Happy Birthday Jason and Grandma Clark!

Hola my wonderful family!

Another really amazing week here in Bermejo! Thanks Grandma Clark for the Christmas card! That was a fun surprise! :)

I realized this week that the Lord is teaching me to recognize miracles. There are miracles everyday, all around us. We just need to recognize them. Before my mission I remember thinking of things and thinking, wow this is a blessing. But things aren't just blessings, they're miracles! Like the fact that the familia Oropeza and Ventura got married this past week! That's not a blessing, it's a miracle! Honestly, Heavenly Father wants this work to move along. When we have faith anything is possible. I have a strong testimony of that now. The conference in Tarija was really good! Presidente and Hermana Willard are really amazing! Everything was in Spanish, but their Spanish is really easy to understand! My Spanish is better than it was last week too! I'm so grateful for that! I understand even more now. And I can talk with people, not just in the lessons, but just about things in life! The gift of tongues is real. That is the only way I'm able to speak this language. Only because Heavenly Father is allowing me to. It was wonderful seeing the other missionaries. Lots of North Americans, and it gave me hope that I will eventually learn to speak Spanish really well! We're driving into Tarija again today! I will be there until tomorrow night because my comp has a leaders conference in Santa Cruz. So she'll fly out of Tarija and I'll stay there with some other Hermanas.

The baptisms on Saturday went great! I am so grateful for the opportunity to know these wonderful families! Hermana Ventura is honestly so amazing. She has been prepared all her life to receive this gospel. She just wants to learn more and more, and she's so attentive in lessons, and at church and I just love it! She was so excited for her baptism. She is an example to everyone! The Oropeza family is great too! They met with the missionaries a lot about four years ago, and then didn't want to anymore. And then we received them as a reference and began teaching them again, and now look! New members of the church! The Ventura family, we met them as they were walking in the street. We passed by them and said good afternoon, and just started chatting with them. It's so amazing how Heavenly Father puts people in our path. I am grateful to be a part of this great work.

We had lunch yesterday with the Vargus family. Hermano Vargus is the funny old man that was on top of the hill last week. He just always wants to hear me speak Spanish. So I told him all about my family! And it's been cold here the past few days! Love it. But the cold also brings huge bugs inside which I do not love.. There are these butterflies and they are about the size of my hand.... They're really big. And there was 8 of them in the house yesterday! Ah! Haha And they started flying around, and well you can just imagine how well that went. My comp is brave and killed most of them.. It was kinda sad because they're so beautiful, but we weren't really sure what else to do... We left our balcony doors open like always, and that was the problem... we can't do that when it's cold anymore.

Also, there is this supermarket we like to go to, and they were laying new cement but they didn't mark the sidewalk so we didn't notice! And I walked into the new cement! So now my footprints are outside of the store. It looks funny because you can see my feet walking and then turning around in a circle to get out of the cement. I just wanted to leave my mark in Bermejo! :)

This week has been really wonderful! I have loved being a missionary more this week than ever. I'm so happy to be here giving all of my time to the Lord. What a wonderful church we are a part of. What a wonderful work we have to do! I hope everything goes well with the neighbor and the missionaries! Even if she doesn't accept the gospel yet, you're planting a seed! It's like the Oropeza family! The missionaries I'm sure were sad when the family didn't want to meet with them anymore, but really they prepared them more for when my comp and I came along. And now they're baptized! I wish I could find the first missionaries that taught them to let them know the great news! Anyway fam, keep planting seeds, and Heavenly Father will bless us with miracles. I love you so very very much!!!!

Love from Bermejo,
Hermana Clark

Mi familia!

Hi! I shouldn't be surprised, but I am! I cannot believe another week has passed! So many miracles this week! Bermejo de los Milagros! Seriously! It is amazing to see Heavenly Father at work! Many many obstacles this past week with the baptisms, but many miracles as well. One of the families won't be getting baptized this week, but two more than we thought, are getting married and baptized this week! The Oropeza family, and the Ventura family. Satan is working so hard to stop this work. That's why all the caca is hitting the fan this week... he's almost working half as hard as we are! Good thing we're on the right team and have heavenly help on our side!

I can't believe Lizz gets home this week!! That's insane! Tell her I say hi and to email me! :) I started teaching English here by the way! Haha the new teacher in Bermejo! It's been a good way to meet new investigators. I teach with a North American Elder. He is from Utah. We taught them how to pray in English last week! Something even cooler though, is I was able to tell when the spirit taught me Spanish. I keep hearing this phrase that people say, and I looked up the words and the phrase just didn't make sense in English. Then one day while we were walking the answer just popped into my head. It was so clear, and the phrase makes so much more sense now! That's happened a few times! I love it!

I also have a testimony of the importance for members to work with the missionaries, and to be missionaries themselves. One family that was baptized a few months ago had the opportunity to go to the temple with the members a couple of weeks ago, and their family has grown and changed a lot. There is a boy about 14 in the family, and he has changed the most. He is excited about the gospel, and sharing it! He introduced us to one of his neighbors last night and really was just so excited to talk about the gospel with him. So we have a new investigator and his name is Never! I told his what his name is in Spanish... haha But he's a really good person, I'm excited to teach him. It's so important for members to work with the missionaries! It strengthens their testimonies! There are some really awesome members here who really help strengthen our investigators. One is neighbors with the Ventura family, and the Hermano is always at their house helping them. He's this old guy and he's so funny. We came walking up to their house yesterday and he was sitting up on top of this huge mound of dirt just instructing Hermano Ventura on how to build his fence. haha A real character.

We get to go to Tarija for a conference with President and Sister Willard on Wednesday! I'm excited to see them and the other missionaries! So that'll be fun!

I love you all so very much! Thanks for your love and support!

Love from Bermejo de los Milagros,
Hermana Clark

Hola familia!

Wow, it is hard to believe another week is gone. I cannot get my head around how fast the time is going. I need it to slow down just a little bit. The days are slipping by and I'm not fluent yet! I know it'll come soon though! Patience! This week has been a bit of a crazy one! Lots of changes with the missionaries! I'm not sure the word in english... haha. But last week late in the night we got a call from the zone leader saying that Hna Wolf, the other North American in the apartment, was being transfered to Santa Cruz. Oh the word in english is Transfers! Haha. Okay, but it was strange because she had just gotten a new comp who has only been out for about a week! And she was training her, so it was strange she was leaving! So she left the next morning at 7 in the morning. Hna Solano, the new missionary, is from Peru, and she joined up with me and my comp and we were a trio. She is really awesome, and I thought I had it all figured out. I thought that when Hna Guerra, my comp, goes home in a few weeks I would be with Hna Solano. So I thought, well this trio thing is good because she's learning the investigators now and I won't have to introduce them to her alone later. Anyway, late last night we got another call.. we really need to just stop answering the phone, but the zone leaders said that Hna Solano was being transfered to Tarija! She was only in Bermejo for a week and a half! I really like Hna Solano, and I hope I get the chance to be her comp again. It has been a bit crazy. Also we moved all of our furniture around. Like all the beds are in one room now, all three because we have to sleep in the same room, and all the closet things are in another room and all our desks in another! And now we have to move them all back! Haha. Fun stuff.

I am convinced we have the best investigators here. We have been really blessed with some really amazing families to teach. The family Correa is getting married in a couple weeks, and the wife is getting baptized soon too! Hopefully the husband will be able to soon as well. I feel really fortunate to be visiting these families. And I feel humbled that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with this great work of teaching them. I just am so happy to be on a mission! I want to work harder to please Heavenly Father. I love this gospel so much. It has blessed my life in every way, and now I want it to bless others as well.

The other day we were walking and Hna Guerra said, "look! it's hermano Rosario!" (Rosario Correa) So Hna Guerra waved, and we ran over and then we popped our heads around to peak in the car and this man was just staring at us so confused. It wasn't Hno Rosario! Haha I just started laughing so hard and we apologized. But his face, it was so funny I laughed so hard all the way to our next apointment. I had to stop walking for a bit I was laughing so hard. And then as we were walking there was a lot of mud from the rain, and Hna Guerra leaped to try to make it from the street to the sidewalk and got stuck in the mud. And then she was fake crying and shouting for my help and after I pulled her out we looked up, and this huge group of people were just sitting there staring at us. Haha. Also, when we wash our clothes we always hear this voice shouting "mom! mom! mom!" Well we figured out it's a parrot! He just sits there shouting that all the time! And every morning a man shouts from below what sounds like "Jeanna!" and then the lady that lives below throws down some keys. Every morning! There has been a lot of rain here too! Every few days it rains! So that's been a wonderful blessing! But the other day it was raining really hard, and we were leaving lunch and as we were walking I noticed so many people were outside with brooms sweeping the streets and sidewalks! Everyone comes outside and cleans the streets when it rains! It was kind of funny to watch because it's pouring and then people are sweeping the streets with a broom! I wanted a picture but didn't have my camera.

It's been another wonderful week in Bermejo! I love Bermejo and I love the members here! I loved hearing their temple stories this week as well! They got back on Saturday, and they are all so excited about the temple I just love it!! I'm so grateful for the temple. I'm so grateful for this gospel. I love this church and I know it is the only true church! It is so perfect!

Thank you for your love and support! I love you!!

Love,
Hermana Clark

Well hello my favorite family! Buenas Días!

Another really wonderful week in the mission. I am doing really great today! I would like you to know that on new years eve I went out on the balcony and banged pots and pans together! Haha people in Bolivia don't do that here... and the Hermanas in the apartment thought it was odd too... I guess everyone does something different for New Years! My comp says she eats 12 grapes at midnight, and they all buy yellow underwear and wear it for good luck... haha so I'm not sure why she thought the banging of the pots and pans was weird..

President Willard and his wife came and visited Bermejo this week so it was really fun seeing them! They came because the members plan a temple trip every year and the ones going all the way through the temple have to be interviewed by him. So most of the members are gone to Cochabamba this week! We said bye to them yesterday, and that was actually kind of sad because I just wanted to go with them! I miss the temple a lot. And I honestly think about my time working there probably everyday.

So a few weeks ago my comp and I were walking down the long hallway in our apartment complex, and all the way we were singing called to serve. In Spanish it's more like, "ready, always ready." So we were singing this happily down the hall and then we walked outside and across the street and then we looked off into the distance and there was this huge cloud of brown heading towards us.... And then it hits us! And it's a sand and wind and water storm!!! And it hurt! Haha so my comp and I held each other for a while, and then we went running back inside! We were covered in mud and dirt and water. And then it just started pouring. It was just so funny though because we were singing called to serve, or ready always ready, and then we went running back inside!

Also this week we ran out of water! So we didn't have water in the apartment for a few days! We went to a members house and borrowed buckets, and then we went to another members house and filled them with water and then we all carried them down the street, and up three flights of stairs! So showering with those has been interesting. And filling the toilet, and things. But we have water now so that's good!

We have had so many new investigators this week! Lots of families!! They are all really excited about the gospel but none of them are married and none of them want to get married! So we have some work to do! We had 13 investigators at church yesterday! But I believe in miracles! Anyway, I'm out of time! But I love you all!!!

Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Hermana Clark

The Christmas call...

Doing some service