23/02/2015 - He's one terrific, radiant, humble, thing-a-ma-jig-a-ma-pig!

 Well.. Update from last week we ended up only doing one service project.. But that was still super fun so I'm okay with that. People here aren't super willing to let the missionaries serve them.. Either they don't have anything for us to do.. Or maybe they feel bad making us work but either way we're not getting anymore pickups. Maybe I need to put in practice the whole "don't wait to be asked" method.

 I'm pretty excited for next week! A 16yr old named Edwin has been preparing to be baptized and next Monday, March 2nd, is the date! He's excited and we already have the agenda made with the speakers, hymns and everything. I'll call this a three day late birthday gift for Logan!

 I did divisions this week and while I was gone my companion learned a ton about our area and even found more less actives and a recent convert that we had no idea where she lived. I think he's going to do just amazing after I'm gone. He's really quite pilas at this whole missionary thing! I'm definitely going to recommend to president that he train.

 I got sick yesterday.. I'm not fond of it. I got my usual Migrain with an added bonus of a cold, sore throat and completely clogged nose (and head it feels like). I couldn't sleep all night and used almost half a roll of toilet paper to blow my nose all night.

 I'm feeling completely exhausted lately.. I feel like I'm being beat over the head with 2 years of sleep deprivation.. Feels kinda like a 2x4. It's never been so hard to wake up on time! (You can do it clark! Just 3 1/2 more weeks! You don't need sleep! You've lived two years without it!) Sometimes I wonder if the whole sleep thing is another bodily weakness that we need to overcome.. Like eating.. Maybe every month we should do a sleep fast to learn to dominate our bodies? I hope not. I keep hoping that after this life we'll finally be able to rest but we've just gotta keep working for now. Now that I think about it.. Is that what Sundays are for? Maybe not.. Cause technically we should be out serving and teaching and helping in the Lord's work on Sundays..  Yesterday in church a sister gave a talk about how studying the scriptures is more important to God than sleeping, school, work, etc. I guess sleep isn't all that important then. So when can we actually rest? Or DO we ever actually rest? Who can answer me that question?

 Well.. I'm starting to feel stressed. I have mixed feelings.. I don't want to finish the mission so soon.. but at the same time (especially when I'm so tired) I just wish it was all over. I hate that ending the mission is so much harder than starting it. I'd start a mission 6 times before choosing to leave one once. I just wish I could skip this part.. no final goodbyes, no thinking "it's almost all over", no elders reminding you every two seconds how little time you have like it's funny. Do they really think it makes people feel happier when they tell them they're ending the mission?

 Well.. I'm pooped so I think I'll end this letter.. I feel like it started good but ended bad. Well I'll try my hardest to make next week's email pure happiness and sunshiney delight!

Love you all!

- Elder Hyrum Clark

16/02/2015 - Farfel farfel fifick!

 Dear everyone, like I mentioned last week we've been doing lots of service.. Of course I'll attach photos so check those out cause they're dope! But we've been building houses and such.. This week we got even more service projects lined up. Tomorrow we're going to dig out a septic tank, Thursday finish up some of that same house we were building and sometime this week or next we're going to help move a family in the branch.

*Quick side note* When we were helping build the house for the members sister the little stream that passes by was a weird red color.. I asked why it was red.. And why it stinks.. Then jokingly said "is it blood?".. I'll leave the rest to the picture below.

 My companion is growing on me. I see a lot of me in him.. But I also see that he's so very different.. But así es la vida. I think he helps keep me concentrated.. To be honest I don't feel like I'm going home. I mean I'm completely conscious that I'll be home in 4 weeks.. But I feel like I'm just passing a normal change.. Nothing's different. Even Elder Hawks from my district says things like "Elder you're no fun.. You don't act like you're going home at all! I feel like you are just going to Petén or something." I guess I'm doing okay then?

 My companion prefers making food in the house, he says that it's cheaper and that he never gets full after eating in comedors.. I agree so we're eating in this week. He actually cooks really good.. And I also cook okay.. So we eat pretty well for a lot cheaper. Great things come from greenies! I remember when I first came I always had ideas to save money.. Like washing our own clothes.. But that didn't work out too well. Let's just say he might be a little smarter than me.

 Question. I honestly have no idea how to do this whole college thing.. I'm completely lost.. I just realized this week that I was supposed to go and take a track questioner like 2 weeks ago.. I freaked out cause I thought I might have completely lost my place in BYU-I and I called to get permission to check the questioner out.. I guess someone already took it for me? Whoever it was Thanks!!

 These last two weeks we've been working with a really cool kid named Edwin.. He's the BF of a YW in the branch and when I asked him the classic question "What do you expect from our visits?" He said "I want to become a member." I looked at my companion and then coolly said "Do you know how you become a member?" And he said "I think you have to be baptized.. right?" And I said "That's right! So when do you want to be baptized?.. .. .. Feb 28th sound good?", "Sure." ¡¡¡¡SCORE!!!! The plus side is that he's already attended church like 4 times! He's not living with anyone so we don't have to get him married (huge plus here!) and he has no addictions! He's definitely one of the chosen ones. 

 On the down side all four of the fetchas we had before fell through.. One still comes to church every week.. But her less active husband isn't getting pilas. She said he started drinking again and he really does have any desire to change. It's so sad to see someone so great not be able to get baptized just because the husband is chambone! But we're hoping to at least get them married so that SHE can start getting the blessings that The Lord wants for her and her amazing daughters. Step by step boys!

 Fun story this week starts like this: Wednesday we had zone meeting and on the way home in the bus... Wait let me explain something real quick. 

The bus ride to and from Teleman is 2 hrs of complete dirt road.. That has been passed over by hundreds of huge trucks full of dirt, sugar cane, rocks, etc. in short you leave in a nice clean black suit with shined shoes and you come back in a brown suit and shoes that look worse than before you shined them. (It's dusty)

 Back to the story.. Planning ahead for the trip I brought a handkerchief to allow me to breath through the two hour dust cloud that is the trip to Teleman. In the bus a Qawa'chin (q'eqchi man) sat down next to me and after observing that I was covering my face with a cloth said "naab'al li poqs" (there's a lot of dust). I had had no idea what this guy was saying to me and smoothly said something to try and fake my way out of sounding like a total idiot and said "Wan ut nawulak chiwu li poqs", which means something like "there is, and I like the dust." He just looked at me and then asked "Can you speak q'eqchi?" To which I honestly replied "Not much". He then laughed and later I found out from Elder Hawks that I told him I really like dust.. Let's just say I'm still learning. I'm actually surprise how good I answered!

 I want to thank my family for the pictures you sent! Everyone here loved seeing my huge family! They laughed that you sent me a buch of old christmas cards.. but I definitley loved seeing and hearing about Maynard y Janice's families! Thanks so much! I still have to read all the letters inside.

 Well I'm all out of witty things to say so I'm going to start writing everyone that wrote me. Thanks for listening and come back again next week!

Peace off, 

-Elder Hyrum

06/02/2015 - Training.. It's a good thing!

 Well like I mentioned last week I have a new companion named Elder Sierra.. he's actually from Comayagüela, Honduras but Tegucigalpa is almost the same place. I'm finishing up his training and it's great! Definitely no time for getting Trunky! I'm really Happy cause he is helping me keep in line my last change and.. well.. he's helping me learn patience.. again.

 This week has been fun.. I've been able to expound my boundaries and explore more.. Explore techniques and new ideas.. and Logan is making me think harder about new and fun missionary ideas before I leave.. that's really helping. This week we're going to try and do more service..

 Today we decided that P-day is over rated.. so we spent the first half of the day building a house for the sister of a member.. she's not a member but we're hoping that through our service she will be.. and who knows.. maybe the neighbors will see and want to hear more about us too! Plus I just REALLY love getting my hands dirty now and again.

 I've been seeing lots of bugs this last week.. We have rats in the house and one ran under our fridge.. I don't have rat poison so I thought maybe raid would kill it.. I sprayed a bunch of raid into the back part of our fridge and when we got back from visiting we found like 60 dead cockroaches all over the house. In the Kitchen, bathroom, study room, bedroom.. everywhere.. it was gross! I STRONGLY DISLIKE COCKROACHES! (hate is a strong word my little friends).

 well I can't think of much more to write.. I got accepted to BYU-Idaho! So I'm pretty stoked bout that.. I printed out my acceptance letter just so I can read it to my district.. jk I'm not going to do that. Spring/Fall! it's going to be a Blast!!!! (of studying and being responsible that is).

02/02/2015 - Changes.. and new fronteer.

 Well I had Changes.. I didn't get changed but my companion did! My new Companion (Elder Sierra) from Tegucigalpa, Honduras is finishing his training (I'm a mother again!) and seems excited to work.. so I don't see myself as getting too baggy my last change.

 I don't have much time to write.. But I wanted to send pictures of my cake so that you all can enjoy! I'll write more next week!
 ALSO today commemorates 13 years from the day I was baptized! 02/02/2002