July 22, 2011

(I think he may be a little home sick this letter...but coming from Redfish Lake and sitting in a classroom all day learning Spanish...I understand. He is always been so aware and thoughtful of each of us...the communication will be an adjustment for him - and for us!!) (Audra)

 

Hello my Dear Family,

I am so excited to write you. Dad, I got your dearelders - thanks so much!!  Mom, I also got your dearelder. How you are still standing... I do not know! You are truly the most amazing women in the world. Mikesell, Brennen, Alex, Harrison and McCall treat Mom and Dad like gold. Because they are worth even more than that. They sacrifice so much for us kids. Be sure and be helpful in the little things. You do well already, but we can always do better.  Oh and Mom, I did get your email last week. I also got a letter from Grandma and Grandpa Clegg today.

 

Mikesell, you have to tell me everything about your BYU Cross Country camp. Everytime I went to the field by the temple I couldn't help but hope you would run by somehow. But it just wasn't meant to be. I prayed for you SO much and could feel your giant spirit in Provo. Please tell me everything about how it went. I love you Mikesell.

 

Brennen, How did the 50 miler go? I hope you had a blast. I still remember the 50 miler hike and I loved it so much!  I really do miss not being outside here and I am jealous that you were able to be outside all day. How did your talk go on Sunday?  I have heard awesome things. I would love to hear about your week and your adventures... have Mikesell show you how to send a dearelder. I love you Brennen. You the Man!

 

Alex, Que Pasa? What have you been up to this week buddy? How are those Kinkade girls doing? I loved the subject of your talk. I so wish I could have heard it. You and Brennen should send me a copy. I expect a dearelder from you this week with a full report. I love you buddy. Is your white BYU hat, still white?

 

Harrison! Guess what buddy, I am sending pictures today! I hope that you had a great week with Lindsay and McCall and Alex and Mom and Dad!  I bet you missed Mikesell and Brennen being gone all week. Is the lake starting to drop? How is the bear doing? Have you named that pet squirrel yet? I love you buddy. I sure miss you.

 

McCall you Angel, How are you? How is the lake? What kind of ice cream did you get this week?  How was playing with Cousin Kaylee? I am sure you loved that. What adventures have you been up to? I love you so much McCall and wish that I could give you a big bear hug! You will just have to imagine it though. I love you sweetheart. Remember who your favorite brother is!! :) jk

 

I really appreciate the letters - I love hearing how everyone is doing and what they are doing. It is hard to get used to this kind of communication. I am used to touching base with each of you everyday. I'm sure a lot of us missionaries are going through this adjustment with the kind of communication we have in the world today. I just pray for you all SO much and I hope that you know how much I love you. It kinda hit me this week that I will not see you for two years. It hurt a little, but once again Heavenly Father has blessed me and I am as happy as ever.  The day to day routine is pretty much the same. I learn so much everyday and know my relationship with Heavenly Father is strengthening. Spanish is hard, but it is coming along. Dad, we have learned all the conjugations and just started the adjective stuff. It is so much information in so little of time. Dad, what kind of study tactics did you use in learning? I have flash cards and read the BoM in both languages everyday, try to speak it as much as possible etc. We had great devo and fireside this week. I sang in the MTC choir and that was fun. I was in the front row, with Elder Patterson. We also sang "Called to Serve" for the first time as a MTC. Wow...... Easton gave me a texas shirt that says "Austin" on it. Taylor Morris comes next week and I am excited to see him Colton Grange is having issues with his visa and has to stay a extra two weeks here.    Mom, I found some great scriptures on the law of attraction. D&C 6:8 and 1 Nephi 10:17 or maybe 19 .  I will write another snail mail letter with the pictures if I missed anything. Did you get my letter this week?

 

I love my teachers here so much. They are so awesome. One is majoring in Spanish and the other has spoken his whole life, so they are both really knowledgeable. Well I just got my five minute warning. Tell the Employees at Redfish I say hello and I pray for them . I sure do miss it.  I love each of you more than I can express. I miss you like crazy but know that the harder I work the sooner, I will see you again. I feel your prayers and I hope you feel mine.  This is the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the way to be happy. Heavenly Father loves each of you so so so much and wants you to be successful. Show your love to Him by reading the scriptures, praying and being diligent in keeping his commandments and following the example of Christ. May each of you be blessed beyond measure.  I love you and will talk to you next Friday! Time is flying here. I am so excited for Argentina, but realize what a special time this is for me to prepare. Have a great week and keep being your best selves!! Brennen and Alex, I expect a dearelder from each of you with a full report of your adventures. Tell David Grange hello for me. I sure do appreciate his example.  I love you God speed.

 

I love you!!!!!!! Vaya Con Dios

Elder Clegg

July 15, 2011

The awaited day is here! I have so been looking forward to be able to write you all back. Mikesell and Mom, I got your dearelders. Thank you so much! They mean the world to me. Brennen thank you for the email. Dad, I got a email form of your dearelder, but not a paper form. I hopefully will get that this afternoon. I haven't been able to read all of your letter yet Dad because I wanted to be sure and have enough time to write you all.

 

This week has flown by, but at the same time has felt like a year.  We are learning so much and by 9:30 when we get back to the room my mind is just spinning. But I am being blessed and I know I am learning alot. The hardest part has been learning the language. I told my district that in one week, we have now passed everything that I ever learned in about a year in a half of high school spanish. It is true. :)  I will try and answer some basic questions, Dad, I really hope I can read your email today and I will reply via snail mail this evening.

I got a package from the Putnams this week and that was a great blessing. It had goodies in it and I loved it, so did my  roommates. :)  I also got a dearelder from Rachelle and that was really nice, she shared some great words of wisdom, I also got a letter from Amy and this morning one from Tricia and Lindsay. Letters are a wonderful thing. :) They are coveted around here.

So your prayers were answered this week. That Elder decided to stay. I will tell you breifly about it. After our district meeting last Sunday he got in front of us and told us why he was leaving, basically he said he did not have a testimony. The district then gave him a blessing , his companion did a awesome job. He got his address and were planning on not seeing him for a while, he is from Kentucky. He went to devotional after that , the elder met with some of the MTC district presidency. He came in the devotional late and sat a few seats down from me. His plan was to fly out the following morning. I was listening to the devotional when I got a tap on the shoulder and a note was handed to me that said " Elder Clegg, looks like you are stuck with me for the next two years"  I looked at him and said "no way!" he shook his head yes and I wanted to literally jump for joy. Your prayers were answered, thank you. That was the greatest miracle I have ever seen. I get emotional just thinking about it. He is planning on staying for another month and then making his final decision. I pray he comes to love it here. We get gym time everyday here, not at set times though, it is different everyday. I usually run and then play volleyball. Frisbee is a no go. It has been a trial of my faith!! :)

Mikesell! Have fun at BYU this week, I will take comfort in the fact that we are only like a mile away from each other.  I love you so much you will have a letter when you get back. Thank you for your letters.

Brenndn, thanks for your letter. I hope that your week went well. I sure miss you , I love you and am glad you want to be the best Brennen. You are the MAN!

Alex, Scout camp huh? Good work!!  I hope you learned a lot about yourself and got some work done.

Harrison, I love you buddy! I will get those pictures of my companion to you as soon as I can, either this week or the next!

McCall, I  miss your hugs Cally.  I love you so much.  Well I only have five minutes.

I love you all so much. I pray for each of you indivdually at least three times a day. I have felt the blessings of your prayers. I hope the whole family is doing well.  Thank you for your support. I will try and send some more snail mail where I am not so rushed and can answer more questions. I just cant say how much I love you all. I am doing well and am very happy. I appreciate your letters and support so much. Last Sunday I really missed you all but had a very comforting spirtual experience. I will tell you about via snail mail. God bless you all. Tell the crew hello.  The Atonement is real!!!!

I love you all.

Love, your son, brother and missionary Elder Clegg

Austin Enters MTC and the FIRST Letter We Receive

Saturday July 9, 2011
Hola mi Familia!

I won't write this whole letter in Spanish even though I probably could:) Ok ,so I am very much kidding about that. I will just tell you a little bit about my experience here so far. All of the Elders here suggest that your family sends you letters via dearelder.com. That way I have time to actually reply via email on my p-day. There is an MTC icon appearantly. When I go out to Argentina you just specify "Bahia Blanca Argentina Mission" on the options.

Mikesell, thank you for your letter. I got it yesterday and it meant the world to me. Mom, thank you for the letter you sent with me, it also has been a great comfort. I miss you all very much, but I want you to know that I have never been happier. The day that I arrived seems like a long time ago, but they showed me my room and I met my companion, Elder Tapia from Benson, AZ he is a excellent person and we get along great. The second we walked in the classroom the only thing they would speak is espanol, that is the way that is will always be, except on some very rare occasions.  I love my district and get along well with them. My roomamtes are Elder Patterson and Elder Koeven, both from UT. They are great. I have especially loved personal study time. We get quite alot of it. I also so love my teachers, they are exactly who I want to become during this process. The first day also consited of several workshops teaching investagators as a group. I love gym time so much, it is great to clear your head. Within my first five minutes here I saw Easton, Adam, Garth, Colton Grange, Colton Pitcher, and have seen so many BYU buddies since then. It  is like I am still walking around the Helaman campus. It has been a blessing to see them and they have been very kind to me.We met with the Branch president on Thursday and that was a great blessing. He reminds me alot of Grandpa Crouch. The first thing he told us was to stop using the word "guys" I am grateful that I was somewhat prepared for that. I have recieved the calling of District Leader. It has been very humbling and I am going to have to work very hard. We aready have a young man who is trying to deciede weather or not to stay here or not. Keep him in your prayers. I have felt each of your prayers and am so grateful for the blessing that I have recieved.  I apologize for any typing errors, I am trying to crank it all out in the short time that I have. I hope that I am not missing anything. My normal pday will be on Friday but we get a half day today.  I will share with you a few of the things that I have learned in my time here. I have learned that everything that I do as a missionary is about bringing people to Christ, member or nonmember.  That is what my purpose is. When people come closer to Christ they are filled with happiness and that is what life is all about is being happy! I can not tell you how much I have thought about that. I am grateful for each of your happy examples. Keep it up.  I pray for each of you everyday and night and can not tell you how much I have felt your prayers. I challenge you to countinue to grow closer to Christ. Tell the Redfish family hello and that I love them.  Dad, I love you. Mom, I love  you. Mikesell, I love you, Brennen, I love you, Alex, I love you, Harrison, I love you, McCall, I love you.

God bless and I will talk to you next Friday! Thanks for the letters and I love getting them. Vaya con Dios!

Elder Clegg


July 6, 2011  (written by Mom)
Wow...the fastest four minutes of my entire life. We had driven down from Redfish to Jerome on Tuesday July 5 in the nick of time to meet with the Stake President to get Austin set apart. The setting apart was amazing and it was a humbling experience to be a part of. My parents were there... (Arlen and Derrel Crouch) at the Stake Presidents home as well as all of our family. His 5 blond tan brothers and sisters watched as Austin was ordained a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was quite an experience. After his setting apart, the Stake President asked Jeff to give Austin a fathers blessing in the morning before going to the MTC. He then turned to Austin and asked Austin to give his Mother a blessing in the morning before going into the MTC. It was a very spiritual experience.
We then drove on to Provo and stayed in a hotel. The last few hours with your son are full of emotion...hard to keep focus and hard to stay strong. In the morning breakfast together was quiet...and meaningful. A lady in the lobby of breakfast came up to Austin wanting to talk to him "you just have such a radiant missionary look"...of coarse I start to tear up. The mantel of a missionary had already taken place. We got packed and ready to leave and then Jeff gave Austin a fathers blessing in the hotel room.  Then Austin gave me a blessing (Mom) some things you will never forget...
We went to the mall to eat lunch and get the last of Mr Mac things. We were warned about the drop off and pulled into a grassy area to take pictures and organize the last things in his suitcase. Then the drive to the MTC. We pull up and they put a post it note on your windsheild telling you which place to pull up to. You begin the drive and it all of a sudden feels like an airport. People loading and unloading. But as you look closer, you see missionaries everywhere....happy ones...with smiles on their faces.  The doors fly open on your car and your missionaries luggage begins to get taken from the car. The hugs goodbye start...they hurt...its busy...you know you aren't suppose to linger... they take your luggage and they take your missionary. Austin gave his hugs to each of us...looking back several times at dear Mikesell.  As luggage was in the other Elders hands, Austin begins to walk away...squared shoulders...walking tall...ready to begin the next two years.
As we drive away from the MTC you have to drive the whole length of the MTC. You then pass 200 missionaries who look like the happiest people on the planet. They wave to you with bright happy faces and loving looks on their faces. It was then I realized..."How could I ever wish Austin not to have an experience like this!?" I got it...it most definately will be the best two years.