Family and Friends!!

 

      I hope everyone is well and loving life right now. I am, that´s for sure. It has definately been a lot more consistant this week.This computer freezes about every 30 seconds and so this may be a rough email...and that worst part is that the timer on the screen doesn´t always freeze with the computer (weird) and so you hear a grunt in unison as all of the computers freeze and the Elders and Sisters lose their precious time. I really don´´t like the pressure of that timer, but I´ll get over it soon. haha

      THANK YOU for all of the letters, Dear Elders, Postcards and Packages. I really feel loved, and my District (group of Elders and Sisters) rolls their eyes when I get a little slip for a package. So thank you. haha. I heard that the white car got fixed, YAY!! It´s finally safe to drive. I had faith in that little thing. It´s so beautiful up here in the Provo valley. Every monrning I see enormous mountains covered in all colors of trees and then when we climb the hill of the temple, we see the beautiful Lake. It´´s truly amazing. EMMA!!! Your birthday is coming up!!! Happy Birthday!! I love you so much! I also love all of my nieces and nephews (Jacob, Camylle, and Claire) I hope you are doing well!! And say Hi to your bears for my bear!!! So I heard about the blog that Kristen and Ryan set up ¨¨lilrinrin.blogspot.com¨¨ very clever you two....haha. Thank you for doing that. Oh and GRANDMA, I have already used our family history stories a ton, so thank you so much for your hardwork in getting that for me. It really means a lot.

      So as for Elder Mann (my boyfriend), he leaves the MTC this upcoming Monday, so that´s exciting but sad. If you already read his email, he talked about the awkwardness of us almost sitting together at a whole mission Devotional. If not, just know that it was really awkward as I was ushered to a seat next to him, and then to have his District Leader give him the ¨¨that´´s not a good idea¨¨ look, then to stand up and look for my companion and end up asking the Elders to shifT down a few seats so we wouldn´t get in trouble. I understand why they were worried, and in the end I was grateful because it would have been more difficult to focus with him right next to me. But I see him everywhere else, so it´s okay. Our conversations are short, but it´´s enough to just smile at him and say ¨¨hola, como esta¨¨. I hope he has a safe trip to Nicaragua.

       This experience, as short as it has been thus far, has been hard but really amazing to say the least. I think that being called as missionary makes some people believe that they have to be perfect in order to serve. That is definately not the case. The thing that I have learned is that ¨¨to lose yourself in the work¨¨ doesn´´t mean to forget who you are, it means to be who you are but focus. I can honestly say that has been a huge relief to me, as I am a bit weird sometimes. But the love here is really awesome. I love working with people and learning about their lives and strivning to be sensitve to the spirit (the feelings and promptings form God) so they can find peace with their lives. When you follow those good promptings it is amazing what can happen. My District has been so blessed with Spanish. It is amazing how much you can feel God help you remember and speak the language. Words I learned once many years ago have come flooding back when I needed to communicate to someone. I can honestly say that I am dumbfounded at how much I have been helped. Also, it is amazing how many people from such diverse backgrounds are here. I met some sisters from Spain, Japan, India, and other awesome places. That´´s the beauty of the GOspel of Jesus Christ. It is for the individual, and it is for the world as a whole. The best words of advice that I have heard thus far about Spanish is, ¨¨If all else fails, and they can´t understand you, you can always smile in Spanish¨¨.   

         Some funny things happened this week, first of all we have been practicing teachin in Spanish and as we have about a week´s worth of experience, it is inevitable that not everything said will make sense. One Elder, Elder Lords, had a tramatic experience in his lesson when he said ¨¨Jesus atoned for our pescados¨¨ he meant to say pecados (which is sin) but he said fish. He came out the room horrified at what had happened. We tried to cheer him up. Also, the sisters in my room are AWESOME! Hermana Stockton is really sarcastic and she tells us really random stories, this week´s was on ¨¨farting on a date¨¨ (really sad true story). So as some of your know I made a clothing catalog for myself so that I don´t get stuck wearing the same outfits over again, well the Hermanas think it´s awesome, but the Elders wont let me live it down and they are requesting to see it daily. So that´s fun. Also, I´´m getting good at volleyball, so you better watch out family when I get back. hahahahahha. I love you all! I widh I had more time to write. Thank you for your love and prayers, I feel them all. If you wrote me, I am working on writing you back so don´t worry!

 

Love

Hermana Clement