2015-06-21 Father's Day

Hello! Thank you for your prayers! I definitely feel them! This week has been enormously better, the devotional the district has been arranging went great, and we have been figuring out different ways to work with the YSA. So brother Chris was confirmed yesterday. and on July 11 we have two more baptisms! So i can't remember how much I have told you about this family, but it is the Santos family. So we found them in street contacting, they have been to church every week, they keep every commitment, and are so excited to learn. They will be baptized on July 11. They are the fastest progressing investigators I have ever found. They are so happy all the time, and the father has been talking about how he wants to invite his whole family to be baptized, and they are reading and highlighting the book of mormon all the time. When we contacted them about 3 or 4 weeks ago, we extended a baptismal date of July 11, and he said why is it so far away? Haha they are both doing so good, I feel it is the fruit of just working hard every day, and being obedient.

I love you, sorry my email is late, but I miss you and love you!!!!! 

Love elder Clark

Thank you for your letter this week, it reminded me of my earthly father and Heavenly Father. My own father is such a great man, and that letter touched me, I don't know why. I guess its because whenever I am tempted to be lazy or disobedient, I think of my earthly father, and I realize that is not what he taught me. He grew up working on a farm and he is the hardest working, and most diligent man I have ever met. Unfortunately I grew up in the city, but I try to always base my work ethic off of him. This week there was a big change around, I don't even really know what happened but this are just going a lot better. I have been praying so hard for things to become better, and I feel that they are. I have been pondering the training supplement for district meeting, and it is so great. We really are commanded to pray for what we need. I saw the power of this as I prayed for specific investigators/RCLA to come to church, and as I prayed to find new investigators. We found this great new investigator named Dante, and more people came to church this week. I realized in Alma 31 when Alma was praying for his bretheren, that that is really what caused so many great miracles among the Lamanites, prayers of the faithful. I have committed myself to pray much harder and pray for all my investigators, and less actives and for the whole district by name each night. Also about the language, I have been reading the Book of Mormon in Tagalog a lot. When I went on exchanges with Elder Bell he inspired me to read it, and I have seen a great difference in my Tagalog, it is improving a lot, hopefully I will be close to finishing it by the end of this transfer.
So with the wards and stuff, it is going better. The lady that had a little beef towards me is perfectly fine now, I don't think she was really even mad at me in the first place, she just kind of has up days and down days. The fireside went great! President and Sister Hiatt were great, and the spirit was strong. And now we have been thinking of new ways to hasten the work, President Hiatt suggested that we get the students more involved with the media by making like a video and stuff, so this might be one of the next things we try to do, we will try to get the members inspired to do it, so we don't spend much time on it if any. We are also doing showings of meet the mormons, for the members to invite friends, (Don't worry the missionaries aren't watching it) and we are doing training starting this week in the student leaders committee meeting, I will tell you how that goes next week. Love you president!

Love,
Elder Clark

2015-06-07 - Pray for me

Hello Mom and Dad! I love you so much! how are you doing? So about Brother Chris, he had his interview on saturday, then texted us this morning and told us he wasn't ready to be baptized. He said he didn't feel worthy. I think the Lord just wants me to learn from that. Please pray for me. I need extra prayers. It has been pretty rough lately in just about all aspects of missionary life, but I am really striving to turn to the Lord in all that I do. I know that the Lord wants me to learn humility and I am thankful for the lessons he is teaching me. I know that If we rely on the Lord in every aspect of life he will guide and direct our paths. I want to thank you for all you have ever done for me. And you really don't realize how much you love your family until you cant see them for two years. Please send me more pictures! I know that the Lord is exercising faith in us as he gives us opportunities to lead others. We went to the temple last week, and I realized how real God truly is, and how much he truly loves us, and how much he wants us to find the path and learn in all our experiences. I have learned that the Lord gives us weaknesses and trials to humble us. I also have been pondering on the wonderful power of prayer. The Lord has so many blessings that he wants to give us, and sometimes the only thing we lack is just asking for them. I have also learned how important humility is and how prideful i truly am. so thank you for all you do for me, I dont need anything, I am fine here, I will tell you when I need something! Love you, Please pray for me.

2015-05-31 - Ideas on doing missionary work

My back is doing good now, after a day or two it popped back into place. So Mom and Dad, if I have one suggestion for you in sharing the gospel and inviting people to hear the missionary lessons, it would be to involve family as much as possible, get to know about their family, and then tel them about your family. I know that the spirit of Elijah is real, and when you testify of families it brings that spirit right in! All you have to do is say, "hey we are having a family home evening at our house in a couple nights, A family home evening is when we gather the whole family together to strengthen our family bonds, would you like to come?" Then give them promised blessings like free food. or you can testify about families and say, Do you want to be with your family for eternity? Almost everyone will say yes, but then you really hit them with the follow up question, say, "Do you want to know how?" I have used those two questions many times, and it can of takes them back for a second. because most people are Catholic, and catholics dont believe that families are together forever. But most catholics arent aware that they believe that. But anyways, those are my suggestions! Also pray for them each by name every night. That is more powerful than almost anything you can do.

I really liked that story with Brother Brock, that is super cool to know that he became a high priest. So I want to tell you about brother Chris and his eight year old son, 

sorry I got to go, ran out of time love you

2015-05-24 - Why didn't you write

So hopefully you guys are all okay, I didn't get any letter from you, next week I guess. I am doing good here. I played basketball earlier and hurt my back, it hurts pretty bad, but I think it will be okay. I guess I dont have much to write so I will just tell you I am so thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, and I am thankful for eternal families. It gives me comfort to know that no matter what happens our family is eternally bound together. This gives me so much motivation. I am thankful for you Mom, and for all the sacrifices you have made for our family, I am so glad I got to see you on mothers day! I am also so thankful to Dad who has shown me how to work hard and magnify your calling! And I love you Dallin for being a great Brother! And to all my sisters, Natalie, Brittney, Hailie, and Melissa I love you and am thankful for your examples to me in temple marriage and in everything else, love you! I miss you so much, but I am not homesick. Love you!!!! Be safe, and stay healthy! Please write me next week!

2015-05-17 - The Work of the Lord

So this week as I walked confidently down the sidewalk, I was excited to see to shiny coins, on the sidewalk. I walked by them and decided to pick them up, as I grabbed for one, It didn't come off the ground, I realized that they were both super glued to the sidewalk. My companion laughed at me pretty hard. It was embarrassing. 

Anyways, yes I got the two photo books from from you guys, one of them got lost, but I got it eventually! My companion is from Ifugao, which is just another Province in the Philippines. They speak Ilokano there. SO about the people we are teaching, we had 6 investigators at church, and 3 less actives. The investigators at church were, sister Kelly, Brother Chris, and his sons, And Ryan, Mark, and Jay. The friends of Alfred, who is a member. they are in the YSA ward. Sister Kelly is all ready to be baptized, she just wants permission from her parents, even though she is old enough to make the decision on her own, she wants her mom to approve, because her mom is strongly against it. That is cool that Natalie got accepted into Weber! And send me more pictures! I want pictures of the house too! So I bought myself some basketball shoes earlier, as a late christmas present to myself. they are Class A Knock-offs, so they were only 36 dollars in US money. they are kobe basketball shoes.

Anyways, this week has been great! I Really like they way my new companion teaches, he teaches with the spirit. I know that there is no other way, but by the spirit. I was soo glad to see your faces on mothers day! I know it seemed like a short time, but I have to be obedient. So in my area, there are some great things going on. The district and I are organizing a stake fireside about enrolling in seminary and institute, and missionary work. Since we are assigned in the YSA ward, and at the central focus of institute for the whole Manila, we have a great opportunity to work very closely with seminary, and institute. So one of my main focuses right now in my mission is just being exactly obedient. I have realized that I can't control people's agency, like the investigators, and such, But I know that success is measured inward, so I have been being very obedient lately, because I have direct control over that. I am very happy to be serving, and I feel the Lord helping me change into a better person than I used to be, that is the biggest miracle in my mission, and I am so thankful for it. I love you so much, I want you all to also strive to be exactly obedient to all the Lord commands us! We may not understand why, but we do understand it comes from God, or from the mouth of his servants, so we must obey, I love you so much, until next week!

Love Elder Clark

2015-05-10 Happy Mother's Day

Thank you for letting me Skype with you, I love you guys so much, especially Mom, happy mothers day!!!!

That is my district in the first couple pictures, although now it is different. now the other elders are a three some and I have a new companion. Anyways, thank you for raising me in the gospel mom, I now see what great blessing come to those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are such a great mother! I love you so much! I am so glad I got to see you! Please send me pictures of the house and the backyard, and front yard, haha I love seeing the house! I love you guys soo much! Dont worry about me, I am being obedient and working hard!!!!!

We are teaching this family that is partially active partially not, and there son turned 8 years old a couple months ago, and he asked me to baptize him. the other kid is an actual convert baptism. I look good though in white dont I?

2015-05-03 - Sampaloc work and the Game Show Contestants

Fun! So I can probably arrange my schedule so that I can Skype around 9 or 10 Philippines time. Plan on me to call at that time. I am looking forward to it. Be prepared and write down your questions for me so you don’t forget. So we can use our time wisely... haha I'll tell you how it is going in the city. Also, my companion is transferring. I am staying here. I just know that I am staying here. I don’t know who my companion is. It is really sad though, we had a really great time together and I learned so much from him! So give my regards to grandpa, I hope he gets better soon!!  I myself am doing very good here.

We had a very cool experience yesterday. So basically everyone in the Philippines is christian, I have taught one muslim, but other than that everyone I have ever taught has been "christian" haha sometimes they dont understand what that means. But yesterday a member brought his friend to church with him, and we taught him. This kid told us he was Atheist, and the member that brought him just thought that he wasn't going to take church seriously, but after sacrament meeting, the member said that he had to leave after sacrament meeting, but when sacrament meeting got done, his friend didnt want to leave! He was like this is great, I want to keep on learning! So we finished church and taught him, and it was one of the best lessons I have had in my mission! We never know who is ready for the gospel! I also testify that working with members is the only way to go, It is so much more effective!

I love you guys and look forward to seeing you on Monday! Well in Filipino time, haha

So these guys are two returned missionaries that entered into this huge game show called Foreighnoy. which is a show where they take foreighners who speak Tagalog, and they compete. The one with blonde hair was 3rd place, they went to church on sunday in the singles ward.

2015-04-26 Hermie's Baptism

That is awesome that Brittney got the Job! I am super excited for her! Is she the head coach? and what is the ranking of the school like is it one of the big ones? About the bed bugs, I think they are gone for the most part. And yes we usually play sports on our P-day! That is probably my favorite part of my whole week! And I am a little fatter than when I left, I think it just looks a lot worse compared to these small filpinos! And yes I can skype on Mothers day! I will try not to get too homesick this time! I am guessing that I will skype you guys around the time that I usually email you! Like about this time! So please give me more information about Brittany's job, and also congratulate Hayden on going on a mission if you see him later or get his email for me!

So this week sister Hermie was baptized, I found out that another girl I found in my last area was also baptized and, and we also had our interview with President. It was a good week! Later today we are going to SM so I can go to a dentist's office to get my brace fixed, just one of the teath popped off it is not a big deal though! SM is just a huge chain of malls, and I mean big! They are so big! I also am going to buy a new belt because I gave my really good one away in my last area, and I havent had time to buy a new one. Then we are going to play basketball. And when we skype, make sure we get the whole family in the skype, so I can talk to everyone!!! I love you all! 

So the baptism for Hermie was a great experience! Her husband baptized her and confirmed her! She is doing really well and we hope that they will be able to go to the temple one year from now! That would be really cool if they did because I am allowed to go to their sealing if they get sealed! I think they have a strong foundation in the gospel and sister Hermie really wants to learn more about the gospel! It was so great! My interview with president was good to, that is always cool to meet with him, he is a very spiritually in tune man, and he always makes me feel special when I am in his office! He gave me some advice on how to improve my distcict meetings, because they werent going as good as I would like them to. So I did what he siad and I could see such an amazing difference! The meeting was really a revelatory experience, and the spirit was super strong, and then on of the sisters said she cant wait for the next one. So he helped me a lot with that. So anyways, I am doing good. I am working hard, and getting things done! It is really fun being a missionary, love you guys so much!!!!

Love Elder Clark!

2015-04-19 What Disneyland?

Wow, so now you go to Disneyland... And yes, don't send me another package. The last one is still making me fat. Haha but if you really want to send me one you can. the pillow is perfect, except that we just got bed bugs. And is the debit card going to expire? If it is I will draw the money off of it. I think there is still like 400 dollars on it. We didn't baptize Sister Morales yet. Here interview got pushed to yesterday, so her baptism is this saturday. Goog luck in your new job Brett! And what pictures from brittany do you mean? I liked what you said Dad about making meetings a revelatory experience. I have been struggling to make my District Meetings like that. And I would like you to pray for, Chris Collantes, Gesyl Domingo, chester Camacho, Christina, and Kelly. And our bishop, Bishop Buatista, he is having a really hard time. That is awesome that Grandma and Grandpa could visit! I am doing really good here! So how are you guys doing? Will you send a picture of my car? people always ask to see it because they are shocked I have a car... haha

I have been learning a lot about the atonement, and I have realized how important it is for me as a missionary, and for everyone. If you ever get a chance, listen to "Missionary work and the atonement" by Jefferey R. Holland. It was a talk given to mission presidents, but it is probably my favorite talk that has helped me the most in my mission. I will try to send it to you later if I have time! In summary it talks about how how important this is for every missionary. Missionary life is very hard, and tiring, and stressful, and discouraging at times. But if we have the atonemant, it will carry us. Missionary work, and basically life its self is not supposed to be easy. How could we every truly apprciate the atonement of Jesus Christ if we have never experienced sorrow, or pain, or shed one of the tears that he shed in the garden of gethsemane? I have a testimony in the enabling power of the Atonement because I have felt the sorrow and sadness that we all experience in life. Salvation is not a cheap experience. When President Weathersby set me apart he talked about how I am going to learn to love and understand the atonement, and I will want to teach it to my investigators, and although I don't fully understand the gravity of it, I am beginning to know it better as I struggle and turn to the Lord. I am grateful to the Lord for loving me enough to cut me down, to learn humilty, and the importance of the atonement in my life. I encourage you to study the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and apply it in your life. Love you!!

Elder Clark

2015-04-12 Visiting the Manila Zoo

Dallin better not get too tall by the time I get back! And good job in your class mom! way to stick it out! And I can relate to guards with machine guns everywhere. They have that at like every big store here! That is really cool that you got to go to Switzerland and I am glad you were safe! I am doing very well here! I am having fun, and my first baptism is either this weekend or next weekend! Her name is sister Hermie Morales. Her husband is a member, and she is very dedicated to the gospel! So I got the package!!! Holy cow, it is huge!!! And you got basically everything I wanted. I thought I wasn't going to get the package for a while because it was at the mission home, but President and Sister Hiatt made a special trip to give it to me! Then they attended our distcict activity, I sent you those pictures! Please don't send me another package, you completely destroyed my diet!!! I am putting weight on again! I loved ?General conference! I don't think I appreciated general conference enough before I came on my mission! Anyways, I am going to take some time to send pictures! I love you guys so much, and I am working hard!!!!!

Love Elder Clark

Here is our last district activity, we went to the zoo! There are members and the Hiatts too.