Week #30

This week was very crazy. Last Monday we didn't really get a p-day because we had to do transfer stuff. On Tuesday I can't even remember what happened all I know was that we were busy. We got every thing ready for transfers for when all those missionaries were coming in. We were able to stop by to see Peter as well which is super good. He is a great fella. He loves the church a lot and knows it is true. He lives with a bunch of other Nigerians and he was telling all of them that they should go to church with him, which I thought was neat.

Wednesday we had to go and deliver some stuff to the new apartments that we got for some of the new missionaries. And then next thing I knew we were at the airport picking up 18 brand new missionaries. Two of them are from England, and they are sooo funny those two. Just the way they talk and the things they say make me laugh. We had dinner at the mission home with all of the missionaries and the Zone leaders came with us for the airport and dinner, so it was a full house. After dinner we took six missionaries back to the mission office with us where they slept and the rest all stayed at the mission home. The next morning we went over for breakfast and off to the church for the transfer meeting. We rented two big vans for transfers and it worked really really good. It was the best transfer meeting the mission has ever had because everyone got on the road at 12:30 and back to their areas, which never happens. 

After that we had to come back to the office to do some transfer work and then we were off to a farewell fireside for the missionaries going home. I have realized that I have conducted a lot of meetings. But anyway we had the meeting and it was really good. We then went to bed and then woke up at 4:30 am Friday to go take the missionaries going home to the airport. It isn't a big deal picking missionaries up from the airport, but it is always weird dropping them off to go home. But after that, President took us to Denny's, so it was really good. 

Later that day we had an appointment with Peter and we taught him and wow I have never taught someone that can just piece it all together so well. He really understands it and really wants to be baptized. Going to this church when he was 9 really prepared him, it is sad though that his parents stopped him from going. But now I am glad that he has found it :) He will be baptized on March 16th so we are doing all we can to get the ward involved with him so he can feel support from the ward. The rest of Friday we had to deliver more things to apartments so it took up a lot of our day.

Saturday we had to Go to Kenora, Ontario to deal with a situation with a couple of missionaries, but it was good and it all got sorted out. Kenora is a very pretty place. It has hills and mountains so it was weird seeing mountains. But we got back around 6:00pm and then had to go to a lesson at 7:00 and at that lesson we taught Jose, who is a less active but is returning back to activity.

On Sunday we had Peter at church again and it was really good that he came. During our sacrament meeting someone was supposed to give the opening prayer, but instead they just said thank you and bore their testimony for the opening prayer...haha it was very interesting and we just moved on with the meeting... After church we went and ate dinner and then had a stake coordination meeting with the stake president, after that there was a CWM Fireside and I totally forgot that I had to conduct the meeting so I got up there no one even noticed I was winging it!

All is well,
-Elder Clark

Week #29

This last week we left on Tuesday for Regina. We had a specialized training in Regina and then up in Saskatoon. I have never presented so much in my life, but it went really really good. I slept on the floor every night too and my parka was my pillow. While we were in Regina we went on exchanges. I was with Elder Turner and we were going to the church when right in front of us this car went off the road and spun out in the snow. We stopped and helped her get out and then left her with a pass along card with our number. it was pretty crazy.

Also while we were in Regina, we had been texting our investigator Jessica and we committed her to read the Book of Mormon. She texted us and said that she was at the end of 1 Nephi chapter 1, a day later she said she was at the end of chapter 14. She then said "I can honestly feel the calmness and happiness when I read that I literally cry, and I never thought that I could feel that way again". She then said that she would like to come to church and turn her life around. Elder Moojalksy and I were so happy that her faith increased and that she was starting to change. I know that that was the lord's work. Whenever there are tough times, we can pick up the Book of Mormon and feel the peace and comfort that comes from it.

So after Regina we went up to Saskatoon and had another specialized training and it also went really good. At both trainings we gave everyone their transfer calls. On the way up to Saskatoon we called Manitoba and gave them their transfer calls as well. For lunch at each training we had tacos in a bag, it is the best thing ever. So after that I went on exchanges with Elder Perkins, one of my really good friends here in the mission, and he is a zone leader. We taught their Chinese investigator Charlie. It was so funny, but also a very spiritual lesson. After our lesson he says "ok now time for ping pong" haha I have never seen such a good ping pong player....like he was amazing at ping pong. And he says.." ok house wife would like a turn and play Elder Perkins." Charlie apparently thinks I look like this man sun yat sen.....a really famous Chinese man...His whole family thought I looked like him it was really funny. I was making them laugh a lot. After that we came home and went to bed, and the next day we traveled back to Winnipeg. I drove all day Tuesday and I drove all the way home as well. It was an 8 hour trip and i didn't even get tired. We stopped in Brandon too and got some food. About an hour away from the peg there was a very bad blizzard but we made it back safely.

Saturday night I was just praying for our investigators because we haven't seen them all week and I was asking for a miracle that they might show up, but someone else showed up instead. His name is Peter and he will be getting baptized on March 15th. He is from Nigeria and told us that he went to this church when he was 9 but his parents ended up not liking it. He is now down at U of M studying, and he said that he felt like he needed to go to church, but didn't know where to go. His friend from Nigeria said to go to this church because she is a member and said that he would remember it from when he was 9 years old. His friends told him to not read the Book of Mormon but he prayed and asked Heavenly Father if it was true. After he was done praying he said that he had a really nervous feeling, and then when he was taught by the missionaries the feeling was gone and he knew that the Book of Mormon was true. He told me his whole story that Sunday just as we were talking. He is in our area and the Dalhousie Elders said that he just showed up to church one day and so they taught him and found out that he is in our area. Now we are teaching him and he will be getting baptized on March 15th!  :) The lord will provide a way as we are patient.

This week is going to be so crazy...We will be picking up 18 new missionaries....today hasn't even been a p-day because we have been to busy with other things.

All is well, 

-Elder Clark

Week #28

This week we went on exchanges with the Zone leaders and it was actually kind of weird because Elder Wilson, who finished my Training in Dauphin, is one of the new Zone leaders in Manitoba, and so I never thought I would be going on an exchange with him and giving him correction and giving him ways to help his zone.....But I did it anyway haha. I am in Alma in my Book of Mormon reading and it is really really good. I want to be bold as a lion just like Alma and Amulek.

We had a good day at church too, we taught Sunday school to the youth. I have really been thinking about the youth. Sports just seems like a universal problem, I just wish that the youth could see that if they would sacrifice their time for the lord that he would make up the rest....it is sad.

I have had really good studies in the morning lately. And I have just come to realize just how real the Atonement really is. I thought that I had a pretty good realization of it, but it has come to be more and more real to me. I do know this work is real. 

I really don't even know where the time is going. This week we will be in Saskatchewan for a training with president in Regina and Saskatoon. Then the following week is transfers. President said that after this transfer he wants to keep me for 2 more......and if that is the case I will have been an assistant for pretty much half my mission.

I have come to know on my mission that it is best to teach the gospel the same way we have learned it and to put integrity in everything we do. A lot of missionaries get into missionary mode where they just testify about everything and say things they don't mean. If we have Integrity then we will live what we teach and be honest as well. In other words, we will be ourselves.

Also, I'm going to be at the temple this Wednesday!!

All is well,

-Elder Clark

Week #27

Time is flying by like crazy!! We have 18 missionaries coming soon it is going to be a crazy transfer. The ward is warming up to us! I love my mission it is so great out here! Canada is the place to be on a mission!

Well here is my week!

The work here is going great. We had one of our investigators come to church yesterday. He's 19. Last Sunday him and his cousin came and his cousin Justin is 15 so we took them to the youth class since the one that is 19 is in grade 12, but it was just him at church this Sunday. Next time I think we will take him to priesthood, because he likes one of the girls in the youth class.....hahah uh oh.... We also had 2 less actives at church. The work is moving forward and we are really starting to re-establish our area as assistants. We have received a referral from Thompson and one at Clear Lake. Both want to meet with missionaries really badly but the only problem is that we have no missionaries close to that. I called the guy from Thompson and he said we couldn't come meet with him at his house because it wasn't safe there. Apparently Thompson is full of a lot of crime. I guess it is really bad up there. So he said he was coming to Winnipeg this week and hopefully we can meet with him and teach him about the gospel! I wish Elder Moojalsky and I could just go up to Clear Lake and teach that lady and also go to Thompson and teach him. We could teach him at the branch up there and I could have someone put in a good word for me. Bev Watson is from Dauphin and lived in Thompson all her life so she could definitely put in a good word. It probably won't happen but it would be neat if we could just travel up there and teach the Gospel.

You wouldn't believe how healthy I am! I'm off of Mountain Dew and I have only been eating vegetables and fruit and meat here and there and have been on a crazy workout routine! My body is in great shape. 

We are teaching a family now! They used to all have baptismal dates so hopefully we can help them come unto Christ. We had a good amount of teaching this week but last night we had a power lesson with the Bergen family, some members from our ward, and the dad isn't a member. Sunday morning we were studying for them. I didn't know what to study, I had no idea and I wasn't having a good study so I went into the bathroom got on my knees and talked with Heavenly Father, just asking him for direction and help. After I was done praying, a certain topic in Preach My Gospel came into my mind and it was "The Book Of Mormon Draws People Nearer To God." I studied that and as I was studying it I had the insight to just share with them the first vision and go into the Book of Mormon. During companion study I asked Elder Moojalsky what he studied and he shared and then he also said, "I had the insight that we should teach them the first vision and go into the book of Mormon". I know that the Lord prepared us for that lesson with that family. The spirit was so strong in that lesson that Heavenly Father let us teach.

It is cold here........

All is well,

-Elder Clark