10.31.11 Happy Halloween!

They eat a ton of rice here... (this is a truck full of bags of rice.)
We ate "hamburgers"
Me and my companion on his birthday

Good morning...


I feel like I was typing my last email yesterday... This week went by way fast


It was a pretty good week. We are starting to have success again. My companion still isn´t too excited to leave everyday to go to work, but once we get out there he gets better. (He goes home in Febuary and is getting way trunky) But during the week we just did a ton of contacts on the street to maybe find a couple of good investigators. We ended up finding 20 new investigators. I feel like whenever I share with you a story of a new investigator, the very next day they end up dropping us or something dumb happens... but i will tell you about a family we found...


So we were walking down the street and just talking about something random, and my companion just stopped and started talking to this kid named Roberto. I didn´t know my companion stopped until I realized I was talking to myself for like 4 more steps ha, and I looked back and he was stopped at this kids porch. But anyway, we started teaching right there , first thing, because that is the best way to get people interested. We talked about the restoration really fast and then presented a Book of Mormon and gave him it to read and to pray about. He was way excited and kept thanking us over and over for the present haha.


So fast forward a couple of days when we went back to see if he read and prayed.... We went into his house and started teaching the whole lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel and within 2 minutes his sister showed up in the little room we were in. So we started teaching her too... then Robertos mom showed up and started listening... then their dad came and sat down to listen and then the grandma (who i don´t think understood anything) but everyone was there. So we got done teaching and I felt I should invite them to all be baptized. I started with the dad, and asked when he has an answer from God, if he would follow Christ, being baptized... and he accepted! After the dad accepts it is a lot easier for everyone else... so the mom was next and she accepted then Fernanda (the sister).. she accepted.. and then Roberto accepted. Everyone was very excited haha. Then Roberto said that the other night when we started talking to him he felt completely different. And then the mom said that she was listening to us talk to him that night and she had been stressed all day, but when we were talking to her son, the stress went away and she felt calm... And in my mind I was just like ´´YEEESSS!!!`` haha. I think my dream will come true in baptizing a whole family!


Just pray that nothing stops them from investigating the church! haha.


Dad, I am glad to hear about your new goal... before my mission I didn´t study the scriptures very often. There was a time when I was reading every night before sleeping in my room.. but then I got prideful I guess haha. but I hope that after my mission I will remember what i leared and taught to thousands of people to read every single day. Through the scriptures, we will learn what we need to do during that day, and during our lifes. I have a stong testimony now of the strength and help that comes from the scriptures. They are true!


And Mom... i hope everything goes well and that you don´t have cancer.... I will definatly pray for you! I hope the doctors find out exactly what it is... and if it is in fact cancer, that it can be taken care of! I love you!


I hope that everyone has a good week! i love you all very much! And happy halloween!! (there is going to be a big party in Tiangua tonight it looks like... i won´t be going... haha. )


Love Isaac

10.24.11 Good Week & Happy Birthday Dad!

Good morning fam!

I will answer moms questions first..
What new and exciting things have you eaten lately? Nothing really too exciting. I ate chicken heart a little while ago. it was tasty. There really isn´t too much varaity here. I have only been served buchada 2 times... which is cow stomach... and i always try it and then remember that it is gross and just eat my beans and rice quietly. You have to at least eat a little of everything the members put on the table or they will think that they aren´t a good cook.

How is the weather besides hot...is it summer there? The weather in Tianguá is getting cold again. It has been really hot here, but last Sunday it rained for a little bit, and then Wednesday and Thursday rained a ton... It got pretty cold those days and I was so cold I used a long sleeve shirt to work in on Thurdsay. It was about 75 degrees i think! But now it is back to being hot during the day, but at night it is getting pretty cold.

What type of things do you cook for yourself? I think Dad will be happy about this answer.. I make mush in the morning for breakfast. I am gettin pretty good. I don´t know if I can make a pot like Dad´s, but everyday I am gettin better. And then for dinner I don´t eat much... if my companion makes food and offers me some I will eat it.. Sometimes I go to the bread store across the street on the way home and buy some french bread and eat it with butter...

How much will it cost Denis and Leila to get married? Why don't you help them? It will cost them 90 reais. He has got the money now I think, but they postponed the wedding into December because they decided they want to do something a little nicer than just go downtown and sign a paper. They want to do a little reception in the church and make it nice to remember I think. If I am here when it is closer to the wedding and if the need anything I will help them out.

How would you feel about running a half marathon when you get home? sign me up

Do you know the Book of Mormon is true? Without a doubt. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I love studying the Book of Mormon. Right now I am in the war chapters in Alma (im in alma 49 now) and I am learning a ton about how we can always be ready for the attacks of the adversary. We always need to be one step in front and always strengthening the weak areas in our life so when the temptations and attacks come, we are ready and in the end, just like the Lamanites, the devil runs away with fear. I know that there is something for everyone in the Book of Mormon and when we read it, we can feel the love of God for us and the Holy Ghost will testify to our hearts that it is true.

So this week was pretty good. It started out slowly... But on Wednesday morning we left Tianguá at 5:30 in the morning to go to Sobral for interviews with president Dias. They were really good. He taught me the importance to talk to EVERYONE. And I explained to him our problem of our investigators not doing their part.. and he explained that everyone I talk to has a friend or neighbor and I need to do my part as a missionary and ask them for referrals. Because they might know someone that will actually keep the committments. So I have been doing that.. Talking to everyone, and if they accept us or not, i ask for a referral... Not much sucess yet, but I am sure it will come.

We did a contact with a guy in the street and I think he is golden. He was great and really got into the lesson we taught and asked questions and accepted the invitations we extended. It was really good. He already had a work appointment for sunday so he didn´t go to church, but he will next week. I am excited for him. His name is George Wilson.

Dad, my companion had his wisdom teeth pulled a while ago. He is pretty much back to 100% health wise... ha. He is strugglin to stay positive though because he wants a trasnfer... He says he is just tired of the area and that is has nothing to do with me... I hope.. ha. But I now I just have to almost pull him out of the house. He is dead. haha. But when I get him out of the house, we work well.

And I talk with Dane a little. Every once in a while we send an email with an update about our missions. That is awesome that he gets home soon. I knew he was going home in November. From his emails to me he sounds like he loved his mission and had a great time.

And just one last think... HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY DAD!!!! I hope your day is a great one and remember that even though you are 50, that doesn´t mean you are too old to have fun. I am sure you don´t feel old though.. haha. I hope Thursday is a great day for you. I will be thinking about you. I love you!

Thank you for everything you guys do for me! I am greatful that you are my family. I couldn´t ask for a better family. I love you all and have a great week!

Love Isaac

10.17.11 slow week

Hey fam.

It sounds like it was a good week, even if it wasn´t very eventful. This week also wasn´t too eventful here.

It looks like you are all following the transfer schedule haha. But as of right now, I am still in Tianguá and lookin like it will stay that way. The phone calls already came for the rest of the zone in Sobral and there were some changes there, but as for the 4 elders in Tianguá, we are all still here. That is good. I like Tianguá. I do like change though. I think I am comin up on 5 months here... I am not exactly sure why President leaves me in areas for so long, but that is alright. I am about 2/3 of the way done, and I only have 3 areas haha. I am alright with that though.

Not much has been happening... I am gettin really annoyed with our investigators. We work with people, and find new people to teach at the same time, but everyone we find don´t keep committments so we drop them and find new ones, but the new people are the exact same and it is getting ridiculous haha. We have only had one person progressing in the last couple of weeks. We set baptismal dates with people too to help them progress and prepare, but then they don´t go to church or something. We are just findin a lot of ´tares´. I guess that is part of missionary work is to separte the people that won´t accept the gospel.. But it would be nice to find someone that is ready to be baptized again.

Oh some good news is that Denis and Leila are going to get married. Leila was really worried that Denis would go back to his old ways of drinking and smoking and being a jerk, so she didn´t want to get married to him. We have just been giving a lot of little lessons about forgivness and repentance. We finally just sat them both down together one day and made her decide if she would marry him haha. She accepted. She was happy too, it wasn´t anything forced. They are working on getting the money to get married now. It is about 100 reais to get married. It looks like the date is the 25th of october... I am excited for them.

I heard that my old companion, Elder Andrade went home early... that is too bad. He wasn´t obedient at all, but I dunno, I think a mission is good for a person. The disobedient missionaries aren´t good for the mission, but I think a mission is good for them. I just hope that he stays active in the church.

Its good that you finally got some fruit from the fruit trees... Maybe you could add some dried pears in the package? I always remember things that you can send me in a package during the week, but on Pday i forget... I will try to remember right now..

Ensigns (for some reason the mission doesn´t give us the church magazines)
Gilette Fusion razor blades.. I think like 6 would get me to the end of the mission.
Oh, I bought a guitar the other day... (I budgeted my money.. and i will sell it to someone at the end of my mission) but it would be cool if you could send some guitar music to play.. like hymns
eagle scripture markers (6pack)
shoe insoles gel kind (size 11-12)
I can´t think of much more... here is a christmas list from the brazilians i live with...(if it isn´t a problem for you it would be nice to send. they say they will pay me haha)
shoe insoles (gel kind) size 10
air heads
basketball shorts
that chicago bulls hat that i have (i will give it away)
peanut butter
2 CTR rings (2 brazilians) their hands are about like dad´s.
If you can´t get those things, then that is alright, they will survive ha. I just asked them what they wanted because i can´t think of anything i need.

oh and the mail system ended their strike. it is back to normal now.

But, i hope everything is goes well back home this week. I love you all so much!

love Isaac

10.10.11 Woo Hoo

Hey family!

I am so glad to hear about the new baby!! It is great that our family is growing! Congratulations to Bailey and Chad! I love you guys and I am proud of you. Miles looks like a stud.

This week was ok. My companion got back from Teresina and his surergy Monday night, Tuesday morning at 1 in the middle of the night. It was good that he got back. It was annoying to be in three. We worked good on Tuesday and Wednesday, but then after that the pain was too much for my companion and so we had to take it easy for the rest of the week. We are also struggling to have investigators that are progressing. None are keeping committments. It is annoying because this happened like 2 weeks ago and we basically dropped everyone and started over with a new group of people to teach, but this group is the same as the last. I guess we just need to start over again. We had a long streak of success and then all of the sudden it stopped like it hit a brick wall. It happens though. It will be better when my companion is back to 100% so we can get out on the street more.

Mom, we were teaching a lady yesterday, Socorro, (Hébert´s mom) and she was talking a lot about how her son doesn´t respect her and doesn´t obey her. We were there with a member and she has already raised her kids and explained that the best thing Socorro could do is just love him and continue to be his friend and his mom. It made me think a lot about you. I was thinkin when I was around 14 or 15 I was kinda the same way as Hébert... I remember we argued a lot and didn´t see eye to eye all the time. But I am greatful for you and that you were always there for me even when I wasn´t. Thank you for always being my friend and a loving Mom. Everything that I am now I owe all to you. I think your patience with me payed off... haha. I am not perfect, but I think I will turn out OK. Thanks Mom!

That is good that Blair Walker´s funeral was good. He was a great guy and I am glad I got to know him a little. He was probably the best sunday school teacher I had. I really liked his lessons.

The Plan of Salvation is amazing. It is so great to know where Miles came from, and where Brother Walker is now. It is great to know that we were with God in His presence before and that we all have the opprotunity to return. I know that the Plan of Salvation is perfect and that we don´t have to fear death or be too sad about it because we know that there is life after death and that we don´t stop living. Yesterday the lesson in Gospel Principles was about the Spirit world after death. One thing that is comforting is that modern prophets have said that the Spirit World isn´t very far away from us and that our loved ones are closer than we think. I know that we were all together in God´s presence before and if we do our very best here on Earth, we will return to His presence to live forever in a state of perfection. What a great plan!

I love you all very very much and I am so greatful for the new addition to the family! Thank goodness he finally came!! Crongratulations again to Bailey, Chad, and Miles! I love you, Clark family!

Tchau meus amados!
Isaac

10.3.11 Conference Thoughts

Hey family!

Where is the baby??!!! Wasn´t the due date last sunday? And wasn´t Bailey saying that he will come early?? I wanted to see him today haha. Maybe he will be born while I am on the internet... haha.

But this week was crazy. My companion´s wisdom teeth started to grow in and he was having head aches and he said it was hurting really badly. So he called Sister Dias and she set up an appointment in Teresina with a guy that always works on missionaries. So my companion left Wednesday to Teresina to do the surergy. So I have been in a trio for the last few days. I thought he would take the teeth out and then come back by yesterday or today, but he called us yesterday and said that he will come back here this coming Saturday. It is really annoying to be in a trio with 2 areas. I will do a lot of splits with members this week just so my area doesn´t die.

That is about all the news that went on this week ha...

Conference was really good. It wasn´t available in English this time because we watched from the Internet. Usually when it is broadcast via satelite, there are two channels in English and Portugues. Usually the americans go to a different room with a little tv and watch in English, but because it was Internet, we didn´t have that option. It is different in Portuguese I thought. I like to hear their real voices. A lot of the time the translators don´t get the feeling in their voice right and it is just different. It is better in English ha. But I still learned a lot. Dad, I thought there was a lot about missionary work too. I was wondering if that is just because I am a missionary and that is what I was looking for though.. But there were some great talks.

Some of my favorites were Elder Scott about the scriptures. I need to start memorizing scriptures that mean a lot to me so I can always have them when I need them. And i liked Elder Anderson´s talk about creating families, because it made me think of Paige and Bailey, and their families. Elder Perry´s talk about how we can share the gospel better was really good. I would challenge anyone to go over that talk again and do what he suggests. And the talk by Elder Cook was great too!

I felt the spirit when President Monson announced the Star Valley Wyoming temple. That is great that wyoming will have a temple now! I know I lived in Idaho all my life, but I have some wyoming blood passed from you guys, Mom and Dad. haha I just thought that was awesome though that Temples are getting closer to the members all the time. The temple is such a great blessing.

Paige didn´t like flying? I like to take off and land, but to sit on an airplane for a long time is very annoying. I didn´t like the flight to Brazil because it was soooo long and I felt trapped the whole time. But flying isn´t too bad. Haha i am glad Leslie liked all of it.

I hope that your week goes great! and that the baby comes soon! I am exited to see little Miles. I love you all very much!!!

love Isaac

9.26.11 Answers to questions

Hey family!


I am gonna just answer mom´s questions first so I don´t forget...


Q1. Is the Brazil Postal service on strike? I heard that on Missionary moms.
A1. I haven´t heard anything about that. I am pretty sure that it is still goin...


Q2. Who cuts your hair?
A2. There is a guy down the street that cuts my hair for 2 reais. It is really cheep and he does a good job.


Q 3. Will you be able to watch conference via satelitte at the church?
A3. We will watch conference via internet in the house chapel.


Q4. How are your shoes? I know I keep asking, but there seems to be a lot of talk on Missionary moms about shoes wearing out.
A4 My shoes are great. I don´t have any problems with them. You can send me new insoles though. They got holes in them and that is the only problem...


Q5. Do you ever have scary stuff happen to you that you don't tell us because you don't want us to worry?
A5... If i tell you will you worry???


Q6. Are you ever sorry that you didnt' take your Ipod? That seems to be a popular request for moms to send to their missionaries. Although I though it was against the rules. (They do send small speakers too since earbuds are off limits).
A6.. No. I miss music, but I have that USB thing you sent me and I have some church music on it that I downloaded from the church website. And i bought a little speaker thing that reads USB drives...


Q7. It seems like the visa problem is still going on..are you hearing of new American missionaries coming to the Teresina Mission?
A7. I haven´t heard anything. I don´t ask though. I think the visa problem will always be a problem.


And yes I know Elder Ashton. I have heard of Crittenten, but I haven´t ever met him. Elder Cook is going to be going home at the same time too. He is from Shelly. He has been my zone leader in parnaiba and tinagua. he is a good guy.


So, now this was a good week. We had another baptism. 7 weeks in a row!!! His name is Pablo. His dad is a member but his mom isn´t. He always planned to baptize his son, but I guess forgot when he was 8, and he is 9 now. So we got to teach him just too see if he knew everything. So he was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. It was good. he was very excited. It reminded me of my baptism.


Things are going really really great here in Tianguá. I love this area. The members are a little weird and I think they don´t know what they are doing... I don´t really know what to do about that. Every sunday I leave the church mad because the members are kind of apostate... I don´t know if i can keep blaming it on that most of the people are pretty new in the church because they have the manuals and stuff, but don´t follow them... it is frustrating. But I love this area and the people in Tianguá are just ready to hear the gospel. It is amazing to see.


I am sad that the baby isn´t born yet! I really wanted to see him! Now I will have to wait another week.... I am glad that everything is going well though in these last weeks with him and Bailey. I am very excited for your family!!!


I hope you all have a great week! Have a great trip to Philly Mom and Paige and Leslie! Remember to send pictures of the little guy to me!


i love you all so much! Thank you Mom and Dad for being such a great example and for raising me in the church. It is such a great blessing. Thank you for everything. I love you both!!!


Love Isaac

9.19.11 email and pictures

Hey everyone!

This week was a good one. We had another baptism. Her name is Natalia and she is Hébert´s aunt. We started to teach her after Hébert got baptized because she felt the spirit very strongly at his baptism and wanted to learn more. She is not way smart, haha, but she is humble and I it made me happy to see her get baptized. We are working on Hébert´s parents now. His mom should be baptized soon. She is ready and goes to church every week, the only problem is that her ´husband´ doesn´t want to get married. I think she will have to separate from him :(... but that is better to do than to continue breaking the commandments. Elder Godoy said once that it is better to feel the pain for a couple of months than for eternity. We will see what happens.

So the baptism was supposed to be on Saturday. The other Elders went to the church in the morning to turn on the water to the font so it would be already for the baptism. (they had one too). But after a little the relief society went to clean the church and turned off the water to the font. We went to check on the water at noon to see how things were going and the relief society presdident told us she turned the water off to clean the church because apparently the only place water was leaving waas from the font. So she cleaned a little and then the water in Tianguá shut off for some reason. The font wasn´t even close to being full. So we had to wait at the church all day to know when the baptism was going to be (depending if the water came back on) It came back on at 7ish which didn´t give any time to fill the font. So elder cunha and I went back to the church at 1130 at night to fill the font during the night to do the baptism in the morning before church. We called the bishop in the morning if he could be there or one of his councelors and he told us to wait until after church to do the baptism. Some times it seems like the members don´t like to have baptisms here haha.

But anyway, things are going really great down here. We are having a lot of sucess right now. Miracles happen when both the missionsaries in the companionship want to work. my comp and I get a long pretty well. He still gets really mad really easy and it is still really funny. Elder Cunha and I like to push his buttons. But we do really good work together and I am havin a great time in Tianguá.

Dad, when I was getting close to serving a mission all of the scriptures seemed to talk about missionary work for me too. It is way cool to see how the scriptures take on different meanings in different situations. Right now all of the stories and scriptures seem to always have an answer to a problem of an investigator. It is really cool to get answers from the scriptures and then share that with an investigator to help them out.

Mom, it sounds like your school year is getting off to a good start. Do you think that that spanish class you took will help you with the little Mexican boy? I hope so. I hope that he gets up to speed in his learning. I am sure you are the perfect teacher for him. I am glad to hear that the student teacher is working out well. She will be a great teacher for sure. She is being trained by one of the best!

I also liked what you said about being a young womens leader. I agree it is very important to have a good relationship with those you lead. Some of my leaders here like to use their calling as a way to boss us around and do things their way. I do what they say, but I would be a lot happier doing it they showed they actually cared about the people they are leading. What you say and teach will have more meaning if you have a good relationship with them.

I was hoping Bailey´s baby would be born by now. I want to see him! He better be here next week. Bailey, try to have him before next Monday so I can see him. OK?

I hope that you all have a great week! I love you all so much! you are the best family in the world. I am blessed to be a part of it!

Love Isaac

Me and my big knife with Captain Moroni

Painting for a service project

Service Project

Alexandra's baptism

Natalia's baptism

Cool Spider I found

Elder Robertson with Tiangua in the background