Wednesday, February 11, 2015

And The Rains Came Down

Feb 9, 2015

Rain!
I can’t believe I am already writing another email. Time is passing unbelievably fast now and there is no way to stop it. I can’t believe we only have 2 more weeks in this transfer and it’s already February! This week the weather was completely opposite than it has been. Today people are walking around in sweaters and umbrellas because the last couple of days it has been raining like crazy and we just end up with soaked feet! haha They look like little white raisins at the end of each day!

We haven't been having a lot of success here with people to teach and so we decided to just go all out and knock doors until our hands fall off. It was amazing how fast knocking doors got old. NOBODY wanted to talk to us. It’s crazy, no one here likes to say no, so they always have another excuse, or they give you their information but the next time you pass by the hide! It was getting terribly frustrating, but the Lord is sweet. During my nightly prayers, I ask God if he would lead us to at least 1 person that would receive us and let us enter their home, just one! That's all I needed. The next day we started knocking doors.... and it was even worse than before! People were being rude and rejecting us left and right. We finally decided to pass by our investigator Adrielle, who I talked about last week, AND who will be baptized in 2 weeks!  As we were going to her house we passed by another house that I just decided to knock on, I don't know why, I just went to this house without hesitating.  A woman opened the door for us and was very kind and talkative. She was very interested in whom we were and she invited us to come in!! It was a direct answer to my prayer! The Lord led us to a beautiful family of a husband and wife with their 3 children! They love the idea of eternal families and are very receptive to us!

The Lord is so kind, and we have found many more people to teach after that moment. We just have to have the faith and work under the Lords time, not our own. We are having more and more success here in Planaltina. Take a guess at how many people we had yesterday at church. 105!!! We were totally worried that no one would come because it was cold and rainy and lots of people walk or take the bus. But they came! It was a great meeting block and we heard many powerful testimonies about the temple, because, last week they took a trip to São Paulo to the temple!

Oh, and for the last couple of weeks I have been playing the piano every Sunday...I still get way nervous but once again the Lords hand is in all things and I am able to play better and better each week! I love the Lord and I love his work! I just need to find a way to slow down the time. I love you all!


Elder Clark

Discoveries

 Feb 2, 2015

What a week. This week passed by super-fast but at the same time, when I look back on it, it seems like last P-day was forever away. But, what a great week it was! (P- Day is preparation day, the day missionaries prepare for the week – do laundry, grocery shopping and the day they write home.)

We had our zone conference and interviews with president where we watched ``Meet the Mormons`` which was incredible! I love it! I can’t wait to watch it in English because I know it will be even better! After we had training from the assistants and president! I LOVED presidents training. He had one part where he talked about Alma chapter 5. And I love Alma Chapter 5. I learned and discovered even more about one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. It’s amazing how you can always discover new things in just one chapter that you have already studied and studied and yet there is still so much more to learn! Then we had interviews.  During the interviews it started to hail! The weather here in Brasilia is crazy. We had to stay until everyone was interviewed. We did not leave until about 6 pm.

Shade!
During the week we walked a lot... like always. haha But, we found lots of new people to teach. The thing is that everyone is willing to let us in their home, but they are not receptive to our message. This is always the pattern. But as the Lord always provides a way to have success and blesses you for the work that you do. We have found a young women that is incredible. Well, we did not find her, she just kind of appeared. She showed up at church with her friend that is a less active member. Last week he was in the park when the other Elders passed by and he called them over and they talked for a little bit. The next Sunday, he was there in church, and he brought a friend! Her name is Adrielle. She is about 20 years old, she plays basketball, and she holds the Brazilian record for the 100 meter dash, and has gold medals for the Olympics....... and she does not have legs. She is in a wheelchair but is a 2 time Olympic champion. She LOVED church and we will go visit her Tuesday!

Companions
I learned a great lesson from my companion this week. One morning about 11:00, we were walking in the killer sun, I was so hungry and I started to complain a little. I wasn’t too happy. My companion kept joking around with me, telling me that the sun is a great thing and he was smiling and saying hello to everyone on the street. His example was very impressive. I stopped to think about how I was feeling and how terrible my perspective was. I started to think that if I am not HAPPY because of the gospel and this work then I am not living my life right, the way God wants me to live. Like it says in 2 Nephi 2:25; We are here to be happy. In that moment I changed my thoughts and the day was a great, fun day! Almost all of our appointments fell through, we walked almost the whole day and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky but it was a wonderful day! I love the mission and every lesson I learn.

I LOVE our time to study in the morning. This week was a great week of learning and discovering. I think I could write a whole book with my discoveries of the gospel during my mission. I love to study and I love to link everything together! The gospel is amazing and never ceases to blow my mind!

Speaking of new discoveries, I can’t believe my family is moving to Utah! I know that Mom and Dad have wanted to go there for a long time now, but Virginia is my home and I love it there! I am so grateful for the time I had to live there and for all the people that I love there! I am excited for a new adventure and can’t wait to see where it takes me.

All my love!
Elder Clark