Serving with a Smile in...Monterrey!: Settling in, getting a Coke, and just where he should be...in Monterrey!

Last week we heard only a couple of sentences letting us know that he had gotten to his mission, but nothing really of who or where he was going to actually serve. So, were anxiously awaiting his email on Monday, which did not come. Faith always comes into play on these things and we knew that as always "no news, is good news." Wednesday as I was preparing to leave work and get ready for our annual neighborhood campout, an email popped in with this: "I am Alive" I was so excited to see this. He said he was hoping to send photos soon and had so much to tell us. I immediately replied, and said I was hoping that was not all as we were leaving for the weekend and would not have internet service and then it would be another few days to hear from him. Then the letter popped in and pictures to follow. Wayne was on the train and was able to email back and forth with him and he said how he was doing well, it was a hectic day getting there, but all was well and he is so happy and just where he should be. But, I will let you read for yourselves. As you will see our Father in Heaven is very aware of this young man in every aspect of his journey and he is going and doing exactly what is best for him. Prayers are heard and answered, I am so sure of this. And with every email I am assured that this is once again happening in this Elder Clayton's adventure, too. Enjoy, it's a good one...

Hola de MTY Famila!!

So I will go day by day and tell you everything there is to tell. So last Monday was pretty hard. Getting here and traveling alone was stressful, but talking to all of you made my day. When Flew into Monterrey, it was incredible. I had googled that city so much, but to see it in real life was crazy. I haven't stopped sweating since I got here because it is so hot. even at night. So I met my Mission President, his wife and the other new missionaries and got our trainers! My companion is Elder Erwin from Provo and he is going home this transfer! He is a great missionary and we work well together. To get to our area, we take a bus ride for an hour and a half and get to watch a movie haha. But It is in the middle of nowhere. The city is pretty exciting and we go once a week for district meeting and the temple. The first night we got here we met the president went to the chapel and came home to our house and all the lights were on and the door was open........I for sure thought my first day in Mexico our house has been broken into haha. but nope. It was the owner of the house and she had come to inspect it!! It was soo messy from the past missionaries. So my first and second night we got home at 9 and cleaned until 1 am....we weren't happy at all and I was super tired. but she left to Monterrey and we pray that we will never see her again haha. on Tuesday we had district meeting in the city and that was fun, and then came back and started to explore the area. We have the whole city to ourselves and it is huge! Oh and by the way, I was supposed to be in the Saltillo mission but my visa never came so now I am in Monterrey West, funny how things turn out. right? So everyone here plays their music as loud as possible and all you hear is Spanish music, but the other day this car comes down the street playing the song shake it up, by the cars. It was so funny, my companion and I laughed pretty hard. on Sunday, we had church and 10 people showed up. So we have a lot of work to do. It is a whole other world down here and there is a lot of crazy stuff to see. but I am loving it. really am. It is hard and has been a hard week, but I have loved it and am going to love it. The Spanish is coming along and it was cool because I can talk with the Latins already and they love it haha. I can understand about 90% of it, but am sometimes restricted to what I want to say. but that will change. Today we went to the temple, we took the bus last night into the city and slept at elders house and woke up at 4 am to the temple. It was pretty cool! Then we went to DAIRY QUEEN!!! So crazy how many American things are down here. Everyone has a coke in hand too. pretty funny. Love MEXICO! Anyways, Love all of you!!

Elder Clayton