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.

2015-04-06 Easter

Love you too Dad! I'm praying for you as well! Thank you for the example you have always been to me in raising our family in the gospel, that is really the most any son could ask. I know now how important that is. And also thank you for always fulfilling your callings in the church. that alone has changed my life, you taught me what it means to, magnify your calling. I know I tested your patience many times, but I know you love me and that you are always there for me. I love you so much Dad, and I miss you tons! It won't be too long before we see each other again! Take care always!

Love your son,

Elder Clark

2015-03-29 Because He Lives Video

Haha no, there isn't air conditioning. And the food is good! I am beginning to love rice soo much! I just have cravings for rice and stuff all the time. And I will see if my package has arrived next time I travel to the mission office, but I dont know when that will be. And the Tagalog is doing alright. I think having a Filipino Companion will help a lot. I got a new companion on wednesday. I will tell you about that later. And about the Youtube video I said last week. The church made a brand new website BecauseHeLives.mormon.org  And they are doing a whole advertising campaign on Youtube as well. The video is super cool, I just watched it. And they apparently are advertising a bunch on youtube. Then on April 5th they are taking over the front page of youtube to push forward the movement on easter. Which means only the church will be able to post on the homepage of youtube for a whole day. The reason you didn't see it is Probably because the website only came out two days ago, and the Youtube initiative started yesterday. But it is super cool! Show all your friends about it! Especially when you are on your business trip! The missionaries should have already told you about it! They also should be handing out massive amounts of pass along cards for all the members to give to your friends. Also, don't just give the cards to your friends, ask them if they have time if two kind young men or women could come share a message with them. That is my commitment for you this week! Also take care Dad in your traveling, Be safe! I love you guys! 

So now I'll tell you what happened this last transfer day. Before in the district there was Elder Beagley Elder lumanta Elder Briskin and I. So Elder Briskin and Beagley tranfered. Elder Beagley's old companion (Elder Lumanta) became my new companion and they both left to their new areas. They both went to Palawan.  Both of the sisters in my district left as well. 

So what happened is that at our chapel, two wards meet. sampaloc ward, and the YSA ward. They rearranged everything, and put some of the old Missionaries from the YSA ward into my district. So now we are in one district. Now my whole district is over the YSA ward and the sampaloc ward. It was pretty stressful with everyone leaving and coming. And now it is just me and my companion at the apartment. Its cool the because it is the only young single adult ward in the Whole Philipinnes. Anyways, Elder Lumanta is Filipino, and he is helping me become fluent in Tagalog. Love you guys! Sleep tight!

Dear President Ostler,

     I am so grateful to has Elder Lumanta as my companion. He helps me so much with Tagalog, and he is a very hard worker. It's been pretty exciting around here with all the shifting in MYSA ward and Sampaloc ward, but I think it's going just fine. While proselyting this week I was walking down this staircase and I had an impression to talk to this young boy. I started talking to him and he opened up the door to his house and we saw a whole family just sitting in their living room together. We went in and shared about the Restoration of the Gospel. We also found out that they are related to another investigator of our who is very progressing and has been to church. I felt that the Lord guided us to find that family.

     I realized this week how much more I need to learn before I become a truly fluent Tagalog speaker. It has been very nice to have Elder Lumanta helping me. I also realized that I need to be more humble and realize that the gift of tongues comes from the Lord. So what I am going to do from now on is just truly rely on the Lord to gain this gift, and study harder than I was before. Although I can communicate, I want to become a master at Tagalog. It is really not easy to learn a language but I know with the Lord's help anything is possible! 

The shorter Elder is Elder Lumanta, the skinny white one is Elder Briskin my last companion. That fried chicken Is called a one day old, because it is one day old. We arent allowed to eat it but it looks good right? The other bigger Filipino is my old zone leader, he transferred.