November 28, 2016~ "Family is Anyone who Loves You Unconditionally"

1.  Tell us about what the houses are like that people live in.  Do they have very many rooms? 
So houses are apartamentos...they are really small.   We found this guy who has a huge house lol. I will send a pic next time Ma

2.  Do you take public transportation (Bus, Taxis) very often to get places?
 Our area is huge so yeah we take taxis and for entrevistas (interviews) and juntas we take buses

3.  What movies are you wanting to have?  I was thinking of maybe sending some and music in the package.  Did I send a USB with you?  I can't remember
I have one USB but send another with music and movies... like all the church movies, the RM, the Best Two Years, Meet the Mormones, Mobsters and Mormones they are all acceptable here

4.  You still getting fed meals? and you still have someone that does your laundry?
Yeah we have all that still... its nice hahaha

Thats awesome that you guys are going to be doing a Presidents Day Tourney.  I loved it last year because we played so well and had so much fun...  I miss it like crazy.  I wish I could go play tournaments with the boys one more time but my time is done... lol its chill hahah. 
We didn't have a turkey bowl here.  I was dying not being able to play this year.   I would die for snow!!!! Its so hot here!!! You would love it here Mom...We will go back sometime.
I'm sorry about the kidney stone but its gone now so you can keep going hahaha. Hope nothing else like that happens to ya lol cause that wouldnt be fun at all.

Well this week has been a good one.  Me and my Companion are good here.  We are working hard. The other missionaries in Ixtapan are still Hermana Martinez and a gringa, Hermana King from Logan. The week started with my companion getting sick Wednesday so we spent half the day in the house but we left and got to work and have found some people to talk to.   Friday we worked with this member who has been working with the missionaries ever since she was baptized at 11 years old. She knows everyone and everywhere so we worked with her to find people to teach. We call her the carpeta de area (Area Folder).  Her name is Michel.  She literally has a computer for a brain...  So we found 15 people with her this week to teach.     We found them and only taught one lession with them so its not progressing investigators yet...but this week we should have more people to tell ya about. Saturday and Sunday we spent the whole day traveling because my comp is District Leader so we traveled to Tenancingo, Toluca and Metepec Muchisimos Vezes.   We did not find or teach anyone those days haha,  but we have a lot of work to do this week... oh de hecho (in fact) we have a member and her boyfriend, that isn't a member.  He goes to church every week and this week we are going to marry they and then Baptize him as well.... thats the one news we have this week.... other than that not much else.   I love ya and keep the faith strong.  If you see my buds at school, tell them I say hi and to email me... also stock and kae and all my bros and sis... love ya Mom... have a good week!!!!

Elder Cleverly 

PS~Sorry about not having fotos... the converter here in this internet cafe isn't working so next week I will send alot...Sorry, I have photos its just not working 

Elder Cleverly with Elder Edwards

November 21, 2016~"Gratitude can Transform Common Days into Thanksgivings, Turn Routine Jobs into Joy, and Change Ordinary Opportunities into Blessings"

1.  So you think you will move areas this transfer?
So I didn't move.  I am still in Ixtapan which I'm excited about haha. 

2.  Have you done any service projects in your area?
yeah we have painted a house haha and we help people in the streets too but the people like to do things for themselves. It is a pride thing here because they want to work for themselves which isn't a bad thing.

3.  Do you have access to a CD player in your apartment to listen to music?
Yeah de hecho (in fact) we listen to music alot.  I got some music from Elder Reynoso.  I have music on the usb because it has an outlet. 
I want movies because we can watch them too. Music and movies. Elder Marin has movies on his usb but he left so I couldn't get it from him.

4.  Do you know what the address will be for the mission webpage?
I don't know yet but they will give us the website. 

Yes it is beautiful in Malinalco. so I had to do it haha.  I don't have fears out here mom lol.

Well we don't have much right now because we ended the change.  The Baptisms that I had sent pictures of in the past are..the fam Martinez... they are the family of Elder Reynoso y yo and we baptized them and they are super nice people.  They have troubles with the children because the one is a drunk but they are awesome and they love Elder Reynoso and I.   The other family that we baptized they are from Morelos and the parents were baptized there but the kids were young and hadn't been. They moved here and couldn't find the church for ten years.  One day in the streets she found us and told us to go to their house...   1 hour later walking we found the house and we were able to baptize them.   One Investigator we have right now is Milton.  He has problems with alcohol but wants to be baptized.  He found us in the streets as well.   We have been teaching him for a week now.   We have another named Ana. her husband is an x misionero but she isn't a member.  We havent had any lessons with her yet because we just found them, but we will baptize her soon. Thats really it.  We don't have a ton of progressing investigators right now but this change we will have more.  Its crazy how time flys out here.   Elder Marin went to the Ciudad  (city) and I have a new companion...Elder Torres.  He is awesome and he is from Monterrey as well.   He has one more change than I do haha.   Thats great about the boys back home.  They will do great though playing ball.  They don't celebrate Thanksgiving here so they are getting ready for Christmas which isn't much... some lights here and there but I'm glad I'm here because I am with people I know for Christmas.  So thats what went on this week. I hope there is more this next week because this week we didn't get much.   I love you Mom... hope things are going well and I'll talk to you next week!!!!!!  Que tenga a buena semana, te amo bye!!!

~oh a couple of other things I forgot to mention ...first I got the package thank you haha.   Next I'm fixing my grey suit to be more fitted so I will be taking some money out.  I want it more fitted because it is huge on me...I have lost weight here.   I'm not going to gain weight because I workout alot haha.   About the blue suit... so Elder Mayer wanted a smaller suit and he wanted Elder Reynoso's and so they traded and I got the suit from Elder Reynoso haha.  Third, I left my camera in the casa because it needed to charge so I will send more pics next time!!!


Elder Cleverly 

November 16, 2016~ "Never Stop Doing your Best just because someone doesn't give you Credit"

1.  Has it been fun helping/working with the others missionaries?
Yeah a vezes (sometimes) haha 

2.  What makes you laugh in your area?
the drunks... its so funny 

3.  When was the last time you saw an answer to prayer? What was it?
We prayed for our meta (goal) of 6 baptisms and it was answered this week!!!!

4.  Do you have neighbors? If so, are they friendly towards you?
I don't know my neighbors, but yeah I guess they are friendly

5.  Has there been anything that has scared you?  If so, what?
nothing has scared me yet

So this week has been boring except Sunday.  We had a baptism and achieved our goal of 6 baptisms. It was super cool and I was super pumped. We had a conference with Elder Neilson and so it was cool also.   Nothing else except for today...We went to Malinalco... its so beautiful.   There is a pyramid there and its beautiful...  I sent pics, but honestly we haven't done anything really except work and teach... nothing exciting either. Oh Hermana Grossen and her daughter are making a website for the mission and I am on it!!!! She showed me when we went to Lerma to drop off Elder Lara.   Sorry for the short email but I honestly don't have much to send.   The girl who was baptized is the daughter of our conversos (converts) and so the whole family has been baptized. I found a picture of David but I forgot to send the picture...its not important anymore.   Enjoy Thanksgiving because we don't have it here and the next time I email ya I might be in a different place with a different companion so thats the difference. 
I love you Mom.... keep working hard and keeping us in line!!!!​

Elder Cleverly

Elder Cleverly and Elder Marin

November 7, 2016~"Happiness is not Having What You Want, but Wanting What You Have"

1.  What was one thing that you learned from Elder Reynoso when you were companions?
The importance of the Atonement, the Book of Mormon and being exactly obedient and working hard.

2.  I heard that the hike to Christ in  Tenancingo is quite a rigorous hike.  Was it a hard hike or not so bad? 
Well we ran up it.  It took 15 minutes but I couldn't feel my legs after and they hurt for 5 days after haha.

3.  What has been your favorite thing so far about being a Missionary?
I like baptizing, zone meetings, lessons, the food and all the food haha 

4.  Have you had trouble getting up on time in the mornings since I am not there to get you up?
No we get up haha

I emailed Reynoso and it was good to here from him.  Thats crazy about Jaiden and Jake as well.  I'm glad Stockton took my advice haha the first time ever.  I heard about the Cubs.  I wanted them to win and break the curse so I'm happy but mad because I missed it haha.  Have fun with the talk, lol.  A good talk called "Learn from Alma and Amulek" can help in that talk. 

So this week has been good.  I gave my first talk in the junta de zona and I dont know what happened but I cried after when I shared my testimony.  I think it was because when Elder Edwards shared his testimony in the English class he cried too, but everyone told me I did good and they learned alot so thats good.   We have been working alot in the areas of the other missionaries in our District because they don't have any baptisms and we want to help them with that.   We had 2 confirmations because the others were sick and I gave a talk in church and everyone said I did good with that one too, so thats good.   We haven't been doing a ton because we have been helping others out, but this week should be good.   We have another companion so we are in a trio because Elder Bennion, my white buddy in the District, is going to the office so he has to go get trained so we have his companion for two weeks haha....He is a ball of joy if you know what I mean. Not any pictures.  I will try to say more this week. Not much else so I will go.  Love ya and can't wait to talk to you next week.!!!!!

Elder Cleverly 

October 31, 2016~Happy Halloween~ "Success is Spiritual: Life Lies not in being the Best but doing the Best"

1.  How are you getting along with new comp Elder Marin?  How long has he been in the mission? Does he speak any English or just Spanish?
~yeah we are getting along.  He has 18 months in the mission.  He speaks total Spanish but its not a problem.  

2.  Have you stayed pretty healthy? No sickness issues?
~I haven't been sick at all.  Lets hope that it stays that way haha. 

3.  So does it still rain there everyday or has that slowed down now that it is hotter?
~no we haven't had it rain in a while, but yeah its super hot haha 


Glad football is over haha.  So these past two weeks have been crazy.  We went to the temple and then last week we went to the Christ in Tenancingo and the Cascada.  Its so beautiful.  After we had entercambios with the zone leaders and so I went to Metapec for two days. They say I'm doing really good for how long I have been out and wouldn't be suprised if became a District Leader... so who knows whats happening next. After we have been running around like crazy because we had 5 Baptisms this past week... it was crazy Mom. I baptized 3 and my companion 2.   We had a family with Elder Reynoso and so we baptized them and the kids of another family because the parents have been baptized but they haven't.  They were 11 and 16, so we got to baptized them. After the Baptism the daughter of the family that me and Elder Reynoso found, wants to get baptized.  We had asked her if she did and she said no but now she does... its a milagro (miracle)!!!!! I seriously am doing great.  Its hot so I'm alot tanner now hahaha.  Mom I'm enjoying it.   We had Stake Conference too and President was there so we got to talk with him and we hear that President Holland is coming to the Mish so I am pumped.  =Our mission is the highest baptizing mission in Mexico... When we are exactly obedient we are blessed Mom.  I like this quote from Elder Holland he said
"Start hard and fast and to the tape you can rest later."  My Spanish is getting better. I can teach and do everything a missionary needs to do haha.  Thats been our week getting ready for our bautismals so now we are going to find new people to teach.  I love you guys and will talk to you next week!!!!!

Elder Cleverly

Marriage before Baptism

Christ in Tenancingo

Christ in Tenancingo

Cascada