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