6 Months In

June 9, 2016

Texas rain storms

  Rain, rain, go away.  Come back in July and August.

  It has been raining for a week straight.  We have never seen it rain so much and for so long.  Lots of thunder, lightning, and rain in these Texas storms.  Yesterday, it rained in San Benito so much that Elder Clark got his shoes and socks wet just getting in the car (in apartment parking lot) to drive us to Brownsville.  As we were driving, the rain turned off like a curtain separating the wet road from the dry road as we left San Benito.  Dry roads after that all the way to Brownsville.  We go to our Brownsville office (room near Bishops' offices at the Church) on Wednesday and Thursday, every week.  On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, we are in our office in Harlingen (room near Bishops' offices in the Stake Center).

Weslaco & Mercedes Chapel with flowering bushes

  We went to Brownsville 2nd Ward last Sunday for Fast & Testimony meeting.  The Ward meetings were all in Spanish and we were surprised that we understood just enough to know what was going on.  We enjoyed the testimonies.  Sunday School was about the Holy Ghost (Espiritude Santo).  Relief Society was  Elder Oaks Conference talk on "Opposition in all Things," and Elder Clark bore his testimony in Spanish in Priesthood.  We were also invited to a Father's Day Party (dinner) on June 17th.  We loved being with the Spanish members.  They are so welcoming, loving, and kind.

  We have been taking Spanish lessons over Skype from the MTC twice a week.  Sister Elkins (wife of Stake President) has been teaching us once a week.  The missionaries are helping us by speaking Spanish when they drop by our offices.  Anyone that walks by that looks remotely Hispanic, we stop and try to talk to them in Spanish.  Little by little we are learning.  For us, understanding is much easier than speaking.

Missionaries - Aren't they funny?

  We met a couple from the San Benito Branch (Spanish) that came to the office 2 months ago and wanted a job in any Temple in the United States.  They are from Central America and previously worked in the Temple there.  They want a job to save up money to go on a Senior's mission together.  They have a daughter that lives in Denver, Colorado.  We called the Denver Colorado Temple and asked if they had any paying jobs available in their Temple.  We were told to call back in June, for some people were retiring then.

  We had forgotten about them until last Sunday,  We decided that we should call and see if the Denver, Colorado Temple job was available.  On Monday, we went to the post office and as we drove, we discussed the cute couple that had come in to see about a Temple job.  We have been feeding the missionaries ice cream, after their district meetings.  After our Post office run, we decided to stop by the grocery store and buy ice cream for the next day's missionary district meeting.  As we went into the store, this same couple from San Benito was coming out and we met them at the door.  (Wow, we were blown away).  On Tuesday morning (next day) the first thing we did was to contact the Denver, Colorado Temple to check on the potential job opening.  The Recorder (who does the hiring) said he had people retiring in July and that he remembered the previous inquiry.  He then emailed an application for these people to fill out.  They also need a resume, which we will help them with.  Hermana Clark called the couple and told them about the job opening.  The couple are coming into our office tomorrow (Friday) to fill out the application and create a resume.  The Lord really does know and love all His children.

Missionaries love ice cream!

  We have been watching the crops grow around here.  One crop looked like short corn stalks with a big brown tassels on top.  We found out it is sorghum used to make molasses.  Besides most citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, etc.) we also found out that Aloe Vera, Deseret Agave, and sugar cane grows well here, too.

Field crop of Sorghum

  The end of this month (June), we are saying goodbye to our mission President and his family.  President and Sister Maluenda have been here 3 years.  They speak both Spanish and English fluently.  We are getting a new Mission President from South America who doesn't speak English.  We need to learn Spanish faster than ever now.

  As of the June 7, 2016, we have been out on our mission for 6 months and it feels like it was just yesterday when we left.  We left in December '2015 (before Christmas) and now it is June '2016.  We really love this area, these people, and this Church.  It is amazing how much love we can have for others.  Members of the Church have so much love to give others.

  We are grateful for this Church, our Savior, our Heavenly Father, our mission, our friends, and family.  We wish you all the best.

  Love. ....................... Elder & Hermana Clark