Monday, Dec 27th 2010

Oí Família!

As I am sitting here thinking of what to tell everyone today, I am really drawing a blank because I basically said everything on Saturday on the phone. The only really cool thing that happened between that time was that we had another baptism this weekend! Her name is Vitória and she is an 8 year-old girl who is basically adopted by her neighbor who happens to be a very strong member of the Church. I will just tell everyone right now that this Gospel is extremely contageous! As we were at Church, Vitória´s older sister came to support her and her baptism. This girl´s name is Natália and she is 13 years-old and really loves the things of the world (if you know what I mean), but when she experienced how the Church was yesterday and after her little sister´s baptism, she automatically felt the desire to leave it all behind and now she will be baptized this next week as well! This entire last week she was always telling us how she didn´t like how we were teaching her little sister about baptism because she thought she was too young, but we challenged her to find out for herself how it is in the Church. After just ONE visit she was converted to the Gospel and now she will join her little sister. I just cannot explain how amazing it is to see people change so quickly because of this amazing Church that Christ has given us. I have yet to find another plan that brings more hope, more hapiness, and more love to our lives and the lives of our families.

Well, I have a bit of an anouncement to make... So, President Moreira, my mission president, made a goal at the beginning of the year of 2000 baptisms in the year of 2010. This Sunday was the last week of the year to baptize and we were short three baptisms. At the end of the day yesterday, we finished with 2,033 baptisms and reached the goal that the Lord set for us! I am very proud to have been a part of something like this because I know that it was not because this mission has better missionaries or anything like that, but that Heavenly Father had prepared so many people in our paths that we were able to do our part to bring 2,033 of his children closer to Him again. I know that His power is Great. I know that He is acting through me everyday as I continue to expand my knowledge of His Gospel and be more obedient to His comandments.

It was so amazing to hear from you all this Saturday. I am truly happy here as one of the Lord´s servants. I am learning things that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I know that I wouldn´t be able to do any of this without all of your support. Thank you so much for all the love and prayers that I receive from family, friends, and everyone else in-between. If things keep going this well out here, the next thing you´ll have to be worrying about is trying to get me to want to come home!!! (just kidding Mom) Happy New Year´s to everyone out there! This starts 2011 and my Black Year of the mission, or the full-year that I am out on the mission. I am so excited!!! Be good everyone and remember who you are and what you stand for. I love you all so very much.

Elder Clark