Short an sweet

Not much has happened since I wrote you on Wednesday. We had two investigators come to church, which was awesome. They left right before sacrament meeting ended becaue they had to go take care of something else, but we were really happy they came at all. They're the first investigators that have come to church since I got to Birch Hills. 😃

In other news, we knocked on someone's door and he asked us for our autographs. It was super weird, I really didn't know what to say. He did say we could come back some time, but he didn't give us an exact date to do so. 

That's about it. I love you!

-Elder Clark

Power

I got the glasses and the easter package, thanks so much. The other glasses worked, but one of the lenses really wants to fall out and they don't have that magical coating that makes them easier to clean like the Shopko ones, so it's nice to have these ones. I also appreciate the soup, they don't sell that brand in any of the stores I've been to down here, so I'm looking forward to making it. I don't know if I've already said this or not, but Lee's is actually one of the things I've missed the most out here. Everything over here is just so expensive and then it's not even as good as the Lee's stuff. It's all good though, they give us plenty of food money and the ward feeds us dinner almost every night. Sorry I forgot to wish you a happy birthday Britney, I did wear a green tie and I did think of you. That's kind of funny that they had a ward pancake breakfast on your birthday, because my ward out here had a ward pancake breakfast on my birthday too. I guess we're just cool enough that the church wants to throw our parties for us. 😉 That's pretty cool that they got to make paper in art class, I don't think we ever did anything that unique in my art classes. It sounds like it would be fun.

I'm guessing you already figured this out, but my P-day got moved to today so that we could go to the temple! It was really nice, it felt like I hadn't gone in forever. The Newport Beach temple is really pretty, it has some super cool paintings and a really spectacular mural. I'm so grateful that I'm in a mission that has the opportunity to visit the temple. 😊  

So lots has happened since it's been about a week and a half, so I'm just going to throw up a few events and not worry about transitions or anything.

We met a guy who moved here from Korea and he said we could send Korean missionaries over to talk to his family. Normally that wouldn't be a very notable event, but the guy's name was pretty great. You know how sometimes people here in America name their kids a word in a different language that just means peace or strength or something like that? Well apparently they do that in Korea too but with English words, becuase this guy's name was power.

We saw some high school kids standing around a U-Haul. We asked if they needed help unloading and they said yes, but not until later because their mom was filling out paperwork and they didn't have the apartment key yet. We came back later, but no one was by the U-Haul and we didn't know their phone number or which apartment it was, so we just left and did missionary things. They then apparently called the sister missionaries in the ward they moved from and told them that they needed help moving furniture and two missionaries had offered to help but they didn't know how to contact us. They said one of us had red hair and glasses, and since I'm the only redhead in the entire zone they had no trouble figuring out who it was, so go me for being unique. 😉

Wednesday was 3/14, so of course we made pie. I made a key lemon pie and Elder Durtschi made an Oreo pie. It's only a week later and we've eaten all but one slice. And when I say we, I mean Elder Durtschi had about three pieces and I ate the rest, so I'm probably going to need to start working a little more dilligently in my morning workouts. 

I knocked on a door, and a man came out in a bathrobe and chastized me for ruining the varnish on his door. I really didn't know how to respond, but he closed the door before I had the chance to anyways, so it's all good I guess.

We met someone who downloaded gospel library on his own because he's really been wanting to read the scriptures but couldn't find the copy he'd been given by the missionaries forever ago! He was feeling sick the day we met him, but he said he definitely wanted to talk with us some other time. 

Someone had us read a chapter out of the Bible that he thought proved that our church isn't true, and that it would really make us think about what we believe as true. I turned to the chapter in personal study the next day, and it's actually one of the chapters that Preach my Gospel cites to support our doctrine on the priesthood. I'm not totally sure how he wanted me to interpret it, but it was cool to read about the priesthood either way.

We met someone who's cool, but she might be YSA. It's hard to tell, because we're supposed to pass people who are 18-30 to them, but since it's rude to ask people how old they are you have to kind of just guess.

The Zone leaders did an exchange with us on Monday since our P-day is on Wednesday, so I got to go to FHE in the YSA ward again! It was fun to see some of the people again even if we had to leave a little early to take my stuff back to our area. 

And last but certainly not least, we found a family to teach!! It was super cool, I set a personal goal in the last place we went to for the night that I would give away all of the materials I brought out with me before I went in. I was able to give away all of my pamphlets and was left with a Book of Mormon and a pass-along card. I was thinking about how I would get someone to take a Book of Mormon even though it was 8:30 and we were having trouble even getting people to talk to us, so I said a little prayer and decided that if Heavenly Father would put someone in my path I would do everything I could to give them the Book of Mormon. Then, three doors later someone opened up and when we asked if we could share a short message with him he told us his family was just finishing up dinner and they'd love to have us come in and teach them! We shared the church's Easter video from last year then taught them about the Book of Mormon and gave them the copy. We asked if we could come back later and teach them more about the book and they said they'd love that! It's so cool, they're such and awesome family, I'm really excited to work with them. 😊

Oh, and update on my companion and I. This week has been a lot better than last week. There was a segment in zone conference about finding joy in the work, and someone said something that helped me realize that my own attitude was a lot of the problem. I'm still praying for patience and asking God to help me love him every day, and he's still doing all the same things that bother me, but I'm responding to it better and it isn't bothering me as much. Hopefully it keeps getting better, but even if it doesn't I'm still happy I'm a missionary and I'm having these great experiences. 

Wow, that's super long. Hopefully you are able to find the time to read it all. I love you guys!

-Elder Clark

The grass is greener

Thanks for the recipe, I realized last minute that this Wednesday is pie day and I couldn't pass that up. 😉 That's pretty exciting with the lockdown. I'm sure stuff like that happens pretty frequently where I'm at, but nothing like that ever really happens in Cache Valley. 😉 

I have a new companion this week, his name is Elder Durtschi and he's also from Utah. I didn't take any pictures with him, but they'll take one of us at zone conference next week, so you can see what he looks like then. Truth be told we aren't getting along great so far. He kind of just, doesn't talk to me unless he needs to. Or if he doesn't like the way I'm doing something.  I'm not sure if he doesn't like me or if he's just a quiet person, but he talks to other missionaries lots when we're with them, so... I dunno. Elder Wasden and I didn't get along great when we first became companions either though, so it'll hopefully get better. 

Enough of that though, the week went pretty good aside from that. We were finally able to meet with someone Elder Wasden and I met like 2 months ago and he's awesome!! He's still super busy, but he was like, "I won't be able to meet for another two weeks because work's crazy, but that'll hopefully give me lots of time to get into the Book of Mormon before you come back." Cool guy. :)

Friday we were able to teach another guy. We met him on Monday or Tuesday and he's really awesome. He's also reading the Book of Mormon and we're teaching him again Wednesday. 

The only other notable event is that it rained a ton on Thursday! It was great, people were still not interested, but they were a lot nicer because they were like, "Wow! You guys are out in the rain? You must be cold!" We had one guy give us an umbrella and another family offered us coffee, which we obviously didn't accept, but the thought was nice. 😉 I also took a really cool picture of my nametag. I looked down and the rain had covered it in perfect water droplets, so I wanted a picture. Dad will be so proud of me, I was like, "I'll take it in the grass, but it'll look better with something red because those colors compliment each other." So as we were walking I was looking for something red, and behold and lo, there wer some cut off branches with red leaves lying on the sidewalk. So I picked one up and started looking for a green lawn. Unfortunately, all the lawns were terrible because it's only rained three times in the past 38 years. So I was carrying this red flowery looking branch thing as we knocked on ten or fifteen houses. Finally, we came across a green lawn, and it was a glorious day. The family that lived in the house was pretty cool too, so bonus! Here's the picture, y'all have a great week!

-Elder Clark

Rainy days and Mondays

This week it rained a lot! It was so wonderful, I loved it so much! 😃 It rained all morning Tuesday while we were on exchanges. I felt a little bad because Elder Wasden left his rain jacket in our area and went over to the other area. But we had a great day in our area, so it was fine. We taught a lesson to a fellow we met about two weeks ago. He basically just wanted us over so he could tell us why our religion was wrong, but he did at least tell it to us very politely, and he even said he would read the Book of Mormon. After our visit he texted me the link to a book about why four scholars decided to leave mormonism. So maybe reading the Book of Mormon will soften his heart a little, but I'm guessing he's not going to be ready to recieve the gospel for a while. His biggest thing he was throwing at us was that there isn't conclusive historic evidence to prove that the events in the Book of Mormon really happened. I've heard that plenty of times before, but when you think about it there really can't be any undeniable evidence. We were sent here to walk by faith, not by sight. If we had perfect proof that the events of the Book of Mormon happened, everyone would join the church and there would be no need for faith. The scriptures teach us that we "recieve no witness until after the trial of our faith." As we excercise our faith and follow the principles of the gospel I know that we will recieve blessings which will confirm to us that these things are true, and like Peter we will be blessed because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto us, but our Father which is in Heaven.

On Thursday we did a service project reorganizing things in the archives of the Brea Museam. They had some neat stuff, there was one fo those old police baton things, some typewriters, and an air raid siren. After the museum we went back to our apartment and changed. I had just worn proselyting pants to the service and only changed my shirt, and I almost forgot to change my shoes and went to our appointment in my Altras. Fortunately Elder Wasden pointed them out right before we went out the door, so I got them changed and we were on our way.

Friday it rained all day long and people kept telling us we were crazy to be out walking around in the pouring rain. I think they were crazy to be inside during the pouring rain, but I'm kind of weird. 😉 

Saturday morning Elder Wasden got really sick, so we had to stay in all day. We did get transfer calls though, and I'm staying in the area, but Elder Wasden's leaving. Then on Sunday we went to church and visited a few potential investigators, but around dinner time Elder Wasden started feeling really sick again, so we went in for the rest of the day. Now we're back at the apartment typing emails and waiting for the other missionaries to come meet us so we can switch companions. The other two companionships both decided to just meet us here, so that's been really nice. They're all trying to coordinate things and we're just kind of hanging out here. 

That's about it. My new companion's name is Elder Durtschi. I'd send a picture, but he isn't here yet, so maybe I'll have one next week. I do have the picture of our zone from this transfer and a picture of our whole mission with Elder Uchtdorf that's really low quality because I got it off of Facebook. 

Have a good week!

-Elder Clark