August 25, 2014~"Where There is No Struggle, There is No Strength"

1.  How long did it take to get to Belize?
Like 2 hours but a long time to get to my area

2.  Did you stay at the mission home till you left for Belize or did you go back to your area till you left?
No, I got to spend my last day in Zaragoza

3.  You said your companion was Elder Jack...Where is he from? How is that going?
He is from Colorado.  He is a good guy..I don't see any problems with him!

4.  What is the place you live in like? 
The house? much better... the houses are nicer here and I have hot water again woo!

5.  Were you able to take everything or did you have to leave some stuff behind? 
I didn't leave anything.  I feel like I will need something at one time or another haha even if I haven't ever used it yet in the mission

6. I saw that the package has arrived to El Salvador so were you able to get it before you left?
No... it sucked, I had it in my hands but couldn't take it on the plane so this week or next week Prez comes so it will be fine.

Thats sweet to hear about the games... such a bummer that Ridge lost though but awesome Ryan got to play! Also cool you got to talk to some old friends of mine haha.  Tell them to write me.  I'm getting less and less people writing me! haha. I know last night I was chillin and thought hah! everyone has school tomorrow that sucks! Definitely worth being on the mish now hahaha... well I will go onto my crazy week!

So my last days in Zaragoza are behind me and it sucked saying goodbye to everyone.  To be honest I wasn't too excited about coming to Belize...I didn't wanna leave what I knew behind and also speak English...I hate English. But anyways we went to changes meeting and then left for the airport right after.  Changes had affected me a lot as I am not DL anymore. According to the mission thats bad and means I did something wrong but I know I haven't done anything wrong and its not my time to be DL and Prez also reassured me it wasn't me... he just wants my comp to get the experience and didn't want to shock me too much with a new country and leadership responsibilities.  I am all cool about it though at first kinda down on myself. When we got to Belize I got to see Elder Paulson and Elder Coates (another friend in the mish.. he went to Davis) as well as Elder Mckee. We had to ride a bus all the way to Belmopan to drop some missionaries off then head back up to Santa Elena. By the time I got there it was 10 at night so we didn't do any work that day. The next day we had zone meeting and I finally have sister missionaries in my Zone and District haha nooo! But everyone is chill.  My ZL's are cool.. one is a Latino who knows little English and his comp is a good friend named Elder Stoker.  His parents are Mission Presidents and is a way nice guy. Also here we have senior couple missionaries.  The ones in charge of us are the Rinderknects... they are so cool!!! They help us out a lot and if we need anything they are here.

So life in Belize is different.  The food is all fried but freakin good! and they have Dr pepper here!!!! We use the Belizian dollar which is 2 USA dollars. In my area you will find latinos, blacks and chinese.  Its so hard to talk to people... you don't know whether to speak English or Spanish or try speaking Creole. Creole is freakin nuts and you can understand what they are talking about but not details... its really crappy English and in my area, people speak it the most so I am having the members teach me haha. To me its nicer here than in El Salvador... the houses are spaced out and better. Also we use bikes!!!! I ripped my pants my second day though because I am not used to a bike and had a hole where my butt is the whole day haha! I'm loving life and its definitely like a different mission here! that's all that I can remember right now but yeah I am doing great!  Love you guys and know I'm just chillin!!!!
Elder Clev

Hugo!!!! guy from Zaragoza 

Sign in Creole!

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August 18, 2014~"Don't Let Yesterday Take Up Too Much of Today"

1. How did your Temple Trip go?
Good!  I will send pics


I don't have too much time as I have been busy all today getting papers ready but as you now know I am going to Belllliiiiizzzzzeeee! hahah  I don't leave till Wednesday but my companion is Elder Jack and my area in Cayo Belize ...Rama Santa Elena which is a full English speaking branch. But as I hear the English is crap... its pretty much like Jamaica... we shall see! I'm still DL as well. Also there are a lot of Mayan ruins in my zone so I will be sure to send some pics! Sorry that this is so short this week but I hope the pictures make up for it! Tell Stock Happy Birthday! Preaching the Gospel in 2 languages woooooo! Love you guys and sorry!
Elder Clev

Elder Cleverly and the other missionaries that are going to Belize this change

Activity Day

Temple Trip!

District Models

Angel

Familia de Leon...way cool family...I'm going to miss them! 

Familia Melendez...the Dad reminds me of Gabe!

La Familia Ramos

Sara

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August 11, 2014~ "Your Life Doesn't get Better by Chance, It Gets Better by Change"

1. So did you end up going and doing anything to celebrate your 1 year? 
Haha not really...I was really busy this week!

2.  How are things going with Angel?
He came to church we just need the permission from his family!

3. Do all the missionaries there still have to be in early or did they change it back? 
nah all is good

4.  Is next week change week again?
Yes... freak time flies



Sounds like a fun time with the moms. If they are as fun as their kids are I can't even imagine how that was haha! Ryan freak haha guess he is not as smooth as I ever was hahaha nah hopefully he learns his lesson ...something I didn't do till now oopss! haha well onto the week!

This week was rockin! We had our temple activity and it was such a success! We had about 50 people from here go and the mission reached the goal of having 1000 people! This coming week the mission goes to the temple.  I'm pretty sure us tomorrow. Sorry  I am gonna jump around a lot. We had a lot of service cutting corn, picking beans.. yes  I am now a beaner hahahahah.  We also had a branch activity with all the corn we picked and had a corn festival and we started a futbol tournament.  There are 6 teams and you know we are gonna win! haha  We played a mini tourney and our team won it all wooo! Also my district is growing in potencial! We have 15 possible baptisms! I'm so stoked but bummed too because changes are soon and Pres has given me the heads up I am probably boogeying. Sorry this is so short this week... hopefully the pictures tell the stories though.  I love you guys and am doing great! Gospel love! Love you Mom and Fam.. Do work this week!
Elder Clev

Temple!

"Black Man Air"

The District

Pirate!

"Beards for Daysss"

"Beach bum long hur dont cur!"

Ninja Turtles!

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August 4, 2014~Hits a Year Mark this Week! "If the Foundation of Faith is not Embedded in our Hearts, the Power to Endure will Crumble"

1.  So why don't you like to teach the English Classes?  That seems easy enough haha 
 Haha Mom English sucks

2.  Tell us more about Wendy.  How old is she? 
18..I am gonna go meet her on interchanges this week

3.  What is the coldest it has been since you have been out there? 
haha probably like 75

4. Do you go to the same internet cafe to write emails every week or do you go to different ones?
Usually the same one... sometimes we have to change because there aren't enough machines

A year huh? Nuts because I didn't even feel it go by! Maybe I will go out for pizza this Wednesday... you know I gotta celebrate and I don't celebrate small! I did find Mtn Dew again or I should say it found me haha... now they sell it in the tiendas. I know my Heavenly Father is content with me but expects more from me as I always seem to find something wrong I am doing and need to improve.  I am definitely not perfect that is for sure.  That is sweet you will go chill with some El Salv Missionary Moms.  I don't know Elder Mckee a lot because he has always been in different parts but from when I have talked to him he is a super chill guy along with Paulson freakin chillin in Belize. That is cool about Stock getting a new coach.  I am sure he will do great.  Shout out to Kota.. get out here man I freakin love you and you won't regret it at all you will feel the love of our Father in Heaven...I am routing for you!!!
Well onto the week...

This week was awesome! We played basketball with people that could actually play well mas o menos haha Angel came because he loves basketball.  He is improving and accepted our baptismal date but can only come to church every other Sunday because of something with his family so yesterday he didn't come but still is super positive!  No one else in his family is interested but that's ok everyone has their time. Speaking of that...I had a good week.... First the ZLs called me to tell me I had an interview to do and that it is really far. It was an adventure.  We went way far to this guy who has known the church for 26 years and finally it was his time... he was more than ready. Where he lives there is a village where no missionary has ever gone. I felt like a missionary in the BoM preaching to people who had never heard the gospel or of the church. When we walked in haha everyone looked at me strange...Now I know how the Spaniards felt when they came to the Americas haha..  I might be the first white person to ever walk in their churches... stopped their sermons and all were looking at me haha and you know I waved casually haha.  The only regret I had was I didn't bring my camera.  I know I failed...we crossed a wooden bridge and everything! So that's my cool experience this week. Also on Sunday we didn't have anyone committed to church and I was super bummed so in the morning I prayed for someone to feel the need to come to church... anyone. It was super awesome when minutes after church started an old investigator Francisco who moved away walked in and after explained how he moved back and remembered us ....the one time he went to church! God answers prayers for sure!!! Well that is all I can remember from the week this week.  Tomorrow we have a temple activity so that should be fun! Hope everyone has a good week love you guys!
Elder Clev

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July 28, 2014~ "Failure is Only The Opportunity to Begin Again, Only This Time More Wisely"

1.  So do you have the English classes every Saturday?  Do you teach them or do you take turns?  How many people come? 
Yup and no I only taught the class once.. Elder Williams teaches.  I don't like to teach.. he does haha ..like 10 people come

2. Why has it been hard to get Angel to come to church?  He seems so receptive...is it because he doesn't have a way there?  What is his family background?
He came this week!

3.  Was an experience that happened this past week that stood out the most to you?
I'll explain below

You didn't leave too much to comment on haha... what up with that?! .

Well my letter will be short again... Unfortunately but that doesn't mean I didn't learn anything or have any cool experiences! It was a good week.  We got Angel to church easily.  He lives right behind the church and we are hoping to put a baptismal date with him today so pray that we can be able to do that! He is so ready though and every time we pass by he amazes me.. definitely an example to me! I was working in other areas this week on interchanges with my District to see how they are doing and getting to know their investigators. There is this one person named Wendy.  She is old enough to make the decision to be baptized on her own and has the desire but doesn't have the approval of her family and so she is scared. Please pray for her to be courageous so that she can make covenants with God!  I always seem to learn something new on interchanges as well.   I realized I can always show more love for the Elders  I am in charge of.. so each interchange at the end of the day we eat pizza on me and talk a little ..it was awesome (yes I shared...its a miracle right!?) haha from being out here  I have understood just a little bit about the love of God and the love Jesus had for us.  Its amazing and endless to think about!

Other little happenings this week is we had our District Leaders meeting for the mission so I got to see Stin. Its been awhile haha..we caught up and after of course we went to Wendys.. after I mean its right there by the temple.  You know we couldn't resist and throwback to the good ole days haha. Also Last p-day we finally played Pres in tennis ..unfortunately we only played doubles, but me and my comp still beat him haha. He kept saying one more game one more game haha it was awesome. I did get him to promise that one day we will play singles so I'm preparing! haha well that is all I really got.  I am doing great here as usual and hope you guys are doing the same! Adios y vaya con Dios! Love you mom!
Elder Clev

Prez vs Clev

Take notes on that form

Tennis Part 2

Throwback Clev and Stin

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July 21, 2014~"Courage not Compromise Brings the Smile of God's Approval"-Thomas S. Monson

1.  Iris Ramirez posted some pictures on my timeline of you.  I told her Thanks!  They were in the church..was there some sort of activity going on?   
Yeah we are starting a new thing.  Every Saturday we have activities...first we play soccer than we had a baptism then the English classes and so yeah fun day!

2. You received a friend request from a "Michelle De Leon".(El Salvador)..should I accept it?
Yes! haha.. she is funny... a member in my area

3. Have things gotten better with the ZL's yet?
Things are getting better for sure

You didn't leave too much for me to comment on this past week.  Sounds like everything is progressing though so that is good.  I guess I will just start into my week then...

I don't know how I would describe this past week... kinda like a roller-coaster or something... definitely some good and not so fun experiences. I will start from the top.. on Tuesday we had interviews with President which was awesome.  Usually the missionaries just say everything is good and yeah but I have been having a lot of questions and not a whole lot of answers on certain things so I saw it as an opportunity to really get to talk to him and ask him questions about what he thinks about things and experiences in his mission... it was sweet. Something he told me that really stuck out to me was he said "I played sports, I loved sports, I had fun, but it wasn't always like that.  There were days where I was tired, hungry, thirsty and didn't wanna go to practice but if you ask me if I loved playing and had fun I would say that was the number one thing I had" ... later he said "that is how the mission and the gospel should be, there will be crappy bad days but you gotta have fun that is what its all about" He then invited me to always set up a tournament or something to get more people to come to the church even if they don't get baptized its a win for the church. My advice for everyone is do everything you can to help others get to know the church even if they don't get baptized.  If they leave with a better understanding its a win for the church.

Other things I learned this week is we are teaching this kid named Angel.  He is 14 but I gotta tell you he is the coolest kid ever. He is ping pong champ of Zaragoza and is way smart. He understands the lessons the way they should be and always has way cool questions that  I have never heard from anyone.  We just need to get him to church so help me with that please! Last night he prayed and it was one of the most sincere prayers  I have ever heard... when he said thanks for having the missionaries find me it was so awesome! After I realized how another 14 year old boy named Joesph Smith could have had the experiences he had and that even though he was young the Lord confounds the wise with the unlearned. To end I got a surprise yesterday... Alciria and Gabriella were at my church yesterday! I walked in and saw them and was like what the freak?! They were visiting in Puerto I guess which is by here and decided to stay one day more to go to church here. It was awesome to see them again and to talk to them! Haha everyone thought I was some snake or something but I know its nothing like that... Alciria is my Salvadoreña mom! haha well thats all I got this week have a good week... love you Mom, fam, and friends!
Elder Clev

Elder Talla, Gabriella, Elder Cleverly

Gabriella and Alciria..his first baptisms in Mission...were at his church visiting..Surprise!

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July 14, 2014~"Faith is Looking at the Impossible and Knowing That God Will Not Fail You"

1.  Did you stay or are you somewhere new?
 Still here in Zaragoza!

2.  The tacos looked good in the pictures you sent.  Do you still eat Pupusas or are you tired of those?  What is your favorite thing to eat from there?
Of course I still eat pupusas.  You can't get tired of them! My favorite thing to eat ummmm I don't know...I have a lot like platinos, pupusas, arroz con leche and many more

3. Iris Ramirez sent a friend request to your facebook.  I accepted it and I am now friends with her as well.  She says you are a great missionary and that you live near her? Is she a member and part of your branch?  She posted some pictures of you and the other missionaries doing service.  She told me that sometimes you have played basketball with her husband. 
She is a member that lives right in front of my house.  We usually play b-ball with her husband and a few other members

4. Have you heard from Stin? How is he doing?
No I haven't.   I haven't had any multizonas with him because he is in campo and me in the city and we can't call anymore...Prez kinda cracked down on that and I am trying to be obedient.  I hope he is doing good.  I know he had changes from an Elder in my district who went to changes but other than that my district is the same as well... nothing changed really weird but I'm grateful

We still are having problems with the ZLs.  I tried talking to them this past week but they wouldn't change their minds at all so we have talked to President and will be having an interview with him.  Hopefully he can help us out.  I am looking forward to talking to him but am sad that we have to go all the way to President to solve a simple problem. Sounds like you guys had a fun trip and that now are ready to start football!!! Tell Ryan to tell Coach T Hi and that I'm still rooting for them from El Salvador!

Also I do have a small list of things  I would like in the package... still thinking too but here is some...an oil vial as mine broke and they don't sell them here, Cheeze-Its, Sunflower seeds, I need more razors...I have to shave everyday it sucks, a new journal as I am approaching the end of my other one and like 2 pairs of Nike socks as mine are getting trashed and have nothing to play sports in. I will update you if I think of anything else.

Well as for my week it was a good one! We did play soccer last week and I am pretty sure I sprained my knee so walking kinda sucked but I feel better now! We had a lot of success this week in finding new people.. especially this past weekend. We found this one guy who use to live in North Carolina and has had a tough past life and made a lot of mistakes but is receptive and I hope that we can help him.  His name is Maynor along with his wife Rosibel. We found a couple others as well as we humbled ourselves and started working with the Branch President who we haven't gotten along with too well but we have seen the good in him and it took a lot to accept him how he is and to humble ourselves and it has paid off tremendously. Also this past week we had to work with one of the APs and got to drive in the car the whole time but it was stupid... we didn't do anything different and all the APs act like they just wanna go home... he would sometimes fall asleep in the lessons as well...Something I learned from the experience is God calls sometimes the most unqualified people to lead to help them learn and it depends on them to grow and see how they can develop. Others he wants them to learn something and get it down. I have learned so much as a DL and feel that I have learned and still have more to learn and that is why I haven't moved up to ZL like everyone thinks I should but I am more than happy to be where I am at and doing what  I am doing.  We can't look at what we don't have but what we are given.  Also we had a zone meeting with President which was great as always ..he and his wife are the best (in nacho libre voice) hahah. Well that's all that I can remember from this past week... sadly I don't have any pictures so sorry but have a good week and be safe... love you guys!!! Adios y vaya con Dios! (God be with you)
Elder Clev

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