New District Leader & Loves being a Missionary

This week had some great news of his hard work and dedication.  He wanted just random news stuff from home so that is what all the references are to Jazz and such.  He is doing awesome and is loving being a missionary and it shows.  Enjoy...

Alright well how are all of you guys doing you all sounded great from the emails written thats awesome about the Jazz and that they have a die hard fan at the clayton house way to go caleb thats bomb man i love the al jefferson jersey its so sick man awesome ok well this week was changes and Dad mentioned something about an Elder Goddard ya i saw him from Layton Utah bt i didnt talk to him but ya hes here there were only 3 gringos this change so ya pretty much noone hahah all from south of the border so Zavaleta had a change and bounced to Santa Barbara and i got a com his name is Elder Limon hes from Mexico and if you talk to anyone that has been to mexico ask them if they have heard of Tortillas Limon cause like thats his families buisness and its huge!!! So ya First Comp from Mexico and he seems pretty cool so i hpe it will be a good change. This week on the 28th of April we have 2 Baptisms for a hermana named Melgie and her Son who is 10 years old super pilas so it will be awesome to have that expierence we just have to keep teaching and ya she will be ready my saturday for sure. we have other people too but its just the whole goin gto church thing thats a huge killer the thing i dont understand sometimes is this country is all about God i mean all over the fact its all inside and out of houses tshirts cars you name it it has got the name God or Jesuchrist on it so why do so many people not go to church ahhh its just something that we gotta work on but its all good for May...man we gotta find people for may cause we are running skim but its all good.

So ya anyones some other things went down at changes like hearing Elder Limon was going to Calpules with Elder Clayton Elder Clayton now the new Lider of the District oh man now i have that to worry about so pretty much this week was super overwhelming with everything but something cool is i got to interview a girl for baptism that was way cool i liked that but ya its all good im doing my best out here so ya i love you guys and i feel alot of times that you guys are with, me caleb in his jersey or stetson in his car with mom and Dad right next to my side i love being a missionary its got its hard days thats for sure but its awesome i love it.

Anyways thats pretty much it for this week its been a whole new week but ya pretty tranquilo

I love you guys and pray for you always love you

Love Elder Clayton

We try and get on when we can and he wrote me a little note which I didn't talk to him as I was at work and busy, but this meant the world to me.

Elder Clayton:  I love you mom how are you?

and my letter...

Hello Pal! How are you? I have to admit I have thought so much about you this week, hoping you received a companion that you will learn to love and have success with. So, please tell me all about who it is and all the details. How about pics? It seems like it's been forever since we've seen your face, if you get a chance please send at least one to let me know how you look.

This week has been a good one. Tonight Cindy had a BBQ with Josh and Alex, us and her kids. It sure seems surreal that he has come back into our lives. I'm sure there will be lots of things he will share about who he is and what brought him to this point. But needless to say he is happy to be a part of our lives. He realizes that we all have never stopped praying for him and hoping that somehow he would be part of our family again. Everyone said to make certain we tell you hello and that they are praying for you and the people you meet to listen to your message. Cindy and Carl have great kids. We played a little E.L.K. game rather than horse and I came in 2nd, not bad due to me being the oldest and a girl. I think I made a couple of shots that they were amazed went in. To be honest, me too.

You said you would like some random stuff so here you go. The Utah Jazz are on fire right now. They are most likely in the playoffs and Caleb has become quite the loyal fan. He bought an Al Jefferson jersey and every game makes certain he is wearing it as he cheers them on. In the last few games there has been at least one overtime and one was a quadruple OT, insane. He's such a fan that I called and bought tickets to Tuesday's game with Portland. We are most likely going to be on one of the top rows, but who cares, being there is what it's all about. Gordon Hayword is fun to watch. Only two years playing and last game had 29 points. Wasn't it you who handed him the hat at the March Madness thing you and Stetson did? Bruce Woodbury is our home teacher and he is hoping you and Stetson will do the thing next year when they host again. I think it is March 14-16. We'll see if you're back, but it would be fun for you two to do it again.

Today was Jaesi Jones farewell, she will be going to the Texas Houston Mission. She did a great job. I really like Jaesi and I think she'll make a great missionary. It was like yours with all the SpankyS employees there to support her. Brought back many memories.

Loved the stories you told last week. Too bad about the puppies, but a great story. Mouth to snout, and successful.

It's been a good week. The weather here finally is nice. Today was about 80 degrees and so nice. We officially started off the ice cream socials at Joanies and it was fun to catch everyone up on you and your adventures in Honduras.

I'm so looking forward to talking to you on Mother's Day. Dad is working on the Skype thing, I hope it works. Some say it's harder to Skype, meaning hard to hang up. What do you think? I'm just glad to be able to hear your voice again.

Have a wonderful week. I love you so much pal and am so proud of you and all you are accomplishing as you sacrifice and serve your fellowmen in Honduras.

Be safe & obedient. (maybe you get tired of me saying it, but it's the only thing I can say to you that I hope sticks in your mind when in doubt)

Love you son,

Mom

Puppies don't Swim, and a Miracle at Home

Let me explain the first paragraph for any who follow this and may not be aware of what it is in reference to. My sister Jody, Bridger's aunt, had cancer and passed away 14 years ago this month.  When this happened the two kids that she had, had different dads and they went to live with them.  Josh who was four at the time was not allowed to see any of us, legally we could do nothing about this and didn't want to make things hard for him so we followed his dad's weird request.  These kids were family and had been a part of our lives and then taken away.  Alex the sister came to things and we were involved with her as much as we could.  However Josh although he lived only minutes from his sister did not see or even know that she lived so close to him her for years.  We have patiently waited for him to finally turn 18 and hope things would change.  This week it happened.  Josh phoned my sister Cindy and the rest is hopefully going to be history.  We met him last Sunday, all of us.  With the exception of the two cousins (Bridger in Honduras and Brett in Australia) on missions.  Bridger was thrilled and shocked like the rest of us were and are.  Tender mercies all around at how all this happened.  But truly families are forever and it was evident this week.  Enjoy...

Wow what an email Josh White is here, hes here man how long have we waited
for this that is so crazy what an amazing story. Is he now like staying
with grandma y grandpa or whats goinng on is he living with his parents or
dang that crazy giving him the wriong last name and all that what a
freaking story ah awesome has he always been going to church and everything
where was he living just freak so many details wow so it pretty much sounds
like you guys had a crazy week wow what else Stetson went to prom huh
thats awesome was it at the capitol again or where who else did he go
with and caleb and him look so bomb in there suits puro James Bond 00ing it
up haha.

So ok ill throw a little down about my week so we had a greeat week that
ended so bomb first was the baptism of the familia merlow a family of 8!!!!
That 5 of them got baptized we had a wedding and everything it was awesome.
The ward was way supportive and it was great time so that was saturday
night then we got up sunday morning at 5 to go fget everything ready for
the baptism of Cesar that 20 year old that was at 630 in the nmorning that
was good just no support from the ward at all cause they all told us its
too early..... what are you kidding me so it was us and the other
missionaries too came over to be witnesses so ya that was a little sucky
for the baptism but ya anyways it was all good so needless to say i had a
great week now we just have to start finding for the last week of abril and
mayo cause we well really dont have anyone so ya gotta work on that but ok
this week are changes im staying here which im stoked about!!! My comp has
a change the kid i trained hes nervous but ya hahah he´ll do good so one
thing im stoked about is ill be here to use skype for mothers day and ok to
make a skype account its FREE you just have to have a camera and internet
but do we have a webcam i think it would be tight to talk on skype. Ok
what else happened this week man other than that nothing really ya it was
just like that hold on im gonna think a bit to see if something comes to my
mind but ya.

ok well ok funny story theres a way tight family where we eat on
thursdays called the fam gudiel and they have an actually nice dog a
weiner dog and it had puppies the other day also they have a girl that
is like two years old anyways the puppies are like 3 weeks old pretty
much brand new and she was swimming and she thought maybe the dogs
would like to swim too and threw them in we can now say that there are
only two left and the two are alive because the mom gave mouth to
mouth to the two the others had already drowned haah so that happened
thursday morning and in the night the little girl was looking for the
other ones to show us needless to say they were in a bag hanging on
the clothes line waiting for the garbage pickup.... oh well at least
they have two right.

And ya thats this week next week alot of things will change with
changes this week so hopefully everything goes good.

Love You Guys so much thanks for being so awesome

Love Elder Bridger Clayton

Hot, Hot, Hot, & Ghost Town for Holy Week

Chilis that Kill & Ghost Town

Hello Family

How was your guys semana santa...Holy Week alright down here thie week before easter is like the biggest holiday ever ever and it is the hottest times of the year anyways monday all good we went to dinner with the Zls with an investigator where she put chilis on our plate and they dared me to eat one and i did no big deal it was hot but ive had em before right theyre like tiny red ones then anderson does one and Diego like dies eating his haha so funny then Zavaleta wouldnt do it cause he said his mouth was sensative......ok anyways it goes on then they give me one thats green so not all ripe and has a ton of seeds i say alright and eat it... Worst Pain of my life!!!! I Burned from the inside out not even joking i drank like 8 cups of water i was sucking on ice it was a killer i burned my throat my throat so bad i talked wierd for like 2 days it was bad hahah but all good then tuesday we get up go to the gym where they tell us that after today its gonna be closed for a week since its semana santa..... man everyone is into this thing right so then wed normal day then thursday i wake up to see all the regular people in the streets when i see........NOONE everyone and everything is shut down hahah pulperias buses insane thats how it was until Today it finally returned today to normal so needless to say the work was a little slow this week haha on a good note we have baptisms that are set for this month we should end the month with 4 i hope anyways pres toldus we have to do 3 in outçr area por lo menos this month so i hope we can find the right people and help em the 14 this saturday we have a baptism for Cesar way tight guy has talked to like 6 different pairs of missionaries and finally accepted to get baptized to this will be cool. also we have a family to get baptized but the problem is her papers she comes up that she has been dead for 10 years so we gotta get that worked out jajaja gotta love Honduras Paperwork ah man what a headache but alright so thats whats up there. Hermana Elsa is still so bomb i freaking love her when we go to her house and she alawyas is like her take this and that its like soda and chips hahah so tight shes awesome. So ya that was about that for this week we went on divisiones for 3 days this week with the zls i went wth Anderson haah the guy is so tight Diego is way cool too though. Oh i almost forgot they do this thing here right caled dulces or sweets ok so lets just think about this sweets what are wçsweets candy bars suckers the normal right ok well sweets here for semana santa are a vegtable or fruit whatever you want it can be mangoe or can be like squash then you just soak it in honey`put it in a pot and steam it SWEETS huh they are hard to get down thats all i have to say. hahah bt ya.

Dang it sounds and looks like you guys has an amazing spring breAK IN the st jorge. looks way tight and cafe rio how good does that look right freak anyways what else did you guys do down there eat at the pizza factory or anything. Also Vegas haha so many people talk to vegas like its theyre dream place to go to win money haaha its funny and ya also i havent heard from checketts at all man hows he doin ive written him but ya. Me and Masen talk everyweek so thats tight love that kid so he seems good up in the PERU haha also i heard that kyle Johnson is home......do you know about that or anything. What is goin on these days in the MTC its a tight place but oh well hes a good kid he will go back i hope so ya hows everything else the Jazz good i heard the Bulls are Number 1 is that true oh and i saw this article about this LINSANITY this like asian dude who plays for the knicks is he legitor whats that about AND THE mITT Romney i can not tell you how many people talk about the dude in church with me.... and i dont know anything people are saying hes gonna win is that true what is up. man with that. anyways what else is new with everything hit me up with some random stuff i like ransçdom stuff love it

Here's my email to him this week:

Hello my son! How are you pal? I hope you had a wonderful Easter. Today we of course went to church and had a wonderful Sacrament Meeting. Jerry Seelos and Allen Bauer talked about the Savior. It was really a good meeting. And then in Relief Society Sister Sullivan gave the lesson and she showed a Mormon.org video of the Savior with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Come Thou Font of Every Blessing. It was such a wonderful thing to watch and very touching to see the Savior throughout his life and then suffer, but then the triumphant sounds of the choir and then Mary seeing Him at the tomb. Very awesome. I found myself thinking again of you and thinking how amazing the gospel is and how you were probably doing and discussing the exact same things. I love Easter. I love the promise of Spring and knowing that we will all live again, just like the Savior. Dad and I just got back from visiting the Checketts and our conversation turned to Quest. Remember how no one wanted to go and what an amazing and wonderful experience it turned out to be. I am so glad I was able to be there. However, if we get to do it again, I so do not want to be on the food committee. Too much work. Well, actually, I would do it again if we had a bigger kitchen staff...ha-ha.

As this week was Spring Break we did go down to St. George for a couple of days. It wasn't as warm as we would have liked it to be, however it was nice and Stetson and Caleb were able to swim each night in the outdoor pool. I was able to read a really good book about a gal who was in a terrible plane crash with her husband and was terribly burned. She is a member of the Church and has an amazing story of patience and faith. It was a great couple of days. We did miss you and realized next time we will have you with us. Hardly seems possible. We also were able to go to the new City Creek Mall in Salt Lake. Remember when they announced they would be doing that project and it was a 5 year project. I remember thinking that when it finished you would be on a mission and thinking it sounded forever away and now it's here. It is amazing. I am going to send you a few pictures of it. It really is so different than anything you've ever seen in our area. AMAZING!

Today was also a fun surprise. There is a show on each Sunday called Mormon Times that is after Music and the Spoken Word. They ask for people to send in pics of their missionaries and so I sent the picture of you in the raincoat, one of my all time favs. I got an email saying they were going to show it today and they sure did. My aunt Vickie called me and she just happened to be watching today and Brenda Mumford saw it too. It was a fun surprise and you look awesome in your picture. I was quite proud.

How are the investigators coming along? I have been praying for you and for them to listen and accept the message you are sharing with them. I hope they are doing just that.

I also went up to Letia's (Elder Peterson's) house this week and helped her start a blog for Josh and Jordyn. It was fun. Love his family. We looked at some pics from the MTC and I can't believe how much you've changed in the time you have been out. You don't look like a boy anymore. I am so proud of all you are doing as you serve in Honduras. You are truly being blessed and prepared for all that awaits you in life. These people love you as we do and it is awesome what you are accomplishing there.

I hope you have a wonderful week. I will be working today, but I'll try and get on and check when I can and hope I can at least say hey. I love you pal, please know how much we think and pray for you every day.

Stay safe & obedient. Loved you then, love you still, always have, always will...

Love,

Mom

I decided I was going to start including my letters again.  This way I will have documented what I write to him as well, feel free to scroll past it to his letter.  This week was seriously a one sentence letter.  You can tell things are happening faster than he is wishing.  Transfers are soon and he is thinking he may be leaving the area which he is hoping to not do.  I told him usually when you are loving it then it usually is a sign it's time to move on.  How hard, he loves it there.  We will see what happens in the next couple of weeks.  Enjoy...

Hello Pal.  The subject line is how many missionaries were full-time as of December 31, 2011.  As I heard Robert Cantwell read that number I couldn't help but be so proud of you and even though it's such a large number.  You are making a difference in the lives of so many.  One person can make a huge difference.  It just really hit me.  I thought a lot about this weekend as we watched the amazing conference.  Knowing that you were watching at the exact time as we were makes it feel like you are right here with us.  What talks were your favorite?  I loved Elder Ballard's about family and the importance of staying on course.  And I really love Elder Anderson's and those three children from Haiti that the dad poured out his heart to his Father in Heaven to have at least one of his children survive and then hearing his baby cry and then his oldest singing "I am a Child of God" and finding that all of his children survive and the darling picture of them.  Truly a miracle.  I love conference.  It is the only time I miss working as an operator as it was a time that I was able to see so many of the General Authorities as they all came into town.

Speaking of GA's,  Elder Hillam passed away this last Thursday.  He is such an amazing man, I love his wife, Sister Hillam.  I was able to be in meetings with her as we served on the Stake Council together and I was saddened to hear of her loss.  They are always together and I feel like she will be lonely in the days and months ahead.  She has a wonderful family, but still hard.  I ran into her and her daughter Bonnie Cordon at Costco and that is when they told me.  It had only been a few hours and I felt bad.  He loved his missionaries.  Those he served with in Brazil as their President and those he had in missionary prep.  I know sometimes it seemed boring, but to know you were taught by one of the best is so great if you think about it.

I was looking today on the Veirsblog and hoping to see a picture of you and sure enough, there was one of you with a conference on March 29.  You always look so happy.  I'm so glad about that. 

I'm gong to forward Masen's letter on dearelder from last week.  He seems to be doing so much better.  I don't know maybe you and him talk/email back and forth.  His mom and family are very thankful for you and the example and words of encouragement you sent him. Thanks pal.

Are you still in the same area?  Seems like you have been there for quite awhile.  But you are doing and making such progress I hope you get to stay if that is where you want to be.  Are things still safe there?  I don't worry too much about you and I'm sure you won't tell me what really goes on, but please stay safe and be obedient.  I know Heavenly Father will watch and protect you as long as you do what you are supposed to be doing.

I was so glad you got your box and that you were so happy with it.  To be honest I love sending them to you.  I send them full of love and with all the faith I have to know you'll get it and so far they have all arrived.  I'll start thinking of another one.  Anything you really need?  Shoes?  Garments?  Cookies, more peanut butter, toothpaste, face wash.  You name and I'll send it in a week or two.

Well, tomorrow starts Spring break.  I will be at work, but it's no dr. day so I will be able to wait for your email and respond and hopefully talk to you.

I love so much pal.  You're such a great son and wonderful missionary.  I continue to pray for you and for the people of Honduras to listen to your message. 

Have a wonderful week.

Love always,

Mom

And his email...

Conference...probably, the best day in the mission

What up fam well from the title of this email im coming off a pretty much 3 day pday weekend sincce we just chill and watch conferance hahah so tight i love conferance its great. i loved it ok the 1st session didnt really get to see it but ya i was wondering if they announced any new temples... i dont know no one knows so alright. Then what other talks did i like i Liked Uchtdorf with the Judging and forgivving and i think the message that a ton said was have a mighty change of heart. others and yourself it was awesome also one that was bomb also a 70 i think named larry y wilson or something an old guy with glasses...ok that doesnt really help since all are pretty old and about 65% of them wear glasses but ya it was good. and Andersons where he was just like youre on the path if youre not on all the way change something. In a couple of talks i thought of well xxxxxx  in reality hope she watched and felt something something but ya. By the way i loved the pic of Ezra Fitts dang that kid looks so big. How are the Fitts Doing. anyways this week was good bomb week in the mornings we are hitting the gym still haha so fun then we are working with good famillies we just have to get the paperwork done and ya i can see in april like 4 baptisms if everything goes good so pray for that we had intreviews with Pres Veirs the other day he put our goal as 3 baptisms for april so i hope we can make that possible. anyways this week passed so fast i dont know what all went down it was a great week though changes are in 3 weeks the 18 of Abril one of us will leave i DONT want to leave cause this arrea is so tight but we will see what happens so ya . Well i hope everything is going great i love you all St. George this week sounds sick any other plans you have for the Summer gonna hit up the Bear Lake i hope. I love you all tell everyone hey.

Love Elder Clayton

 

I was able to be on with him.  Here's our conversation back and forth.

 

Elder Clayton:  Mom are you on?  How are you?

 

Mom:  Really good.  How are you.  I forgot to tell you when I heard Come thou Font of Every Blessing I thought of you too.  Love that song and I know you love it too.
What's new in HOnduras this week.

Elder Clayton:  Oh i know that song is so tight from Mo Tab huh so sweet that they did it hey and i was thinking like package right now im good if you just want to liek send me the money you would spend on the packege cause i need some things like just deodrant and stuff but its cheaper here and i want to be done pullling my own money what do you think. bUT also waht is going on in March Madness

Mom: 
Yes, it was Larry Wilson.  And I laughed at the old and glasses, makes it hard to guess.  He was the one that said because I am your husband and I hold the priesthood.  Elder Ucthdorf knows just how to say it.  Stop it!  What a great and easy message to learn and abide by.

Glad you are enjoying where you are.  That's the hard part, seems like when you're happy there, then it's time to move.  Hope you get what you need and the people need too.  You are having such success there and I know it's because you love the gospel and those people.  What a winning combo.

Ezra is growing.  He's adorable.  I keep trying to get him to say Tammy, but so far nothing, just HI. 

How's the weather, still hot & humid.  ha-ha  of course it is right.  Sunny and beautiful here, but cold.

Mom:  Today is the final game, between Kansas vs Kentucky (had to google)  lost interest a few games back.  They are fun to watch and I'm sure we'll be watching tonight.

Thank you for thinking/praying for xxxx.  I know her parents are so worried about her.  Wow, I thought it was such a shocker.  Right now so many making wrong life changing dumb decisions.  Thanks for being where you are and doing what you are doing.  It's exactly what and where you should be.

I just love ya pal...

Elder Clayton:  Thanks mom i love you im bouncin right now love you bye

And then he was off to more missionary stuff.  Love that boy/man.  I went up to Elder Peterson's house yesterday to help his mom start a blog.  We were looking at pictures of our boys(?).  They truly look like boys in the MTC and now look more like men.  Sad and yet exciting too.  The changes in him are so evident in both physical and spiritual ways.  Things that never would have happened if he did not experience a mission.  I'm so thankful for his obedience throughout his life to bless the lives of those in Honduras.  We are all being blessed for his service and sacrifice.  For that I am truly grateful.