Picture post

My compi finished her mission this week. That is crazy! My new comp is Hermana Barrientos, can't wait to meet her. 

 Noche Blanca en Vista Alegre

We had 4 baptisms this week. 

1. Elita (here she is with her family and her dad baptized her. He was less active, but we've been working with their family for a good while) 

Is she just the cutest or what?

2. Adalia got baptized as well. She is 9 and her family is getting active in the church again. I adore her, and in her testimony after her baptism, she said, "The Book of Mormon is true. And I know that because...because I feel it in my heart". THAT is how you know. She is so so good. 

 Hermana Ruth and her daughter Valeria were baptized too. (Lucero wasn't quite ready, but I KNOW she will be soon) They are so strong. 

Here they are right after their baptism. :) 

Noche Blanca and having 4 baptisms was such a special experience that I will never forget.

 ROSITA. 

This girl is crazy, never leave me alone, haha. I love her too much, and this week she told my comp, "when you grow up, you can wear shoes like Hermana Clark" She is always trying to tickle me or climb on me, always giving me kisses and hugs, or telling me secrets, and she is just so precious. 

My fam is having puppy fun, and so am I. How cute is Adalia with a puppy? That's just too cute to be true. 

Valeri makes me laugh all the time, she is so funny, and gave the opening prayer at the baptism this week. She calls me Hermana Joselina (I have no idea why, and it cracks me up.)

UN ANO, how bout that?

These girls crack me up. Oh my goodness, you would love R. She is HILARIOUS. (she´s the one that's laughing in the pic.) Seriously, when I am with her, I think, "Cole would love her", she makes me laugh so hard all the time, and is just so genuine and sweet like Lincoln Jay.
We had a lesson this week with L and V where V decided to be my compi Hna Alburqueque, and L was "Hermana Clark". They decided that THEY were going to teach us about diezmo, and it was so funny how she picked up on some of my mannerisms. She did her best to talk like a gringa, and she said, "ohh my guuudness", and talked with her hands, like I do. It was so funny, and it was a really cool lesson too, to see how much they have learned. And I don't know, it also showed me how much those two precious little girls were watching us, and how we always need to set a good example. I was proud of the way that L imitated me, haha, and when she acted up, and got a lil sassy (classic for her), her mom said, "that's not how hna Clark acts" and L said, "Soy Hermana Clark, renovada". oh brother...hahaha
THEY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY. 



Cusquitocan anyone get tired of that view?









Well, I'm an oldie now.
I have been in PERU for a year now. How is that possible?
So, one year in the misión, and "wiser too".... here's a lil bit from Hermana Clark to you all:
 This week I taught a few lessons where I seriously had to stand up for what I believe. That doesn't happen all the time, in this wonderful country, where just about everyone believes in God. The first was a woman named Conci, who belongs to an Evangelist church. That church is interesting for me, because they really do teach a lot of truths, there's just a few things that are a lil' off. We had been visiting her,I guess she didn't realize that we were, "Mormons" when we told her that we were missionaries from The Church of Jesús Christ of Latter Day Saints. She freaked out when we started to talk about the Book of Mormon (because we started with the plan of salvation, and she loved it, and agreed with all that we had said), but she said, "YOU'RE MORMONS? I don't receive Mormons or Jehovah's witnesses. I will never worship Joseph Smith, and read a book that he wrote".
I was like *facepalm*.
1. We don't worship Joseph Smith. We worship God, and his Son, Jesús Christ is the head of our church.
 2. Joseph Smith didn't write The Book of Mormon.
But, she was just so stuck in the rumors that she had heard before that I knew that now, she wasn't listening to a word we were saying like she had listened before. All she wanted to do was argue, and I didn't want to argue. But,I testified with my whole heart, and I testified of the reality of Christ's church on the earth today. I was really straight forward, and creo que la quemé un pocito.
We ended and afterwards, I told my comp, "I felt the spirit so strong in that lesson" and she agreed, and I told her she spoke with the Spirit and it was powerful, and she told me the same. But, nothing happened with Hermana Conci.  She was still so stubborn at the end of the lesson, and didn't want anything to do with us. We came to the conclusión, that as missionaries, our words can go as far as her heart, but if she doesn't open it, she will never change.
----->ll It's like this. Nothing that I ever say will enter into the hearts of anyone, if they don't want to feel it. It takes the desire of that person too.
The spirit is what touches the hearts of us all.
Another was Antio, a teenager that doesn't believe in God. (not common at all here) My compi was so thrown off, and she told me after, "I have never met someone that doesn't believe in God".
Isn't that something so beautiful about Peru? A belief in God and the Savior. I felt the Spirit so strong in that lesson too, and he was VERY ornery the whole time. But I felt there was a little opening to his heart, unlike the other lesson with the hermana.
It would be easy to get discouraged in these situations, but it doesn't discourage me one bit. Because in both opportunities, I felt even stronger of the reality of God, that He really does love his children. That The Book of Mormon is NOT the mormon bible, (but thanks for that attempt) but is Another Testament of Jesús Christ, and His ministry to his "other sheep" (John 10:16) in the American continent. And that the Church of Jesús Christ of Latter Day Saints IS the church that Jesús established when he came to the earth and called 12 apostles and gave them the priesthood, or the power of God.
It so is, I have no doubt.
Antio was trying to give me some ant-mormon info, and I said, "Antio, you can't change my mind"
God is real, I know it.
The church is true. I know it.
The Book of Mormon is true. I know that too.
Joseph Smith was called to restore the church in these latter days. Without a doubt.
Jesús came to the earth so that we might live with our Heavenly Father again. TRUE.
 So, don't be discouraged when you share what makes you happy (the Góspel), and people tell you no. Or tell you that you are wrong. Or have a whole lotta information to prove the góspel wrong. Because if that experience didn't help them, it will surely help you, if you be brave and stay strong.
Also, there's a hymn in spanish called "Hoy sembramos la semilla"
It says:,
Hoy sembramos la semilla: una bien, la otra mal;
una entre tierra buena, otra entre pedregal;
en terreno preparado una parte se sembró;
otra parte no dio fruto, y entre piedras se quedó;
Or in other words:
Today we plant the seed, one well, another not quite
One in good soil, another in rocky soil
The one that was planted in prepared land started to grow
But, the other didn't give fruit, and in rocks it stayed (and nothing happened)
 Interesting, no? We can plant as many seeds as we want, but if we plant in rocky soil, nothing happens. There are those that are ready, and others, not quite. But, as the soil of their hearts begin to soften, that seed that you planted will begin to grow.
I love this scripture:
Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
You are strong and you are brave, and will receive what you put in.
Don't be discouraged and don't give up.
The BEST is yet to come, and that applies to your efforts in sharing the góspel as well.
Oh, I love you all so much. More than you know.
That is my one year rant for you.
I love this country, and I intend on making the very most of every day I have left.
We have 5 baptisms this weekend, so SO excited.
I love my misión.
Oh está, todo bien,
Hermana Clark

oh yeah, and the above pic. A few hermanas stayed with us this week, and we got locked out of our bathroom. Of course the doorknob cant be picked (good ole Peru) and so I climb through the opening above the door, and used a belt to unlock the door. Don't ask how, but it was a good success, and that's just another lil' thing that can happen as a missionary in Peru.

I worked in divisiones with Hermana Valdebenito. I really like her, she's from Chile, and has gone through a lot in her life, and is just such a powerful example to me.

Heavenly Father sometimes works in the last minute

Okay, I'll write a lil' more in this email for my blog. 

Hermana R and her children are my miracles. I'm serious, they make life so so fun for me, and I loved painting their house this week. They had bought spray paint, and we decided to do a tree on the wall, and I have never been super talented art-wise, nor had I used spray paint like that, but was like, "how hard can it be?" and we along the elders painted a tree on the kid's room wall, and Hermana R is obsessed with it, I'm serious she can't stop talking about it. I have to admit I do think it came out pretty dang cute. I mean, spray paint, people! Who knew? And that's something really special that I'll get to leave with them, that cute lil tree on their wall. It was so so fun.

SERVICE PROJECT EN LA CASA DE HERMANA R. 

Wow, have I told you that I love this family? Seriously, they have stolen my whole entire heart. 

Hermana R wanted to paint her daughter's room, and so we went to paint with the elders. The girls are crazy, and there was paint fight galore. Oh my, it was so fun, and they are so funny. 

 

(Lucero is not amused in this pic, haha she's an honary one. PS how do you spell that?) I LOVE THEM. 

 

The elders who share our ward are so great too, and R's son is their investigator, so we are all working hard with that family. Hermana R and her daughters are getting baptized on the 18th of March. 

Also E, (I sent pics of her last week) will be getting baptized on the 18th as well. And also, A, I think I've talked about her too. We are looking to have 5 baptisms on the 18th, and I am so so excited. We are praying hard for them in this time. 

Well, this Sunday was crucial with their baptismal date. An investigator has to have attended church 3 times before being baptized, and all of our investigators needed to attend this sunday for their March 18th date. When church started, only E was in the church, and I was like, "shoot, where are they?" We had gone in the morning to wake them up, and remind them, and they still hadn't came. After the sacrament, me and my comp went into a classroom and said a prayer for our investigators, and that they would be able to arrive. As I said the prayer, I felt the need to say, "Heavenly Father, help us to be happy what ever happens, and that our investigators can be baptized in your time." We went back into sacrament meeting, and still no one had arrived. I was l like, "Heavenly Father, please help me to not cry if they don't come."

It was  9.45, and our phone buzzes, and it's a text from the elders that we share the ward with, and the text says, "Hermana R is behind you". I turn around, and there's Hermana R, with V. And right as I turn around, A and her mom come walking in the door, what in the world?! I was like, "If this real life?" Heavenly Father wants them to get baptized. I am so excited. It was the last minute, but they made it, it was a miracle. 

I said -  I have to tell that to my family!

Okay, I love you all lots! Have the best week! This week is March 8th. 

LOVE YOU ALL TO THE MOON!

Love, Hermana Clark

Multi-Zone conference

Quillabamba came to town, so I got to see some of my pals from my other zones. 

A pic of some of the missionaries from our zone Inti Raymi. 

Me with my two favorite girls L and V

We made brownies at Hermana Johnson's house. 

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!