This week was basically like the scary movie, Lights Out, just this one was in Mexico. All of the sudden one day our electricity cables burned out and we didn't have light or water for 3 days! The first night we just roughed it out with flashlights and stuff like camping but then we just had to stay with some other Elders for a couple nights to get a good shower, charge our phones, and actually be able to see so we can study. So yeah that wasn't too fun. It made me realize how much we take for granted the simple, yet very necessary things like electricity and water. I literally couldn't really do anything! The worst part of it all though is that one day I got home to a big, brown, puddle leaking out of our fridge all over the floor... My ice cream melted :( So that was pretty depressing to have $10 of good ice cream go down the drain, and a lot of other food go bad too. But I guess it's just all part of the adventure of being a missionary right? Who else can say they they've lost electricity and water for 3 days while living in Mexico and had all of their ice cream melt?
So the work has been going well still too. Although I must admit, it was my problem when I was here a year ago too, but seriously no one will go the church. It is so frustrating because we find so many cool investigators every week but they just won't go to church which means that they can't get baptized.. We'll just keep trying though and working hard until the day I die though. One cool story though is that Dimas (the guy I contacted and taught a little bit after the earthquake and on divisions) is doing awesome!! He is getting baptized in a couple weeks and I am so happy. But what is even cooler is that church representatives might be coming for his baptism to interview me, Dimas, the missionaries teaching him, and try to publish the story!! Wouldn't that be cool!
As always, I had the opportunity to do divisions with Elder Boynton and Elder McCain this week which was great as always. I love being a zone leader and getting the opportunity to work and love everyone in my zone. Our zone is also still doing super awesome and we've reached 40 baptismal dates this week! Also we are going to be having 7 baptisms as a zone this week which is really cool. It's funny to think that just this week we will be baptizing more than just the number of baptismal dates we had as an entire zone (6) when I was put as zone leader. When we put our trust in the Lord, he can make miracles about any situation
I would like to end with one more story that just makes me super happy, maybe the coolest thing that happened this week. But one night, at 2 in the morning I got a text message. It was my good old convert Ramiro who I miss a ton, and he said "Elder Clark, I just finished the Book of Mormon exactly 1 minute ago. On November 5, I will be ordained an Elder and receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and I need you to be there." Wow. It is an amazing feeling for sure watching the fruits of your labors enter into the baptismal font, but the joy is seriously 10 times better watching those same converts grow, continue to strengthen their testimony, and then take steps in their life like receiving the priesthood, and eventually enter into the temple. As I reflect about it, there is seriously nothing more I want than to be there in 6 months when Ramiro gets sealed with his wife in the temple. The joy and satisfaction that come from just imagining that just feelings more deep and indescribable than I've ever felt. It gives me motivation to wake up everyday and work my butt off to find even just one more lost soul that is ready to accept the Gospel and start on the path to the Tree of Life. It makes me so happy, and also makes me really worried about the Cortes family who I love and miss so much but are struggling a little bit right now. I just love being a missionary though and it is amazing how much I have grown to love these people. And in two weeks Damian and his whole family are getting baptized!!!! I am so excited and happy for them too. Man oh man, does the missionary work get any better??!! So even though the work isn't exactly where I'd like it to be in my ward right now, I feel like all of these other blessings are the Lord's way of saying how much He loves me and shows me His tender mercies and great blessings from my work each day. It was just another great week that went by like lightning and I'm ready for another one! And I really have already began to love the members in this ward a ton. They are super nice and welcoming and it will be a great area for me. We had a zone conference this week too which was great and I had the opportunity to do an activity. I did a basketball activity (of course) and taught a little bit about something called "The Golden Hours" and it went great. We have a fun mission that works really hard too. Also this week I have gone to the gym everyday again, taking creatin and protein. It feel like I am getting super big and the gym just gives me such a good energy for the day. I feel amazing physically right now, and it is a great thing. Finally, I guess I better talk about the food of the week. Last monday we went to a place called Sur 12 which is a REALLY GOOD Torta restaurant. Tortas are basically a sandwhich filled with Mexican meat, so I got a HUGE al pastor torta and it was delicious, one of the best things I´ve ever tasted down here. UGH I´m gonna miss the food so much! And of course I´ve had a few good rounds of tacos and pizza this week! Life is just amazing right now!!
Well it is pretty weird guys. In about a week I am going to be celebrating my one year mark in the mission. It definitely does not feel like I´ve been out here for a year and I am pretty sure this next year will just fly by. I still don´t feel like a super experienced missionary either and one day I was just in my bed thinking about how much I truly love, deep down, preaching the Gospel and helping to change people´s lives. I thought about how this will be my only opportunity my whole life and now I don´t want to waste any second of it. I already know I am going to miss my mission so much when I go home and I don´t want any regrets. I still have a year left too so I feel like I´m in a pretty good position right now. Plus we are going to Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate next week (YESSS!!!) so how could I not be happy?!?! Well have a great week, I love you all as always and hope you are getting ready to enjoy the Holiday Season!!
P.S. Do you think it is time to listen to Christmas yet? Some Elders have already started and I´m pretty tempted... Only 2 months away!!
Your favorite missionary,
Elder Clark
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