Elder Brandon Clark Serving an LDS Mission in Lima, Peru South: My Fear was overpowered quickly by my faith

Wow, besides the crazy accident that happened yesterday at 2 in the morning we had a great week. very spiritual and uplifting for sure topping it off with last night, well this morning I guess you could say.

Wow, where do I start? At about 2:00 am last night I wake up to my comp screaming something, I don't remember. Then I roll over on the top bunk of the bunk bed and look out the opened window and see this huge fire on the side of this house, just above our house about 25 yards away up this hill we live on. I was still half asleep & in shock, my comp was saying stuff to me, but I don't remember, neither did I understand. As he was taking some pictures and a small video, he stopped and said "Cambio!" which means "Change!" Like change into some clothes. So we both quickly changed. And then he wanted to head out and help when we heard this gas tank light up, it didn't blow up. However, we could hear slowly the gas coming out and causing a bigger fire. So I said, we can't go out there, the gas is going to explode. During this whole time, the people in the house had 1 exit only...and it was right where the fire was, right at their door. So the only way out was their window, however, they have this safety bar over the window to prevent robbery. But besides all of this, my companion took off and climbing up a few things and a wall to get into position up to the window, in order to break the bars off and set the people free. And I would admit, I was a little slow to react as my fear overcame my faith my action my courage, and so I didn't act as quick as I wanted to as I think of it now and as I did all last night. However, my fear was overpowered quickly by my faith, and I took off, climbed the wall and literally with all my strength tore these bars off of that window. I know if it wasn't for my valiant comp & his example, things would've been different. Right when those bars were taken off we helped get a mother, an older daughter, 2 younger boys, and an adult man get out and down and safe. The mother smacked her brother, supposedly he came home drunk, we never saw him again that night. I learned so much, I felt a peace as a young boy came running and hugged the mother, 2 boys and younger woman. I saw them cry together, then he gave me a huge hug as well thanking me, as he was in tears. But I will never forget this scary night, and those 8desperate screams for help. Everyone was okay thankfully. Supposedly the stove was left on or something to have caused the fire. Afterwards, the people we helped down thanked us deeply for coming, as we were the only ones who came to the rescue. It was crazy. We got back in bed at 3:15am. We both couldn't sleep very good of course. Haha. However, so much was learned from that night. I know I did that's for sure. I will never forget it...As I applied it to the Atonement, there were many who didn't even know the fire had happened, neither what we did. as we were on the back side & nobody could see us. Just like the Atonement they gave thanks, now imagine how we would of felt if they didn't say thank you, or if they were to say or deny that we even came to help them. That's how it is with Christ & he still did it knowing that they weren't going to believe. But He loves us. I have so much love for those people we helped. I'm sure Christ's love increased after he atoned for us as well.

This was the house, the one with the window open. We had to brake the bars off to get them out.

This week a very interesting man named Ruben Mamani is going to get baptized! He is such an interesting guy, I love him so much haha, He always makes us laugh a bunch. It was super funny as we were doing the pre-interview for him to get baptized, and we had to ask him some serious questions and one of them was if he had commit a serious crime against the law. And he sat there and thought for a little bit.. and said yes, and we were a little worried and then he told us how he disobeyed his parents one time, it was so funny. He is so innocent, he is super good haha.
We found a family who has been having some problems with their daughter, she seems to pass out all the time, and Gladys the mother is super worried for her daughter, so she was more receptive to us, and allowed us to teach her, her husband works super far out of town and only comes in town for 7 days and then heads back out for 2 months which is super sad. However, we are really learning so much. I know I am especially from this amazing book I'm reading, "The continuous atonement", it is such a great book, you should read it really!

5lder Clark