. I really ask myself would my hope and faith be in their situation with the lack of work, housepayments, and obstacles to do what is most important to them- get baptized. Yet... we continue to fast and pray... and they are SO strong. It blows me away. Like I`ve said all along... and especially now with even greater conviction...... I want to be like them.
As my testimony of the Restoration has grown, so has my understanding and belief of the Apostasy. We are constantly meeting good, faithful people, who are consciously and unconsiously confused and blinded by the incredible false doctrine that we are swimming in here. There is a church here that they call by the name of the guy that make it. For example... they call it ¨The church of Tom¨ - and it makes me feel so dark and wierd inside to hear about it... but everyone loves it because he teaches the people that they don`t have to anything for salvation- that we don`t even have to get baptized! In my head I call it, ¨The Church of Nehor¨- because there couldn`t be a more applicable name. I`ve made a list of some of the false doctrine that is being taught here... that makes me all the more grateful for the clear evidence that the Lord loves and really does want to teach us His pure, simple, clear, and precious truths through His prophets. I know that the Lord has such a perfect and beautiful plan for us... and that he WANTS to teach us. He WANTS us to understand it all. He WANTS it to make sense... but it can`t possibly make sense and be logical if we have hard hearts and don`t have a desire to LIVE it.
I keep reminded myself the words of Joseph Smith, that no unhallowed hand will stop His work from progressing... because I feel so inadequate... but I know that even my stupidity and falts can`t fully impede the work. We are seeing such progress even in the last few days. Even this week the Lord has blessed us to find more families... and my excitement for this transfer has just exploded. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a missionary, huh?
Hermana Clark
P.S. Haley- I LOVE LOVE LOVE your letters!! Keep them coming! I will be writing a letter to you and Marcy and the family. I`m horrible and writing letters- here and always.... but it will be done! Love you!
With the east mission in our zone now... we are now writing on mondays... so here I am with another P-day.... my least favorite day of the week. Yet, that gives me another chance to drop a quick note.
I´m starting to see some of the reasons that I am in the area still, even though I was not the most qualified to have charge of it. President Lopez requested of the president of the East mission, President Perez, that he send his best to come do the transition of the zone... and President Perez requested of President Lopez that he leave those that could fully help with the change. So... the reason that I get to stay... is because I needed to be with some of THE BEST missionaries of the 2 missions... and not even a week in to the transfer... and I feel SO fortified and inspired to be with some ridiculously powerful, focused, and well trained missionaries. Our first zone meeting left us all running out of the building to get working those miracles and baptizing the world!! :) I feel so blessed to be able to learn from everyone around me... and obviously the Lord knew that Hermana Clark needed to learn a thing or 105 from missionaries like them. It´s gonna be a good transfer. No... it`s going to be an INCREDIBLE transfer.
I got a call at 6 this morning... with an announcement that one of our investigadors is ready to get baptized this saturday! GOOOOOD MORNING! :) An answer to months of prayers from many missionaries... and I`m blessed to see the answer.
Hermana Hernandez from Guatamala rocks my world. She`s had so many great experiences... and the chance to study with her gets me showering quicker so that we can start sooner. I LOVE it.
I guess if anyone has wondered what happened with wonderful magical Elsy...... she doesn`t answer our calls and doesn`t answer the door when her husband is home. He has her so trapped and scared... we just passed by the other night, and her 5 year old son was at the window and mouthed to us to be quite... and with terror in his eyes, he wispered, ¨He`s here.¨ It breaks my heart. I love her SO much and refuse to give up on her.
Jorge and Rosa keep progressing and learning and are increasingly happier and more faithful. It is SO SO SO cool! Yet... as always... when a family is going to be completed and obey the commandments, and be eternal, and all that happy business...... Satan has to come and TRY to ruin it all. Jorge is trying to get information and documents from his angry crazy exwife, that isn`t his ¨exwife¨yet.... but last time he tried... she called the police on him... and it was a lot of drama. Their faith and hope has really inspired me. I really ask myself would my hope and faith be in their situation with the lack of work, housepayments, and obstacles to do what is most important to them- get baptized. Yet... we continue to fast and pray... and they are SO strong. It blows me away. Like I`ve said all along... and especially now with even greater conviction...... I want to be like them.
As my testimony of the Restoration has grown, so has my understanding and belief of the Apostasy. We are constantly meeting good, faithful people, who are consciously and unconsiously confused and blinded by the incredible false doctrine that we are swimming in here. There is a church here that they call by the name of the guy that make it. For example... they call it ¨The church of Tom¨ - and it makes me feel so dark and wierd inside to hear about it... but everyone loves it because he teaches the people that they don`t have to anything for salvation- that we don`t even have to get baptized! In my head I call it, ¨The Church of Nehor¨- because there couldn`t be a more applicable name. I`ve made a list of some of the false doctrine that is being taught here... that makes me all the more grateful for the clear evidence that the Lord loves and really does want to teach us His pure, simple, clear, and precious truths through His prophets. I know that the Lord has such a perfect and beautiful plan for us... and that he WANTS to teach us. He WANTS us to understand it all. He WANTS it to make sense... but it can`t possibly make sense and be logical if we have hard hearts and don`t have a desire to LIVE it.
I keep reminded myself the words of Joseph Smith, that no unhallowed hand will stop His work from progressing... because I feel so inadequate... but I know that even my stupidity and falts can`t fully impede the work. We are seeing such progress even in the last few days. Even this week the Lord has blessed us to find more families... and my excitement for this transfer has just exploded. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a missionary, huh?
Hermana Clark
P.S. Haley- I LOVE LOVE LOVE your letters!! Keep them coming! I will be writing a letter to you and Marcy and the family. I`m horrible and writing letters- here and always.... but it will be done! Love you!
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