Bangui

                                           

JULY 15

Mama I sure do love and miss my family but let me tell you!!!! the week has been great and the days just keep getting better and better. The mission is so much fun that for sure and ill tell ya why

 

So the Philippines is the coolest place in the world and so darn beautiful. Today for our p-day it is Elder W's b-day and we went to the beach and to the huge windmills and I will send you some awesome pictures. I am surrounded by a jungle and in the middle of this jungle is just the town of Bangui and Elder M and I are doing pretty dang good work. The AP's came by Saturday to drop off furniture so no we finally have an iron and some desks and I don't have to live out of a suitcase anymore so that was really a good gift for us all haha. Life is good. Laundry is all by hand and its not the funnest thing ever but its not that bad, and Elder G is from the Philippines and he is seriously the best cook ever. He cooks lunch and dinner for us everyday just because he loves to cook. He wants to be a cook after his mission so we are all super lucky to have him. The food here is so good and Elder G just cooks straight up delicious Fillipeno dishes. I have already tried so much food. I have rice with every single meal and that is probably the best part. I crave rice throughout the day, and I eat so much. mama, remember how I said I was kinda nervous because I am not the type to eat that much, and Colbie knows what I mean by that too haha but anyways, I eat so much here and Elder G just cooks the best food. Every time I eat I just think about how much dad would love to be with me trying the weird food that tastes so good. but really rice is with every meal and it is the best, I will eat rice for the rest of my life. and people here do not use knives, they just use forks and spoons so they hold the fork in the left and to scoop the rice and meat and veggies on the spoon. Its weird but it works way better haha. 

So Sister Grandma is the best lady in the whole world. she was baptized about 7 years ago and she loves going out and working with the missionaries , so we teach at the least 3 lessons with her a day and we have 3 baptismal dates with her family members and we are in the process of teaching a lot more of her family, she has like 200 members of her family here haha. Elder M and I have a baptism this Wednesday and I am way excited. She is 10 years old and her family is really interested to but her mom and dad aren't married so they have to get married before they can get baptized but they haven't said they wanted to get baptized yet but they are super interested. But anyways, the daughter who is 10 didn't want to wait and she wanted to get baptized as soon as she could so we taught her everything and this Saturday she is getting baptized. 

Also some investigators I love teaching are B and K and they have two little kids but they aren't married either but they are planning on getting married so they can get baptized and someday go through the temple. B needs her fathers signature for the marriage and he wont give it to her so we fasted yesterday and hopefully they can get that signature. They are about 23 years old and they are an awesome family and they are way pumped about the gospel. 

Tagalog is hard but so fun. Everday gets a little better and Elder M is a good trainer and he makes me teach a lot even though I can't speak super well. I know a lot more then I did last week though and that is pretty cool. My goal is that by the end of my six weeks that I have enough language and could be well on my way to train someone else coming into the field. Tagalog really is coming though, I have a lot to learn and I am far from fluent but in the lessons it is getting a lot better and I am doing a lot more then just bearing my testimony. It is so fun teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. understanding is probably the hardest part though because they talk super fast and it is really hard to pick up words but its coming and it gets better and better everyday. Sister Grandma is also fluent in English because she lives in Hawaii most of the year so that helps me. She is seriously the nicest lady and has been such a big help in learning the language and just making me feel welcomed to the Philippines. I know the Lord will help me with the language and I can already see the blessings being poured upon me, and I feel the spirit so much throughout the day and I love the people here so much.

The dogs here are so weird. There are so many dogs and so many tiny little puppies all around everyday, haha It is a little gross but so funny because I have seen some of the weirdest breeds. The other day I saw a begal shaped body and like a black lab face. haha It was funny but yeah all the dogs just roam around and they are everywhere. The people love me because I am white. It actually is an advantage, a lot of people will let us come into the house because I am tall and white. I get told I am handsome a lot because I am white haha Its really fun. This week has really been such a great week. Everything is so so so cheap in cost. The weather is real hot and I just carry around my sweat rag all day like everybody else because I am just sweaty all day haha. I cut my own hair today with Elder W, haha it was pretty fun. The beach and the windmills were so awesome and the scenery here is just unbelievable I cant even describe it but I know that I am super lucky to be here in the pines. 

Hows dad and his pilot license? How are all my siblings. Let me know about Aunt N when you know. 

I love this gospel so much and I love being a missionary. There is just something about putting that name tag on everyday that gives you the confidence and energy to thrash the people with the spirit and work your tail off to bring others unto Christ and into the waters of baptism. The church here is in a little meeting house and my goal before I leave is to get a chapel built here and it looks like I will be in Bangui for about 6 months so I am so stoked to work hard here and make this place so much better then I found it. 

\mama life is so good. 

Happy Days, All is Well

your son, brother, and friend

Elder Clark

July 7, 2013

Mama and family!:)

So I don't really know where to start. Life is good but man the mission is very difficult. Mainly because of the language and that I don't really understand much at all that is being said but I know that through the Lord and through hard study that the language will come. They just talk very fast and their accent is hard to understand. The good thing is that their second language is English so they can understand that pretty well but not really speak it. So my companion and I both use a lot of taglish. Elder M is my companion and we are in Bangui and he is a Fillipeno from Canada! He didn't know any Tagalog before coming into the mission so he still has a struggle with the language but he is very talented. He has been out for 6 months and he is really a great teacher and he knows his stuff. There is this lady that we call sister grandma and she is just the sweetest old lady and she comes with us some of the days to work because she just takes us to all of her family and just whoever and she is my translator haha. But I really am trying to speak as much Tagalog as possible. So in Bangui, the area I am in is just so beautiful, and Laoag is just so amazing I cant even describe how beautiful it is. So here in Bangui is actually a new area. Missionaries haven't been here teaching for a long while now and Elder M and I are the first to serve here in a long time so we are opening it back up and we have a bunch of work to do. We have a pretty nice apartment you could say, we actually have a shower, its super cold but its a shower and that is nice. And we have an alright toilet you could say haha anyways there isn't really any nice stuff around here but I sure do love it. So we are in the central part of Bangui and there is a little market for food and a couple little shops and what not for basic needs. Everybody just lives super close by here and central which is really nice because we don't walk that much a day because everyone just lives right by everybody. It is like a little town of shacks and cement houses. Some houses are nicer than others but its pretty poor here. The people are so nice and really loving. They love the tall white boy. Everywhere I go there are kids or adults looking at me and smiling, or just flat out staring because I'm white or maybe its because I am so darn good looking. Probably the first one haha. We live with two other missionaries as well who are opening up the other side of Bangui so we split the Bangui area in half and we got the "city" part and they got the "country" part. We had church in a building. They don't have a chapel because there is only 4 melchezidek priesthood holders and we need 15 to have a chapel! So that is our goal. We need men! There are about 13 women in the ward and right now since we have gotten here and had 3 days of real work in the field, we have 14 investigators and 2 baptismal dates!! It has been really awesome and the people love hearing the gospel. The hardest part is that investigators have to go to church four times before they can get baptized because it shows commitment. And 2 of our investigators showed up to church which was really good. I don't have much time to write at all because I had to email my mission pres as well. MAMA life is good here and I am sorry that this email really is not a good one, I just dont have much time but I love receiving your emails and hearing about what is going on at home.I am so glad to here about Rendens mission call and Tyler emailed me to and he said some really great words. I sure do love you all and it is pouring rain like crazy out here and I am super excited to go to work!! Please pray for me specifically for this language. It is very hard and it gets to me. I know I will be okay. Elder M and the other elders are great trainers for me even though at times I think they could be a little more obedient but we will see how things go, Its only been about 4 days in the field. My mission presidents are funny as funny can get haha. anyways mama I got to go and I love you and I hope you have a great week.!!!

So it looks like I have a little more spare time to write. I just wanted to send one quick little note saying how much I love this gospel and how I can already see the the blessings pour down into my life. This work is powerful and the language is not a barrier for the spirit. Tanner--- I am working the very hardest I can. I washed my clothes by hand haha and I know you would be proud of me if you were my companion for the day. Thanks for your example because it helps me push myself to work as hard as I can. Mama, There are so many trees, like jungle trees and it is just green everywhere. I will send pictures next week. I love everything about this gospel and the Philippines. Everybody just lives in like tin shacks on dirt with dirt floors or they have cement houses. It is so amazing and I am happy and I love this work even though it is so dang hard. Anyways I have to go but I love you all with all my heart and I want you all to know that I am a missionary serving my God to bring people unto Christ and to his one true church. This is Gods one true church and I love being a missionary and someday everybody will here this message.

Elder Clark

                                         MTC District

                                        Elder Clark and Elder T

                                         Study, Study, Study!

June 28, 2013

Pamiliya ko!

 

Mama, thank you so much for the email this week and for letting me know everything and keeping me updated. I sure do love my family and I care about you all so much. Family is central to Gods plan and I love all of you so much. I am really taken back to hear about Aunt N, that is not easy news for anybody to hear. I am so proud of R and I know he is being a great example by serving a mission and he is a great older brother. Jesus Christ is the only person who knows exactly how feel at every moment of the day. He has gone through what we have gone through so in times like these all we can do is rely on the Atonement to be able to bring in the feelings that we want to feel. I know he can take away our pain even in the hardest times. I will pray for the family. I dont know really what to say about that except that I will pray and have faith.

 

My p-day is going great so far and I have really enjoyed my last week here at the MTC. As I get closer to the field I get a little more nervous about the language. I don't know, I feel like a I know a lot but I really don't think I know enough but I know the Lord will bless me. This week has been great, it has been really fun to be able to get the new districts on their feet and comfortable with the MTC. I am going to miss all these Elders and Sisters that I have met here , they are all so awesome. I am really excited to head out into the field and MAMA I actually leave on Monday! I fly out at 11:30 and I will probably be calling you before then sometime on dads cell phone. It will be great to hear your voices and be able to chat for some time. What a blessing it is that they let us do that!!! This week has been a little overwhelming just because we leave in two days but at the same time I  am so ready to go and so excited for the adventure ahead. I have had the wonderful opportunity to give 3 priesthood blessings this week and oh man I love using the power of the priesthood. Its so powerful and so amazing. All of the sisters want one today before we leave to the mission field so that will be a really cool experience for us Elders. I love my personal study time in my day, it is probably the best part of the day and I love being a missionary. I have never felt so close to my savior in my life.

 

Mama thank you for all that you do, I love you and miss you. Tell T and K I love them too and I hope ya'll are having a blast over there. I cant wait to talk with you on the phone! MUCH LOVE

 

Elder Cory Clark
I just feel the need to share something really quick, I am not just serving a mission because it is the right thing to do. I am serving a mission to build up the kingdom of God and Heavenly Father has given me the power to do so and I will use that power and I will bring others unto Christ and Eternal Life. We are here in this dispensation at this time because we are the army that God wants on the Earth right now. We need to build up the Kingdom of God and Gods plan is perfect for every soul and it is beautiful. I am going to work so hard. I have been taught by you and Dad to work hard and give it my all and I am going to use that example and work the hardest I can to build up Gods kingdom........... And that is why I am excited to leave on Monday for the Philippines.

June 22, 2013

Wow this email was really fun for me to read. Coop!!! I love you little brother so much and I am so proud of you. You are a such a stud and so talented. I really wish I could watch you play your senior year of football but Its all good, I cant wait to hear the news. Heavenly Father has really blessed you with some amazing talents and you have done a great job of using them. You are a great young man and I know you are a big example to a lot of kids and I love you little brother and miss you. So mama, I got the scrapbook and I love it! you really did an amazing job with that. You had pictures in there that really made my day. Thank you for putting one of all the aunts and uncles and cousins and my friends too! I have enjoyed looking at it! I have recieved my shoes and all the packages you have sent, including the medicine. If you would like to send me my wazzu baseball cap, I would really love that. But other then that you all have spoiled me so much since I have been here and I appreciate it! Much love family. I did get a letter from tanner and that seriously just made my day, I loved getting a letter from him and I am so happy to hear he is doing so well. I really miss my brothers but I am so glad they are doing well. Back to cooper, I am so jacked to hear about his success at camp, i know he will play college ball somewhere, he just has so much talent. I bet it was great seeing uncle odie and aunt sou nay. Tell the rest of my siblings that I am proud of them and love them too!

 

So for me, Tagalog is awesome. It is so mahirap (difficult) but i am improving everyday. yesterday Elder T and I went to teach our investigator and we really had the coolest experiance. We got in there and we sat down and we just started talking, like having a full on conversation about his family and his job and why we are here serving a missions and how are day has been and what we had done that day already. We talked about just normal things and it was really cool to see and experiance being able to just have a conversation with someone. We then started with a prayer and gave a great lesson and commited him to baptism, yes the investigators are just playing a role but it is still a really awesome experiance. Teaching is really fun even though it is hard. I feel like I need more time in the MTC because Tagalog is still super hard but its okay, I think i know a lot more then I think.

 

Being a Zone Leader has been a huge blessing and really fun. We dont have APs in the MTC so Elder T and I have had quite a bit of stuff to do this week but it really has been enjoyable. The new Elders and sisters that came in are awesome and they are all starting to get out of there shell and its always fun getting to know new people. As zone learders Elder T and I had the oppurtunity to sit the new districts down and just talk with them for a good hour and to just teach them what they need to know about the MTC but most importantly just make them feel welcomed and loved. I loved being able to share my experiances that I have had already and just to be able to give them advice and let them talk and feel the spirit. This week has really been a great week and I love the MTC it is a great place to prepare and I feel that I have already grown so much and its all because of the people around me and because of Heavenly Father.

 

So I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS and I fly out of Salt Lake airport at 1130 am and then i fly to san francisco california and then from there to tokyo japan and then japan to manilla philippines. I CANT WAIT!! I am so pumped, hahah me whole district yesterday was just so excited to get the flight plans. Even though some of us are split up which is really sad because my district is like my family. They are with my pretty much all day everyday and we all have gotten so close witheachother.

 

Yes watch the broadcast, I am way excited and I will be in the choir by Elder R in my navy blue suit and i dunno what tie but for sure a fresh one. haha

 

Pamilyia ko, Alam ko po na totoo an simbahan ni Jesu Cristo at Alam ko po na mahalaga ang panalangin at pagbabayad sale ni Jesu Cristo. Mahal ko kayo at mayroon po tayong mabuti linggo!!

 

I lOVE YOU!!!!!!!

 

'ELDER CLARK