Muddy cars and braided hair... Welcome to Carnaval!

Alright, no pasa nada en nuestro calle por Carnaval! We waited and waited for the paint wars and waterballoon fights and mud fights, aaand nothing! There was nothing happening on the street we live on! Haha. I was convinced it was all a lie. But we did get to go to church that Sunday so that was nice. While we were out we saw that all the cars were just covered in mud. Like a new paintjob of just mud. The members said it's because they throw waterballoons full of paint at the cars and with the mud it's easier to wash off. But we didn't see any of that action from home. All the girls here also put their hair in braids for Carnaval so that's fun! Haha I braided the sisters hair in the house to celebrate. The ward had a ward party on Monday and brought us steak so we were eating pretty good. And our pensionista brought us food every other day. We spent the days studying and I loved it, but by the third day we were all ready to escape. You can just imagine us on Wednesday when we could finally leave the house. We couldn't talk to enough people! But we're out now, and we're happy about it!

So I cannot believe that this transfer is already coming to an end. I have never ever ever had such a fast transfer. It makes me sad how fast it is going! But when I started this transfer, I remember that on one of our first days together Hna. Atiz and I went to visit a member and he expressed to us his deep concern for his family. There are six people in his family and he was the only active member. The next week we fasted for them and started to get to work. We have been visiting all of the children, and then the other night the mom finally let us meet with her! We are now teaching all the children, and one of the sisters, her husband isn't a member and we are meeting with them, and we invited him to baptism last night. In all of my mission I have never felt the spirit so strong while teaching the Restoration. It was amazing how strong the spirit was, and to just feel the Spirit telling me word for word what I needed to say. I knew that the hno felt it too. I could see it on his face. When we left, my comp expressed the same feelings, that the spirit was so strong in that lesson, it was amazing and wonderful. As this transfer is coming to an end, I love seeing how much this family has grown. We are still working with them, and on Sunday we saw the dad sitting there alone in church, he had a bunch of seats saved. It looked like he was going to sit alone, until they all started filing in. He was surounded by his daughters and it was one of the sweetest tender mercies I've seen on my mission. What an amazing privelege it is to work shoulder to shoulder with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are working in a grand work, and I love every moment I have to be here. Choosing to come on a mission has shaped me, and built me, it has changed me. I love this gospel. I love the temple. I love the work that we do in the temple. I know that this church is the only true church on the earth, and every day I thank my Heavenly Father that I am a member of this wonderful gospel and for the opportunity that I have to share it with his children who are searching for this happiness as well. We have been so blessed this week, I have seen so many miracles. We are meeting with so many families, and it's just amazing to see how prepared they all are. Thank you so much for your prayers, love, and support! I love you all. Have a wonderful week, full of miracles!

Love from Bolivia!
Hermana Clark

Hola mi familia!

Sorry about last weeks internet connection. I got all the emails you sent the day before, but nothing was coming through when I tried talking to you on Monday. I'm sorry to hear about the Hoyt's grandma passing away. She was such a sweet lady, I love that family. Send them my love! And I was so excited to hear about Gabby Nolan getting baptized, and Cayzia waiting for her call! That's awesome!! Heavenly Father is so amazing, He really is preparing everyone to hear about this wonderful gospel. This week we saw so many miracles. There is a less active sister here who didn't want the missionaries to come visit her. We tried about a week ago to visit her, and after the lesson she asked us, "So, when can you come back? Do I have to sign up somewhere in the church?" Haha and we were like... No! What day, what time, where? We're there! So we visited her last week and she came to church on Sunday! Then later that day we went to visit her and her husband wanted to listen to us too! They are both really great people, and after the lesson she thanked us for what we had taught because it was exactly what she needed to hear. I just feel grateful to have the Spirit in my life to guide me. I can feel His help and guidance everyday and I love it. I am so grateful for this wonderful gospel. Heavenly Father really did think of everything! We also went to visit the familia de oro yesterday. They were excited to receive us and they had lots of questions which was good! The member that came with us taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon and why it has blessed her life. I was so grateful she was there with us. So, the members ARE important in the lessons! So ask the missionaries when you can go visiting with them. :) Sounds like Dad's birthday was really fun! I'm glad you got to go to Disneyland! And it also sounds like you have some great missionaries in your ward! That's great!

Our other investigatores are doing really well. Mario came to church again yesterday. He was the first one in the building again. He even beats the Bishop! I love this ward though, and this area. I have an awesome Bishop with lots of great goals for the ward. This week I felt like the adversary was attacking everyone from every direction, even from some of the emails I got today! But then I have seen these wonderful miracles, and I know that Heavenly Father is fighting even stronger. Lots of investigatores and less actives are having lots of challenges, starting with just this week! But to see them in church on Sunday anyway was just amazing. There isn't a better feeling than seeing a less active worthily take the sacrament again. This work is beautiful, and wonderful, and it's a privilege that I have to be here! I love my mission, and I love this time I have to dedicate all of my time to the Lord. I love this Church and I love wearing the name of Christ on my name tag everyday. I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderfully awesome week! Keep sharing the gospel. Take every chance you have to talk about Christ, His Church, and how it has blessed your family. And keep seeing those miracles!

Love you a million bowls of mint chip Rite Aid ice-cream:)
Herman Clark

p.s. next week is Carnaval so that means I won't be writing until two weeks from now! We'll be in the house for three days, but we'll get to leave to go to church. Lots of study time! Love you!

Bienvenidos a Febrero! And Happy Birthday Dad and Grandma Clark!

I cannot believe it. Where did January go? I didn't even feel it. But, this past week was awesome! It's been really hot here and I'm drinking two liters of water everyday! My health is really good, and I'm feeling great! So, this week we got to teach the family that we contacted last week. Turns out they're just as awesome as we thought they were! We taught them earlier in the week and yesterday as well. They are young with two kids. Yesterday we taught them about the Restoration, and they told us they had read the Book of Mormon before! When they were first starting their family living in a different house, they didn't have anything in their house so they would read the Book of Mormon together. A friend from work gave it to them. Can you see how much Heavenly Father is preparing people to hear this message? And can you see what a friend can do to help share the gospel? As we taught them, they had so many questions, and as we answered their questions they told us that it made so much sense! And it does. I love this gospel. We are also visiting someone named Mario. He has about 60 or 70 years, and he's the funniest man you'll ever meet. He is someone that the missionaries before us were teaching and because of some problems he wasn't progressing. We have been teaching him and he is now reading his scriptures, and praying! He also comes to church every Sunday! A few lessons ago we invited him again to baptism, and he accepted. We are also teaching a recent convert's mom named Ema. She also accepted a baptism date! But she chose one in March because it's a special day in their family. But it's okay because she's progressing towards that date. I feel so grateful to be here in Bolivia and to be here in the Primero de Mayo ward. I love these members and the bishop. It's amazing because when you're in another ward you think about leaving and you can't imagine it. And then you get transferred and you love the new ward just as much! I feel like I have been so blessed throughout my mission with great leaders in every ward I have been in.

Well, to answer some of your questions... :) Last pday we just did the usual! Cleaned the house, I washed my clothes, and wrote in my journal! And then we had another leadership conference! And we talked a lot about helping people become really converted to the gospel. And how we too have to really be converted to the gospel!

That's too bad about Jamie's soccer game! She's still awesome even if they didn't win. Mm and Chipotle sounds good! That sounds fun you got to watch 17 Miracles! We can't watch that in our mission, bummer I know. But I do love that movie! I always just feel so much gratitude for all that the pioneers did. They were so tough, I don't know how they did it.

But everything here is wonderful! I love the mission more and more everyday. It has changed me. Changed who I am, the way I think, the way I act, and for that I am truly grateful. I love this wonderful gospel and I am so grateful to be a member of this church! I love you all so much! Keep looking for ways to share the gospel!

Love a million billion red skittles,
Hermana Clark