Got a email from the Mission President and He will buy boots and gloves and go help in Moore now for who knows how long......

This email was sent before the tornado so everything has changed now.

Hello family 

man using the internet at the library only using it once a week. you guys could be missionaries. lol is there alot of creepers at the library in utah i forget. because there definitely is here. the guy next to me smells like he hasnt taken a shower since last year. and two down there is a guy thats looking at some little girls face book account. creep stach. 

anyways. so life is great. all kind of fun stuff going on. 

Monday we played Frisbee golf because it wasn't that windy. elder rumsey was bored  out of his mind. but that's ok. its better than sitting in the apartment. we try ed a bunch of people that night but nothing went through.

Tuesday. we saw this lady named kathy i swear every one we come in contact with is named kathy. but we taught her the plan of salvation with the bishop. which is huge because bishop hates missionary work. well he doesn't hate it but he doesn't have a testimony of it. (yet) the lesson went well she said she would love to be with her family forever. but was a little hesitant about be baptized. we see her again tomorrow. so hopefully we can get her than. 

Wednesday. we taught this gay kid. it was crazy. he is super interested. but i don't know if its in the gospel or me. (awww, get back Satan!) but the lesson went well he said he would come to church next Sunday. because his old church pretty much hates him after he came out of the closet. he hasnt done anything yet just he said he has those feelings. so  hopefully we can get him converted before its too late. we told him that he could become a Mormon in less than two months. and his whole family too. he seemed somewhat excited about that. 

on friday was exchanges. elder Anderson came down to altus with me. he's a cool guy but i hate him because he beat me in an arm ressal. but as soon as we got back to altus we had an appointment with one our investigators. its that iraq guy and his wife. the lesson went super good and bad at the same time. good for rocky the husband. and his wife aww not so much. rocky said that he would read and pray and get baptized if he found out this was true. he said "there is a reason for god letting you come here. and i need to learn form you" but kathy she had her brick wall up. o guys im all ready a baptist. i grew up that and i only need the bible. blah blah blah. anyways though she was helpfull at times. she said if i found out this was true then i would have to join your church other wise god would be pissed at me. and were like yep. 

Saturday we helped re shingle this guys roof. first we had to take all of the old ones off. and there was two layers of them and then we had to put the new ones back on. really hard work remind me to get a cologe education so i dont have to do that for a living. not that had work is bad. but man im really sore today form all of the pulling up on those shingles. you had to get this shovel and tear them off. and the shovel had some crazy spikes on it to help pull the nails out. but i know what im using just in case a zombie attack happens. 

BUT here is the word of the day. the AP's called on Saturday and told me that im shotgun training a new missionary in a new area. im going to this place called cushing its far up north. next to still water. im excited and nerves at the same time. this is alot of responsibility to have. especially my last month. so wish me luck. im leaving altus on the 29th and going to my new area. and then form there it will be home ward bound. (just like the cats and the dog) 

well thats it for this week. i love you all so much keep me and my new comp in your prayers. 

LOve EldeR cLemEntS

We got his flight plans!!!!!!! 7 am on the 11 of July!!!!! 58 days

hello family
this is kind of going to be a short email as well because you know i talked to you last night.Which was awesome!

so here are some things that happened this week

sunday i called you. best mothers day ever! went to church that was fun. but it was super sad because for the speakers a guy was asked to talk that his wife died less than a year ago. and he has four teenage girls to take care of. lets just say it wasn't that tradishinal mothers day talk.

i had to force elder rumsey to call home. because he didnt want to talk to his mom. but i told him its not about you its about her. this inst your day its hers. i don't care what she did to you or how much you think she doesnt care about you she is still your mother and gave birth to you. so he called home and loved it. what a crazy kid.

we had zone conference this week. and it was my very last one. witch i thought i had one more. so its a tradition in this mission that your last meeting you get up and bare your testimony about your mission. so i did and it was super sad i almost cried. because im going to miss this. it only happens once and its almost over.

but the rest of the meeting was great. it was also president taylors last meeting. so i got a picture with him and sister taylor. man they have played such a big roll in my mission and im sure the rest of my life. good thing there only about five minutes away. so i can visit them any time i want.

but the rest of this week we have been working hard and knocking allot of doors. and for some weird reason every body we run into just happens to be named kathy? (i think its some under ground plot to freak us out, like everybody that belongs to this church, there pastor told them to say there name was kathy when the missionaries came around.)

Monday was zone pday it was fun. we played ultimit frizbee. it was fun my team one. but just by one point. but it was a really fun pday compared to the rest of them in this area.

but thats pretty much for this week. i love you all so much and i will talk at you latter

Love Elder Clements

last weeks email

Hello family.

so im sorry but im going to have to cut this one semi short. because i have to be in lawton in about 2 hours and its an hour drive up there. because its zone pday. i would say forget about zone pday if i wasnt calling you this weekend. witch is going to be super crazy. two phone calls in the same area. what a trip. but yea i think i will call at about 2:30 your time or about 3:30 my time if thats ok. yea invite dakota, and anybody that wants to talk with me. nana, papa, jake, tyler, who ever. i definitely want to talk to you guys the most but every body else is a bonus.

so this week has been great. on Monday. i got a hair cut and its short again. sister jones she always cuts it shorter than i like. but whatever you cant beat free. but they were talking with me and they said you know were moving to Italy in six months and if you and your future wife wants to hunny moon there we'll let you stay at our house. kind of cool.

then after that i was just looking around at alot of stores and this one store has a bunch of western were. and they said that they could give me a discount of 25% (you know im a sucker for sales) so i bought a cowboy hat for 15 dollars. then we were looking around and found madder (like ta-madder with out the TA!) its this old beat up tow truck with eyes painted on it.

then on Tuesday we helped out this old lady in the ward. and we were cleaning out here garage and there was this old bag and she was just like throw what ever is in that bag away. so i looked in the bag and there was two cowboy hats in it. i asked if she still wanted them gone? she said i could have them. SWEET! so now i have two straw hats and a nice felt hat its made out of beaver skin. the price tag says $330 (guess i should have waited to buy that hat)

on Wednesday we went up to the city for the greeny meeting. it was a meeting for all the new missionaries and there trainers. really good. i have never driven so much in my life. but its worth it to get that spiritual boost. man the mission is great. normally you have to wait until general conference for a spiritual boost. but here you get it about once a month. i love devoting my time to the lord its so rewarding.

o that brings up another story.

So once upon a time this lady stopped us on the side of the road and asked us if we were jahova witnesses. we told her no and she said good if you were i would of had to yell at you or run you over. because apparently two J Dubs came to her house and made fun of her husband and just mocked him for his testimony on Jesus Christ. so we said were  Mormon so she said you guys can come on over.

so we went over to there house and talked with them and they asked lots and lots of questions about us and about missionary work. and the husband his name is rocky was so impressed with what we did and how devoted we are. he said we need to meet every week. because this is the most beautiful thing that i have ever heard. he also said that we are going to meet together until im converted to your faith. perfect. 

Saturday we help a guy break into his house. but it was easy all we had to do was open a window and unlock the door.

we also are helping this lady quite smoking. she has been wanting to quit for a wile but she just didn't know how. so we showed here our 15 step program and she has been smoke free for 3 days now and she just needs 4 more and she will never want to smoke again.

Lauren thanks for being a good missionary. remember never forget to stand up for what you believe in even if its with your friends. but all ways be willing to share the gospel with others. because it has blessed your life in so many ways, so why not share it. man i remember missionary week. it was great i think it has really helped me on my mission. its kind of a tast of what the real mission field is like.

well i love you all so very much keep up the good work and i will talk to you on Sunday.

Love Elder Payton Clements

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