2014/9/29 Chilasco!

Well howdy,

  Just wanted to write everyone and say I'm alive and well.. we had changes but I'm staying the same.. and my district had a bunch of changes but all within the district so we actually only lost one Hna.. and then gained two new ones! (Photos of the district maybe next week)

  Today we went to a waterfall called Chilasco.. It's the biggest waterfall in Central America supposedly.. but it't nothing HUGE.. like a typical awesome waterfall in Yosemite! (Pictures) I'm not exactly sure how much fun everyone had.. I mean it was a blast for a lot of us.. the trail was REALLY muddy and steep.. so it turned into a mud slide.. then fight.. then almost into a mud bath.. but as is always with Hnas.. it's not ALWAYS fun and games when it comes to getting muddy. (Don't worry we didn't get any of the sticklers muddy.. they were already doing a fine job of it themselves) but almost everyone enjoyed the trip!

  This last week we helped one of our, very complicated, investigators who is taking care of someone's house and Coffee plantation.. we ended up helping fertilize hundreds of coffee plants and enjoyed the day.. until I'm pretty sure he made us atol (Corn drink) out of pond water.. I'm still fighting off the effects of that visit.

  I'm definitely trying my hardest to keep my animo up.. I feel so spiritually drained! and I mean that's on TOP of being physically, mentally and emotionally drained.. I've been tired.. lived 8 months working two jobs and waking up at 6 to take my brother to seminary and getting 5 hrs of sleep every night.. but even 8 months of physical tiredness can't compare to being Spiritually tired.. it's something sleep cannot cure. I'm SO TIRED!

  I look forward to a great week! Still working hard with Hector and Blanca our couple fecha! I can't wait to help them get just one step closer to entering the temple! Only problem is that Hector want's a big answer.. He's received a lot of small ones and knows it but he told us he's still waiting.. "I've been doing my part! All I ask is that God give me what He gave Joseph Smith!" I told him I always wanted that too until I realized that that Joseph Smith ended up with a life full of persecution  that ended at the young age of 34 with a horrible death! (Still don't know how well he liked that answer.. but I'm working on my technique still.. Give me a break!)

2014/9/22 ♫♪Hang the star upon the tree, It's Christmas again!♪♫

 Well how are you! Just sending this letter to all y'all letting you know it's almost Christmas! (Well.. here in my district at least!)  We've decided that it's been quite a while since Christmas and that we need a bit of holiday cheer.. so we've assigned daily Christmas tasks to liven the spirits! This past week we've had a day to drink hot chocolate, Write Christmas Cards, make a snowman out of marshmallows, Build a Christmas tree, and today we all bought ugly Christmas themed sweaters (Pictures attached) we'll be continuing the Christmas cheer until next Monday where we're going to have a gift exchange and eat somewhere nice (Well.. Nice for living in the middle of nowhere.. it might not be considered all that nice to the rest of the missionaries that live and work in the city.

  I've been working hard and our dats are raising! We got a couple that are preparing to be baptized on the 10th of October! Right after changes so we'll see if I'm still gonna be here for it.

  I'm getting pretty tired out.. I hope I get a new burst of energy soon cause I still want to extend my mission. I think the hardest part is that nothing changes much.. it's all the same routine.. I can't handle doing the same thing everyday.. I try to change things up as much as I can but there's only so many things you can do to change things up while still progressing!

Love you all! Gotta Go!

2014-9-8 Spicy Meatballs!

Well.. To be honest it wasn't meatballs but it was VERY spicy!

 So We have a SUPER pilas couple that are really close to accepting a fecha.. they're scared to accept one.. and I don't know why cause they already tell people they're Mormon and they've been talking about how that want to build an extra apartment on the side of their house where the missionaries can stay for free. We're really hoping we can get them to accept a date and literally ask them every appointment.

  They LOVE to make us food! Almost every week since I've been here they've invited us over to eat lunch or dinner.. and for someone who supposedly is learning how to cook.. she is a BOSS at it! She made us some REALLY good meat yesterday.. it's like stew meat.. marinated in chili peppers.. than cooked in a chili sauce.. and served with chili on top.. it's the most spicy, delicious meat I've EVER eaten and don't worry mom I already asked for the recipe.. maybe you can make a small batch of it for when I get home and anyone else who's brave can try it with me! (Honestly haven't eaten anything better!.. up there with french fries and brownies and ice cream!).

  This week has been hard.. I mean as far as the dats show it was great.. but I feel like I didn't do so well.. It's so hard cause when you have low dats you feel bad because.. well because you have low dats.. but when you have high dats you feel like it's just a bunch of numbers and you don't know if it really made an impact or if you were just focused on the numbers.. I definitely need to find myself a good happy medium.. I'm driving myself crazy cause I just can't find my happy place!

 I didn't really get too do much photo taking this week.. I'll see if I can cook up a good one to send but if not I'll just leave y'all with a nice Adieu and write y'all next week!

1) a street in Cobán that looks like it's meant to be in London.

2) me and the pouch elders trying to make the worlds ugliest faces.. Steven and Isaiah both beat me I think.. I tried really hard.

2014-9-1 I'm makin Waffles!

Well howdy doody there,

  Just wanted to write you all and let you know I'm alive and well.. Living and breathing.. and.. well.. I could use a little more sleep honestly.. but I guess all in due time!

  I've been testing out some new settings on my camera.. and thought these black and white photos went well with our old fashioned outfits! lately we've just been finding awesome places and enjoying time together as DL's and ZL's, Taking photos and buying ties from pacas.. (I think I've become addicted to ties.. they're so cheap here!!!)

  Every P-Day we go eat waffles as a district.. it's SUPER good and for like $3 you get full.. and a banana smoothie and hot chocolate! it's become a tradition now.

  I've been keeping busy and hope to see some fruits of my labor in time.. but I'm hoping it's not a LONG time.. but all in God's time. 

  Miss you all and hope the best for ya!

Yours fortunately,

   Elder Hyrum Clark

2014-8-25 Update.

Well I had changes! I am now in the area called "La Colonia" which is still here in my same district.. I just left the office but stayed as District Leader.

  my district is awesome! 8 Hermanas and 2 Elders.. We're kicking some booty with these girls and I have good hopes of baptisms coming up soon! (Who knows with my luck but they'll get baptized whether it's with me or the next Elder that gets here!)

  My New Companion's name is Elder Lopez, He's from San Pedro Sula, Honduras (My third catracho!) and like all my Honduras companions before he's super awesome! I have to say i'm liking these Hondureños! 

  Here are a few fotos of the district! Hope you enjoy them!

2014-7-7 Changes!

Well.. Being DL means sacrifices.. I can't write you this week because I'm helping get everybody moved around here in Petèn.. but I Just wanted to let you know my change.

 I'm going back to the office as a pouch Elder!!!!!!

Yeah it sounds so strange and I've NEVER heard of someone getting called as pouch Elder twice.. But I'm going back.. And Cleaning my old area.. and training two NEW pouch elders (Trio!!).. and I'll continue being DL.. While finishing the training of one of my companions!!

Well that's all the time I have! 

Love you lots!

1) The Almost Trio

2) Elder Ashcroft on his last day in the mission! I'll miss him! Most pilas Finance Elder in the world!

3) My Almost companion (Elder Marchado)

4) The Office.. My companion is the one in leprechaun socks. (Elder Connolly)

2014/7/12 Fort Night Fridays!!!​!

Well.. Friday nights in the office are the nights that we have to "wind down" and prepare for our P-Day.. it's actually a night that I spend almost all of talking to the 10 other missionaries in my district and then calling the Zone Leaders and THEN winding down.. and building a fort.

  It wasn't always that way.. Friday nights used to be filled with tom fullery and deep conversations.. sometimes even mouse hunts.. but we've now evolved to the more gentlemanly way of relaxation and recreation.. which we ALL know to be fort building.

  Fort building is an art.. it requires a top notch mind, tip of the toes thinking, advanced imagination and superior sense of fun and good time havingness. Oftentimes you can only work with what you've got.. sometimes you have more than you can work with.. but in the end the important part is that you enjoyed your brotherly bonding and have a somewhat sturdy covering above your head. 

  Yesterday I was talking to Elder Fuller (one of the finance elders) and he mentioned that some Jews and Evangelists are working together to try to breed an all red cow with no white hairs.. supposedly when this cow is born the messiah of the Jews will come.. according to the Evangelists when the red cow is born the messiah of the Jews will come.. but that it will actually be the anti-Christ.. and THEN their messiah will come and destroy the messiah of the Jews..  either way they both want it to happen so their working together to breed the all red cow with no white hairs.

  That same day we met a red cow.. but not all red. It was pretty interested in us and came over to take photos.. One of the photos is my companion kissing the cow and the other is the cow rubbing it's head on my leg.. my face is a face of horror.