Saturday, December 26, 2009

Another Christmas in Brasil








 
This Christmas marks the second and final Christmas that Elder Clark will spend in Brasil....
We got to talk with him and he is doing great and is excited to finish up his remaining seven months sharing the Gospel with as many people as possible.










As we talked with Elder Clark we told him how very cold it was here(single digits) and he proceeded to tell us that it was at least 150 degrees there and that he was sweating like no other!!  Merry Christmas to him(haha).  We pray that his last 7 months will be his best months in Brasil!!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Transfer





I thought that before too much more time passes I better update Elder Clark's blog.....
At the end of November Chris was transfered to a new city - Guarabira.  He was very excited to move on and see a new area.  He had been in the same location for nine months.  He also has a new companion and his name is Elder Dorneles.  Chris says that they have a lot in common and that this will be one of the best companions he has had on the mission and that says a lot because he has loved most all of them....They are looking forward to this new area.  The area only has a branch, it is a very large area and there are three companionships working in the area.  They are hoping to grow the area enough to warrant the start of a "real" ward house, where as now they just meet in a rented space...
I can't tell you all how excited we are to get to talk to Chris in just two short weeks!!!!! This is Chris' final Christmas in Brazil.....remember, he would really love a letter. They live for mail~! Merry Christmas to you all~!





Monday, November 16, 2009

15 months!!

Elder Clark has now been out for over 15 months..He was blessed with 3 baptisms this past weekend....He and his companion Elder A.Santos are working diligently...


Ramon, Vitoria and Pedro



Elder Clark has also had the Opportunity to baptize Vitoria's Mother, brother and sisters. What an honor to be in Rangel long enough(8 months) to see them all enter the waters of baptism.....
The week of Thanksgiving will be transfers and we will see if Elder Clark will be spending the holidays in a new area......stay tuned!!



Monday, October 26, 2009

Final October Update

I received a great letter today from Elder Clark and he is doing great.  He is feeling good and being blessed.  I just wanted to share this photo of Elder Clark as he lounges on his bed..(I asked him to take this picture so I could see his hammock)

I told him that it looked pretty comfortable unless you were a stomach sleeper and here is his reply:
"haha yeah, my bed is great, except for the nights i wake up soaked by the rain... but it doesn't happen that often. maybe once a week or so."

Kind of makes me wonder what his first night at home in his own bed will be like for him after two years...will he sleep like a baby or not sleep at all??

Friday, October 16, 2009

New Trainee/Old Friend

It was a good end to Elder Clark's last week of this transfer...

Ana Claudia


Neto


Elder Clark will remain in Rangel (haun-gel) for another six weeks and is now a Trainer, his first Trainee is Elder A.Santos.  In this picture is also Elder Pacheco who was Chris's Trainer.




This next picture just makes me smile..........This past week was transfers and all the elders were at the bus station either going, coming or just seeing who was going and coming.  This is Elder Tanner Gilliland who is our Bishop's son and a friend of Chris' that was also called to the Brazil Joao Pessoa Mission!!  He is fresh out of the CTM and on his way to his first area...They were able to spend just a few minutes together at the bus station...how cool was that for them to see a friend so very far from home.  We hope they will have other opportunities to see one another as their missions go forward.


Elders Gilliland and Clark - Walnut Canyon Ward

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Still Loving Brazil










Elder Clark is still finding joy in his service to the Lord.  He is baptising and teaching and loving the people of Brazil.  Here are some pics of the newest members of his ward :)


Andreaza


Lucas

This is a picture Chris titled.....My Road Most Traveled.....



 This week is transfer week and we will see if Chris will stay in Rangel a little longer or move to somewhere new....either way he is healthy and happy.


Saturday, September 12, 2009

Elder Clark


My goodness it has been a long time since I updated this blog....Elder Clark is doing GREAT!!
He is currently still in Rangel (haun-gel).  He is doing very well and having wonderful experiences.  Here are a few recent pictures:

His Zone



Elder Gomes

 
Elder Martinez


 The Elders were visiting a science center.


Thursday, August 6, 2009

365

365 Days~!
 
Yippee!!!!! Happy "Hump" Day~!
Well, Elder Clark has been in Brazil for exactly 365 days today and I couldn't be happier, mainly because now we can begin counting our days DOWN instead of up!!  Chris has had many amazing experiences this first year and I know he is happy and very much looking forward to his second year there in Brazil.  He loves the people and the work.  He is very comfortable with the language.(He emailed some small video clips to us and he has a very difficult time these days with his English).  I think that is amazing and I love to listen to him talk!! He is truly being blessed and watched over by our Heavenly Father.  Don't let the picture above confuse you......this was a very "special" day celebrating his year mark.  They DO NOT normally eat at places this nice but I am glad there was somewhere they could celebrate this milestone.  Please continue to keep Elder Clark in your prayers and if you have not yet written to him he would soooooo love to hear from you.  He loves letters.  Here's praying for another 365 days of blessings both for him and the people of Brazil~!
 

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Happiness

I was fortunate enough to get to talk (email) with Elder Clark TWICE this week.  This in itself brought me great happiness.  But the greatest happiness came at the end of one of those conversations when Elder Clark told me to tell EVERYONE(that's you) hello and that he misses them and then he said to tell everyone that he is happier than he has ever been in his entire life~!  I worry about him and miss him so much that to hear him say that gives this mom great happiness....I call that a tender mercy.  Just 14 days and he hits his One year mark, very exciting~!
Can you believe this view he has of the sunset each night..........
 
More Happiness...

Edna
  
Daisy
  
Lucileine
  
Sayara, Sayonara, Angela

John      

Monday, July 6, 2009

McCelebration

Elder Clark had a real McCelebration today for his 11 month mark.  I know... most of us do not think of "Celebration" and "McDonalds" in the same sentence but when your a missionary in Brazil the two go together just great!!  McDonalds there is a bit (ok, a lot) more expensive than here and it is AIR CONDITIONED!!
It was a good week for Elder Clark and Elder Goncalves.  They were able to baptise Alex and Ana Karolina.
 
We are excited and hope that the next four weeks will be a wonderful end to Elder Clark's first year..

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Oh the Joy~!

Sunset in Brazil
There were baptisms in Brazil!!
Humberto (with family)
 
 
Natan & Natalia(brother & sister)
 
 
Mercia and Andressa(friends)
 
 

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Update

Well, transfers have come and gone and Elder Clark stayed in Rangel(haun-gell) but has a new companion, his name is Elder Gonçalves. Their first week together went very well.  They had a baptism and are currently teaching many others with high hopes for many more baptisms....

 
This was the baptism of Ana Fernanda.
Recently I think Elder Clark has come to understand what they mean when they say, "the best two years, but the hardest two years".  We are very proud of the way Christopher is handling the tough times as well as the times of joy. Thank you all for your continued support.  Don't forget that he will have his one year mark on the 6th of August so get those "hump day" letters ready to mail!! 
 

Monday, May 25, 2009

Turning 20

 
Elder Clark turns 20!!
Thank heaven for the Elders that made him a cake and sang him "Happy Birthday"

 
And also the sweet vendor lady who gave him "two" acaii drinks instead of one!! So Kind!

 
It may not have been a birthday as usual but despite the incredible amounts of rain and work, work, work, at least he still had a good day and a smile on his face.....

Friday, May 22, 2009

FELIZ ANIVERSARIO!!!!!!!!! ELDER CLARK

 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER~!
  We are proud of the way you are serving your Father in Heaven. We miss you and we love you.
Here at home, we are wishing you a very happy birthday day in Brazil.  ENJOY~!
Love,
Mom, Dad and Justin

Monday, May 11, 2009

NINE MONTHS

 
Elder Clark has officially been serving for nine months!! 
Christopher is currently serving in a place called Rangel, which by the way when he says it, sounds nothing like you are thinking.  He is serving with his 5th companion Elder L. Gomes and doing very good.  
On Mother's Day we were able to talk to Chris and it was awesome!!  It is just good to get to hear his voice and to hear him tell us that he is doing and feeling good.  He also asked us about what they call in Brazil, the "cold of the pig".  It only took us a few minutes to realize he was actually talking about the "swine flu".  He says that everyone there thinks that all Americans have it! He felt much better knowing that not all of us have it. 
On Sunday they were able to baptize Karlos.
We are very happy that Chris is staying positive and finding happiness in his service in Brazil.  We know that he is going to have many more wonderful experiences in the coming months.  We love him, we miss him and we are already looking forward to(do i dare say it)....Christmas so that we can talk to him again!!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Best Week of His Life

This weeks letter from Elder Clark was titled "best week of my life".  It was a week filled with sickness, disappointment, miles and miles of walking and plenty of heat!  Not what most of us would consider the best week of our lives but amongst all of these things it was also filled with SIX baptisms and a GOLDEN contact being made with an abundance of the Spirit! Now that sounds more like what makes up a "best week" scenerio.  As a mom, I am so incredibly grateful that Elder Clark chooses to focus on the best parts of his week rather than dwelling on the many parts that were less than the best...  Here are a few photos:

 
Eduardo, Eduardo, Eduarda, Bruno, Edivan and Edivania.
Elder Paim and Elder Clark
 
 
This is Elder Clark and his companion Elder Paim along with the elders that they live with.  Don't they all look handsome in their matching suits and ties~!
 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

A Look Into A Week With Elder Clark

This week Elder Clark and Elder Paim were able to bring three new members into the waters of Baptism, what a joy!!
This is Graca
She had to walk an hour to another church as theirs did not have water for the font
 
This is Rafael
Below is Rafaela

I don't know about you guys but I wonder if Chris' thumb will stay this way permanently!?!
Due to an unfortunate mix-up, the power at the elder's home was turned OFF~! They have been living for the past week with no electricity.  No electricity means everything in the fridge went moldy, they have no access to music, and they have no fans to sleep with(that means it is hot, hot, hot.  This is what Chris had to say about living without the electricity: 
to be honest i am grateful for the chance to be without power, you have no idea how many people here LIVE without power, live without water! its a life completely different! but i will sure be glad when this ... wonderful experience is over and i can get back to my listening to EFY and sleeping with a FAN!!!!
But in true missionary style, they have found things to keep them entertained.....
I also thought I would show you the ward house where Chris is serving:
 
  
Elder Clark is having many wonderful experiences as he serves the Lord.  Thank you all for your support and love.