Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Baby elephants and broken chains


Hi!

The best part about this week were the Talks Elder Neri and I gave in Sacrament Meeting. Ok, what wasn't the best part, but we gave some pretty awesome talks on missionary work, rallying the members to share the gospel. 

We've had some awesome days this week. On Friday, we got call from a member to go visit a less active family. Their son had just gone though a really difficult situation, and we were able to show up right when they needed help. We've been gaining a lot of trust with that family recently, so things are moving on. The same day, we taught an 11 year young man about not swearing and doing other similar things at school. It seemed to be a real problem from what his mom had told us, we were able to help him, and Elder Neir was so convincing that I'm pretty sure the young man is going to stop swearing. :) Elder Neri seems to have a lot in common with many of the people we teach, especially among the less actives. Its a great way for him to finish off his mission. 

I was also privileged to go on exchange this week with Elder Yellowplume (Isn't that an awesome name? He's native American) The exchange meant I got to be on bike and speak in English all day whooo!

This week, we had a couple of conversations with people that had me thinking a lot about the importance of prayer and receiving an answer from God about what the truth is. We had a couple of interesting discussions with people that believe differently than us based on just facts and research or bible verses. Well, I believe in what I believe because I prayed and asked God, and He told me it was true, and you can't really argue with somebody about that. I would much rather put my faith in God than humans. I'm also not saying bad about the bible either, but God is still the Ultimate source of truth. So if you have a question, do what Joseph Smith did, as directed by James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..." and ask God.

Have a wonderful week everybody!   

Elder Clark

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Yo no se porque el rio es amarillo

Hello to one and all from my new home for the next few months, Conyers Georgia! (Have you ever heard of it? No? Well that doesn't surprise me, because I didn't know existed until I got here. (Its basically south of Atlanta) :) Talk about more rural than my last area. We've got some true southerners down here.

My Companion is Elder N*** from Arizona, who's parents are from Mexico. Like I said last time, I lived in the same apartment with him 4 months at the beginning of my mission. He's got about 3 month left, and then he's off to home again. Me, I have 5 left, and then I go home. They stuck two old geasers together. Don't worry, we won't be getting trunky together or anything, especially since they made me district leader. I know, right? Giving Elder Clark authority and responsibility over other missionaries, weird.

Anyways. Elder N*** is awesome. He's has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen. He wants to do so much good and help everybody, and he bears testimony with so much power and boldness its hard to tell him no. :)

The Yellow River Branch (the one I'm in) Is the smallest I've been in, with about 30 people or so, but that doesn't make it less special. I met about half of the members just going to dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and then I met the other half at church, so now I know everybody. Elder N*** and I are going to double the number of members! Well, that would be cool, but probably not.

We found this one trailer park here that is the biggest trailer park I have ever seen. Its is totally a mini Mexico in there, and we could knock doors in there for the next 6 weeks, but there would still be more doors! It made me so happy to find it. :) In that complex, we found this one English man named George. While we were teaching him a Spanish man, Jorge, came to take their dryer. He saw we were "Preaching the Word" and came into the room and started talking to us in Spanish about visions and dreams he's had. Meanwhile George is sitting on the couch without a clue of what Jorge is saying, so I start translating for him. Jorge shared his thoughts for about 10 minutes, and then we were able to wrap it all up and leave with a new investigator for the English Elders and for us. Talk about weird lessons.

Thanks everybody,

Que Dios les bendiga!

Elder Clark

enough said

Monday, January 7, 2013

Bye Bye Pollo


My time has come to an end here in Gainesville, the poultry capital of the world. It been a glorious 13 weeks, and a total of over 7 months in the same branch, my favorite branch of them all. Alas, the time has come to leave, and to continue my service in The Yellow River Branch. (La Rio Amarillo.) My companion is going to be Elder Neri, a native Spanish speaker! WHHOO! I lived in the same apartment as Elder Neri for the first 3 transfers of my mission, So I know him a little bit.

The whole last 2 transfers I've felt like we start seeing progressing investigators and people coming to church right before I left, and I was right. It is hard to leave these people behind, but that's all right. It was amazing to be answers to some of their prayers by knocking on they're door at the right time, or randomly arriving just in time to help them move, or to eat with them and talk about where we learned spanish and why we speak it so well (That topic comes up a lot.)


We'll sum it all up by saying. "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord."

Hasta luego!

Elder Clark