Serving with a Smile in...Monterrey!: Another Week in Vegas...will it be His Last...

The weather is still hot as he is reporting, but his spirits are still awesome. We received a letter from President and Sister Neider that they are challenging them to read the Book of Mormon with the soaring temperatures of as high as 117 degrees, they are pursuing a 'Refiner's Fire' in their personal study. So they invited the families to join in. We have also been asked to read the Book of Mormon as a stake due to the youth going on Quest. And so because we have been doing this anyway and are trying to get through it we decided to do this along with the mission in Vegas for the time being as he awaits his Visa. President Neider promises this to us if we do:

I promise you, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, That if you will continue to study the Book of Mormon and the scriptures up to an hour a day, such spiritual power will come into your life that you will feel the veil open to you; you will have the blessing of being ministered to by angels, and feel inspiration of the Spirit.

You will have the power to influence others without exerting control or taking their free agency. You will also feel the Savior draw near to you in fulfilment of the blessing that have been promised in the Book of Mormon. And if you are prayerful about a problem that requires divine assistance, your prayers will be answered. President Michael A. Neider

Don't you just love that? Who couldn't benefit from that promise. We are going to take that challenge, and we are also going to offer that to our tribe on Quest as we are going to be Tribal Leaders at Quest.

Sister Neider also wrote a little personal message on the back that said: we are grateful to have Elder Clayton with us! He is an outstanding young man and can have a nice opportunity here as he waits for his Visa. Thanks! We love him!

We also got a package from him this week full of fun things: a random license plate he found on the street, key chains, and a handwritten letter to each of us. The one to me was so tender and sweet. Most of all just thanking me for having a clean home and apologizing for not being as clean as he could have been and that I would be so proud of him. Funny, how Bridger sent me a similar one when he was out in the mission field, too. I, try to tell them that when they are here, but they just don't seem to get, it. But, oh those are great letters to get. Love him so much. And, it meant so much to me. Even if it took for him to be out on his own to understand what I tried to teach him before he left, oh well.

This week he was also able to go to lunch with my friend from the Church Offices as well as a message appeared on Facebook from a friend in Michigan who's in-laws live in Vegas and her husband was there visiting and Stetson was in his parents living room. He called his wife who I went to high school with and she could hear him laughing and practicing his Spanish. She said he is a good Elder and hard worker. They love him there. So, this last week, with Sister Neider, my friend Trina and the in-laws of my friend from high school I have had such good reports of his hard work and how much they all love him down in Vegas. They may have a hard time letting him go from their city. I can see their is a reason he has had a little lay-over in their city as he has practiced his Spanish and I have gotten used to his being away. I have a friend that said, I am lucky to have such "spies" I have to agree. Enjoy this week's letter...

Hello Family! This week was kind of up and down, but it was all good. I went on exchanges twice this week, once with our zone leader and the other time with district leader. Those days were pretty fun. We went to In-N-Out and that was way good! I am hoping I get the visa this week, I just have a feeling it will be this week. I hit my one month mark on Saturday so my Comp and I baked a cake! Time really does fly! Vegas is super hot. Like so hot I can't even fall asleep at night. Our apartment is on top and our air conditioning barely works! So I take cold showers at night and then I can fall asleep haha. There is an Elder here in Vegas who is from Monterrey, and his dad is a bishop there! So I can't wait wait to get there. On Thursday I was on bike for the exchange! It was way hot and you get really sweaty, we biked to dinner and had El Pollo Loco! Always a good site to see haha. Other than that, the members are good to us and I am doing well! Love all of you and Happy Birthday to Caleb today! 15 years old!

Elder Clayton

When Wayne and I got married we went to Vegas and found this same street and took a similar picture. I am sure that Stetson saw this picture, but never really gave it much thought. Fun that he took one and sent it home. We were sure surprised and excited to think he had done the same almost 24 years later. Who would have thought a boy of ours would have served a mission at that same spot where a picture had been take so many years prior?

This Elder is from Monterrey and his dad serves as a bishop there. I think Elder Clayton is hoping to meet his father there when he gets there...

This young man in the middle is Nicholas. He is Stetson's brother from Trek. Nicholas holds a special place in Stetson's heart and Nicholas' mom found Wayne at Ross in Farmington on the Fourth of July and came to say hello. We were so excited to see him and take pictures to send to Elder Clayton. Stetson took pictures with him of home and he has a few pics of he and Nicholas. He loves him! This was Bridger's first meeting of Nicholas, but he had heard great things about him, and he was not disappointed. We all love Nicholas! He is just another brother to add to the Clayton boys.

This is my good friend, Trina and her husband Lonny who I worked many years with at the Church Office Building as an Operator. We worked many grave shifts together and she has been my angel in Vegas as she has feed, hugged and watched out for him there. She never met him in person, but heard many, many stories about him as we worked together many years together. I love this fine sister, and I can not thank her enough for being there for him. I know he has had a 2nd mom taking good care of him while he waits for his Visa with the Fonua Family.

Bridger says that this is one lucky elder having Elder Clayton as his companion with all the friends he seems to make or come in contact with, I can't help but agree with him. We love Elder Clayton and appreciate all who have come into his path that have helped him as he awaits his Visa to go to Monterrey. Thank you so much Nevada Las Vegas Mission. He is loving it there, too. And we love you for taking care of him.