Monday, March 5, 2012

First Baptism! 3-5-12



Hello hello hello! Thanks so much for all the emails this week you guys, I will try to reply to them in the coming weeks when I have more time! We don´t get too much time on the computer and so most of my time is taken up reading them and then writing this big one to all of you! But thanks again, it sounds like everyone is doing awesome :) So first.... Mom, I HAVE to know! How are you doing?! I have been thinking about you a lot with the surgery and all. I´m sorry you´re in a lot of pain..... that really does not sound fun at all. I will pray for you! You are such a trooper... I don´t understand how you do all that you do. Way to go :) I really hope you start feeling better soon! (until then, Katie can keep doing all the laundry, hahah... jk).
Allright, so yesterday.... I HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!! Wow.... it was so amazing. The Spirit was so strong during the whole service! I baptized Narciso´s cousin - his name is Rigoberto Palacios Abiego. What a stud. I was really nervous because names here are REALLY hard for me - the pronunctiation and everything. But I said everything right the first time! The whole baptism prayer and everything! It was awesome awesome stuff. During the service, Elder Rich and I did a special musical number. We sang "Joseph Smith´s First Prayer" - we thought it was fitting because of Narciso´s huge Joseph Smith experience and all. We sang the song to the tune of "Come Thou Fount". It was super cool cuz a lot of latins haven´t heard that tune since Come Thou Fount isn´t in the hymnbook. The Spirit during that song...... oh my gosh. Seriously, it was crazy. And the Lou family heard it! They walked in right in the middle of the song! It was all so perfect. They got to see the baptism too. I feel so blessed that I was able to be part of Rigoberto´s salvation. And also that he was given The Gift of the Holy Ghost. A few days before, I was reading in "Our Search for Happiness" by M. Russell Ballard - it is a fantastic book. Anyway, there is a part in the book where he talks about the importance of The Holy Ghost.... after reading it, I have never been more grateful for that gift as well as for my baptism. And now one more person in the world has that gift because I was able to baptize them! Ahhh. Definately an experience I won´t forget.

After the bap. service, we took the Lou family to the temple with Pres. Ward. That was really really good for them. At the temple, we talked about the importance of temples for families and Pres. Ward did a great presentation. The Spirit was so strong there too! Just a super spiritual day. We are going to the mall with the Lou family today for preparation day! We love them haha.

During the week, we helped the Garcia family in our ward move to Panama City - hooooly cow. Hardly anyone from the ward showed up, and no one could go to the city with us, so it was pretty much just I and Elder Rich doing pretty much the whole thing. It took 11 hours round trip! Daang it was a long day. I was happy we could help though, cuz without us, they wouldn´t have had anyone to help them! They are a good family, and they´ll be good in the city.

Ok, so guys............... remember the animated book of mormon videos we used to watch as kids?? (Dave, you especially). With Ammon and Nephi and the gold plates and everything? Well uh.... guess what we found in our house?! Yep, 9 of those animated movies on DVD. Elder Rich and I are ADDICTED. He used to watch them as a kid too! We decided we´re having a animated BOM movie marathon together after our missions. We´re gonna watch every single one we own!! All thanks to GRANDMA.... she bought all those wonderful shows for us. Thank you so much, Grandma. Haha. We can´t put those movies down.

So I´m all out of time, but I´ll write more next week and try to reply to everyone´s email! And Mom, if you´ve got a lot of questions, it might be easier just to put them all in one big email and then send it to me - that way I´ll remember to answer them all? Sweet :) And by the way, get better!!! I´m gonna pray for you and I love you so much.

Love you all!!!

Elder Clarke

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