Week #57

Hi mom!

I don't even know where to start with this week. So I guess we'll start with Monday. We had our zone p-day. It was way fun. We played volleyball and futebol and lots of games and President Scisci showed up to start interviews. He was very funny about it, though. He didn't want us to miss out on playing volleyball haha. So I had my interview and it went well. The only thing is that he asked about my health and of course I couldn't lie because, well, it's been pretty crappy. Especially since Monday I threw up 6 times. So who knows if he'll transfer me closer to Belem. I hope not. So Monday night President wanted to take me to the hospital. All I wanted was a blessing and sleep but instead we went on a little adventure to the ER. I never want to do that again. The hospital there is exactly how you're imagining it probably. Not very clean. So we were there for 2 hours and then we went to a different hospital. There I received an IV with some vitamins and they gave me medicine for stomach pain. Sheesh. I wasn't even that sick. And I wish I had brought my camera. 

Tuesday we had zone conference and I took medicine that morning so pretty much I was half asleep for most of it. And we were sitting in the front row. How embarrassing. But President and the zone leaders talked about the importance of working hard and being obedient. I guess our numbers having been low here in the mission. President is thinking about taking out one of set of sisters in Oriximina because the members aren't working with us and guess what? We have 700 inactive members in the city of Oriximina. We should not be baptizing here. We should be reactivating. So either President will take out a set of sisters or close the area if things don't change. 

So anyway Tuesday night we traveled back to Oriximina with.... a washing machine! Finally! And some new fans and mattresses. I'm finally sleeping in a bed. Que bençao. 

So basically we're still just trying to find. Nobody is progressing. And it doesn't help that we've been out of Book of Mormons for 3 weeks. It's so hard to get proselyting materials out here. 

We have an awesome investigator who came to church Sunday. When we told him bout a living prophet he got super excited and asked for his phone number or email. He really really wants to talk to him. We told him we'd talk to President.... we didn't really know what to say. 

Story for this week: We were teaching a lesson one day and in the middle of the lesson I looked across the street just in time to watch a man smack his two year old in the face and I watched him hit the ground. Nobody did anything. His dad rode off on his motorcycle and the poor little boy was just crying and crying and nobody did anything. I don't understand how people can do that. Sister Mendes and I could not focus so we ended our lesson. But as we were leaving one of the men that was listening to our message shook my hand and started to talk bout how beautiful I am and blah blah blah and then he held my hand and started walking! So I let go to shake hands with everyone else and then he asked if he could call me. Uh...... no..... Everyone here shouts at me because I'm blonde. I think I'm going to dye my hair. 

So it's been quite a week. We find out Saturday about transfers. 

 

Oh also Sister Salazar saw a picture of Brett and she wants to marry him haha. Do you think he would like to live in Peru? She said he'll eat really well hahaha. 

Love you!

Sister Clark 

Week #56

Bon Dia!

I can't believe Robert is home?! That's insane. It's going to be so weird when I get home and everything will be so different. 

Well I have no idea where to even start with this week. We got to watch the world cup Tuesday against Germany. Well, that game was just embarrassing. 7x1. I can't even believe it. Brasil did not show up to play. There were tons of riots in the capitals all over Brasil. I heard in Sao Paulo they set a bus on fire. Brasilleiros love futebol. Everybody was crying and Sister Mendes was miffed. And I was just sitting there like..... it's just a game. And Germany played really well. Oh well. I'm pretty sure Brasil lost because all the missionaries in our mission were allowed to watch the game. So culpa de quem? Presidente Scisci. 

We had lunch with some nonmembers Tuesday and we taught them the plan of salvation because they lost their son. The wife said she had a dream about him and the spirit world and it was exactly like I had described it to her. The plan of salvation is real. My testimony of it grows more and more every time we teach people because it just makes sense. 

We've just been really busy trying to find and teach. Basically we just contact all day. Josiane was baptized Friday and confirmed Sunday. We were really busy this week getting her prepared for baptism. I think she'll serve a mission. She is so smart and has a great testimony. 

Saturday we had two guys come up to us and ask us what church we were from. I just kept walking because this happens a lot and usually it's not good. Just men trying to harass us. But then one of them was like "oh sorry, I just want to learn more about your church and I want to change my life". Huh??? So he came to church yesterday and we also brought his sister and his brother in law. We just asked them that morning and they loved church! Then we returned later in the afternoon and taught them the restoration. It was awesome. I'm really excited to teach them. Only problem is none of them are married but have families. So we'll have to get them married. Nobody gets married here.

 I'm writing you from Santarem because we have a zone p-day today and zone conference tomorrow. Which means last night we had to get on the boat again. I'm going to buy a hede here because it's less expensive. R50 means more or less $25. I do not like sleeping on the boat. It's so crowded and you can't sleep. Plus when we arrived in Santarem suddenly we had a huge storm. It was insane. They don't call it the rainforest for nothing. So we'll be in Santarem for 2 days and then return Wednesday either by barco or lancha. We don't know yet. I think that's it. Only 2 more weeks left of the transfer.

Love you!

Sister Clark 

Week #55

Mae!

I can't believe Robert comes home Friday. That's weird. Also the Millers are in Tokyo now, right? When I get home can we go visit them? haha. I'm doing well here. The language is coming along. Everyone is really surprised by how well I can speak for only have 5 weeks here. One day I was a little frustrated with my companion because she told me to go speak English with some people and I only wanted to talk in Portuguese and so I started talking to her and then walked away and the man she was talking to with the other sister was shocked by how well I spoke. The next transfer is July 29th. So in 3 weeks? I don't know if I'll stay or not. I'd like to move around the mission but I think I'll have at least one more transfer here. 

Well this week just flew by. I cant believe it's already p-day again. A lot happened this week so I have quite the letter. We have an investigator (the one I said would be baptized last Saturday) that is actually getting baptized this Saturday. She taught us the first lesson all by herself. Yesterday she told us she was wanting to bear her testimony during sacrament meeting. Speaking of church, we had ANOTHER couple show up and the girl isn't a member. Miracles are just happening for us here.

We're teaching this really great young man who's super smart, too. He just gets it. And the spirit is always really strong in our lessons. He really needs this gospel. 

 

Thursday we had to go to zone meeting in Santarem. So Wednesday night we got on a barco to travel there. 10 hour boat ride. We had to sleep in hedes. I borrowed one from a member. They're like, R50 and I don't want to buy one. I want one by I don't want to spend the money. But I kind of need one. Anyway, we arrived in Santarem at about 4:30 am. Elder Poaletti, from my MTC district the first time, is in my zone. So I got to talk to him! It was definitely a different zone meeting here. Afterwards, the District Leaders had a meeting that went until 12:45. We have girl DLs here so my comp was in the meeting. The bishop in Santarem told us that the lancha (faster boat that only takes 5 hours to get to Orximina) would leave at 1:30. The last time I took it, it left at 1 so I thought it was a little strange it left at 1:30. Well, my thoughts were correct because we showed up at 1:05 just in time to watch the lancha leave. They didn't have another one so we had to take the barco again. Well, this boat didn't leave until 7 at night. So we were stuck in Santarem for 6 hours. We just contacted. I had a really creepy guy grab my hair and a drunk guy tried to grab Sister Mendes. Needless to say, it was an adventurous day and I'm not a fan of Santarem.

So that's pretty much my week. We had 14 people locked in for church and only 2 came. But at least we got 2! Tomorrow is the World Cup and if Brazil wins (which they will) they'll be in the final on Sunday. Which means we're not going to be able to leave our house at all Sunday after church. But then it will all finally be over.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, our washing machine broke and I have to wash my clothes by hand.

Love you!

Sister Clark