Dios es un Dios de milagros

Okay, this week was wild. I am still working in a trio, but I should have a companion tomorrow or the next day. It'll be a mini missionary, or a member that lives in our mission, and I believe the girl that is going to help me out is a returned missionary, so that will be so darned cool. 

This week, on Tuesday, one of my investigators called me, and told me that he never wanted to see us again. I was so taken by surprise, and I was like, "Wait. wait, can we come over and talk this out?" Him and his wife were having a lot of problems, and she's a member. Anyways, it was just an ugly situation, and I cried so many tears. 

Well, as time went by, I decided that we should stop by and visit them. I was like, "No way are we ending like this, no way, not in my book." We went, and had a long chat with him and his wife, and we talked about the family. The spirit was strong, because the family is of God, and THAT'S why everything in the church supports the family, because it is absolutely important. I told them that a strong family takes EVERYONE'S effort, and it doesn't take pointing fingers.

I am so grateful for my family, and my Heavenly Father sure has taken care of them as I have been gone. As we started to finish, I asked our investigator, "Do you believe that we are teaching you the truth? Do you believe that this really is Christ's church?" And he started to cry, which I was in NO way expecting, and he told me, "I am so sorry Hermana Clark. I am sorry for everything that has happened this week" and then he said, "I was wondering, can I still get baptized?" and think I choked on my own spit in that moment, like, "wait. what? UM YES OF COURSE." He went through heck and back this week and I won't go into the details, but it's cool to see, because he has a REAL testimony of the gospel. So, he had his baptismal interview  this week, and he is getting baptized this Saturday. So cool to see. 

Also, we are doing a youth choir here, and it is just so so cute. I love sharing music with the people here. I love how even when they're a lil bit off key, they sing that wrong note loud and proud. The best honestly. I've also had the privilege of teaching the youth sunday school class two sundays in a row, and that is literally so fun. The youth of the church are rockin', and they are SO good. 

One day this week, we went to visit P, she isn't a member, but she has like 70 years, and she's about to die from cancer. I thought we could just go share a message with her about Christ, and more than anything just keep her company, and sing her hymns, to give service. While we were singing hymns in her room with her, the spirit was so strong, and I know that she is pretty close to seeing Heavenly Father again. At one point, my companions received a call on the phone, so they left the room, and I was just there  singing, "Silent Night" (never can go wrong with navidad), and as  I sang to her about the Savior's birth, I felt it confirmed to me that he really did come to live and to die, so that we could live with our Heavenly Father again. With a woman so close to the veil, so close to passing on the other side, I felt the spirit, and actually shed quite a few tears. 

Heavenly Father loves his children. Gosh, I feel it STRONG every day. 

Love you all past the moon!

dos compañeras y MUCHO trabajo

Hello!  

This week was so interesting. Really fast and really long all at the same time. 

I am working in a trio with the hermanas that are serving in the other branch here. They are so wonderful, I really love them loads, and it's actually pretty fun to be in a trio. Hermana Firth and Hermana Riveros are their names, from Wyoming and Lima. The only thing that isn't fun is sleeping on the ground every night at their house, and not having enough time to do ANYTHING, because we are working in two sectors. I've been able to visit those that are progressing, and work a lot more than the last two weeks with Hermana Caballero, but it just isn't the same. I want a compi! Like, yesterday, Hna Maria accompanied me, because on Sunday we have different schedules, they go to church at 10 and me at 8, with branch counsel, and so I literally felt so weird in the chapel alone. At night, for 30 mins, this 18 year old girl accompanied as I waited for my companions, and we went to the devotional for young single adults, and that was just the weirdest thing, haha. I was like, oh gosh, so glad to be a missionary. hehe. But it was awesome, Elder Cook spoke. 

What else? B is good. T and J are good, Hermano G is the best. I didn't take time to prepare and think of things to tell you all, and now I am drawing a blank. oops. 

A bag of chicha a lady insisted on giving me in the streets, that I did NOT drink. I am learning real good here. ;)

J surprised me this week and told me that she was facebook friends with "Brent and Jenifer Clark" this week. I was like, what in the world, but she found out my name somehow and she showed me the sweetest email she sent to my family. Gosh, I love her. She also asked me if I would sing at her wedding this week. Um, OF COURSE I WILL. 

We played volleyball yesterday at the church, and that was a blast and a half. 

Had a really cool experience of feeling the spirit work through me this week. We were teaching one of our investigators, (I won't say who) and they were clearly going through a difficult time. We were going to teach about missionary work, but the spirit told me really strong to talk about the atonement. As I shared my testimony, I felt the spirit so strong as I shared with them a quote by Elder Holland that Elle shared with me in a letter, "He suffered alone, so that we wouldn't have to". Our investigators were crying, and their countenances just changed during that lesson, from sad and without hope, to ready to conquer all. 

I love you all and know that the atonement is real. 

LOTSA LOVE!

I got a package this week! Thanks Familia

sin compi

Okeedoke, hello sweet family. 

(L went out with me as my companion) 

I am writing you in the house of a member that I am staying with, as I wait for my new comp to come. Last night, President called me, and after all of the struggles we had this week, he told me that my comp would be traveling tomorrow morning (that's THIS morning) to Cusco, where she would then return home. Right now, an Hermana from the ward is accompanying me as my companion, until I have a new one. 

This week, my companion was sicker than sick. I have never seen anyone so fragile. Honestly, it reallt scared me a lot of the time. But, never in my life have I had to take care of someone like that, my mom always took care of ME. So, I really learned a lot, and she told me, "Hermana Clark, you remind me a lot of my mom". Yes, that is what moms do. They give their children everything, and I gave Hermana Caballero my every last effort this week, and gosh, I love that girl with all my heart. Serving people makes you love them, I've learned that for sure. This morning I said goodbye to her, honestly don't know if I'll ever see her again, but wow, she changed my life. 

So, this week, if I wanted to go out and work, I had to find a sister in the ward that could go out and work with me, and also a sister to stay at home with my comp. (Because NUNCA we can be without a companion) That was not an easy task. I made more phone calls this week than I have in my life. haha. Okay maybe not, but it was a lot. 

(Hermana K was able to go out with me for a few days this week)

I got to teach about 5 lessons this week, which is basically nothing. Really spent a lot of time in the house, and if I wanted to go out, I had to find a compañera. Hermana K, a returned missionary (I sent a pic of her) was really good to help me work two days this week. Had a Family night with B, our investigator who really just wants to be a missionary. We talked about repentance and baptism, and I tried to do an object lesson about baptism with pepper, water, and dish soap. I had seen it before, but had never tried it in Peru. Well, I'll just say that it was basically a classic "Egbert" analogy by my Dad. haha it ended up being so funny because it didn't work, but gosh, we had a good laugh. (If you haven't seen my Dad do the egbert analogy, ask him to do it, hahaha, it is my favorite thing)

Went to a baptism of little R, he's 9, and was just so excited to be baptized. 

(A's Baptism)

B is getting baptized on the 8th of October, and still just pumped as ever to serve a mission. It is really cool to see. 

Hermano G is getting baptized on the 24 of September. He is learning so fast. 

More than anything, I would just like to say to those that are preparing to serve a mission. Please please do not go on a mission for your parents. Or for you boyfriend/girlfriend. Or for the praise of others that, "wow, you are sacrificing a lot". DO IT FOR THE LORD. 

If there are things that you need to get squared away, or that you need to clean up, do it before the mission. If that means you need to ask your parents for help, or your leaders in the church, or if that means MAYBE you need to wait a little longer to prepare, then please do that. Once you get out on the mission, your life isn't about you anymore. It's about helping others, so if you need to get better health wise, or moral-wise, do it before the mish. 

I love this opportunity, and feel so grateful to be in Peru. I'll have been here for 6 months this week, and that is so crazy. But, life is good. 

My love for you all is bigger than big. Hasta la proxima semana!