Monday, April 18th (Tax Day)

Oí Família!!!

What to say, what to say, what to say?... This week was extremely tyring!!! Just to give you all a quick run-through of what happened this week, let´s just say that I slept in my own bed three times during the week. From Tuesday until Friday I was doing companion exchanges with my district to see how they were all doing in their respective areas. I stayed in Guaratinguetá 2 the first night and had a blast with the new missionary who works there, Elder Rocha. Then fromt there, I switched with Guaratinguetá 1 and stayed with my good ol´ friend Elder Richins from Plain City. We found a woman that they had been teaching and she told us that we were the men of her dreams. I know that this sounds super spiritual and I wish that it was, but the woman was actually a 14 year-old girl who had a huge crush on us... it was a funny experience because we got all excited to start teaching her. Then from there on Thursday, I grabbed the bus and went to Cruzeiro. It was an hour and a half trip all alone on the bus again! Cruzeiro is the very last area of our mission before you hit Rio de Janeiro, another mission here in Brazil. There in Cruzeiro, we taught a less-active family about the Restoration with the Branch President. My friend Elder Bugre asked a simple question, "who are some of the prophets in the Bible?" The son of the family quickly said, "Joseph Smith!" And Elder Bugre said, "very good, but he was born way after the time of the Bible. I am talking about Moses, and Abraham, and Noah." Then the mom got all confused and a little upset. She then answered, "I am pretty sure Joseph Smith was born before Moses and Noah." I wanted to laugh because I thought she was joking with us... but she had the most serious look on her face. It was a funny night. Then on Friday I finally came back home and enjoyed my wonderful area.

We ended up baptizing THREE people this Sunday! It was supposed to be four, but the mom of these three young men was feeling a little unprepared because she had broken the word of wisdom that week, so this week we are going to help her stop drinking so that she can be baptized with her oldest son as well. During this whole week, she always gave praises to her oldest son. She said that he is only 20 years old but doesn´t date because he always works to support her and his little brothers. She said that he is the greatest blessing that God has given her because he is such a great help to her. Then she said that no matter how old or big he gets (he is 6'4" and 250 lbs.) he will always be her little baby. The way she spoke of her son made me remember the way that Mom always said that I will always be her little baby :) Brought back a lot of great memories.

I am sorry I don´t have any really amazingly uplifting story for the week. This week was really just a big hurry. It goes to show that when you don´t settle down from all the work you´re doing to realize the miracles the Lord is doing around you, you could end up missing a lot. Sometimes I get so wound up in the work that I don´t feel the Spirit, and that is when I know that something about my work needs to change. This week I will try to remember more about the gift of eternal life that my Savior has granted me because of his Ressurection. This Easter will be one to help me strengthen my testimony of the wonderful plan of Salvation. Let us all remember that Christ payed for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, was tortured by the people whom He loved, died on the cross... but three days later arose again with a perfect body that would never die again. Because this great and marvelous ressurection, we all will live again as He lives right now. This is the meaning of Easter and we should all remember that Christ has already done the hard part, now it is up to us to show Him that we are grateful for what He did. Are we keeping ALL of the Lord´s commandments? Are we going to Church and taking the sacrament to renew our baptismal covenants? Everytime we fail to do one of these things, we are showing ingratitude for that great suffering He went through. Let us all remember Christ this week and strive to be better people. I love this Church. I love my Savior. I love being His servant here on the mission. I am not perfect, I have many flaws, but I know that He forgives me because I am trying my best. Have an amazing week my family! I love you all!

Elder Clark