Hola again!
Today is Saturday and
this is the first day since my surgery where I've actually been able to get up
and do stuff - the anethesia took a real hard toll on me this time. I've
currently got staples holding my ear in place, and I have an appointment with
Dr. Darley this upcoming Wednesday. Things seem to be progressing. Thanks so
much for all the prayers and fasting! I know they're helping :) I'll be out in
Panama soon enough - I know it! Also, thanks for the balloons and cookies Mom!
You are so thoughtful :) And don't worry about me too much, I'll be fine.
Also, seeing as Elder
Paskett and the rest of my district is leaving on Monday, tomorrow in church I
will be assigned a new companion, new district, and perhaps even a new room!
Exciting, eh? I think so. I'm excited to move into a younger district and really
show them the ropes. I want to be the best example I can be to them and really
make sure they're ready for the field. Whoever my new companion is, I'm going to
plan on really emphasizing how to plan well, how to make goals, stress speaking
spanish as much as possible, and also to make sure we are being obedient in
every way possible. It's almost like I'm gonna be a trainer already :) haha. I'm
excited.
So rewind a few days
before surgery..... last Sunday night my district and I watched a phenomonal
talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland here at the MTC, entitled "Missions
are Forever". I wrote down so many notes and it got me sooo pumped to leave!!! I
will share more insights about that later - I'm planning on keeping those notes
with me my entire mission.
And then later in the
week (Wednesday) before I had surgery on Thursday, I got to be a host when the
new missionaries came in! I got to introduce a brand-new missionary to his
bedroom and classroom - he's speaking madrin chinese! So that was kind of fun
:)
Also, this week I had a
few incredible lessons with both Hno. Toone and Hno. Wiest. I'll start with Hno.
Toone first.... this past week he gave us an incredible lesson on the importance
of baptism and really helped us come to grips with our purpose as missionaries -
and that's to baptize!!! I know it sounds like common sense, but I just saw the
whole principle in a different light after he taught us. It was awesome :) Since
that lesson and especially with all my surgeries too, Hno. Toone has continually
checked up on me and has tried to be as helpful as he can to me in helping
me continuing to improve here at the MTC.
Now on Wednesday night
(the night before surgery) we had a incredible lesson on The Atonement with Hno.
Wiest. If any of you have ever heard of the hands-on activity that goes along
with this, you'll know what I mean. Hno. Wiest asked for a volunteer, and so
naturally, I volunteered. We went out in the hall for a brief time and was told
that I would be representing The Savior in this activity. As we entered the
room, my teacher was handing out little "smartie" candies to everyone in my
district. These "smarties" represented sins, and in order for their "sins" to be
taken away, I had to do 3 push-ups for every "smartie" eaten. To make a long
story short, I ended up doing 169 push-ups! It was completely exhausting. My
body still hurts from it! Haha. But it was an amazing way to relate to Our
Savior and the sacrifices he had to make for us. We finished that class period
first by having a mini testimony meeting, and finally ended by watching "Finding
Faith in Christ" in spanish - it was just an incredible night all
around.
Lastly, I met another Panamanian! He is from Florida and is
headed to Panama on his mission with my district. His name is Elder Mendez and
he's originally from Puerto Rico, so he's pretty much fluent in spanish. It was
fun to meet with him though :) I talked in spanish with him and he told me he
was really impressed with my spanish! So I think that's a good thing :) I'll see
him again down in Panama in a few weeks once my ear heals up :)
This email is getting really long but I just wanted to
congratulate a couple friends! First of all the Maddix family on Mitchell's
baptism!! It's SUPER cool that Matt got to baptize him :) What a cool thing. I'm
sure it was just awesome. And also Jared Hall!! Goin to Tokyo Japan?!? Crazzzzy.
What studs. I have the coolest friends in the world.
Well I hope everyone is doing well with everything, and good
luck with school Mom and kids! Dad, I hope your foot is doin better too. I love
you all!!!
Your son,
-Elder Clarke
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