Week 10 - Weird Food and Crazy Dudes

¡Buenas Tardes!

All is well in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas.  Elder Reyes and I are enjoying the work and doing our best.  I´m hesitant to say this but I will anyway - I´m sick.  I´m not sure what I have yet, I should get the results from my sketchy lab test in a few hours.  Don´t worry though, I´m doing alright.  No major problems or anything like that. 

a sick me, sitting down at our Bishop's door

 

This week we received the buenas nuevas que now we don´t knock on doors anymore (I think this is a rule throughout most of Mexico).  Do you know if it changed back in the good ole USA?  Its pretty tough because we got a lot of new investigators and lessons through doing that.  Now we just contact in the street and work with referencias.  There is a minor problem with that though - like I said last week, nobody here knows their address, and the street names aren´t posted, so it´s really hard to follow up on street contacts and even referencias.  We´ll figure it out though, no worries.

Our bishop lleva less time as Bishop than I do as a missionary so we are learning together :)  Our teaching pool isn´t huge but we are working on it, I´m not sure of a number.  We have plenty to keep us busy.  

You are right about our location - our house is a bit lower but our area extends as far up the mountain as the houses do.  The hills can be pretty killer, especially at the end of the day.  Its just my companion and I in our house, nada más. Its still fun though.

looking up at the mountains

BTW The better place to take pictures is up at the top of my area, but since we can´t take pictures when we are out during the day I don´t really have any good ones.  Sorry. I´ll try to keep them interesting though.  

Mom - the Tyler story was hilarious - classic for sure.  I wish I was that quick witted.  Elder Christofferson (I´m going to hell because I don´t know how to spell his name) spoke to us at the MTC about 10 things President Monson would say if he was there.  His first one...he would tell you that he loves you.  Pretty cool huh.

Mikele! - you are such a champion!  I don´t think anyone has ever turned in mission papers that fast!!!  santa vaca haha!  Its really good to hear that you are loving BYU Jew and dominating your classes.  I hate to burst your bubble but I am very not fluent in Spanish - well MTC spanish yes, Mexican spanish not at all.  I´m working at it though and hoping to see some improvement soon.  I´m so excited to hear about your call - I definitely predict Spanish Speaking :)  Thanks so much for your email.  I love you!

at the Tuxtla Gutierrez Temple

 

This week we had four investigators come to church, which is much more like it.  Unfortunately the girl we were going to baptize next Saturday, Patsy, didn´t come, so we will have to push back her date.  We have a pretty good outlook on baptisms though, hopefully it will pan out.  I´ve really really developed a love for reading the scriptures.  Without those morning hours to study I´m not sure how I would do it. They are absolutely my strength from day to day. 

Fun culture fact: Most common music here - 

1. The kind of stuff you hear in mexican restaurants.

2. "I´m sexy and I know it"

3. The rest of the popular american songs.

4. Mariachi. haha

Could you do me a favor and send me one of Roy´s mission emails (preferably from his 2nd or 3rd week). I´d like to see what he thought. 

Um that's about all I think, thank you so much for your emails!

I love you all!

Elder Clark Roth

Week 9 - Buenos Dias from Tuxtla!

I have a billion things tell you, but not too much time. I`m in an area called Reforma in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez. 

Its pretty incredible here, for sure a different world.  In fact I can`t think of a single thing here that is really that similar to the United States.  I would tell you my address but I don`t really know it. The streets here hardly have names and the numbers are completely random.  haha.  Its different than I thought it would be.  Some streets are paved, some aren`t.  Some houses have running water, some don`t.  (I really have used a bucket!)  The food is kinda weird, its good though.  There has only been one thing that I had to clinch my teeth to keep down.  haha.  It is hotter than a certain continent known for its wildlife - not going to lie.  When we return home at night my shirts are totally soaked in sweat - its so gross.  Umm, our house has running water, but the water is not heated. I got used to the cold showers after two days though - I actually enjoy them now.  I really wish you could see it here.  I`m loving it!  Oh one more fun thing.  The collectivos (our form of the public bus) -  basically Crazy Taxi in real life.  They drive completely crazy, make change for the passengers as they drive, honk every .67 seconds, and are either full throttle or full brakes.  I love them!

Spanish is pretty tough, my first day I couldn`t understand anything, but I`m improving.  It can be pretty frustrating but I`m working through it.  I can probably understand about 60% of what people say, and explain myself most of the time.  It will be a big learning curve though.

My companion is named Elder Reyes, he is from Hidalgo, Mexico and can hardly speak a word of English.  He is great!  This is his 3rd time training, and I´m his second gringo.  We are working hard and having fun, I like him a lot.  He also speaks a language called Tzu Tzil (there is no way that is spelled right).  He learned it in the field. So basically he is a boss.

Its great to hear from you all, sounds like life is going well.  Brett, I`m glad to hear about Lihn`s interest in the church, that's fantastic!

Unfortunately, we had a bit of a bummer week. We committed about 10 people to come to church with us, and nobody came. We went by their house, and they weren`t there.  But you just gotta keep working and doing your best.  I`m confident we`ll have good success this week.  It can be pretty tough - I never really believed people when they talked about how hard a mission is - but I do now.  The thing is though that every tough moment is matched by a good one.  I really have felt the power of the Comforter. 

Enjoy the pictures, sorry there aren`t more. 

Me doing laundry the old fashioned way

My bucket

At the house of a member 

(notice the foam I`m sitting on)

Welp, that's about all I have time for. Have a great week!

I love you!
Elder Roth

PS. Roy, when I get back we are for sure doing the Baja 1000 in a baja bug! haha

EXTRA!! TUXTLA!!

Hola!

I´m in Tuxtla!  I only have about 10 minutes so this will be short, but all is well :)  It´s 6:18am right now and its already about 90° and super humid.  One of the advantages of not having air conditioning is that last night I slept just fine on a bare mattress with no sheets because it was so warm.  You certainly wouldn´t mistake this place for the USA, its totally crazy!  But I love it!  Our travel day yesterday was super long and confusing but it was pretty good all said.  I gave out a Libro de Mormon to a guy who was heading to Venezuela, which was pretty cool.  I also saw Tad R. Callister and Elder Stanley Ellis in the Salt Lake airport.

I wish you could see it here.  Its so awesome!  I´ll be sure to take some pictures and hopefully I can send them on my next pday.  Ok, I gotta go

I love you,

Elder Clark Roth

If you would like to write a letter to Elder Roth, send it to:

Elder Clark Alan Roth

México Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mission

Apartado Postal 278

29000 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas

Mexico

Send packages to:

Elder Clark Alan Roth

México Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mission

Calle Jazmines #210

Fracc. Los Laureles

29020 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas

Mexico

If you use a private carrier, as opposed to USPS

you will need to add the Mission home phone number which is:

52 961-671-9761

Also, he can receive email from anyone!!  

(He just can't reply via email)

Please email him at:

clark.roth@myldsmail.net

Week 8 - Leaving the MTC for Mexico Tomorrow!

Hola!

This week has been totally rocking.  I can definitely call home from the airport.  I'll probably wait till I'm in Houston to call, so I think that will be around noon.  I'm not quite sure though so it would be great if you could try to keep the afternoon somewhat open.  And I'll go ahead and call the house (because I still haven't memorized your cell phone number mom haha). 

Conference totally rocked! We did indeed go a bit insane with the new missionary age requirements - I refrained from clapping or shouting but I was pretty much dying with excitement. As soon as President Monson said "we've also taken the Young Women into consideration" I knew Mikele would be going!  My heart was beating fast the entire first session because I was so excited.  From what I've heard BYU is going insane with applications - those poor Bishops :)  Also I support the decision to go as soon as possible for Mikele because the MTC is going to be totally insane this summer.  Right now the capacity is about 4,000 missionaries; they're anticipating 10,000...

I'm glad you got the pictures, it was cool to run into Boman. 

Dad - Hanna Park sounds awesome have fun. That reminds me of something funny related to bikes. One of my teachers went to the Colombia Barranquilla mission, where it is 105 and 90% humidity everyday. He had a bike for a total of 4 days on his mission before it was stolen. He said it was the best 4 days of his mission haha. Needless to say I'm not anticipating riding a bike - at least not for long ;).  This also reminds me of something kinda funny.  In Spanish there are two ways to say "you", tu and usted.  (sorry there isn't a Spanish keyboard option on this computer, so no accents.)  Missionaries usually use usted because it is more formal but when we pray we use tu because it is more intimate.  I've been praying so much in Spanish now, that when I pray in English I kinda have to translate it from Spanish, so now I always say you instead of thee because it is less formal/ I'm just a delk who can't speak English or Spanish anymore. 

Well, I am SOOO excited to go to Mexico. The MTC is great but, I won't lie, I'm ready for it to be over.  I'm jealous of all the new missionaries who will only have 6 weeks here.  I'm glad to hear that Chiapas is the most beautiful place in the world - I have no doubt that I will love it!  I'm really not at all nervous, which is cool.  I've been trying my hardest everyday so I know that the Lord will bless me with everything he wants me to have.  I've been thinking that if the Lord wanted me to speak Spanish perfectly, I would.  So obviously there is something for me to learn from the hard times.  I've decided its that I get to see more easily that this is the Lord's work and not my own, and he can do his own work.

Elder Bednar spoke to us this week, but I'm kinda out of time.  I'll just leave you with a spiritual thought.

This is mission prep in one scripture: Alma 26:13 which reads:

Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice? 

"The power of his word which is in us" is what makes all the difference. So how do we get it? I'll leave that up to you to find out.

I love you all,

Elder Clark Roth

EXTRA!! Spotted at the MTC

Andee-Dawn sent these pictures of Elder Roth, which were taken October 9th, by Roy's friend Boman, (a teacher at the MTC).  

Elder Roth with Brother Boman

Clark and his MTC Companion

Week 7 - Espeaking Espanish

¡Hola!

Life is good as always here in the MTC.  This week was relatively exciting as I got to leave our beautiful three acres to go to the Mexican Consulate in SLC.  I´ve got my visa and travel plans, so I will be going to Mexico on October 15.  Wahoo!   Just so you know, my P-day next week will be on a Saturday so don't freak when you don't get an email from me on Friday :)  Also, we are allowed to call home in the airport, so what do you think of that.  I'm totally fine either way so I will do whatever you prefer.

Sad to hear that Murphy died, but I'm sure its for the better.  Now you can get some new carpet. haha. 

Also, not sure if you've heard but Mikele got proposed to this week by a Turkish man.  Somehow she was able to resist though so it looks like I'm still in luck. :)

 Dad- I laughed out loud as I read the first line of your email. The good ole apple device. I always loved the post-priesthood battle ball game - its good to see the tradition continue.  We watch General Conference in our gymnasium which has the most uncomfortable seats that could possibly be formed in this telestial world. haha. But I'm so excited to watch it in the company of 2500 missionaries.  I am so excited to go to Mexico!  I love the MTC but I'm out here to serve, not just to learn.  So there won't be any tears shed upon my departure date.  I feel relatively ready - I'm really not at all concerned about the language or anything  (not that I'm super confident, I just know I'm doing my best so I'm not going to worry about it.)  Its great to hear that Tom is doing well and loving the mission, he is awesome. To answer your exercise question: yes and no. I haven't put on any weight but that's really more a result of me not eating much.  In gym time I usually either row or play beach volleyball.  It can be a pretty good workout, but during the other 23 hours of the day I'm pretty sedentary.  But all is well.

Congratulations to Amanda!  (Wendy: she closed on the house she bought)  that's super cool - I love Salt Lake so much. I hope everything goes well there. I'm also hoping that the Israel trip works out, I think that would be so cool. With a little luck I might get to go to Jerusalem, Chiapas. Not quite the same but what can you do?  

Here was a pretty cool experience from one of my lessons this week.  Our investigator's name was Cesar and he totally rocks.  He asked us if other people feel the Holy Ghost, and if they do, then how can we know that we are the one true Church of Jesus Christ?   Elder Scott and I did our best to explain the answer but I think all three of us knew it just wasn't cutting it.  Finally I had the thought to take it all to the Book of Mormon, which he had read and felt was the word of God.  I just explained that no other church has this book.  So it is really the test of everything we say.  If it is true, then our message is true and our Church is true.  If it is false, then we are out here for nothing.  In reality that's pretty basic stuff that certainly every missionary should know and be able to teach well, but I know that it was the Spirit that gave me that thought.  So, two things: 1. The Spirit really does give us what we need to say in the very moment we need it, and 2. The Book of Mormon is the only way I know of to gain a witness of the truth of this Church.  Its really a simple test, all we have to do is invite people to take it.  One of my teachers, Hermano Miller said that he never had one person on his mission that had read the Book of Mormon prayerfully, deny that it was the word of God.  Every single one of them knew.

Well I don't have much more time.  I hope everyone that reads this has a great week.  Remember to put the Book of Mormon to the test everyday.

I love you,

Elder Clark Roth