Where has Joel gone?

I love love love Elder Clark's letters! What enthusiasm!! It sounds like we're having some similar beautiful experiences... and how sweet is the work of reactivation and retention, huh?
We are continuing to see progress, tender mercies, changes, and obstacles every day. After being here for almost 8 months, I feel like there was hardly life before Belize... but then I fondly remember Candelaria and Santa Tecla. :) Sometimes it makes me laugh to remember my obsession with rush and my hideous lack of patience before... and I know that part of my purpose here.. is that I would learn true patience and charity. There are people that have progressed so much slower than I would ever want... but my love for them has grown immensely as we have continued seeking ways to love and serve them, and to help them feel the Spirit. The role of the Spirit in the conversion and especially, RE-conversion has become ever so clear to me.. as I have seen it touch, soften, and mold even the most hardest of hearts. I love Elder Clark's report of the VERY offended and angry woman that finally came back to church- even on a rainy day. - that, to me, is the "moving of mountains" resulting from faith, hope, charity, and love. This calling has helped me see a little clearer the INCREDIBLE patience and long-suffering that my Savior has with me... for I truly have my own mountains to move, hardness to melt, and changes to make. This has helped me stay in the boxing ring with... hundreds of people here... and my joy and love for them and the work is continually blossoming.
Someday I will better explain the nature of Belize... for it is it's own world.... but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else doing anything else. I was reading in Helaman 10, when it says that Nephi didn't stop preaching, he didn't go home... but returned to the multitudes.. and I thought, "Well... then how come I have to go home?" ... then the famous but every more meaningful words of Alma floated into my mind, " Oh that I were an angel..." as if the Spirit was reminding of the same awakening that Alma had... that he was sinning in such a desire that and that, "I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me." So... I am determined to remain content.. just as Paul said, "I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content."
Nothing has ever brought me so much inexpressible joy than to be a missionary!! I am excited for another joyous week, and I wish you all the same!!
Sister Clark