October 6

Hi mama and family:)

Can we all just think about how much the family has changed since the time that I have left on my mission? Sometimes it is really overwhelming for me to think about because I dunno, i just have been so far away from the change and sometimes it just is hard to see that much change in the family and only see pictures. 

Siblings...... look at our family? look where we are at and where we have came from. can you remember when we were all jumping on the trampoline outside of douglas road house and then I would start randomly crying because i lost or my feelings were hurt haha. Is it not one of the best feelings to just see eachother happy and growing  and moving forward in life. I am so happy with all of you and I do for sure miss you all so much but I am grateful for your examples to me and I cant wait for the day where we all can be together again. When I talk about my family to investigators or whoever it may be I sometimes like to say that I have 6 bestfriends back at home and its my dad, mama, and my 4 siblings and they just happen to be my family as well. I miss my family and I love seeing the changes that I am seeing and I am happy. I hope you all miss me as well:) Chels, mac and tanner are all starting their families and that just means I cant be to far behind. Dont worry all be right there with ya before you know it. 

Hey there are going to be some changes with TRANSFERS. Suprisngly, I will be staying in Bacarra still and Elder H will be transfered. But the thing is, Elder H will open up a new area here in baccara so we are going to just split the area that we have right now in half and he is going to train a brand new missionary and I am going to train a new zone leader. My new companion is Elder M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) Elder M was in my district a long time ago when I was in santa terresita haha and we have been on a lot of exchanges together. Elder M is a filipeno and very very filipeno. He doesnt really speak english but that is so okay because I dont want to speak english at all. he is serioously one of the most humble missionaries I have met and I am so excited to work with him. We already know eachother really well so that Is why I am excited. It will be a great transfer. Also Elder E just got moved to my zone as well and he will be the district leader so we will be able to do exhanges which is way great. Elder E was my first companion here in Bacarra if you dont rememeber. Anyways we are super excited for the change and it will be a great transfer.

I got one story for ya:) haha so our curfew as missionaries is 8. BUT, if you are in a teaching appointment at 8 then your curfew can be 9. But if you arent teaching anybody at 8 you should be home. WEll we were in a far area and we started the lesson at like 7;50nd it went untill about 8:40 and we were hoping it would have ender earlier but it didnt but we were about a 30 minute walk away home and we had 20 minutes to do so . We tried to call a tricee drive which is a motorbike with a side cart. and we tried to call some but all the ones around were drunk. Anyways, it was about 8;45 at the time and then we finally got one and on our way home about half way home the bike gets a flat tire so we didnt continue and there was no other vehicles around. Our felowshipper told us to just go home cause he knew we hada curfew but we were still like a 15 minute walk away with like 8 minutes to do so haha so we ran. WE SPRINTED! haha let me tell ya....... I am super out of shape, my pushups and situps in the morning dont really do much for the good ol body. We sprinted and while we are running to make it home on time Elder H is like crying cause he is so out of shape and I was breathing super hard and looking at my watch while sprinting haha and we got home right at 9:01!!!!!!!!! we were one minute late... ano ba iyon paano iyon!? but we repented so it is okay now. Then in our weekly goals we decided we are going to do workouts that get us back in shape haha.

I wish I could share all my expieriances and things that I learned from my mission with you but it just cant be done haha. Life is great though and we are teaching some amazing investigators at the moment and they really are starting to progress and it is always the best feeling to see the change in others. 

I love you all and I am happy that you had a great week and were able to be together as a family. Mama, I love what you said the other week that I make your heart smile, that has really stuck with me and those words made my week.

Happy Days, All is Well

September 16,2014

Family:)

Mama, thanks for some of the things that you have shared it really brought me some peace. I love you all and I miss my family that is for sure. I have had a pretty crazy week but it has been really good as well. Elder H and I are doing great and just loving the work and we are really building a great friendship.

I want to reply to some things that you have shared though first before I talk about my week. I am way excited for tanner and kayley and their adventures ahead, I love them so much. hey big brother if you you could try to sell that scooter for me but hey it probably wouldn't sell in this type of season right now so maybe we can just wait until I get home. Its up to you:) I have a new niece!! i was so shocked when i saw the picture of nikelle holding her baby sister, so many things have changed and i just got a lil emotional with seeing those pictures. I really am proud of my siblings. I am proud of Chelsie and Bret and of all my siblings really. I haven't read coopers email yet but I am excited to. I know he is way excited to get out of the MTC haha i remember i was really excited thats for sure. The mission goes by so fast and it is good but it is sad because i don't want to come home. I love the mission more then you think you know, it is the best talaga.

For your question with the package mama,  Maybe just some like chocolate or letters and pictures. Deodorant would be nice as well. I love the package you sent me and I really appreciate it. The jerky was amazing and we ate that in like 2 days but we appreciated it. haha. thank you for the letters as well. I sent you a letter last Monday so you should be getting it in about 4 weeks or so:) it is to you and dad.

Brother and Sister M were baptized and I just am so happy for them. I am so happy because I was the missionary that found them with Elder Erickson and I also was the missionary that witnessed the baptism so I was able to see all the changes with them and their family from the beginning and that really is the biggest blessing of it all. I cant describe the feeling when you meet somebody and then they just have no testimony yet and then you teach them and teach them and little by little they grow their own testimony and they come to church and the finally get baptized. I wish you could hear their testimonies that they shared after their baptism they were amazing and so powerful and just full of gratitude and love. I love being a missionary and their is no more compelling work than this, or any other work that brings greater satisfaction and I know this work is real.

Mama and pops, how are you two? happy:)? you seem that you are happy and I love that. you two are both very great examples to me.

Today we cleaned the house really good and I washed my laundry.... (by hand) of course haha.

OH YEAH, we didn't have work yesterday, we were told to go back into our homes because of the typhoon but we just didn't have power all last night so we cooked in the dark and did everything in the dark haha but those are memorable moments in the mission. The typhoon hit pretty hard but it didn't do to much damage and missionaries are safe and we are okay.


Life is good and I hope you like these pictures:)

Happy Days, All is Well

Elder Clark Sr.

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.
.

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

August 24... How we buy fish in the Philippines

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 fellowshippers 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 indescribeable 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 baptized. 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. Dont 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 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.

 

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

August 19,2014

Hey mama:) I sure do love you all so much and I am very grateful for the emails that you send and the detail and time that you put into them. It really makes a difference in my day when I recieve an email from my mama and when i can just feel her love from the words that she sent. I am grateful for my family and I am proud of my siblings and of course i am so proud of my mama and pops and I am so happy that you two are in love and enjoy and want to be together. I will have a relationship like that someday with my wife too, I am going to be a good husband and a good father and I am going to be loving, humble and a worthy preisthood holder. I know that this Gospel blesses families because I have experienced it with our family and also i see the changes in the familes that i teach because of this Gospel. I love being a missionary and I know that this Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ and I know that as we follow the principles taught by Jesus Christ then we will find happiness and peace and love and forgivness in our lives. The Atonement is real, it is not a joke, it is real and it works as long as we humble ourselves and use it everyday. Sometimes I feel like we just want happinesss or peace or a happy family to come into our lives right away after we have said a prayer or something but it does not always work like that. I have really came to know that it is by small and simple things in where we will recieve those blessings. Everyday if we pray for opportunities to serve our nieghbor then the Lord will bless with opportunities to serve and through that, we will feel good that we were able to help somebody else. Everday, we need to read the scriptures because they are so powerful and true and will make a difference in our lives. We need to go to church as a family and read the scriptures as a family everyday and pray as a family everyday and have family home evening because through those things, change comes and it is always a change for better and a change in where we become more like our savior Jesus Christ. I know that in order to have a strong happy family, we need to ACT and work for it and repent. 

This week was really great and the M family came to church again this sunday so that means that they are close to baptism.:) This week Elder E and I did a lot of exchanges and we are gratefrul for the chance we had to really help the missionaries in our zone just become better effective teachers. Our misssion focus right now is teaching skills which is my favorite thing in the world because I love teaching and just trying to improve my teaching everyday. I cant really think about what happened this last week but I am doing really well and next week is transfers so we will now where Elder E is being transfered to. I think he is going to cagayan because he has not been out there yet. That is where i spent half my mission is in cagayan which is like the way poor part of our mission and there is no city out there but it is the best haha. Anyqways i am happy and I am trying to serve the Lord with all i got. I know i have a lot of weakness that i need to strengthen but I am in the best place in my life right now to help me become a better person. I am growing up and I am understanding and learning a lot of good life lesssons. I love you all and I am grateful for you all as well. 

Happy Days, All is Well

Elder Cory Clark