Listening & Understanding Better in Spanish...his First Language Now

It is apparent that he is very immersed in his work and the language as you read and see that he understands and listens better in Spanish.  Oh, how I love this.  He is doing so well, and getting closer to the end of this journey, and yet I know how hard and sad it will be for him.  Not slowing down and very focused, he is doing super.  You can see as you read this week's email.  It's awesome...

Hola Familia! Well I was very inspired this general conference, I loved it! The first session on Saturday I watched it with some other Elders in English, but it wasn't the same, funny huh? It didn't feel like the talks where getting to me, so then the rest of the sessions I watched it in Spanish and it clicked, funny how that it. I enjoyed all of the talks, I really liked the stories, especially about the seventy who called his sister and she was reactivated because he invited her to watch conference and he related it to the Prodigal son. I liked the classic Jeffery R Holland and the talk of the prophet, it it was very inspiring. This week went by fast, we are trying to look for new people, our converts are doing excellent, still waiting confirmation, but that will be held on this Sunday. A cool experience my companion and I had yesterday, we had talked with about 20 people who didn't want anything, and sometimes it kind of drains you when people don't want anything or you don't see that people are going to progress. So we sat down on a bench in a park and I asked my companion, What does it take to get a new investigator around here?! ha ha because in these last few weeks, we haven't found very many. and my comp suggested a prayer, so we prayed, and after the prayer we contacted 2 more people, nada, then rounded the corner and there was a lady with her little daughter and I decided to talk to her, she was just coming from work, and she was super nice, after getting to know her, she is a widow, she is from Guadalajara and she was very interested in what we had to say. Honestly, after meeting new people like that, you just want to pray again to give thanks to God and sending people like her in our way. We will see her in a few days, and she was very excited. I have a habit to pray for people we come into contact, maybe they will never progress, but we may have an impact on them. Well changes are coming up this next week!! We will see what happens, I now have 5 changes as zone leader, I am thinking I will be made mayor, and I am excited! ha ha  I love you all, I cant believe that I have flight plans, but I am excited and still focused. I don't know why, but I have always had the wish to go to Atlanta, and I will be flying there! Its just a stop, but I cant wait! love you all!

--
Elder Clayton

 This last week we were walking and I looked down and saw my name on the black part of the box!! I was going to take the part of the box that said my name home when I saw the rest of the box just sitting there. It's funny the little things you see that make your day!

Found this on the wall walking, says a scout is always prepared but in Spanish. actually about a month ago, there was a family walking and they were all dressed up as scouts! Like boy scouts, just like I did, but with different badges, I went to go approach the dad to strike up a conversacion, and he totally ignored me and lead his family away from us haha. It's its what a scout would do, but whatever.  We talk with so many people that don't want anything, but its worth it to find the people that need the message we have.

Went to the temple with Elder Mayo so we heard from him on Wednesday this week.

My conversation with him included this:   wow that is crazy, I am good, just looking at slcc stuff, everything worked out, i have had problems with my feet this last week, I think I got rid of the fungus,but the shoes that i bought weren't that good, so i started to get blisters!! if its not one thing, its another, but its all good. i have one my black shoes from Mr mac, the original. 
I feel like I am new with how my feet feel, its all good I bought some new soles for 2 dollars haah

We Need the Book of Mormon & Three Baptisms

 This week's email told of the baptism of Sonia, Samantha and Alejandro.  These people that they have been working so hard with and to see their changes is so great.  Stetson had asked me to pray for them individually in my personal prayers.  Which I did each day.  So, exciting to see this happen and know that in someway, I may have helped with their understanding of the importance of this wonderful change in their lives.  We were so excited to know that it happened on Sunday.

Here's his email.  They just keep getting better and better. 

Hello Family! Well I am glad that we had our baptism yesterday! Wow, so many things came up in this baptism, they had to meet with Presidente, but it was all good, and later, well this week on Friday they cut the water for the church! So we were going to baptism in the stake center, but then they fixed it, and we filled up the pila. A lot of events, but everything turned out well! I baptized Samantha, how we found her was a miracle, and just at the right time of coming out of her place to be received by us. The Lord truly prepares the people, its amazing to see how they come prepared to receive the Gospel and to see the true desire and need for the church. Oh and next week we are going to the temple, so I will be writing on Wednesday, hopefully we will be going to Costco again! The Costco trip with the zone was super fun last time. oh and I talked with Elder Gomez about our family in Mitras that are going to be sealed, he said they will have a date really soon, we are excited to see them get sealed. Oh and I read the Book of Mormon another time, finished it just this week, now I am reading the Bible for Easter, man its so interesting how many churches there are and how far they can get from the truth. We talk to people all day that just don't get it haha. We need the book of Mormon, I love the people who are humble and accept the book of Mormon, and understand the need for this book. I look forward to general conference to see what the prophet and apostles say to the world. I love this time! love you all! 

--

Elder Clayton

This is my third baptism of three people, and one year ago today was the baptism of Joel and Joel in Mitras with Elder Gomez!

Last Zone Conference, more Baptisms, & they are so Loved in this Area.

These emails just get better and better.  He was able to be on with his dad this week and only once with me.  Due to his feet and shoes being always wet, they have a yucky fungus.  But in true Stetson fashion he laughs it off and never complains.  I hope it goes away.  I am now praying for his feet...and I really don't like feet, ha-ha.  He is doing great and this month marks his 22nd month.  So exciting and yet sad for him.  With every email I know he is not wanting it to end.  Enjoy, another great one...

Hola Familia! So this last week we had zone conference, it went very well, but it was kind of sad because I gave my last testimony in front of everyone! I had seen many Elders do it, but wow, it was a little crazy, but everyone has their time. After the conference, we went with President Swapp in his car to the house of Sonia and Samantha and had their interview, President gave the green light so that they can be baptized, they were going to be baptized yesterday, but Sonia wants her best friend, who has a daughter in law here in this ward to be there, so we are going to wait until the 29th! We are all excited and they are more than excited, in fact they went and saw Meet the Mormons and loved it! They are excellent people, so keep them in your prayers if you could. This last week it rained quite a bit, everyday it rained, we got soaked, but today is really nice so everything is drying out. Everyone in the zone is doing well, its week 4 and I am pretty sure this next change I will be going somewhere else to end my mission. Its hard to think about home, but its coming right up haha., I am focused but its hard not to think about it. Elder Gomez is in the area where I trained him at, and we are going to seal the family Briones pretty soon, I will keep you all updated but we are excited for that, he is doing better, he hurt his knee but all is well. The other day we went to a mercado, like a market and we stopped at a place selling all sorts of random stuff and I looked a little closer and everything was from the DI!! Everything, and they all had the stamps on the stuff, picture frames, kitchen supplies, it was funny to see, one mans junk is another mans treasure. Well, I am super excited for our baptisms this next Sunday, so is the ward, the last year they only had 6 baptisms! So us and the hermanas have baptized more in the first three months then all of last year. They love us! I love you all, cuidanse mucho!!

--

Elder Clayton

Alejandro, Samantha and Sonja.  Most likely will be baptized on 3.29.15

Let it Rain!

Even a week of solid rain doesn't seem to get him too down.  He and I were able to chat back and forth and he told me of his shoes having mold in them.  Thankfully, he finally bought a new pair.  We received his flight plans on Thursday.  So, on May 27 @ 4:20 p.m. he will arrive home.  Not going to lie, I cried.  I want him home so badly, and yet I know it is so hard for it to end for him, too.  He is doing wonders and seeing miracles as he serves so faithfully and with such obedience.  But, I know him and he will finish strong until the end.  Enjoy, they just get better and better...

 

Buenas Tardes Famila! Como estan? This last week was good, it was kind of hard with so much rain, it rained every day last week but one, so it is kind of hard to find new people in this weather, but its going well. I bought new shoes in the market the other day, the other ones didnt work out anymore, my black shoes hurt because there is no support on the heel and the brown ones had been wet for about a month hahaa. so you can imagine, but I bought new ones, and I am sure it will last till the end for me. So we were going to have the baptism of Samantha, Sonia, and Alejandro, but it turns out they need to talk to Presidente Swapp, so we moved it to the next week. This last week, we knocked on their gate, and we talked to the neighbor of Samantha and Sonia and we invited her with us to the lesson and she came! The neighbor was crying during the whole lesson, we talked about The Plan of Salvacion, it was a really cool lesson, The Sister Missionaries, baptized last week and the ward is really happy, in the year of 2014 there was only 5 baptisms in this ward! but we are changing things in Las Puentes, its an excellent ward, in fact we had a carne asada on saturday and also I bought a little portable grill in the market, I will send photos next week! We are doing well with everything, and hoping and praying hard for these three baptisms next sunday! I love you all! It is crazy that Bridger has been home now for two years!! wow! that is just crazy, I told dad this, but I always carry the photo of us 3 when he got home at the airport. Love  you all! adios! 

--

Elder Clayton

 

Conversation through email with him:  Mom:   Life is good.  It's beautiful today.  72!!! Crazy right.  Had my sunroof open and radio on during lunch.  Hope this lasts forever.

 

I saw the pics, you look like you had a great time.  Did you know it was four years ago we took Bridger to the MTC, and two we picked him up?  Wow, hard to believe

 

Elder Clayton: oh wow yeah, I didnt realize that it was 4 years ago with the mtc, that is crazy! I have that picture as well.   About his shoes: well, one shoe I ripped apart, on the whole inside, it was infested with mold! it was bad, It wasn't healthy at all

 

Mom: Man, thank heavens you are watched over and protected from someone above.  I am forever grateful for that!

 They played and had a great time for their Pday today!

 

 

Another New Companion & Fasting and Prayer

New companion, same area! Hola! Well last week was a little different with all the companions that I had, but everything worked out and now I have a new companion named Elder May de Yucatan, Merida! He is a good Elder, and he is energetic and lots of fun, a lot of Elders left the zone, and many new faces arrived. We are excited to start a new change and get things rolling. This past sunday, we had 5 investigatores in church and  we will be having a baptism of three this sunday! We are super excited. Sonia, Samantha and Alejandro will be going to be baptized. Its cool because its three generations, Sonia is the grandma, Samantha is the daughter, and Alejandro is the grandson. The Hermana Sonia was a reference from a member that sent us to her. About 5 weeks ago, we kneeled down said a prayer and we invited this member to think of someone who we could share our message with, it was a saturday before fast sunday, so we invited her to do it as a part of her fast and it was a miracle what occured. We went back 4 days later and sent us to Sonia, another daughter answered the door and told us to come back the next day, so we did, I went back with someone else from the ward and we sang a hymn and asked Sonia some questions to get to know her and found out that her daughter, Samantha was in Rehab, she had been in for about 7 months, and she expressed her love for her daughter and cried. I talked about baptism, and she accepted the invitation. We promised that God was going to bless her and we set another date to come back, we went back, taught a lesson, and invited her to church, the first week she couldnt, but she said she would the next week. So she came to church, and when we went back after the week she had gone to church, she recieved news that her daughter was going to return home!!! It was sooo cool. She was crying and was so grateful. So Samantha has been home for about 3 weeks, and we met her when she had about 3 days in her house, we talked about the Restauration and she cried during the whole lesson. She said upon entereing rehab, she was Atheist, and didnt want anything with religion, but with more and more time she prayed and wanted a sign from God. Over the period of 7 months, her testimony of prayer grew more and more, until her mom and told her that we had been coming by and she at first, didnt want to meet us, but she said that it was the will of God, and we met her and she knew we had been sent to meet her and to meet her mom. Ah man its soo awesome everything. The Lord prepares his people to recieve us. Samantha has been  to church twice and her mom 4 times, and they will be baptized this sunday with Alejandro! We are so excited for them, they are excellent people and I love them,. They recognize us as Representatives of Jesus Christ, and every lesson with them we feel the spirit. I am grateful for them! Oh and Joel is doing wondeful, he came again, and is excited to recieve the priesthood. We started to teach his nephew, and he came to church yesterday! yay!! I am in a great area, and I am an awesome comp. I hope everything is going well with you all! love all of you!!

--

Elder Clayton

 Elder Gomez after having a little surgery and is now working in the office while healing.

New Companion Elder May de Yucatan!

Another Wonderful Week & Lots of Pictures

This week I was able to "chat" back and forth with him for quite awhile.  I'll add it at the end.  He is doing awesome and there's a couple of pictures where his eyes look tired, but he never complains and only says the time is going too fast.  

Hola Familia!! So Elder Reyna was called as assistant to President Swapp, so for one day I was in a trio, the next day with another elder and another day with a joven from the ward and now for 3 days I have been with a 17 year old from a another ward, but everything is good! Joel was confirmed yesterday and he had a great experience. He gave his testimony and that he was happy. I'm not lying when people are really converted they change. Not just the way they think, but also their face, how they express themselves. When we first met Joel, a member told us to visit him, and he hid from us, another family member would answer the door and say that he wasn't there. Me and my comp just keep trying until about the 5th time we knocked on his door, and at first they said he wasn't there and then he said we could come in, since that visit. he has changed. He is happy, he has faith and hope in life. We found him at a pretty low point in life, but now he is excited ! Also, on Wednesday we had a lesson with another reference from a member and we went there and taught the restoration to them. It is a mom of about 55 years and her daughter who is 21, the daughter just got out of rehab and we have known the mom for about 3 weeks and she has come to church with us. As we were teaching the lesson, the daughter just starts so cry and says everything we have said is true and she said upon entering rehab, she didn't believe in God, but started to pray and wanted God to direct her to something, with more time in rehab, she prayed more and more, and leaving, her mom had told her that we had been coming by, at first, the daughter didn't want anything, but she recognizes that it is the will of God,. and she recognizes us as the answers to her prayers. Honestly it was pretty cool, we talked about prayer in Sunday school and she got up and said this is the right place for her and that she had never felt so good in her life. I loved it, and its the biggest blessing to be an answer to someone elses prayers. I love being here, I love the people. Today is the start of a new change, and I will have a new companion tomorrow, I am excited to work hard, this is my 5th change as Zone leader, but I still am going strong! love you all!!

--

Elder Clayton

Miracles, & Learning the Power of Fasting

Hola Familia Clayton! I am glad that mom had a good birthday, you have many friends and family that love you! This week was pretty sweet. Joel was baptized! A week ago, he was still a little unsure about it, but we saw him every day and helped him progress in this week. He had an accident in July, he fell on train tracks and was trapped under them, and he threw his arm out and the train ran over his hand! So he wanted a new start, and he has definetly been prepared to recieve us. On the day of his interview, we did divisiones so I was with another Elder and we went to his house and we had planned on a time, and sometimes he just leaves because Joel can work right now, so he just gets bored and visits with friends, so we went to his house and he wasn't there! His family isn't that much help because they don't know where he goes, I was a little frustrated and this was the only time we could do the interview. So my comp, suggested that we pray, so I prayed, just asking to find him. and I am not kidding in 5 minutes we found him! He had his interview and was ready! On Sunday, he was baptized and a member that is a recent convert baptized him! It was an excellent service and Joel testified and was happy. This is the first area where the members want to work with us, and its the best! Working with members is a lot easier and better for everyone. The Zone is doing well and so is my companion. in one week there are changes! I really don't know what will happen because we both got here at the same time. I have 2 changes left, so who knows! but whatever comes, it will be good! Oh and fasting has really helped me this change, my testimony in the fast has changed quite a bit these past few weeks. its amazing what can happen when we go without food for a little while. love you all!! nos vemos!

--

Elder Clayton

 He was a reference, so the couple on the side were the family that gave us the ref, and the lady in the yellow is his aunt! It was a great service and a week de milagros!

San Nicolas

Baptism de Joel