Talent Show Start- Final Countdown!

Hey Family and Friends!

It`s the Final Countdown!!! Today starts my last cycle which means only 6 more weeks til I see all of you guys again! I`m super excited and I am more than determined to make my last cycle my BEST CYCLE! Being the best missionary I can be, working hard, baptizing, and having fun!! It almost doesn`t seem real to me that I am actually going to be home again because when I got here I think I just got stuck in the mindset that Mexico would be my home forever!  But I just want to make sure that I finish the mission the best I can, obedient, dilligent, and serving my Lord and Savior with all my heart, might, mind, and strength using all the experiences and lessons I have had throughout the past 2 years.  Also, we has a pretty awesome last week of the cycle, and definitely ended the cycle with a BANG! Unfortunately, Elder Nevarez will be having changes, which I am a little sad about, but I am grateful for the time I had to be his companion who taught me so much.  I am really happy and excited to be staying in my area though and recieved my final companion, Elder Crandall, from  of the mission today! And I am determined to make it my best one.  I am so grateful for every single one of my mission companions and everything I have learned from them.

So like I said, we definitely ended the cycle strong.  On Saturday night, we had the actvitiy that Elder Nevarez and I have been planning with some stake leaders, for the past few months, a Talent Show Night.  And the guy we were planning it with asked that us, as a zone, present the final scene in the talent show as missionaries.  So each ward of the stake presented a few skits, dances, songs, and it was awesome! About 300 people showed up, we had about 10 of our investigators there (Almost all of the Sorìa family!) and the decorations were perfect! We had super cool lighting, a smoke machine, loud speakers, and everyone was having a blast.  I was espeically happy for our investgators.  We also had all of the missionaries in the zone bring pamphlets, books of mormon, and other materials and set up a table at the front door with missionaries handing out all of the material.  And right before the activity started, we were all outside inviting people to come in and enjoy the show and were super excited because Elder Nevarez and I got someone to come in with us, stay the whole time, and now the sister missionaries in that area have an appointment with him!! It just shows to me that there are people all around who are ready and prepared to come unto Christ and I don`t want to waste a single second without inviting people to come unto Him and change their lives.  As all of the wards presented there, acts, we got really excited (we had a pretty good crown) and then it was our turn.  We then presented the skit "la muerte de un amigo" (the death of a friend) and everyone was laughing their heads off.  I have a pretty sweet video that I will send home as well, but it was definitely the biggest success I have ever had in an activity in the mission and our investigators LOVED it! Later on one of them came up to us and said, "I just felt so happy seeing everyone having clean fun, and being together as a family enjoying activities like this"  We are really hoping that this will help some of our investigators realize that we also have a lot of fun in our church and enjoy our time in this life with our families.  After all, we are here in this life to enjoy it, and we should take advantage of every moment and opportunity we can get! After the activity we were all so happy and excited and I am also hoping this helps our zone get a little more enthusiasm to go out and give in their all working hard!! 

Also it was a great week for the work.  We are doing really well with Gerardo, to help him stop smoking, and after starting out with 2 PACKAGES a day, he is now down to about 2 cigarretes every day!! We are super excited to see his progress and his baptismal date is coming up in about a month!! We are also SUPER excited for Paty, Jorge, and Dario (The Soria Family) who I just love with all my heart.  Unfortunately, Paty´s family are giving her a really hard time for "listening to the Mormons" and try telling her that we are ruining her lives.... It was really sad to see that none of her family showed up to help her run her business that they always run together, they have a little restaurant, but she does have one sister that is really supporting it through it all.  Of course, it pains me because the Gospel is completely meant to bring people together, not to tear them apart, but we had a really special moment with Paty this morning as Elder Nevarez was saying his goodbyes.  Paty told us that with everyone she has ever talked with about religion, she said that no one else has the same love and compassion that we have, that she truly feels the love of God when she is with us, and she said that even though her family is giving her a hard time, she says, "I don´t care, because I am following Christ" and told Elder Nevarez that we will "see the fruits of our labors with her family."  So we shared a special moment with her family, a few tears, and now I just hope we can help them come to the waters of baptism before I go home.  Her kids, Jorge and Dario, are seriously future missionaries and the light of the Gospel reflects in their eyes and faith.  I love them and honestly, I can´t belive how much I have grown to love all of the people I have served here in my mission.  Also, I have been making an extra effort to contact and talk to everyone at every opportunity and we have found some pretty cool street contacts this week that I hope to have a lot of success with (amongst all of the Trump jokes and swear words we get haha).  So things are really looking up for my last cycle and I am just so happy to be a missionary.

Well, there is only about 6 more minutes left in the 4th quarter in this game, and I may be tired, worn out, and anxious to win, but I promised the Lord and I promised myself, that I would do everything I could, to truly make these last 6 minutes, the best 6 minutes of the game, and I WILL NOT give up.  I am going to finish strong, running right through the finish line, and I just hope I can bring a few more people to Christ on the way.  I love and miss you all tons and Thanks for all of your emails and support (like always!) Have a great week and can´t wait to talk to you next week!

Elder Clark

Getting Back in Shape

Hey Family and Friends!!

Well, I don`t have a ton of time this week since we had a super fun zone activity today and got back pretty late, but it was a fun day.  We played ping-pong (my companion, Nevarez, is actually super good!) and the best part was that we had a REAL table!! We played some football, which was a blast, soccer, basketball, and even played foosball as we ate some little ceasar`s pizza.  So we just kind of got a little taste of it all, and since the last week before my last cycle comes up, I suppose I better start "getting back in shape" again for our family superbowl, ping-pong tournament, and whatever else might be waiting for me after these last 6 weeks.  I will admit, I may have lost my touch a little bit too (playing ping-pong on a real table after almost 2 years made me realize) but there are no excuses and I guess that it is just more important that I get get that touch back these last 7 weeks.  

The work was pretty normal in this week, but Elder Nevarez and I are sure there are miracles coming. One night we had another lesson with Flavio and his wife, and found out his wife wasn`t divorced yet either and she wasn`t super interested in getting married.  We could see the disappointment in Flavio`s eyes since he was so excited and looking forward to his baptism before but I suppose we just have to keep working and praying in faith to see some miracles.  I must admit, that night after the lesson, I was feeling pretty down, and I am sure I wasn´t being very positive at all (Nevarez could probably tell you that I wasn´t very fun to be around that night).  But I went to bed, got up the next morning and as I got showered and ready, I listened to conference talks, and for my study I read the Book of Mormon, Preach My Gospel, and finished with my patriarchal blessing.  I had been praying to feel something, some sort of extra love or help from heaven after everything has been a little dissapointing lately, and as I did my study, I literally felt like was I "charging" my "spiritual battery".  It was as if someone was lifting me up off the ground, maybe a coach or my family in the 4th quarter saying, "Tyler! Get up!! The game isn´t over yet, and there is still a lot of work to do!!" In that moment, when I felt that inspiration that I couldn´t deny, I changed my attitude, Elder Nevarez and I planned an amazing day with lots of faith and goals, and went out and worked our butts off.  Ic can truly say I gave it my all that day, we contacted a lot, and I know there is lots of success just right around the corner to finish my mission.  So no matter how hard it gets or how much little time I have left, I promised myself, and the Lord, that I would give it my all and leave it all out on the court.  I still love being a missionary, I love the scriptures and the words of the prophets and the apostles with all my heart, and I love the Gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ!!

So that about wraps it up for this week.  We are planning as a zone, a super funny skit for a talent show night that we have been planning as a stake activity for this Saturday which will be super fun.  I will try to send the video home.  Apart from that, next week is already changes again so we will see if I will be staying here for my last cycle, or if the Lord wants me to serve in one more area.  Love and miss you guys a ton have a great week!

Elder Clark

1 Week Not Getting Robbed Streak!

Querido Familia y Amigos,

Well, after maybe one of the most eventful weeks of my mission, this might have been one of the most boring weeks of my mission.  Although even though it was boring, it doesn´t mean it was bad! I mean I went a WHOLE WEEK without getting robbed so I guess that is good right? But here are a few of the highlights of my week.

Well, we were a little disapointed because we went with all of our investigators Saturday night and they ALL said that they were going to come to church (well about 7 of them).  So Sunday morning we were super excited, and after sacrament meeting we looked around and realized only 1 of them had made it. I suppose 1 is definitely better than none and it´s not like this has never happened to me on my mission, but I must admit, Elder Nevarez and I were a little bit sad because thought we were about to make it to baptism wonderland, but I guess it never comes THAT easy... I am just hoping and praying with all my heart that I can help some of these people get baptized before I go.  It was also a little disappointing because everything was going perfect with Flavio and just barely this week he admitted to us that he isn´t married.... But I guess the hardest things bring the most blessings, joy, and satisfaction, so even with Flavio, we will have to work with a little bit more.  The good news is after teaching the lay of chastity, he told us that he knew he was in the wrong, and needs to get married so hopefully his faith in Jesus Christ will bring him to the light.  On the bright side we are helping a guy, Gerrardo, stop smoking and found out that he has been smoking for the last 50 years!! What is even crazier is that he started when he was 6 YEARS OLD! The miracle of it all though is that has made a ton of progress, he has seen the hand of God in his life helping him, and he is getting closer.  We placed a baptismal date with him this week for the 22nd September so hopefully he can reach his goals!! We are super stoked for him and it definitely would be a miracle to see him leave his cigarretes behind after 50 years.  It so so true that the Gospel changes lives and I love being a missionary and part of that process!

Well, every cycle I say that this cycle was faster than the last, but it is so true! I can´t believe we are alredy on week 5, and my time with Elder Nevarez might ALREADY be coming to an end soon! I hope not though because I would love to finish my mission with him.  I did divisions with Elder Baird this week who is from Spokane, Washington, and it was super fun to hang out with him. He was so shocked that I knew what Silverwood was since that is the amusement park right by his house so we talked a little about my family reunion up there.  But I am so grateful for all of the friendships I have made here in my mission. Well, love and miss you guys tons and have a great week!

Elder Clark

Getting Robbed, Tacos, Coup, and More!

Hello Family and Friends!

Well, this week was a little bit loco, honestly... It was probably a reminder that I am still not quite done with my mission and I still have lots of new adventures, experiences, and more work ahead... I will start out by saying I got robbed two times two days in a row this week which was pretty crazy, and now I am at 5 on the mission! Not that I want that number to go up at all though... one of the times was when Elder Nevarez and I were robbed on a micro (little bus) that we will never be taking again, and the very next day I got robbed on divisions with Elder Stone.  So yeah, if you want more details you can ask me personally but the most important part is that I am safe and still alive. I just have to survive 2 more months.  Hopefully I can make it home all in one piece!  

This week Paty and her boys, Dario (or Felipe) and Jorge, came to church with us and LOVED IT! All the members were super kind and helpful to them showing them around and the classes and testimonies were PERFECT! I especially enjoyed fast and testimony meeting this Sunday as almost half of the ward got up, including all of the young men and women to bear their testimonies.  It was actually really cool to see and how grateful I am to share the same standards and beliefs with people all around the world! When a testimony is truly born of the Spirit and from a divine witness, it is more powerful than anything else and I`m grateful for how much more my testimony stregnthened by just listening to the testimony of others.  We also took Paty and her family (The Soria Family) to the visitors center at the temple on Tuesday and they left impressed and inspired.  Later Sunday (yesterday) we taugh the Gospel and put 3 baptismal dates with the Soria Family who went to church for the 26th of August.  They are a little scared about what their family and friends might think if they get baptized but we will be working, praying, and maybe even fasting to help them get baptized! It is one of my biggest desires before I go home to see that family enter into the waters of baptism.  We are helping another guy, Gerrardo, to stop smoking so that he can get baptized soon and we just have so many other investigators, (Flavio, Alma, Emilia, Judith, Faustino... to name a few) that could be potentially getting baptized soon which just makes me so happy and excited! I just want to baptize the world before I go home in 2 months!  

Well apart from getting robbed twice and lots of success, this week was also full of lots of tacos (we went out for tacos every night that I got robbed to help ease the pain haha), teaching a family to play coup (which was SUPER FUN!), and today I bought a nice, new, blue suit to come home in as well.  It is so weird to think that I only have 7 more P-Days left here and there are still so many more things that I want to do!  But everything is still going great down here in Mexico, I am happy and safe, and thanks for all of your guys support back home! Love you all and talk to you next week!

Elder Tyler Clark