August 24, 2014

Hey mama and family:) so transfer week has happened and I will no longer be companions with Elder E which is really sad because he has been a great companion and our work together has been very blessed by the Lord but he that is how life goes in the mission field. I am still here in Bacarra which is a big blessing and Elder E is going to Cagayan to the farthest point of the mission just like we guessed haha. My new companion is Elder H he is a Hawaiian and I have met him before, we actually are already really great friends. He is older then me in the mission so it is going to be another really good transfer of missionary work. he is from Hawaii and he really is a kind Elder, i am excited to work with him and yes we are still Zone Leaders.

My week was really great though and it was a a good last week with Elder E. He is pretty sad to leave though because we have 3 baptisms in 2 weeks so he s a lil bummed that he has to miss those but its all good, at least they are getting baptized cause that is all that really matters. Lat night was Sunday night and we went on splits with the members and 3 members went with me and 3 members went with Elder E and all the fellow shippers were young men and return missionaries. How fun is that? gosh bacarra really is the best and the ward here is so great and they just want to work and work and help us and we take it to our advantage and we just teach and involve the members in every way that we can in our missionary work. I cant explain the love that i have for my investigators but also the love i have for the members is so great as well. I love walking in to the church and just making members laugh and having fun with them and then also showing the side of " i am missionary so lets go to work" and they come with us and the testify and teach as well and we help them and they help us and because of that, our ward had four baptisms on Saturday and we will be having 3 more in two weeks. Working with the members is the key to missionary work. I love the ward that i am with and my heart is here in Bacarra ward for now, they are who i am trying to build up and help grow. We are helping 4 young men go on missions right now and we are having them come work with us and we are teaching them before we teach the investigators and we are giving them parts to teach and they just do a great job. The best part about it is that they WANT to do missionary work and they want to come with us and it has been such a blessing for me while i have been here in bacarra, This morning at 6 am about 10 of us all played bball at the church. Two tall white guys and 8 small Filipinos who can ball super well. And while we play basketball we just laugh and make jokes but play hard and it is all in Tagalog and I just cant get enough of it. The feelings I feel as a missionary are indescribable and I love missionary work. Just imagine having an investigator who has a concern and then you are teaching the and asking them questions and then you find their real concern and you help them overcome it by using a story from the scriptures or an experience but you feel the spirit and they feel the spirit and they follow their commitment and they read the Book of Mormon and they come to church and fall in love with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they are baptised. It is the best work known to man and that is because it is the work of God. He is my boss and this is his business and I know that I am entitled to his help and I know he is helping me and leading me in the work. Don't worry about me because I am happier then i have ever been in my life and I know I am a missionary of God. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true Church and I know that a man will get closer to God as he reads the Book of Mormon. I know that the work I am doing is the work of salvation to the children of men and I love being a missionary. I am grateful for the examples i have had in my life, especially with kuya (means brother) for serving before I did and helping me understand the importance of missionary work. I am grateful for you mama and pops and letting me and supporting me in the mission because this is the greatest thing that i have done and I am love it truly.
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Well hey just keep me informed with the family and with what is all going on with you. But hey i am good and life is good.

AY one last thing! do you know how we buy fish in the Philippines? well one way, there is guy that goes around on his motor bike with a cooler on the back and he honks his horn and we go outside and he whips out a big ol fish and puts it on the scale and tells us how much and then he puts it on the ground and chops it up puts it in a bag and then we pay him and then we eat fish and we are full and happy:) ahahaha oh how great the Philippines is. the culture here is the best talaga.

Happy Days, ALl is Well

Elder Cory Austin Clark