Monday, Sept 5, 2011

Oí Família!!!

Hello everyone! I just have to warn you all that this letter may not be extremely lengthy because it is my companionś last P-day, so I gotta be fast.

This Sunday was by far the BEST day of my entire mission. The entire day I felt as if I were living a dream. Everything that happened made me feel like I was litteraly in a movie. Elder David and I have baptized 11 people in this ward in these past two months here. With these 11 people are fathers of families who had been praying for such a long time that their dad or husband would accept to be baptized, others were mothers and children being baptized together, but there was one that makes me even more proud to be a missionary. We baptized Benjamim last month. Benjamim is a father of a huge family, but only he was interested in the Church at the time. He was baptized and automatically made friends with the Stake Presidency and everyone in the ward. He got so enthusiastic about the Church that he has already made goals to help his entire family come to Church. This Sunday was an experience that I will never forget. We were in the bishops office with Benjamim and we were ordaining him as a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. But do you know why? Because his 15 year-old son had chosen his own recent-convert dad to baptize him! I had never baptized anyone who ended up baptizing another person, let alone his own son! I was so happy and emotional because of the amazing work that is beind done in this ward that I felt a huge urge to bare my testimony in Church. I told everyone that when it comes my time to leave this ward, I will leave crying because I have never helped so many people, nor met so many families who have changed my life than I have in this ward. I know that the Church is true because of these experiences. When I see my converts growing in the Gospel, the Holy Ghost testifies to me that this REALLY is the Church of Jesus Christ! This IS HIS WORK!

After Church, we had lunch at the Stake Counselorś house. This was what just topped off the day... He started to express the feelings of the Stake President about our zone and the work that we are all doing in their stake. He started to get a little teary and said that they were so proud of the things that have been happening in the stake since Elder David and I had arrived. This stake had had a lot of problems in the past with bad missionaries and they were pretty fed up with what was going on, but he looked at us and said, "We know that all missionaries are special and good... but some are just a lot better than the others. You two are amazing missionaries. There are some who fake humility, but you are two Elders with truly humble hearts." For me, there couldnt be a better compliment than what he told us. I left his house feeling like my leaders were happy with my work, but more importantly, I know that my Heavenly Father is happy with what we are doing. My whole life, I have always searched for approval from my Heavenly Father and yesterday I truly felt Him telling me that He was proud of me. There really is not anthing better that a child looks for from his father... to know that he is proud of his son. My father and mother here on earth have taught that so well to me. I am so extremely grateful for this chance to be a missionary. I am so happy that I didnt let this opportunity slip away. My life is set from here on out. Celestial Kingdom or nothing! I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! Remember who loves you!


Elder Clark