December 26, 2016~Post Christmas Skye

Yesterday was awesome and we will get to do it again in May which is super exciting.  I hope you guys have a good week and I hope that everyone is doing good.  I am glad to have a good family like you guys cheering me on.  I love ya and will talk you you next week!!!

Baptism at the Waterfall

December 19, 2016~ "Each of Us is an Inkeeper Who Decides if there is Room Enough for Jesus"

1.  So do you know what time/details on when you will be calling us?
well it is our decision so I will call you on Sunday when we are going to talk. We have an hour and half.

2.  Have you received your package yet?
Yeah the package came two weeks ago but I forgot to tell ya. I receive it tomorrow because we have a conference with Pres. 

The caves were sweet.  There is alot to do in that place but we just went to the caves.  You can go do fun things there!!!
We were lucky to go to the temple at this time but Salt Lake is better but its still pretty beautiful!!!.

Sounds like a good baseball schedule.  They should do alright in St. George.  Thats good that Stock is doing good.  He just needs to stay in his area and work in his zone... I will talk to him at Christmas. 
Thats awesome about the fam. party pero bueno because things will get better when I get back. 

Nothing has happened this week either.  We had divisions with the leaders so I went to Metapec and its funny because the people there asked when I  am coming back haha.   After that we passed by with people with dates for baptisms and they are getting hard right now because its christmas time and they are getting lazy but we hope to get them baptized before the change ends. Not really that much this week.  We have tons of activities so I will tell ya about that next time but that is about it. I will have alot more this next time when we talk.   I'm looking forward to talking to you guys and I hope things are good.  Grandpa told me about the money so  I will buy something here that I like.   I love ya mom and I will talk to you on Sunday.  Love ya!!!!

~Don't have a lot of pics .... sorry 

Elder Cleverly 

December 14, 2016~"Christ Doesn't Make Up the Difference, He Makes ALL the Difference"

1.  One picture you sent last week had you holding what looked like tomatoes.  Is that what they were?
yeah haha its a tomato

2.  So did you have any of the baptisms happen this week?
this week no... we had one fetcha but his dad died so we will baptize him this week... bad timing 

That pot that was given to me is sweet and the ceramics class I had helps me appreciate fine art haha.  Things are nice here and the people take care of us.  How is the team sounding mom?????   Fill me in on the team.  How is Kyle doing?????? 
That is awesome about the Jazz game and Durant and Curry because they are amazing!!!!

Well this week I don't remember that much because it was the same routine... it was visiting our investigators and just making sure everything is good for their baptisms.   They have a Maria Guadalupe Day and this day everyone celebrates the life of the virgin Mary because everyone here is Catholic.   We had to enter our house early because of it haha.   We didn't travel this week which is a miracle because we always travel.  This week we are going to be traveling alot but to the activities.   Yesterday we went to the temple with some investigators and we got to see the lights and it is beautiful... of course Salt Lake is better but it was still cool to see all the lights.   We talked with the missionaries that work there and thats what they do all day is work in the temple.  After we went to the Grutas de las Estrellas which is so beautiful and pretty cool... super hot but pretty to see all the caves and such.   This week we have entercambios with the leaders and then we are going to work with the Hermanas in Tenancingo because they need help there... but really nothing super crazy this past week .  It has gotten super hot here so it does not feel like Christmas but I am still super pumped for Christmas.. that is pretty much it so I will talk to you next week and let you know how everything turns out this week.  Know that I love you so sossososo much!!!!!

Elder Cleverly 

Grutas de las Estrellas 

Grutas de las Estrellas 

Grutas de las Estrellas 

Grutas de las Estrellas 

Grutas de las Estrellas 

December 5, 2016~"We Find Real Joy When We Make the SAVIOR the Focus of the Season"

1.  Does your Mission President have a Christmas get together for you guys? Like a party?
kind of... we do different activities throughout the month in our zones and we watch a movie!!!

2.  What do most people do for jobs there?  Or What kinds of jobs do people have there?
well if you live in a pueblo, everyone has the same job so the pueblos aquí (here) they make pots and I got one as a gift... so beautiful and in Ixtapan because its a tourist place the people sell food, bread, or work in a hotel... but its different in every pueblo go for example in Tenancingo its flowers... tons!!!

3.  Do you have a family or individual that you have become close with in your area? (Someone that is like family to you)  Austin and Brock always had someone each area that they could count on and became like family away from home for them.  If so who is it?  Tell us about them
well its family Martinez.... my conversos... they love me because I baptized them and they always help us with food or rides and we always have family home evenings with them.  They are super sweet people and we always joke with them and laugh alot.  They have a son who have problems but we are helping him. I don't know its just we are comfortable with them and it feels like I live with them. Another is family Domiguez Guttierez... we baptized there children remember and with them if we don't have food we will go with them and they will feed us and everything.  They cried when Eder Marin left  because they are like family to us.   My first converso as well I'm super close with her as  we always talk because Elder Reynoso and I baptized her and so we have a special bond.  We just talk and she always has a smile when she sees me.   There is a family named family Gonzalez.... its a huge family but only the dad goes to chuch. He is 70 years old and we are super close with them too.  He has 10 children and tons or grand hildren haha.   We have noche hogar con ellos tambien y ellos siempre nos saludan en la calle (Home Evening with them too and they always greet us on the street).  They are super cool people...  Also family Ruiz... we joke a lot with them about the past elders and why she doesn't go to church haha. We always tell her to go to church but she never does. She has a daughter that is 6  I think and she is the cutest thing and always gives me a hug when I enter the house haha.   She also have a 12 year old daughter and a 20 year old daughter and we always argue because it is fun. . I have a family in Tenancingo that I'm super close with from going there so much.  They are awesome... family Medina... the dad is a lider misional (missionary leader) and everytime I go we eat with them and talk and he gives me a hug.  His wife actually chose me to give their daughter a blessing because she was sick and the mom wanted me to give it, so we went to Tenancingo haha.. He has two children who are super cool... one I think is 15 and another that is 6 and they always saluda (greet) me and i don't serve in that area. Another family in Metapec when we have enterchanges with the Zone leaders... they are super cool and we always eat with them too and they told me if I ever come back or have a chance to go to Metapec, to visit them. so I think thats all haha.

Glad everything went well this week besides the sickness.  The Jazz game sounded fun and sounds like they might be good haha.  You get to watch Curry and Durrant play... that is crazy to watch both mom... you are lucky haha.  Yes I know about #LighttheWorld ...we teach everyone about that.  We have tarjetas (Cards) and we share the video with everyone... even people in the streets.   Its an awesome time of the year to be sharing the gospel and I'm excited because its awesome and we have so many activities that we are doing for navidad.   This past week was a trip...we married a couple.... thats what the pics are of the family.  Next we found a family named family Najera and they are so receptive and they take everything that we teach them.  We are going to invite them to be baptized.   We also found another family that literally has nothing but wants to be baptized so we set four fetchas con ellos (with them) and so we are going to baptized them soon.   We set another date with Rosario...I believe I told you about her and she accepted and we set a date with the couple that we just married... Ella es un miembro pero el no es um miembro entonces vamos a bautizarle (She is a member but he is not a member so let's baptize him). We also found a x missionary that his wife isn't a member so we are going to baptize her.   We have a goal for 8 baptisms this week so we are really working hard to baptize them.  That has been this week.  Oh we traveled all day on Sunday because we had to go to Tenancingo for a baptism for the Elders there and a blessing.   We got back just in time to watch the divotional( Christmas Devotional) and it was super good.  Iwatched it in Spanish and I could understand...After we took fotos of the nativity and all the christmas stuff in the plaza. Some of the other fotos are of a volcano, a lake in Gurrero (otro mision) and my District and pics con (with) Elder Marin.  I think thats every...Oh I bought a Mexico jersey its super cheap but I'll send a pic next time.  Hope your week is good and know that I love ya!!!

Elder Cleverly

Teaching English....the Christmas Way

Baptism Goal for week (8) written on his door and baptism goal of (24) for District

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