Elder Brandon Clark Serving an LDS Mission in Lima, Peru South: Reach your Full Potential

Not quite sure where to start with this week ! Everything has just kind of meshed together. its really strange. Been sick with a soar throat.. the worst.. so I haven't been working out. But I have learned so much in this past week with all that has happened, even though its not much. However I and everyone in my district has come to love our teach. Kemish Martinez, he is in the picture of us all in the classroom and he took the video. He is an amazing teacher! he has taught so much over these past few days. "Stay in the boat, stay in the lords hands." The boat is where we are supposed to be, stay on your mission, and if you quit you will be in dangerous territory. "When the storms come, are you going to stay in the boat , or jump out ?" Teach with simplicity & show your love and compassion towards them. He taught us how to react , when an investigator says no to a baptism invitation. If they don't feel ready yet you would say, well will you be willing to, when you FEEL & TRULY KNOW that baptism is correct, will you be baptized? He also taught a good analogy, about a mustang cobra, how would it feel to go 10 mph.. lame and wanted to go faster of course.. but how would feel to go 160 mph!? Excited and reaching its full potential. How would it feel if you just have a small testimony or teach just a few lessons? Reach your full potential! WE need to have good desires, we must desire to become our Best! And the Lord will provide.

I gave a talk last Sunday, went pretty good surprisingly... I actually talked at normal speed haha. And I knew what I was saying kinda. My talk was on repentance.

The mangos here are amazing! I ate 6 of them in one day! haha. I experienced a pretty intense hail storm yesterday! it was so loud inside we couldn't hear ourselves talking! it was crazy.

Time is flying. The days seem like forever, even though the weeks go by quick. We went to the temple today, it was pretty awesome, too bad its closed for some inside construction work. But it is insane driving through the city and cars are near 2 inches away from you! It was like an amusement park ride! The city is insane. Very interesting site to see.

During your mission, you can notice Satan's craftiness in everything and everyone around you, including your self. During a service project , I found myself murmuring about doing service, when I realized I am helping someone, I should be very happy and proud right now. But you can see how Satan will deceit the minds of many missionaries and trying to strike fear and doubt into their lives. As he tries to make you focus on the negative, focus on how much you miss your family, how much stress and how many challenges you are facing. As he tries to influence the lord's servants to turn their back on this wonderful work. He will place many opposing thoughts of doubt and regret! I never thought that I would ever have any of these kind of feelings or thoughts about my mission.. But I did.. and it was terrible, a terrible feeling. Satan know peoples weaknesses and knows how to inject anger, irritance, and pride into the hearts of many. If he can stop one, he can stop many.

However, if we have self-discipline and control over our thoughts, we will control our destiny. Mosiah 4:30 WE must rely on the Lord at all times and always be in tune with the Spirit. Or Satan will control our destiny.

As I watch my fellow brethren -missionary friends- struggle, because they let Satan inject some poisonous thoughts, influence their character. A contributing factor I think is their willingness to obey. But I also have seen a positive side of others fighting back and learning to turn to the Lord and putting their trust in Him, but many do. Many have crumbled and are beginning to crumble, like last night their was a new missionary who was completely broken and in tears telling everyone that he needed to go home right now! He was letting these thoughts over power him. We, our whole casa, every missionary joined and knelt down in his room and said a prayer. It was very powerful as you could feel every missionaries faith be put to work, and none of us had even known him. It was pretty amazing. And today I saw him, all dressed and ready. I hope he can pull through.

I love you all so much! I know this church is true without a doubt, this is the Lord's work! There would be no way I would know this much Spanish in only two weeks if it wasn't for the Lord. The Lords work is perfect.

Love,
Elder Clarkster