JOY IN THE WORK

What an amazing and eventful week. I went on exchanges with our district leader, Elder Paige, who's down in Green River. It was probably the best exchanges I've been on yet in my mission. We did so much great and productive missionary work that just uplifted me and motivated me to work more and more. I learned so much from Elder Paige. It's not fair, it seems like missionary work just comes so easily to him. Maybe that's what happens when you've been out 22 months... ha ha. We did lots of service. We also went fishing early, early one morning with an investigator and caught Salmon, Mac Trout, and Rainbow Trout. We got skunked on Bass. We filleted it all and then took it to the only restaurant in town, which is Mormon owned and feeds us for free. They cooked (grilled) up our Salmon and Trout for us, and it was delicious. The investigator that went with us loves us too. Everyone in Manilla loves the missionaries. We had so much fun. We even got to stay with a part-member family. They let us sleep in their cabin. They own over a hundred acres with cattle and over 20 horses. The cabin was up on the mountain a little bit and got a good view of the small town. We endured it.... ;) Anyways, with me going with Paige, Elder Bass and Williams(Elder Paige's companion) maintained our area and did so much good work. They are both in their first transfer, so we put a lot of faith in them that they could do it. I feel like I came back and Elder Bass was a new missionary. They found a new investigator, took care of Justin's baptismal interview, and did a bunch of meaningful service. I was proud as a trainer to see them grow so much. Hopefully we'll be able to do something like that again. We had a wonderful baptism on Saturday and confirmation on Sunday for Justin. I feel that Justin and I have become great friends in this Gospel. The ward has been sublime in their fellowship and support of him. Our other investigators are progressing really well. We had 5 investigators at church on Sunday;

That's the most I've had yet. Elder Bass and I also taught Gospel Principles. We had no idea we were teaching it until we got to the class. It was on the Holy Ghost, and I think it was the best lesson I've taught. The Spirit was definitely there. We had 3 investigators there, a few less-actives, and like 15 members in the class. It was crazy. We had a ward party Sunday night that was a Happy Everything party. It was.... unique.... Ha ha. Somehow I ended up playing the ukulele for a song while one of the young men in the ward sang. It was legit. So this week I've really tried to focus my studies on the trials of Alma and his people, and how much Amulon persecuted them. I LOVE how in Mosiah 24:15 it talks about how the Lord strengthened his people according to their faithfulness. He didn't just take their trials away, but he STRENGTHENED them so that they could handle their trials on their own and actually learn something from them. I love that. I know as a missionary I can be strengthened by the Lord as well, and I'm beginning to realize that it's necessary to receive that strength in order to be successful. We, as always, have a lot of people that we're teaching and visiting that have their own set of difficult trials. I want to be able to help them receive that strength from the Lord just like Alma and his people. Family and friends, I love this work. It's becoming who I am, and I'm beginning to see the Lord work in me in ways I didn't know were possible. Anyways!! We have a mission trek tomorrow in Evanston, WY. The whole mission is getting together and doing a full day trek of pulling handcarts. It'll be a fun experience, and yes Mom there should be tons of pictures from it. We're going to have a testimony meeting that night with just the Wyoming and Park City zones, since the Salt Lake zones have to drive back. We also just found out that we have another mission conference coming up in August. Elder Don Clarke will be visiting us and educating us on his spiritual ways. So that should be an amazing experience as well. I love and miss you as always. I thank Heavenly Father every morning and night in my prayers for how great of a support I have back home from my friends and family. And of course, I receive the most strength and support from Taylor Lindsey. I love and miss you and Ralphie the most. :)

Love, Elder Clark