La Vida Misional!!

Hola, Hola!

Since I'm into my third week in the field, [obligatory statement about how one cannot possibly anticipate just how difficult a mission will be until he or she is actually in the field.] [Follow-up sentence to clarify that the previous sentence was not a complaint, because while this is absolutely one of the hardest things I've ever done, it's also one of the most rewarding and worthwhile.]

Seriously, this is the best. I walk through the streets of Juarez all day with my companion meeting people. We laugh, we cry, we sweat (A LOT (which is good because that means we are hydrated)), and we find ourselves smiling because while it's exhausting work, it is a joyous work!

Alright. Spanish Lessons with Hermana Clark:

Cucaracha- cockroach. As in " We found 5 dead cockraches in our apartment this week! We also found 3 live cockroaches. They soon thereafter became dead cockroaches."

Superheroe- Superhero! As in "You're like a superhero, Hermana Clark!" You know why? Nothing too exciting. Just because half of everyone I talk to says "Like Clark Kent?" Whenever I say "Soy la Hermana Clark." A member of the ward also asked which "city near Denver" I am from, then he said "Like Peter Parker?" Now he, and occasionally the other missionaries in my district, call me Hermana Parker.

Misericordia- Mercy. As in "The Savior Jesus Christ is the definition of mercy." I feel that mercy each day, and I get to teach people about it. The mercy Christ grants us truly is beautiful.

Culture lesson: Door knocking.

We don't knock doors here. For one, it isn't an effective proselyting technique. Also, you can't knock on people's doors here because they gates in front of their houses. So when you go to someone's house, you stand outside the gate and yell "BUENAS TARDES!" which means "Good afternoon." If they don't hear you, you tap on their gate repeatedly with your keys. Then you try yelling again. And if they don't hear you after about 5 minutes, they either are not home, or they are ignoring you. So you leave.

Sometimes, though, you pass a house and they yell out to you. That happened this week. We were walking past a house and we heard "DIOS LOS BENDIGA!" which means "God bless you!" So we were like...let's go talk to her.

We went back and she came out and talked to us. She's a sweet Christian woman and we had an awesome converstation about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then she said we can come by any time to talk with her more! We love her.

When I got my call, a lot of people said "you'll get the best food!" I am pleased to inform you, that everyone was right! I eat the best food. The members feed us lunch each day, and it's always incredible! My only problem is that I'm not used to eating a huge lunch, so I can barely ever finish it all. I'm working on it though!

We make our own breakfast and dinner...we eat a lot of veggies, yogurt, and fruit with Tajín. Tajín is one of my favorite dicoveries...It's salty and spicy, and if you put it on mangoes, magical things happen. I like the spicy+sweet thing going on here. Spicy candied apples? Best thing.

Oh. This was fun. So the 4 of us Hermanas serving in my ward were at lunch with some members, when the Father of the family goes, "So, Hermana Clark, are you going to sing for us in Sunday School this week?" I'm like...perdon? He goes "I heard you sing- it was great?" Flashback to my first week. We were at lunch one day with all 6 of us missionaries serving in the ward and my companion said "Hermana Clark sings!" Then they made me sing a verse of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Apparently the member we were with that day took a video without me noticing and put it on Facebook. So the whole ward saw it.

So yeah, yesterday in Sunday School one of the Elders played the piano and I sang "Yo Sé Que Vive Mi Señor," Which is the hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." It was actually really nice. I enjoyed it :)

And we sing a lot! In every house we go into my companion asks if we can sing a hymn, then we sing for them. They love it. They say they love it because it brings such a beautiful feeling of peace.

You know what that feeling is? That's el Espíritu Santo! The Holy Spirit! And we get to testify of and with that power all the time!

I am so grateful to be here in Juarez! I am grateful to be here in Pradera Dorada (that's my area). I am so blessed!

Thank you all for your support and prayers! I love you! :)

~Hermana Hannah Jo Clark