Grateful

Taken from a talk given by President Uchtdorf called "Grateful in Any Circumstance"

"Perhaps focusing on what we are grateful for is the wrong approach. It is difficult to develop a spirit of gratitude if our thankfulness is only proportional to the number of blessings we can count. True, it is important to frequently “count our blessings”—and anyone who has tried this knows there are many—but I don’t believe the Lord expects us to be less thankful in times of trial than in times of abundance and ease. In fact, most of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude.

In any circumstance, our sense of gratitude is nourished by the many and sacred truths we do know: that our Father has given His children the great plan of happiness; that through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ, we can live forever with our loved ones; that in the end, we will have glorious, perfect, and immortal bodies, unburdened by sickness or disability; and that our tears of sadness and loss will be replaced with an abundance of happiness and joy, 'good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.'

How blessed we are if we recognize God’s handiwork in the marvelous tapestry of life. Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God’s creation. Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues."


It will be difficult for our family to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner without Hayden. But as I read his email this week, I realized that Hayden's gratitude is the very thing that keeps him going. He sees people all around him and knows that the gospel is the tool to give them hope. That dedication and endurance is the very thing I will put at the top of my gratitude list.

"Hello,

The weeks are starting to fly! How the heck is it Christmas time? Last time I checked I was competing with little niños during Halloween.. They were knocking the doors.. and we were too. But for a different purpose.

I am so happy right now. In all honesty I love my sector.. and I actually have grown to really like my companion. My investigators are progressing! Danny, Patricia, and Milton are the three that are going the fastest.. But we found 4 families to teach this past week! I love it when we find families. Hopefully they can progress as well!

Well we skip Thanksgiving down here, but it´s kinda funny how I am the most grateful I have ever been right now.

Let me share a little story that I will NEVER forget!

The last week in the CCM (MTC) missionaries always get to go out into the field and do splits to see what it´s really like. Well I was all pumped to go! I got sent up to the Chile Santiago North Mission.. It is like pure farmland.. And the most poor. I got sent to the poorest sector in the entire mission! The first door I knocked in my mission was the house of a less active member. His tiny little house was made out of concrete and barely had a roof. I imagine that his whole house could fit in whatever room you put your T.V. in back at home.. It had all the windows broken out because of a robbery.. There was shattered glass glued everywhere to keep people from climbing his fence.. We go in and sit on his two little stools.. There is a fire going in the middle of his dirt floor. He had NOTHING. NOT A SINGLE THING. His dogs were just about dead.. and the food cooking in his little fireplace was not lookin' too hot either. We taught him and left. Ernesto! That´s his name. Thanks to Ernesto.. I now know just how lucky I am.

I won´t be eating a huge Thanksgiving dinner and watching football this year, but I know that I am doing something much more important. The Church is TRUE. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Getting a REAL testimony of it will change your life forever. I didn´t have the strongest testimony before I left, but let´s just say that it has grown A LOT during the mission.

Love you guys! Thanks for all you´ve done for me!"
Elder Clegg


Hayden says, "Pictures..

Graffiti, me getting ready to mark up the town,

(With Silly String.. Wow I am sure glad I am funny LOLOLOLOLOL)"

Shout Out

This week Hayden's letter was full of "Shout-Outs" to various people. I'm going to follow suit and do a few of my own...
Shout out to all the missionaries serving in the field right now! They have sacrificed much to be where they are. They have so little and give so much. They represent our Savior and teach his gospel. They are His hands and voice.
Shout out to the families who are supporting those missionaries from the home front. They have sacrificed too. Shout out to the leaders, Bishops, friends and extended family members who helped to get them on that mission.
On a personal note, a shout out goes to the angels of Chile who feed my son, send us pictures of him and watch over him. Shout out to his companion, Elder Fisher, for training Hayden and helping him to learn what he needs to be successful in his work. Shout out to the people he will be teaching. Thank you for allowing him the opportunity to share his knowledge and testimony with you. Shout out to Joseph Smith for having the courage to pray for and receive an answer that lead to the gospel being restored. Shout out to Hayden for his hard work, dedication, and love for the work he is doing. We love and miss you!


"Well Hello there,

It`s P-day, so that means it´s time to do some crazy fun stuff...Like wear my gold chain during personal study. That is when ya know you`re living large! Haha

I would like to do a few shout outs this week. Like shout out to me for swearing at my companion in my sleep last night and being really mean to him.. Oops. I feel pretty bad. Good laws. Not proud of that incident.

Shout out to the guy who I tried to talk to yesterday, but he ended up flipping me off and spraying me with a hose. Haha good thing I am speedy quick and he couldn´t spray me as much as he wanted to. Haha nice guy!

Shout out to the 80´s music that is always playing in this internet place. Shout out to me for being the only person in here that understands it.

Shout out to DANNY! Haha probably the coolest dude I have ever met. He is by far my favorite person I have had the chance to teach. He is like 24 and progressing super fast! He is a little bit of a thug, so I hope he doesn´t have any addictions and stuff like that, but he has a huge desire to learn. He is the first person that I have met that I feel like was prepared for me to meet! It was such a huge blessing.

Jacob 4:7 is a pretty flipping cool scripture. It made me realize that everything we recieve really is a blessing from the Lord and that he gives us weaknesses so we can make them strengths.

The work is going forward down here! There are 500 members in our ward and when we got here 60 of them were active. We have raised it to more than 100 now, but we still have so much to do!

Sorry.. No pictures this week! There is only one computer that I can send them on, and I didn´t get that computer today.

Love you all! Read the Book of Mormon, because it is the only way to strengthen your testimonies!

Elder Clegg

P.S. To Clarify. I was only mean to my companion in my sleep.. Haha I actually like the kid."



Shout out to summer that Hayden is currently experiencing! Autumn is sooooo jealous!

Math, Valentine's Candy, and Nose Picking

Last night I had a crazy dream. (Isn't there a song that starts off like that?) I dreamed that Hayden came home. In my dream, I knew it wasn't time for him to come home, but I didn't know why he did. We had the whole airport homecoming thing and then came home and visited into the night about his mission experiences. Then it got really weird...the next morning we woke up and went to my friend Julie's house. There she did a math assessment on Hayden and he couldn't quite get it. As I looked over at him (in my dream), I noticed he kept trying to pick his nose. (So sorry Hayden!!! Remember this is my crazy dream!) I was so embarrassed and asked him, "Do you need a tissue?" "Why don't you go to the bathroom?" He got frustrated with me and said, "Mom, I'm fine." Then Julie served us some Valentine's candy. Next thing I know, Hayden is coming up to me and saying, "I have nothing to wear. Let's go get something for me to wear." We went to the mall to get him some clothes and then I tucked him in his bed, fulling expecting to find him there when I woke up this morning. I even asked Mike if Hayden was home. I surely wish I could interpret dreams. Someone could have a hoot with this one. (And if you are one of those people who can interpret dreams and this one means I'm looney, thanks for nothing. I already know that!) I'm sure you will have an easier time interpreting Hayden's email from this week. Here it is...


"Hello everyone!

This week was an average week! I can´t believe that it´s already P-day again. The time is starting to pass really fast! There are Christmas decorations on the houses. That is so weird. It is straight up summer down here. I hope Santa still visits missionaries. If he tries to come into our house, I hope he doesn´t come in through the attic, because my trainer is convinced that there are people breaking into our house through the attic... I am more than a little bit sick of having to explain to him that we are perfectly safe. Haha

This week Elder Nelson came to talk to us. It´s not every day that you get to hear from somebody like that! He talked so much about the pre-earth life and how we are serving exactly where we need to be serving, with the people we need to be serving.. and that they are our friends from the pre-earth life down here waiting to receive the gospel. It´s a pretty cool thought!

On a not as good note, my trainer doesn´t know how to work a toilet and flooded part of our house, including getting toilet water in my suit cases! Haha that is always a really fun thing to have to deal with.. He has taught me some way good habits such as obedience with exactness, how to work hard, and how NOT to live in a house.

As far as cool experiences go, we were out contacting one day and we talked to this guy who told us he was busy. I told him.. "Why do you have a remote in your hand if you are SO busy." He got pretty mad, but then we left. Like a half hour later he drove up to us in his car and told us he had been looking for us ever since we left and that he needed to hear what we have to offer! We are going to teach him today, so I hope that goes well!

Also, I had to give a talk in sacrament.. in Spanish.. with like 30 minutes of preparation. The Bishop came up to me before church and was like.. Hey we don´t have anybody to speak. Can you? Haha the whole promise of open your mouth and the words will come is so very true.

I love all you guys! I think I need to edit this group because half of my friends are now on their missions. Haha!"

Les Amo,
Elder Clegg


"This scripture really hit home today."

A Bad Hair Cut Never Stopped Anyone

Apparently Hayden received a doozy of a haircut this last go around. He said he was in and out of the chair in about five minutes. Needless to say, (but I'll say it anyway), he isn't sending any pictures of himself right now. I can't blame him. But that hasn't stopped him from sharing the gospel and working hard.


"Hello there.

It is really hot down here. Before you start to complain about the cold, think of a missionary burning to death! Haha but hey.. That´s just more motivation to teach lessons! I have the gnarliest farmers tan of all time.. Not just the sleeves, but yes.. The neck. It is dang attractive.

This week was just a normal week! Eating good food, walking in the heat, getting yelled at by lots of catholics, LOTS of dogs, and LOTS of teaching the gospel!

I love my sector here in Nueva San Martin. It´s the right balance of a little bit ghetto and a little bit nice. In all honesty, Chile is not all that different from the states. I feel like I am serving in California.. Haha!

The language is coming along super well! I didn´t ever expect to learn Spanish this fast! I have had some serious help from above. I love learning languages! I didn´t know that before the mission!

As far as teaching goes, Patricia and Juan El Bautista are progressing pretty dang fast! We have also found a family of gold. They are seriously pretty much models. They will be on every church magazine cover that exists if we can dunk them. We have also found a Professional soccer player to teach! He is a stud. There are many more, but those are my favorites that we are teaching.

I am getting along pretty well with my companion, but on Halloween I went on divisions with a kid that is my best friend in the mission! It was such a blessing. Divisions last 24 hours. I went over to his sector and we knocked doors while every one else estaba haciendo dulce o atravesura.. (Trick or Treating) We have a combined time in the mission of less than 7 months, but we always have such good luck when we work together! Man that would be cool to be companions with Elder Kimball!

My companion is district leader so we have to do a lot of divisions.. but I ended up in a sector that used to be the sector of my cousin like 5 years ago! (So Dane I met a bunch of people that you know!) I guess Elder Erickson was a stud! Haha

Sorry not very funny or scary or anything this week, but if you guys could see this dude punching the keyboard behind me, I think you would be laughing too.. Oh and I about cried laughing when Elder Campos.. Honduras I think.. He ate crap playing soccer. Like literally.. He fell so hard. That poor feller is gonna limp his way through the last month of his mission.

Have a great week ERrrrRRYbudy."

Elder Clegg