20…

July 21, 2014

Happy Birthday Elder Clark

Man, I am 20 years old... I don’t know why but that is so weird to me.. haha My birthday this week was

great. We had interviews with our new mission president in the morning, then we worked during the day and at night we had a family night planned with some members in our ward that are good friends, but when we got there it turned out to be a surprise party for me! It was awesome, and we even had Ice-cream cake! All in all, it was a good 20th birthday in Brazil.

As for missionary work, we had a lot of heartbreak this week. Earlier in the week we weren’t able to work as much because I was a little sick, and Elder Xavier was REALLY sick, but he was tough and he worked through it. One of our investigators told us she wasn’t interested anymore more, which was killer, but we talked and she will still receive visits from us. We had to change the baptism of Celina and her girls because 1. She still is smoking and 2. They won’t come to church! Something always seems to come up. A family that is less active that we are working with are fighting right now and the wife is staying with her mom. This week has just been a lot of frustration! It’s crazy how strong Satan is and how for everything we try and do, he always throws something to destroy it.

Missionary Shoes!

We started something pretty cool this week. We call it ´´Day of Missionary´´, doesn’t sound as cool in English but it is! There are a lot of youth preparing for missions right now in our ward and so we started this day of missionary; which is literally that the young man spends the entire day with us. He arrives at our apartment at 8 am. He studies with us and then he comes with us to all our visits until 9pm at night. It’s pretty cool and a great way for them to learn the lessons and what being a missionary is before they actually are missionaries! We did one Saturday, and have another day scheduled for tomorrow with another young man!

Next week is transfer week and I am pretty nervous I’ll be leaving. I want to stick with Elder Xavier in Recanto for one more transfer! Pray that I will stay! Next Monday we will know. I love missionary work, even though it’s the hardest thing in the world.

Love you all!

Elder Clark

Whatta Tragedy

July 14, 2014

I solved it!
(Could it a coincidence with staying home all day?)

I think this week was one of the saddest weeks in Brazilian history... Of course the biggest news here is the terrible loss to Germany in the World Cup... The people here are taking it pretty well I guess, pretty much everyone laughs in disbelief. We were watching the first half and after Brazil allowed 5 Goals, which was one of the most unbelievable moments in my life... but we received a call that we needed to return home immediately... and good thing too because as we were walking home, a ton of people yelled and cussed at us… because I look German... but they yelled at me in English.. Calling me German... I don’t quite get that part but oh well. The good part is we arrived home without any trouble! The next day we had to stay in our house for the whole day... probably one of the longest days of my life.. haha But now the World Cup is over and work will start to be normal again. It’s a hard thing to do missionary work during the World Cup.

We lost a lot of days of work here this week BUT none the less we had some success this week. As of right now we have 7 people preparing themselves for baptism! We met Thiaze and Cima this week. They are a mother and a daughter. They are awesome and they really like the idea of eternal families. They are great and I can’t wait to see where they go!

Acai -  A Favorite Dessert

Still the hardest thing is getting people to come to church. I don’t know why that is the hardest thing for people but it is.. And it’s one of the most frustrating things too because you work all week to try and see them and church, and then your heart is broken when the meetings all end and they didn’t show.

As for me, I am doing great. What an incredible month July has been and it’s only gonna get better! I am excited for my birthday! (His Birthday is July 18^th) HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!! Ask Dad for your present from me tomorrow ;)

I love you all.

Until Next week!!

Elder Clark

New Mission President

Brazil Brasilia Mission

Mark C. and Gerri L. Lundgren

Mark Cameron Lundgren, 51, and Gerri Lugene Lundgren, four children, Clayton Ward, Colville Washington Stake. Brother Lundgren serves as a stake president and is a former high councilor, elders quorum president, ward Young Men president, Scoutmaster and missionary in the Brazil Recife Mission. President and CEO, M.C. Lundgren Inc. General Contractor. Born in Provo, Utah, to Donald K Lundgren and Carol Marie Watkins.

Sister Lundgren is a former ward Relief Society president, counselor in a ward Young Women presidency and ward Relief Society compassionate service leader. Born in Highland Falls, N.Y., to Garry Ralph Ballestrazze and Gloria Jean Jones.

RUMO AO HEXA! (Road to Six)

July 7, 2014

This upcoming week will either be the happiest week for Brazil or the saddest. Brazil is one of 4 teams left in the FIFA World Cup and it looks like they could win their 6th championship. They will play tomorrow against Germany and if they win they will play the championship this upcoming Sunday. Now that my home team lost, I will be cheering for Brazil with everything I got like a true blooded Brasileiro! 

Elder Clark and Elder Xavier
Service Project

This week was great. The highlight has been Celina and her two daughters. We have been working with them and they are set to be baptized July 20th. Every time we visit, it’s hard to leave because they just want to talk and talk and talk. Celina always says that she loves the spirit in her home when we are there, so she never wants us to leave. We gave a short lesson on the gift of the Holy Ghost and how she can have that feeling always with her. She is so excited. She has some obstacles though. Mainly smoking but we are working with her to quit! Last time we visited, we made a deal with the three of them never to drink coffee again, and Celina stood up and dumped her cup of coffee out the window. They are so great and I am excited for their progression. Her two daughters are gems too. So funny and will talk to you the whole day if you let them, and you won’t have to say a word. haha

Service Project

The hardest obstacle for us and investigators is getting to church. I don’t know why this is so hard but it’s our biggest challenge right now. We have the most INCREDIBLE people we are working with. They read the Book of Mormon, they are progressing, but then when Sunday comes around. They don’t show! Ahhh, it’s the most frustrating thing in the world. 

We have a new Mission President; President Lundgren from Washington State! He came here with his wife and his 15 year old son, Wade. They seem incredible! We had a meeting with them Tuesday, President served a mission in Brazil so his Portuguese is pretty good, but his wife and son don’t speak at all. But I know they will learn. He has a great vision for the Mission and he gave us 4 things that we will focus on.

1. Baptisms

2. Personal Conversion of the Missionary

3. Reactivation

4. Retention of New Converts. 

 Not necessarily in that order. He spoke a lot about how at this time in Brazil, reactivation is huge because there are a lot of members here who have wondered off. I love working with less actives and I am excited to focus more on that aspect of missionary work! 

Life is good here in Brazil. I think this week was probably the hardest week of my mission in terms of homesickness, with my family being together at Aspen Grove, The 4th of July, and The fact that I am mais or menos half way through my mission. Man it was tough, but it’s a new week and I am ready to work! I love this Gospel and know it’s the only way for true happiness, even if it’s hard.

Love you all

Elder Samuel Clark

Casa Blanca

June 30, 2014

As a missionary, you never know what the day holds when you miserably roll out of bed at 6:30 in the morning. Elder Xavier and I have had many strange and many spiritual experiences together this week, that make this adventure all worth it! 

Elder Xavier and Elder Clark

A huge change is happening in the ward here, when I first arrived, I felt like this ward was completely dead, like the members only showed up on Sundays. But, recently and I give a lot of credit to Wellington (the new Elders Quorum Pres.) for this transformation, but recently the members have been spectacular! There were a couple times this week when we passed by a home of a struggling member and the home teachers or other members where already there! We have had members, mainly the young men, come out with us on visits almost every day this week. We see other members leaving together to make visits or staying after church to plan activities. It has been great to see all this! This week we had an activity with the youth of the ward about missionary work! That was great too! The youth don’t have weekly youth nights but I think they will start to have them soon. 

Youth Group

We met a wonderful woman and her 2 young daughters this week. Our first visit was a little strange because she told us she felt evil spirits in her home, but we taught her the restoration and dedicated her home and she told us she could feel the difference in the spirit in her home now. She came to church this Sunday and she and her two girls loved it. The ward was incredible with helping her, sitting with her during meetings, showing her where to go. We practically did nothing for her during church. 

One night we were walking to an appointment and a completely wasted man talked to us, and he actually spoke pretty good English. We left him after he would let go of my hand and was singing U2 to me...

I tell people here that I am from Washington DC because no one knows where Virginia is. When I say that, they always respond asking if I know President Obama.  No, I don’t live next to the Obamas.  But, we did have a really neat experience with a big, white house this week. This house is giant I am talking mansion! It’s in the middle of Recanto and it is 4 stories high and is just huge. We walked up one night to meet the people that lived there because we heard they had listened to the missionaries before. As we were walking up, some kids on the street were yelling at us not to go in cause we will die... great, it’s haunted too. haha Well we rang the doorbell and this middle aged man came down the stairs and welcomed us by saying ``Hello Elders´´. So now we know this man is familiar with missionaries. We walk into the kitchen of the house and there is a little 7 year old at the table, I ask her what her name is, Sofia. Then I ask the man what his name was and he says ´´Brandon`` in a completely AMERICAN way. Whoa ... that was weird. So now we are in a haunted house, with an American.. super confused. He then brings us into the living room where a middle aged woman is sitting. She welcomes us and is obviously Brazilian. She then mentions that Brandon served a mission here in Brasilia 15 years ago. OK, OK rich American, less active, moved to his mission and married a girl here, got it. Nope, Wrong. haha We then ask if they are married and they just laugh and say no. Turns out that Brandon is just a friend of the family and he is visiting for the World Cup. The woman, Michelle, is the daughter of the owner of the house. The owner is in Italy on a business trip and Brandon was just there for that night. What a coincidence. Turns out this family always had missionaries in their home but a couple years ago, they stopped coming. The family is not members of the church but are very friendly towards it. It was real cool to meet this family and I can’t wait to work with them more. 

                Wow, that was really long and I am outta time. I just want to mention Clifton and Eva. They are a beautiful couple that I am sure will be great members of the church. They are super young but are super prepared. They aren’t married but are working on that right now. Today they are trying to get the paper work. It takes about a month to process but in a month they will be members of this church! 

Love you all and sorry for the novel!!

Elder Clark