CARNAVALES

This week is carnavales, or in other words, everyone (kids, teens, even adults) plays with water balloons, buckets of water, silly string, etc, and you just try to get each other wet. EVERYONE plays in the streets. It is acknowledged nationally "carnival's" they call it.

 Like, we were waiting at a bus stop, and a man yelled, "Caravales!" from his car and tossed a water balloon that would've hit me, but, I took a step back in the perfect moment. YES.

Well, later on, we trekked up the hill to visit an investigator, and the only way down is to trek down the hill. We started going down, and see a bunch of jovenes like 15-18 years old playing carnavales, getting wet, and we're like- oh man, we have to walk down that street, there wasn't another outlet, and my comp is like, "let's wait for a taxi!" We wait for like 15 minutes, and nothing! So I said, "let's just go, we have a appointment, and we'll go fast and they won't see us" We go, and they start to say things amongst themselves, and then I hear, "10 puntos para la gringa" (HAHA) and I look back, and there are water balloons flying in my direction. I tried to catch one, and then it breaks and I get soaked. My life was like a movie in this moment, because then literally like 10 little kids come running, with buckets of water, and I think, "wow, ya fui, I'm done for".  I was like the nerd that everyone pícks on, and also bigger than them all. How does that work? 

After they got me soaked (but only up to mid back, because soy alta), I was like, "shoot, my scriptures are going to get wet" and as these kids were getting me wet, I started running, it was like all in slow motion. haha it was so funny, and was soaked from the head down (points for being tall) 10 points for the gringa, folks. gee, who knew?

R tired out of playing carnavales (he is SO funny, and got me so wet, my dress was soaked, that lil rascal)

I worked with Hermana A for a good portion of this week (3 days) in her sector called San Jeronimo.

That was a really good experience, I learned a lot from her, and yet another blessing of the calling that I get to serve here in Cusco. 

Y and E, E is 9 and is getting baptized on the 18th of March

 Oh, I am so excited, she is just the cutest thing, and is so attentive in every lesson.

Also, sweetest Elle turns 16 this week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY E!

Do you know how great of a blessing it is to have a little sister? I count my blessings in my prayers every night, and I always count having a sweet sister that always listens to me, that always laughs with me, and that makes me smile always. I think of the day when I got my mission call, and Elles was just so sweet and came and hugged me, and I cried a lot. 

Have the very best birthday Elles, and know that we will celebrate your sweet 16 a little late when I get there. I LOVE YOU! 

Writing says "Today the stars write your name in the sky" and I thought of my cute little Elle that's turning 16 this week! Holy moly, that is crazy! The stars will definitely write her name in the sky on Wednesday. 

Also, these flowers are like the little flowers at Grammy's that she has (or maybe had) in her pots. The same ones! The smell made me think of Grammy's house like no other, and made me a little teary missing my Grams. So I took a pic with the cute little flowers. 

I love reading the Book of Mormon, and it has become a great strength to me. The words of the scriptures are true and they bring me comfort. We always say that it contains the "fullness of the gospel", but it really does. It completes the Bible, and adds another witness of Christ. 

Mi capilla aqui en Cusco, and look how blue that beautiful sky is! wowazowa love that.

Me and my compi at church 

Amo mis misión y todo lo que he aprendido aqui en este pais tan bonito. Amo las historias del Libro de Mormón y todo lo que podido obtener de las escrituras. Mi testimonio está fortalecido cada dia y sé que vive mi Señor. Él es el buen Pastor, nuestro Redentor y nuestro amigo. Me di cuenta de la cantidad de su amor en mi misón y que ese amor es verdadero, y duradero. 

Les amo con todo mis corazón! 

Oh está todo bien, (All is well)
Hermana Clark

Me and my package! 

SWEET is the peace the gospel brings

Pic of me and my fave gringas. (Hnas Firth, Bingham (from my group) and Allred)

First of all, Hna Firth had her birthday in Cusco with us, because we had Concilio. That was the bomb, because I got to egg her real good. (a lil bit of payback, because she egged me for my birthday too) She's ending this transfer, and she said, "If I find this pic on your blog when I get home, so help me" PLEASE put it on the blog mom. hahaha

Me and my groupies. Such good pals.

I had the best week. I'm serious. 

So full of love. So filled with the Spirit. It was the best. 

Lots of miracles. Started on Monday night when we went to go visit a recent convert, Hermana Pirra. We have to travel to Alto Qosco to visit her, and we usually have to catch a bus, because it's a good ways up there. As we started out to the the bus stop, I thought, "gosh, I wonder when the chaski (the name of the bus) will pass" because usually we wait for like 20 minutes at least. And right as we stepped out onto the sidewalk, I felt the impression to look up, and there was the chaski almost flying by. I threw my arm out like a maniac to stop it, and it braked and we were able to get right on! 

Then we get on the bus, me and my comp were able to make 3 easy contacts during the bus ride! 3!! 

I didn't have a pen, and I was desperately looking for one to take down this mom with 3 children's info and in the bottom of my bag was ONE PEN. Miracle, I'm serious. 

I had also loaned my one jacket to a sister who needed it that day, and so I went jacketless that night in cold Cusco, and that night I didn't even feel cold. Heavenly Father showed his love to me in so many ways all at once. I count them miracles. 

This was the best experience for me. As the hermana leaders, we go and do splits with the hermanas that serve in quilla, and it. was. the. best. And it wasn't even weird for me. People asked me how I felt about being back and I said, "at home". Love that little pueblito. 

Got to visit Vanessa, and my favorite pequeñita locita Avril. Love them. 

Then ran into serious one of my fave people EVER Laura in the streets. I cried, and couldn't stop smiling. 

Also, we got to teach a lesson at Brian's house, because now his dad is taking the discussions. Brian is the BOMB! 

Ran into my practically family, Mamita Ildania and her husband Luis, my pension family when I got there. Wow, CRIED about that. I adore them, and they have such a special place in my heart.

One of my hobbies here is negotiating taxies. That is to say, when we have to go somewhere and we can't take the bus, or we have to haul the luggage of a missionary, we flag down a taxi, open the door, and they tell you how much it is to go to the place you want, how much it costs. Then, you try to lower the price. And lemme tell you, I am GOOOOD at it. It is one of my hidden talents, I'd say, haha. At first, my comp didn't want to let me do the talking, because I'm a "gringa" and she's Peruana, and they charge white people like crazy. But then, she started to realize that I could lower the price even more. Today a man wanted to charge us 10 soles to go into town from Satsayhuaman, and I lowered it to 5! That was a good one, I took a bow! 

 I'm willing to teach anyone when I get home. haha, no kidding, but it's something I enjoy, and there's a definite tactic. haha, just a lil part of my life to tell ya. 

Satsayhuaman, THE BEST. I had such a lovely day, I'm serious. 

Let me tell you, that subject line is true. The gospel has brought me more happiness than I can say, and I always say things like that, but I felt the real sweet peace that the gospel brings this week, and I want to feel that way forever. And we can. I am 100% willing to do whatever it takes to do so. 

Love you all! Keep on keepin' on, and remember how much a little Peruvian missionary loves you! Thank you for your support in all that I do. I'll continue to pray for you all SIEMPRE. 

Lotsa love, 

Hermana Clark

only a picture post this week

Me and Hna Celan before she left. ( I miss her)

Me and Hna Wagner met a member of the church from Holland that spoke english in our fave ice cream place! 

We get to spend a night with the nuevitas in the hotel their first night. That's one of the special things about this assignment that I love

AND we get to eat Papa John's pizza with them, and that was SOOO good. Fun times

also, lomo saltado (my fave) with quinoa (not my favorite, but I like it more every single time. :) 

Also, here I am with Edu, my favorite pal here in Peru. He just melts my heart and when ever I see him, I have a big smile on my face and so does he; he always breaks into smile when he sees me, and it makes my heart melt, like I said before. 

 I've been teaching Lucero english, and she has such a great desire to learn. She wrote in her notebook, on the title page "English" and then Profesora: Clark. SO CUTE. 

#blessed for being "made in America" 

my favorite girls

Hermana Valdebenito and I right after stake conference, she's from Chile, but she looks like she's from the states, right? And she looks a lil like Kylee Wagner for me. I really like her, she's super sweet. 

Ran into Italo from Quillabamba! That was a crazy sweet moment, I seriously love his family in Quilla, and so that was a sweet surprise.-

The beginning of the pictures of our adventure to Ollantayambo, other really popular touristy ruins here! It was BEAUTIFUL. 

 Expectation vs. reality. haha, trying to take a cool pic, and a stray dog steps in. Houston, we are in Peru. 

Las cuatro misioneras. 

Me and my comp

Me with Hermana Johnson, her and her husband are the senior missionaries here, and she is SO sweet. Learning really good spanish, she's been working hard. I love chatting with her in English

went a did service with the elders that we share the ward with, they're super cool. 

and the first people to arrive at our missionary work activity in the church, wahoo!