We don't have time to waste it

Wow. Time flies… I can’t believe I have already been here for 1 month. Time flies. Take every opportunity in life. We don’t have time to waste it.
Alma 34:33
And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

Woke up to an earthquake the other day. It was pretty sick, thought it was my comp going crazy for a sec. I love how there is an store everywhere you turn here, like with fresh bread and snacks it’s the best. Plus I get to play frogger everytime I cross the street! But we only have one life... plus the sun is never out..the sky is always white or grey.. it’s so humid my clothes grow! But the rain here is like a slow motion cold sneeze to the face! It’s weird…

The other day we had two lessons. One was with Fernando. 22 yrs old. You could see the light in his eyes, his desire to learn more, it was amazing. And the other lesson was with  Luis. We show up to his house. He was high and he was trying to hide it… but when he felt the spirit, you could see him settle down and stop fidgeting and moving all over the place it was incredible to see the spirit change his countenance and help him gain a desire to stop smoking and drinking.

Colossians 3:10 ´..put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created you´

12. put on... elect of God, holy, beloved..

23 ..whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as the lord, and not unto men. !!!

24. knowing that the lord ye shall recieve the reward of the inheritance. For ye serve the Lord Christ.

Elder Cl3rk

Isaiah 55:8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 Different Views

Answers to all your questions

Every meal always has chicken and rice. It’s amazing, other things I really have no idea what it is but it’s good. My pensionista is hna Carmen. She is like 4 feet tall it’s awesome. Sundays are amazing because that is when all the families are together and we have lots of success.

For example, Saturday, after a rough unsuccessful day, with 3 cancelled baptismal dates we had a man get out of a taxi and then he called us over. Told us about his life and how he’s been inactive for 10 years but he wants his family to have the gospel in his life. So we met with his fam that night and one of his friends. His wife was very interested, so they attended church yesterday. They were very impressed and hungry to learn more. So we taught them last night and were able to commit his wife Elizabeth to baptism and a marriage date. It was a miracle. As my companion and I were all down and out, we need to find a family, and right then this man called us out. If we were not there right at that time, there would have been no way, we could have found them. 

And no I am not singing in the choir, maybe later down the road when I actually understand hymns in Spanish. And we are in a ward, in a room the size or the relief society room. We have ward council meetings every Sunday that take about 3 hours. Very good and intense meetings. Yesterday we whipped it into 4 wheel drive. 

Yes I have a bedroom, and the bed is average. It’s possible to sleep when you climb hills all day. But it’s tough when we are always skipping meals. AS we are running , sprinting home. its awesome. mission life.

Bathroom is weird, I will have to send a pic cuz the setup is backwards.

And all of our baptismal dates got moved to Oct.

I believe that preach my gospel is not just for missionaries! I believe that is for everyone! Every member a missionary. And Noah you better start studying. haha. It is a very powerful and inspiration book.

I believe there are two types of leaders in this world. Loving or demanding. You love, lift up, give compliments, help your trainee gain confidence. Or you demand perfection and focus on the negative. Which one are you…

 The other day I was on splits for the day with another companion. After watching the restoration video about Joseph Smith, I was able to give the invitation for baptism to this lady. She said she had already been baptized in the Catholic Church. So I shared a scripture in Ephesians 4.5   1 baptism, 1 faith and 1 God, and talked about how many other faiths and forms of baptisms. Then gave the inv. again. She then said yes. The spirit was there. That was the one reason it worked. And the restoration story is the most powerful part of the 1 lesson.

Seguir , which means follow is in the word, seguridad, which means safety. John 8.12 ... Matthew 15.14...don’t follow the blind haha.

John 15.13..15  greater love hath no man than this , that a man lay down his life for his friends. Mi verdadera amigo.

#lder Clark

 

SEAHORSE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER SANCHEZ

 

Faith vs Fear

The other night our neighbors partied hard, like crazy hard. Blasting their music so loud till 5 in the morning! It was crazy. Guess it’s an every other Saturday thing... it was terrible waking up every hour to terrible spanish music. Plus I guess it is normal to ask older people how old they are, they take no offence to it. Neither when they call you fat. This man at church said to this lady, sister you are such a pretty fatty lady, but in spanish. I was dying. Plus people cannot say my name to save their life. Like Elder Clak, or Clerk, Cleak. It’s bad haha, I thought it was easy.. but no. But when they do get it, they are like ohhhhh yeah like Clark Kent!!! Supaaman!

I had an amazing experience this week, as I felt the spirit work through me in many lessons. I told myself I was going to put all my trust in the lord, and not think of creative or ways that I wanted to teach the lessons. I felt the spirit put words into my mind and out my mouth, the words that I had been so diligently studying. In Romans 8: 24 'for we are saved by hope. But that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope.' I needed to put everything in the lord’s hands and let him do his wonderful magic! The spirit is the teacher!

I received some letters this week thank you! One goes along with my past story and helped me as well! But first . the word espera means to wait, and the word hope is esperanza which is hope. We just need to wait! Hope however wait as well.

Elder Anderson talks about this in his talk perfect. 'you know enough'

I love this

'Faith is not only a feeling, it’s a decision! We need to choose!'  'Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time'!!!
Christ said 'be not afraid, only believe'!
I can testify of this! I feel myself crumble with my words when I feel myself doubting... But when I have no worries and I am calm and let the lord do his work. When I am calm, everything is perfect! This goes for everyday life as well! Trust in the lord with all your heart! And let him guide you in all things that you do!

Proverbs 3:5-6

Not in your own thoughts or ideas of how to do things or think would be better because it seems logical. The Lords knows all!!! TRUST in him.

Have no fear, but faith. And believe in him!

Elder Cl€rk

2 Nefi 4.34 ---Confianza---

                                  Brandon said Elder Sanchez bought and A-mazing cake!!!!

More about Peru

I need to talk more about Peru. I am in the area of San Juan. Solidaridad. Nice area, about middle class status. Everything in Peru is dusty… Everything gets dusty, then it gets wet, it’s awesome. 

The best are the mini taxis, picture a motor cycle with a box around it, where they cram 3 to 4 people inside. And then they whizz around everywhere. And then the buses, those are crazy. They pack about 1 million people in this bus that is as tall as me. Not enough seats, you have to stand, then the bus is constantly stopping and speeding up. People getting in and out, you have no balance its crazy!  There are dogs everywhere. A good dog fight every day, nice free entertainment for everyone. And American music is the thing here. Not the good kind, the stuff on the radio. Oh yeah don’t forget the fancy t-shirts with English lettering. Like: ``angry beast man`` I really don’t think they know what that means or if they think it’s something cool… but the thugs around here look like the chumps back at home its super funny but hard to take them serious when they really are serious. 

The best is getting all of these weird looks from everyone especially all the kids. And then the awesome gringo chants. Like: Gringo habla! talk white boy! It’s funny but sometimes annoying. But I love the people, and want to teach them all about the gospel!

The food here is amazing! I will probably come home fat...no not really, I would cry. But I think that I am addicted to Inca cola. It’s amazing! Plus it’s freezing! Freezing.

It is very challenging with some of our investigators because they must be married first, before baptism. And they have to assist church for at least 3 weeks and all three hours… Very challenging but we were able to commit 3 more to baptism! Super exciting! 

I have been so humbled these past weeks as all I can do is rely on the Lord and put all my trust in him in every lesson. 

Heb. 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him

Christ is the author, but only if we obey.

Alma 7: 11-13
And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

These verses help me always remember that he has atoned for every single one of my sins, every single one! 

READ Elder Bednar’s talk, “Atonement and journey of mortality”... I would write more about it because I love it so much, but don’t got much tiempo.

``I suspect that many members of the church are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming and cleansing power of the atonement...than they are with the STRENGTHENING and ENABLING POWER!` it’s not only for sinners, it’s for those who are striving to become better!

D&C 76:19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.

Love Elder C1ark

He is wearing someone else's pants and shoes! Doesn't he look like a total AZ- trying to keep warm?

https://webmail.west.cox.net/do/redirect?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252Fmaps%252F%2540-12.1667085%252C-76.9783647%252C3a%252C55.4y%252C252.57h%252C77.21t%252Fdata%253D%25213m4%25211e1%25213m2%25211sV-6qknvuJMe7WlF2D4MAJw%25212e0%253Fhl%253Den

Follow this link and it will take you down the streets Brandon was on in this photo! Thanks to his Uncle Ben for finding this, Ben served in the same mission Brandon is-so cool!

                                                        View during the day from apt.

                                                       View during the night from apt.
       The bald hill(unlit) you see, with a light on the top...the light is a huge statue of Christ!

Raw week number !1¡ and many to come!

 I Love Peru! The food has surprised me! Everywhere that I have eaten I have liked it, like a lot. Plus things are exciting pretty normal as well haha. for now... But I guess sickness is big issue down here... But I know even if I get sick, it won’t stop me, even if I get pneumonia or lose all of my limbs.

I have felt the spirit all week! And I don’t think that I have ever been so happy for such a long period of time in my life before!  Plus I noticed that when I am praying, there is a difference when I pray… my knees don’t hurt. If you truly want to pray, on cement or dirt, your knees won’t hurt. I have felt the power of prayer so much as I am constantly praying and asking for guidance from the Lord. ****Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  

As we pray for the spirit and help from the Lord, in what are the needs of this investigator, or how we can improve. 

Throughout this week I have seen many different types of people that’s for sure. However, in lessons you can tell the difference between those who seek the truth and those that are happy with where they are. Those who are humble, and those who are a little too proud about themselves.

We were able to commit someone to baptism yesterday. Very humble man. My companion and I could feel his humble and kind spirit!  We have 3 set baptisms for Sept. Very excited!!! Plus we found a very enthusiastic fam as well, who have said they know our message is true! And want to learn more, very engaged fam (Cruz.  

Matthew 28.19 *Go ye therefore, and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

I love this verse, because it is so important that we teach simply, that we are here to help you come unto Christ. Ephesians 4:5-6 Teach that there is one God, one Baptism, one faith, and that we are all brothers and sisters in this life. We are all in this together, to return back to our true home with our father in heaven so that we have true joy in this life! Eternal Life.

I love this gospel. Sorry I know I say that a lot but I know that there is nothing I would rather be in. Nothing I would rather be doing. Preaching HIS gospel & teaching what I know to be true with all my heart!

Thank you for all the prayers and support.

Love Elder Cl4rk

Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost

The view from his apartment

Elder Clark & His Trainer Elder Sanchez.

While waiting for his visa, Elder Sanchez served his mission in El Salvador. Uncle Dave Glazier was his mission president in El Salvador!. Aunt Bev and Uncle Dave trained Elder Sanchez! They also know his father. After Elder Sanchez's visa came, he headed to Lima Peru South. Now he is training Brandon with the knowledge the Glaziers gave him!

So Sweet!



This is where they email us.



                                Only Elder Sanchez & Brandon live in this apartment.

                           It doesn't look like they have a closet to hang their clothes in.

               Here is where they both study.

*Mom post---Brandon has been very worried about his knees hurting during prayer. At home he usually kneels on a pillow. It hurts  his knees to kneel, even if it is on carpet.  He was really worried that while teaching people in their homes, it would hurt to kneel on tile or dirt floors. So he took his basketball knee pads! He was convinced he would need to wear them under his pants. We were super happy to read his letter this week of his knees not hurting :)

*We were able to write back and forth a bit, He said, “we have a sweety, kind little lady that cooks for us sometimes & does our laundry” I asked if he is sleeping and he said “perfect ! best sleep I have gotten ever!”In response to missing the scout labor day 5k breakfast, he said, “Wish I had a good breakfast this morning haha.”