June 18, 2012

Hey there my Sawtooth Clan,

Thank you for all of your letters! I received emails from Jordan, Cassidi, and the great family. Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.

I hope that Kalina is doing well and that Sterling and all of the family are also. They have been in my prayers this week. I also hope Grandpa and Grandma Clegg are doing well and that Grandpa's surgery went really well. Hope the hospital stay is quick as well as the recovery. I love you all and know that all will be ok in the end.

Dad - I hope that you had a great Father´s day and that all is well. I hope that Papa and Grandpa Crouch enjoyed their time up at the lake as well. That is great that they were up there.

Mikesell!!! Happy Birthday this Saturday! I sent you letter about a half hour ago with Dad´s b-day letter, so you should get it in about 9 days I sent it to the Stanley address.

Well this last week was a really good week. I am trying to sort it all from the other weeks in my head. Some highlights that I can think of are that we found a big family of nine people and 6 of the kids came to church. I hope that they can keep progressing. WE are finding a lot of people right now who are really struggling ecomonically right now, food prices are going up here quite a bit and in the winter it is lot harder for people to work. The siestas are just dead, it is just me and my comp in the streets but I love it, it builds a lot of character and if you plan well it is not so bad. It has gotten colder and the long johns and all that good stuff are starting to get there use, today is really nice though. We had some great service projects with some of my favorite families here this week. One of the them, _Roberto Oses knows a Elder Jolly from Salmon who served in Argentina Rosario in like 88 of 89 I think. He is one of my favorite members. That has got to be form the Jolly family.  We also had a good service project with the Bishops family. I love them also. The familia Ochoa and Garcia are doing well. Sergio Garcia is a little sick right now and is struggling to quit smoking it is really sad to see how deep this addiction is. He is in a wheel chair so he can’t exercise to get away from it either. I am really praying and thinking about him so much. The ward is doing good, seems like when one family gets active another one falls and it is kind of like that. I really appreciate strong members and I cannot tell you how important they are to missionary work, for real growth to happen. We are turning our focus to work a lot with them. Tomorrow we have a zone conference, the last with our dear Mission President. I am really actually kinda of hurting with that. I love President so much and I can’t imagine my mission without him. But changes make you grow and I am grateful for them. This week I read in Alma 24 about the great conversion of the Anti Nephi Lehis and made some cool connections about what are the real fruits of repentance, things like sacrifice, fear of God, true joy, gratitude. I was thinking about that and with Sergio I thought about how sin takes away our vision of our perspectives of ourselves.  This Friday we get the transfer calls, I don´t know why but a part of me feels like I am leaving… you asked what my gut told me Mom… but we will see I have not been here that long. It was a good week and I am grateful for the lessons that I am learning and the relationships that I have.

Dad- I hope that you had a great Fathers day yesterday. Yesterday I asked Elder Knuteson what he loved about his Dad and then I told him what I loved about mine. It was a spiritual moment for me walking the street to think about you and how grateful I am for you. I hope that you were able to feel very loved. I can´t believe it is already Father´s Day. I hope that business is going well and that you are enjoying all the fun memories and feelings that Redfish brings. Keep being the great example that you are.

Mom- Thank you so much for you letter. I appreciate the little updates on all the kids and the life at the lake. I am glad to hear that you all had a good game of Frisbee for me on Thursday. Today I needed to clean out my suitcase and I decided to clean out a binder that I have full of letters. I read the first letters that I received from you and Dad at the MTC  - that was a strange feeling.  It seems so long ago to me, but like yesterday also. I love you so much Mom!! Thank you so much for your kindness. I think I will get the ¨ redfish¨ package this week. I loved the cards, the Ensign so much. Thank you all for your thoughfulness. Have a great week and I hope you can keep making 26 hours in a day like you do. I love you!

Mikesell- Wow, the big 18. How are you feeling? I am glad to hear that you are so busy and are having fun with everyone. I sure miss you Sis. I will be praying and thinking about you really hard this week. I can’t believe what a life you are living and what vision and potential that you have. Make sure you stick to the basics. This summer will feel like a dream to you. Enjoy your TIME. I love you and may you feel so loved on Saturday. You are so special. Keep being the great person that you are. Peace out.

Brennen- What a stud you are! Thank you for your sweet email. Have you got your Patriarchal Blessing in the mail yet? Go on a hike and read it on the top of a mountain somewhere. I love you Bro. Have a great week and keep working hard. I am glad you are having a schedule and everything.  Dish pit will make a man out of you even more! You’re the man.

Alex- Thanks for your letter. I sure love you little man. I hope that you are doing good and that you are learning a lot. I am glad you had fun tubing -Brennen said. I miss you buddy and thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I am excited to see how much you have grown and matured. Keep being awesome.

Harrison- Thanks for the email. I am doing good buddy. I miss you. My companion is doing really good.  Thanks for praying for me every night and that is crazy about the squirrel. Not in your bedroom huh!? Keep them outside! I hope that you catch him. Those blow dart guns still around? haha Have a great week Harrsion. Keep being a good boy my man. The HARRY WAY.

McCall- It sounds like you are just living the dream like normal. I am glad you and Harrison are enjoying housekeeping so much! I sure love you Cally. I hope you have a great week this week and that you can do something fun and special for that sister of yours on her birthday! I love you Cally. Are you still guarding my bed for me? ;) Eat a ice cream for me. I love you Cally. Thank you for your example.  I am glad you got to see Kaley this week! How fun to have them come to Redfish!

I love you all!  May your week be filled with memories and growth. I continue to pray for you and want nothing more than for you to receive blessings like ever before! Keep the Vision!

All my love,

Elder Clegg