It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas & Happy B-day Elder Torres

This is a great letter.  He sounds so great.  Bridger has always had such a kind and generous heart and it's apparant he took those talents with him.  The first Christmas package got there and I feel like it boosted his spirits at just the right time.  A true tender mercy felt again.  Love you Elder Clayton, you're a great son and a wonderful missionary.  Enjoy...

Hello family welcome to diciembre!1

First can you guys belieive this week is freaking gonna be december thats nuts i cant even believe it but anywyas your emails sounded way bomb sounded like Thanksgiving was great did you guys eat alot. My Thanksgiving consisted of some beans some rice an egg and...oh i drank some banana soda....ya it was a memorable one haha oh i did go big and buy a dounghnut in the morning i hadnt had one of those for a while haha but it was good. So ya met Elder Richardson huh.. haha how was he doing. Did you like the stuff i cant really remember what i sent home i remember like Zambos and ya those are freaking good i have no idea why you dont like those theyre the best i love like chile lime stuff like lime i buy a bag of chips here and buy a lemon to squeeze the juice over the chips its way good i think its a honduras thing. Anyways ya thats awesome and you cleaned the yard huh and the lights dang i forget how big this week is right. Thats cool though are you guys ready for the Holidays. Freak i am i got the package LOVED THE TREE loved it i also bought a little manger scene so i have it next to my bed getting me into the christmas spirit i didnt unwrap any thing but the bouncy balls were a little unwrapped so i opened those and i could see the gum the orange cream and flip i couldnt wait so i ate that too! Ya the candy that was in the bags snickers hersheys and MYMS there gone i ate em all it was amazing amazing i gotta say i didnt eat alot of chocolate back at home but here i just craze it they dont have chocolate here everyonce in awhile you can find a snickers in a pulperia but theyre like 20 lmps so i dont buy that but ya thank you so much also for the stocking for my comp he was gratful for it. This week it was my comps birthday and he got out of email and told me his parents didnt send him a package or anything and he was a little bummed so i decided alright were gonna party here for his birthday so i called up all the jovens and was like alright be in the church at this time cause were gonna celebrate and  i gave em money to pay for a cake. Then i talked to other way awesome members here to tell em about the day and so everything was gonna be good we go to bed thursaday night i wake up to the phone ringing at like 5 am who in the freak is it its Monolo a way awesome ward member i answer it and he tells me he wans to wish E. Torres Happy Birthday at 5!ª!!!! anyways i pass the phone and he sings to torres and it was all good the day started off bomb. Then in the morning we went and did some yard work alrigt really went and macheted this ladies yard it was cool then she gave us a thing of sugar cane to suck on that was good i like sugar cane and ya normal day went to dinner then after he asked me where we were going i told him this one lesson and we passed in front of the church i told him i needed to use the bathroom we walked in and BAM all the jovenes were there with cake fresco it was awesome so then we left there and went to Monolos house where again he bought cake so needless to say we partyied it up for Torres and he was really happy so it was all good. This week was pretty awesome yesterday we had 15 investigators at church we are teaching 7 families and 3 are progressing so lets just say in Decmber were gonna have baptisms haha im so stoked Fam Villanueva is awesome theyre by far me favorite were going to San Pedro tomorrow to sack her partida and then were gonna marry them and baptize em haha its gonna be awesome. And ya that was my week i had a great one and Hoping this one will be awesome too thanks for all your prayers really i have felt them this week as last week i honestly was a little down and ya but im good i love you guys so muh thanks for everything.

Come What May And Love It

Love Elder Clayton

Broken Glass, & a Testimony of the Book of Mormon...A Really Good Week!

Welp another week right. Man this week was super awesome honestly it was a great one so heres a little bit what went down this week On Tuesday we eat dinner with a nice lady from the ward before leaving we asked if she needed help with anything and she said the only thing was to change this light that was 15 feet in the air i said oh ya dang thats a hard one especially since i havent seen a real ladder for like 6 months then she tells me well i can use the table and a chair alright sweet lets give it a shot so we move the table of WOOD right we thought it was wood anyways then put a chair on it i got up man like a foot short oh dont worry my comp says put this on the chair its like a water jug of some kind im  thinking oh this is really gonna end good thats all i know im gonna freaking fall anyways i get back up step on the chair then the stool and pop crack BOOM the freaking middle of the table was made of GLASS and shattered under i fall and freak it was a scene glass everywhere it was bad the hermana was all cool about it i felt bad and ya after that we just left this week were gonna take her flowers but yeah it was harsh oh i didnt get cut or anything just incase you were wondering. So also one day we were teaching a lesson and i thought im gonna describe a lesson to my family what its like in Honduras so here it goes... So were walking the dirt muddy garbage filled streets when you see an hombre outside ya stop and start to chat with him then you ask if you can share a message and we walk in. His wife is making dinner outside with the wood stove goin smoke blowing in our faces we get to know the family where theyre from and all that family is huge here right and then well have a lesson one of my favorite things to do is to read the book of mormon with investigators outside i love it i guess i have always loved being outside and well i have also come to love the Book of Mormon aka El Libro de Mormon but ya by the way i dont think i told you but i completed the challenge and finished the Book of Mormon 2 weeks ago it was great i love the Promise from Moroni and well really ive learnded you can do it more than once a testimony is evergrowing so ya need to maintain it i dont even know if that last line made sense but i know its true anyways also i am going to describe the best food ever made they are BALIADAS so bomb ok you have a flour tortilla but not the cheap ones you buy from the store no good flour hand made tortillas with beans this hard cheese thats down here i dont know if ive told you but american cheese it does not exist down here the cheese is wierd but its good. then mantaquilla or also its called cream with scrambled eggs avocado oh man they are so freaking good . Anyways thats that this week we are gonna baptize Jaiman a super cool guy we met him like 3 weeks ago hes ready and its gonna be an awesome thing also.... We have another wedding!!!1 Yep gonna marry and Baptize another couple heck ya Carlos and his wife theyre older like 60´s but so awesome Carlos is so freaking funny always making jokes and hes super funny Other than that things are good ive had a good week were working weve found a couple but could always use more so ya now im gonna read your emails and ill add from what you have written....

Well youre guys week sounded awesome i laughed about the frozen yogurt ah those were the days at the NSLPD loved that and heck ya i wish i had some Christmas music i want to listen to it so bad ya its allowed its all good. That is the coolest story about the wallet the coolest there definitly are good people everywhere NYC honduras bountiful utah everywhere good people well man i love you guys sorry im runnin short on time were gonna go play some futbol and learn how to make tortillas so its gonna be super sweet and oh have i told you how much i love tortillas of corn theyre are so good they eat freaking tortillas with everything spaghetti rice beans oh ya by the way dad asked if the food is the same from my cook....YEAH everystinkin day rice beans and a little meat but whatever come what may and Love it I love you guys so much youre the best

Love Elder Clayton

Great News...Paying for a Wedding and Not Loving the Food

 Last week as we didn't get an email we anxiously waited to hear from him this week.  He's doing great.  His attitude is awesome and he had some great adventures this week.  Please do not be offended by the first sentence, it is a family joke and we love and miss our Grandpa North. 

Enjoy...

Well How the Hell Are you (As grandpa North Would Say right remember that one time he said that haha) Haha anyways i was thinking of 1 liners and that came to me anyways freak what a week i didnt get to write you last week thanks to Velasquez haha so amazing he knew i wanted to write home way bad so so its a pretty funny story actually in the morning got a call he had a change so we went to choloma and printed fotos for him then came back to the house and he said okn well rest for a bit ok tight so i laid down for 10 mins in the hammack when he comes out and is like ready ready me he loved just trying toget a reaction outta me but i rarely gave him one so me i get up slow out of the hamack get dressed slow put my stuff in my bag and he tells me nah im tired well sleep and just not use internet today i tell him ok cool im down with that and lay in the hamack and ya he wanted to use it way bad too but freak i wasnt gonna give him a reaction so ya haha and the rest of the day he just kept saying pday was sweet right right i would just say ya man it was a good pday i loved it haha he was ticked but whatever right we got through it. Last Week was super rough but i got through it so we had a wedding for ALejandra y gerson and baptism that was super sweet oh except they were too poor to pay for the freaking wedding so..... i paid the freaking thing freak it was like 50 bucks but ridicoulos it was for a good cause but i feel that in this last month i just blew through lempiras but whatever. The baptism was sweet! it was really good. So after the whole p day thing we had changes on Miercoles i have a new comp.........Elder Torres de Guatemala but honestly im stoked this kid is a stud a real worker in just 5 days were good friends really Im teaching him english so thats pretty cool too. Anyways well this week i dont know what has happened with the food here but this week it has been bad i have eaten pigs feet again man theyre terrible i hate em also ate cow tongue ahhhhh that was super wierd but whatever also haha oh man so pulpčrias right theyre like little stores but there is one for every corner like honestly every 100 feet theres a pulp and they have everything you need food wise so we use em for like breakfast or snacks and ya. anyways i bought some well its suppose to be sweet but its not bread and i go to eat it and its just super moldy and ah nasty so what do i do well i was pretty much starving and ive been in honduras for almost 6 months so my immune system has really built itself up so i wiped off the really bad parts ya wiped it off it was like wet and soggy and ya i ate that crap haha havent been sick yet but well see what goes down haaha anyways oh also at changes i saw Peterson SI HOMBRE i was so stoked havent seen him in like 4 months we talked for like 45 mins it was awesome!Also something big happened the other day friday they put the angel Moroni on the TEMPLO it was cool i didnt get to see it but alot of members went to Teguc to see it go down and they all said it was amazing it was cool. So ya we dont have alot of people to teach right now it sucks we gotta find some people. I wanna find more that are conversions and not just baptisms right now theyre puttuing alot of pressure on us to baptise but i dont know i dont want to baptise just to baptise i was to help CONVERT people to the gospel and its hard but were getting through it thanks so much for all your emails you guys are the best last week sucked that i didnt get to talk to you but this week was just that much better i love you all so much thanks for everything!!!!

Hope someone is on

Love Elder Clayton

A Really Long Week...

Not sure what happened, maybe transfers, maybe a power outage, maybe too busy.  But, we didn't hear from Elder Clayton this week.  I'm sure his week was longer than ours, but we are so looking forward to this week and an email.  How in the world did people do it when email wasn't an option.  I would never have made it. 

Love him and needless to say my heart is at peace.  Heavenly Father is watching over him, we are praying for him and I'm sure he's just fine.

Another Package Arrives & Personal Scripture

Whats up Fam well another week has come and gone this one was actually super fast for me maybe it was for you guys too. Well First THANK YOU for the package oh man was it the best i could say yes for sure chocolate cookies were the best theyre all gone ya typical right they were amazing!!!!!!!!!!! The Knife was so awesome i love it. The Pics look great looks like everything is bomb. Man it was awesome to get that thanks so much it was awesome. The music awesome thank you Stetson it is gonna be great thanks for doing it. man i dont even know you guys do not know how great it was it was amazing. So ya thank you so much. So for this week well it has rained just about everyday this week Monday after we left internet it rained harder than i have seen in my life i felt like i was in a freaking hurricane insane it has rained a ton here but the weather is bomb everyone is literally freezing wearing hats coats the whole shabang but i swear its only like 75 haha its been bomb weather. Also this week i was just feeling a little down i dont know why i dont know what happened so i pulled out my Patriartical Blessing and read it man it was so awesome like those are so amazing to have i think its almost like your own scripture it was good. So ya last week i wrote that we baptized Fredy Super bomb this kid is so awesome I Love him this next week hes gonna get the priestood which will be cool. Fredy was a reference from a member and WAS a testigo (Jehova Witness) but he did what we asked prayed and BOOM hes in the true church now so sweet. Also we are teaching this family that we are going to get them married this friday so that should be super sweet the only problems we have now is to find freaking money for the wedding so that ya. Also we found a nice lady with her two kids 2 weeks ago and has been going to church progressing and have her scheduled for the 5 of november freak its almost november i cant believe that its nuts.The work is coming along alright working so yep. Things are a little better with Velasquez hestalking to me again a little but thats only because now when he sleeps or doesnt want to leave the house i just read my scrips we were sitting at a house the other day of an investigator and he was watching tv and crap and i was so frustrated with him i just opened my scrips up and to a random page and there was a scrip marked that said somthing about put god as your foundation and nothing else matters so really i thought if God is happy with me thats all i really need see if im good and my family is good thats chill with me and when im in charge well change things. But ya Also i got a letter from Mom and in there was the letter from Wendy Fenn it was awesome i have it and have read it a couple of times already The Fenn fam. It sounds like Masen did bomb on his talk and that he is ready thats so cool i love Masen hes the man and is gonna kill it in Peru i love him pass that message onto him from me. Other than that it was a week we have a lot of things going this week so its gonna be crazy but hopefully everything will fall into place . Also we went to visit a family that the dad is so sick and the mom they have a kid on the mish and the other son is like 17 and has some problems ya anyways we had a talk and during it i was thinking how much i love all of you guys and before the mish i really took for granted what i had im sorry i love you guys so much sorry for all the hard times we had Mom Dad Stetson and Caleb you guys really are my best freinds I Love You

Come What may and Love It

Love Elder Clayton

Able to be email back and forth...love this.  Here's what he said very short, but awesome.

 

Mom:  Hooray!!! So glad the package got to you.  How were the cookies?  Were they fresh???  Love you son, you sound so good.  I guess you should start singing in the rain.  When I was reading your email, that song has been playing in my head.  So glad you got my letter.  It hopefully will help you realize that you are AMAZING!!! 

 

Elder Clayton:  heck ya mom the package was so bomb thank youso much the cookies were amazing!!!!!!!!! Ya i sing in the rain all the time it has poured lately. Nah noones giving me a hard time its all good Thanks I love you oh by the way for christmas shoes im good im gonna get new floors in the ones this week and they should be all good. Socks that would be sweet some new socks garments im good. Just Candy i want candy music thats good pics loved the pics and just little cool things thats what i like How are you today mom

Paid for Transportation, another Baptism and a New Skill!

This is an awesome letter.  Seems like he has realized that attitude is so much of your success and happiness.  Loved this one.  He's doing so great and we can tell he's happy.  For that we are grateful.  Thank you for your support and prayers, they are being answered as you will see...  Enjoy...

Ok so as of right now i havent read any emails im gonna try this this week and see how it goes so let me tell you  a little thats gone on the week first on thursday we had an activity en the stake it was super awesome but before that we were gonna leave with our ward supposibly there was gonna be a bus but it never freaking came so me and velasquez got in a rapidito and were on our way when i spotted a hermana from the ward with her two little girls waiting for the bus from the ward that was never gonna come and i was just thinking man thats a good mom holding the hands of her little girls waiting for an activity so i told the helper to stop and pick em up heck yai paid theyre journey and it was so worth it as i was thinking about it i then the activity was super cool i loved that too it was way fun the youth danced dances from all over the world it was super cool.. Also so last Pday i put all the primary songs in spanish on my ipod and the other night we were rocking to those i love the primary songs as i look back i loved primary and every song has such a good message its great. So then also one of the days of the week we had service in another area with our district i love my district theyre super sick elders we did yard work honduras style ya pretty much its a heres your machete now chop the freak out of everything and its good haha it was way fun And also this week we had a little set back as our laundry ladys washer broke so yep washin my clothes by hand again gotta love it!!!! hAHA no really i dont mind it at all i just listen to my ipod while im at the pila its really quite alright. Then man something so bomb happened Freddy Jimenez was baptized this saturday really this kid is so cool i love him he is an investigador but really too hes my friend i love him when the dl in his intreview asked him who to baptize he was just like clayton noone else how sweet right man that made me feel good ya know its hard sometimes but when things like this happen its all totally worth it!!!! So then wow sunday was just an amazing day first for church the sacrament bread was banana bread double thumbs up there hahah right super sweet then ah ah man for lunch we got pigs feet ah man those are bad but you know what i have learned down here i honestly can eat whatever is in font of me on my plate nah i dont enjoy it all but i can do it a sweet skill that i have aquired sweet huh. Then also Pres Veirs wrote us a letter last week from a talk by pres Hinckley talking about on the mish you come to know the savior as your best friend its so true for me its so true when i have none to talk to i just pray ask to feel the spirit and that i can well have a freind for the day and really i can feel him there with me its amazing so thats a little about this week i just got done playong futbol im gettin better i can tell you that haha but ya its all good ill read your emails and wrtie you back youre the best family in the world I LOVE YOU

COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT

LOVE ELDER BRIDGER CLAYTON
And my letter to him...

Hello Pal!  Can you believe it's been 7 months today that we took you to the MTC to start this amazing journey?  Somedays it seems like forever and yet when I look back on the growth you have done and who you are becoming it is so awesome.  How you doing pal?  How was your week?

I have to admit your letter was far too short, but I understand.  The bug bite had me a little concerned?  What was it, and are you ok?  I told Tammy Nielsen that for all I know you could be missing a leg.  Please update me on that one if you would. 

This has been a busy week I guess, not too much excitement, but I'll update you on what's happened.  Monday night we went to dinner with the Petersen's at Salt City Burger.  We love them!!!  We had a blast and they loved the food.  It was quite slow which we were grateful for so we didn't feel rushed.  I am going to send a couple of pics to you of the night and then of course I'll get some hard copies and mail to you in your next letter.   Letia and I feel as if we have always known each other.  We already have another date planned and seriously this makes the time go by faster.  We catch up on you and Elder Petersen and it is awesome.  He is doing well, a couple of more ingrown toenails, but other than that he seems like he has the same frustrations as you do.  I went to the Sister Veirs blog and there were some pics of his zone on there.  When are there going to be some of you???  I look each time and cross my fingers hoping for some to see how you're doing.  Can you send some this time with your email.  I just miss your face and need to see you.

Friday night was the Bountiful/WX game.  21 years, will this be the year???  NOPE, they killed us, 44 - 21 it was bad.  We stayed the whole time however, die hard true fans.  It was fun at the beginning when we were in it but after the beginning of the third quarter, it was all over.  Oh well, maybe next year.  Probably not though.  We sat close to Morgan and I talked to her.  She's so sweet and it was fun to visit and she how she's doing.  She says she's able to talk with you and for that I'm grateful.  If it helps you stay happy and focused then I'm all for it.  Did you ever know that Shad came home?  I thought he was going to go back out, but it's not looking promising.  And Kyle Johnson was there, guess where he is working???  Deseret Book!!!  And, thinking of a mission.  Awesome!  Love Kyle.  He's a great kid and said to make sure we tell you hello.

Next week at this time Masen will have given his farewell talk.  Seems like forever since he got his call and now it's 10 days away.  He's excited and anxious and I think just needs to be on his way.  They are doing the Costa Vida spread, trend setter that you are.  Wendy asked me if it was ok if they did the same.  I think it was so smart.  So of course we don't mind.  I need to tell you again thanks for being such a great son and helping us with that, it was what you wanted and we are so grateful for your  hard work and help in so many ways.  I just got called to say the prayer, ugh!!!  I'll probably cry, it's a given.  I will miss Masen with him around I feel like you're around. 

How's the investigators coming along.  We pray for you always for those people's hearts to soften and listen to the message you are telling them.  They will listen.  Get them to know you.  People will want to know Christ because they know you and see the light that you have.

I love you pal.  I'm so proud of you and look so forward to Monday's to see how you are doing.  I pray that your safe and happy.  Know that Heavenly Father is blessing us through your service.  You're amazing.

Hope you have a wonderful week.

Love,

Mom

A Rather Short Email, and Something that Bites in the Night

This week's letter was way too short.  I guess it's better than not getting one, maybe.  Things look like they are progressing and he's loving his mission and area.  Hoping for a better and longer email next week.  Enjoy...

Its Cold huh dang i keep thinking that one of these days its gonna get cold but i dont think it will ever happen maybe a miricle but nah i dont think so Already snowed thats insane how old is brooklyn like 2 months right i think so anyways i cant remember. Thats sweet that the fall colors are changing though dad sent me a pic of bearlake looks so bomb. wHOOPS didnt mean to send that so the NBA are they gonna play no whats up thats kindda ridicoulous Meeting the Petersons thats super sweet tell em i say Hola salt city huh thats awesoem too Yes i wear my sandals all the time dont worry i wouldnt want to walk on the floor with out them oh freak two night ago somthing bit me in my sleep right i have no idea what it was but it was nasty all is good now though haha but for a minute there it was a little sketchy.But its all good.

This week we found absolutly no one it sucked and oh get this so we are now in charge of two wards so we do splits so im leaving my wward with a member and an investigador and all of a sudden theres a fight between the investigador this guy from the other ward what the heck was happening i have no idea we broke it up and they all went and talked in a bishops office but man it was different for a bit there i love this place they were fighting over a girl too so it was just that much more intense.

Man other thatn that its all the same have some good days have some crappy ones but its all good i hope you are all taken care of and have the things you want and need i love you guys so much Thanks for being my Family.

Love Elder Clayton

ps havent gotten your stickers yet one day thiugh hahah

And my letter to him...

 

Hello Pal!  How was your week?  The week here was not as eventful as some in the past but I'll catch you up and tell you what we all did.  First of all, it is so cold here.  Today was a beautiful day and really feels like Fall, but on Thursday and Friday it was 30-40 degrees.  It snowed in the mountains and hard to believe it's barely October.  It is going to warm up this week, but it definately is earlier than normal for being this cold.  We went up to Breann and Skylar's ward today where they blessed their little Brooklyn.  She's so cute.  Tons of hair.  I need to have her send me a picture and if I can get it today I'll send it to you.  Their church was the same time as ours so after having a get together at their house we decided to drive up through Morgan and around by East Canyon resevoir to see the leaves.  It was really quite pretty and funny how when we got to the top there was quite a bit of snow which looked strange to see the Fall colored leaves and snow on the ground, too.  None of us had our cameras so I can't send you a picture, darn it anyways. 

Now it's just been a lazy day at home enjoying the cooler weather and watching a little bit of football.  Update on the NBA, all preseason games have been cancelled and still waiting for a decision to be made.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a major day for the remaining season.  I'll let you know what happens for sure.

Yesterday we went to Dick's Market and ran into Beth.  She said she finally got a letter from you this week.  Wow, that took quite awhile.  She said she has mailed you at least three, so if you haven't gotten one there should be some soon.  Have you gotten any from me?  I sent you some with stickers in them a while ago and never heard if you got them or not. 

How's your companion?  Dad let me read the emails you sent him and you never really said what happened with the difficulties you were having.  Have they gotten better?  I sure hope so.  I pray for you so much and hope it is all working out.  Sometimes you have to have the bitter to appreciate the sweet.  Tomorrow we are going to dinner again with the Petersen's so I'll send you some pics.  We are meeting them at SCB.  Stetson is so excited.  He loves that place and really is making good money there.  He sometimes doesn't like working Friday nights, but then he comes home with good tip money and it seems like it is forgotten.

I started back at Four Pillar this week and am sore to prove it.  It seems to be the only thing that works for me and hoping this will help me break into a number that I have been trying for for a long time.  I thought of you yesterday as we were trying to find some fruit for Breann's today and the fruit seems to be done for the season.  No strawberries at Costco which is unheard of.  We ended up doing bananas and apples with caramel dip.  But realized how fortunate you are to have fruit at the taking, right?  What are you eating these days? 

We talked to Barbara Stevens yesterday who served in Paraguay and she said to tell you to make sure you wear your shower sandals, she used to have to pick worms out of her companions feet quite often, yucky, right?  I told her I thought you were always doing it and I didn't worry. 

I was talking to Cindy today, too.  Do you write in a journal?  Just wondering.  I hope so.  That will be so helpful, but we are keeping every letter and even printed the blog at six months which is awesome.  It was better than Christmas when I got it in the mail this week.

Well, I hope all is going well.  I hope to be able to talk with you while you're on, but if not that's ok.  Know that I love you so much and pray for you every day, several times.  You're doing a wonderful job and you look so great and happy.  Please send a couple of pics if you can since we will see the Petersen's tomorrow and they asked us to bring pics if we have some.

Love you son, things here are fine and we are all happy and healthy.  We are truly blessed from your service and sacrifices you are making. 

Mom