Tuesday, July 16, 2013

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

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