Snakes

hello family
so this week has been good. and crazy. im going to work my way backwards because it will be easier for me to remember. so on Sunday me and elder rumsey were asked to give talks in sacrament meeting. not that big of a deal. but they had to be about 20 min a piece. so that was kind of scary. i don't think i have ever given a talk for that long before. it was on dedication. i prepared all week for it. and by all week i procrastinated until Saturday and Sunday. but elder rumsey was really nerves to talk. he is not a man of many words in the first place. so we got our talks done on Sunday at a bout 9:00 am. and i had elder rumsey give his talk to me first. so he started speaking and i timed it. so when he finished i stopped the clock and it was 2 minutes long. im like are your freaking kidding me you need 18 more minutes. so he wrote and wrote and wrote. and gave it to me again. and this time it was 5 minutes. (15 more to go) so he wrote on the way to church and in the foyer before. we looked at the program and he was first. so the time finally came for him to speak. and the grand total time was 6 min 11 seconds. i was kind of nerves before but now all of a sudden i have to speak for 14 extra minutes. ugghhh
so i get up there and speak and speak and speak. and i was only 20 minutes in. dang im all out of things to say. so i read a whole section in D&C. and boar my testimony on every thing i could think of. i made a joke that im going to sing for the last five minutes of my talk. so total i spoke for 27 min 29 sec. so a member of the bishopric had to get up and speak for the rest of the time. people told me i did good. but i knew i rambled a lot to make up some time.
Saturday was a special day. it was the rattle snake round up in mangum. a member took us for lunch there. so its a festival were every body goes out to try to catch as many snakes as possible. and there is contests for the biggest snake and the heaviest and so forth. but why the member took us there for lunch is so that we could eat snake. man it was gross. they deep fat fried it. so it was greasy and stuff. plus it was still on the bones. so it was hard to eat as well. it kind of tased like rubber o rings dipped in oil. then after eating it they took us to the back were they kill them and butcher them. there was this big black guy that was just about to start on a fresh snake. and he started cutting up this snake and stuff. took of the head with a hatchet and then started skinning the thing. the head was still biting and stuff. and he started taking out the guts. he slapped this purple organ on the table. and said hey you in the suit. come over here. so i walked over and he was like eat that. "what is that" i asked. he said it was a snake gal bladder. so i picked it up expecting him to stop me and say jk. then he was like go on. so i popped it in my mouth chewed it up and swallowed it. probably the grossest texture i have ever had in my mouth. it was still warm and moving when ate it. the best way i could describe it would be a giant gusher fruit snack. with out the strawberry flavor. but i acted as if it tasted good. but only because 30 people were watching me. and elder rumsey was filming it.  but any ways after that we went home. and taught this guy the restoration and he just basically told us all of the problems he is facing in his life and all of the problems he used to be facing. man its hard to take all of that stuff. in i will tell you one thing. my life is good. really good. i get to wake up ever day and make some soup its the best. i get to sleep in my bed all by my self its fantastic! (name that movie)
Friday was district meeting. we had waffels for lunch. and our district is super big now. we have 11 people in it now. its probable the biggest district in the mission. heck the quail creek zone only has 12 missionary's in it.
but the rest of the week is going good. training is fun but its a challenge because he doesn't know anything about missionary work. but here is the kicker he thinks he does. so he trys to tell me im doing things wrong but im not. and i just smile and say thank you for the advise elder. thank you for pointing that out to me. its funny but you just kind of have to roll with it. because all new missionaries are the exact same way. im trying to teach him everything i know. and trying to help him understand the things that happen in this mission. how people have there agency and they can choose to accept or reject the gospel. and just because we made plans doe sent mean there all ways going to go through.  and that's why we make back up plans and back up to those back ups. and if an appointment falls through or an investigator drops us its OK life goes on. you just have to look at the positive things in life.
its really funny to because looking back i was the exact same way. told elder damond what to do. and thought he was doing it all wrong. but really he was a great missionary. im going to have to look him up when i get home and apologize. for everything.
but i guess i will talk to you in two weeks on the phone. what time would you like me to call?
but thats it for this week i love you so much and keep up the good work.
Love Elder Clements
PS. i think its the lord of the rings song. or hobbit or what ever.

It was a typo :)

Hello family
so yea i got the new guy and things are going great. i cant complain one bit. its so different but great. a real challenge but I'm up to it. the ward is super pumped for the greeny because there hasn't been one here for ever. they have a thing called greeny fire. its were they know no boundaries and there are super ready and willing to do what ever you or the lord asks them to do. and there going to do it in a hurry.
my new comps name is elder Rumsey he is from Arizona. he is all about the military 100% he wants to be a Marine or something. i know he wants to shoot people. (o great).
let me get into the story of how i met him. so Wednesday morning i had to get up at around 5am in order to get to Lawton on time in order to get to the city on time. when i got to Lawton i was supposed to meet some other elders in order to take them up to the city as well. but by the time i got to Lawton guess who was not there yet. so we waited for about a half an hour and they finally showed up. stinking Texas. (jk charity) then we got there stuff in the car and headed off. it was raining that day so we had a tarp over everyone stuff. so a three hour drive up. then i got to the training meeting (late) and they gave us advice on how to be a good first missionary and stuff. one of the things they said for us to do was let the new missionary make the goals for the area.
so after that they brought us all into the chapel to meet all the new missionary's. we shook all of there hands first before we were assigned our comp. so as i was going down the line there was this particular elder that didn't smile and did not look happy to be there. then i knew who my new comp was. so they started announcing who is with who. and guess who i got the frowny elder. i knew the lord had a sence of humor. so the rest of transfers we said hi and good bye to every one i knew. elder neild is going home. man in going to miss that kid. and just trying to introduce my son to every one i knew. (son is a term that the new missionary gets, because im training him. so im his dad) (who's yo daddy)
then we had the long ride back. i had elder shupe and elder beams in my car. so two missionaries that i love the most i got to take back to Lawton. so it was a fun trip back.
then we had lunch and went back to our area. by the time we had made it back to altus there was a tornado warning and we had to stay inside. the rest of the night. and if things got worse we had to get into a shelter. so there was a tornado that touched down in altus but it missed the town by about 20 miles. it was sad that night we were supposed to eat dinner with this family that specifically singed up for the fist meal of his mission. and we couldn't go. so they had to bring it to us. everything was green. green pasta, salad, green jello, green cake, green drinks. it was really clever of them. but to bad we didn't get to eat it with them. 
Thursday we had weekly planning and i let elder rumsey make the goals. so this area is kind of struggling with the work. not because of our part but because of agency and the ward not being very missionary minded. but any ways so our new goals for the transfer is 5 baptisms, 15 dates, 25 investigators at church, 100 member presents, 72 new investigators, and 50 less actives at church. those are some crazy good numbers. I'm really excited for this transfer its going to be the best one yet. this new missionary knows no limit for all he knows this is the best area in the mission. and that we can make those numbers every day of the week. so I'm just going to follow his drive. he will get the gas and i will steer.
but for the rest of the week the area has exploded. lots of new people to see and things to do. i know the lord is preparing this area for something great.
Saturday and Sunday we had the opportunity to hear Neal l Anderson of the 12 speak and give a training. it was really good. lots of new experiences and insights on how we can better make the work flow. i got to shake his hand. and talk to him for a second. he is a really nice guy and really funny. he told this story about his grandson that hit his other grandson. when he asked why he had done such a thing. the grandson replied well i lost my CTR ring and now i cant choose the right.
on Sunday we got to go to Lawton to see him speak again but this time just to the steak. he gave another really good talk. when i was there i also saw all of the people down in Wichita falls. they were really excited to see me again. it good to be remembered. even if it is just as hey your the missionary that played the uke.
well i guess thats it for this week i love you all so much. Lauren how did you like prom was it the best? did he open the door for you every time? would you do anything diffrent if you could?
mom dad i got your package. thank you so much. its all ways good to get mail. but what is with the first song on that cd you made? and try not to swear in my emails anymore ok mom. (that D**, A raccoon) lol that was just probably a typo. but if it wasn't you can all ways fakatumala (that repent in tongan)
love you dad your the best.
well i best be heading off but i love you and i will talk at you latter.
love elder Clements 

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pictures :)

hi family
so im not training just quite yet. i get the new guy on Wednesday. so he is coming but i don't have him yet. elder Burnett got his transfer call and his is going to Norman. (its like Mormon with an N) and all kinds of crazy things are going on with our district. i found out that elder shupe is coming to Lawton. so he will be in my district. im super pumped i love that kid and i haven't seen him since i served with him almost a year ago. were also getting a new set of missionaries in Lawton so our district just jumped form 9 to 11 missionaries. and a new zone is going to be made out of Texas. wow all kinds of happiness. I'm glad that i got to serve around elder Burnett but im super pumped to be training. and so is the ward. i told them and there really excited to be getting a brand new missionary. 
i haven't gotten your package but i think its because the office is holding mail until Wednesday for transfers. which

 link from Zelda

 this Dog follows them around everywhere they go :)

 shaving cream

 Shoes he made for elder burnette

I'm not excited for the drive. i will have to drive to Moore 3 times in the space of 10 days. and each trip is about 300 miles.  once for the trainer meeting (witch i all ready had) once for transfers, and once for a mission conference with Neal A. Anderson. he is coming on Saturday and he is coming to meet our mission. plus there is speculation that he might split the mission boundaries. but that is just hearsay. 
on Thursday i went to the trainer meeting and it is one of the best meeting i have ever been to in my life. i learned so much! just as much as conference or anything. it was all talking about how to help your new missionary out and how to be the best missionary your self. there is 25 new missionaries coming into the mission and 32 trainers. that's almost a 1/3rd of the mission. im so glad that i have the opportunity to serve at this time. to see this growth and change. the lords word true ly is hastening. and im a part of it. one of the cool things that they did in the meeting is they had a recording of moms on the phone. they Ap's asked them questions about what they wanted there son's/ daughters first comp to be like. and just the answers they gave made me want to be better. made me want to be the best! its kind of scary but really cool all at the same time. these moms are trusting us to take care of there son for the first few weeks of there mission. and in my opinion the most important weeks. also i found out that im the oldest person training in the mission right now. (not oldest age wise but mission wise) the next oldest has only been out 15 months so i feel honored to be training at such an crucial time in my mission. the final stretch, the endure to the end stage. but overall a really good meeting i wish that i could have gone to one sooner. i thing that every missionary should have the opportunity to at least go to the meeting. because i learned so much about my self and so much about obedience. 
the drive there and back wasn't to fun but i got to meet a really cool missionary named elder curry. this is his first time training as well but he is training two missionaries at the same time.  one that is permanent and one that is here just waiting for his visa. 
on Wednesday we had our final meeting with Brian. (the dry Mormon) he is leaving back to DC this week so it was our final opportunity to meet with him. he is such a cool guy and im glad that i got to teach him. at the very end of the lesson he was like you know i want to get baptized. i want my family to be there and i want this for me. such a cool experience this hard hearted man (toward the church) to being able to be humble enough for the spirit to touch him. i hope i get an invite to his Baptism even though i might not make it. 
Friday was exchanges with elder Nelson and elder Christensen. there crazy but fun. they came down to altus and by far it was the most successful exchange that i have ever been on. because usually you don't get to see anybody on exchanges but this time we had 4 appointments go through. elder Burnett's bike broke so he borrowed elder Nelson's and i borrowed a members bike so elder nelson borrowed mine. kind of a weird situation but anyways i borrowed a road bike form a member and now i want one. its so much easier to go fast and to petal. maybe when i get home. 
Idk sorry this one is so short i dont really know what to say. i will sent you a tape if i get the opportunity. and tell you a little more about the week. but i love you all so much good luck with your student council Lauren. your my inspiration. mom dad your the best parents a missionary could ask for. Courtney i love you to. and Zack even though you don't write me.  lol 
i love you all so very much
love elder Clements 

 Being in the rain all day but still happy

 some people just don't have a open mind

 P-day with the District

 playing games

 shoes he made for a lady in the ward

 Every home has one of these

 another P-day

 remember the lady who only painted as far as she could reach.....

 The District

 Elder now Brother Ollinger ...now lives in Oklahoma

Lunch with the Zone

I'm A Trainer

Hello family
wow this week has been crazy but good. crazy-good. 
so Monday was April fools and i didn't play any jokes but some members of the district did. the zone leaders broke into the district leaders apartment and moved everything around and played Mexican music really loud when they got home. sometimes im glad to be out in the middle of know were. no one messes with your stuff this way. 
so for the pday we played Frisbee golf because there is a course here in altus its right by the lake and its really nice. it was fun we Finally found something to do here.  but that night we helped a family move houses in the ward. there really cool and really willing to help. so it was no problem helping them move. 
  Tuesday we tried some people and ended up seeing this guy in the ward that served a mission but is now less active. so we went to help him strengthen his faith and we ended up teaching his roommate. so that was great. 
we had a goal this week to find seven investigators in seven days. so we have been trying really hard to get those. everyday finding new  people and asking every body that we know for referrals. its been a real faith builder to me because this area is hard to find people to teach. but we made our goal. the lord provides. 
we saw Brian this week as well we taught him every one of the lessons except the law of Chastity so we decided to teach him that one. its all ways kind of awkward to teach but it needs to be done. any ways he asked us about the temple as well so we talked about that and all of the crazy rumors about the temple and stuff. here are a few new ones i heard. that the reason were so happy when we leave the temple is because we kill our selves and then get resurrected. (so what happens if we go twice?) then that old men play basketball naked in the temple. both so crazy the stories people come up with.  here is a story one of the senior couples told me named brother moffet. he said when he was on his mission in south Africa, he was able to open up an area that had never had missionaries before. so as soon as they got off the train there was a welcoming party. and a preacher got up and was like "we know what you are all about. we know that you have a tunnel form under the salt lake city temple to here in Africa and your hear to steal us and take us back through the tunnel".  so elder moffet and his comp look at each other and said "you know if were smart enough to build a tunnel that long then you had better listen to what we have to say"
Thursday we Finally saw alex (the one i taught in Moore) and his grandma and grandpa. the lesson went great untill the very end. because they didn't understand the whole one true church and authority. and its all ways hard to get past that road block especially because her dad was a minister. but Alex is great it was really good to see him again. he says that he is so excited to get baptized and cant wait. im really happy for him.
on Friday big surprise president Taylor showed up to our district meeting. he just sat thought and listened to the whole thing it was kind of cool and scary at the same time. our district leader was super nerves to do the training but it turned out ok. then after he waned to interview me and the district. so i was very last, and i got in there he asked me a couple of question about if i was excited to go home, what were my plans, how is my mission going, that kind of stuff. then he asked if i thought i wanted to train a new missionary. i told him i would love to. he then said well ok then next transfer your getting a new missionary. he told me that a trainer is the biggest responsibility that a president can give to a missionary. bigger than district leader, zone leader or even assistant to the president. because the whole rest of the mission and even life of the new missionary is going to kind of rely on his first couple of transfers. because this is were he is going to learn the mission rules and what a good missionary does. (ahwwww)
then he told me that this new missionary just got into the mtc on Wednesday and his mom i praying so hard that his trainer is a good missionary. that's a lot of responsibility but president knows i can handle it. and im going to try my very hardest to make this the best two years FOR his life. 
Saturday and Sunday were amazing i love conference on the mission! you only get four and that was my last one. i loved all the talks and how power full they were. i loved Bednars and all so hollands. but every one was good. i liked the tomato plant analogy and potential we have. i thought the story about shaking every ones hand was super funny.  and i loved the power of the prophets talk. everybody talk was kind of on obedience and that was great. another thing i saw was alot of self worth talks. both things we all need to improve upon. 
well i guess that's it for this week. 
i didn't see the sealing yet. it wont happen for a couple more weeks. so im pumped up for that. glad things are going well back home. i keep praying for you all and know the best thing i can do right now is be serving the lord. i know this Gospel is true and i know that it has blessed my life 100 fold. im so glad to be a missionary at this crucial time in the world. and glad to be serving the lord. 
i love you all so much and i will talk to you next week and then call you in about a month. keep the family strong.
love Elder Clements 

I've got a joke for you

hello, hello family
so this week has been good. i guess i will start out with Monday. we had zone pday and we all went up to the highest point in Oklahoma. Mt. Scott. its not that tall at all. but hey at least its something. there was alot of issues with the zone that day but we ended up going anyways. like one of the elders down in Texas got this really bad nose bleed. and he had to go to the hospital to get it stopped. but overall it was really fun. we did an Easter egg hunt at the top. we had two teams and went on different sides of the mountain and hid the eggs. then swaped sides and who ever found all the eggs first won. it was all good except it was like 20 degrees colder at the top than at the bottom. so most people were cold. than after that we had a specialized training meeting with the whole zone. it was on unity and working together and stuff. because a couple of members in the zone are not getting along. im glad im not in that boat. one thing i have learned on the mission is that if you don't have anything nice to say dont say nothing at all. (thank you thumper)
Tuesday we went and saw that lady that we did her dishes. this time she just wanted help again. so we decided that we shouldn't see her anymore because she is just looking for free labor. i mean we would love to help but we got other things to do. and were here to teach not do dishes. then we were knocking on doors and we ran across this family. they weren't going to let us in but then all of a sudden there cat got out and so we helped chase it down and they let us in to pray with them. so we asked if there was anything they would like us to pray for and they said not really, everything is good. so i was explaining how we pray and they were like "O i know what you could pray for. pray that they legalize gay marriage" so it was elder Burnett's turn. and you could tell that he was not happy to pray about this. so he prayers and its not like he could just leave it out because they would definitely notice. so he kind of paused dunning the prayer and was like let they will be done on the political topics of the day. talk about an awkward thing to pray for. they might as well ask for us to pray for our church to fall apart. ugh. but anyways they said we could come back. but i don't know if we will or not.
Wednesday we had to get passes to get on the air force base. so right before we were about to leave elder Burnett says that he doesn't know his social security number. and that is one of the things that you need in order to get a pass. so we were freaking out trying to call every one that might just happen to know it. the office president Taylor and asking them to call his mom so we could get it. basically they guy that was going to hook us up with the passes is only available by appointment. and he is not a member but he likes the missionaries. so we set up this appointment and now we cant get passes. so finally the guys says maybe we could look it up or something. so we got there and they basically hacked the system for him and found his number. kind of cool but kind of scary what the government can do at the same time.
then that night we saw Brian (the dry Mormon) and taught him tithing and fasting. the lesson when super great. its awesome the change that i could see in him. because he went from WHY? WHY? WHY? to OK that makes sense, and i think i believe that to. so i think he will get baptized really soon. maybe not here but when he goes home again.
Friday we had district meeting and the AP's came for it. the training was good. our district leader was nerves because of the authority being there. but we went to chick-fa-la after and i really like that place. not because the food is the best but because they say have a blessed day when you leave. and there is a cross in the restaurant. its kind of cool to know that some one else stands up for what they believe in. than that night we had a dessert auction for the ward young women. every body brought dessert and then people bid on them. one thing that me and elder Burnett were going to bid on and try to win was this Oreo pie/cake. it was like five pounds of awesomeness! so we decide that we would each pay about 15 bucks a peace if it came down to it. so the bidding was off and it started of at five then we bid ten. and it just kept going up and up an up. every body wanted that cake. so finally we bid 30(our max) and some one bid 35. then bro Bolton handed us a twenty and said keep going. so we kept biding and i got to 50 then some one bid 55 and then 60 and were like no way were paying 65 dollars for a cake. so we were done. and bro Parker bought it. then we walked over and gave us the cake and said don't eat it all in one day. aw it was aw some that was really nice of him. $65 for a cake! and then to just give it away.
Saturday was good. we taught some lessons and visited some people. ate some $65 cake.
Sunday was good it was Easter. in case you forgot. we ate at this old Lady's house with like all of the other old people in the ward. so it was crazy but fun. definitely a generation gap between us. o here is a joke they told.
there was once a primary teacher that wanted her class to draw pictures form the bible. stories they like and ones that they thought were important. so the first kid gets up and shows his picture. its Noah and the ark, the second kid gets up and he drew moses parting the red sea. then a boy gets up and hold up a picture of an old guy driving a car with two naked people in the back. so the teacher was confused and asked what is this? the boy says this is god driving Adam and eve out of the garden of Eden. (hahahahahah get it its a joke)
but i guess that's it for his week. glad things are going well in your neck of the woods. i love you more than you can imagine
love your favorite missionary elder clements