Bueno

Bueno. This week was kind of a harder one. I figure it's about time I have more trials in the mission though, seeing as I went through quite a long streak of "good times" there in Paraíso. I think when we look at trials this way - with the eternal perspective - the trials aren't as much of a burden. Trials are temporary, they pass, and then we come out on top....stronger!

But anyway, our baptism didn't ever go through..... and then she didn't come to church! Dang it Yenni. I guess what happened is her ex-husband (who`s a long-time less active member) went to the bishopric during the week and accused Yenni of a whole bunch of crazy stuff to prevent her from getting baptized. So... we've gotta have her get interviewed by the bishop and stuff now. It could take a while longer than we thought. But she's really awesome! She's been investigating the church almost 4 years! Apart from that, our area is really kind of... dead? I dunno - we just don't really have any investigators. Heck, we hardly even have members in our area to help us! So the realization of that this week has been kind of tough, not to mention my ankle is still giving me problems. But, the Hna. Selva is a nurse here, and she's been helping me so much! Her and Pte. Vasquez. Hna. Selva works in the hospital and this morning help me set up therapy sessions to get the movement back in my ankle! That whole Selva family is so so awesome. I'm gonna try to send a pic of them - they are really a remarkable group. Former district president, and their son-in-law is our current branch president! Presidente Vasquez - man that guy is great. He's from Mexico! He has a really cool story - can't wait to tell you guys about him.

Anyway, in other news, the mission got a phone call this week from Salt Lake City concerning us missionaries here in Bocas. They called to see if we were all allright? Apparently in Costa Rica or on the coast or something there was an earthquake... but we didn't even feel anything! Everything "chillin" here. ("Chillin" is one of the many English words used out here in Bocas by the Jamaican people. They speak what's called "Wadi-wadi" - it's like Jamaican English. So sweet. I feel like a gangster when I talk to them. I`ll send pictures sometime of the famous Felix and his Jamaican restaurant :))

Also, Elder Seegmiller, Houghton, and I started the "push-up challenge" this week. Man it is gonna be brutal. But I think we'll finish the change lookin' fine. The first week isn't that bad, but it gets increasingly harder every week so, I'll keep you posted on that.

Well, I suppose I should end on a spiritual note. I am currently in Mosiah again in King Benjamin's discourse. That guy is so humble! I'm also trying to study how The Spirit works personally in my life - how I recognize it and such - to make sure I follow the promptings I receive. Cool connection I made: The Spirit testifies of all truth. Now, truth is all things that once were, how they currently are, or how they will be. So therefore, The Spirit knows of things how they will be, before they are. And THAT`S how He can warn us of things. Man, I gotta make sure I know how to heed to the whisperings of The Spirit. In my studies, I'm also gonna start studying a Christ-like attribute every week, cuz I feel I've been dropping in that.

Well guys, I love you all a whole ton!! I'm excited for the youngins (including Krissy) to start school! Katie, tell Mr. Lind hi for me - I think you'll like him a lot. Also, Scotty, keep playing hard in tackle. Football is the bomb. Parents, I hope you both have a good week as well and that Grandpa returns home soon to his house! Love you!!

 

-Elder Clarke

How much closer to Costa Rica could I be?

Sup, fam!!!!!! Ah - my new roomates have got me talkin´ like that.

Anyway, how are you all doing?! I loved reading what everyone was/is up to! Mas que todo, so cool to see those pics of all the missionaries returning home! SO cool you guys went and saw Elder Fowlks and Elder Follette.  Elder Follette is so great - one of my fav. companions. He actually wrote me this week and told me about meeting you guys - mostly that Dad just kept making him laugh.... haha.

Also, REALLY cool to see Elder Hyde return home. Man, I can´t wait to chill with him at BYU. You can see the light of Christ in that guy´s face - he´s an inspiring friend. You´ll have to tell me how his homecoming talk goes.

I´m glad you guys were able to go on a cool trip! This is just another example of what great parents you are - continuing to make family memories with the younger kids. You guys are gonna have to give me parenting lessons. How´d the mini-vacation go though? I hope good.  CONGRATS on your 23rd anniversary!!! So sweet. The temple is a good way to spend celebrate it. The only bad thing about that number is that it means I will be 23 years old in 2 years.

Well.... now I´ll talk a little bit about what´s happened to me this past week! I´m so sorry for the lack of email last week - I´ll try to make up for it ahora. So.... changes were on Wednesday..... and I was sent to...... BOCAS DEL TORO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo!!! I actually asked the assistants to send me out far (the only thing I´ve ever requested in the mission). I have always wanted to come out to the far interior, and I´d never had the chance! I was afraid I might not ever get to see it, but luckily I´m out here in Changuinola, Bocas now. There is a decent-to-good chance I might finish the mission out here. COOL! Bocas is like the farthest province away from the city, and we´re right next-door to Costa Rica! I definitely plan on going and visiting the border one of these upcoming P-days. Also, they sent me here as zone leader again (not really what I was expecting, pero bueno - more lessons to learn! I´m excited.), and my companion is Elder Olivas, from El Salvador. He was born in Nicaragua but lived practically his whole life in El Salvador. Wanna here a cool stat? We started the mission in the SAME district, at the SAME time. I've literally known him since my first district meeting. He is a definite bro - a really cool guy. I'm excited for the change.

Also, for the first time in my mission, I am now living in a house of 4. Whoa! Talk about different. Everything is a little bit different in a house of 4, haha. I am liking it so far though - mostly because this other companionship is SO tight. Two gringos - Elder Seegmiller from Las Vegas, Nevada, and Elder Houghton, from Provo, Utah! Ya!! These guys are SO hilarious. They are the perfect companionship, and they have more fun doing the mission work than just about anyone else I've ever seen. They are gonna be good friends of mine for life I think. Lastly, after my ankle heals, Elder Seegmiller and I are gonna start going to play bball in the mornings at the chapel. Can you say awesome way to end the mission? I'm pretty pumped.

Lastly, I wanna talk about a BAPTISM we've got coming up!! This Saturday! Her name is Yenni. Man - really cool story about her. I feel really privileged to be part of her baptism. I´ll have to tell you about it next week. I feel like The Lord is too nice to me sometimes - it seems like every time I arrive to a new area, we usually have a baptism pretty soon afterward. What a blessing!

I love you guys - I hope you all have a great week. And read the scriptures! The BOM is the key.

 

Hasta luego,

 

-Elder Clarke

You`re gonna hate me..... but I`m not gonna write a letter home for the blog this week. :(

Mom, you`re gonna hate me, but I simply don`t have time today - a general authority is coming in September and we have to fill out a survey for him and it takes a long time..... I`m so sorry :(

 

Pero la verdad is there`s not a lot to report...... my foot is still really bothering me. We weren`t able to work that well this week because of it. Changes are this Wednesday... I will be leaving this zone - I don`t know to where though. I`ll tell you next week. We found a WAY cool family though this week and I`m really excited to see what happens with them in the coming months. I LOVED all the good news from home and that Katie went on a date! And CONGRATS with your schooling!! I love you so much mom. Give everyone my love and especially Grandpa! And Dad! AND YOU! Love you all. I`m sorry about this week.

 

Love your son,

Elder Clarke

This week stunk.... then it ended good with a baptism.

Man... this week was one of the hardest I've had in a while. I really don`t have too much to recount besides the baptism, because I was stuck in the house the whole dang week. This week I found the principle to be totally true that if you don`t work, you get homesick and you don`t wanna work anymore. Working is the only remedy!!! And when you can't work cuz you're stuck on your bed, that's when things get really tough.

Right after I wrote you guys last week, we went to go play basketball and soccer. Well, we were warming up with soccer and I 

jumped up to head the ball, and when I came down my whole ankle popped out of place! Fetch, I don`t wanna sound like I`m exaggerating, but it was one of the most painful things that I've experienced in recent memory. I popped it back into place myself! Afterward, we went to the hospital that night to take an x-ray to make sure nothing was broken or fractured or anything, and thank goodness it wasn't. But dang, it sure felt like it - they put a soft cast on it and that night getting into the house was really hard, cuz we live on a big hill. 

And that`s pretty much my whole week - I stayed in the house until Saturday afternoon when we went to prepare Michael`s baptism. BIG props given to my comp, Elder Atuake, for constantly going on divisions during the week and keeping the work going. I love that guy, for real. I stayed with Elder Aguare and Quico mas during the week - Hermana Alvarado (member that lives above us) is a blessed woman and made us dinner and breakfast almost every day cuz I couldn't leave the house.

Michael's baptism was really cool though - it made the week awesome. He got confirmed yesterday, and I really feel he'll make a great missionary and member. The cool thing is both his father and mother came, who aren't members, and we planted that seed with them as they witnessed the baptism. The father had a lot of questions about Joseph Smith and everything so it'd be great to start teaching him a little. Blessed be Michael's grandma, Beatriz. She's a VERY strong member and we see God helping her so much in growth in the gospel! I admire her desire and willingness to do/learn whatever it takes.

Well, I'm gonna wrap this up, but I wanna share a quote I found by Gordon B. Hinckley this week that almost exactly describes the way I need to feel now in the mission: "The older I grow the less concerned I become with quotes and statistics and percentages, and the more I become concerned with the kind of experience that the soul of man has in the Lord`s church, and particularly in the Lord`s holy temple." Isn't that awesome?! Being a leader here in the mission, I've seen how important numbers are - it's kind of like a business. But the PROPHET, of all people, having to deal with all the numbers in the church, doesn't worry about it! He`s much more interested in the PEOPLE, not the numbers. Every number is a person. That`s how I need to become here in the mission. I need to perfect that. 

Well, that`s it for this week. I love you all!!!! Much! Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Clarke

Another week has gone...

Bueno folks. Another week has passed, and I am loving being a missionary. I am coming to a close on the Book of Mormon, and I`m learning better how to "listen by The Spirit" to my investigators in the lessons. We had some disappointments this week, as Vladimir has fallen through on his baptismal date - he is the grandson of a member, but his parents (which only one is a less-active member) simply do not support him and don't let him go to church with his grandparents. It really saddens me. It also makes me really glad though, de nuevo, for the amazing family that I was born into. I've said it time and again, but if there's anything I've learned to love and have a testimony of out here in the mission, its of the FAMILY. 

Speaking of family, last Monday night we went to a family home evening with a old member that had invited a partial member family over for the night. The members? Maria, Ana, and Anthony, 19, 13, and 10 years old. They are all recently active in the church, but their parents, no. They don't receive much support either! But anyway, by default for having been less active for a good amount of years, they don`t  know a whole ton about the basic gospel principles. So, we taught them about the Plan of Salvation, and about prayer.... things I've been learning about since I was 3! Or before. Anyway, I just found such great joy in teaching these young people the basic gospel principles, and more than anything, got me so excited to teach my own kids someday! In various blessings I've received throughout my life, I've noticed they've always mentioned a lot about teaching my kids the gospel someday in my own home. I just can`t wait!!! I just want my kids to be strong in the church. 

Anyway, this week was a week FULL of divisions - I did divisions with Elder Velez, from Argentina, Elder Aguare, from Guatemala, and Elder Quico (again), from Peru. Those Peruvians really are different. I`d like to go visit someday with Dave. I really like going on divisions and helping these guys, especially the younger ones, develop, and realize why they're here. I just try to be a good example to them, and help them to become better teachers. Man, it's so hard to be a good teacher out here - I`d say one of the hardest things to develop. I`m still not where I wanna be as a teacher, but that's why I've got 4 months left! Improve until the end, baby. 

In other news, our now one solo progressing investigator, Michael, should be baptized this Saturday. He is so chosen. Now that I have more time in the mission, it is much easier to discern when and/or whether it is an investigators time to get baptized. Because everything just works! The mission life is so crazy and constantly busy, especially as a leader, that when things go like they should, you know it`s because God has His hand in it. Michael is the grandson of Beatriz, the lady that Elder Paskett taught in Tocumen. Awesome.

One more little bit of consejo I wanna share before parting is the reality and the power of fasting. I know you guys don`t have the Spanish version of the scriptures, but in the index under fasting, it explains that one of the main purposes of the fast is to be able to KNOW and COMPREHEND God`s will during the fast. I am gaining such a strong testimony of this aspect of the fast - it`s becoming more and more obvious to me when I fast which investigators will progress, which ones won't, etc. It's awesome, and I plan on utilizing it after the mission as well. In order to be able to comprehend the will of God in the fast, we must be humble, and pray and ask for it in prayer during the fast. Anyway, I don't know what it says in English but study up on fasting and the purpose behind it in your scriptures, next time you fast. It`s great.

Well, I`m gonna end this now. Elder Atuake and I are doing well - he's such a cool guy - I'm learning lots from him. Changes are coming soon though, and I have a feeling I'll finally be sent to the interior. Chiriqui or Concepcion would be cool. Perhaps the last area of my mission! Crazy. Well, I love you guys. Thanks for all the uplifting emails - this week especially was great to hear from you all, and you definitely lifted my spirits :) ¡Chao!

Love, 

Elder Steve Clarke

P.S.... Happy Birthday Krissy!!!!!!

          ..... and Happy Birthday Katie next week!!!!

Maloelele (Tongan for "hello")

Man :) I think Dave is the only one who understands right now what joy it brings me to write you guys every week. I love you all! How was your week? Mine was pretty good. It felt long though... first time that`s happened in a while. Mom, I hope you have a good week at girls camp, and Krissy, your birthday is in 1 week!!! And Katie, yours in 2!! So crazy. Something even more crazy are the pictures I received this morning: Justin Brockbank.... a married man?!? No puede ser. And P-Diddy Farnsworth back from the mission?!? So crazy. Life is crazy, I tell ya. 

Well, I`m gonna write down a few scattered thoughts today. I've been doing a lot of thinking this week - a lot of thinking about how I want to finish my mission. And I realized just how much I lack to become the person I want to be. I still have so many faults! But going into these last 4 months, I want to become better at following spiritual impressions AL INSTANTE (right away). This was something President Ward talked about a lot and something I'm sad to say I don't think I've perfected yet. In order to be able to, I also realize I need to know with a surety how to recognize promptings. In my last interview with Pte. Ward, he gave me a blessing and told me in the last 6 months of my mission, that is what I was going to improve. I told him I am determined to find a baptize a complete family, seeing as I still haven't been able to do that yet. I am also determined to put to the test the wisdom of Grandpa in 1. Study 2. Ponder, and 3. Prayer, in order to receive personal revelation of how I can better recognize and follow spiritual promptings al instante.  It's such a scary thought I'm going home so soon - I have so much to improve!

So, this week I've been flying through the BOM - I'm now in Mormon! I think I wanna read it again one more time in the last few months I have. That will require a lot of studying, but hey! I feel like I'm really feasting on the Book of Mormon right now. Every night after we come home and plan, I go straight to reading! I really look forward to it. Mormon was such a good leader, and I can't imagine what it must've been like for him to live during the beginnings of the apostasy in the Americas. What I admire is that it says in chapter 3 (I think) that regardless of their iniquidades, he still loved them with all the love of God he could muster. Also, I loved how he was told of and entrusted with the responsibility of the sacred record as young as 10 years of age! And he was asked to be the Nephite captain at the age of 16! Really awesome how through the oracles of time, God has always called jovenes in their youth (Joseph Smith, King David, etc).

As for our investigators, we only had 2 in the reunion :( But, the good news is we should be saving at least 2 more souls at the end of the month (perhaps more). One  of them is quite the miracle story - his name is Michol - grandson of the lady that Elder Paskett baptized! I marvel, truly, at the faith of that lady - Beatriz - in helping her grandson come for the lessons, getting to church every week. I had the opportunity to interview her for her baptism, and she told me about how she came to the conviction of the truthfulness of this church - it was a long story and I totally regret not writing it down. But her testimony is so strong of the Profet Joseph Smith! We should be getting her grandson baptized on the 27. It`s awesome, but also kind of sad, how many miracles and testimonys I've seen out here in the field, that it almost doesn't even faze me anymore! It's a beautiful thing to be out here in the field. 

This past week we had multi-zone conference, where the rest of the zone/mission met the new mission pres. We also met his kids for the first time - they are so cool!  One of them - Sam - just got back from the Tokyo mission and knew of Jared Hall there! Awesome. President Carmack is so awesome though, really. I know he was called by revelation to come here - he's exactly what we need here! I was talking with un Elder Garnica - an ex-assistant who's going home at the end of the month, and we were talking about how we wish we got to stay here longer under President Carmack's reign. This mission is gonna completely change and it's gonna be awesome! 

Also, we've been leaving with the young men recently to do visits on Saturday, first with Demetrio - getting ready to leave on his mission, and also this past Saturday with Raul (who we baptized). He's already talking with the bishop about getting ready to go on the mish!! Who! I really wish there were missionaries in AF and that I would've left to do visits with them before my mission - I could tell to Demetrio especially it was a big help, and we all felt The Spirit strong! 

Well, I'm gonna end this email - it's been extra long I know. But I love the mission! Wanna keep working and improving so that I can finish my mission feeling good about what I did here. Love you all!! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Clarke

I was a Lamanite this week...

Well, this week was a good one. I think probly the best thing in the mission in the amount of lessons learned through trial and experience. I feel like it`s something I won't be able to recognize as easily when I go home. Today has been a good P-day so far: we just got back from el Templo Bahaiia (?). It is the world's second largest religion after Christianity I guess? It was pretty cool though - I was surprised to hear that their belief about revelation and prophets is very similar to ours and Joseph Smith. They have 8 temples in the world - one on every continent I think. And one of the 8 is stationed right here in Panama! Ha! Anyway. 

So I'm almost embarrassed to write this, but God totally humbled me this week. In the past little while, I'd had more success than I'd had almost in any other point in my mission. With that, I got a little prideful I think. Literally prideful, no, but, I don't know. I just got lackadaisical with stuff. This past Sunday when I didn't have any baptisms, I think I realized: I've gotta go out and WORK again to get them. I don't think lazy is the right word, but I had let up a bit. Haha. We read about the Lamanites/Nephites that go through the cycle of obedience, blessings, falling into wickedness and temptations, etc, and I feel like I fell right into that hole. And to think, I just finished reading Alma! You'd think I would've learned something.... ha. Anyway, now I'm back on track and Elder Atuake and I are ready to go out and baptize the world! We already put the goal of 4 baptisms in July and we are gonna do it! We are fasting every Saturday and into Sunday for it. I love my comp - he`s such a boss. 

In other news, we are now participating in the..... WARD CHOIR!!! What?! The men are actually non-existent. It was practically an all relief-society choir, until my comp and I offered our talents! Haha! The practice yesterday after church was long and kind of boring, not to mention we had been fasting, but it's great. Now more than ever I regret not knowing how to play piano and read music. A lady asked me to go play the piano yesterday, assuming I knew how because I'm from America.... I had to sadly tell her I don't know how to play. Grandma.... 100 points. You were always right. 

Pariaso Zone wearing their "Dream Team" t-shirts

Oh! We also had a baptismal service for the sisters here in the ward on Saturday. It's kind of a long story, but it was really a baptism of Elder Paskett's (Mom, I'm sure he explained it in his weekly letter if you wanna check it out)! He had been transferred to Chorrera and came to the ghetto to perform the baptism in our capilla Saturday night! It was way fun to see him. I'd love to finish my mission being comps with him.

Also, I did divisions with an Elder Quico this week - he's from Peru! It's so funny how all the Peruvians talk - they all have the same way of talking. I thought of Dave :) I tried to help him understand how to teach PEOPLE, not lessons. He's a new guy in the mission still. I feel like we as leaders have such a big carga now more than ever with so many new missionaries. To be honest, I don't know if they really know too well how to teach and be missionaries! It falls on us to help teach them. 

Anyway, that's all I have time for this week. I love you all and hope you all have an awesome week!

-Elder Clarke

P.S.... Happy 4th of July this past week! Ether 2:12.... our country needs to continue to follow God!