Never Gonna Leave

Shortly after Hayden got out of the MTC, he wrote an email to me expressing the desire to develop more love for the people and culture of Chile. I sent him inspirational quotes and then bore simple testimony that I know to be true...
when you serve someone, you can grow to love them. That is what he has done. In Hayden's last two emails, he mentioned that he doesn't know how he can leave his area/mission. He has grown to love the people and culture of Chile through his service.

It reminds me of a song I love. I can imagine a loving Heavenly Father telling Hayden something very similar.

"Home" by Phillip Phillips

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home



"Hola mis queridos,

I just want to talk in Spanish these days.. I kinda suck at the whole English thing.

I have no idea what you want to hear about.. We brought people to church.. Saw ghetto things.. and studied the scriptures. That is my life. Oh my comp played soccer today and I laid in the grass and slept. So that was great.

We are gonna go throw down a BBQ in my house with the elders from the other side of the freeway..

I love the teaching here. I am honestly never gonna leave. Time passes so fast because something funny or dumb is always happening here. Like if I had snapchat.. I would send some quality snapchats. People probably don´t even have that anymore, but it´s all good.



I am just using the beds of half my sector.

We've been waking up early to exercise and the mist looks like snow when I use my flash. Dang!

Raise your hand if you are jealous of the doors I knock, all day, every day."

Putting the DL in Diagonal

"Hey my friends and family.

Lots has happened this week!

First of all.. Conference. It was so cool. I love to know that we are guided by Christ through living prophets. All of the talks were so inspired and I am pumped about new temples.

We had changes today. I will be staying in Diagonal! We were the only sector in our zone to reach the church attendance goal! That was pretty cool. Also looks like I will be serving as a district leader (DL) and finishing training this change! Time goes by so fast when you've got a lot to do. One of the dudes in my district is from Mountain Crest, so it will be interesting to do divisions with him!

As you can see from the pictures, we got a new car, we knock really rich neighborhoods, and the Andes mountains didn´t get turned up after a rain storm.

We found Jacklin this week! She is the nicest lady I have met. She has a baptismal date and was so ready to receive the gospel. This next change is going to be very white!

I am loving the mission.. Like I really don´t know how I am ever gonna leave. My example and first zone leader Elder White went home today.. He was such a beast! I hope to be a missionary like him some day!

I don´t want to bore you all.. So go do something important, because everybody always tells me they are doing something important and they can´t talk to us. Hahahaha. Their loss!!

Love,
Elder Clegg"

Steadfast

Alma 29:1-2

1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.


That is Hayden's favorite scripture right now. This son of ours continues to keep me humble. He has been sick, the work is slowing down, the winter season is coming soon and he got robbed in his sector this week. But...despite these trials, he wants to continue to preach the gospel and bear testimony of Jesus Christ.

"Hey,

I am a little mad because nobody complimented me on my dog pictures. (Aside from Big Diddy.) I was really proud of those things. I have got more, but I can´t send them right now. :(

This week was pretty hard to be honest. First week in 5 months that we don´t have a baptisimal date! So we are looking for a lot of new investigators! We have Carlos and Martina that don´t have a date, but will be baptized soon here!

I got robbed. Again. Haha La Carro is pretty much the Compton of Chile! It´s ironic how drug dealers are nicer and open the door easier than "Christians".

Right now I am just pumped because I get to read all the emails from my friends.. All over the world. All doing the same thing. The mission is a sweet chance to change not only yourself, but those around you!

Conference is this week! So that is our Spring Break.. Not, but kinda. Haha we get 10 hours of watching prophets of God talk.. I like it!

Hope you all have a great week.. Pray for us so we don´t get robbed again and have to leave this sector. I would be really sad.

Have a good one,
Elder Clegg"

Underbites 2.0

Hayden continues with his quest to find pictures of dogs with underbites. It also sounds like they found a family of ten to teach!!

Hayden is staying busy with all his missionary duties. He says his cooking skills are coming along nicely. I challenged him to a bake-off when he gets home.
My money is on the Chilean-dog-photographer/Betty-Crocker-master.


"Hello!


I have been so excited to send everybody the pictures of these dogs. Next week will feature farm animals in the city.

This week went by super fast! Whoever said that the mission passes by fast.. was right. I didn´t believe it for my first couple changes, but I am sure of it now.

The teaching is super good. We found a family of 10 that is super prepared. It is gonna be hard to get them to church because they work on Sunday, but I believe in miracles. We have a dude named Carlos that is a beast. He drove us into the center of Santiago to go to a devotional. I have a ton of Haitians in my sector. They are awesome. Less active members are super hard, but I love working with them.

I only live with my comp...sometimes it gets a little old. Most missionaries live with 4, but it´s all good! We get along well! I put in a pic of my house.

As far as funny things go.. Well, I pretty much laugh the whole time here because the people are so funny! Like on Sunday Morning when we are walking around looking for people to go to church.. we get to talk to all the drunk people who didn´t go to bed. Hahaha I live for that.

My sister is driving the truck. Pray for her everyone. Pray for my truck as well."

Love you all,

Elder Clegg"


The dogs...

Hayden's living quarters

Random Thoughts

We have learned that Hayden sends the majority of his emails through computers at internet cafes. He has told us about the loud music playing, the crazy people typing next to him and the fact that the shop owner can close his business when he feels like it. That being said, I think those situations create stressful circumstances while he is typing. Then he ends up sending out random emails, like this one...


"Hey ya´ll,

I am not sure how I always end up with no time, but this week was really crazy.

I have a new hobby.. taking pictures of dogs with underbites. It is the best thing I do.. besides baptize people! Haha

My sector is still super ghetto.

I am still the only white person in my sector.

My comp is a stud. He came out of his shell this week! Haha training is a blast!

This will go down as the worst email in the history of mission emails.

I am having spiritual experiences! I promise.

I had the worst idea in my entire life. My sector went crazy after the rivalry soccer game.. There I was in the middle of it handing out cookies to ward members and inviting them to church. Haha all the drunk dudes wanted my cookies. I didn´t give them cookies. They got mad at me.

Hope all is well at home."

Love,

Elder Clegg

Teaching the Teacher

It seems like Hayden's role as trainer is going well. I know he is teaching this new elder many things about Chile, the people, the culture and how to be a missionary. What I don't think Hayden saw coming was what this elder was going to teach him. This Guatemalan missionary has a humbling story and has sacrificed so much to be there. Here are a few more details Hayden gave me this week. "My comp has a dang cool story! His Dad died when he was 14 and he left home to look for success in the Capital. He lived in the streets for a long time, never went to school, never had family.. but he got a job in a hospital and worked super hard. He found the church...paid for his Mom to be alright.. saved money for his mission.. now he is here! He is 25! Could you send a package, just for him? He hasn't had one person email him in his whole mission! Elder Baten is his name. I am so lucky to be able to train him!"

You can rest assured there will be a package headed to Chile with Elder Baten's name on it!


"Hello.

This week has been pretty dang crazy! We had a couple miracle baptisms, so that was cool! Oscar and Ivonne got dunked!

I contacted the scary part of my sector this week... I saw somebody get mugged. Like they tackled this dude to the ground and put the gun straight to his eye. Then shot him. Right in front of us...... They were actually like 6 and had nerf guns, but it still looked like it hurt the poor little feller.

I don´t know what has changed about me, but the drunk guys in my sector want to marry me. One told me I was prettier than all the stars in the heavens. My comp loves reminding me about that.

My comp is dope. He left home at 14 to live in the capital city of Guatemala.. like in the streets. He is a beast at just about everything! Haha he is the coolest dude and came super ready! I love what we call Greenie power, because it´s real! Haha we have had a ton of great things happen these past two weeks!

I am just really struggling to think of what to say.. Time passes so fast! Everybody here is pregnant. I am heading into winter. I hate dogs. This dude next to me types like a wildabeast. I want to baptize the world!"

Love,
Elder Clegg


A few pictures of Hayden's birthday!

Hayden with HIS trainer.

I'm guessing this is at the baptism of Oscar and Ivonne with Elder Baten.

A Matter of Perspective

"Hey all,

This past week was flipping crazy! Turns out that training is a little harder than you'd think! I am training a 24 year old from Guatemala! Haha I am in one of the most ghetto parts of Santiago and he is just like, "Wow this is really nice." So I guess there could always be worse places.

I had my Birthday. That was fun. Thanks all for the wishes and such!

We had 17 inactive members come to the church this week.. So that was a miracle! Haha we have a few baptisms planned for the next week! So the teaching is super great right now!

Funny story... Haha I had to go get my Chilean Identity card this week! So that means going from my sector, one of the poorest parts.. to one of the richer parts of Santiago. Anyways.. I was waiting in one of the government buildings and there were a bunch of foreign exchange students from the U.S.. There were these three girls from California in line in front of us and they were just like. "OH MY GOSH. I hear you have to keep your hand on your phone at all times. I also hear that if you do stupid things.. you get kidnapped." They went ON AND ON AND ON. I was with another gringo elder for the day and we asked them.. "Where do you guys live?" Haha they live in like the richest part of Santiago. Which is way safer than even Logan, I think. We died laughing. Like I almost peed my pants. Then we showed them pictures of our sectors and they shut up real fast.

Haha that was a really long story, but I guess ya had to be there! I love the mission! I´m happy! Hope you all are doing super well at home. This church is so very true!

Have a good week."

Elder Clegg