December 30, 2013

**Sorry All...there was no email last week since he got to Skype Call us on Christmas**

That's sweet about "Gotts"...I freakin love that guy and am so sad he is not
here anymore. I have a ton of pictures so hopefully they get there! But this
week was a whole lot better! We found this guy named William who speaks a little English and is the
chillest cat. He said he would come to church with us and waited in the
doorway waiting for us on Sunday... it was awesome. Then in church when they kinda
sent a shoutout to him, he stood up and fist pumped it ...siickk! He is
way receptive and we were talking and he was like "the Church needs to
be more happy.... everyone looks bored maybe they need me"... haha! Also he
was like you guys were popular in high school no? (he is from San Fran)
and we were like ehhhh and he goes "Hey I know what its like... we can't
help that girls like us and God blessed us with such good looks"....hahahaha!
I love this guy and want the world for him.  He is the nicest
guy. It was so nice to see you guys and really helped me for some
reason and it got me refocused out here... it was nice. You know this New
Years we are doing the roof again with Oreo milkshakes! haah... but yeah
you would be naive to think I wouldn't hook the bros and sistas up from the
Salv! I want the best for you guys and love you guys so much...
especially you Mom! Don't worry you know I will be fine out here as long
as I rely on God!   I just hope I wasn't too weird! I really have had my
life changed through here.  I have realized so much and never want to look
back! I love you guys and I will be looking forward to next week.  Have a
fun, safe New Years... you know we will....well...I can't guarantee safe ;)
Elder Clev

The 4 Golden Boys

Pres. and Sister Hintze, Elder Cleverly with Comp Elder "Stin" Smith

Bowling on P-Day

On top of the roof checking out the view

Matching Christmas Shirts...Christmas tree w/angel Moroni on top!

View from the Roof....

"Deep Thoughts"

Remembering the advice from his good friend Elder Gottschalk who returned home last week...

Proud of their matching Christmas shirts

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December 16, 2013....Training one of his Best Friends!

1.  So do you know when you will get to Skype for Christmas?  Christmas Day or another day?
 Christmas Day!

2.  Where did Elder Purser get transferred to?
Los Heroes... the rich part...He is a District Leader

3. How was the baptism? Do you have something after the baptism? (like refreshments? do ward members come?)
Good! Yeah ...there was a farewell party for a missionary so we had tortas

4.  How is the teaching coming with those you have found? 
Right now we´re stuck again but still working!

5.  Did Elder Paulson stay in the area or did he get transferred this change? 
He is still in the zone

6. Have you received your package from us yet? It should have arrived.
Yup.. got it this past week... thanks so much...I loved it!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like a pretty good week... sorry I'm not commenting too much on it
but I have so much to say from this past week so here I go....

First I can't stop thinking about that money charge ouch....that really
hurts....Anyways so we finished my training up and all was good.  I was
freaking out the day of changes... how could I do it? What was gonna
happen? I  just knew I was gonna get some person who wants to go home and
everything. So we get to the capilla for changes and who do I see? Mom...
"Stin" is freakin in my mission!!!!!! I was so happy when I saw him... it
seemed like forever! So then me and Gottschalk and Stin all took
pictures together and were like yeah Northridge baby!!! haha  It just
sucks Gottschalk leaves next week because I love that guy. But anyways we
had the meeting of trainers and trainees and you sit there just
wondering which of them is your next comp and who you will have to deal
with. So I knew I was getting a latino... there were only 5 gringos out
of the 25 or so Elders that came. So then we did all that and we
finally went to the changes presentation.... they showed all the pictures
and all that fun stuff then starting showing the pictures of
companionships. What I liked about this time around was that I knew
when I was coming up because I knew I was staying in Layco... So they keep
showing all the other areas in my zone and I was the only gringo
trainer going to changes in our Zone this change. Our whole zone is
now training every zone because some from last change are still training.
But anyways they show all the other areas in my zone and all were
latinos so  then I am like they are not gonna overrun the zone with latinos.. they
usually balance it out so I'm probably gonna get a gringo.... Finally they show Layco
they show my picture and the next picture who is it? FREAKING ELDER
SMITH OR SO CALLED......"STIN!"   MOM I'M TRAINING ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS
OUT ON THE MISSION! I still can't believe it and don't think I ever
will.  Its the coolest thing ever because I wanna help him out so bad but
yeah its so cool!   I honestly can't express my feelings so I'm just gonna
stop. But he has way good work ethic and I have gotten way more organized
to help him and stuff... but Gottschalk hooked us up and told Prez we
would be good together so we still have a ton of responsibility and
being comp mayor I'm really feeling it ...but I just gotta work hard and
be way obedient.   This is the coolest thing ever Mom.

Well this week workwise was bad because we gotta find noobs and we didn't but we still
worked our butts off and soon it will pay off... between that  and we have been
catching up and what not but its a party here to say the least. Well
thats pretty much all I have.  I can't think of anything else but yeah
good baptism, crazy changes,  and now lovin life and working hard.
Well we are supposed to go bowling today too so yeah. But  I love you Mom and hope
you guys enjoy the holidays and what not... sorry for the big bills and
stuff....But thanks for everything Mom love you so much!
Elder Clev

Elder Cleverly, Elder Gottschalk, Elder Smith....."Northridge Buddies"

Pres and Sister Hintze, Elder Cleverly with his newbie  Elder Smith "Stin"...his friend from home...Crazy!

Christian's baptism..."Elder Stin's" first baptism with Elder Cleverly

They are already having fun together...haha! Watch out El Salvador

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December 9, 2013

1.  Why do you think you have gained weight?  Do your clothes feel tighter? 
because my belly is bigger! haha..I need to exercise a little more but yeah a
little tighter.

2.  With this being transfer week...have you heard anything about training or a new companion?
Um ..I'll explain below

3.  Do they have Christmas Decorations there? What do they do for Christmas?
Yes... lights little trees nothing huge but yeah

4.  Any spiritual experiences or crazy experiences this week?
Um...I'll explain below tambien


Sounds like an average week with the Fam... crazy but fun haha. Thats sweet about the snow.
I'm kinda mad because I realized how much I like it! Thats also cool about Stock keeping the W's and Ryan keeping the tradition. And yeah please try and send those M&Ms next time...I love those things! 

Well on to my crazy week..
So Wednesday we had intercambios with the Zone Leaders.  I stayed here with Elder Ralphs ...a way chill guy and we ruled this place. We found a couple noobs too. One is the hermana of one of our investigators.  She is really receptive and we hope to get to her because she influences her sister a lot. Another was we finally were able to contact William again.  It seems like intercambios brings him out haha. He just so happened to call in sick for the day and we just passed by but his schedule is still way difficult. A friend was there named David...I call him Davy Crockett...He is just as cool as William and has a ton more time.  We are hoping and praying for him so who knows. That night me and Ralphs roasted marshmallows in this ally thing in my house... it was
buck wild! He is probably leaving so it was our last party haha. The
next night I went to the fridge to eat some marshmallows when a call came... my comp answered and started screaming so I poked my head in and he is like YOUR TRAINING! I stood there and then yelled I NEED TO CHANGE MY PANTS I JUST CRAPPED! haha yes I'm still me. So yeah I'm going to train... the rumors are true Paul Walker died but there is a new Paul Walker (me) getting on the fast track haha.. we will see how this goes but I
need a lot of faith.  I feel so inadequate...I mean I end training this
week and start training this week too. The next day we went to the
Trainer meeting and I find out more than half of the people I came
with are all going to Belize now.. menos me. There is still work here for me and my Spanish will be better haha. Also we are gonna baptize Christian this Thursday... everything is good and ready to go! I'm gonna have my noob do it...It will be good for him. So yeah that was my crazy week...But I know everything is possible with faith. Just like all missionaries before without it nothing will happen but I would appreciate some prayers just in case haha.  Any crazy stories and such? I have one... I was teaching these investigators and started quoting  the 1st vision... all of a sudden they start laughing...I know that I hadn't messed up though and I look behind me and these two dogs our doing their thing... like what 
the heck!!!!  Definitely Satan is real and its usually dogs for me. Then this guy lights a random firework by us and then after that this guy rips a huge fart and that was the last straw but the lesson was good and they still felt the Spirit and want us to come back. Oh and be best friends with Elder Paulson's mom so we can party after the Mish...
But love you guys... we will see how this week goes! 
Love you mom and thanks for everything!
Elder Clev

Elder Clev with companion Elder Purser, Elder Garcia, and Elder Paulson

Thanksgiving in El Salvador with Elder Paulson and Elder Ralphs

Roasting Marshmallows...

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December 2, 2013

1.  How was your Thanksgiving with the Pres?
It was freakin sweet!!! 

2. Do you know if you get to Skype for the Christmas call or just call?  I will get a skype account set up for you just in case and email you the log in info next week.
I'm pretty sure Skype

3. Have you eaten any strange foods or anything that was gross?
Um No...I eat everything... there hasn't been the greatest things.. like pumpkin with miel (honey) and other stuff ..the whole thing was like black and wasn't that great and they drink oatmeal in this drink stuff not for breakfast...but nothing gross.

4.  Have you checked in the store for the Probiotics?
No sorry..I will.  I have been healthy so I try staying out of that place haha


Sounds like a usual holiday week haha. It probably was more enjoyable though because I wasn't there.  I know you were hinting at that haha. That's too bad about the Black Friday because I so would  have gone all out.. you know that no one can replace me though ...especially Austin and Cass! Thats so weird that the Football Banquet is tonight...I remember that like it was yesterday! Good memories to say the least but always more to come! Which leads me to my week...

So we did have Thanksgiving and it was way different but still really nice. It wasn't all of our mission because it was split into two days and we were the first. It was good to see old MTC buddies and all that but the best was the talks by our mission Pres and his wife. I know I always say it but I have the coolest mission parents! Paulson is friends with their son from the MTC and says he is his and mine missing piece haha....He says we  are partying at Presidents house after the mish haha. But the food was good and I ate a ton but not as much as a usual Thanksgiving. Mom.. its wrong to say but I think I am gaining weight out here haha! Its because I eat everything even if its something I hated at home. I have learned to like food in general haha... my comp calls me a black hole. Like yesterday, we ate after fasting and ate a ton at our house because we didn't think we would eat the rest of the day... well after a cita we passed by a members house and they were having a graduating party and gave us all this food and we had to stuff it all down haha. But I have ate some good things.. a little weird things too but I'm trying to expand my food selections.. like next week they have something called pan con pollo... its famous here during Navidad and I wanna try it and will next Domingo so we will see!

More about my week is we had another baptism fecha fall because they didn't come to church but one maintained... Christian did! We should have a baptism next Monday. Also next Monday I should know if I'm training or not so who knows! We also found this way cool family and find out they are recent converts in our area but another zone baptized them and that Ward is way far away. We were so mad because no one notified us and I think thats against the rules but they are way cool so I have an opportunity to strengthen this family in the gospel. Its not all about baptisms but keeping people in the church too. I got some pictures with the crazy family and the book! Haha I had to because the others I wasn't in! Another is with this guy we call "everywhere guy". He is a loco but he is everywhere.  I have even seen him on intercambios! haha so I had to get pic with him. But yeah thats kinda the party here in Layco.  Its weird.. its my last week of training...I'm almost done! 

Well its good to hear you guys are all doing good and having fun! Just keep being the family I know you guys to be! Love you Mom and I am always so grateful for you! Oh and Paulson got peanut m&ms and they didn't melt so peanut butter ones could come here! :)
Love you!
Elder Clev 

"Everywhere Guy"

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