2015-02-15 My first week in Manilla - Sampaloc

So, My new compnion is Elder Briskin. He is most recently from El paso texas, but he has lived in many placs from Montana to italy. His dad is in the army so he moves around a lot. He is really nice, but super shy when it comes to teaching and talking to people. We get along really good though. The city is a lot different from the  province... haha There iss many people, and building, and allys, but a lot more members too which is really nice. We are having a very good time,and I have been losing weight too, I have lost a pound or two in the last week or so, and I feel a lot better. I have been following President Ostler's advice to the mission and been eating healthier and not as much. It is eaier in the city because there is more choce of foods, and it isnt all processed. haha. The new ward is super cool. There is a lot of people and we have someone working with us everyday usually. The chapel is right in the middle of Univesity Belt, which is an area which is full of different universities. Its a pretty cool area. There is so many people here. I really love this area. Our apartment is smaller than my last one, but it is fairly nice. So I have been thinking about what President wants me to learn here and there is so much! I have the opportuniy to be a leader and teach Tagalog to another companion I am excited.

I also got the package with the brownies and caramels, they are so good. I also got the one with the picture book, but I lost it already, sorry. I looked at over. Love you guys! My district is super cool. Love you so much goodbye, i will send pics if i have time this computer sucks.

love Elder Clark

2015-02-08 My last week in TayTay

About the packages. The small one you sent is in the mission office in Manilla. I will get it when I go to Manilla on wednesday. And anything that you send. Just send it to the mission office. They divide it up from there to the different missionaries.

So I am getting transferred to Sampaloc. That is in the city on the mainland. I got a text like an hour ago from President Ostler that told me. I got assigned as district leader and follow up trainer of Elder Briskin. I will be leaving tomorrow early in the morning to go to Puerto, then I will fly out on Wednesday to the main Island. You can probably google maps the new place that I am going Just type in like Sampaloc, manilla, Philippines or something like that. I am pretty excited to experience a new area and to be able to have more opportunities for service.

Hopefully Brittany's baby will come soon. You have to send me pictures when he arrives. 

So the city is quite a bit different from here. I will send you pictures next week. I here my new companion has been having a hard time and is super shy. Like he doesn't speak in lessons. So I am really looking forward to meeting him and helping him. He Is a foreigner, so I will have to help him learn Tagalog too. As for Elder Cowan, he has improved so much since he has been here in every way. He is a lot better at Tagalog, not afraid to teach and he is a lot more organized. I am so thankful for this area. This area may not have a whole lot of baptizing, but it definitely makes missionaries grow. |I am really sad to leave but I am excited to experience new things. I also heard that the Day Visoria mall is super class to my area! And I here everything is soooo cheap. It is like the flea market of the Philippines. I love you guys, and I miss you so much!!!!

Love,

Elder Clark

 Bother Twante and Family

 Casipong Family

Zone Conference

Dear President Ostler,

This time in Taytay has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. And I am thankful to the Lord for this area. I have been pondering about what I am supposed to learn from this area, and there is so much I can't put my finger on it. I know the Lord put me here to grow. I have learned so much from both my companions, and other Elder's and members here in Taytay. I am so grateful for it. I may not have been able to baptize someone yet, but I feel confident that my work has not been wasted, and if I haven't converted anyone else, at least I converted myself. I have grown so much in my testimony in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I feel that he is happy with my time in Taytay. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve in Sampaloc, and follow up Elder Briskin. I don't know him yet, but I look forward to it. I also want to express my thanks for the opportunity to serve with Elder Cowan. He has taught me so much, and I will miss him very much. He is a very good Elder who has such a desire to do what is right and humility which I idolize. In the Text you sent me you told me to be exactly obedient and to meet the OYM goal every week. I give you my word that I will give 100% to make this happen. I am thankful for all the opportunity I have been given to serve others, and I pray that the Lord will bless me with the skills I need to fulfill my calling.

Love,
Elder Clark

2015-02-01 - Visiting the Islands around TayTay

Sorry, That email to melissa was supposed to be to you. And thank you Dad for your Words of encouragement. Unfortunately Brother Twante will not be getting baptized while I am here, but it is alright, I am planting seeds. We also had a Family Day (like a monthly activity we do here) and Brother Twantes wife came with three friends. We also had two other investigators come that we started teaching last week. And the Daughter also went to church on Sunday. that was awesome. I will try to send you pictures of them. They are the Casipong family. We had interviews this past week, and because President Ostler was feeling sick, he couldn't travel to the Island, so we Skyped for our Interviews. President Ostler is a such a great mission President. He gave me some good advice on being a good example. 

So I have been thinking a lot about what the Lord wants me to learn here, and there is so much. I have learned so much about, how to be a leader, how to be organized, how to love the people and companions I serve, working hard, and how to manage lots and lots of responsibilities. I have learned so many things that have made me a better person. Its just weird how much you realize you don't know, and haven't experienced. Anyways, I love you guys, and I miss you all so much.

So now I will tell you about the activity that we did earlier today. We went Island hopping with us four missionaries in Taytay, and President, and Sister Hiatt, counselor in the mission presidency. It was legit. We went to two Islands and played in the beautiful white sand! It was so cool, I just got a little sunburnt is all.I will send you lots of pictures because a picture is woth a thousand words. The Hiatts are super cool, and I have learned a lot of leadership things from him haha he's legit. And the other Elders are really cool, I really Like my companion too!

Love you all so much!

Love Elder Clark

Check out these incredible pictures of the beauty of the Islands

2015-01-25 - No time to write, busy in TayTay working to reactivate the group

no time to write but this is my letter to the president, hope you like it

On Mon, Jan 26, 2015 at 12:13 PM, Nathan Clark wrote:

Dear President Ostler:

This week was really good. Elder Cowan and I exercised faith and diligence and I believe we will see the fruit of it soon. I had a very spiritual experience yesterday, and it made me realize the Lord's timing and the Lord's way of doing things. We have been focusing on Brother Twante a lot since I have been here in Taytay. He comes to church and is gaining a strong testimony in Jesus Christ. He has been ready to be baptized for some time, but he said he won't be baptized because his wife is not ready, and she has stopped earnestly investigating the church. We have taught him many times about the importance of baptism, and showing his example to his family to be baptized. We have been trying to help his family progress too but they are not yet ready, and don't come to church anymore. So I accepted the the fact that I wouldn't see him baptized. I felt sad and to be honest a little discouraged. I felt like although I have been working so hard and have nothing to so for it for almost 4 transfers. Elder Cowan, being a great companion, lifted me up by telling me no effort is wasted and pointing out that the Lord's plan is not known to us, and that we will be blessed by working hard. So we decided that we are just going to work hard and exercise our faith in the Lord. After about two weeks (yesterday), Brother Twante almost out of nowhere said that he talked to his wife, and he wants to be baptized, so we scheduled his interview for this saturday, and his baptism for Feburary 7, Which is the last saturday that I will be in Taytay, assuming that I am leaving this transfer. Even to add to that. He works in the mountains during the week, so if he didn't tell me yesterday, there would have been no time to schedule the interview and baptism before I leave. So he told us on the very last appointment of the very last day possible that he wanted to be baptized. This was a miracle in my eyes. The Lord made me labor for a very long time to see if I would be willing to endure the trials without seeing the fruit of my labors, then on the very last chance possible, I get to see them, even a few days before I leave I will see the them. I couldn't keep my emotions in when I found out this news. I am so thankful the blessings the Lord has bestowed to all of us. No doubt in my mind this was a miracle.

Also we had all of our speakers show up at church, and we called many new callings to strengthen the Elders quorum and, which is now functioning by it's self with the help of a strong member as president, and supporting counselors. We also reactivated a 16 year old boy named Mondrito yesterday. This past sunday, needless to say was very good. We also broke 40 in church attendance with 41 people there. This was also very exciting. I cannot wait to see you on Wednesday President. travel safe.

Love,

Elder Clark

On Mon, Jan 26, 2015 at 11:31 AM, Nathan Clark wrote:

Tell Steph I hope she gets completely better. And I miss her and all you guys so much! Thats cool the you will get to ride on an airplane! I always love riding on them! Miss yall, love yall. Do I sound Like a texas native? And do you guys read my letter every week? I will send more pictures to mom and dad today, so hopefully you see them! Love you all so much, and I cant wait to spend eternity with you, Bye!!!!!xoxoxoxoxoxo

Love,

Elder Clark

2015-01-18 Six month anniversary

So yesterday was officially my six month mark, which seems super long, and super short at the same time. It's been pretty legit here and its exciting that I can already speak fairly well and I am getting close to leaving my first area. I am super excited to go to the city and have a well established ward and leaders haha, but i will miss the clean air and beautiful scenery. Here is my letter to President this week:

Dear President Ostler,

This week was very good. One thing I like about Elder Cowan is that he is very open with me and whenever we have a problem we can just talk it out. He is also good at standing up for what's right. He is not afraid to say to tell other Elder's how he feels when they aren't being that obedient. This quality I admire in him. Whenever we aren't quite on time or something like that we can just be open and say we need to be better. This open and honest relationship is what strengthens us. We have both been helping each other to become exactly obedient. 

This week at church we had 37 at church and it was one of the best Sundays we've had in months because everyone showed up for there talks in sacrament meeting and we had a teacher for Relief Society who was ready and prepared to teach. Which is honestly the first time that I can ever remember that happening. Even though we only had 3 members of relief society there, at least it was organized. We have been working really hard to assign talks, prepare the members for their talks, and help the fulfill teaching assignments and other callings. We called a new Elders Quorum leader and I think that will help the smoothness of everything as well. Our focus this week will again be to strengthen members and help establish the church from the foundation up. We also have been finding many good potential investigators that hopefully will strengthen the church as well. Thank you for your time President.

Love,

Elder Clark

Anyways, based on that you can see how weak the church is here haha. It is one of maybe 2 or 3 times we have all our speakers show up to sacrament meeting prepared. I lie not. And like probably second time now that I think about it that, that we have had a teacher for relief society. Needless to say, we are busy strengthening members here. Yesterday, I interviewed a brother to become Elder's Quorum Group leader, he is a great guy, and he is going to do great things we hope. Him and his wife are the only returned missionaries here. We like to eat at their house every once in a while too. Update on Brother Twante, He doesn't want to get baptized unless his whole family will, so I don't know If I will ever see him get baptized, he also hasn't attended church in 2 weeks. This is pretty hard on me. I don't think I will see a single baptism in my six months here. that kind of is down heartening, but I will get over it. The only other investigator that comes to church is Trystan, and his dad won't let him get baptized, which is a bummer. They are a part member family. Its a bummer, Sometimes I feel like I worked so hard for so long, and I have nothing to show for it, But I have seen improvements in members and the church as a whole which is very rewarding. I have officially realized a little bit of what Dad felt as a Bishop too, feeling the weight of a ward/ group on your shoulders, and having so many responsibilities to fill. It takes a toll on me haha. But I will not give up haha love you guys so much!!!!! Bubye!

Love, 

Elder Clark