New Zone Leader & Living the Dream

He was transferred after being in the same area for over seven months. But as you will see it's a great and wonderful change. No pictures this week. Hope this isn't what's coming. I'm not used to that. I'll include a couple from last week that he sent and one from Elder Gomez that he mentions. He is the companion he trained and loved serving with. You can read the joy in his words. Thanks for following his journey. Enjoy...

 Hello Clayton family! This week was transfers and I am now here in the ward of Huesteca and back in the stake of Mitras!! I am super excited to be here in this area and to be a Zone Leader in this zone. This seriously was the dream, to be here, and now I am here! Also, Elder Gomez is in my Zone!! I will be doing divisiones with him and he is training. he has 9 months, so thats crazy to me. Oh and there is a return missionary here from Honduras San Pedro Sula that knew Bridger! So crazy. He was Elder Cortez, his first zone leader was Elder Peterson, so he knew Elder Peterson more than bridger, but still its cool. Ever since arriving to the mission, everyone talked about this ward and how sweet it was. and now here I am! I am more than excited to be here with Elder Wells, who I actually met in the MTC, he is super cool and we are pumped to be here to work! I was sad to leave San Bernabe, but after the baptism of Katherin, I really felt like my work was done there, if that doesnt sound to crazy. So I am here and I am excited, the Zone is excited and very young, so we should be having lots of success. Love you all!!

No pictures this week so I'll add this one.  He is in the same district with Elder Gomez whom he loves.  He sounds so happy!!!

His Package Arrives in 14 Days...Unbelievable!

This week it was so great to get his email and see that he is doing so well.  This is an answer to our prayers as you will see that things are progressing and he is exactly where he should be.  His email was coming in right as I was leaving for lunch so I was able to chat back and forth to him.  As I was sitting and reading in Robintinos and he was telling me he received the box that I had sent of things he had wanted of just basically treats for all these people he loves so much, it took only 14 days to get to him.  That is insane.  They never get there so fast.  I told him, I had prayed so hard for it to get there before he was moved as I knew his time was drawing near that he could be changed.  He said that after the baptism of Katherine he felt that his time in this area could be done.  So, with tears running down my cheeks the waitress asked me if everything was ok.  And, I said, yep, it's perfect!  Enjoy, it's another great one!

Hola Familia y amigos! I wrote just last wednesday, but so much has happened since then, First I want to say the story about Sister O´leary is super cool and I know missionares are protected, I am glad she is okay and everything is good. Well, on Friday we had a ward party of Dia de Independencia de Mexico! it was super fun and we had 5 investigatores go to the party to know more of the members! I brought my Serape from Jose Manuel and my mask from another Hermana haha. Everyone loved it and it was a good time, on saturday we woke up super early to go to a dentist appointment for my comp, so at 8 we arrived at his house after an hour and half of traveling and his mission call had arrived! He is just filling in the place of Elder Clements for 3 weeks, so it was fun to open up his mission call, he is going to Brazil! Rio de Jaienero, so he will be able to speak 3 languages! That was fun, oh and it was raining alll day! and the streets just turn in to rivers, no joke like 2 feet of water everywhere- so we got super wet and then got back to our area, ate the food with the member, went back to our house and then to the baptism!! It was an amazing baptism, I am grateful because the Adultos Soleteros, helped us out alot with the progam and made itvery special. I had the privelege to baptise Katherin in the same place as her father and then she was confirmed yesterday. She has great support from the ward and she will be a very strong member. Oh and she already invited a friend yesterday to church! Everything started from just one contact on April 16th! That was a very long time ago, that day we talked to her and gave her a folleto to read and never heard anything back until her Grandma called us with the number we had given her on the back of the folleto!  Ahora, estamos trabajando con su madre para ser bautizada!! :) Estoy muy agradecido por esta obra, y por esta opurtunidad estar aqui en esta area. Yo se que el Señor me conoce y como misioneros somos instrumentos, siendo guidados a encontrar los personas que han sido preparados. Les amo muchísimo, cuidense!!

Elder Clayton 

A funny thing happened 3 days ago, we were walking and we were about to to another way, but there was a lady walking with a little girl and I felt like we should talk to her, and I am glad we did. As we were talking to her, turns out they are from Honduras, her and her husband and two kids, she then told me she was from Progreso, an area where Bridger had been. I got excited, showed her a picture of Bridger Caleb and I at the homecoming and my jersey of Honduras. then we passed by yesterday and just her two kids were there, Kelvin. who is 11, thought I was Bridger!! It made my heart swell, to meet a kid in the middle of mexico that had played football with my brother in Honduras. Just the craziest thing. I showed him the photo again, and he thought I was Bridger because Bridger and him, and other Elders played soccer together in the church in Progreso. Small world! Now we are going to start to teach them, it is a sad story why they are here, but the Gospel will help them.

 My comp got his mission call so, we went to his house and opened it up!! 

 He is going to Rio De Jainero Brazil!

This is the boy that played soccer with Bridger in Honduras, this is not coincidence, He is truly in charge of all His children.

 Baptism of Katherine! 

 I am certain her father was there to witness the baptism of his daughter.  Well done Elder Clayton!

Saying Good-Bye to His Friend & the Plan of Salvation is True

This week's email is a hard one to see that as you send your son out to serve a mission they will experience hard times, and one of the many miracles is to watch how much love they have for these people.  You will see that his heart is broken, and in return, mine is, too.  It is so hard at these times that it is when I realize my testimony is growing right along with his. We could not ask for more than this.  Enjoy, this one is a good one.

I read your email as tears stream down my face.  I knew that it was going to happen this week.  The spirit whispered to my heart.  As I prayed for this sweet friend of yours, I knew that it was you that brought the light of the gospel to him as he found peace and could go back Home.  He will be fine and can wait for the rest of his family.  However, it is ok to be sad as it is hard.  Remember that scripture that the one soul that you can save how great can be your joy.  Can you imagine the joy you have brought to him.  I am so proud of you.  I love you so much and know that Heavenly Father sent you there for so many reasons, but Jose Manuel was definitely one of them.

Stay strong, and love those people.  I will continue to pray for all of them.  Thank you for giving me their names.   I love when I can pray for them individually.

 

 Love always,  MOM

 

Jose Manuel - Until we meet again my brother & friend!

So to start out, the last week I was asking for you all to pray for Jose Manuel. I was thinking about him all day on Monday, his wife had called to see if we could visit him in the hospital, but it was a little far away. So we get back to our area and about 6 pm and his wife, Patty called us and told us that he had been released from the hospital and that it was a miracle. I was stunned, and she told us that he wanted to see me at the house and they were just about to get there, so as we are headed to his house, we get another call and his wife and called  to tell us that he had just passed away. I had never been so sad in my mission to hear this news. I started running to his house and we weren't far and he had passed away in his house on his bed in peace. It was a very unusual experience for me, I was sad because his family were all crying all around him, His mom, the abuelita was there, us and his wife and daughter Katherin. I offered a prayer and other family started to show up, I  cried pretty hard to see such a good friend go. but it gave me the strength to know for my self that the Plan of Salvacion. The very plan we had taught him, he was now living the next step. All that I could think of was the scripture in Alma 40:11 and 12- Where it talks about the state of the spirit between death and the resureccion. I know its true and I know I will see my friend another time. The Death is just a small step in the grand scheme of it all. I told few other Elders, and tuesday we went to his funeral, where a lot of members showed up and he had a little under two months as a member. Elder Delgado, my dear friend who was my Zone Leader told me that death is hard to except for us because we are eternal beings and ¨the end¨ just doesn't make sense to us. I was pretty sad Monday and tuesday but I got better on Wednesday because I had been praying hard for all of his family and we saw them the day after the funeral and they are fine. They are very strong people, and realize that we have been a fundamental for them in this moment of trial. Oh and his daughter is going to be baptized this Saturday. She bore her testimony on Sunday in front of everyone, and said that she knows the church is true because she has never seen the hand of God in her life as much as this moment of need. I am extremely grateful for Nuestro Padre Celestial and for the time I have had here in this area to be a part of this famlies life and to have helped my friend, Jose Manuel Peña Flores come to Christ in the last moments of his life. In his funeral, the ward planned a little program and I read the scripture in Mosiah 5:2. which I love and testified of that I had witnessed this change in his heart. Well, that's about it Family. I love you so much. Oh as well, I know the power of pray is true. If you could keep the little brother of Elder Gomez in your prayers, he has cancer, and I guess he is pretty sad. Love you so much. I am grateful for the gospel and el plan de salvacion. Love you! 

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Elder Clayton

His Zone

 Mi serape which is pancho from Hermano Jose Manuel and mask from another hermana.

Carmen and Jose Guadalupe are progressing super bien.

Last junta de distrito con el poderoso Delgado. mi amigo en la mision. 

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Learning to Pray for his Friends & Sacrifice Brings for Blessings and Humility

This week's email was short and no pictures which we are not used to.  He was unable to get his funds from his account, and his week was harder than he has had.  He is not one to complain, or seem discouraged and so I was sad to not be able to chat with him much.  I did send a couple of emails letting him know that of course we would continue to pray for his investigators and members like I have always done.  However, sometimes it seems Satan works so hard to get these people to not understand or commit, and it is like he is working overtime right now on some of these.  I know it is extremely hard on him as he has grown to care so deeply for Jose Manuel.  As I pray each night I ask for our Father's spirit to be with him and that he is at peace.  I am certain that with his membership in the gospel, this will bring so much joy to him and has.  I am so grateful Stetson is there for him.  Oh, I hope he gets his money soon.  He has never been without, however, sometimes, sacrifice brings forth more blessings and understanding.  Even from those of us just watching and waiting to hear the outcome.  Love him so much.  Thanks for following his journey and for the prayers in his behalf it is always appreciated and felt by all of us...

 

Hey this week was pretty rough haha. My comp left Monday evening. I slept with other elders Tuesday and got my comp who is a joven and is getting ready for the mission, but this week was hard because not just one thing but multiple things just sucked. Jose Manuel, is in the hospital, and isnt doing very well. Our one eternal investigators who I love, their husbands dont want us visiting any more. Oh and I didn't have any money for 4 days! because we had to take taxi to the offices and back and we live super far away and I had to pay the light bill. so on Friday I went to take money out from my church card and the rent for the house and it was about 200 dollars and it went through, the transaction but there was no money! and on the screen came up as error, so I tried the next day and there was nothing in my account. so i lost like $200, but it was the machines error and the secretaries, well elder clements is working on that. so I had to take money out again, I am sorry, but I didn't have much and I don't know when my money from the church is going to come again. so its been hard, but I am doing well! I hope the package comes that will make me happy! haha love you! 

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Elder Clayton