Feeling like Jay Berry Lee with Wild Monkeys

Hey Family!!!

It sounds like it has been a busy week just full of stuff huh i was sad to hear about Grandma and Also Gabe Hanson dang just like Dad honestly has always said there is so much sadness in the world so we always need to look at the good stuff its so true on that note I have been wondering for a while how is skyler beckstrand doing i have 2 of his songs that were on his blog with  me on my ipod so i was thinking a little about him the other day i hope he is still doing good or hopefully hilled.

Ah you got the letter awesome thats way sweet i also got the stickers this week yeah thank you so much they are working great, so while i am on the subject of mail i wasw wondering if possibly you could throw in 2 more items possibly 1 a rain jacket with a zipper a zip up one and a hood the Mr. Mac one just isnt doin it for me really ive looked for one here but cant find one. Also ya my sweet watch it broke got water in it so i was wondering if you could buy a like NIXON chronicle or something like that just cheap and send it in if possible i would love the blue one with red in the face but honestly just one of those im sure stetson knows which one im talking about im not 100 percent on the name but there just like rubber always at zumiez and i think they run for like 48 bucks yeah believe me i havent forgotten about watches haha but ya if possible that would be sweet. Last thing sorry but possibly a Hole Punch just a small one so i can punch holes in a paper for a three ring binder not a 3 hole punch just a single if posible and with the package just make sure you put some pics of Jesus or mary stuff like that on the edges where you open it and they wont touch it they wont cut jesus

Also there was a couple things i was wondering 1st how much is gas its way expensive here like pushin 5 bucks american and haha yeah PATY on the FB i told em to look you up she is a way tight lady shes cool but her kids are cooler they have like 9 and 7 años and theyre way cool love em.

Well this week was..... interesting first i went on divisions twice once with the ZLs and other with Elder Partridge they were both way good honestly anything to get away from my comp is welcomed haha i know thats bad but the kid is such a downer i dont know how to change him im doing all i can but get this heres something that ticked me off so the other day we didnt have any lessons planned so we were walking around contacting and we talked to some people then i stopped at a door and was like lets do this one and he kept walking and i said hey hey here here and he just kept walking i watched him till he was about 35 feet away what the freak alot of the time he pulls the Who is Comp Mayor (Señor) WHAT is that whatever im just praying for patienct and love but its hard. Whatever come what may and love it right so a cool thing was this same day we were contacting and this kid asked me if we were going to see the monkeys? what are you saying ya there are wild monkeys here in my area who the heck would of known but ya i saw em they are howling monkeys and are so loud i felt like Jay Berry Lee it was so cool so that kinda brightened my day a bit no actually alot so that was good.

So other then that we have just been teaching and teaching trying to find pepole who are ready im trying to find em its way hard but noone said this would be easy in a lot of the lessons this week i have felt the spirit really strongly and i have felt that my Spanish at times was at the top of its game but other times its not like when its not i just smile and bear my testimony the thing thats harsh is we walk out of lessons and E. Richardson will say straight up what happened to your spanish that sucked.... nice right hes got like no patitnce and if its not his way there is no way his wife should have a great time with him haha.

Neighborhood campout ah thats gonna be so awesome thats so cool i love that place but again huh there is alot of water thats cool oh ya i took money out the fee must have been like 5 bucks cause i took out like 25 american so ya i cant get around the no fee problem so sorry and ya other than that i am just stoked to see a package from you guys sorry i cant  write everyone a good letter i try but there just isnt always time

I hope the funeral was good tell the Family HOLA and that i love them thank you for all the prayers they work i know they do they work thank you so much

Love you all is Well

Love Elder Clayton

thanks for everything the package i got the pics of the funeral and the house both looked good in their own way thanks for being my mom and being with me i love you

 

And my letter to him: 

Hello Pal, & Happy Monday.  This email will have a lot of info as quite a bit has happened since our last conversation.  Hopefully this email finds you well and happy.  I am sure that you have had President Veirs contact to you as to the passing of Grandma Duke.  On Wednesday, Grandpa Howard called to tell me that Grandma had just passed away due to a heart attack.  It was quite fast as they took her by ambulance to Lakeview around 8:30 a.m. and she passed away at 9:20 a.m.  One thing that was fun was on Friday they had come to take her to do a filming for the resident of the year for the care facility she had been staying at.  They did her hair and gave her a new blouse and asked her several questions.  She was happy, but anxious as she hadn't done anything like this before.  But, they loved her.  There will be a viewing tonight (Sunday) and then a graveside service for her Monday morning.  I will be sending you a box this week with a new flashdrive (16mb) and I will include a copy of her program and obituary.  She is I'm sure so thrilled to be Grandpa again, along with her parents and siblings.  We can't be sad, she had a long fulfilled life and we were so blessed to have her in our lives for longer than most have their grandparents. 

Other sad news was last night Gabe Hanson, 2nd son of Tyler and Kristin Hanson was killed in a car accident.  They had just came back from youth conference and 7 of them were traveling on a dirt road west of the freeway to what they say was to get snow cones.  Three of them did not have seatbelts on and they were thrown from the car, an Expedition just like our old one, when she lost control and it rolled.  Gabe was killed at the scene and two others are in the hospital.  What a tragedy and sadness for so many people.  Not only the Hanson family but all the kids and families of those in the car along with them.  It will have an affect on so many.  There are so many praying for them, but I think the most sad was to think they had just came back from a three day youth conference and had had marvelous time.  They had done something similiar to what our stake did when they had Quest.

So, I hope you understand that is why I always say be safe and obedient.  I don't know how Kristin is going to get through such a test.  Thus being said, I need to tell you Thank you so much for the letter that I received in the mailbox this week.  It was a true tender mercy that it came on the day we had just lost Grandma Duke.  Dad brought it in to me and I was so excited to see that it was addressed to me.  Can I tell you how much it touched my heart.  As your mom I can tell that you are growing so much and learning to trust in our Heavenly Father, but oh how it saddens my heart to know that I can't be right there with you.  And can read through the lines sometimes to see that you have a few obstacles in your way. When you wrote that you can feel me with you at times.  Let me just tell you, I pray that Heavenly Father will touch your heart to know that I am there with you.  He does answer my prayers and yours too.  I am walking right along side you, everystep of the way. II think that is why I sent that Winnie the Pooh saying with you, that is exactly how I feel.  A piece of me will always be with you.  I couldn't be more proud of the man you are becoming and the lessons you are learning.  Today in church we sang, How Firm a Foundation and it was again an answer to prayer.  As we sang the words, Fear not I am with thee, oh be not dismayed.  For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.  I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.  Remember these words, Pal.  He is with you, he will give you strength to get through whatever it is that is hard.  But, know that everything is only for a short season.  Although sometimes it doesn't seem very short it will pass.  The scriptures always say and it came to pass, not and it came to stay.  I took the letter over to Brother Monjai and had him translate your the Spanish portion.  He was impressed that you are writing as well as you are for only being there such a short time.  You may think you are not getting it as fast you wish, but you were promised the gift of tongues and I can see you are receiving that gift and promise 10 fold.  You are being obedient and doing the Lord's work and He will bless you, I have no doubt.  Hang in there!!!'

We also received an invitation to be a friend to someone in your mission, one of the members, Paty?  She posted some pictures of you and it was so great to see them.  It was one in I think her home, one with a couple of kids and one with a ceiling fan.  You look great pal.  I hope all is well and you're doing fine.

This week was also the Summer party for Bountiful Orthodontics.  Remember last year when you saved the day and brought things to me that I didn't know I needed.  This year was even bigger.  We had about 700+ people there.  150 pizzas we picked up.  It was a blast.  He's such a great guy and the kids love him as their orthodontist.  I'm so lucky to work in such a great place and have such an awesome job.  I'm already planning ahead for next year's where it shouldn't have any glitches as it will be the third time and I'll have it mastered.

So glad you were able to go to Pizza Hut again.  Does it taste the same?  Just wondering.  I'm glad you're able to somehow have a few things from home, or that at least remind you of home.  Do you need anything.  I will be mailing this package this week.  Toothpaste, face wash, dental floss, toothbrush???  Ask now and pray that it gets to you.  The other moms on the missionary site say they have no probelms with their missionaries getting what they sent.  But, I want to send what you need.  Should reach you in about two to three weeks and I'll mail it on Wednesday, August 3.

This week is also the big Neighborhood Campout.  It will be fun this year once again.  With all the water the river should be fun and full.  It is something we all look forward to.  It will be different to not have you and Ryan with us, but you will be there in spirit. And we are all so proud of all that you are doing as you serve our Heavenly Father.

Do you email others?  Just wondering.  I so hope we'll be able to be on to at least say hi, but it will be Grandma's services tomorrow and I will do my best to try and say hey.

I love you so much.  Hang in there pal  And remember this:  You are the missionary your mom thinks you are!!!  I can see it in your letters, and your pictures.  I couldn't be more proud. 

Be safe and obedient as always.  Know that I pray for you and am with you on this journey.

Love,

Mom