Chapter 71 - "You can't handle the truth!"/H2O Miracles

Hey hey!

This week was good! Although I'm bummed you didn't really write anything! Haha just kidding.

So I'll just jump right in with the title! This week we had Zone Conference! It was so good. I prepared so hard for it. It was really good! He taught us all about giving correction, teaching about baptism, and just being diligent. It was really similar to his last zone conference, but I felt like it really solidified what I need to do. President Wong always uses really cool analogies and object lessons to teach us, and this time we watched a video of Kevin Durant being trained by Steve Nash! It was really insightful training about being humble and taking correction, but also the importance of the fundamentals! He also used the talk "As many as I love, I also rebuke and chasten" by Elder Christofferson. (If you haven't heard it, look it up. Do it now, don't wait). And he talked about "sugarcoating" and "beating around the bush" He asked us "can you handle the truth?" and immediately I thought of Jack Nicholson yelling at Tom Cruise. The name of the movie escaped me. But it was an inspiring zone conference, and definitely what I needed to hear. This week I will start applying it by focusing more on baptism. 

In my interview yesterday he committed me to make a plan to baptize 10 people before I go home! As I was thinking about it last night, I remembered that President Wong adds a 30% buffer to every goal he sets. So my goal from now to August 7th is 13 baptisms! 

Starting to work towards that lofty goal, we went working last night. We went to the Rec centre called H20 and talked to a lady at the bus stop. She actually grew up Mormon and has very find memories of Elders! They would do cool things like magic tricks and she remembers being so excited for them to come by. So we got her number and she said she would be open to a visit! So we are planning on seeing her tonight. It should be good! She has kids too so that would be some baptisms if we planned well!

So yeah this week was good. The AP's came up for zone conference and they stayed downstairs with the zone leaders. They are so chill now! So different from the Assistants when I came to the mission. But they still know how to find and teach. Their area is doing so good now! President kicked them out of the office so they can have a model area for the rest of the mission. 

Well I will see you next Monday! I will be facetiming most likely. And I will call anywhere from 1-4. Probably around 1:30 or 2:00 Pacific time.

Have a good week!

Love, Elder Clark

Chapter 70 - Gingerbread House/D's back

Hey!

This week was fun! We went super hard and set a goal as a zone to find 40 new investigators this week. Guess how many we found? 52!! We crushed the goal. Our district had like 17 or 18 of those. It was fun to ask the sisters every day how many they found and it just kept getting higher! Now we just have to bring those people to church and set baptismal dates with them.

So we got a member family to Skype home from, but we don't know exactly the time. I'll let you guys know for sure next P-Day. Also, we aren't sure but P-day might be on Tuesday the 26th so keep that in mind.

So this week's title comes from OUR ward Christmas activity, where we made gingerbread houses! They actually made the houses before we got there, but everyone brought their own candy and decorated it ourselves. Elder Layer and I spent $2 on candy and mooched off the members(; Ours turned out pretty good! We also were able to talk to some friends that the members brought and some less actives who came out. It was a slam dunk activity. It just reminded me of Grandpa's super precisely cut graham cracker houses and ours that always fell apart!

We also happened to bump into a less active member at the mall on Monday who was going through a really tough time. Our bishop told us not to contact him, but somehow we just happened to run into him. He told us he wanted to make a change in his life and get back to church and stuff. He wanted to get things resolved with the bishop (they had an argument because he needed help and bishop canceled the appointment right before). So we were a bit worried about how bishop would react, but he showed up at church yesterday and everything was fine. It was all just a big misunderstanding. D's not the most solid guy ever though. I would honestly prefer to stay out of his business, but Elder Layer has a bit of a soft spot for the underdog sometimes so he is good friends with D. Either way, God has obviously seen a desire in him to make a change, because everything in his life is turning around! 

So this week was good. It looks like you guys had a good week also! It's doubtful that we will have much snow, if any, by Christmas. So sad. You might think that since I'm in Canada, everyone lives in igloos and rides polar bears through the 10 feet of snow year-round, but it's unfortunately not the case! Canada is pretty temperate, especially BC (one of the biggest temperate rainforests in the world apparently). So I don't think I'll have a white Christmas this year...

I have seen the vending machine, but I thought it was in NYC? The first day of light the world had it set up on the street next to a normal vending machine. It was a pretty touching video! Light the World is legit. We are telling all our members to share it with their friends, but so many of them have already committed to do it!

Have a good week! I love you!

Elder Clark

Chapter 69 - Brother S/Sugar Free

Hey!

This week was so good. It flew by so fast!

I will start with the titles of my email. About a month ago, I told you guys about some self-mastery goals I set for myself. I told you there was one I would tell you about later. Well.... (drumroll) It's later! So for the whole month of November, I went without sugar! This includes all added sugars, simple and refined sugars. It was fun. I learned many things, for one was that there is sugar added in just about everything. I could only eat fruits, vegetables, meat and very select grains and breads. I also had to go without almost all condiments and sauces. The only things I could have were mustard, pure tomato sauce, and hot sauce. It was actually pretty hard, but I proved to myself I could do it! And guess what I did on December 1st? I got a Mtn Dew, a Wunderbar, Egg Nog, and a large Blizzard! So worth it.

Also, we had a baptism! B was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. It was great. The baptismal service was well organized and we hardly had to do anything! B said he was really happy and grateful to have that opportunity finally given to him. He quit smoking too so it was truly a miracle! Thanks for the prayers and faith.

Yesterday, I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting for the first time ever! I said "somebody better tell my mom, she would be so proud."

We still don't have snow, but it is getting colder. We didn't get to watch the Devotional last night, but we did get to help someone move! It was funny. Afterwards, he gave us a bunch of puzzles and I did one last night. Good stuff. Also, Home Alone is a great one. One of the sisters in our district loves it so I will probably use it to teach about planning(; 

I would send pictures but the computer isn't reading my card today. Maybe next week. 

Have a good one!

Love, Elder Clark