Week #88-92 Apr. 10, 2020 The Glorious time that the Lord gives us

 Week #88-92 Apr. 10, 2020

The Glorious time that the Lord gives us

Hello everyone, This is going to be my last email. Just to let everyone know I am ok, I am alive and I got home yesterday, so dont worry about anything. 

I want to share my testimony about the mission. 

First of all, I want all of you to know that the mission is the best thing that a young man or woman can do in their whole life. You will hear that from everyone you meet honestly. But dont expect it to be easy, cause it is one of the hardest things you will ever do in your whole life. But you will never feel so close to your savior.

I know that Jesus Christ is our savior. I know He died and suffered for all manner of afflictions that we are suffering now. But I also know that when we have faith in him, we can do miracles and receive more blessings than anything else. I know that when we first trust in God and in Jesus Christ, They will be with us in all our trials. God doesn't just give us trials and lets us go, he gives us trials so we can be humble enough to see our faults and look to him for a high guidance. God wants to help us, but only if we accept our help. The only way someone can serve a mission, and really make the best of that time, is if they really look for the counsel of the Lord, BUT not only look for it, but also to practice it, put it into play, actually get the pieces to start working and moving. But if you have no desire to become better, no desire to change and leave your faults behind, you won't progress. This is the time to change, to become better servants of God, to become better people, to not only do the right things when people are looking, but to do the right things when we are alone, when we are just with the Lord. When we can choose to do that, we are choosing to be more like Christ. We choose to obey the Lord's commandments. If you have to change some things in your life, now is the time to do it! The Lord doesn't want Hesitant servants, he wants those who are willing to change right after seeing the faults and errors they make!! WE need to be those servants. And we can, only if we choose to, and humble ourselves before our creator and maker. 

My 20-21 months of service was not easy, but it was made easier with our saviors help. I know he suffered for my hard moments, the sadness that came to me at times, the sicknesses that tried to stop me from working, for everything, but all of that only helped me to see the hand of the lord in my life, that God really loves me and really wants to benefit from this time. 

I know I didn't do it perfectly. I made lots of mistakes during the mission, But I did my best, I showed my best to the Lord in the hardest times of my life. I know with all my heart he helped me and guided me along the way. 

There is a reason why they call these two years "The Best two years." It's because we have the opportunity to get closer to our Heavenly Father. We get a hint of how our Heavenly Father and his Son see us and how much they love us. We see how much he wants to help his children and how much he loves them. 

Don't waste the time the Lord gives you Missionaries and Future Missionaries, this time is yours. USE IT WELL! The Lord only gives us this opportunity once. Don't choose which side you will follow when you get there, choose now who you will serve. There are only two. The LORD, who will bless you forever for the service that you give him, or the other, who will do none of that. 

I know the mission is the best decision we can choose. I hope all of you who are of the age and worthy go on the mission. If you are not of age, prepare now for the time!! If you are not worthy, as Elder Jefferey R. Holland says, "GET WORTHY!" I loved the mission, I hope all of you can eventually have the same experiences when you get the chance.

JUst be faithful members of the church, we have the truth, and it is our duty to share the truth to all inhabitants of the earth!!!  

Mosiah 28:3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. 

Alma 17:2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

Week #87 Mar. 16, 2020

 Week #87 Mar. 16, 2020

Hey fam, sorry this is gonna be quick. But Just for you information, Peru is in Quarantine for the next 15 days and we are not able to leave the house or anything. Just know I love you all and miss you all. I am fine here in Peru, I am healthy and far away from Coronavirus, well, sometimes. I am in Cusco which is a very touristy area haha. But I am ok. 

I love you all and will pray for you all at home and on missions. Stay strong, be courageous, and dont have fear for the things that are happening in the world. The Lord is always with us and will always help us.  

Week #85-86 Mar. 12, 2020 Un nuevo Comienzo

 Week #85-86 Mar. 12, 2020

Un nuevo Comienzo

HEllo family!!! How are you guys! Im going good here in Cusco still. Recently I had a new change and now I have a new comp!! His name is elder Sanchez and he is from Lima. He came here from Puno so he tells me it is hot all the time haha. He is still a little new, he has about 6 months in the mission now. 

One thing I first asked him was if he was a hard worker, or if he actually liked to work. HE DOES AND THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY!!! He gets along super well with my Pension and her family too. SO that has been awesome. 

Elder Soto, my old comp, left for Puno, His new comp is my son in the mission, so I hope they got along and do well. 
All that time with Elder Soto, I have learned alot about obedience, and being humble. I tell you guys how horrible it was, but all in all, it was the learning experience I needed in that moment. The Lord sent me to be with Elder Soto in that moment, maybe to help him, maybe to help me! I still dont know why I had so much time with him. I dont know if I helped him at all, but I know that he helped me. He helped me to realize that in all trials that come our way, there are two ways that we can choose. The easy way out, whenever you are struggling, we just want the instant out, do whatever to leave, and thats usually how the Devil works. He wants us to just give up and get out and fall in his temptation! The hard way out, the Lords way. Our father gave us THE plan to progress in this world. He gave us the way to get through our trials but he wants us to learn from them, so that we dont make the same mistake! Sometimes in order to be that way, our trials last longer that others, but the lord will never give us a trial that we cant handle. He pushes us to the point of breaking, but never to punish us. Our father is loving, he loves so much he wants us to become as he is. PERFECT. Dont give in to the trials and problems of the world and of life, Look at them and fight them, and when you cant fight, endure them, but the lord is always there. He is never gone. If you seek his help, he will give you it. Be patient, be humble, and above all, be obedient.

Elder Clawson

Week #84 Mar. 2, 2020

 Week #84 Mar. 2, 2020

Hey so this week was also another week in the house. 
But It was fun cause I was able to get out of the house more. 

First I did divisions with the zone leaders so that was fun. We went to a couple places and visited a lot of people! We visited a member who is sick and cant leave her bed, and we just talked and laughed about stuff. We talked alot about the peruvian food and man it was super fun, this lady was super funny. Then we ended divisions with the zone leaders and I Started new divisions with the elders of Tahuantinsuyo. So I went over there and I was with elder Burrell. I took lots of advantage of this opportunity to do some personal and then comp study. SO we did that and man it was super fun. And pretty much after lunch and till about 6 at night we contacted all afternoon, mostly cuase elder Burrell is still pretty new. But it was lots and lots of fun haha. Later we went to a meeting for missionary work, and man the ward mission leader and the presidente of the relief society just fought the whole time!! So like 45 minutes into it I just said to Elder Burrell, We got to leave cause there is nothing going on in this meeting! So we left and ended divisions. LAter We had interviews this week and my interview was surprisingly really really short. President Garcia just asked me how my area book was and pretty much told me to be patient. And how I was doiong spiritually, so that helped me a bit. Then for the first time in two weeks we were able to go back to church!!! IT was so cool to go back, especially on a fast sunday. All the little kids were bearing testimony and it was so cute!!! So that was pretty much my week!! My pension made me a dope sweatshirt that I love! And I am almost done witht the Book of Mormon!!! 

I love you all and miss you tons!!! 

Week #83 Feb. 24, 2020 ¿Que tal la vida afuera de la casa?

 Week #83 Feb. 24, 2020

¿Que tal la vida afuera de la casa?

Hey so Im just gonna right about my week to the fam this week. 

SO honestly nothing big happened this week. Pretty much all week I was inside my house. Cause my comp has got the mumps, so that was kind of a rough road for me. 

But I was able to talk to my pensions husband a bit and teach him. He isnt a member but he knows a lot about what we do in the churchHis name is Mauricio and he is 50 years old. First we just had a really good discussion about the function of a prophet and why they are so important. The second time is he told me he likes to go out for a drink every now and then. So I straight up asked him that its bad and why he does, we went on for a bit and luckily his daughter karen joined in and helped me out haha. She is 23 and a returned missionary from Brasil. I always talk with her cause she helps me out a lot with the things I am going through and has lots of good points. This week she gave me 10 points that she learned from her mission for me to help out my district. Hopefully I will be able to Share it with them tomorrow!!! But most of the week I spent reading the scriptures, or talking with my pension or her family. Kind of a boring week honestly. Karen soaked me yesterday for carnavales, so that was funny haha. But We had interviews with President yesterday and he pretty much told me that my comp was gonna be going home this week we think. So I guess we will see what happens!

I love you all and miss you tons. Keep Living up the gospel to the limit, except there is no limit haha.

LOVES 

Elder Clawson

Week #82 Feb. 17, 2020

 Week #82 Feb. 17, 2020

Hey guys! I am gonna make this email short and full of love. 

So thai week was a good one. Lots of fun stuff and lots of weird stuff and trials.

Tuesday I did divisions with Elder Smith from Cali, and I pretty much just took him to the clinic to see why he was sick and to help him get better. It was fun and we just talked and had a good ol divisions. Shared Stories and helped eachother out with our trials that are going on right now. 
Wednesday ended divisions and had a cita with Angela, Talked with her about baptism and she told us about some personal stuff from her life before. Helped her out alot and gave her a comfort blessing to help her know that our heavenly father loves us and is willing to help us. 
Friday My comp was really sick, we went to the clinic and I went with the zone leader for a hot minute to teach some lessons. Then We actually ended up staying in the Hospital for the Night which is not fun at all.

Saturday morning and afternoon, I was pretty much just reading my scriptures the whole time. I read the whole part about the destruction of the nephite nation. It made me sad cause Mormon was just trying to help them and they wouldnt listen to him. It helped me understand my situation alittle too. And for a bit Mormon just stopped helping them, he stopped being the commander! But later he realized he needed to help them. What I learned was, even when we are trrying to help others to do the right thing and they just wont listen to you, like Mormon, we still need to love them and try to help. It was a good study. We found out that my comp has MUMPS and a stomach infection. So for the MUMPS, he cant be in contact with anyone for  over 7 days. This next week is going to be fun :( And the other, dont eat bad food. 

Sunday we were in the house all day, couldnt go to church or anything. So that was my week. I want to remind all of you, to read your scriptures everyday!!! The Book of Mormon will help you with any question or any situation, thsi book was written by prophets for our time!!!! Follow it, Read It, and Receive the blessings of Knowledge!!

LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU TONS!!!

Week #81 Feb. 10, 2020 Livin in the Rain and always sleeping with cold feet and socks.

 Week #81 Feb. 10, 2020

Livin in the Rain and always sleeping with cold feet and socks.

Hello friends and family. I hope you are all going well and living it up where ever you may be. 
This week was a decent week. A little rough with work cause we had a bunch of meetings and a zone conference. 

We had a fun zone conference, we had A visitor fromBurley idaho. Brother Dowdle, who gave us a good old reminder about our health and pretty much how we neeed to stay away form sick people and the coronavirus haha. 

After President Garcia shared with us his conversion story, which was super awesome. He was never contacted by missionaries but they went to thechurch and it was testimony sunday. And he actually went up and bore his testimony!!! CRAZY RIGHT!!!! And after that he just pretty much calledevery singleone of us to repentence. Lots of things to get better for sure. That sounds weird in english. 

But this week we had a couple really good citas with this girl named angela who I really thing we are gonna put a baptismal date. First we taught super late at night once and we just talkedabout the faith, repentence, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. After we invitedher to pray about the messages we had been sharing her. I also invited her to read Alma 32, 26-29 which tallks about faith and how we need to exercise a little bit of faith to see if these things are from God, and if they are, wouldn't that increase your faith?? 

The next day she came to church and then she met a member and they actually talked the whole time so we didnt get a chance to talk to her at church, but she was actually Crying!!! It made me super nervous but it also was a real answer to my prayers. 
Later that night we had a really fun Noche de Hogar with a really awesome family, and Angela came with us. It was awesome and i think she really saw the blessings that the family can receive from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the family we went to visit, they not only hleped her to understand the gospel, but they also helped me to understand more about the gospel. I know that Angela felt the spirit in that Noche de Hogar, now we have a cita with her On tuesday, and we will see how see her feels about the gospel. Ive been here for about 4 months, and i got her reference from a piece of paper I found in the house when I got to this sector. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Sometimes we doubt the power of the Lord, but the Lord never leaves us and always blesses us if we obey his commandments. 

One scripture I read this week was 3 Nephi 26:9-11 I think. It helped me out this week. 

I lov eyou all and miss youall. Talk to you next week.

Week #80 Feb. 4, 2020

 Week #80 Feb. 4, 2020

Hey guys how are yall. Hope you are all doing awesome!! 

These past couple days have gone by really quick.

First on Friday I had to Go to a small pueblo called Izcuchaca for some baptism interviews.

We got there and we met the Family that was gonna get baptized. It was a family of 3, mom the dad, and a 9 year old son. We did all there interviews and it was awesome!! They were such a strong family and so ready to be baptized. They even got married the week before!!!! They were so ready to enter into this beautiful convenio. FUN FACT! In there house they had the original NITENDO 64!!!! I told the dad that I grow up playing that with all my cousins and all my family. Haha it was so fun to see a familiar face haha. 

Saturday we left early to go to Izcuchaca again for the baptism. We got there at about 9ish and we ate breakfast with the Elders there, who are Elder Zenteno from Argentina, and Elder Sanchez from Ecuador. After we met with President cause he wanted to come to the baptism too!! We got everything ready and went to a waterfall about 10 minutes away from where we were. And wow it was one of the coolest baptisms that i have ever seen. Even President Garcia was dumbfounded about how beautiful it was. It was really awesome. Later that night we had the opportunity to meet with Ninoska, From Puerto Maldonado. And she took us out to eat some Shawarma!!! It was super rico. And it was fun to talk to her again and see how she was doing. 

The next day We actually went to church with her and It was fun! It waas fun to go to church with her again and really more fun was talking to her and trying to help her with the problems she had been having. 

Later that day we had a cita with Carlos and we got there super late cause my comp is a slow poke walking up stairs. But I quickly calmed down and we taught a good lesson about the law of Chastity. We put some goals for them to get married for the end of February!! They totally can if they just set there minds to it and if we really get them motivated to do it. 

Later we had a fun Noche de hogar and we had a good lesson from Hna Deisy and she told us to make spiritual goals to help us out as members and as people. Things that we can all do to become better. Mine was be more willing to go out of my way and do service for people in the street or wherever.

I lov eyou all and miss you all tons. I hope you all have a good week, and make a goal this week to serve someone in a loving way

ELder Clawson

Week #78-79 Jan. 30, 2020 In the bipolar climate of Cuzco Peru

 Week #78-79 Jan. 30, 2020

In the bipolar climate of Cuzco Peru

Hey guys sorry its been awhile. I hope you are all doing well.

So this week or these last two weeks have honestly been a little rough. My comp is kind of a not obedient missionary. So This letter will honestly be alittle short but I got lots of fun pictures. 

This week we had some really good noches de hogar with an investigator named Angela. She is from Quillabamba. She knows the missionaries there and she came to church with us for the first time about two weeks ago. That was a big surprise for us and ever since then she has just been doing awesome. She came to a fun family home evening with a bunch of members and she actually really liked it. 

The work has been really difficult recently cause my comp just doesnt want to do absolutely anything. We moved this week so that was a fun new change we had. Our new house is way more clean and big so its nice. And we now have a new pension who is the coolest lady ever haha. This sunday was elections here so we werent able to go to church at all sadly. 
A funny story, the sunday before we were eating lunch with the pens, and as we walked out, I guess I looked kind of sad or pissed off, but Then I hear this big old yell ANIMOS ELDER! i look up and President Garcia Is just chillin in his car passing by haha. Yesterday Pres wanted to interview with us, just for some stuff that is going down in my companionship, my comp. But it was really good and made me feel alot better. I am super grateful for the help that my President gives me. Oh I forgot, This was the end of the change and i found out that i am gonna stay here with Elder Soto, one more change!!!! My nightmare came true hahah.

Guys Im sorry I cant remember all that happened, but Sorry you are only hearing about the bad things going down. The mission is not the easiest thing, but I will tell you guys that I am super happy here, despite the stupid things that go down. I love you all and Miss you all. 

I went to the airport to say goodbye to a buddy elder Jellen, And man that was the most trunky I have ever felt in the mission. I do not recommend it to other missionaries haha. 

I did divisions this week with an elder Burrel From Garland, Here are some pics with him. The guy with all the tats was super high but I remember seeing him in Puerto Maldonado, his name is Eric and he was from French Polynesia. The south Korean family was in the plaza and they were all members. They young girl served in Korea seoul. She was the only one that spoke english but it was fun to talk to them.

Week #77 Jan. 20, 2020

 Week #77 Jan. 20, 2020

sorry guys this week I have to Go but just know That I love ya and miss ya all.

Week #76 Jan. 13, 2020 Hello to the beloved Pueblo of...ZION!

 Week #76 Jan. 13, 2020

Hello to the beloved Pueblo of...ZION!

HI GUYS!! How are ya!!

Wow this week has been a pretty insane week but its been I very productive one as well haha. So I cant honestly remember all that Ive done this week. But To start it off Ill tell you that I finally got my Christmas package!!!!

In my package I got Heath candy bars, poptarts!!! And some ties, socks, and photos!! Also in my package I received some letters from my Grandma Roberts who passed away when I was in Puerto Maldonado. She had written me some amazing letters in the best cursive I have ever seen ( no one has better cursive then her). They were full of amazing and funny stories from her mission as well. It made me realize that my grandma also went through the same things that I went through. It also made me realize that our loved ones who are now gone and never really or truly gone, but they still love us and are only waiting for us, till we can go back and live with them again in the presence of our Heavenly Father. I Love the Plan of our Heavenly Fathers plan. It is perfect. 

  And next best thing, I downloaded a bunch of Enya songs and have been studying to that recently!!! OH HOW GLORIOUS! Its been a good week to let you know. 

However, we did have a set back, on Thursday. My comp had a dear John sort of thing happen, but a little bit worse I think. He was in a raging fire fit, punching walls, crying uncontrollably, and also demanding to go home. So we had the assistants over to help us out with his problems and now he is fine, wants to stay in the mission, and willing to endure to the end. It was kinda scary mostly cause I had no idea what the heck was going on. While waiting for the assistants to come, he didnt say one word to me so I thought it was something that i did. But Later I found out it was that. 

On saturday we had this really good lesson with This guys named Carlos, we were teaching him before, but he wasnt progressing a whole lot. But this cita we had, was amazing. We taught him lesson 3, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I was so ready and prepared for this lesson. We read the scriptures, shared experiences and it made it just amazing!! The problem with this guy is he isnt married and his roommate is a member and she feels like she is living in a sin. At the end of the cita I talked to them seriously, to see if they actually had plans to get married. They said they did and then the sister just bursted into tears and said how bad she was feeling about living this way. I felt the spirit, and I know that Carlos definitely did too, It was definitely and eye opener for him I feel like. We left them some work, to talk about a certain date so they can get married. They said they would talk and pray about it! 

Sunday was an amazing day. One lady in the ward brought all of her nephews and told us to go visit them!!! We also had a young kid in our ward that is preparing to go on the mission, and he wanted to go visit people with us. So After lunch yesterday he left with all the whole day and we had 3 big ol noche de hogars. After those we were all drained and ready to go to bed. I love those days when you just work so hard and you are so wasted after haha. And today we even woke up at 5 for a service at our bishops house. It was so beautiful to see the city of Cusco in the morning before the sun came up completely. And I even got a better view cause we did the service on the top of his house. We had to change the roof cause it was over 100 years old and it had sunken from all the wait of the tiles and stuff. But it was a super fun time to just hang out with our bishop and talk to him for a long while. It was his birthday this week and he told me he turned 18 this week haha. GOOD GUY!

LOVE ELDER CLAWSON

They Utter joy I had when I finally got the package