Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Two Very Challenging Weeks

May 28, 2012
 
Blast! you already sent the package?  That's funny.  Well, for the next one I only wanted to ask for the following: rock rings, with cordlet, and two simple carabiners to hang them; and music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Oh, and I already have a lot of office supplies.  Next time I don´t think you will need to send any. 
 
This week has been super crazy.  We had a lot of investigators give up.  One seniora we have been teaching lied to us about smoking and didn't come to church.  But, the good news is that we are working with the members much better and that we have a family to marry and baptize!  Magno and Marilene!  They are doing super well!  Magno worked the night shift Saturday night and he still went to church!  Things are going pretty well here.  I'm learning a lot and working through problems with my comp and pretty much everyone else.
 
I've decided that we should have a lot of respect for teachers at church and anywhere else. It's super hard to teach when people don't understand, but I have also found that teaching is super rewarding and fun when you actually help people to learn.  Moral of the story: be teachable, and teach others with love and patience.
 
"I am a man, and I can change if i have to, I guess.....
We're all in this together!"
 
Love, Elder Clark
 
Happy b-day, Dan!!!!!  Good luck, Ellis!!!!!!

June 4, 2012
 
Hey. Liza!
 
Sorry I haven't been able to get a letter off lately.  I like to write for as long as I can, and then p-day ends and I get stuck with a letter that didn't get sent.  You all will get a huge one in the next few weeks though.  This transfer has been super stressful, but I have lost a lot of weight too, so that's a plus.  (Did you know that if you eat food with a lot of lemon its harder to gain weight?)  I have been making a lot of fresh lemonade in the mornings and I've also been eating oatmeal.    
 
I hope the marriage worked out well and that you weren't too upset.  Change is rough.  
 
I have been thinking a lot lately about loving people and how I can do my job better as a missionary.  My comp has decided that I'm a heartless robot, but I think he is wrong.  The whole thing has become a problem in our relationship.  The problem is that I am not completely right or wrong, and we both need to change.  It's hard to find a balance between efficiency and caring individually for people, giving people help and letting them stand on their own two feet.  
 
Well, that's about it for today.

I love you, Liza.
 
Ben
 
June 4, 2012
 
Dear Family,
 
So this week has been interesting.  It started out great, then Tuesday we had a big disagreement in our companionship.  We both got sick (sick to the stomach -- feeling really weak and achy and we had colds).  In fact, I don't have much good news, but I did learn a lot.  I had an epiphany when I was washing dishes to cool down because I was mad at my comp.  Damnation and damming a river.  When you dam a river you stop or slow its progression, and don't allow it to be a part of something greater than itself (the ocean).  Damnation in the scriptures is kind of like that progress is stopped and those that are damned are prohibited from being a part of Zion.  So, I decided that that's not what I want to do, so I will try to be cool and do my best to work things out with my comp.  
 
Oh boy, Ellis really got married.  You know that is super weird and exciting, but unfortunately I feel really disconnected from my life there, so I think it will have to sink in when I get home in a year and 3 months. 
 
Out of time.
 
Love you all.  I'll finish the story next week
 
Love, Ben
 

No comments:

Post a Comment