5/21 Siete diaz mas!!!

This is my last week here in the CCM and I'm so excited to get out there with the other missionaries and find out how easy all of this hard work I've been doing really was. I continue to grow so much and I'll tell you there is nothing I've ever done to help me grow as much as this has. I can hold most of a conversation in spanish and I can understand about 80% of what I read (Depending on the reading) so I feel I'm not doing horrible. I love the language and I am continually impressed by how much I actually know in the language.

   I Memorized the baptimal question and the first vision in español and I'm working on DyC 4 now. I've gotten to the point where I struggle almost as much with english now as I do with speaking spanish as you might be able to tell with my spelling getting worse and my sentances not making as much sense.'

   This week has been full of fun and adventure.. not so much that it's distracting me from studies but for instance the other day our whole lunch group (Almost all the elders and a few Hermanas) tried this spicy sauce.. (I found out later it's called Devil's Blood and I think its one of the spiciest sauces) needless to say I saw faces turn very red and people instantly burst into tears. I guess all those years of loving hot sauce paid off though cause I was one of 2 people that didn't shed a single tear! It tastes horrible but it's definitely the spiciest thing I've tasted. (I found it doesn't burn as much if you hold the sauce in you mouth and let it dilute with saliva before you swallow and burn out your throat and stomach.. it also helps make it not so spicy... after.)

   I'm groing awesome with my companion and I'll let you know my favorite thing about him is that when he notices anyone not finish their potatoes he'll tell them "Hey Elder Clark want's your potatoes" (Which of course I always do) and gets them for me! Way cool and definitly HIGH on the scoring points list!

   I've gone through one or 4 trials this last week but I'll just say that they don't last vewry long.. I've almost got this whole going to the Lord thing down pat and usually I'm up and chrreful in an hour or two.. needless to say theres nothing I can't do anymore.. except eat hamburgers.

   So I've been hering a few things from back home.. but basically those few things add up to not much so a letter here and there might be nice.. I've only recieved two in the past 5 weeks as compared to my other district members getting like 5 a week. I thought with all my friends I'd at least have 3 by now (Shameless asking for letters). Come on.. it's not that hard and I PROMISE you if you don't write me I'll never write you back! (cause I don't have any of your addresses). Entonces Hermanos y Hermanas.. Nesecite escribir una carta para me! it's as simple as that!

   I've learned more about my mission by speaking with the latinos.. all I can say is I hope when my mission splits next month that I'm in the Coban mission.. I WANT to learn Q'equchi! Plus they say that's where all the action happens and more of that machete weilding action. Don't worry I'll be carefull.. not that I'll probably get one (If I do trust me you'll know... that'll be big news in my life!)

   I'm realizing more everyday how much I miss the little things.. and how much I can figure out how to get along without them. I mean just last night I fixed my sandles with a bottle cap! it's ghetto and it's awesome!

 

I miss you all but not as much as you hope I would. I think about lot's of you but not in a way that makes me wish I was home.. I wouldn't give up this mission for the world! I love it so freaking much!

 

 Keep up the good luck and don't be afraid to pray for the Lord to bless me with more of the language.. I'd love to learn it even faster! Thanks Grandma Clark for the gift! I love you!

Yours fortunately,

 

          ---Elder Hyrum Clark

5/14 Semana...I have no Idea anymore! (Cuatro)

  I'm definitely lost in the work.. it's hard to remember the days and weeks and I'm just so confused when it comes to time.. It honestly flies by really fast.. I've been out here a month?! wha-..

   Anyways.. I've heard a lot that there's always something you can find to improve everyday.. "something small that you can work on that day.." My problem is that I find like 5-6 things and I have no spare time to work on them. But I'm loving it and I AM growing tons! Still getting more and more from the spirit and things with my companion are better than I could have dreamed 3 weeks ago! Yesterday (Domingo) was the best day ever and I learned a ton about Christ  his death and Pilate's part in it..

   As a child I always saw Pilate as a kind of terrible guy who put Christ to death and while I was watching "To this end was I born" I felt the spirit and I felt like Pilate was trying to save Christ . I decided I'd look into it and according to the accounts in Matt, Mark and Luke Pilate doesn't really do much.. just offers the choice and that was it. I read the account in John and it was simply beautiful.. I learned SO much from Pilate and what he tried to do for Jesus! Pilate KNEW Christ was innocent and he tried 3 times to release Jesus saying he found no fault in Jesus.. He had Jesus whipped and humiliated in hopes that the Jews would accept that and let him live! (It's weird to think he had Christ beaten to try and save him) and was going to let him go when they threatened to have him killed for being a traitor to Caesar if he didn't obey. He finally when he could do no more released the savior to the hands of the Jews and said "I have done all I can and his blood is free from my hands". I LOVED that in the gospel of John it mentions that Pilate was the one who had "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" put above Christ and refused to take it down when the Jews complained. I realize that means probably nothing to most of you guys but it really hit me hard and I felt an incredible love for Pilate and for My Savior knowing if I was in that place I'd have tried my hardest too!

   I heard about Steven and Isaiah ! I'm WAY super excited for them! I can't wait to be there when you get home! We're basically going to party! I pray for you two and many other youth in the ward and hope you all know I love you each!

   Aaron Howard! If you read this I met a Latino here who is a teacher at the CCM and was in your mission while you were there.. He basically said you were a boss at Q'eqchi and everyone used your notes at zone conferences as guidelines for how to learn the language.. You need to write me so I can talk more to you about all this! My address has been posted to my Facebook already in one of my previous posts.

   I FINALLY got letters.. One from Kymee Evans and one from my beloved Auntie Lori!! (isn't she a cousin???) I'm going to write you back actual letters this time because you sent me one! It's a reward! also Rachel Cole I have a PERFECT name for your fish but you have to wait till you get my letter! I'm in love with it and I learned the word the morning of the day I got the letter!

   Some awesome things? I'm at this awkward spot in learning the language that I can understand what people say without translating it into English . Pero.. I don't know what to say in Spanish so I have to stop.. translate it to English . come up with a reply.. translate that to Spanish . and then try to actually say it.. so it stinks. but I hear it's a good sign that I'm learning so YAY!

   We took another photo but they forgot to email it to me so I don't have it.. I'll see if I can get another elder to forward it to me so you MIGHT get to see it this week if not maybe next week.. or never.

   I'm learning tons about my mission and have run into some missionaries from my mission at the temple so I MIGHT be able to go more often than I originally thought! Yay! My mission sounds SO legit and I cannot WAIT to get out there! I hope they start me out in the city the first transfer but then I hope I go into the mountains which I hear is WAY crazier than the jungles with way awesome Mayans and such! I'm going to be a freaking jungle man when I get back! When I get home It'll be like in Jumanji when he comes out of the game with a beard and just yells "What year is it!!!!" ha ha I'm so stoked!

   I don't really have much to say this week.. I've been so busy I haven't thought much about writing till just now so this will be kinda short but just know I pray for you all and can't wait to make you all proud!! 

   Love you all!
  

Yours fortunately,

 

          ---Elder Hyrum Clark

5/8 El fin de semena tres

Wow! Things are really moving fast! I feel like I'm learning incredible amounts of information and revelation! I haven't been on such a spiritual High in... well I never have.

   Last week was hard and good. I was struggling with my comp and my district and wondering how I could help them improve.. I was wondering what they could change and I was praying for them at night.. It was wearing down on me and I felt really out of place and alone in the midst of 11 other people and it was wearing me down emotionally. Sunday I watched a devotional from the Provo MTC by Elder Bednar and I learned a lot.. not from what he was saying but through using what he was teaching to receive my own revelation. it's really cool that you can listen to someone teach and receive an answer to a question that has nothing to do with what they're teaching... that's the spirit for you! the Lord works in mysterious ways! anyways I realised that it wasn't about what my companion need to change.. it wasn't about how my district could be better.. the whole time I thought unless my comp and district was perfect I was imperfect and disobedient but I realised that I just had to do my best and it didn't really matter if my comp was obedient (well it does but..) It matters most that I love him and try to help him and do MY best and the Lord will help me, him, EVERYONE in his own way.. after realizing that it made things easier.. I told my comp how I was feeling and we have been doing great ever since.. I haven't once felt angry or annoyed with him and I love him to death! I'd even hug him if all the elders here weren't so weirded out by it.

   Speaking of which no one here hugs! They're like all paranoid and get awkward when you put your arm around them or show ANY sign of affection. I'm not used to that. I've had 4 hugs since I got here.. maybe.

   Food is still good and it's soo much better on Fast Sundays when you're starving and dinner is a small plate of salad with beans and a roll.. really filling. Not. :P But luckily no one else likes beans so I got 4 bowls of beans and I'm LOVING them! They taste WAY better here then in America!

   I don't know what to tell you about mostly.. my week was basically struggling and then a bunch of awesome spiritual experiences.. so I guess I'll give out some advice.

   Especially to Steven and Isaiah who are going to be going on missions soon:

1) The CCM (MTC) is going to be hard. You aren't going to get as much sleep as you want (Promise!) and you're going to struggle.. it's inevitable. DO NOT base your whole mission, your stay at the CCM, or even your progress on the first week. it will get better I promise! 

2) If you're struggling there is ALWAYS one way to fix your problem (this will NEVER fail): Be more obedient. I've seen the missionaries who struggle.. I've been one. The missionaries who want to leave and go home are the ones who AREN'T TRYING THEIR HARDEST! Struggling is a part of growing and if you ignore the struggling or try and go around it you WILL NOT GROW! deal with it and find out what it is you need to do better!

3) Pray more. I don't care what you need help with just pray more.. whether its the language, the food, being more obedient, trying to fly, growing an extra toe.. If you pray more eventually you'll either succeed or you'll learn that what your praying for is the wrong thing for you at that time in your life (sorry that means you'll probably never get an extra toe)

4)Love others. The ONE thing I miss most about home is my ward.. the home ward AND the YSA ward.. everyone was ALWAYS kind whether they liked that person particularly or not. Here I am dealing with people who didn't have that kind of background. They talk behind each other's backs and judge based on unimportant things! learn now to be kind to everyone and even if you don't like someone DO NOT let others be mean to ANYONE! Stand up for those who are being picked on.. be their friends. The people I feel most loved by are those who I show the most love too and usually they're the ones the others pick on. I can tell you now that those elders will not feel that much love as long as they continue to put others down.

5) Eat everything you can.. its gross but eat it. (I'll admit I have the hardest time eating chicken here... I don't like tendons and veins and cartilage.)

6) When you pray for answers don't just pray and continue with your day.. try and wait, ponder and listen for answers.. somehow you WILL learn how to receive revelation.

7) Don't beat yourself up. Ever. yeah you need to grow and trust me if you try and grow you will. Don't beat your self up about anything.. be more constructive with your feedback.

8) Enjoy it. People around you will talk about how bad it is at the CCM (MTC). Just ignore them and think of all the AWESOME stuff you're learning and how much you're growing! When I got here I felt like a teenage boy who was surrounded by missionaries. NOW I can honestly tell you that I AM a missionary! I am an Elder of the Church and I feel it! I feel my authority and I feel my power to help!

 

You will accomplish much! and there are many other things you can learn from the CCM.. If you have tips for me please tell me!

 

I Love you all!!!!

Yours fortunately,

 

          ---Elder Hyrum Clark

4/29 Esta Bien! Soy lovin' it!

Hola Familia Y Amigos,
Life is GOOD! I've grown so much! I was getting SUPER down on
myself last week and every day I'd just feel like I couldn't do
anything.. not a happy attitude! but this week something happened..
well not something but LOTS of things! I've learned so much about
relying on the Lord and not myself. I've learned to completely trust
in God and let his miracles work and I feel like I can understand WAY
more Spanish! (Still lacking in the hablar category) I feel the spirit
so strongly and honestly don't think about home anymore. I am excited
for each new day and the learning I get to do! I feel so great!!!! :D
Tomorrow is P-day and we get to go on a field trip to Central Park
and Wal-mart.. maybe to Wendy’s if we luck out.. But I'm also super
excited to go to the temple in the evening! I found out the temple
isn't in my mission so I probably won't ever go after the CCM unless
something Big happens like an investigator goes through. I'm just
really excited! (I heard they have Taco Bell here in Guatemala City!)
I've heard so many awesome conversion stories and I have magically

learned the art of scripture study! I couldn't study effectively at all

before my mission.. I just read. Now I magically know how to mark

scriptures, receive freaking answers to ANY question I've had and

learn like I've never learned in my life!! I KNOW that the Lord had a
part in that because I have NEVER gotten as much out of the scriptures
in my whole life as I have in this past week alone! I really REALLY
love my mission already!
I've been trying to look for anyone I might be able to help while

I'm here at the CCM.. anyone who might be discouraged and maybe

considering giving up.. I pray to find them almost every day! I don't

know If I've been a big influence in anyone's life yet but I have tried

to just be a little extra nice to a few people.. get them to say
things in Spanish, positive uplifting things, so as to both get them
speaking and give them a happy thought in their head. It's awesome! I

feel like even though I've been trying to help others, President
Crockett's blessing was more for me.. The first two days I got here I

felt so out of place.. so alone (especially with the whole

companion/district switching all the time). I felt like no one wanted

me.. it was hard and I'll admit I thought of how easy It'd be to give
up.. but then I thought of how I was meant to be here to help someone..
or many people be able to push through their hard spots and I knew
then that I couldn't give up.. not for me but for them! since I felt
that I have never once had even the remote desire to come home. I can
make it through any trial now.. I have that testimony that God's got
my back!

I'm trying to think of all the things I should say.. not that
there's anything I don't want to say I just can't think of the things
I WANTED to say.. there’s so much! I've only heard 2 more gunshots
since last week so it's still safe to assume I'm safe.

The temple here is a beauty but its still safe to say Oakland still
has my heart and forever will! it was cool finally going into a
different temple! It's my second temple I've been in for endowments.
its cool cause it's a long temple so like everything goes down this
long hallway. It's beautiful!

Like I said earlier.. I'm doing awesome and I'm still on a
constant spiritual high! I'm so proud of myself and my ability to
study and learn that the Lord gave me! I've never been more excited to
learn more, about anything, in my life!
Oh wait!!! I forgot! I found a food that I absolutely HATED here!!!
Guess what it is? It's something I didn't like before and so far its
the ONLY thing I still can't handle.
...
...
...
It's Hamburgers.
Seriously! I liked my fish and lasagna dinner more than my
hamburger and French fry lunch. I NEVER thought I would admit to
liking fish and lasagna to hamburger and French fries but honestly I
can't stand hamburgers anymore! It's worse than before. ...The French
fries were AMAZING though!
I've had potatoes in one form or another I think almost every day

since I've been here.. sometimes boiled potatoes.. sometimes
hash browns.. sometimes a baked potato. It's awesome and I hope the rest of Guatemala likes potatoes.
It's still not rainy season.. I want it to rain SO bad! Every cloud
that passes by gets my hopes up! But the rainy season is May-Oct so
Maybe in a few weeks.. then I'll probably be tired of it.
I can buy stamps here in the CCM for the same price as in the
states so I might write a bit.. I was able to pull out 3 letters last
week so MAYBE I'll write you back. It costs about $1 to send one
through the national mail though.. so that’s only reserved for
missionaries in other countries.. everything else you have to wait
till I have access to the pouch.
What happened with the whole BSA Gay policy? I heard it was
announced but I’m not sure the details. let me know.
I need to practice typing so I can write faster! :P
Hope you all are doing fine! The only things I wish I had was
something to store my photos in and more photos from home.. I'm going
to check Wal-mart to see if they have a photo album when I go
tomorrow.
Keep up the faith and learn something from my letters.. don't be
afraid to let me know what you learned either! Love you all!
--
Yours fortunately,

---Elder Hyrum Clark

4/24 I arrived at the CCM- Texas Flag... or Chili

 I arrived at the CCM (MTC) last Wednesday and a LOT has happend
this week.. I'm already on my 4th companion and second district. I
guess no one can handle being my companion ;) I've switched rooms 3
times now and moving is getting redundant. I'm already digging the
whole no rest thing and am constantly battling sleep but don't worry I
win at least 4/5 of the time.
   I'm learning a lot from the language but I'm having trouble
retaining it.. I've decided to memorize some scriptures and get the
old brain working on remembering stuff again.
   You probably want to hear about my companions (well probable not
but I'm going to tell you). They have all been great! well.. the first
one I never met.. he just never showed up. They put me in a trio after
that with Elder Brown and Elder Hoagland who were both really awesome
and helped me grow a LOT. Elder Brown became the district leader and
even though we're not companions we still are close. My companion now
is Elder Hoy who is awesome too. He started out as a bit of a slacker
but is changing fast and we are getting stuff done together! He's
great and has some of the coolest RANDOM talents.
   I love the language and have already memorized Mi Proposito (My
Purpose) and los articulos de fe 1y2 working on the third today! I
catch myself thinking and accidentally mixing spanish words into my
english study so I know thats a good sign! I can't wait to be fluent
and just talk como un hefe.
   I'll admit it hasn't been all sunshine here and its been super
hard.. I often feel that I'm not learning or I can't focus on things
so I get down on myself.. but I'm trying to remember that I've only
been here 1 week and I cant get down about not knowing EVERYTHING
untill at least 3 weeks.
   I have progressively been praying more and more as the days go on
and I am dearly learning that I NEED God's help cause I'm new to this
whole mission thing. I've been helping everyone I can here and have
learned to love everyone I see! I can't think of a single person here
at the CCM that I have even the smallest dislike for.. It kinda makes
me sad when I see other missionaries talk bad about each other behind
their backs and I notice its ALWAYS cause they really don't know
them.. They haven't taken the time to get to know them before they
make a decision and often that person is one of my favorite people
BECAUSE I got to know them.
   Thanks Mom for the spanish before the mission it has helped me a
lot! Thanks Logan for the tips you gave me right before I left! I'm
trying my best to be what you guys expect me to be but I'm trying
hardest to be ready to be WHATEVER God decides he wants me to be. I've
already changed tons of decided stuff solely because it's just not
what God has planned for me and I'm loving the whole experience of
just seeing God's hand in moving stuff around on a daily basis!
   Everybody stay cool and know that I haven't been thinking about you
much.. Thats a good thing by the way. I found out that I can send
stuff with normal american stamps if I send them through the mail
pouch at the mission office so if you don't get a letter back from me
for a few weeks don't worry just chillax and it'll come (Just kidding
I probably forgot to write you back.. just send me another letter and
make me feel bad). The mail here in Guatemala is safe and so you don't
have to worry about sending stuff. If you ever do send a package the
Hermano in charge of mail here says as soon as the customs people read
"Elder" or "Hermana" they just put it aside and never even check it..
so just make sure it says "Elder Hyrum Clark" and no nicknames or
funny names and it'll pass through better than anyone elses packages!
:) don't put anything in the letters but letters and pictures though.
 "Its pretty safe here in Guatemala.. We have two
security gaurds outside the gate and they always have one at every
corner on the way to the temple.. I've only heard 3 gunshots so yeah..Its Super chill here" 
   I love all and had tons of things I was going to say but I lost
myself in the work and those things got shoved aside so I appologize
for that.. not many funny stories this time.
   WAIT!! I remembered one! Okay so in my Trio I had Elder Brown y
Elder Hoagland who are both from texas.. Elder Brown brought a Texas
flag with him and would hang it above his closet every night when we
got back to the room.. This went of for a few days before a latino
from Chilé walks in and tells us (in spanish which I could barely make
out) that he loves our Chilén flag... it took 4 days for two Texans to
figure out they had been shouting "Viva la Texas" to a Chilén flag! It
made me laugh so much! (The only difference between the two is  that
the Texas flag has the blue go all the way to the bottom while the
Chilén flag only has the blue square in the top left corner).
   Well I'm going to go now.. enjoy the states! I'm enjoying the food
so far and love it WAY more than I imagin the Provo MTC to be like (We
get enchiladas and steaks and potates and delicious salads.. and
fish.. bleck..) I've eaten everything theyve given me though! its fun
to get a drumstick with the knee cap still on it.. its flexible and
posable! (anyways thats gross).
   Talk to you all later! Hope things go well!

4/24 Foto... Elders at the CCM

Foto de Grupo. Mi arrival!

Here is a photo of the elders in the CCM (MTC) I'm in the back in the
middle and right next to me on the right (your right) is Elder
Hoagland.. he was in my trio.

Yours fortunately,

---Elder Hyrum Clark

4/17 Arrival at the CCM

April 17th 
Hola,

I am alive and well... sorta. :P

I flew all night and arrived this morning at 7:30am. I got about two hours of sleep and have been going forever!

I don't have much time they're just giving us 5 minutes to write home so its gunna be brief!

I basically can't think much.. I'm super tired and have fallen asleep in every class. I'm planning on eating everything they give me to eat and so far it hasn't been bad at all.. I hear we're having fish sometime this week though :(

I hope you all know I love you and that Ill keep you more updated in the future.

My writing day will change a lot so I have no set day to contact you while I'm in the MTC.. Write me Sundays or Monday early morning so I can check it any time of the week (in the future I'll have 1hr to write)

Hasta luego mi familia!!

Yours fortunately,

---Elder Hyrum Clark