Brayden is now from the Marshall Islands!

Dear Family,

 

  Everything is going really good in Federal Way.  Its starting to be cloudy and rain everyday but its not too bad.  We had another baptism this week.  I baptized and confirmed Jason Gray. I baptized his dad and one of his brother last week.  This week were hoping to get more of the Gray Family.  Yesterday was the primary program and I got to participate in that,  The primary chorister asked the missionaries to sing praise to the man with the senior primary so we stood up and did that with them.  The primary program was good.  We were able to get Sylvia Gray there to watch three of her kids perform.  Sylvia is Marshallese and her dad is the arch bishop of the Marshallese church here. So there is a lot of family ties to that church.  Were seeing improvment with her though.  She usually runs up stairs when we come over.  But she sat in on a lesson last week and took her kids to the primary practice and came and watched the program. So were hoping that she will continue to progress.  Some of her relatives who live across the street also might get baptized this week.  But we have Matt Ybarra who is scheduled to get baptized and he is solid.  He is 10 years old with a very inactive dad.  He knows all 5 priniciples of the gospel and the importance of baptism.  He was suppose to get baptized three weeks ago but his dad said he didn't know enough.  This time were pretty sure he will consent he already signed the baptism record. 

  

  This is the last week of the transfer.  So Elder Bunton's last week before he goes home.  I am 98% sure I wont get transferred because I am suppose to be with my trainer for 12 weeks.  It will be interesting to see who the new zone leader/my companion will be in federal way.  The Federal Way zone is the highest baptizing zone in the mission and the federal way ward is the highest baptizing ward in the mission so I'm pretty blessed to be in this area. 

 

  I figured why out why I love the Marshallese people so much. 1. Because they are humble, and 2. Because they are exactly like me.  I should be Marshallese.  Marshalese people love to stay up late and sleep in.  They are kinda of quiet people (except ages from 3-12)..their shy and kinda lazy, and they all love basketball.  So I fit in with the Marshallese culture. 

 

    I did get my contacts, which was good.  I live in apartment.  Their is two rooms then a kitchen then living room with a couch and three desks where we study.  Its pretty nice except for the fact that there are spiders every where.  Thats good that tanner and wesley won. I just looked at Wesley's pics there pretty cool, that was a fundamental tackle.  Speaking of football.  A member that use to live in San Diego informed that chargers were beating the chiefs 10-0. That the chiefs had got blown out the first two games and that  Charles was out for the year..talk about a bad start. 

 

   I''ll send home some actually pics, were going to print them off at Walmart I think.  Elder Bunton is going to teach me how to play "come home" by one republic too today.  I'm excited about that.  I want to learn how to play the piano when I get home. 

 

  Anyway I hope you have a good week and enjoy conference.  Love You!

 

Love, Elder Clark

A Day late and a year off!

Dear Family,

  We went to the temple today, so today is our preparation day.  Last week felt like a month, we were so busy, and so many things happened.  On Wednesday Elder Edwards of the Quorum of the Seventy came and gave two firesides that we attended. He interviewed the zone leaders, so I had to stay a little longer after the meeting.  I got to shake his hand in a less formal setting, that was cool.  I also got to have a good talk with my Mission President because he had to wait too.

  On thursday we went over the Gray's. Who are a Marshalese family of 9 and we have been just trying to get a good relationship with them.  But thursday they let us have a lesson with most of the family.  Even the mom Sylvia who is a archbishop in the Marshalese church over here.  And we put the dad (Scott), Jacob, and Lorieariel on date for the coming sunday. 

  Skipping to Saturday, during a lesson with the teen age girls that we gave blessings to, a member of the bishopric called and asked me to speak because they had somebody cancel their talk.  So I had about 12 hours to prepare for that.  Saturday night we went to a Marshalese birthday party where we had the baptism interviews scheleduled with Jacob and Lorieariel.  Lorieariel was a little scared so I was her "babtism interview buddy".  The first question the district leader asked was how old she was and she said seven.  I looked over at her with a surprised look on my face and asked if she was sure.  We finished the interview.  Then I went and found her mom in the birthday party and asked how old her daughter was and she was like

"she was born in January 29th, 2009."

me: "so she is two?"

"oh she was born january 29th, 2008"

me:"no your oldest daughter Lorieariel?"

She then asked her daughter how old she was and she said seven.  Apparently Marshalese pepole dont keep track of birthdays.  She wasn't baptized sunday.  But Jacob and Scott were baptized and confirmed Sunday.  And I had the opportunity to do both.  Which was really cool.  I had to baptize Jacob twice because I forgot to say his name the first time. 

  Sunday morning I spent a hour preparing for my talk.  I didnt sleep well saturday night because i was nervous about speaking and the baptisms.  But during ward council we spent the first ten minutes talking about the BYU game.  I got the score and how Jake Heaps didnt play his best game.  But since its Elder Bunton's and Sister Ganzorig's  last regular Sunday here they asked them to share his testimony instead of having me talk.  Which I was reliever about.  Elder Bunton was in the Federal Way ward for 11 months.  I hope I'm in this ward for 11 months but I doubt it.

   Well it sounds like a pretty busy week.  Thats too bad about Tanners game.  Olathe North is usually really good.  Thats great he's getting a lot of playing time.  I wish I could see a game.  Wes Congratulations!  Sounds like a pretty exciting game.  Two touchdowns thats awesome.  Thats funny 1st and 40.  Well I'm pretty tired which is normally the case so I think we will just go back and clean then sleep till our dinner at 5. Have a good day.

 

Love, Elder Clark

Dear Family,

Seems like everyone is doing good except for being sick which is good.  This week was really busy and really fast.  Were teaching a lot, which is good.  This last week we taught 26 lessons.  I'm in a really great area.  We've been trying to visit a Marshalese household every day and do lots of networking that way.  I love the Marshalese.  We call it a Marshalese Town, but theres three families that live in these duplexs on 22nd street.  Theres like 15 kids between the ages of 5-14.  Every time we come to the street they come running up because they are always outside.  They run up and give us high fives and call us "superman" for some reason. It was really surprising this week three Marshalese kids came to church with us.  And we forgot to tell them this week was stake conf.  so we went over there at 9 to see if any of them were up.  And we were expecting them not to be since Marshalese culture is a little different.  They stay up way late with their kids and sleep in.  We went over one day last week and Aralyn was just waking up at 1:30 in the afternoon.  But Sunday Jacob, who we put on date to be baptised this saturday, was up and he got  his sister Laural to come and Aralyn came too.  Were trying to baptize all the kids but the parents arn't exactly open to idea yet.  Friday was yell at Elder Clark day, I guess.  We went on exchanges that day, so I was with Elder Song who doesnt talk to much and while tracting, this guy basically said I was an idiot for going on a mission and its not fair what the church was doing to us.  Then I called our ward mission leader to talk to him about a baptism we were trying to have on saturday.  We met Joy on thursday, and we had a lesson with her friday and she passed the baptism interview.  So we asked if she wanted to be baptised on the next day and she said yes.  When I called our ward mission leader (Bro. Belissa) he kinda of yelled at us for pushing baptisms too quickly and not thinking about the scheduling with Stake conference and everything.  So we had to move the baptism to this Sat.  Then I called the Stake person who is in charge of baptism clothes.  And she yelled at me, not at what I had done, but with how all the missionaries are not returning the clothes as fast as they should.  So it was a pretty good night for me. 

  That is exciting about tanner playing and him doing so well.  Goodluck this week, and congratulations on your first win.  Wes keep doing good, it sounds like your team is improving, and that you had a fun saturday.  Reagan, thats funny that Grant texted you.  We werent great friends, he was in my communications class and we did a project together.  Boomerang seems busy, which is good.  Hopefully dad can keep up with the business.  That is good that trailridge is nice.  Thats too bad that BYU couldnt keep the lead, but thats good they played Texas so closely.  Have you guys checked out mormon.org? If not, do it for family home evening and watch rob morris' video, the colts linebacker. But today was the first cloudy day so thats a little depressing but everything else is great. I'm gonna send home the pic drive, theres not a lot of pics but there are some.  Have a good week! Love You and miss you a lot!

 

 

Elder Clark

Intro the Marshalese...

Hey,

  So I just got done with my first full week in Seattle.  The weather has still been great everyday.  This week was a bit crazy.  Tuesday we had new missionary orientation.  So we had to drive to the mission home in the morning and the president and the assistants trained for the day.  Then the next three days my companions had leadership training. That meant that everyday I went with a different companionship in their area from 8-5pm. So i didnt see my companions that much this week. 

  On Wednesday night we went over to this marshalese family.  Two of the daughters are members, but their dad is not.  So their young womens leader asked them if they wanted blessings before school started.  They said yes, so went over there.  The first girl was going to be a junior.  She sat down in the chair after going to get her non member parents to come watch the blessing.  Elder Bunton asked who she wanted to give the blessing, I thought for sure she was going to say Elder Bunton becuase that was the only missionary that she new.  But for some reason she pointed to me.  So I gave the blessing. I'm pretty sure my hands were shaking a little during the whole blessing. 

  Unfortunately the french women we put on date to be baptised two days ended up not being baptised.  We think she was a little overwhelmed.  She is a single mom to two little girls and she just started a new job on thursday.  So were hopefully that she will want to be baptised soon, but we havent talked to her since friday. 

  Today for lunch we went to a islanders house.  It was their four year olds birthday.  I guess islanders go all out for birthday parties.  There was about 60 people there in the backyard, and there was a moon bounce,which I thought was funny.  We went away with a box pizza, a small cake, and plate of fruit.  We wont be hungry for a couple of days. 

  I hope everything is going well.  Sorry to hear about tanners game, lawrence in the past has had a pretty good team.  How did tanner do in varsity or jv?  Reagan informed me that Jimmer is engaged in her last lettter.  Wesley dont be so lazy and watch football all day and goodluck with your book report, do Harry Potter. Hows boomerang doing? Still busy? Mom how is trailridge?...or Jailridge since it has no windows.  Have you sent the contacts? I'm guessing it takes a several days for mail to get here. Because it has to go to the mission home first then to my apartment.  I just got reagans letter on Friday.  Oh and thanks for putting a short sleeve shirt in the suitcase even though I said not to, they are way more comfortable when its warm.  I saw a newspaper headline that said Mitt Romney was the GOP..thats pretty cool. Well I have to go, were going to eat at the Cahens.  The Cahens spoil us, we went there this morning and played basketball and picklo ball, which was pretty fun.  Were you able to find a photo for my mormon.org portfolio?  The videos on there are really cool.  There's one of rob morris who played for the Colts.  Well talk to ya next Monday.  Have a good day, love ya!