tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68066566455693531532024-02-07T12:47:07.721-08:00Ben in BrazilI am serving a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belem Brazil at the Amazon River delta (August 2011 to August 2013). I will be spending my time teaching the gospel in Portuguese and serving the Brazilian people.Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-84706188734007839522013-07-07T20:28:00.001-07:002013-07-10T08:04:48.888-07:00Mission Office Work<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">June 27,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey
fam,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I´ve been a bit
stressed out with a few things here in the office but fortunately they are
being resolved. A few minutes ago I had to resolve a serious problem with
some marriages. I can’t give details but it has been stressing me out and taking
up a lot of my time. I got your updates
about the trek I loved it and I got Quincey´s address. The one I used was wrong. I'll send a
letter today I think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Divisions in
Laranjeiras. So last weekend I was sent to help out a zone where I had
already worked – the zone Cidade Nova. I
did a division with E. Rosa. I had a
really good experience there. Elder Rosa is a really special elder that is obediente
and has a strong desire to work and help others. He was born with a cleft
palate which I think has been a struggle for him to deal with for a big part of
his life, but people are able to understand him fairly well. We were able
to find a lot of new people to teach through many of the people I had baptized.
We worked on working better with the
members and having a better relationship with them. I think that E. Rosa was happier and more
prepared to meet the challenges of the ward after the division. I was called upon to give a talk during the
sacrament meeting. I talked about faith.
I didn’t feel like it was too
spectacular because I was really tired and did not have much time to prepare (I
was swamped even far away from the office with mission missionaries that needed
counsel). I saw Magno and Marilene and
we taught Magno's sister and I got to visit almost all of the other people that
I had baptized. It was a special
experience to be thanked for the role I played in the conversion of many of the
people I have taught. I noted that
almost all of the people that have been baptized in the last year have been
people that I had found and taught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Protests. So, I sent some pictures of the protest. There were a lot of policeman working crowd
control. The other day they went to city hall and broke a lot of stuff.
We have been trapped in the office about 3 times because there were
really big crowds. But for us missionaries it has not been much of a
problem. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="ES" style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder
Kevin Fonseca/Guaraná da Amazonia. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Fonseca got here on Tuesday. I went to the airport with E. Leite and
President Scisci to pick him up. It was pretty cool talk with him and get
some updates on his family. We are short a missionary in the mission so
while we have been trying to find a short term missionary he has stayed with me
and E. Leite. The other day we went to the Praça Brasil and we drank
guaraná da Amazonia. It was really good.
I’ll have to send a photo of guaraná later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I will have to go now
because I’m out of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you all!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">July 3, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey
so I am doing well. I am not doing great
because I have gotten a cold. You know how grandmas always say “don’t get
your feet wet because you will catch a cold of and stuff like that,” well I never
believed Grandma when she said it. Until now. We were working the other day and we went out
in the rain which was coming down hard, in a few minutes we were completely
soaked (mostly because our appointment fell through). We ended up staying
wet with the same clothes until we got home at a little past 9 at night. The
next day my nose started to get really runny every 5 minutes it seemed like I was
blowing my nose. (I think I lost about 5 pounds in mucus...TMI ; ) Now I’m feeling better, but I’m still not
100%.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Fonseca stayed
with us until Monday afternoon. It was nice to have him with us. There
is a spirit that new missionaries have that is very special. It was
rather inspiring and was a nice experience. (I remembered training and
missed it).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just to clarify a few
things it’s called Guaraná do Amazonas. It’s like a smoothie or milkshake.
You can look it up on Google and find
out what it is. We drink it at the Praça Brasil which is a park not the mall
:) we can only enter the mall with permission from the president.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The protests have not
been disruptive for me there where only a few times when we were trapped in the
office because there were lots of people protesting in the street but where I was
they certainly where not violent. But I have heard that they sacked the city
hall a week ago. The protest is pretty interesting because they are not
very organized they are protesting for a lot of things not just reductions in
bus fares but for education, asphalt, and lots of other things. It is kind
of like a big encounter for youth -- they all like protesting. I think it’s cool. People say there is a
lot of corruption here in Brasil. They say that the politicians steal a lot of
money and from what I have seen the distribution of wealth is very even. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I am going to Laranjal
de Jari tomorrow 2 in the morning. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I will
be there until the 14th. Laranjal is in Amapá it is a group and it isn’t
a branch yet. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">I will work there with a
lider de zona and Elder Leite will work with his companion. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope you have all
started applying the "work of Salvation" talk to your friends!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-3821833253158247022013-06-26T08:04:00.001-07:002013-06-26T08:04:08.289-07:00May 9 to June 21<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May 9, 2013 </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12pt;">Dear
Family,</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s been
super crazy here. I have been trying to
recuperate from the transfer and it’s been going well. I have been going running with E. Leite and
that has been nice. Unfortunately we live in the middle of the city so
it’s hard a bit hard to find a calm place to run. We run between 6:30 and
7:15 ish well we leave our house a bit after 6:30 and get back home in about
half an hour. It’s pretty nice. There is a Park (Praça) were we
like to run with some exercise equipment and stuff. Frequently we see
large groups of old ladies doing tae bo!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have
been busy finding people to teach with Elder Leite and our first Sunday in our
new ward was really great. We bore our testimonies and the ward looks
like they like us a lot and many members said that they wanted to help in the
work!!! I hope that we will start having
success here. In the past, the ward disliked missionaries because they
did not work to get the confidence of the members, along with a few other
things that happened. But I am trying to help them out with that stuff.
One member gave us a referral of a young woman (Elaine) that has been to
church a bunch of times but hasn't been baptized yet, she is almost firm for
Baptism this Saturday! Pray for Elaine so that she can get an answer to
her prayer!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh I bought
new dress pants and one white shirt, and two ties. I also got my hair cut by a gay guy for 2
dollars. The gay guys cut hair better than anyone else. After the
hair cut I noticed that a lot of women started to eye me like I was a Bacon
Swiss from Camas Cafe (in Grangeville) and cat call when I pass in the streets.
I will think twice about where I cut my
hair.... Americans get a lot of attention here because everyone thinks
that we are rich and hansom because of the blond hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh I got
to go to a Museum that was more like a botanical garden and small zoo it
was pretty cool. I went with E. Leite, E. Hitz, and E. Figueroa. I attached a photo of me in front of a really
big tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">oh I will
try to call you guys about 12:30 your time oh have the Skype ready I think that
I will use Skype here in the office but I’m not sure if it will work out yet.
But be prepared!!! If anything changes you can send me an email!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elder
Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">May 21, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sorry for not
writing earlier. It’s been really crazy lately.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been a
bit stressed out because it looks like 4 Elders will be sent home early.
None of the causes are related. It has been an interesting
experience for me to work with these elders. Each one is very different. I find that I don’t have much patience with
some of the elders that are going home. I have had to find temporary missionaries to
stay with these missionary’s companions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yesterday I went
to Abaetetuba to pick up a missionary that woke up with amnesia. He will
be sent home today. I went there with a
member that helps move missionaries around. We gave a ride to a policeman
and a young man. I got there addresses
and passed them off to the missionaries in Abaetetuba. I find that I have to do a lot of contacts to
feel like a missionary because I have a bunch of other responsibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But it’s all
good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We brought 5
people to church on Sunday!! We have started to teach 2 families and they
are really great. This Sunday the fathers came to church but the mothers
didn’t go for some reason, I still have to find out why. I think I’m getting the rhythm of being an
assistant to the president I’m starting to balance proselyting and work for the
mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m Glad that
you all are doing well and that you guys are having so much success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ellis Good luck
with the defense and the move!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eliza what are
your plans for this summer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Emma congrats
for the award nominations!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dan your
awesome! (Dan, do you think that you could teach me karate when I get
home?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don´t know
when I will come home yet I have not had a chance to talk with President Scisci
about that yet (there have been a lot of other things to resolve that were more
Urgent) but be prepared I want to climb a mountain and fix something before I dive
into school!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">May 21, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hi family!!!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I will
explain a little more about the elder that had amnesia, because everyone has
been asking about it. Ill tries to take the hint as well and write with
more details. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So the elder
had been having some problems with his comp (he was really new on the mission
and was also having problems with Portuguese). He didn't have any
previous head injuries that I know of. But he forgot almost everything.
When I went to pick him up he didn't recognize me (i had been there at
the airport to pick him up and I translated for him during the meeting with the
President the first night of his mission). The other elders said that he
didn't remember who he was or anything about his family. He only talked a
little bit and only gave short answers to questions. But by the end of
the night with me and president scisci talking with him he started to open up a
bit more (i think it helped that sister scisci gave him a late dinner and
dessert). When we picked him up we had to go really fast because we had
to catch a fairy so it looked like we kidnapped him. We drove into the
city really fast and we threw him into the car with his luggage and we speeded
off to the port. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope I answered
your questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So this past
week was not super eventful but some cool stuff happened. First we
brought a family to church Odoval and Fatima. They believe in
"Spiritism" that's a religion that believes in the bible... well
actually they have really high moral standards like the church but they don't
believe much in the priesthood. And they believe in reincarnation.
That has been interesting to deal with. But they have gone to
church for a 2 Sundays now. The father is an executive clerk and a bank
here. The last visit we had with them we tried to teach the plan of
salvation but it didn't really work because they talk a lot the lesson move
back to some of their doubts about the Restoration. In the end when I got
a word in I explained powerfully about how the Restoration. I really felt the spirit helping me explain
and answer their questions. I explained
that we don´t worship Joseph smith and that we invite others to pray about him
so that they can know for themselves that the authority of the priesthood has
been restored to the earth. at the end I invited them to be baptized
again (2 time) and the 24 year old son in the family that I thought had the
biggest doubts said that he would pray and that he wanted to know and he said
that if he hadn't been born into his church he would be Mormon.... well that
was a lot of progress but we still have a bunch of work to do to help them get
baptized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The other
family we are teaching is doing great (the family of Clark) everyone has
received an answer to their prayers but they couldn't come to church the other
day because their baby (Kate) was sick/throwing up all night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other than that
things are pretty normal here. It looks like only 2 of the 4 missionaries
that might go home really went. (That made me happy that two of them are
working through their problems and will continue to help in the work.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom I read your
letter and I could help but yell when heard that Hayden didn't have enough
credits to transfer this semester. I feel
bad for him but now I might have an old friend to hang out with this fall! Oh
and what are mikes plans? I thought it was cool that you guys have been helping
others and inviting my friends to dinner! : ) I'm proud of the
wonderful family that I have!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for all
of your letters, prayers and happy mind waves that you send to me!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">June 5, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So this past
week was not the best. I have been super
stressed out for the last week. There are a lot of things contributing to
that. Sometimes our training meetings are not planned as well as they
should be and that sort of thing gives me headaches. It doesn't really
work to just "wing it" with these sorts of things. The
communication in my companionship and between me and the president is not being
as affective as I would like. But I can’t blame others when things don't
go right I need to find a way that I can change to better the situation.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I´d like to say
sorry for being a little distant these last few weeks. I don't know if you guys have noticed. I feel a lot of pressure to finish up strong.
And maybe being preoccupied with that has made me forget other important
things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dan,
congratulations for turning 12 and being ordained a Deacon!!! I think that is awesome! Did you pass
the sacrament last Sunday? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The end of
school for you guys has kind of snuck up on me I hope that you guys have a lot
of fun this summer! Emma I thought that you said something really
interesting about how you wanted this summer to be the best ever. There
is something really interesting that I have noticed about that how fast we
perceive the passage of time. When your day is full of activities and
well planned the time passes really fast but if you don't have things planned
it feels like time passes really slowly. In the beginning of my mission I
felt like the day would never end but now I feel like I don't have time in the
day to finish what I want. I think we
need to find the happy medium where we are satisfied with the work we do and
don't feel overwhelmed by all the stuff we can’t seem to finish and at the same
time don't leave ourselves too much free time to feel bored. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am out of
time right now to write but I love you guys!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">From:</span></b><b> </b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Benjamin Clark</span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Sent:</span></b><b> </b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">13-Jun-13 1:52 PM</span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To:</span></b><b> </b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Paul Clark</span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Subject:</span></b><b> </b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I survived
Transfers!!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Hey so this last week was pretty good... well I thought that it was a lot better
than the week before. I've worked out some of the problems from last
week. I'm feeling a lot better about things. I´ve been talking with
Elder Leite about how we can do better. I'm really glad that he is my
comp. We are not perfect, and a lot of times we don't get along perfectly
but in the end we help each other out and I'm thankful for him. We are
getting better with our planning and I think that we are more able to help our
mission now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This week we have a baptism
planned for Saturday. We will baptize Clark!!!!! He is 11 and he is
really great. He told me that he was ready to be baptized and that even if his
family didn´t want to follow he would. I
thought that was really great. Fortunately his whole family is really
excited about church (all of them went to church!!!). The parents will be
baptized next week!!! <o:p></o:p></div>
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This week we had transfers.
I started to use a program called C-MAP Tools.
It’s a program that is used to make concept maps. I used it in Advanced Biology. I found that it was a lot easier to organize
the transfer and keep track of who goes where and how to send them to their new
areas. This transfer went a lot more smoothly than the last one. I was not nearly as stressed about it this
time. The other elders in the mission office helped a lot to.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I just got back from a
division that I did with an elder that has 6 weeks in the mission, Elder Sanez
from Bolivia. We taught a man that is going to be a lawyer but hasn’t
taken the Brazilian bar exam. So that was cool. He understands really
well and has read until Alma already and he has only been investigating the church
for a week and a half. He will be baptized on the 22th or the 29th. I could feel the spirit and it felt good to be
teaching. Teaching is awesome!<o:p></o:p></div>
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So that’s what’s happening
here. Hey I will have to go now but I will send a short email tomorrow to
tell you guys exactly what day I will return.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">ELDER
CLARK</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">MISSÃO
BRASIL BELEM</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">AV.NAZARÉ
,532 SALA 412 </span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">66035-170
Belém PA Brasil</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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June 21, 2013</div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey Fam!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm doing well. I hope you all have gotten the last email I sent
about my release date. I will be coming
home on the 20th of August. But I will only get home on the 21st at the
soonest. I looked at a few flights and
most of them had long layovers most of the options would take more than 30
hours even 40 hours to get from Belem to an airport close to Moscow. So
in a few days I think that my flight will be purchased and I will be able to
tell you all the exact day I will get home. I will see if I can get a hold of the
secretaries in Josh´s mission and see if we can plan to catch the same flight
back home. The executive secretary is from Chile and so he can probably
help me negotiate with the mission there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So this past week I marked [marked=scheduled]
an interview with the President to confirm my return date and every time I had
to remark the interview. President is really busy but today I finally was
able to have a meeting with him. I haven’t
been interviewed yet by the president but I hope that in the next few weeks I will
be able to find an opening in the schedule. We are entering the month of
zone conferences so I doubt that things will calm down very much. in the
next few weeks we have a few trips planned -- one to a group that unites[unites=meets]
in the sticks in Macapá. Tthe city is called
Laranjal de Jari, and tomorrow I will go to Cidade Nova to do some divisions
with the elders there. I worked in
Laranjeiras one of the areas in the zone and I think that I will be able to
help a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our baptism for last week fell
through because the family traveled to pass [pass=spend] the week with the
father who is working across the river. The whole thing was pretty
stressful because they don’t have a phone and we had no idea what happened.
They traveled without telling us and it took us a few days to figure out
what happened. I hope that this week
they will come home so that we can remark the baptism of Clark, Tamiris and
Edson. I think that when they get back
we will mark the baptism of all three for the same day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are starting to find out which
members can help us more in the work. I talked
to a young man from the ward that told me that he had a friend with whom he
wanted to share the gospel but he didn’t know how. I simply told him that he should tell his
friend that he wanted to visit him and share a little bit about what he
believes and that he would bring two friends (the missionaries) to leave a
message. He did and we have a lesson marked for this evening. I think it will be great. It’s easy to
share the gospel we just need to open our mouths (but not when chewing ; )
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey mom I sent a letter to
Quincey but I haven’t gotten a response yet. I don’t know if the address I used was right because
dad gave two different addresses and I found a third on the church website.
Mom did you ever get a hold of Holly Cole? I think that I would like to know what address
they use to send letters so that I can be sure that she gets the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mom I want to put a lot of
details in the letters but I run out of time.... sorry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope you all are doing well
with all of the anniversaries and trips. Have a great time on the
trek!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ben</div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-17376281676891137832013-05-05T13:42:00.001-07:002013-05-05T13:42:28.022-07:00Ben works through transfer logistics<br />
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Friday, May 3, 2013 7:48 AM<br />
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Dear Family,<o:p></o:p></div>
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So the Transfer is over.
It has been really stressful I was not prepared for the transfer and
because of that I did not have a very nice week. The transfer was passed
to me on Sunday afternoon (really late because President Scisci had
to resolve some problems that appeared when he filed his taxes, he is really
super rich owns his own IT business so you can imagine how there can be a lot
of things to resolve). So Sunday afternoon I had to handle almost all of
the logistics. Thankfully the
secretaries helped a lot. But it got really complicated with 48
missionaries being transferred to different areas. That means a
whole lot of logistics. Many of the
missionaries had multiple parts to their trip and had to go by taxi, plane and
boat to complete the transfer. Along
with the planning that it takes to not leave anyone alone, it got
really frustrating really fast! Only one elder lost his plane
home and only one other elder was stranded at a rural airport when his flight
was changed. In the end, it all worked out. I didn't get enough sleep about 5 hours a
night for a few days. And I didn't have much of an appetite. But it
is over and I got to go running today and eat breakfast!!!!! I wish that I had been briefed on how I could
have handled it better. Needless, to say I will resolve these problems
before the next transfer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week we finished the
last zone conference here in Belém. Many people commented on
how my presentation was nice. I have
attached the presentation I used. I just
remembered that it is in Portuguese. I also incorporated a practice on
how to "follow up" on the commitments we extend to help
our investigators progress. And at the end I showed a clip that
I edited from "the First Ascent (the part from the hanging
rocks in Thailand) I would recommend the film if you have not
seen it already, (it's about rock climbing). I edited a part where a bunch of young
climbers where trying a route and the fall a lot at a specific part. But
at the end one of them make it to the end. It’s cool because they don’t
use ropes they just fall in the water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY15X8QGJSAg3jm6XVJNgz6EdCVoPBW0vTA4urB8n97STZSYtqnqeVZw-pAbahlLkf54ykajZ7nAYENl0s2iSzPsxzs4hmF_oufHoW0GTw0X7W2oMqP4YWFlvZVOaVAV7TM6XReI0JLlc/s1600/Treinamenta+de+Elder+Clark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY15X8QGJSAg3jm6XVJNgz6EdCVoPBW0vTA4urB8n97STZSYtqnqeVZw-pAbahlLkf54ykajZ7nAYENl0s2iSzPsxzs4hmF_oufHoW0GTw0X7W2oMqP4YWFlvZVOaVAV7TM6XReI0JLlc/s320/Treinamenta+de+Elder+Clark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My new Companion is.....
.... Elder Leite!!!! </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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It has been nice to have
him as my companion again. We worked well together in Satelíte. I am excited for this next transfer!!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Got to go now!! I will have my first real p-day for weeks
today!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Love you all. I’ll write more next week.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">ELDER
CLARK</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">MISSÃO
BRASIL BELEM</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">AV.NAZARÉ
,532 SALA 412 </span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="ES">66035-170
Belém PA Brasil</span></b><span lang="ES"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-3358017113914566332013-05-05T13:29:00.002-07:002013-05-05T13:29:59.801-07:00A Return to Abaetetuba<br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4-24-2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey
family,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been really
busy with stuff here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But I have a good
story for you all. Last week I got back from</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Santarém</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and had a really short</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">p-day</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">that really was not a</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">p-day, because I had to finish a lot of work
here in the office. After that I talked to Pres.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> S</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">cisci</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and made plans to go to</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Abaetetuba</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">for the dedication of
the chapel there. So the next day I traveled to</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Abaetetuba</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">with President</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Scisci and Sister</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scisci (that is the second time I have gone by
ferry to Abaetetuba with the Pres. and his wife -- once I went with Pres. Campos
when I arrived in the mission and the trip last week). It was a nice
trip. I got to see a lot of people I baptized.
I also got to baptize a man that I had
taught more than a year ago. He found
the missionaries a few weeks ago and he started going to church. I got to do the baptismal interview and he
chose me right before the baptism to baptize him! I didn't have clothes but it all worked out. Luckily I was wearing mesh garments so I dried
fast. The dedication was nice and I loved visiting. Apparently I'm
well known there and everyone liked calling me Clarky Kent. The Brasilian accent is funny. It’s
like “Clarky Kainche” it sounds like they say “quente” which means “hot.”
It´s pretty funny. I think the
best part was seeing that a lot of the people I baptized are going to church
and then one of the young women even went to the temple this week. A lot
of family members of these members have also been baptized, so that was really
sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I think that I saw almost all of them. There were just three that I could not find. I know that I should use more details but I'm
a little stressed out and tired because of the constant traveling. My
companion, Elder M., went to visit one of his old areas with some other elders
and so I have been pretty alone here... Well, you know, not alone because
I have been with other missionaries, but being without a normal companion has
been a bit sad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think that my
companion is a bit ticked off at me. The day before I left for Abaetetuba
we had a dinner for a missionary that was leaving the mission and afterwards,
during the interview of that elder, I had to wait for him to finish the
interview with Elder. Sister Scisci put us to work putting the dishes in
the dish washer while she left to run an errand. I did most of the work with the dishes while Elder
M. went to sleep on the couch of the Pres. I ended up washing all the dishes alone, but
I felt good about it because I didn’t have anything else I could do and for the
moment washing the dishes was, well, what I had to do to Magnify my calling : )
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Google picture, not actual dishes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The next day I called Pres. Scisci to talk to him a little about
how the mission was in terms of baptisms, and Sister Scisci answered the
phone and said thank you for the work I had done with the dishes, she said, “Thanks
for doing all the dishes while Elder M. slept.”
(Apparently she came back for a moment and saw my comp sleeping and me
working. She is pretty stealthy because
I did not hear her). Then the next day she saw Elder M. she chewed him
out in front of me. That put me in a tough spot because what I did made
him look bad. Luckily the encounter was when we were loading up the car
to leave for Abaetetuba so he had a few days away from me to cool down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">P.S. The internet fell
and I wasn’t able to send the message earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4-27-2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So Elder M. finished
his mission and is in São Paulo right now. And I am here in the office
working on the transfer with the secretaries. I don’t have a new companion and will only get
one on Monday I think. So this week end will be really crazy, especially
because I have never done a transfer before. But like Mom always says,
keep calm because it will all get done... well she said something like that
when I had a lot of big school work and stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love you all!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-90887359664874002272013-05-05T12:50:00.002-07:002013-05-05T12:50:50.634-07:00Ben Visits Santarém<br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">April 15, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dear Family,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m now in Santarém.
Look for it on Google maps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s in the middle of
the rain forest and has very few paved roads. There is a stake here that was
formed about a year ago. The zone is doing well with the exception of a
few areas, with whom I have done divisions with to help out. Yesterday I had
a really great experience helping a family prepare the papers to get married
they are really fun and where really excited to marry so that they could get
baptized. I attached two pictures.
One is of the family I helped get married (they are Raimundo and Jess,
and they live in Santarém) the other picture is the view from the super cool 3
story house where I live (the staff house). [The pictures weren’t
attached so I’ve put in a pic I found on Google.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also got to teach a
man (Rodrigo) that is was really prepared to be baptized about tithing.
It was really cool. Afterwards I did his baptismal interview.
It was amazing to get to know him and play a small part in his
conversion. He was a referral from a member. The member was old
friends with him and invited him to an Adult singles retreat, and the young
adults of the stake all helped him integrate into the church. It also
helped that he is 27 good-looking single and plays the guitar... he
probably won’t be single for long. So give referrals to the
missionaries!!!! Comparing my mission with the mission in Moscow, one of the
largest differences is that here the members talk a whole lot about the church
with others and are not as shy about inviting friends. There are a few
other differences but that is one that we can control regardless of our culture
of population. There is a part in PMG that says that "nothing
happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach". Before
my mission I preferred to bear my testimony with my actions, and be an example
to nonmembers. This sort of tactic in missionary work I have come to
realize is a little bit unbalanced. We
also need to invite. Without an invitation it is almost impossible for
people to change. So Dad, you talked a little about how there will be a
lot more missionaries in our area with few people to teach personally I think
this is one thing that is lacking that could help a lot. Our family is
really good at the example part showing others what we believe and that we are
Mormons but our family I think can improve a lot on the other side of the
missionary work that is the invitation. Remember to help the ward with
this they will need some strong leaders to show them the way. The best
leaders lead by example!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To finish up...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ellis, my favorite
food here is Tacacá, and the craziest thing I have eaten is Turú (worms that
eat wood, you eat them raw) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Emma, I hope you took
don’t get nervous about the track meets, you just need to beet yourself the
others don’t matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eliza, what did you
end up deciding about the mission?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dan, I hope you passed
your belt exam!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I’m a little out of
time to write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love you all!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PS. I sent a letter to
Quincey so I hope she will respond here in about a month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-54386586986261607912013-04-13T09:02:00.000-07:002013-04-13T09:02:12.985-07:00A Visit to Macapá<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">April 8, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">So I’m here in Macapá. The last few days I did a division in
Santana that is located about 45 minutes from Macapá by bus. It has a
port that is located on the Amazon River. It was nice to get out of the
office and work like a normal missionary. I went there because the
companionship that is there now has been having problems for some time (no
baptisms). I spent 3 days there with Elder R.. Elder R got into the
mission field the same time I did. It was interesting. He left on
the mission with 18 years and 3 months of age, and I doubt that he was
ready. I am sure that a lot of missionaries are prepared when they have
18 years of age but there are a lot of others that I think need to wait.
I think that I was one of those elders that needed to wait a bit to go on the
mission. Observing him I saw that he didn’t have much going on in the
area because he didn’t have much attitude. He had problems but didn’t
have the attitude to resolve the situations. Many times when looking for addresses
or when presented with opportunities to talk to people he would try to avoid
it. He is a bit closed and lacks confidence. I tried not to be
really hard with him. Instead I tried to understand what his problem was.
I tried to give I’m an example of how he could have a bit more success. We
finished the division after finding a young woman that is super prepared (she
almost cried when I invited her to be baptized).</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I have been really lost in the last two weeks but
now I feel calmer. I am also preparing to give a talk/training to the
zone during the zone conference this Wednesday. I will talk about resilience
and consistency again and hopefully be able to use some new examples. I have
been thinking about what you guys said comparing my wanting to stay with how I play
hockey and soccer. And I thought that would be a good thing to use during
the zone conference. We will see how it works out Wednesday.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I have not had the opportunity to take a lot of
pictures unfortunately I’m not here in Macapá to site see. But I will see
what I can do. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I loved general conference and was lucky enough to
see all of the sessions. They have live translators that switch every few
talks. I thought it was interesting how many of the talks cited the
scripture that says something about a stone being cut from the mountain without
hands and rolling to fill the earth. I heard a long time ago that the
speakers don’t receive topics but pray to know what to speak on. So I thought
it was interesting that there where a series of scriptures that the speakers
used that where the same. I took 9 pages of notes. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Sorry, Emma, I do read your letters but I have a
hard time using my time wisely so I end up without time to send a letter.
But congratulations on the FPS triumph and the 100% on the science quiz retake.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I was really sad to hear that the Carmans are
moving. They have been good friends. Send them a really big hug,
and wish them luck for me. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Got to go know and finish some of my A.P. work!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I love you all a lot!!!!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Ben</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]-->Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-40670007932125553002013-04-04T09:09:00.000-07:002013-04-04T09:09:08.924-07:00Learning the Ropes<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have had an exciting
week. I have been a little stressed, and
have not gotten enough sleep but I think things will calm down now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">First off, something
about emails. I think that it would be
best if you all continued to send emails on Monday morning. Because
I don't have a p-day that is the same every week it will be best for me if you
continued to send emails in the same way. If you all would like to send
emails on other days of the week feel free but I may or may not be able to read
them, but it is always nice to get unexpected messages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Last week we did a
division. Elder Moreno went to Entroncamento (45 min going by bus) and I stayed
here in Telegrapho. I worked with Elder
Cardozo, who is from Paraguay, on Friday until Sunday. We both were new
in the area and we did not know anyone, members or nonmembers, so it was a bit
rough. We looked in the area book for a few people to visit but the
records were really old -- 2008. So we spent a lot of time doing contacts.
Unfortunately we were not able to locate many of these people. But
at the end of the week, I had a meeting with the Bishop and he helped a lot.
Unfortunately for me I will have difficulties working in the area because
I will be traveling a lot this month. So that will be a challenge without
work in Telegrapho. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We had a zone council
yesterday. So the past few days we have planned the topics of our
talks/trainings. I still feel a bit lost
in my calling and I don’t talk a lot in the meetings we have with Pres. Scisci,
mostly because I don’t know what to say...yet. I´m learning fast.
At the Zone council I gave training on how to help missionaries become
more resilient. There is an all too common problem with missionaries
staying dedicated and constant in their work. Many times missionaries
lose their drive when they encounter difficulties. Ironically that is the
time when we need to work even harder. I
shared an article from the Liahona about how to raise more resilient children.
It was an interesting article and had a bunch of principles that can be
applied to leaders in the mission field as well as parents. When I read the
article I noticed a lot of tactics/principles that you and mom had already used
raising us. I think that they worked.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This week I will be
flying to Macapá to go on divisions with the elders there and have a zone conference.
I will leave tonight and get back on Wednesday of next week. After that I will fly to Santarém that is
located at the fork of the Rio Negro and the Rio Tapajós. So that
will be exciting. I have to go and prepare for the trip now!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love you guys!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-50409068252817837202013-03-29T13:56:00.000-07:002013-03-29T14:11:59.684-07:00Ben is Called to be an AP<br />
March 11, 2013<br />
Dear parents,<br />
I really liked getting so many letters last week.<br />
<br />
This past week has been interesting, our baptisms didn’t work out and our zone is a little out of control. Elder Guedes, a really good elder in our zone, has been transferred (emergency, but the emergency was with another elder, a missionary was sent home for beating up his companion). Note to Dan, Emma, Eliza: if you guys serve missions don’t beat up your companions, make them apple pies and iron their shirts/skirts. So that was sad for me, I really liked Elder Guedes.<br />
<br />
We had a zone conference with Elder Godoy. It was the best zone conference I have had in my mission. Elder Godoy is a really great and inspirational person. He served as mission pres here in Belém about 10 years ago. He taught a lot and didn’t slam the pulpit and tell us we were horrible missionaries. That was something I really liked, he showed us how to help others resolve their problems and in general how to be better missionaries. <br />
<br />
Afterwards I was interviewed by Elder Godoy. I was one of 4 or 5 missionaries to be interviewed. It was a really great interview. Along with the normal interview he asked what I thought the difference was between the two mission presidents I have had, Pres. Campos and Pres. Scisci. I talked about some of the strengths of each one. With Pres. Campos I learned a lot about loving the people I teach and with Pres. Scisci I have been able to develop more attributes of Christ.<br />
<br />
I am out of time but I love you guys a ton. Until next week!<br />
<br />
Love Ben<br />
<br />
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<br />
March 18<br />
Hey family,<br />
Things here are going well, we have definitely seen a lot of progress with some of the families we have found. The highlight of last week was when Dalva, Borges, Yasmin, and Ingred came to church!!!! They really liked it and later today we will have a family night with them and the Stake Pres. will be there as well.<br />
<br />
This past week I had a really great experience. During a division I visited two brothers that are inactive with a young man (Gabriel) in the ward. Unfortunately, the two brothers are really lost and are not interested at all in the church, even though it is clear that the life they live without the church is really sad. We left without any apparent progress. I was feeling sad about it but I really wanted to keep working so that I could find someone that actually wanted to change and hear the gospel. I then saw a man walking in the street and felt that I needed to talk to him. I looked over to the Gabriel with me and said he lets talk to that man. So we ran after him and started to walk with him. I talked to him and we made a visit in his house. Later in the week we got to teach the whole family (Jonas father, Helena mother, Maurillon 16 year old boy, and Larissa 11). They are really great and really prepared to hear the gospel. <br />
<br />
We have been really blessed with a lot of families to teach. I am afraid that I will be transferred in two weeks and not have a chance to see these families baptized. If I stay, I think the same thing will happen that happened in Larangerieras (lots of baptisms in the last month). I really don’t know what will happen because 8 zone leaders are going home along with an assistant to the president, so Elder Leite or I will be transferred for sure. I attached a letter that I didn’t have time to finish that talks a little about some of the feelings I have had about finishing my mission. Last week after I wrote to you guys I wrote my letter to President Scisci, and said that I wanted to stay on the mission for more time, I know that it won’t work out if I stay for a whole transfer so I told him that I was willing to serve until the 14th of August or the 20th of August. President Scisci emailed me back this week and but did not give a definite answer, (it is difficult to send a missionary home in the middle of the transfer). We will see how it turns out.<br />
<br />
Oh fun story. We killed an ROUS in our house!!! Well it was actually on the patio. It appeared from over the wall and started twitching on the ground I am not sure if the rat was doing some sort of preparatory rat yoga to prepare to attack us or if it was suffering a heart attack. But Elder Leite and I preferred not to find out which so we killed the rat with a broom handle.... the broom broke a few weeks earlier when elder Leite failed at killing a cockroach that crawled on his pillow... In the end we threw it in the garbage. Thankfully the garbage truck passed the same day. So that is my crazy story for the week. <br />
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I love you all and hope that your Spring Breaks were wonderful!!<br />
<br />
Love Elder Clark<br />
<br />
P.S. I attached a pic of me Elder Leite and Elder Anderson the assistant to the president from Burley, Idaho that will be heading home in a week and a half.<br />
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March 24, 2013<br />
Hey Mom & Dad,<br />
I have been called as an Assistant to the President, I have already left Satélite and will live close to the city center I will work in the mission office and likely travel a lot.....we will see. So today I don’t have p-day. I’ll write a letter tomorrow. <br />
<br />
Love you guys!!!!<br />
Ben<br />
<br />
March 28, 2013<br />
Hello family,<br />
So first off sorry for not sending an email the last few days. My p-day is different as an AP from now it should be on every Tuesday but it is subject to change depending on what I will have to do during the week. <br />
<br />
I have a lot to say and not much time to write... we will see how much I can write.<br />
<br />
Starting with last week, I went to Outeiro to do a division with Elder Lopes (who is going home within the month). It was nice to see some of the people I taught and it was especially nice to see João Paulo, an 18 year old that I baptized. He is very active. Outeiro is having problems right now and I hope that the work I did there will help the Branch. They moved into another meeting house that is a lot better. Unfortunately church attendance didn't raise much. That was a bit sad to see.<br />
<br />
When I got back to Satélite after the 2 day 2 night division, I was a bit tired, but we worked hard. The group of people we where teaching had changed a bunch, Elder Leite had taught a few new people. I didn´t plan on being transferred, so I tried to get caught up. <br />
<br />
On Sunday we left early in the morning to bring people to church. We went to the house of a new investigator. No one was there, so we started walking to the next house and we ended up walking right into one of our investigators that had committed to go to church. He was heading to the Igreja Universal (a really crazy church that asks for offerings every meeting and does a bunch of other things, sometimes they fake miracles and sell holy water). So we stopped and talked to our investigator and invited him to church. We walked with him to church and he loved it. He will be baptized this Saturday if everything goes well.<br />
<br />
Sunday afternoon. We went to Paracurí, an area in my zone where Elder Gonzalez, my son on the mission, is serving. They had a couple that would be baptized after Sacrament Meeting. We were there to do the interviews. They went well and the couple was excited to be baptized (they had also been married that same week). While I was doing the interview with the man that would be baptized, two of my converts from Laranjeiras, Ulisses 18 and Denise 23 (I taught Denise but she didn´t get baptized while I was there she had more preparing to do) came. It was really nice to see them. Denise is now a councilor in the Young Women’s and a ward missionary and attends Institute. Ulisses is now a ward missionary, the 1st councilor in the Elders Quorum and is also active in Institute. Super cool! They were really glad to see me and I was happy to be able to converse with them a little. Denise got a bit emotional telling me how much I helped her join the church. I didn’t know that I had made such an impact. It’s nice to learn that our efforts to do good bore fruit. Both of them want to serve missions and there is a good chance that next transfer they will serve short term to help out.<br />
<br />
While I was there in Paracurí I got the call from Pres. Scisci. He called me as an Assistant to the President and briefly told me about my responsibilities. He also told me that I would need to buy new white shirts because mine are almost all yellow. So we will see what I can do. I got a few slacks from Elder Anderson (from Burley Idaho, the old AP that was trained by Elder R Silva my trainer) because almost all of mine have ripped above the ankle. During the transfer I got a few white shirts that other missionaries left when going home.<br />
<br />
Monday I got to the mission office and started learning about the system we use to record numbers and get their weekly reports. We had the going-away dinner with all of the missionaries going home at President Scisci´s house. That was nice but also sad. A lot of friends I had were going. It made me miss home a bit.<br />
<br />
Tuesday the new missionaries got here and I gave a briefing/training to the trainers. Then I helped give an introduction to the Mission that night at the House of the President.<br />
<br />
I haven’t eaten breakfast since last week. It’s been really crazy. I also have gotten very little sleep. But now it should be calmer. My Companion is Elder Moreno. He is from São Paulo. He is cool. He was suppose to go home this week with the other group of missionaries but is going to stay until the last week of the transfer to show me all of the AP duties so that I can train the next one that will be called in 4 weeks. Crazy!<br />
<br />
So that’s all for now I will write next week.<br />
<br />
P.S. I always read all of my emails, but sometimes I don’t have time to respond.<br />
<br />
Love you guys!!<br />
Elder Clark<br />
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-51845730992549992412013-03-07T08:59:00.001-08:002013-03-07T08:59:56.063-08:00Two Letters, Three Baptisms<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So
this past week was crazy. We baptized 8 people in our zone this last Saturday,
on the B-day we planned. It was really great. We had a baptismal service for our whole Stake.
It turned out really great. Two of the baptisms were from our area,
Ana Clara and Adria. We had a bunch of other baptisms that fell
through as well. Ana Clara almost fell through as well because she got
really sick and a lot of women from the church that she used to attend went to
her house and started telling her a bunch of lies about the Church and tried to
convince her that she shouldn’t get baptized. But she stuck with it. I was really amazed she really has worked to
gain a testimony and repent. She is probably the most prepared person I have
ever baptized. When people really search for God and are willing to
follow Christ, God always provides a way for us to overcome.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Leite has been a
bit stressed these past few days and yesterday he got sick and spent the day at
our apartment resting with a young man from the ward, while I visited people.
When I got home at about 7:30 to let one of the young men go home on time,
I walked in the apartment and found E. Leite sitting on his bed in only his
garment bottoms with a fan blowing on him. He was looking really sick. He taken his temperature and he had a fever
of 104.3. That is really high. I had
never seen someone with a fever that high. So I quickly ran to the house
of a member that lives on our street, and only the mom (who is very pregnant)
was there, but because of the situation we brought her to our apartment to help
out. We decided to take him to the hospital. At the hospital they gave
him a shot and a prescription. By that time the fever was passing and he
was feeling better. That was an interesting experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While waiting at the
hospital, the Oscars report passed quickly on the news and I realized that I had
not seen any movies this last year... I’m not sure how I feel about that.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we were about to
leave, a bunch of policemen (they where SWAT... well the Belém equivalent) appeared
in the hospital because they had a prisoner that was in terminal condition.
We conversed briefly with one of the officers who said in essence that
the man was caught in the act of robbing someone and that a police officer had
unloaded a clip on him, but the officer used a bunch of slang to say that.
Apparently the prisoner had killed a police officer because he had a
tattoo of a clown on his leg (apparently that bandits here in Brasil get a
tattoo of a clown on their legs if they kill police officers). Crazy story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So that’s my crazy
story for the week. I am doing great and
I am being safe, Mom. E Leite is doing better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope that your week
was great and that this week will be productive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">P.S. Mom, your shelves look great! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>March 4, 2013</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dear
Dad,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for the e-mail.
I really liked the description of Dan's
testimony. He is really great. It
seems like everything is warming up there [in Moscow]. Here in Satélite, things have been a bit cold
because of the rain. For the past few days I have slept with my Trogdor
hoodie because it has been a bit chilly -- I think between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius.
It will be interesting to come back home and sleep in a bed and not a
hammock. But I have been thinking about ways to secure one [with hooks in
the walls] at home…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week has been
pretty hard. We have not had much progress with our investigators and we
have found about 5 families that need to get married so that makes it a lot
harder to help them, and more complicated for us missionaries. During the week
we had a lot of important appointments that fell through and yet again our
bishop did not come to our baptism (probably because we told him about it on Tuesday
and called to remind him on Saturday.) Well usually when we make mistakes
we learn better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So this past week the
most important thing that happened was that we Baptized André! André was
the boyfriend of Ana Clara. We taught him and it was clear that he was
really prepared. During the week he went to the other side of Belém to
get his Sunday clothes from the house of his grandma. He went to his
baptism and the church on Sunday in a white shirt, tie, dress shoes and he even
took out his earrings!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So that was nice to
see. Oh and I got to confirm him a member of the church which is always a
spiritual experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I´m doing great here
and thankfully my zone is doing a lot better. So things are looking up.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh dad, I will think
about the UI Hockey team but I still don´t know. The UI is really.... cheio de iniquidade.
But I’ll give it a look. Oh, I also got a letter from Josh today
which was really great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-45769321856411683712013-02-18T19:19:00.004-08:002013-02-18T19:19:38.353-08:00February 18, 2013 Letter <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">So this
week we didn't have a baptism. But this week it looks like we
will have 3!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I started the week
with a light cough that steadily got worse as the week progressed. By
Thursday my tonsils and lymph nodes were
super swollen it started getting hard for me to swallow and then my voice
started to get lost ; ) Yeah, so that
was really frustrating I ended
up going to the doctor Saturday morning and he passed a prescription
for anti-inflammatory and antibiotics. I also asked him about a small cough or
"err hmm" I have had for a
long time (a few years) I just started
noticing it because a sister in my zone (that sings almost professionally) and
asked me about it. I guess I always
thought that it was something normal because I sing a lot and played a bunch of
sports that required a lot of yelling. I
started trying to remember when I started with the ''errr hmmm'' and I remembered
that in my sophomore year in high school during a soccer game I was hit in the
throat and coughed up blood, and afterwards I lost my voice for a few
days. Well the doctor said that I could be a scar or mini laceration that
is causing irritation or producing mucus. So he said that I could see a
specialist who could resolve the problem for me. I don’t think that it’s something that is really
urgent so maybe when I get home I will look for a specialist that can take a
look at my throat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So other than that
stuff, the week was good. I got to visit
Outeiro again on Sunday as part of a Stake activity that I planned to help the
branch. I visited José Gabriele and
Lourdes. Gabriele was a girl I baptized
there. The family has had some problems with health and because of that
they have a lot of debts (unfortunately the debts are with a loan shark).
But because Lourdes got so sick she wasn’t baptized. During the
visit I taught about the necessity of baptism and the healing effects of the
gospel (I used Alma 36,I think, when Alma recounts the agony and pain of sin
and the peace and joy that comes through the atonement of Christ). At the end of the visit I challenged Lourdes
to be baptized this next Saturday. It
was a powerful visit. Oh and she accepted, but wanted to pray about it
first. I also told her that if by Saturday
she had received an answer that I would love to baptize her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think the mission is
really tough but definitely worth it. I learn
so much each day and it’s exciting to meet new challenges. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have just finished
one more transfer and I will be staying here in Satélite for at least 6 more
weeks with Elder Leite. But our zone has moved a lot. It’s not
going to be easy with a some of the missionaries that are arriving in the zone
but I will do my best to help them be their best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you guys so
much! Eu amo Voces! Yeah that’s
right. I love you guys in English and
Portuguese. ; )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-83049523790671382752013-02-18T08:40:00.001-08:002013-02-18T08:40:36.851-08:004 Weeks of Letters<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">January 21, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;"> So this week was pretty good. Last
Monday after I wrote to you all I made a delicious apple pie in the shape of a
heart and made an N+E out of pie crust to put on top for Nilse and Edimilson
who are a couple we are teaching. We made a surprise for Edimilson.
Nilse wanted to get married and we came up with a plan to help her
propose to Edimilson. It involved the pie I made and Cupuacú ice cream.
It turned out really well and he said yes. I joked with her that she was a modern woman
because she took the initiative. I thought
that was funny. They will have plans to get married legally on the 10th
of February. We found a lot of people that have a lot of potential,
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I have a special story, so yesterday
we had splits with two young men and I was with Gabriel. I was a bit frustrated because we had a lot of
investigators that didn't come to church and life on the mission is just
stressful in general (but rewarding to) and we had no one to visit so we went
to visit a friend of Gabriel who had been visited by other elders in the past.
We talked to him a bit, then I taught the Restoration and the friend
(Ian) accepted the invitation to pray and be baptized on the 9th of February. I was thinking, “Cool. This kid is understanding really well, and he
has a desire to learn.” So I was a bit
happier. Then Ian´s dad Amiraldo wanted to talk to us and get to know us.
Man, I was impressed. Amiraldo is
one of the smartest people I have met on my mission but at the same time he
´´fears God.´´ He is 42 and is a self-employed graphic artist. He is one
of those types of people that dropped out of high school but study a lot and
read a lot of books. Like Bill Gates -- really smart, but didn’t go about being
smart in system. He talked with us for a while and because we did not
have other people to visit I spent more time getting to know him and the
conversation was excellent. He had some
really interesting thoughts about Mary the mother of Jesus that were clearly
inspired. He grew up in the Catholic Church
but now he said to us that the Catholic Church is not for him because of
doctrinal inconsistencies. He told us about some of the problems he was
facing in his marriage (his wife is sick and that puts more weight on his
shoulders.) So by the end I taught the Restoration and invited him to
pray and then he told us that he had already read the pamphlet and wanted to go
to church and that he had really been waiting for us. Man, it was really
special. I felt really connected with
him like I had already known him. He reminds me a lot of Mom and Dad in
his reasoning (and he likes U2 and the Doors, Jimmy Hendrix). I felt really good and nothing felt forced
when I talked to him. The Spirit was
there to testify with me and we left feeling really great. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I believe there are people that I knew
before in the pre-existence and that are waiting for me to find them. This
man was truly prepared to meet me and hear my testimony of the restored Gospel.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I hope everything is
going well for you all! Don’t miss me too much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ben <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">January 28, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;"> So Mom, thanks for the letter.
The shoes fit but gave me blisters so I am working them in slowly. These
past few weeks have been a bit tough for you guys in terms of deaths, I hope
that everyone is coping. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Thanks for talking to my counselor
and researching about my options for school. I think that it is a great idea to
retake a few of those classes, especially because I don’t feel really secure
with the material that was taught. I would
love it if you could talk to Coach Weiss to see if it will be an option for me
to play with the team at BYU. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #454545;">So this week was
pretty stressful. We didn’t have a good p-day last week so it started off
on the wrong foot. We did two different divisions with other areas in our
zone. I got to go to Outeiro and see a
few people that I taught there. We have been short on time and our investigators
started to get soft. We had a group that was pretty good; like the Doctrine and Covenants counsels: search for the rich and learned. Well, we found a lot these last weeks and had
a lot of progress with them until Sunday. No one we taught this week went
to church. That is tough. But this week will be different.
Amiraldo worked, or something like that, </span><span style="color: #454545;">this Sunday </span><span style="color: #454545;">but he has promised to visit and told me that
his intention was to learn more about the church and in the future maybe become
a member (he did not accept a baptismal date).
It’s not easy to teach smart people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #454545;"> I also got sick</span><span style="color: #454545;"> on Friday, </span><span style="color: #454545;">with what I don’t know. And Saturday and
Sunday I felt really weak with body aches and symptoms of a fever minus the
fever. That was really frustrating. I felt really tired these days but we worked
like normal because the work does not stop. I am feeling a bit better today. The body
aches stopped but I feel a pain in my stomach like its empty even though I have
eaten things last evening as well as this morning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I am doing well other than that
stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I will make an apple pie this
afternoon and I will eat it with E. Guedes and E. Stacy who are from the next
area over. They are both Americans and really crazy. E Guedes is a
citizen of Brazil as well. His parents
are Brazilian but he was born in Utah. Logan I think.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #454545;"> Love you all!!!!!! I will try to
write letters today. Oh and big news: I found out yesterday that I will come home on
the</span><span style="color: #454545;"> 23
of July </span><span style="color: #454545;">because transfers fell
on that day. I am thinking about talking
to Pres Scisci about staying one more transfer but there are a lot of things to
consider like school, work, and my siblings falling ill from missing me so
much... etc... so we will see.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ben<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">February 4, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dear family<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So this week has been interesting, I
got better from the whole stomach problem. We had a zone council with all
of the zone leaders in the mission. That was nice I feel like I learned a lot. I am writing this letter super fast because we
are at the end of our p-day and we still need to take the bus to return to our
area. We found a really cool old man the other day, he is 80 years old
and his late wife was a member. Apparently he had a dream where his wife
told him that he needed to join the church and prepare for the next life the
next day he talked to a member that lives close by who took us to his house Sunday
night. He will be baptized next Saturday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Our baptism fell through this last
week and that was really frustrating. Suane (our baptism) was really solid
until Saturday night when we got a text from her saying that she
would get baptized the next day. Later she sent a text saying that she
would go to the Catholic Church instead. That was super sad after all we
taught her she turned her back on it. Even after she got an answer to her
prayer. We will visit her again to try and resolve her doubts and maybe
stop teaching her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We are still animated despite this
and we have other people to baptize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I think that I will stick with the 23
of July as my return date. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I love you guys a lot!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Ben</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br clear="all" />
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">February 11, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">Hey Fam, </span><span style="color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">So I wrote part of a letter to you guys and took a
picture of it and attached it to this email. So I think it would be best
to read the attached letter first because I will explain the rest of the letter
now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Read the attached
letter:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dear Family, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yesterday I passed the 18 month mark on my mission. That is a long time, but I feel like it has
been time well spent. I’m looking
forward to the last 6 months. They
should be productive now that I have much more experience. I have really learned a lot in the time I have
been here, especially about helping others through the Gospel. When we teach the gospel we begin to understand
with much more clarity. That is one of
the reasons why the church does not have paid clergy – because everyone needs
to learn and teach to reach our full potential.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So the same old things have been happening around here. I gave a talk last Sunday about faith and
cairns in the fog. I thought it turned
out alright, even though I didn’t have any time to prepare. I told a story about Granite Peak and the fog
there. I also used the first verse of “Lead
Kindly Light.” I think that helped the
talk communicate the need for faith and illustrates well the fact that we won’t
always have a perfect knowledge of our path but that the light of our Savior
will never lead us astray. I also “played”
the piano in Sacrament meeting. Well, it
was more like “operating” the piano because it is electric and pre-programmed
with almost all the Portuguese hymns. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">So last P-day was pretty tiring and difficult. We went to the mission office in Bel</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">é</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">m 1.15 [an hour and 15 minutes?] one way by bus to be interviewed by the
Assistants. It took a long time, mostly
because it took 3 hours to renew my visa, but now I’m legal again!!! We got
back to our house at about 5:15 and then Elder Leite realized that he had left
our keys in the mission office. Why he
left our keys in the mission office, I do not know. So, we visited a member close to our house
(where we had family night planned) and then returned to Bel</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">é</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">m. We had to stay the night at
the mission home (where the staff lives).
We didn’t get back to our house until 10:00 the next morning. I got to talk a lot with Elder Anderson, one
of the assistants to the President. That
was nice. He was trained by Elder R.
Silva (my trainer) and he is from Burley [Idaho]. So because of these things in common there
was a lot to talk about. He reminded me
of Mike and Hayden. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So while I was at the mission office, Elder Anderson showed me some
watches that a member was selling. The
member is a policeman and was selling the watches through a police auction (the
watch had been confiscated entering the country illegally). They were all TAG Heuer watches. In the store these watches are really
expensive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"> Now I will
continue. So the watch I bought was a ´´</span><span class="yshortcuts">Tag Heuer</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> GRAND CARRERA Calibre 36´´ I bought
it for 200 dollars but it is sold on the tag Heuer web site for 9000 dollars so
I thought it was a good deal. I had to think a lot about it because it’s
one of those economic decisions that are a bit shady. but I figured that
if I didn’t want to use were a really expensive watch, or if I get really poor
and need money for college I can pawn it or sell it to a rich person and get at
least what I paid for it. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> Oh dad I had a
question did you transfer money from my account? Because a few months ago I had
more than 5000 real in my account that is equal to about 2500 dollars but I looked
at the balance at the ATM today and I only had 750-ish real or a bit less than
400 dollars so I was wondering if that was right.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> So this week has
been a bit stressful in terms of work. I feel a lot of stress trying to
be a good zone leader, helping my zone and working to have success in my own
area. Thankfully things worked out alright in the end. We baptized
an 11 year old boy named Claudio. He is pretty cool. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> We have had
problems getting people to commit to coming to church. A lot of the time
they say they will go but then end up sleeping, make up excuses or say that
they will spend time with extended family. That has been frustrating but
it will work out we just need to keep working hard and maybe teach more about
the importance of going to church. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I am doing great overall I’m working hard and
trying to become a better missionary. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I’m also coming down with a cold but it’s not too
bad.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I love you all a lot!!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Ben</span></span></span>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-85126789296494399622013-01-19T09:07:00.001-08:002013-01-19T09:07:52.530-08:00Ben Turns 21 in Satelite, Brazil<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">January
7, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dear
Family,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week has been
interesting. We didn’t have a lot of
time to work normally because we had a bunch of meetings and Ano Novo was
really hard to work with (no one was at home and if they were not partying they
were all hung over). We got transfers and I will stay here in Satelite. Elder
Carvalho is going to his last area to be a Zone Leader for Cidade Nova. They are reopening the zone there. So
now my zone is more manageable: only 7
companionships. I am liking my area but I think that I need to get to know the
members better. So I wanted to plan visits and teach the families here to
help them get more involved with the work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It has started, the
rainy season. It is raining almost every day in the afternoon. The
rain comes in fast and is like a wall of water. It’s pretty cool but you get soaked
super fast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I made a peach pie last
night and it turned out pretty well. I think
that I will start to make pies a lot more often because they are easy to make,
relatively healthy, and they are really delicious. This week we went running a
few times as well it was great but I am afraid that I am gaining weight again;
the members here make really good dinners for us that frequently have a
dessert. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am really sorry for
two short letters in a row; I have had problems using my time wisely, reading
and writing letters so I promise that next week will be better. I have to
go know but I will write letters this afternoon and send them next week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you all and
thanks for all the birthday wishes!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">January 7, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Daniel,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hey bud, what’s up? I hope you are doing well. I have been missing you a lot. I wish that I could be there to go sledding
and have snow ball fights with you. I hope
that you had a great Christmas and that this New Year will be spectacular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a few questions
for you: 1) What was the coolest thing
you did this break? 2) What did you give
for Christmas? 3) What did you get for
Christmas and how will you use the things you got?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I didn’t get much for
Christmas in the form of presents but it was still one of my best Christmases
ever, because I got to give some really good gifts. Next year maybe we can go caroling together
and shovel snow for old ladies in the ward. : )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was just thinking
about service and thought about the priesthood and how you will be ordained a
deacon in May. That is really exciting. I hope you are preparing and are excited to
help and serve others! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dan, I love you!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your brother, Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br clear="all" />
January 14, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;">Hey Dad/ Family,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So my week has been
good. Elder Leite is pretty cool and we are working well together. We had
a baptism on my B-day and Felipe chose me to baptize him!!!! That was a
really nice birthday present. My zone is full of problems but we have
made plans that I think will help a lot. There is a companionship of
sisters that is really new in the mission. One is finishing her training and
the other has finished her 3 transfer. They
are in an area that is really tough as well. We will visit them a few
times this next week to help out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks so much for all
of the birthday wishes! I felt loved.
This last week I got my b-day package so I have been enjoying my new PJ's
and Saturday I made the brownies with the fudge topping. Man, talk about good.
In the evening there was a cake at the baptism. During the day the mother of a young man in
the ward that helps us a lot gave me something that is close to fudge, and
after almoço Irmã Maria (recent convert) gave us guiabada which is like a fruit
preserve that is really good with cream. Yah, so I felt really unhealthy
but it was my b day. Pres. Scisci and Sis. Scisci called me to wish me
happy b day and that was nice. Also E. Oliveira called me to wish me
happy birthday as well. So it was a good b-day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Leite is from Minha
Gerais which is in the south of Brazil and they say it gets cold there but I don’t
believe them ( : We have gone running two times already and that has been
great. I have gotten a lot better at
doing exercises in the mornings and I am hoping to be more prepared to run with
Emma when I get back, and climb Kings Peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had an interview
with President Scisci this week and that was really nice. I felt a lot better afterwards and I will try
to apply more principals of planning and leadership in my area and zone. My
zone has problems.... but we are working with that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We had some really
cool experiences teaching unmarried couples about the law of chastity. I feel like I have come to understand the law
of chastity much better recently and we are having a lot of success teaching
these couples and we are going to help them get married. Thanks mom and
dad, for keeping the commandments. Our
family is so blessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh dad, not many
people knew about my b-day but I was sung to multiple times. It only drizzled a little but was cloudy so
not super hot. It was a swell day and I felt
your love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Got to go!!!! Hope
that you all have a great week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-33308394812134678372012-12-31T09:20:00.000-08:002012-12-31T09:21:55.573-08:00December Letters<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>December
12, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks,
Mom, for finding shoes. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I got my Christmas package but not the flat
package. Tell dad that the fudge was delicious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not really
surprised that Liz was called to Moscow, Russia. I always told her that she
would become a Russian spy so this is just the beginning....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Man, I don’t know what
I will do with all that money that people sent me. I don’t really buy
things a lot here and I already have a lot of weight to lug around because of
all the books. I think that maybe I will send some books home because I don’t
use a lot of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I found a member
family that will let me use Skype at their house for Christmas. What time
would be best for me to call?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You know, Mom, I really
want to minor in 2 things when I get back.
The first one is Portuguese and maybe Italian (Italian is close to Portuguese
and might help when I look for a job if I work specifically with cars) and the
other is music. So there is a very good chance that I will join a choir
when I get back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you Mom!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your son, Ben<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Another letter, still
December 12, 2012:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m so
sorry I didn´t write a letter last p-day.
We had to go to the mission office and so our p-day was pretty lame.
But we helped a member get married to her non member husband and her
husband is preparing to be baptized</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> this Saturday<span style="background: white;">. This
will be a challenge because he needs to stop smoking. We will help him with
this. </span><br clear="all" />
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So when we got back to
our area we went to the LAN house and the internet was down so we got
permission to send emails today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being a zone leader is
interesting. I think the work load lightened up a bit but there is a
whole lot of responsibility. I interview the district leaders and their
comps and give talks and train the missionaries. And every week I report
to the assistants about our zone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This past week our
zone (which is the largest in the mission with 20 missionaries) brought very
few people to church which was really sad. And we only had 2 baptisms this
last week in the zone. So that was not good. The zone had a really hard time being
effective in the work. So we prepared a zone meeting to help the
missionaries start working harder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think it worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last night at about
8:30 we were walking home from a lesson that fell through and we saw a family
moving clay shingles into their house. So we stopped to help (there were
a lot of shingles to move) it was really nice we worked hard for about an hour
and moved a butt load of shingles inside the wall of the property. That
was pretty fun and we marked an appointment to come back and take them to
church and teach them. The father tried to give us $40 realis which is a
lot of money here. Obviously we refused to take the money. It was a good experience.
We got home really late but it was worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love you guys and
hope that your week is wonderful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>December 18, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arggg.
I wrote a letter and was almost done but the computer froze and erased the
whole thing. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, starting
over …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week was good
started slow but got better and better. I feel like me and Elder Carvalho
are working better together. We had some
really powerful lessons with people this week and we got 8 people to
come to church this week. Unfortunately,
I was waiting for 17 people to come and 9 of these
people didn't come. But we are counting our blessings and we
will work with these others so that they can come to church next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We went caroling with
a family from the ward. We piled into their car and visited a bunch of members. We sang for them and left a
short Christmas message with them. I played my harmonica in
some of the arrangements it turned out pretty well <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh, Mom, can you see
if you can find instructions on how to bend notes on the harmonica? I have yet
to figure out how to do that on the harmonica. The stuff you sent me
about bending was great but didn't explain how to actually bend
notes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We also sang a song in
sacrament meeting (I used my harmonica again and it turned out great,
but I don't know if the manual would have agreed with the use of
a harmonica during a sacrament meeting). I figured it would slip by because we
sang with the First Counselor of the Stake President.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also gave a talk
in Sacrament Meeting that turned out really well despite the lack of
prep time. I prepared during the sacrament because the talk I had prepared
before the meeting wasn't coming together in my head. It would
have been about faith using stories about clouds and cairns a you know
those piles of rocks that people use to mark trails usually in sub-alpine
areas. But I ended up talking about
service in missionary work. I used three scriptures: Mosiah 2 (serving
others is serving God), Mosiah 4 (to maintain a remission of sins we need to
serve others with material goods as well as spiritual and emotional nurturing),
and the last was 4 Nephi 1-3 about the results of applying Christ’s
teachings (peace, happiness, equality). It was one of the best talks I have
given.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am great and I love
you guys!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Merry Christmas I can’t
wait to talk to you all!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">p.s. I haven’t gotten the flat package yet but I think
that it will get passed to me at the Zone Conference Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>December 24, 2012</b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So
first of all, Happy Birthday Mom and Emma!! Man, you two are getting
really old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had a really stressful week
but it was good. I attached a photo of the caroling (I found a cousin here
in Brazil. I call the blond kid in the
picture “primo” or “cousin”). We had the Christmas conference
here and it was really great. We got to play soccer which was fun but it
took a few days for my muscles to stop hurting. I got to see a lot of old
companions and it was especially great to see Elder Gonzalez, who is a really
good friend. My soccer team was pretty good. I was called to be a team captain and we took
2<sup>nd</sup>, only losing to the mission office team (they stacked the team).
I played keeper and made a goal as well. I got a soccer jersey for
a secret Santa gift and gave a moto taxi shirt to elder Souza (I
was his secret Santa) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We had to help some of
the sisters in our zone because one of the new sisters had a grand mal seizure.
So we went to the hospital that is really worthless, picked them up and took
them to a private hospital that helped and took a MRI. She was completely
recovered when she was released from the hospital at 12:00 at night.
I had to pay for the taxi going to Belém and it was 80 reais. So there goes my Christmas present.
But it was nice to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We had 4 baptisms this
week: 3 little girls (Fernanda 9, Raynara 10, and Clivia 11
years old) and a 48 year old man Renê. We helped Renê get
married a few weeks ago. We had 6 people in potential at the start of the
week but one left town and the other didn’t pass the interview (needs
a little more repenting to do).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was a bit sad for
us that our baptisms fell through, but we will continue to help them. Our
zone is having a lot of problems as well, but we are resolving them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I will talk more Tuesday!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love you guys!!!<br clear="all" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>December 31, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hey Dad, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">It was really great to talk with the fam for Christmas.
I didn’t feel home sick afterwards, just a bit sad because I don’t think I said
goodbye very well. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We didn’t have very
much success here this week getting people to church or baptizing but we had a
few miracles. The other day, Magno from Laranjeiras saw us and stopped to
talk and that was really great. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m sorry, but I am
really short on time and will have to compensate by writing a long letter
today. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I think that I will buy running shoes for Elder Carvalho as a Christmas
present so that we can run in the mornings (thanks, Grandparents). I am
also attaching pics from Christmas and an apple pie I made that was really delicious.
Oh dad, how do you make a pie crust? I just improvised and used margarine and
flour, but it wasn’t perfect.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">I love you guys and hope that the holidays are
being spent well. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Love, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ben</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-11880523799827693892012-12-04T08:58:00.001-08:002012-12-04T08:58:11.838-08:003 Weeks of Letters & Ben gets transferred<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November
19, 2012<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey, Fam,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">So, I have been thinking about what you said in
your letter about the ward’s reluctance to set a goal for baptisms. I would
like to know how many convert baptisms the ward has had in the last few
years. In all my time in the ward I can remember only a few convert
baptisms like Stephen Hoobler and there was a couple that was baptized and then
went inactive. Anyway on the mish we set goals depending on the circumstances
in our area and our faith. For example, for this month I had a goal to baptize
5 people and in my district we made a goal of 13. So first of all we didn’t have 5 people in my
area that would for sure be baptized but we had 5 people in mind. But I am
sure that there are people prepared in my area I just have to find them and do
my part. In the ward it would be a bit harder because of the culture (it's
harder to find people) but as a leader of the ward you should pray to see
through the Lord’s eyes and comprehend the potential of the ward and our area
in Moscow. There are a lot of people that God is preparing. We just need the faith to find them. Clearly
everyone has a choice to say yes or no but if we do our part God will bless
us. I believe that if I teach with the Spirit and do my part to the
people I teach will have to choose between being sons of perdition or latter-day
saints. I believe that the majority of
people are not rotten deep down so when we work hard, being a friend (teaching
and serving them) they will accept baptism and stay active in the church.
So in the end, to make a good goal you need to understand the ward’s potential
with the Lord’s eyes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">So this week we had the baptism of João-Paulo,
18 years old. It was great. I think it was the best baptism I have
had during the mish. There were a lot of members there, and a lot of the
less actives and investigators we invited came! I am doing a lot better
with Elder S. This morning we went running a close to the beach. There is
a side walk and road that spans a big stretch of the beach here in Outeiro.
It is really great running in the morning, especially here. It’s really
calm and there are very few people on the beach in the mornings. The tide was
out and there were a few men preparing small fishing boats on the beach. Our
apartment is really close to the beach. We have transfers here next week
and I am hoping that I get to stay here in Outeiro. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545;">Oh and I would like
to say I’m sorry because it has been a long time sense I have written a paper
letter to the fam. It’s a bit hard for me because during the week I can’t
write only on p-day and we don’t have a bank or post office in Outeiro, so I will
talk with some other elders I’m my zone and see if they can send them for me.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I love you guys a lot. And am missing the Christmas
spirit that is in Moscow this time of year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Love, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Elder Clark</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November 26,
2012<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey, Mom,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545;"> I just wanted to ask for some things specifically.
First, can you send about 4 pairs of dress socks (the kind that are a
little thick but not winter socks) and I was wondering if you could send
another pair of shoes to get me through the last few months of my mission?
I have destroyed 2 pairs of shoes (Merrill world Ramblers 8 1/2 wide). I
really liked those shoes. I am using the Doc Martins, but it looks like
they will wear out fast. If it’s going to be a chore to find shoes then
tell me and I will just buy shoes here when my current options run out. </span><span style="color: #454545;">I don’t really have tons of options to buy shoes they sell
good shoes here but the shoe stores that are good are hard to find or really
far and hard to get to. I did get a pair of construction boots from a
member here that are ok to proselyte in but they are not good quality (my feet
slip around in them and they would wear out socks really fast). I have yet to find good socks here.<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> The shoes I got from the member I can find for like
20 bucks</span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Hello
everyone!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I found
out today that I will be transferred to Satelite and I have been called to be
zone leader of the zone that I am serving in right now. I think that will
be interesting. I have been feeling a bit down lately because things have
not been going super well here. I have been strengthening my
companionship with Elder S., and that has been rewarding. But the family
we had prepared for baptism could not be baptized because the wife is sick with
pneumonia. She is in the hospital right
now and the family is having a bunch of difficulties. We worked really
hard to get the help of the branch and funds to help our investigator pay for
an exam but because of some bad things that members have done here in the past
(being dishonest with church funds) the Branch President does not have the
power to decide and he has to go through the Stake President to get permission
to use fast offerings to help people. So because of the system being slow,
our investigator borrowed money from a loan shark that was sad to see. One
really nice thing happened this week though. We have helped a less active
family return to church and they are really excited about it. They even
brought us to friends of theirs to teach!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">News
update: our rich investigator isn’t really rich, he is actually the grounds
keeper for the rich guy. It’s kind of
hard to tell here in Brazil because generally no one uses a shirt so there is
not much to distinguish the rich from the poor in terms of clothing most of the
time. Unfortunately Celho's wife is Catholic and doesn’t want to change
religions (Celho really wants to, so I think she got a bit upset about that). We will try to talk to her and help her feel
more secure about us and what we teach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, this
week we were invited to eat dinner with the Mission President for Thanksgiving. That was cool, but I feel like some of the
missionaries here would complain because he invited Americans that have more
than one year on the mission and their companions. I felt a bit bad about that.
Oh, and I ate a whole lot and had to recuperate for a few days, I will have
to repent for breaking my Word of Wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I’ve
got to go pack for the transfer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks
for the letters!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elder
Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">December 3, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #454545; line-height: 115%;">So this week was good we had a baptism (Gilmara). She is 12 and pretty shy, but I could tell
that she was really happy to be baptized and confirmed. I had an
interesting experience teaching the Restoration with a young man in the ward. We taught 4 children with some other member
children after the Sacrament Meeting. I decided that I still like
children, but in that kind of group setting it’s a challenge. I guess that’s
why Sunday School teachers sometimes go inactive (just kidding). We have
a lot of young people here that have potential for baptism. I think that’s
great. I really like working with youth
because they are the future of the church.
They (at times) are harder to work with, but have so much potential.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Our ward is really big and organized. I thought
that was cool. It’s similar to our ward
at home. I think it’s interesting here there are a lot of members of the
middle class that live in our area but there are a lot of poor people that live
here as well.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Satelite is part of Belém, about 30 minutes from Outeiro
and an hour from the city center. It is a <i>conjunto</i>, which is like a suburb that only has a few exits. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">My new companion is Elder Carvalho. He was my zone
leader a few transfers back in Laranjeiras and for this last transfer. He
served in the Brazilian Air Force as an electrician and is 23 years old. He
is already engaged and his fiancé is in the MTC right now. Elder C. has
almost 1 year on the mission and was trained by Elder B. Anderson from Burly, Idaho
who was trained by Elder R. Silva, my <i>trainador</i>.
So we are family. He is the twin of Hayden. It’s really funny -- when he gets frustrated,
he acts just like Hayden did. This transfer will be good. We are
working hard and I’m getting to know the area better.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I hope all is well there and that your December is
amazing. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I think that we will go caroling and that I will
play the harmonica for people. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Oh hey dad can you send me a few Christmas
recipes like peanut brittle and chocolate covered toffee. And maybe
sugar cookies. Oh and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I wanted
to make some of these goodies and give them to members and investigators to
help invite the Christmas spirit. I think that I will have to work really
hard to bring the Christmas cheer to Satelite because they don’t have snow,
real Christmas trees and a lack of Christmas lights.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I love you guys; Dan and Emma don’t worry 3
weeks passes really fast!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #454545; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<!--[endif]--></span>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-30112475971096624332012-11-12T16:00:00.000-08:002012-11-12T16:00:41.928-08:00A Tough Week in Outeiro<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So this week has been really tough. We worked out the marriage of José and Lourdes but unfortunately Irmã Lourdes got really sick with a super high fever </span><span class="yshortcuts ycalshortcuts" data-action="calevent" fid="Inbox" id="lw_1352763205_0" mid="2_0_0_1_794033_AC23iGIAAKL7UKFRWAd/PX3B1p4" style="background-color: white; color: #366388; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" title="Add an event at this date">on Saturday </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">and so the </span></span>batismo<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> was cancelled. That caused a few problems and the Assistants and my Zone Leaders where thinking seriously about closing our area! That was not good so I had to explain to them the situation and all that. I will have to work really hard to help this area stay open and progress. My comp is having some problems. I think that a lot of these problems originate with me. Unfortunately, his first companions didn't not train him effectively and he is really stubborn and doesn't accept a lot of my ideas or counsel from the local leaders of the church or our zone leaders. I am pretty frustrated with him. I think that he has good intentions but he thinks that he knows everything already. I have started to actively move my comportment [Portuguese translation "for change my behavior"] for example, if I'm really mad at him I don't pout or walk around looking sad or angry, I try to smile more, say hi to people in the street and act more happy. I have found that this helps me be more happy. Depression is a choice, I have chosen to be a happy person especially when in difficult times. We are now going to church at a chapel that is a half hour bus ride from </span></span>Outeiro<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">. That is a bummer. Our attendance in the sacrament meeting was about 36 people, with 4 missionaries and representatives from the stake. Many of the members don't have money to pay the bus fare for everyone so a bunch of people didn't come. I have been talking to the mission president to resolve a few of the problems here with the location of the branch, but it looks like there is a fault of money [Portuguese translation for "lack of funds"] to reform [Portuguese translation for "renovate/fix"] </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">the new location</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">or God is testing the members here in Outeiro. It has been hard to invite people to church, especially with the location moving all the time. </span><br />
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I love you guys a lot, I really wanted to say that.</div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I have found a lot of help in the lessons that have been given in Sunday School and the Elders Quorum. It's like God is talking to me through these lessons. I have tried to pay more attention during talks and the lessons in Church meetings. I have received a lot of inspiration from the speakers. This last Sunday we had a lesson about how we need to correct people in a way that they will feel loved and change. Afterwards, there were a few scriptures shared from Proverbs 15, Matthew 6, and Ephesians 4, I think, that talked about how we should act towards others and how we should not judge or be hypocritical in our corrections, always applying the things we say to ourselves first. I'm trying to apply these things in my work and especially in my companionship. I was raised like this and I am really thankful for that influence in my life. I am amazingly lucky to have been born into our family in the gospel. This gives me a lot of responsibility to work and share these blessings with others. </span></span></div>
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Thanks for the letters</div>
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Love,</div>
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Elder Clark</div>
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P.S. Oh I was a bit surprised when Obama won. I thought that more people were going to vote for Romney. I really had no bias towards one or the other because I don't know what they want to do. Here in Brazil, people were a bit interested in the election. But a lot of people here wanted Obama to win because Brazil has good relations with Obama already. It looks like a lot of the world likes Obama. </div>
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P.P.S. Today I made pancakes and maple syrup and improvised chocolate chip cookies for José and Lourdes and Gabriele. They really liked my cooking! I think that cooking will be a great life long hobby of mine. Mom can you send me a recipe for chocolate chip cookies? </div>
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Love you all again!</div>
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Elder Clark</div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-30403651738379007692012-11-05T15:48:00.000-08:002012-11-05T15:48:00.207-08:00Teaching in a Island Paradise<br />
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October 29, 2012</div>
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Hey, Everybody,</div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">So this week was interesting. We walked a lot and we found a bunch of people to teach. This area is really weak but we are helping the members get back on their feet. There is some sort of problem here with organizing the move to the new branch location, but that won't stop us from baptizing people. A lot of members say that they won't go to church until they move to the other building. I think it's really sad because the location should have nothing to do with whether you go to church or not. In the history of the Church the members were persecuted and at times killed for their beliefs. We should develop the faith to overcome these challenges. Do you think that at home if the church buildings in town all caught fire and were destroyed, the members would be strong enough to keep supporting each other, and continue functioning even without the buildings? I hope so. If not, we should prepare ourselves. In Mosiah there is a very interesting story about Alma (the father) who organized the Church in the forest and baptized them in the waters of Mormon. The small group of saints leave the area because of persecution and build a city in another area. They follow all of the commandments and have "peace for a season." But then, they are found by the Lamanites and they become slaves. Even though they were doing everything right, they had a great trial. They were put to death if they where caught praying. But after they proved their faith and received strength from the Lord, they were set free. I think this is a story that we can apply frequently in our lives and especially in my area right now. We should not let things of the world interfere with our spirituality. </span></span></div>
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I had an interview with President Scisci this week. It was pretty good. He gave some really good advice about how I can have a good relationship with my companions. Oh, and he said that he has been bragging about me to the rest of the mission. So, I will have to keep on working hard. Overall, it was a good interview.</div>
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So this week has been better with Elder Sotomayor. I have gotten to know him better. Almost his whole family are members of the church, but his dad and step-dad are inactive and they serve in the Bolivian military. He has never had a job but was spoiled by his hard working mom, step-dad, and father. He had a souped-up Toyota Celica and did street races like the Fast and Furious. I'm not sure if i understood correctly, but I think he was part of some sort of gang (but not a violent one). He works hard and is a nice guy. I will try to send pics of Outeiro soon.</div>
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But I love you guys!!! </div>
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Love,</div>
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Elder Clark</div>
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P.S. If you haven't sent the packages yet, could you send a lot of peanut butter and honey?</div>
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November 5, 2012</div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey, so this past week was very interesting, Happy and stressful. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So, I got a call from the assistants to the president </span><span class="yshortcuts ycalshortcuts" data-action="calevent" fid="Inbox" id="lw_1352155361_0" mid="2_0_0_1_749284_AFq3iGIAAWHxUJfjHAwSKwY/Qdg" style="color: #366388; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" title="Add an event at this date">on</span><span class="yshortcuts ycalshortcuts" data-action="calevent" fid="Inbox" mid="2_0_0_1_749284_AFq3iGIAAWHxUJfjHAwSKwY/Qdg" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" title="Add an event at this date"> Monday</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">and they asked how many people I would baptize in Laranjeiras the next day. I was a bit surprised and informed them that I had no idea because I was in a tropical island paradise. So they got a little confused and then said that my zone leader would call me later. So, it turns out that the mission was trying to close the month with a few more baptisms and the president sent me to Laranjeiras to baptize Katia, a single mom I taught before I was transferred. It was really nice to see people I knew and taught get baptized and it was an honor to be able to baptize Katia. I also got to see Elder Gonzalez again which was nice. He is a really good missionary. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We slept in Laranjeiras and the next day I went to Belém with the elder that replaced me (Elder F. Lopes). We went to a training meeting for leaders. It was really nice to see other elders I have worked with and especially Elder R. Silva my trainer. He is going home at the end of the transfer. Oh, and he already has plans to get married in January.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">So, we were away from our area for two whole days and that was hard. But we did have a miracle happen. We taught a guy that lives in a super big, super nice house close to the beach. His name is Celho and he is Catholic (but not for long). Before I got here, Elder Sotomayor rang his doorbell and contacted him. We finally got to teach him Sunday and it was really great. He understood everything really well and accepted my invitation to be baptized. He said that he wanted us to talk to his wife as well!!! Unfortunately, they are not married. He is really cool and intelligent. I think it is interesting to see a lot of missionaries work in areas that are very poor. This is great, but that is not all we should do as missionaries. Our priority should not be either poor or rich but to help the society as a whole receive the gospel. When Elder Mazagardi (the 70 in charge of our mission) talked to us last, he said that we should search for the rich the educated, and the people in positions of power to teach. He shared a scripture with us in Doctrine and Covenants that says exactly that when referring to the infant Church's missionary efforts. We also see this with Paul and Agrippa and Ammon in the Book of Mormon. So, we are applying this in our area.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Outeiro is interesting because it has a lot of rich people and poor people super close together. We frequently walk close to the sea shore, but we only walk close to the beach early in the morning because the beach is a really bad place to be if there are a lot of people here. There are a lot of people that come to visit Outeiro and go to the beach on holidays and at the end of the week. In all, it is a nice place to work but at the same time a bit difficult because of the tourism and the beach. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Dad, last week you sent a letter talking about the birth rate in Brasil dropping from a lot to 1.6 (or maybe it was mom that sent the letter I don't remember), but I was thinking about this and thought that that was definitely not the impression I have had in the last year I have lived here. That is because the population here is very young. Unfortunately, when I started to think about it more, I started to realize why the population is so young. It is really hard to find a woman here that is between 25 and 35 that is pregnant. That's because almost everyone that has a baby is between 12 </span></span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">and 20 years old. Almost all of them are single moms. It is super hard to find a couple that is married. This shows a great need for the gospel here and some other political and social reforms (for example more focus and incentive for education and careers, rethinking family stimuli from the government, education and incentives for married and practices that support and strengthen families).</span></div>
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<br />I think it's a huge blessing to be able to work here in Brasil to help these people through the Gospel. I love it here despite its imperfections! Oh, and the next time you see Andy Carmen tell him that ``Eu Estou Ajudando Brasil Vai Para Frente!!``<br /><br />Love,<br />Elder Clark</div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-46687980883683289402012-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:002012-10-25T08:30:02.877-07:00Ben is Transferred to the Island of Otiero<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">October 15, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey, </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week I will tell a little more about what is happening here. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Well, I was a bit sad about conference last week. It was really good, but there were not very many members that went. I have been working hard with Elder Gonzalez, but unfortunately not very many people are progressing fast. We have been teaching the sister of </span></span>Ulisses<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> (a recent convert here). Her name is </span></span>Marcilene<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> she has been doing really well. She has had </span></span>a lot<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> of doubts about the Plan of Salvation. Fortunately now she understands that our lives </span></span>don't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> just end when we die but there is a whole lot of other stuff that will happen. Our lives are </span></span>kind of<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> just a beginning. I love how the Plan of Salvation helps us better understand the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father and what our potential is. It also gives the </span></span>doctrine<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> of C</span></span>hrist<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> more meaning. Unfortunately, M</span></span>arcilene<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> had something come up this D</span></span>omingo<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> and she </span></span>didn't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> go to church. We invited a whole lot of people to church -- I think it was more than 30 people S</span></span>aturday. B<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">ut S</span></span>unday,<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> only one less active member, </span></span>Jocilene<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> (that i </span></span>wasnt<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> expecting), came. We spent a few hours that morning trying to wake people up for church, trying to find people at home, but none of it went right. I was a bit torn in our Sacrament Meeting because we were not </span></span>having<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> very much success where a few months ago we had a lot. But I felt really good at the same time because someone I </span></span>didn't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> expect came (J</span></span>ocilene<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">). I hope that the ward here will start to wake up because if they </span></span>don't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> soon, the work and </span></span>success<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> we have had in these last few months are going to slip away. I know we have a few members in the ward that are working hard and it makes a whole lot of </span></span>difference<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">. I have been pretty bummed because we haven´t baptized for the last three weeks. But I think it is good that we </span></span>haven't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> baptized more people </span></span>because<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> the ward is not strong enough to help and nurture the many more converts. Fortunately, the ward mission plan should help and the Second C</span></span>ouncelor<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ir</span>mão Ataide<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> is helping a lot.</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Big news. I will be </span></span>transferred<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> to </span></span>Oteiro<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">. It's an island a bit separated from </span></span>Belem<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">. it was a big surprise when I found out. We </span></span>stopped<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> in the house after church to drop off some books and I saw that Pres. S</span></span>cisci<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> had called three times. I thought that was a bit </span></span>weird,<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> so I called him back. He said that he had a new calling for me and started to explain that there was an elder, Elder </span></span>Sotamaior<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> (I think </span></span>that's<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> how you spell it) that just finished his training in O</span></span>teiro<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> and he </span></span>hasn't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> baptized anyone yet. He is feeling down about it and thinks that its his </span></span>fault<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> or that he is a bad missionary or something like that, and President wanted to help him out. So Pres. S</span></span>cisci<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> wanted me to go there to "convertinate the people" and help Elder </span></span>Sotamaior<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> become a </span></span>successful<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> missionary. I thought that was a lot of </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">responsibility. Pres. said that he was thinking about a missionary that could help and that he could count on to baptize, and thought of me. I will need a lot of help from the Lord, and </span></span>a lot<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> of prayers. I will go there and work hard.</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">it was a bit sad saying goodbye to some of the people in the ward that i have come to love and some of my investigators and converts. Please pray for these people here. They are really special.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">October 22, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family! </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week has been interesting. I got to my new area T</span><span class="yshortcuts ycalshortcuts" data-action="calevent" fid="Inbox" id="lw_1351175514_0" mid="2_0_0_1_8313_ACi3iGIAATrXUIWOEwnYek3CosI" style="background-color: white; color: #366388; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" title="Add an event at this date">uesday night</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> and we just barely had time to visit a family that is going to get married and then baptized in the next few weeks. The family consists of José (58), Lourdes (55), and their daughter Gabriele (9). Gabriele was baptized this last Saturday on the beach. This area does not have a chapel, just a house that is rented by the church. Unfortunately the meeting house is right next to the beach in an area that does not have very much movement, because of this the meeting house has been robbed 9 times in the last 6 months The last time was last Saturday. They stole everything from the wire to the fans, cleaning products and toilet paper. they took everything and only left the benches (because they are a bit hard to move). They broke a wall to get in. So that has been a challenge for the branch, being a bit weak to begin with. There were 44 people in our Sacrament Meeting, about half were infants or children under 8 years old. Elder SotoMayor is from Bolivia. He is pretty cool but I have to have a lot of patience with him. He likes to teach and works hard. He has finished his 12 weeks of training and I am here to help him complete the training that the other two missionaries started. Elder </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sotomayor had two different trainadores, and they did not like to work as much as he did. But, things will start moving here now that both of us want to work. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I have attached a pic of the family, Branch President, and Gabriele at her baptism</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Funny story. Gabriele, after her baptism, swam like a dolphin back to shore. I thought it was funny. Elder Sotomayor walked ; )</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I am really </span></span>tired<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> because last night our neighbor that lives in the same apartment complex got super drunk and his wife moved out and took the kids without him knowing. He got to the apartment and his family was already gone. He was a bit angry and then calmed down when I talked to him and opened the the gate for him. Last night I think he slept in the stair well </span></span>because<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> he lost his key and refused a mattress and fan we tried to lend him. He talked for a long time and I </span></span>didn't<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> end up getting to shower and sleep until he left the apartment complex </span></span>again<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">. So I got to sleep about 11:45 p.m. That is something that is getting to me -- a lack of sleep -- because now I am a district leader for two </span></span>companionships, <span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">one of sisters and the other elders. So I </span></span>have to<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> call them every night and see if they are alive and interview them every week. I guess I'</span></span>m<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> gathering a lot of treasures in Heaven...</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I love you all!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Next week i will tell more about the area. It's pretty cool.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Elder Clark</span>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-5756165034237688032012-10-15T08:27:00.001-07:002012-10-15T08:27:48.997-07:00The Atonement is like an Infinite Wave Function<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Monday, October 1, 2012 8:43 AM<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">Hey, so this week was interesting and it looks like it was a bit crazy there too. Liza sorry you got hit by a car, well it's better than a bus. You know that reminds me, one day I was getting off the bus and the bus driver shut the door as I was getting out and the door smacked my head. Yeah, after that he opened the door. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">So this past week was full of... well not very much progress. We had a lot of trouble finding our investigators and I think that is a sign that a lot of them don't have much of a desire to continue learning. But we did end up finding a really great family the other day to teach. The husband has a drinking problem, but they have a desire to change. They both cried the first time we visited them, and we will try really hard to bring them to church this next week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">I am out of time and promise to write a super long email next week!</span> <span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">Sorry. </span>I'm<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> doing great and I will send a letter this week about all the adventures I have had in the last few weeks.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Love,</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">Ben</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">October 8, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Hey Fam,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">So this week I'm trying to repent and write a long letter to you all. These last few weeks have been hard for me. Our zone achieved our goal of 25 baptisms with 37 this last month (my area contributed 14 of those). Unfortunately, these last few weeks have been really tough, finding people and getting them to progress. <br />We have met a number of people but unfortunately have not had much success bringing them to church. I am trying to figure out what I can do to get things to start moving again. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">I have really been enjoying the insights I have been having about the gospel and especially about the </span></span><span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1350312839_3" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">atonement</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">. This was something I thought of. At times I find people that say to me "I </span>don't<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> have sins" or "I never committed a sin in my life." Well, that is always a lie unless you are younger than 8 years old. And it got me thinking about how I can explain to people that they have sins and need Jesus</span> <span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">Christ. I </span>didn't<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> really like the idea of saying, "Hey, have you ever committed this sin? Or, have you done this or that?" It's not really that effective and can lead to hard feelings, so I decided to think about it a bit more. Then when I was reading in 2 N</span>ephi<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> 9. I was interested in the part that says that the atonement was "infinite." Well, I stopped to think about "infinite." What does that mean? Well, in mathematics it means without end, continuance for ever, something people have been trying to define for a long time. In math they also talk about how there is an infinite number of fractions between any two given numbers. And then, something clicked and I came up with an interesting way to explain </span><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">consequences to our actions. H</span>ere's<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> how it goes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">Imagine a lake completely still. If you drop a pebble </span><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">in the water, what happens? The one small disturbance sends ripples throughout the water that reach every bank and affect every point of the water's surface. It is the same sort of thing with our actions. When we do a good turn, we send ripples through the water affecting, in time, every person in the world, however small the effect is. When I learned about waves (of sound, light, radiation, or water), but </span><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">specifically sound, my teacher showed us a graph with </span>squiggles<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> above and below a horizontal line, at any given moment you have an inequality of energy above or below the line but silence is just a straight line without disturbances. When you have two waves that are </span>opposites<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> with the same magnitude, they cancel each other out. But if you have two waves that are of the same frequency, they strengthen each other, creating one wave of greater magnitude. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">I think of the atonement like a wave. The sacrifice of J</span>esus Christ<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> is like a wave that calms or cancels out the waves of a troubled sea leaving peace and calm. Now remembering the infinite nature of the atonement, we see that the bank of the lake is not regular, but full of complexities. And like the world we live in, there are a whole lot of people throwing </span>pebbles<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">, rocks, boulders, and even causing avalanches that disturb the face of the water. In the end, you have a combination -- a wave equation that is infinitely complex and, in the case of our world, of a magnitude </span>incomprehensible<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> to the human mind. That is where C</span>hrist<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> enters with the atonement. His sacrifice was infinite -- the wave that counteracts all the waves of trouble in the world. We I think about the atonement like a wave, I feel like it is easier to repent and make that first step </span>towards<span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"> change because it was infinite and it's the only way we can calm the disturbances we have made. We can also see that when we do good, the waves we send (with time) will reach everyone and that when we work together sending out the same good waves they combine and amplify each other.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">I love you all. Conference was great. And I pray for you all daily.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Love </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">-Elder Clark</span></div>
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Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-202020755023335302012-09-30T16:48:00.000-07:002012-09-30T16:48:33.108-07:00The Stress of Success<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey, this week has been interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It's actually been really stressful. You know it shouldn't be that bad because we have been baptizing a lot of people, but I am stressed that we won't continue to baptize. We have very few really promising investigators and its been hard to find new ones. They aren't progressing very well. The sad thing is the other 7 companionships in my zone have baptized fewer people than my area combined. </span></span></div>
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I am sorry about the photos. They are not cooperating with me these days. </div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Rosa and Antonio were baptized this last week!!! I ate cake. And Rosa stopped smoking. It took her more than two months to stop but she finally made it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">We had 6 recent converts receive the priesthood this Sunday !!!! The confirmations and ordinations to the priesthood were fast and not personal at all. I'm hoping to help change this in the future in this ward. </span></span></div>
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I'm out of time, but I love you all!!!</div>
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Oh, the water situation got fixed!!!</div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-65255904030885831802012-09-23T16:46:00.003-07:002012-09-23T16:46:34.141-07:00Ben Baptizes 7 Members and Attempts 3rd World Plumbing<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">September 10, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey fam, </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So every thing is going well here. I am having a great time with Elder Gonzalez. I havent learned much Spanish yet but I have read a bit and it's not very different. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I sent some pics. One is of the baptism of Magno, Marilene, and Kezia [see pictures at right]. The next is me and Elder Oliveira at the Mission President's apartment on the 19th story of an apartment sky scraper (the apartment is very nice). The apartment overlooks Belém. We were there for a training meeting discussing our new callings as mission trainers. The last is of me, Ulysses 18, Jean Tavares (my mini missionary from a week ago), and André 17, and Andrey 13 (brothers), and Elder Gonzalez at there baptism. It was pretty funny but Jean was going to baptize them and he didn't bring a white shirt, so me and Elder G. ran back to our house to pick one up for him to use. It turned out good, but I was super sweaty when I got done. The two brothers that were baptized are our neighbors and they are really cool. Their dad even came with them to church Sunday, which was nice. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">This week i have been bitten a lot by mosquitoes. I think it's because Elder G. has new blood, because before it was not bad at all. But now, the day he got here it started to get bad. Interesting how that is.</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I have been thinking a lot about reverence lately. I feel like the Sacrament Meeting in our ward is super rowdy, and some of our investigators seem like they weren't feeling the Spirit during the sacrament meeting. I have had a few bad experiences with this ward, and what I think is irreverence. I think that me and Elder G. will work something out to help the ward really understand what is going on during the Sacrament Meeting, and what importance the sacrament should have in our lives. It's a bit tough to bring investigators to church to see bad examples of members. But fortunately we have the best ward mission leader here in Laranjeiras (Irmão Ciçero). He is always there to help us and he is super involved. In fact, he just got back from the temple (his first time) about a month ago. So, things are looking up. I have a goal to help this area grow so that I can convince President Scisci to send 3 missionaries to replace me when I get transfered in 3 months.</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Oh, I got my package -- the one-year-in-the-mish package! Thanks for the information about harmonicas and the mints. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Oh, we have a family that we are teaching -- Camila and Nilson -- that will get married this week and baptized </span><span class="" id="lw_1348442784_0" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">on Saturday</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> along with (depending how this week goes, 2 other couples). And we taught a lesson de poder the other day with a member who made a contact on the bus! That was sweet, and the couple promised to come to church this </span></span></span><span class="" id="lw_1348442784_1" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">next Sunday</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I love you guys and your letters. Keep sending them!!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Ben</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">September 17, 2012</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey fam, thanks for all emails.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week has been really interesting. For a start, I sent a pic from the weddig of Magno and Marilene and another pic of the baptisms this last weekend [we didn't actually get these]. Two families, two men, a total of five. We baptized Claudio, Helena, Vitoria (their daughter), Camila, and Edenilson. I will send a letter this next week to fill you all in a bit better about these milagres!! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So these next few weeks will be interesting because we don't have anyone that is 100% ready for baptism but we are praying. In fact, I think that I am being tested a lot right now. There are a lot of problems, a ton of things I'm trying to remember, and thankfully, a lot of blessings. I think it would be good to start with the trials. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So, I have not been able to plan my time well enough for over a month, so I have been getting to bed late and I'm really starting to feel it. I'm super tired, and I think it's affecting my work. I try to help my district, but I feel like I'm not doing it right. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">And, things just have been stressful lately. Yesterday the PVC pipe that goes to our well broke while we were trying to prime our pump. So we were left without water. So I haven't been able to shower since yesterday morning. I fixed the pipe today (I designed a new better system to prime the pump). I should get reimbursed, but it looks like I lost the receipt so I'm out $ 25.96. That's a bummer and unfortunately there is a leak in one of the connections I made. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">When the water tank was filling, it fell. Our water tank is 500 liters and sits on some wood slats at the back wall of our patio out back. The water tank is a bit old and was poorly placed, it sagged because of age and the weight of the water until it finally fell this afternoon when I was washing clothes (by hand). Yeah, so all of the PVC water pipes broke and we are now using a jimmied system to use the pump to fill the broken water tank on the ground. (I still haven't taken a shower.) So that's my story. Oh, and when I called the land lord, they hung up on me twice (because I said I was a missionary). I got my neighbor to call them and that worked. Unfortunately, they were not very helpful.</span></span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I am planning a lot of trainings of the members here about how they can help the ward grow and how they can help us doing missionary work. They are a bit behind the game here. We have 8 recent converts that have been waiting for a few weeks to be interviewed to receive the priesthood. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I'm really tired but I'm really glad I'm here. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Elder Clark</span>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-58597342703299629502012-09-05T22:46:00.001-07:002012-09-05T22:46:05.368-07:003 Notes Home, 9/3/12<br />
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Dear Family, August
13, 2012</div>
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Wow. It’s already
been a whole year since I left home. I’m
doing great here and it looks like we are going to have tons of baptisms in the
next few weeks. It has been really
interesting working with temporary missionaries. But what is nice is that my comp, E.J.
Tavares has already served for a transfer so he isn’t really lost, just
new. Elder J.T. likes to talk English
and a lot. I guess its really cool for
him that he knows how to speak two languages.
I want to speak Portuguese and learn more but he is almost always
speaking English. </div>
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The other day we were walking in an area that was pretty
dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.
We saw a guy in his late 20’s dealing drugs with a young man about 16
years old. The kid left and the dealer
was looking a bit nervous with us walking up to him. I was always told here that to keep on good
terms with people like that you need to talk to them and not just walk by
looking scared. So we pass by, I say hi
and smile at him, he seems to lighten up a bit smiles and responded
respectfully. When we turned the corner
some guy that was really high stumbled over to talk to us. I ended up giving the man a pamphlet of the
Word of Wisdom. </div>
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Daniel, keep your stick on the ice. Emma, keep your chin up and always look to
the future. Eliza, Vai e
conquistar!!!! Ellis, keep up the Radicalism. Dad and Mom, thanks, you both are the best
parents ever <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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Love, Elder Clark, Ben</div>
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Dear Family, 9/3/2012</div>
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These past 4 ½ months have been pretty crazy but it looks
like things are improving. We are going
to have transfers tomorrow. Elder J.T.
will go back to Vila dos Cabanos and will leave on his mission on the 11<sup>th</sup>
of October. He is going to the mission
Jo<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ñ</span>o Pessoa
(Brazil). I think at first he was pretty
bummed about his call because he is in love with th U.S. and worked as an
English teacher here and even sent his mission papers in English. He told me that in his patriarchal blessing it
said that he needed to leave for his mission with “real intent.” Well, I think he is getting there. The thing I think is cool is that he will do
much more good here in Brazil because he will be able to train and teach
Americans easily because of his experience with English. The Lord will use him well.</div>
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So the big news here is that Magno, Marilene, and Kezia were
baptized and confirmed this last Saturday and Sunday! It was really gratifying/fulfilling to see
the changes this family has made. They
are completely different people now. I
had the honor of baptizing Kezia and participating in the confirmation of all
three. Saturday I was afraid that the
baptism wouldn’t happen because Magno was really sick (he had a super high
fever) but we visited them before the baptism and gave Magno and priesthood
blessing and Magno started to feel a lot better and the baptism went very
well. Marilene bore her testimony after
the baptisms were performed and she cried.
It was a beautiful meeting. </div>
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Now Sunday Marilene’s mom, Dona Rosa (who is not a member
yet because of a problem with smoking) bore her testimony and told the story
about how I and Elder Vale gave her a priesthood blessing (when she was too
weak to talk and she says now “she thought she would die”) and she was cured of
the chronic diarrhea. Don’t worry, she
didn’t specify the sickness in the Sacrament Meeting testimony <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. I thought that was cool how she has the
courage to bear her testimony in front of everyone. </div>
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So finally I will talk about some interesting news. I will train a new missionary these next 12
weeks (2 transfers). His name is Elder
Gonzalez, I think that’s how you spell it.
And get this, he is from Argentina!
So, I will pick him up tomorrow (9/4/2012). These last few weeks have been great, the
work is going forth. In fact, we have
met the mission standard of excellence for a month now and have had baptisms
every week for the past four weeks (this is something that I want to keep
doing! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>).</div>
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I really hope that everything is going well for you all and
I’m sorry that I didn’t’ send these letters sooner. I love you all, and please pray for me and my
new companion! Can you all believe
it. I’m finishing up month 13 of my
mission. I really don’t have much time
left but don’t worry, I will endure to the end!</div>
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Love, Elder Clark </div>
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9/3/2012</div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Oí,</span><span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Hey this week has been good.
A lot of things are happening, which is good because it looks like I
will stay in Laranjeiras for another 3 months. I will train an Argentinean!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I also sent an email with a letter or two explaining about
these last few weeks. I haven’t received the package yet but it should
get here soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We have been working a lot with people that live close to our
house. There are a lot of youth here and
it looks like we will baptize a few of them in the next few weeks. I have
this master plan of reactivating a young man that lives on the next street over
and baptizing people here so that they can support one another. I think
it will work out. I have been thinking a lot about becoming a trainer and
I’m going to have to get a lot better as a missionary because I won’t have
a native as a comp. I will also have to be a good example for him. But
I know that it will work out and the Lord will help me fulfill my calling.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I thought it was funny a few weeks ago Emma asked me if I got
more internet time now that I’m a district leader. Well the answer is no I don’t get more time. I think it was a fluke that week that I was
able to write more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But as a district leader, I have been very short on time. At night I have to check on my district and
then report to the zone leaders and since I’m with a short term missionary it
seems like I clean the house and work with planning for lessons and activities
during the day more than usual. I have been super tired these past few
weeks. But it seems like everything is running smoothly. Relations
with the members are good and I feel good.
I have lost a lot of weight and am looking more in shape now. I did 13 pull ups in a row the other day which
is more than I have been able to do for months. I hope to improve even
more so that when I get home the rock climbing will come back fast. I
hope Elder Gonzales likes to run and teach Spanish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Good luck to everyone with school and work, moving and know
that i am praying for you all!!!!</span><span style="color: #454545; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I love you guys and I promise I will send some
pictures of the baptisms next Monday.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Your Missionary,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Elder Clark</span></span></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-17521498911087841602012-08-28T05:44:00.002-07:002012-08-28T05:44:34.196-07:00Father's Day, and The Ups and Downs of Missionary Work<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday,
August 13, 2012 6:40 AM<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hey Dad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wanted send special note to you for Father’s Day [Father’s Day
in Brazil is the 2<sup>nd</sup> Sunday in August, not June]. I thought a
lot about Father’s Day and what it means. I think it’s funny how sometimes
I seem to relearn or come to understand some things better. I always knew
being a father is important or that there is a lot of responsibility,
heartache and joy involved. For example, the father of
the prodigal son had moments of pain and grief but when his son came
back he undoubtedly was the one who felt more joy and love because
what was lost to him was found. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I got to give a lesson to a family (Camila and Nilson who have 2
daughters about 7 and 5). They have had lots of problems in their relationship,
more because of the past because Nilson drank a lot. He stopped before we
met them but there are still some feelings that haven't been resolved
yet. There we taught about the worth of souls and I talked about what
things make us/God happy. When we understand what makes one happy, we
will understand better what will make the other happy, and what we
should avoid in order to continue to be happy in tough times. I concluded
that what brings more happiness to us in this life are things like our families being
unified, seeing our friends, siblings, children, or parents succeed. Therefore
God is made happy when we succeed, and like it says in Moses, God’s work and
glory is to help us succeed and become like him. Well Dad, I love you and
hope that your Father’s Day was the best!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oh, and I thought it was funny that on Father’s Day I confirmed
Pablo (an 18 year old that we have been teaching) a member of the church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another letter the same day:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hey!</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Happy Monday after
Fathers Day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
thought it was interesting here for Father’s Day there were a lot of people
complementing people and saying, “Happy Father’s Day.” I thought it was
cool. At home I think that Father’s Day was a bit more reserved.
Quite a few people asked me if I was a father. I thought that was funny and scary at the
same time. I am frequently asked if I have a family (like if I'm married
and have kids). Families start really young here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
picture is of me with a lot of post-it notes -- well all of
the post-it notes I have received in care packages. The post-it next to my face says “Obrigado!!”
or “Thank You.” Funny story.
Obrigado is the English equivalent of thank you or
to thank and obligated. Interesting how
languages evolve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I love you both!! Thanks for being my parents!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Your
son,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Elder
Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday,
August 20, 2012 9:18 AM<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hi!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Man, this week has been interesting. I had a bunch of good experiences and a few
bad ones. Remember that family, Ademir and Ana? Well, they fight a lot but now they have separated. (I
think that he abused her verbally and physically). The other day Ademir
was really angry and didn’t want to talk to be taught that day, so I left him Matthew
7 to read and told him to read it calmly and apply it in their
relationship. Apparently when he read it he freaked out because he didn’t
think that he was wrong in any way and that I should have given that scripture
to Ana. He is a really cold and stubborn person. He said that he didn’t
want me to come back to his house any more. I think we will drop
him. I really felt that the scripture would solve their problems if they
applied it, but i guess it’s better now that they are separated because i never
saw them smile at one another. I just feel bad about the two sons of theirs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On brighter news, we had a baptism (Herrison, age 13). And we have been seeing progress in our
investigators. We have been running in the morning. And we did 3
service projects last week. One included cutting down a mango tree that didn’t
give fruit, so I have officially contributed directly to the deforestation of
the Amazon. But, I will strongly encourage them to plant another tree in
its place!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Out of time, but I love you guys!
And I am writing paper letters!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">See ya!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elder Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Monday,
August 27, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Hey,
gang! So this last week was pretty
interesting. We had another baptism!!!!
We baptized Luan, a 13 year old young man. He is a bit timid, but
really smart. I have attached a picture
of Luan, Irmão Cicero (the ward mission leader), and me. The other picture
is of an amazing lunch I prepared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So I
have a request. Mom, can you send a
recipe for pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and Aunt Jen’s rolls. (It’s
for our neighbor across the street. She is
really nice!) And recipes for pico de
gallo? and homemade corn chips? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So
this week, we finally came to an end with Ademir and Ana. After I left
the scripture with him, Ana, the woman that he was living with, left. I
explained the scripture to him but he didn’t apply it. For some reason,
Ana came back (I really don’t think that was a good idea). We sat down to
talk to them yesterday and they started yelling and fighting before we got to
the opening prayer. I prayed
(silently) then we stood up to leave. Ademir said that he didn’t
want us to come back and gave us his <i>Book
of Mormon</i>. We then left and prayed for them, just me and my comp, in
the house of some other investigators. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I felt
really sad that I couldn’t help them. Unfortunately the problems there were
not resolved and we were imperfect in the way we tried to help them. I
will learn from what happened and I pray for them often. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So
the work goes forth. Our ward has made a few changes in the bishopric
and we have had a lot of promising investigators that have been
to church (we had 14 investigators in church last Sunday) and we have the
marriage and baptisms of Magno, Marilene, and Kezia this week!!!! After 4.5 months they are almost
there!!! My district is carrying the zone in baptisms and I feel
satisfied with the work I am doing. We have a lot to improve but the work
is getting done!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
love you guys and hope that all the changes are happening smoothly!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Eliza,
jump in there and don’t look back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ellis,
I hope the semester of commuting will not be too stressful and that you do well
in school!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Emma
and Dan, don’t drive mom and dad crazy and continue to do activities in the family!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Mom,
Dad, thanks and I love you both more than you know!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Elder
Clark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-30543692808839186022012-08-12T19:42:00.000-07:002012-08-12T19:42:35.530-07:00Ben helps his companion use a non-nerdy accent and assures us of his safety<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1344816055008777">
Sorry, Emma, for not writing very
frequently. I have been very short on time but I hope that your life is
doing well. It's pretty good here for me. I have a new companion and
I'm starting to like him more and more. Funny story. When he talks
English he has a very nasally nerdy accent which I think is funny. I
told him that we would try to help him with the accent because he would
never get a girlfriend in the U.S. with his accent ; ) I really liked
what you wrote about journal writing. I have a hard time writing in my
journal but I found what you said helpful. Oh, and have you really been
writing in your journal and reading the scriptures every day for the
past year?! Way cool parabems! (congrats!). I love you and hope you
have a wonderful week.</div>
<div>
</div>
Love, Ben<br />
<br />
<div>
Hey everyone,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
This week has been interesting. I tried to prepare a lesson for my
district this last week and ended up not working out very well. I
planned a family night with a member family and brought investigators
but I botched it, and it turned out a not being super organized, and we
had a devotional that I was in charge of for the ward (like a ward
family night called Noite Integração). Unfortunately, none of these
activities turned out super well. But I guess that it's just a sign that I need to keep working at it and maybe spend more time preparing and
planning. Oh, do any of you have ideas for fun games that I could use
for some of these ward activities or family nights?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1344816055008794">
So, in my area 3-4 people where
murdered. All of them 16-21 year old males. In fact, one of them was killed last
night a block away from our house just a few minutes before we got home
9:30 in the evening. The guy who was murdered by our house was shot 8
times -- one in the chest and 7 in the face. But don't worry, all of these
guys were involved with drugs and had owed money to the drug dealers. It's really not way dangerous for regular people, but for the Ladrãos
(robbers) its really dangerous. But don't worry I'm doing fine. </div>
<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1344816055008794">
</div>
<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1344816055008794">
I've
attached a picture of Antonio and Rosa who are preparing to be baptized this
next Saturday. Rosa is trying to quit smoking! I also dedicated a house
yesterday for Dayana who was baptized last week!!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Oh, Antonio and Rosa gave us 7 packets of coffee after we taught
them about the Word of Wisdom and burying your sins (see Anti-Nephi Lehi's).</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I'm doing great and people are progressing. Sorry that I didn't get to the really good stuff in this letter!</div>
<div>
Sorry I'm out of time. Got to go!!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I love you guys !!!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Ben</div>
<span><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-53824444710867406832012-08-01T15:04:00.002-07:002012-08-01T15:04:22.162-07:00Ben is made District Leader, and has more mini-missionaries<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eliza’s Question:<span> </span>I friended some people for you on Facebook.
One was named Maicovale Pingo. I saw that he had several photos of
you. I looked at them and it was nice to see you. We just couldn't
guess who this guy was. Was he your companion? (if so, he was breaking
some rules) or just some other dude who was stalking you two and posting all
your pictures. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ben’s Response:<span> </span>So, Eliza, my comp was only a temporary
missionary. The mission expected a missionary from the Brazilian MTC that
didn’t actually come, so I have been the missionary to pick up the slack, working
with temps from the area. Elder Vale is Maicovale Pingo and he is at home
now. He also wasn’t an ordained missionary, so he didn’t have an email account
and just used Facebook. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’m glad the mini-surgery went well
and that you are playing more music. I think that is the thing I miss the
most on the mission --<span> </span>music, especially singing
in English and playing the guitar. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My new comp is Elder Tavares.<span> </span>He is an 18 year old from Vila Dos Cabanos, a
city close to Abaetetuba.<span> </span>Oh, and he
also dated Janaina, the first person I baptized here.<span> </span>I think it was my first or second week in the
field. So it was fun to work with him for a while. It was like
training because he didn’t know much about teaching.<span> </span>But today his cousin is going to trade places
with him because he needs to register with the army here. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Funny story.<span> </span>The bishop told my comp he was going to
speak for 20 minutes in Sacrament Meeting a few days ago, I think Wednesday.
I felt pretty safe so when we got to the church the first councilor pulled me
to the side and said that I was going to speak as well because the scheduled
speaker didn’t show up. He gave me 20 minutes to speak. So, I whipped
out a talk I gave in my last area about missionary work, modified it in
Sacrament Meeting, and ended up giving what I thought was a really good 15-20
minute talk in Sacrament Meeting. I think just to be safe I will write
another talk and carry it around with me so that when I get called to talk on
short notice it’s not a big deal. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Oh, can you accept Jordan Tavares
when he sends a friend invite on Facebook?<span>
</span>Thanks, Eliza.<span> </span>Love you!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Ben</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hey, parents! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This week has been interesting.<span> </span>My comp, Elder Vale, finished his
mini-mission and went to the beach. I got another temp who is getting
replaced by his cousin today and I was made District Leader. The
District Leader thing is a bit funny because my comp from the MTC, Elder Childs,
is in my district, we share the same chapel [Ben was also the District Leader
when he was in the MTC with Elder Childs]. So, it’s been interesting to have
more responsibility. I think I work much harder when I have more
responsibility. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So the week has been OK. I had
a really cool experience with an investigator yesterday.<span> </span>Ademir is 49 (born in ‘63) and he is
living with his (I think it’s pretty funny here in Brazil because they often
refer to wives as “mulhers” being translated as “woman;”<span> </span>they say, ´”minha mulher” -- “my woman”) mulher
Ana (30’ish) and two sons about 3 and 5 years old. They have
been visiting the church with some other investigators we have and they were
really interested and skeptical at the same time. Ademir, in particular,
had a hard time understanding that the <i>Book
of Mormon</i> isn’t more important [to us] than the Bible.<span> </span>But after I explained to him about the
priesthood, and how they needed to know that the <i>Book of Mormon</i> was true to know that we had the
priesthood, after a while he understood.<span>
</span>And it was cool because I explained and the ideas were just flowing.<span> </span>I had never thought about the <i>Book of Mormon</i> in exactly the way I
explained it.<span> </span>The Spirit was working and
at the end Ademir understood and said that he needed to read the <i>Book of Mormon</i>. Then, yesterday we
taught him and Ana about the Word of Wisdom.<span>
</span>But when I started teaching I showed them a picture of the Joseph Smith
without really knowing why.<span> </span>I like to
explain about how Joseph Smith received the commandment from God, but I don’t
always show the picture of him. But this time I was prompted to show the
picture and Ademir ended up stopping the lesson and explained that when he was
19 he walked in front of one of the first chapels the Church built in Belém and
had a dream where Joseph Smith told him that he needed to help the church.
He accepted my invitation to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood
authority of God, and will try to get married. I think that missions are
great.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’m out of time but I love you
guys! Oh, and thanks for the paper and insoles!!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Love, Ben</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6806656645569353153.post-1380137648866072612012-07-23T13:11:00.003-07:002012-07-23T13:11:58.340-07:0019 Investigators in church, 1 baptism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">July 16, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Hey, Dad,</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I really enjoyed your thoughts
here. Especially your comments about the youth not being accepting to
people that smoke or that sort of thing. I just laughed a bit. I
think their perceptions about smoking and that sort of thing are a little bit
sheltered. On the other hand, I grew up in that high school and in my experience
those people that were smoking and involved with those sorts of things were the
last people you wanted to hang out with because it would just lead to trouble
for you. I think that I found a good way to work with that problem I
interacted with everyone at school and was fairly open to talk to and work with
others but when it came to some situations I didn’t like to stay there. Unfortunately
in the high school if you smoke chances are you swear a lot and are involved in
other things and it’s not pleasant to be around those sorts of people.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>So this week was good too. We had 19
investigators in church and they are doing great. I don’t really have a
hard time remembering their names, which I think is amazing. Before the
mish I had a really hard time with names but here I have been blessed with an
ability to remember names more easily. In fact, about 6 months ago I was struggling
to remember names (it was especially hard with Portuguese names that were
strange and new), and I started to pray and ask for help to remember and at the
same time I tried to focus more on learning their names. (I drew pictures and
made notes) and from then on it has been a ton easier to remember. Fortunately
our ward is really good with the investigators and most of them have friends
that are members. We only walked with one investigator to church and she
was already walking to church when we met her. Unfortunately most of them
need to get married, but if everything works out we will have 2 baptisms this Saturday.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Everything is pretty good here.<span> </span>Today it was over 100 degrees behind our
house in the sun (it was only 10:15 in the morning).<span> </span>I was a bit surprised because I wasn’t
feeling too hot. I think it will be interesting to come home and feel the
cold again.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Oh, and the package hasn’t arrived
yet but should soon. Oh, and in the package you will send you can leave
out the photo album I asked for but it would be way cool if you could send more
pictures of home.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I think I have been struggling a bit
with my comp, getting everything done in the morning and evening, and we have
been having trouble teaching together. Fortunately it’s getting better
and we talked about some of this stuff and it’s getting better. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span>I love you guys.<span> </span>Keep up the good work. Eliza, congrats
for getting your Patriarchal blessing. Pay attention to it because
they really do help in the tough times.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span> Love,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>Elder Clark</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">July 23, 2012</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hey, so this week has been pretty good.<span> </span>We didn’t break our record of 19
investigators in church but we had some other really good things that happened
this week. We have been teaching a couple, Rosa (the mother of Marilene) and
Antonio. They have been progressing rapidly. Rosa smokes a lot, but
the day after we taught the Word of Wisdom she burned the rest of her cigarettes.
But she has some other health problems like diabetes and chronic daiahria
-- yeah, I don’t know how to spell. So when she stopped smoking she got
really weak and was feeling horrible. But we passed by and gave her a
priesthood blessing.<span> </span>Elder Vale anointed
and I sealed the anointing. The blessing was simple but the Spirit was
strong in the room. The following day Rosa went to the doctor and they
tested for diabetes and the test said that she didn’t have diabetes
anymore. Ever since, she has been a lot more healthy. I think it’s
amazing to see people’s faith work in them.<span>
</span>A lot of times their problems don’t go away completely or right away,
but according to their faith they receive renewed strength.<br /><br />
Elder Vale will be transferred and I don’t know who will stay with me here in
our area. President Scisci had another temporary missionary to fill Elder
Vale’s spot but it’s still up in the air. I think this whole situation
here is strange because this will be my second transfer with a temporary
missionary. </span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />
Oh, I haven’t received the package, and I wanted to ask Liza if she could
check my Face Book and accept the people that have sent friend requests.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />
Yeah, so that’s what has been going on. Oh, we had a baptism this
week (Dayana). I can’t remember if I already told you all about
her. She likes to make sweets and wants to open a café but fancy. She
is 25 and has a 2 year old son named Rafá who looks like the son of an American
-- blond, blue eyes. The baptism was really cool and we had a lot of
people there.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>The room was over flowing
and we had a bunch of investigators there as well. Things are going well
here and it looks like I will stay here for awhile so that I can baptize these
families. <br /><br />
A ton of missionaries are finishing their missions this week and it’s pretty
interesting how time has been flying by.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>
</span>By the looks of it, I will only have 4 areas during my mission because I
have been staying in my areas for quite a while.<br /><br />
I hope everything is going great there. Thanks so much for your letters
and support! Keep living up the summer!!</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />
Love, Elder Clark</span>
</div>Benjamin Andrew Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844505655696386437noreply@blogger.com0