October 21 A baptism in the ocean

This email made me smile for sure and I am way happy right now. Pops thank you so much for your great email I always love getting your emails as well as mamas because i can just tell it is from my pops and I can just tell when it is from my beautiful mama. Life is super great and I am way happy and even though life in Bangui as of missionary work is going pretty hard right now, i am still way happy. So to answer the questions, I am really good with whatever you wanna send me in that Christmas package, don't underestimate chocolate getting across and not melting because it will be fine. Elder G got a package the other day just full of candy and chocolate so your good. I miss chocolate kinda haha they don't have it really here and if they do it isn't really that good haha. but i love the Philippines so dang much and I am always being blessed by being able to be here. Have i told you how flipp'en beautiful it is here?! i am in an amazing part of the world haha. I haven't received my package of the medicine but it should be here soon i hope!! I didn't feel the big earthquake it didn't hit us but to be honest we have mini earthquakes all of the time and they last for about 1 minute and then go away. They aren't that strong though but still they feel super weird!!!

So first of all I don't have a bunch of time so I cant respond to everything you said but just now that I read it and really enjoyed all of that and keeping me updated on the fam. Chels and Bret are awesome and they are two really good examples for me of just hard workers.  I am sure they are doing great. Big brother and Kayley seem like they are so happy I loved the pic you sent me of them ahaha I miss their faces! Mac and J are the best and I bet they are so dang excited for their child. I am super dooper excited to see a picture of that baby girl. COOP my lil brother I am proud and happy for you. it is about time someone lived that Clark name up to its potential in sports hahahaha stupid knees!!! jk hah but really i am way happy for you buddy and it is a blessing from God that you don't have the hard decision of deciding between football and a mission. First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness then all the other things will be added upon you. I know as you do that little brother, your heavenly father will keep blessing you. work hard baby!

So pops you flew solo? I cant imagine doing that, you are way talented like really talented. Sometimes i just think about how talented my family is and it just blows me away every time. I love my fam so much for sure. So mama i know it wasn't your turn to email me this week but I love you and I just want you to know you are the best mama in the world and your son here in the Philippines is doing the Lords work and is happy as can be.

So for the work!!!!!!!! this last Saturday was C's baptism and it was the coolest thing in the world. he wanted to be baptized in the ocean so guess what we did, we baptized him in the ocean! this was honestly such a powerful expierience for me and especially for him. this brother has been through so much and if you could just here one of his stories you would be blown away. Right before he was baptized he just said I know that i am about to be clean of everything that i have done, i cant wait for this. After the baptism he put his two hands in the air and just gave me a hug and just was so thankful for his heavenly father. He the next day received the gift of the holy ghost and you can just see the change in him now, he is just glowing and such a great example for his family. His wife now has a baptismal date and hopefully the rest of his family will want to listen.

The other part of work is just that our investigators are having sturggles coming to church and upang na magpabinyag haha whoops in order to be baptised they have to go to church 4 time so that is sometimes difficult but they will come we know. Elder D is such a goof. Seriously this kid is the goofiest and funniest filipeno I have met. I really feel like he is my son and I am his dad hahaha that is our relationship but it is so great.  He is way awesome though and we have so much fun and laugh so much haha maybe a lil to much sometimes. I love the guy though he truly is a friend and so talented and has such a big desire to serve his Lord.

So other then that I don't have much to say but just I know that the reason I am happy and truly feel true happiness in my heart is because of my savior Jesus Christ and his atonement for me and his Gospel. It is hard to describe the feelings that God can give us because they are not feelings of man they are pieces of Gods happiness and Gods love for us and I know the way to feel that love and true happiness is only through him and his way. We have a Father in Heaven and he does love us and he does want the very best for his Children. I am a Child of God and I know he loves me and I know the work that I am truly doing here in the Philippines is not a vacation, i am an instrument of God to help his children know of the right path to follow and know of how to become truly happy in their lives. I am helping and inviting others to come unto their savior Jesus Christ. This is the greatest work here on earth and I am so blessed to be apart of it. I love being a missionary because I know that the message we hold is true and it is the message of our father in heaven.

I love you all so much and I especially love my family and i miss you for sure:)

Happy Days all is well!!

Elder Clark