December 14

First of all, I will say a few things.
First mom, yes that was kind of interesting reading grandma's letter, dad's letter, then yours. Thank you for explaining things to the daughter that is out of contact of all communcation and worldly ways of finding out anything! Glad you are healthy and we have wonderful tecnology and medicines in these days! I hope your blood sugars stay ok. Will this medicine be something your on forever?

Second, you all know I love the topic of dating and what not. Well right now I have the privilege of witnessing the drama but not being directly involved, just the trainer. An elder went home in november and was an excellent missionary - my zone leader and AP for the majority of my mission. Well, he left, but told people about a new missionary that was coming. He even told Hna Mazariegos and I because she is originally from Guatemala. What he didn't tell us was that they dated .... sort of. But he didn't seem to feel that needed to be hit with just about every other missionary in the mission. Now we're seeing all these missionaries and they all go up to her with a big smile and say, "it's so good to meet you" and some have the guts to say, "i heard about you" I got a call the first day from a missionary, "has she told you? has she told you how she's going to be elder young's wife?" OH MY GOODNESS. I thought I got away from all that drama as a missionary. Well, apparently not! Hna Juarez had the difficulty of having about 30 marriage proposals, one an hour before getting set apart. She, however, KNOW that she is on a mission to help people find the gospel. She has a vision of people she will find and anytime that vision gets cloudy she reminds herself of them. Anyway, this missionary though. Great missionary, awesome. Everyone goes up to tell her ,"he was a legend". plus, we're working at christmas lights and people see how much success she has - LOTS. Anyway, last night this missionary walked through the lights on a date with someone we all know in our branch.  I'm pretty sure I would've died if someone I had wanted to marry showed up at the lights on a date. She was a little in shock but was bold in saying, "you're distracting me".  yikes though. just when you think you're away from everything you know .... something comes and hits you where you're not ready.


THIS WEEK WAS JAM PACKED! Sunday was miracle of miracles when 4 complete families showed up to church - 15 people! More than half had never been! Elder LeSuer (I have no idea how to spell his name) of the area presidency was in the branch for two reasons: the show love from President Smith and the show love for our branch. He spoke to all the Priesthood and said a few things about politics in saying that he prays that our leaders will make better choices. his love was DEFINITELY felt though and it was a wonderful meeting! We had a big lunch after as well and all the investigators mingled well with the members.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ARE AMAZING! My two companions work miracles! We have a meeting before with other missionaries to prepare us and help us remember why we're here and what not. Every meeting I take a moment to plead for forgiveness and pray for the Spirit to touch these peoples hearts. WE. ARE. SEEING. MIRACLES. I would say the majority of missionaries are pretty content with a few people who are willing to receive missionaries in their home and a few referrals from members. The other night our companionship alone, talked to 26 people who were willing to invite missionaries into their home. and about 38 referrals from members. most of the referrals were Hna Juarez doing (those youth just whip out their phones!) but the three of us equally did our share of people inviting missioanries in their home. We have very limited time to talk to these people, seeing as they came to see the lights, not to talk to missionaries. We've been working on being bold and testifying and helping them recognize the spirit. Well, it works! It's so cool! So many times I feel like I see someone and we start talking and I say something so weird, yet it's by the spirit, so it's right. I don't know what they're going through, but God does. I'm here to help them feel God's love and guide them to feel it every single day. We come home exhausted at 1030 those nights, but oh GOZO! no hay otra manera a decirlo! I love being on temple grounds, I love helping people feel God's love, and I love testifying of the Savior and His Church, with living prophets on the earth today!

We went to lunch with Crandell's (who we used to live with) and it felt like we were going to eat with our family - kind of strange, "is that allowed?" Anyway we showed up and they received a few more days of mail ...... a lot of it! It felt like Christmas! I got your package mom, a big envelope filled with Christmas memories from the whole Clark family from Janae, my MTC teacher wrote, the Stake Presidency, Butters family, natalie Buttars. WOW! Kind of crazy to get them all in one day, but none the less, I certainly felt loved! Thanks to all who have sent me a letter and to those who will send me one. It is a joy to read about your lives and see that God is blessing each of His children! This Christmas season is WAY TOO FAST. Someone asked me if I was excited to talk to my family - yikes that's way too close.

Ok no time. Went to the dentist and got a filling. All free - our high counselor is a dentist! he had a cool dental assistant that is not mormon but not wants to go on a mission ... haha we'll go roller blading after the mission together!

We're all FINALLY recovering. We ate a dinner friday that we all just looked at the wanted to barf. 130 the next morning .... hna Juarez was throwing it up. YUCK.

I love you all! I am praying for you and your success in everything!!! Good luck with finals ABby!!!!!!!!!! love love love Mormon 8:16 Love always, Hermana Clark