life is so good August 7 2017

Why hello sweet family, 

The sun is shining in Puno. We played soccer this morning, like we ALWAYS do every monday, and after a year and a half, I am still a lousy soccer player, haha. 

It's so crazy to think that I'll see my mom and dad next week. That is something so weird. I am so excited to have two more missionary companions with me(my Mom and Dad), that I love so much, for a week here in my mission. Is that the biggest blessing or what?

I've been thinking a lot about my mission lately, and it really feels like I have been here in Peru for my whole life. It's weird to think that the CCM was part of my mission, and being in quillabamba sweating in the heat feels like a different time in my life. Like, not my mission. I don't know, it's really hard to explain. 

This work has really become part of me, and yes, it makes me so sad to end being a missionary, but not horribly, because I know that God will give me opportunities to serve and share the gospel for my whole life! Even though, of course it's different.

This was a good week. Like I've said, this ending time has been stressful, especially with training two new hermana leaders and teaching them the sector, but it has been good. There are a lot of people that are progressing. We had 7 investigators come to church yesterday, and 10 the week before. 

Elder Uceda (that spoke at last general conference about prayer and the inca bridge) visited us this week, and he speaks WITH POWER. He invited the whole mission to repent, and was just throwing fire the whole time. I think it was really good for our mission to hear what he said. One thing I liked that he said is that Satan wants us to buy the lie that if we disobey, nothing will happen. He also invited us to be wise, and a lot of other things, but whenever he talked about being missionaries, and how sacred of a calling that is, it made me get all teary, and man, I just feel that so much. This time has been SO SPECIAL, the most special. 

This week, I got to meet baby Ian, the baby of Hugo and Adelaida. He was born two days after their baptism!! haha is that crazy or what? It was good that they were baptized that sunday, and we didn't wait another week, that was the spirit for sure! They were married, baptized, and have become parents ALL in the month of July. Something pretty darned special, I'd say. 

Going into my last week. Please pray for Hermano H, that he receives an answer to his prayers. 

Please pray for D, that she'll accept the date to be baptized on the 19th of August. 

Please pray for her mom, E that she will feel the desire to be baptized as well, and that her heart will be softened. 

Please pray for E and M as well, that their dad will allow them to be baptized. He came to church with them yesterday, it was the coolest thing! 

Please pray for P and R, a couple that have expressed their desires to be baptized in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints as of late, that they will endure to the end. 

Please pray for M, that she can leave drinking behind, and be baptized. 

Please pray for all of them! Plus my two sweet companions, Hermana M and Hermana Q.  

Well, I love you all, and continue to pray for you always always. 

I love my Savior Jesus Christ. 

I know this is HIS church, and HIS work. 

Love you all, 

Hermana Clark 

lil letter July 17 2017

So, this week was real good. A lot of wedding preparations, but  a lil of that every once and a while is good for you. (Or at least I hope so, because it has been STRESS this week) but everything should turn out really good. The wedding is today at 6 and so I'll send pics next week!

We had an awesome lesson with an investigator where she really opened up, and I LOVE those. 

There's a scripture in Matthew 18:11 that I have really come to love in my mission, and it says something like, 

"The Son of Man has come to save that which is lost"

Lots of people have expressed that to me, of "being lost" and not knowing their purpose, and THAT'S where the gospel of Jesus Christ comes in, because HE came to save those who are lost, and that is when I feel the importance of my calling so strong, because here as one of His missionaries, I get to represent Him, and help those that are lost find their way back to HIM. I felt the spirit so strong in that lesson, and I really love being a missionary. 

Short letter, but I just want you all to know how much I love you. 

Keep on keepin on. :)

Love, Hermana Clark

(Moms and Dad, I'll see you in a month, ahhh )

okay, a letter POR FIN.

I told myself I was not going to not write a letter again, so here I am trying to complete my commitment (how do you say that in english?)

Okay, I don't know how I haven't told you guys yet, because I have been SO excited about it, but we are going to have a wedding next monday! Surprise! I have no idea how I forgot to tell, that is bad. 

Their names are H and A, and they are a young couple, 24 and 25 years old that have been living together for 5 years, and they are awesome! Investigators of gold, I'm serious. Also, A is SUUPER pregnant, like she is due for the first week of August! But, we found them a few weeks ago (they are the bishop's neighbors), and we talked a lot about the family, and how they can be eternal, and the temple, and how it is there that we are sealed for eternity with our families. They just soaked.it.up. and at the end of the lesson, I felt prompted to challenge them to pray to ask God if they should be married before the birth of their baby (which is kinda crazy, I KNOW) I thought they would freak out, or act like it was impossible, but when I asked them if they would do it, they both calmly said, "Si, claro que si, oraremos" and so they prayed together that night. 

The next visit we went to their house and asked about their answer, and they said they felt really good about being married before the birth of their baby, so that he would be born to a father and mother, united as a couple in marriage. They said that they knew that would be the best thing. WHAT?! It was awesome! They just get it, and have been willing to make lots of sacrifices (like getting married so fast) to do what God would have them do. It has been awesome. 

So the wedding is THIS monday, can you believe that? I am going to do her hair, and I am SOSO excited. I LOVE WEDDINGS. 

Then, they will get baptized on the 22/07. I am so excited. I know that Heavenly Father is so happy for their decision too. 

This week I studied Elder Holland (BEST WEEK EVER) and I LOVE the talk, "are we not all beggars?"

I loved this part. 

A journalist once questioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta about her hopeless task of rescuing the destitute in that city. He said that, statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing. This remarkable little woman shot back that her work was about love, not statistics. Notwithstanding the staggering number beyond her reach, she said she could keep the commandment to love God and her neighbor by serving those within her reach with whatever resources she had. “What we do is nothing but a drop in the ocean,” she would say on another occasion. “But if we didn’t do it, the ocean would beone drop less [than it is].” Soberly, the journalist concluded that Christianity is obviously not a statistical endeavor. He reasoned that if there would be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine who need no repentance, then apparently God is not overly preoccupied with percentages.

Do ALL that you can, and the Lord will do the rest. That's one thing I am really trying to understand and apply more in my life: trusting in Him. 

I love you all, and pray for you every night. 

Love, Hermana Clark 

We had a conferencia with all the hermanas from the mission. 

Got to see sweet hermana barrientos. 

And Hermana Cruz, hermana bingham from my group is training her in La Granja 2 in quillabamba where I was trained! You all will get to meet her in Quilla, she is so cute!

When in Cusco...  Pizzas and icecream, yipee! I Hermana Allen.

Also, saw my hijita, Hermana Asang-sita. 

Happy Fourth of July!!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! Seriously, I've decided that fourth of July is my favorite day of the year, even more than Christmas. 

 We made root beer floats (with cocacola, bc rootbeer doesn't exist here) and cobler. (But, with a chocolate cake mix, oh well, haha. It was tasty anyways) If that's not american in peru, I don't know what is. 

I have to tell you how much I LOVE America. Being in Peru has made my love for America shoot past the stars. I LOVE that country, and I pray for the USA and the armed forces every night. I feel so grateful for all those serving our country, because like they say, "freedom isn't free". I feel so grateful to have grown up in a patriotic family, where the boys are boy scouts, and know how to take care of the flag and how to fold it, and my grandpa kip's ringtone was "Proud to be an american" for a good time when I was younger, SO awesome, haha. 

I am seriously SO proud to be an American, I never put it aside, it is something so apart of me. Please do not go taking what you have, to be born in a country of liberty, with so many privileges, for granted. 

Hermana Sonia's baptism. It was a beautiful night! She is so awesome, and I seriously love her a lot. 

We did a Zone fast for our goal for Julio. It has been taking some HARD work. But, with lots of faith and prayers, we will do a lot, and the Lord more than anything will help. 

Okay, how is this pole even standing? Houston, we are in Peru. 

All the jovenes playing the piano with me. haha

June 26 2017 I love good weeks

Went to Siustani today, some old ruins, and it was so cool!

I literally have technical difficulties every single stinkin week, and it is so darned frustrating. Ughh. I will NEVER miss internet cafes in Peru. 

So, how was this week everyone? We are coming into July, is that crazy or crazy? I cannot believe that. 

This week was the best. You will never regret working hard, and seriously nothing beats it in Puno. The work is alive here! 

Last night we had the Goals meeting, like we do at the end of every month with the stake. That meeting is the best thing ever, every stake in the world should have a goals meeting like that. What happens is we set a goal, and we talk about it with the Bishop, and then we make the final goal together. We had decided that 3 baptisms would be our goal, and so Bishop goes us to the stand to say our ward goal for baptisms to the stake leaders, and he says, "Our goal for baptisms this month is 8". EIGHT? Wait what. Me and my comp were whispering back and forth, like "what is happening? and "oh man, this is crazy". But, there are a few things that I learned this week, that have helped me understand that goal. 

1. I am not a missionary for the "Mormon Church". 

This is not the church of a man. This is not the church of Mormon. This is the church of Jesus Christ. That is way this work goes flying. One thing Presidente Soto said (our Stake president) is: This work is not going to stop, and is not going to fail.". Aint that the truth. It keeps moving, and man, am I SO grateful to be a part of a work like that. So, this is the church of JESUS CHRIST restored upon the earth, and so a goal of 8 baptisms is POSSIBLE. 

2. Elder Ballard said, (this is part of my study for this week with the apostles) 

"We can all be more consistently involved in missionary work, by replacing our fear with REAL FAITH." ALL members need to be constantly giving references to missionaries. THAT'S what makes 8 bautismos possible. That is what little barrio Huaynacapac does, I LOVE this ward. 

3. Hard work makes it happen.

Our zone is working hard for lots of baptisms for this month, because the last few months, not just the zone, but our whole mission has had very low numbers. We've just been in a drought, and it has been the most frustrating thing, because there is SO much work. 

Bishop told us after, "I don't know, I just know that we can do it" And even if we don't, the hard work we are putting in to be able to get it will be worth it every time. 

Okay, COOLEST thing. We found this guy this week, knocking on the door of one of our recent converts, and he answers the door, and he's this big black guy with a tattoo on his neck, and he tells us that he is from Venezuela, and this guys is a professional basketball player! Are you kidding me?! His name is E, and E lives in one room, on a mattress on the ground, with literally almost 0 possessions, BUT in those little possessions, he has a Bible! What? This guy read the whole bible last year, and has recently started his spiritually journey. We took him on a mini church tour last night, and oh my goodness, the guy is quoting the Bible the whole time! We agreed about everything,l and he believes a lot in how the spirit can fill us with light, and we can receive answers that way. Okay buddy, that's actually the exact message that we teach, oh man, it was gold. And get this, he really wants to be baptized, but never has been. GOLD. I'm tellin ya. So, we're working really hard with him. Also, with D, the friend of a missionary in the field that told her, "By the time I get home, you should be baptized". SO awesome. The faith of people here is incredible! 

I love my mission. We are working hard, and like I said, that is the best feeling. 

I know this is the church of Jesus Christ. I know it is SO true. 

AND I love you all so much! 

See ya in 50 days tomorrow, Mom and dad. (AHHHH) 

Gotta go, so much to do, and such little time! THIS is the work. 

Love, Hermana Clark

June 13, 2017 quick email

Sorry, I had to leave internet earlier, because it wasn't working, and so we just got to come back. 

Internet cafes in Peru are something I will never miss. 

For the last 12 weeks of my mission, I have been studying the words of the 12 apostles, one by one each week. It has been awesome for me to learn more of their words

This week I studied Elder Neil L Anderson, and something that I loved that he said was that spiritual questions deserve spiritual answers. So, if we have a question of the soul, like "where did I come from?", "why am I here?" or "where am I going?", or if we question God's love for us, or why bad things happen to good people, we should look for an answer spiritually. And so our sources would be reading the scriptures, praying, having spiritual experiences through going to church, etc. 

I also loved what he said about Joseph Smith. So many doubt and try to prove his story wrong. So many think that it would be impossible for man to talk to God once again, so they immediately reject it. They look for facts and information to prove it wrong, but I love what Elder Anderson says to those with doubts: 

In a future day, you will have 100 times more information than from all of today’s search engines combined, and it will come from our all-knowing Father in Heaven.Consider the totality of Joseph’s life—born in poverty and given little formal education, he translated the Book of Mormon in less than 90 days.Tens of thousands of honest, devoted men and women embraced the cause of the Restoration. At age 38, Joseph sealed his witness with his blood. I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Settle this in your mind, and move forward!

If this is you, settle those doubts and move forward. I KNOW Joseph was a prophet, and I get to talk about it every day!

I love you all family. I'm sorry this is short, but my time here also is short, and so again, if I don't get an email back to you, I'll talk to you real soon. :) The work here is so good, and we are trying to keep up with it. So please, I'm sorry for being a bad friend, i'll get back to you real soon. 

Love you all a million. 

Had to leave internet, and come back, because the internet wasn't working. aiyiyi. 

forgot to send these last week. I love this cute girl.

Puno is perfect, and I am so happy.

I feel so so blessed. Like, I have cried so many times FOR JOY in the last week. 

Okay, first of all. I LOVE my companion, and I feel so so very grateful to be with her for another change. That was definitely God-inspired. I feel so grateful to be in Puno where the work is flying, with a companion that does her best to keep up with it, and is flying right alongside it. It is seriously the biggest blessing.
I am also so happy and grateful (It also made me cry when she called and told me on the phone) that Hermana Bingham, from my group will go train and open sector in Quillabamba, in my dear sector that I spent 6 changes in, La Granja 2. That is craycray, and seriously such a blessing.
I know this work is real, and true, and I LOVE IT. Last night, we set a date with Solina, a devout Adventista, and I felt the spirit so strong tell me to "be bold". We invited her for the 24th, but she will be out of town, so she is getting baptized on the 28th of June, a Wednesday, which is a little strange, but we are SO determined to get her in white, and last night, the spirit in the room and in the lesson made it happen. Our Bishop accompanied us, along with his wife, and they are THE BEST. Seriously, Bishop throws some serious fire, but with a whole lotta love. THAT is how member missionary work should get done. It was awesome.
Juan, our convert is doing good. He came to church this sunday, but a little too late to pass the sacrament. Poor guy was a little bummed, but he'll get to pass it next week. :)
We did an activity this week, una "busqueda de tesoro",(scavenger hunt)  for a Mission Night, where we get together with the ward, and they invite their friends, and we play games, and share a message about the gospel. Investigators, recent converts, and members came, and they were in 3 teams. We hid clues around the church, and labeled different classrooms different names of cities in the Book of Mormon, and then the scriptures led them to different towns on their "journey". The very last clue led them to the chapel, which had a sign that said "eternal life". We talked about how the scriptures are our guide, how they are the "barra de hierro" that lead us back to our Heavenly Father's presence. There were also some who cheated in the game, and who tried to enter without having all 12 of the clues that we hid, and we later explained how there are requirements to be able to live with God again, how not everyone will be let in, because it will depend on how firmly we grasped the iron rod the whole way, or in other words, how faithful and enduring we were to the very end. Sure, we are saved by grace, but we should also be changed by grace, and that means that our bad habits should be made into good ones in this life, and that we should follow the example of the Savior seriously, with a heart converted to Him.
It was a really good experience. I love this ward, I really do.
Sports are just so God-inspired, you know what I mean? I was thinking about soccer this week (because we play a lot of that here) and just like any sport, you have to have good form. When you shoot a basket and you miss, there was something a little off with your form. Gotta bend your knees more, gotta follow throw, etc. When you swing a bat, TAMBIEN, gotta have good form, or you’re gonna strike out everytime. I was thinking about that with life, and how sometimes in life, we shoot for the stars, we throw the ball out, but we miss our goals and dreams, and the ball sometimes doesn’t even touch the rim. In those situations, it’s really important to ALSO analyze our form. What am I missing? What am I maybe not doing exactly right?

Those things could be keeping the Sabbath day holy, a more effective study of the scriptures (or if you aren’t studying, just a study in general), being kinder to your family member, more patience, etc. Ask yourself, “what’s wrong with my form?”

That being said, I hope you all have a great week, and especially now that it’s summer,  start new with good habits. 

You all are the best, I am so grateful for you!!

Love you lots and lots,

Hermana Clark

PS I’m sorry to all those that I haven’t written back. My time is running out here, and I’ll see you all by the end of the summer. (THAT’S crazy) Love you all! 

Me and my bff. We have another transfer together, and THAT is a tender mercy of the Lord if I've ever heard of one. 

The zone, last pic together, because SO many have changes. 

We went to the muelle (the docks) and they are seriously so beautiful.