Pumpkin for Halloweek!

Hello Everyone!!!

Honestly, this week was just AMAZING. I feel so happy and blessed right now. And this week I dressed up as a pumpkin for Halloween. Since we have a super fun and cool zone, Elder Robinson started the tradition of buying everyone gifts. Especially with the Holiday spirits flowing and Christmas coming up, it has been a really happy and joyful time. So far Elder Robinson has got me a Nacho Libre mask (to protect my nose) and a Spurs jersey is on the way. This week as I was walking in the streets I saw something that I could not resist. A pumpkin costume. Elder Kay, Robinson and I all have an inside joke with pumpkin costumes too so I had to buy it. One day this week I gave it to Elder Kay as a gift and it was hilarious, everyone was dying and the pumpkin costume looks great I must admit. Haha I love the Holiday season! Also I'm sure everyone that saw me in the street on Halloween and the Day of the Dead thought I was dressed up because of my nose anyways. But don't worry, my nose is doing great and I should be getting the stitches out tomorrow!

So this week to work was really great and I got to see a lot of fruits from my labors. This week I had the really cool opportunity to go and visit Dimas twice!! And wow, he is just such a changed man, it just makes me so happy.  The first time he was having some doubts a little about baptism but now we were able to clear all of those up, and the second time we tought about tithing.  It wasn´t a huge problem because he deosn´t have a job right now even though he really wants one.  We also taught about tithing and fast offerings and at the end of the lesson I felt a strong prompting to give him a promise.  I promised Dimas that if fasted with us this week, committed to the Lord to pay a full tithe, and put in his efforts to look for a job, that he would find a job this week.  I know the Lord always helps us according to our faith and I know that Dimas has soo much faith.  He has completely shaved his beard, cleaned up, and changed his life around.  He told us that before he met us he felt so far from God in his life but he is grateful what we have brought for him.  I love Dimas so much and hope to be present at his baptism in 2 weeks on the 18 of November!! Also another tender mercy this week was when I was able to return to the Stake Center in Los Reyes and participate in giving Ramiro the melchezidek priesthood!! It brought me so much joy to see him progressing and strengthening his testimony and made me happy that their family wanted me to be there for that sacred ordinance.  It was funny because I kind of felt like a celebrity with all of my old ward members from Atlicpac seeing me and greeting me, I sure do love and miss that ward.  And I was also surprised when another one of my converts from there, Sergio, was also receiving the Melchizedek priesthood!! So I got double the blessings that day.  I remember afterwards Ramiro´s wife, Hacsiry, was talking about me and telling me how much they missed us.  She said that I don´t know how grateful she is and how much of an impact having a worthy priesthood holder in her family will be.  She said I have done more for her family than she can ever repay, and even though it isn´t really me, I felt so happy and so much love for that family.  I should be awaiting their temple sealing in a few months and I couldn´t be more excited!! Finally, I have truly been praying and fasting and trying to exercise more faith than ever, especially to help Francisco.  I know this may not be the easiest area I have ever been in, but we had a really good meeting with our bishop and ward mission leader who are so willing to help us, and I am excited to keep working hard and see what miracles I can discover in this work.

So afterall, it was just another great week, it was actually week 6 of this cycle, so changes are today, but Elder Revolorio and I are staying together for another one! I must admit though, I am pretty sad that finally, one of my best friends I have made in the mission, Elder Kay, is leaving the zone... It was kind of a surprise for us, and I will miss him lots, but I won´t forget all of the great memories we have had and all of the things he has taught me.  I really hope we are companions one day because we would be so powerful and work so well together.  But as always, I will go where the Lord wants me to go.  I also do have a few suspicions why this week was so good too, apart from the work.  I hit a record this week and have eaten tacos 7 times this week, and of course, tacos always increase your happiness level by at least 5 points depending on how good they are. So that was great and I also got a package from my family which was super funny and awesome and I love them so much for that.  One day in the teangis I found a super sick Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt as well and I bargained it down to only 4 bucks so I was super happy about that purchase (And I know my dad will be proud).  And then apart from the tacos I also ate super good this week, one day a sister in our ward gave us HAMBURGERS AND ICE CREAM, one day we got money for lunch so I had subway for the first time ever in my mission (Yes, it tastes just as good, especially the cookies), I´ve gotten some pretty good churros this week and now for the Food of the Week.  Chicken Heart.  Yep, one member gave us some chicken heart this week which wasn´t actually too bad, the flavor was fine because it was cooked with other chicken, but it was just super chewy and rubbery and there is always the mental effect, but honestly, not the worst thing I have had in my life.  So yes, I am still hitting the gym super hard, playing basketball every here and there, teaching English with this guy from the US, Gonzalo (which is actually super fun, all of the kids love us), eating well, and of course, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!! I love this work and I love and miss all of you guys too, I cannot believe Christmas is right around the corner!! Have a great week, be safe, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope you guys are getting some snow there because it is nothing but hot still here!

Your # 1,

Elder Clark