Payton's Birthday

hi family how is it going
this week was good. i didnt get your packege yet but hopefully it will be there latter today or tommorrow. it takes longer for mail to arrive when im farther from the mission office. but i got nanas packege. the tie was awsome i got about ten people comenting in it. its yellow, hello yellow. but yea so i was talking to this guy and he said there is wipers all over oklahoma. its like the fish of the day. he was talking about fishing, and said there is this awsome fish that fights super hard and they travel around and pop up on the surface. and im like is that a whiper? and he was like you know about them. and i told him that its dad's favorite fish to catch. he said he could take me one time, but the only problem is that we cant go out in a boat. we can fish from the shore but not in the boat. 
on monday we went to like every store in the whole town. we were looking for those white canvas shoes to draw on for our next store neighbors daughter thats 10. i drew some for elder platt and for me. and now everybody wants a pair. i thought about charging for it but that would almost be preist craft. jk i dont know. but i dont think i will do it i dont have time any ways. we cleaned the house and said good buy to the other members in blanchard on tuesday. because our area is getting split in half, we coverd two branches and our area was about 100 miles long. so its good that it did that. because we were running out of miles any ways, plus its so much driving to get from place to place. but we said good bye to this family that has been less active for about ten years. and she was like you guys have changed my life and i wish my son was more like you. and then she tackaled me. she ran up and gave me a big bear hug, i was so shocked i fell over, not with her but after she let me go. it was crazy i didnt know what to do. but its good to feel loved. then we saw this family that has been struggling to pay the bills and to keep there testimony strong. we shared a message with them and gave the heavenly gift. the spirit was so strong there it was crazy good. they fed us dinner after and it was spagetti, really good but not as good as home. ok that remindes me of a story that i forgot to tell you last week. so me and elder platt were talking and i  asked him "is there any dish that you hate when your mom makes for dinner". and he was like i dont like her meat loaf, and then he asked me the same question, and i was like i hate when my mom make tatter tot carsaroll. then that night we went over to an investigators house. and taught them a lessson and then there like do you have dinner tonight? and we said no. and then there like we have extra food cooking in the oven. so were like sweet. and when they pulled it out it was tatter tot carasroll. just goes to show you to be great full and that god does have a sence of humor. 
but yea we said goodbye to this family and i asked them about there guitar on the wall. and there like one of the strings are broken can you fix it. so i said yes. i re stringed there guitar and tunned all the rest of the strings. they were so great full. and they let me play it for a second. i picked it up and relized that i didnt know how to play guitar any more. i wanted to play it like a uke. 
so wednesday was the 4th and trancfers. we didnt get to go because we had to baby sit a couple of other elders that couldnt go to tracfers ether. and since nether one of us was leaving we didnt have a need to go anyways. so we stayed home with the other three elders and played munchkins. it was fun. i was about to win and then i was fighting this level 17 monster. and then everybody decided to mess me up. by the end of all the monsters placed and the enhacer played it was a level 138. pretty crazy. elder wells came and he is super quiet. and shy. like he must have said three words the whole day. but he is an ok guy. he is from colorado. and his family is by the fires. there not super close but close enough to be worried. anyways we asked him all the  questions you would normally ask, but he played the pass card. like can i not awnser that question. i guess he doesnt want any one to know about him. kind of weird. 
so that night was the branch party, they had blow up houses and cotten candy and snow cones. it was awsome. i guess the branch pres does this for a living so he allready had the stuff to throw a party. it was fun we set up a booth and put books of mormon out and pamplets, not one took any but i guess thats ok. i brought my uke and i just walked around and people would ask me to sing for them. at one point i had a group of about 200 people watching me. i played some were over the rainbow, how can i be, armies of heleman, i like to look for rainbows, samule the lamanite, why cant you just write me a letter, and i'll follow you into the dark. it was awsome. ill admit it i like the attention. people were trying to give me money and stuff but i told them that i didnt want it. and instead they could listen to the missionary discutioins instead or invite a friend to be. it was awsome. the fire works were great. and i got alot of pics of them. 
the rest of the week was good. lots of work going on. elder wells left for blanchard so im not comps with him any more. 
my birthday was good, best birthday of the mission. elder platt woke me up at 12:01 and sang me a song. i was pissed but i didnt let him know that. he filmed it on my camara so i got the video of it. but the rest of the day was kind of normal. church and stuff. this guys talked in church and his talk was good but then he started talking about aliens, and UFO's and how there is life on other planets and that he has seen them before. im really glad the no investigators showed up that day. or we would have alot of explaining to do. 
well thats it for this week. i love you guys so much and i miss you and i will talk to you next week.
yea your write i didnt send that letter yet. i didnt have time to go to the post office.
love you so much 
Elder Clemetns

50 weeks

Subject: i love the mountians i love the clear blue skys i love 57

whats up, whats up, whats up!

hi family hows it going. this week has been good. and crazy but good.

so on monday it was pday. some missionary's call it better than Christmas because it only six days away. but we went over too this members house, and played a game called snooker. its kind of like pool but way harder. the table is bigger and the balls are smaller and the sticks are longer and the holes are little. plus you have to call your shots or its considered a scratch. this guy used to be the branch pres. but then his wife got really sick. so now he cant even make it to all of church because she is so dependent on him.  but basically he is just a lonely old man that has nothing to do but spend money and work on his talents. he wants so learn how to play the guitar. so i taught him a couple of songs. he also has this metal detector that he playes with. and he lookes for old coins and stuff. we told him he could look in our yard, and he found a 1896 nickel. its worth about 600 bucks! witch is crazy we should have told him that what ever he finds we get 10%. wink jk. but yea so he wants us to come over alot and basically hang out. but we told him we got work to do. remind me not to get old, it sounds lonely.

so yea i bought a camera this week. im sorry i just couldnt wait. my old camara was pissing me off. every time you took a picture it would turn off. and sometimes the lens would not go all the way in or come all the way out. and when you put it on the timer it would would ask you if you were joking. any ways so the camera i got was a cannon power shot A4000. it is sick! the pictures that it takes are amazing! i didn't realize how bad my camera was until i got this one. its almost like the Gospel. people don't realize how off they are without the restored Gospel until they try it out. (i just make that up on the spot) it has 16 mega pixes compared to 12 it has 1080p video 8x zoom and its RED. witch obviously makes it the best. it was about 199.99 but i bout a one year warranty on it for $25. and i love it so much. thanks so much for the camera. (now elder platt wants one)

 wednesday we taught this family with four little girls. the oldest is 10 and the youngest is 2. and they are so hyper and touchy feely. its so hard to teach them. so we brought a white board, markers, and a picture book. to help teach them. i drew out the restoration. and how prophets talk to god through telephone. (it was the only way i could explain it) then i drew Jesus and there like why does the girl have a beard? they were some of my toughest critics i have ever come across. if i wasn't exactly on they would call me out. but we finally got through the lesson. and they said that they would get baptized on july 28! im excited and the ward is super pumped. because there hasnt been a baptism here in like five years or so.

we did alot of driving on Thursday. and we are listening to talkes on all the prophets. for Joseph smith to Gorden b hinckly. there given by a guy named Trumen G Madson. and there so good. im learning alot of detail about the prophets lives. did you know that Joseph smith would test all the apostles. like god test abraham. it was crazy. the church was so awesome back then only the very best for the lord. now the church has gone soft. and the members get offended left and right.

friday was district meeting. and when we got there the whole room was just so stiff. it just felt awkward. like everybody hated one another. i dont know exactly what was going on. but the spirit was definitely not there. then that night we had a lesson with this lady named dian. she is super crazy but super solid. like she has been bouncing around form church to church her whole life. trying to find the truth. and she has taken all of the bad form every body's church and applied them in her life. like she believes in reincarnation. and that she doesn't need to go through Jesus to get to heaven. but we straitend her out. she was super pumped through the whole lesson. and she really wants to know more. she says that she believes in prophets on the earth, and then asked us if she thought that was crazy. and were like that is the right idea.

sunday we invited like 30 people to come to church and like 15 of them showed up. that sounds bad like only 50% but that is great. because only like 20 people show up normally so we almost doubled the people there. i have never seen church so full. it was great. fast and testimony meeting was a little crazy. you know there really good, but there is alot of crazy stories. and that is what this sunday was like. really crazy. but me and elder platt planned on it. so we both shared our testimony's. one at the first and one in the middle. so that the spirit would be there at the first and then people would feed off me in the middle. it wasnt as bad as it could have been.

we got transfer calls last night. and we found out that me and elder platt are staying together for one more. and were getting a new comp named elder wells. until blanchard opens up. its crazy being in a three some. but i think the new branch will open up soon.

so yea the forth of July is coming up and we are doing a branch social. fire works and the whole shibang. but the only problem is we have to leave before any of the fire works go off. (you know bed time at 9) but there will still be hot dogs and BBQ and like a bouncy slide or something.  so that's what were doing on the fourth.

so we have the picture in our appt of nephi shocking his brothers. and i put a sticky note on it. that has nephi saying Expelliomas! (like harry potter) its really fun. you know we have alot of fun as missionaries its just not the fun normal people have. its a whole different relm.

well thanks for your emails. i love you all so much and i will send you a letter and some pictures today.

LOVE Elder Clements

49 weeks

Subject: la la la la 57

hi family.

did you know that little streams talk? they say give away.

well this week was great.  lots of working hard. me and elder platt are riding bikes everyday because he hast to practice. if im not careful i leave him in the dust in a matter of seconds. because he is slow and doesn't know how to shift gears. he will probably be in a bike area next transfer. but it will be good for him. well i know that im not training next transfer. so i wont be with the hatch kids friend or who ever he is. but that's ok my sons will come eventually. (when you train a greeny you call him your son on the mission)

so its crazy i think elder platt has multiple personality's.  because he has this hyper side where is funny and just full of piss and vinegar. and then he can be mope and sad. its kind of weird. i dont really know what to do with him. were not really honest in our relationship. and i dont know what to do about it. like i can tell there are things bugging him about me but when i ask him he says o your fine. like when i was with elder shupe when things pissed us off we just told each other right on the spot. no need for bottling it up. but now he wont tell me what he is concerned about. he is a really reserved kind of guy. and i think its because of his former companion. (not kiel but the one before that) he all ways talks about this one companion in a negative way. and how this one comp shot him down all the time. but if you had any suggestions on comp unity that would be great!

Ok i forgot to tell you last week! or i wasn't allowed to tell you. so the other elders in our district  got jumped! there in anadarko its this small town really ghetto. but like i never would have thought that they could have got robbed. so here is the story. they were on there bikes, and some guy called him over to them. (they all felt like it could be bad about talking to him but none of them listened To the Holy Ghost) so they went over. and the guy was telling him he was a Christan and then he asked if they had any money. they said no. then he pulled out a knife, and demanded 20 bucks. they told him that they didnt have any cash on them. so the guy told him to fork over the watches. and then took one of there bikes. they gave him what he wanted. because the official mission policy is just give them what they want. and then they booked it out of there. then the guy shouted at them that if they call the cops he will get his friends and muff them up. they were pretty scared about the whole deal. but they called the cops and now there looking for this guy. they got two of the watches back but there still missing a bike and a $20 watch. its kind of scary but the Lord will protect them. if they listen. so earlier this week they stayed at our place for two days. but then Pres told them they could go back to there own area.

after that i went to anadarko on exchanges. and elder guinto stayed in my place. they told me that the house they live in was a little messy. but crap that was an under statement. this house was DISGUSTING!!! like i have been in some bad houses before. like hoarder Lady's with lots of cats. and smoker/drug houses. but this house was like the worst. there was crap everywhere. (not poop, just there stuff) just old food lying around the house. McDonald's wrap er just scatted from heck to breakfast. mustard stains on the floor. and someone cut there hair in the middle of the kitchen and didnt clean it up. like any normal person would have died living there. (and you wouldn't even be able to tell) so there like lets go track ting! and im like lets clean up this bloody pigs sti. so we spent the next four hours cleaning. i took over kitchen duty. because i didnt know were all there stuff went. there was dishes just piled up like dirty caked on nasty ness every were. then i got some of the dishes clean and went to put them away. and there dishes in the cupbord were just as dirty. so i had to take all the dishes out and clean the cupboard and then put them all back. wow lets just say i will never do that again.

then dont even get me started on how old the food was in the fridge.

the rest of the week was good lots of work getting done. two girls wanted get baptized so we are working with them,  we got seven new investigators this week. and things are going swell

well i have to get off because these computer suck and they only give you 1 hour to email

i love you so much

Elder Clements

and yes i would love a video! that would be the best.

(Who knew Payton would become so CleaN hehe Love it!!!!!!)

 

48 weeks out

hi family

so this week has gone by so fast. its like grease lightning! does it go by fast for you? wow and i cant believe dakotas on his last transfer. that is fricken crazy. i thought he left in September. is he getting sent home a little early? wow i cant wait to write him and stuff. crazy cool beans. makes me feal like a greenie on the mission. wow the whole world just grows up while your gone. brenden is going on a mission beau got a mission call. that crazy. and do you know if he is happy that he is going to texas? because i know how i felt when i got my call. but now im so great full that im state side. i can shower every day. not once every nine days. even the bad food still isnt going to kill you because of some parasite. and most people have indoor plumbing.

so yea. this week has been kind of crazy. elder keil left so its kind of whats the word boring? with out him. because he was so energetic, and funny, and had all kinds of cool storyies. (i mean yea he was a little fetch but i still could live with him) to elder platt who hasnt done anything with his life ever. like his first time in a target was on the mission. he hasnt been on one single date. and he hasnt road a bike in 10 years. and you thought i spent alot of time on video games. but at least i lived a little bit. he said he and his family own over 3000 video games. and he has spent at least an hour on each of them. and he has beaten most of them. but my heart goes out to him. he has ten brothers and sisters. and he is the very youngest. his parents are like 70's ish and they spend all there time running there business's. (there like insurance agents or somthing) so he never really had a family around. all of them are at least 10 years older than him. but yea the mission is the best thing that could ever happen to him. and he is actually really funny some of the times. but most of his comments are irrelavent. (that house is green, that person is walking) but imsure that the rest of this transfer is going to be great.

so yea we had alot of driving this week. we had temple conference. we went up to a small town called Blanchard, we had to drive to Duncan twice, and then we had district meeting in anadarko. and every single time i drove. i meanyou guys spent 20 hours in the car over a week. but at least you had a three day break. i have drove over 15 hours but its been like every day. my legs hurt. i shouldnt complain. life is great. driving is better with the cruise control. so ican at least let my legs chill.  we went to Duncan for zone pday and then we had to drop off elder keil the next day. thats about a two hour drive. plus the zone leaders are really cool. but dont let them take your ties. ( i have gotten 3 ties stolen from me because of them)  the next day elder platt was sick. so he just stayed in bed for like 10 hours. and i played the uke. cleaned the house, washed the car, worked out, solved the rubix cube 10 times, took a nap, read half of Jesus the Christ, and drew some pictures. it gets really boa ring as a missionary when you don't have a tv.

temple conference was so awesome! i love the temple its so uplifting. every time i go i learn something new. or something sticks out to me. i wish i could have a temple journal. and write down everything that i learned. this is my 5th time going to the OKC temple. and its so little. but so awesome! im jealous that you guys get to go once a week. or when ever you want really. i wish we could go for pday or something. but its closed on Monday. we also had a training on the heavenly gift. i loved it is so amazing. and how we can give the "gift" to any one. like ward members and the branch president. less actives. part members really any one tha we come in contact with we can share the spirt with them. we practiced giving the gift to each other as missionary's. and we prayed specific for other missionary's and there needs. its so great. like some to the best praying experience i have ever had.

we did service on Saturday. and i helped cut down trees for this inactive member. it was really fun. elder platt is allergic to grass so he just watched. but i want a chain saw now! it was so much fun just cutting up stuff. you know me ilove weapons of mass destruction. but you know just in case a zombie attack happens. you could get me one for my birthday. it is coming up. just kidding.  o but seriously my camera has been missfunctuning for the past couple of months. and i was wondering if you could send me out some money and i could buy a new one. and that could be my birthday happiness. just a thought.

well my time is running out and i have to go but i love you guys so much and i really am gratefully to be your son/brother/grandson/ anything else i forgot.

love you all so much and i miss you

LOve ELdeR ClEmeNTs

Yea Prayers are Answered :)

Subject: 57? heck yes!

hi family

wow so this week was interesting. OK first off i got your package. it was great. i swear you know what i want/need every time. were did you get those Doritos? i have been looking for them and cant seem to track them down. and i was just about to buy qtips like 10 min before i got the package. and i just ran out of floss. you guys are amazing! 

OK so remember last week when i told you about the party and stuff. well President Taylor found out about the whole situation. we all had interviews with him yesterday, and they all were about an hour long. he just asked us alot of questions and was basically cross referencing our stories to see if they match up. and he told us that if we would have gone to that party all five of us would have gone home. he was proud of me for standing up at that time but he told me that i should have stood up before that. when they wanted to come to our area. so since it was elder keils idea about the whole situation, he got ET-ed. (emergency transferred) and now he is with the zone leader for the rest of his mission. 

so i guess the moral of the story is listen to the spirit the first time. because we could have avoided the whole situation if i would have said something at the very start. because i knew it was wrong the very first second they decided to come to our area. but i didn't say anything at that time. i didn't want to because i didn't want to get in  a argument with the other four. i was trying to build trust with elder keil and elder platt. when i should have been building trust with the Lord. i should have been more like Abinidi or Nephi. and stood up for what i knew was right. well next time it will be different. 

So at the start of last week, elder platt and me made a deal with elder keil that if we shave our legs that he had to work as hard as he could for 2 whole days. like no music, get up on time, go to bed at 10:30, talk about only spiritual things, just follow all the rules in the white hand book. so we shaved our legs and he was obedient on Tuesday and Wednesday. then we went on exchanges with elder ginto our district leader and he had to be obedient on Thursday and Friday as well. then he went on exchanges with the zone leaders and had to be obedient for a whole 6 days. we got more done in six days then they did the last two transfers.  we got about 5 new investigators and 20 potentials. we got 2 member presents and a baptismal date. so this area has been picking up. and now elder keils gone. so there wont be any more how would you put it. Distractions. so hopefully we can turn this area around and leave it better than we found it. 

the heavenly gift is really paying off. we are getting so many new people to teach because of it. because we get people to feel the spirit in the first couple of min of talking to them. and that's really how there going to learn and grow. is the spirit so why not give it to them in the first couple of seconds. we had a training on it on Friday so we could practice and make it better. its still a new thing so were all still a little rusty. then after that we went out and try ed it in our area. and we ended up getting three new investigators and about ten potentials in an hour. just crazy how effective it is. 

Saturday was the first taste i got with being alone with elder platt. it was kind of crazy. or he is kind of crazy. he has some social skills he needs to work on. but super funny at times. like we were driving, and he said watch out! so i slammed on my breaks to avoid this car. and he was like JK there is no car. so i was like you ever hear the story about the boy that cryed wolf. and he said no i don't remember it. so i gave him the whole story about lying. and he was like have you ever herd the story about some people screw up? and im like no. and he was like "well some people screw up sometimes. and that's it." it was so  funny. i kind of felt bad after for telling him what to do. but we worked hard all day and now were going to be stuck together for about 3 more weeks. its going to be a challenge but we can get through it. 

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting because we Had stake conference the week before. so there as alot of testimonies that weren't really testimonies. so i got up there and bore my testimony on missionary work and spreading the gospel. and then all the rest of the testimonies were about how we should share the truth with our neighbors. it was great allot of people came up and told us about there friends and coworkers that they would like to share the gospel with but just didn't know how. so we said just be bold and loving and it will all work out in the end. we told them to invite someone to dinner or to church. and that would be a simple way to share the gospel.  after that we went to the ward mission leaders house. and he fed us some great Mexican food. and Blondie. there like brownies but yellow instead. they were really great. it could be some of the best food i have had on the mission. then we went and saw a less active lady. she doesn't go to church because she got offended. and then she told us the story and im like wow i probably wouldn't go to that church ether. but i would still make it to the next ward. but there just out of the habit. so its hard for them to come. we invited them to church but they probably wont go. o well there loss. 

sounds like life back home is crazy and fun. you guys got a new car or well our old car back. you indecisive buggers. but thats ok i liked our old better anyways. so im guessing its cheaper to have me gone than it is to have me there? because you guys are doing all this stuff and buying new cars, and ipads. or its just blessing of having me be on a mission. is brenden in the mtc yet? and has tyler tullis changed his mind about the mish? how is your class coming? 

lauren are you looking for a job? or have you found one yet? you know the more experience you have and the early er you start the better. i got my first job at dicks when i was 15. and before that i worked for dad. just something to think about. and remember to not get to crazy with those boys there nothing but trouble. 

well i love you guys so much and i miss you. 

thanks for every thing you  do 

love your favorite missionary. 

PS the due date for the book of Mormon challenge is July 13. good luck and keep reading. 

2nd Week in Chickasaw

HI family. 

so this week has been fun/unproductive. there is not really alot to do here. i will start out with last Monday.  we played risk and monopoly for about 5 hours than ate dinner and then hung out with our neighbor. who happens to be sitting next to me at this very second. were at a school. and she told us to come email here because we don't have to wait for a computer at the library. 

 i don't all remember what happened on tuesday. i emailed you then we saw this less active lady. she is crazy! she got offended. :( witch is the dumbest thing out there. i think its all just such a big lame excuse not to go to church. like if they didn't mean to offend you and you took offence than that makes you a fool. and if they did mean to offend you and you got offended than that makes you a even bigger fool. because you played right in to there trap. be she told us all about her life story and her kids and how she used to be so good and go to byu and date the prophet. but its like well what are you doing now with your life. it goes back to the principle of enduring to the end.  but any way we mowed her lawn for her. and that's all ways fun to get into some service. we just have to show her love and that not everybody in the church is a "retard". 

elder Keil taught me how to tut this week. its like dancing with 90 degree angles its got a lot of hand movement. but its super sick. look it up. we play allot of games at night. when we get home like uno and monopoly deal. (its a card game of monopoly) and elder platt wants me to play chess with him all the time. because i keep beating him and he all ways wants a rematch.  

we don't get fed allot here. and when we do get fed its with the same like 4 family's. so we have to make our own food all the time. most of my diet consists of white rice, spam, hot dogs, eggs, corn, and beans. i feel like im in the islands. elder keils mom send him a package of spam like once a month. its actually pretty good. there is this one family that wants to feed us all the time. (i think because there lonely) there super rich and they probably have the nicest house in Chickasaw. they have been taught for over 5 years. but they still wont convert. we call them eternal investigators. they have one of the coolest houses i have ever seen. like modern art every were, even the tissue holder is a cool statue. and there obsessed with guns. like to the point were there are guns in every 5 feet of the house. they have a shot gun with a banana clip in there bed room "just in case" and they both have like pistols on there bed. and the guy has a pistol in this belt buckle. 

 on Friday we went up to the city to get some warts removed. from elder keils hand. and we ended up going to lunch with the Midwest city elders. it was at a Mexican place. and a member owns it so all the food is for free! elder mcmurry decided he wanted to come back with us to go see his old area. so the car ride home was very squishy. 5 elders in a malabu. we saw some of the members that he liked and went  to the ward social. it was a BBQ. got to know some of the ward. even though there is only 30 of them. the elder that was with elder Mcmurry thought it was cool to be apostate, so he wanted to go to a party at the collage at 11:30 at night. i had to put my foot down right there. because they wanted to go in non pros clothes. and no tag. they were mad at me. but i told them that President Taylor would be pissed! and so would there mom's if they knew. so we played risk instead. 

the next day we dove them back and i went to a baptism in OKC3rd. it was for Freddy. (the guy that chopped his fingers off) really good service the spirit was there for sure. make me miss my old area. because there is nothing going on here. we i guess if something is broke fix it.

well that's about it for this week. i don't know what to write

my old car looks sick! i should have got a hard top for it. but what ever. not my problem anymore. 

and i like Courtney's hair cut. 

i haven't got en the package yet but but hopefully it comes today. 

love you all so much

Elder Clements 

Chickasaw

Subject: chickasaw 57

Hi family.

so yep yesterday was a holiday so the library was closed. so I'm email ing you to day. (imagine that) well yes you still would send stuff to the mission office. and they would send it to me.

so yep the new area is good. its really large in area but not very big in population.  we cover a couple of small surrounding towns so we cover alot of ground. there is like one road that has anything on it. and the rest of the town just has small houses and duplexes. there is a McDonald's here a walmart a subway, a brawms, a goodwill (its like the DI) and a kcf. and thats about it. there is also a small collage here (that's were i am right now) there is probably about 10 stop lights in the whole area. its crazy being in the big city and then all of a sudden being out in the middle of no were. kind of a culture shock really. o and there is like no black people here. and before in OKC 75% of the people there were black.  so that's basically the area

the house is huge (compared to what we had before) we live in a 2 bedroom 1 bath duplex it has a living room and a dinning room. (which means i don't have to eat on my bed any more!) the carpet is ugly but soft. we have a washer and dryer. we have a weight lifting bench, two couches and a couple of desks. its probably three times as big as my last apartment. o yea and we have a back yard and a lawn mower to mow it.  kind of cool. we have a neighbor next door. she is kind of cool shes about 26 and has a daughter thats about 5. shes like best friends with the missionary's. because she has lived next to them for about 3 years. they have tired to convert her for about that long as well. everything that comes out of her mouth is sarcastic. (she reminds me alot of Dana,  color, personality) and she wants me to date her sister. i told her i was a missionary and i wasn't allowed to date. she said "your not a missionary for ever just come back in 13 monthes." i told her ill think about it.

so now to the companions. elder ----- is really chill all around he is from Samoa but he moved to St. george when he was 10. (he knows Devyn) he is really funny and a big Lady's man. he like to skate board and has about 3 board here. so on pday we go to the skate park. hes about 6,3 and can probably bench a small car.

 he is not very how would you put it? motivated. he hasn't woken up on time in about 6 months. and he doesn't like to study. so all i can do is be an example to him. I'm trying to give him reasons to be obedient. like lets run in the morning so that we can lose some weight. and we can listen to one of my Cd's and then we can listen to one of yours. I'm not being pushy because that will just go down hill. so I'm just kind of rolling with the punches for right now.

Elder Platt is just the opposite. he is like short and white. like super white people ask him if he is a vampire. because he has dark hair and golden brown eyes. its funny him and ------took pictures to gether and they look like Edward and Jacob. he is quiet and kind of awkward. but i can see that being with elder ------- for a couple of months has really changed him. he is a big gamer. like one of the ones that lock es himself in a room and playes for days. you can see that he wants to try and be a better missionary but doesn't know how to. so me and him do studies together and "council" on how to change elder --------.

the branch here is small like probably 25 people on a good week. but there is like 100 less actives. so thats were we do most of our work is in reactivating members. its kind of a dieing branch because all of the people in there are old. like in the 70's there was 2 wards and there was all this stuff going on. they had a farm in the back of the church were member could grow there own food. but now no one wants to come to church anymore. the branch president forgets to assign talks so he will somtimes just ask people to get up and speak form the pulpit. so thats allot of peoples reason for not coming to church is that they dont want to speak.

were working with a couple of part member familys but other than that. we have no investigators. like we when on splits with the zone leaders. and got more investigators in one day then the whole last transfer. president emailed me and he is really counting on me to turn this area around. im going to be trying my best to i know its going to be hard but it will be worth it.

but yea this mission is the best! like way funner (is that a word) than high school, or working at pizza factory, or video games (shocking!) or anything than i have ever done. its like a big faith builder and a learning experience beyond all compare. i have learn more about my self and the scriptures and people than i every would have back home. i think there is a statistic out there that a missionary will get 10 years more life experience than someone who doesn't. i mean i can see it in myself the growth. I'm defiantly more willing to talk to people. and public speaking peice of cake (you know with the ice cream in the center). plus the spiritual high your on all the time is amazing! i crave feeling the spirit its awesome. my name is Elder Payton Clements and im a spiritual- holic. like on Friday we were tracking and were offering to pray with people and this lady let us in. we got on our knees and i started to pray. i was praying for her family and her house. and the spirit just gave me a high five in the face. tears just started poring out of my eyes. and when i finished the lady was crying too. i asked her how she felt. and she said. "amazing! i have never felt this way before"  i told her that was the holy ghost working with her. and told her that we like to have people feel the holy ghost all the time. and asked her if we could come back and share the holy ghost with her again. she said yes. so were seeing her this week some time.

we walked out of that appointment just floating on air. it was less than ten min but yet it was one of the best experiences i have had on the mission.

well that's it for this week i love you guys so much i will talk to you again next week. wish me luck.

with all of my love

Elder Clements.