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Monday, April 27, 2015

REQUE.... nuff said

New comp! Hermana Zamora. I feel like a giant.... always. So cute!

April 27, 2015

Haha in response to all of the ‘where are yous’ from the fam, I’m in Reque (Chiclayo)! It’s a town about 25 minutes out from the center of Chiclayo and super cute. Well, still pretty Peruvian and ghetto, but I LOVE it.

I AM FREEZING TO DEATH. It’s so cold at night, and I’m starting to find more of how hot it was in Jaen haha.... definitely broke out every cardigan and sweats that I own this week. My new companion is Hermana Zamora, from Ecuador and she is awesome.... I decided that I’m with another Latina because the Lord wants me to learn Spanish or patience... not sure which one will come first haha... 

But we have had an awesome week. We have pensions with a FAMILY which I was super excited about, and she asked me what I wanted to eat and I just about cried I was so happy... she is amazing. Our apt is huge, we have warm showers, people have couches in their house... pretty much feeling like I’m living a life a luxury here. I can’t believe how much I miss the humility of Jaen though... when everyone has a dress to wear to church and wears makeup I just feel kind of out of place, but the members are awesome so far, so I’m stoked. 

ALSO, my district is the best thing ever. I honestly think that the Lord just decided to pour down some blessings and answer some prayers. My district leader is Elder Lewis... a good friend from my freshman ward haha! So fun to talk with him and I’m stoked to serve with him. Also, another Elder from my CCM district, Elder Romrell is in my district, so I’m stoked to have friends again, haha. My companion is super sweet, and I’ve learned so much from her already. 

Fun things from this week... ate a doughnut, that was the highlight. 
There was an earthquake... tremor on Sunday and the relief society president said "it’s okay, the church is safe!" Haha....if it would have lasted longer I’d have been out of there haha... super cute. 

Pretty much I’ve felt that the promises of the Lord are sure. He always answers prayers and takes care of his children when we do our best. Great week, Still getting to know the area and people, but really excited to be here. 

I had my testimony strengthened this week about contacting. It was late and we were contacting in the park and almost walked past a family, contacted them, found out the mom was active up until her early adult years, and we shared the articles of faith with her and her family. And her little boy saw the picture and pointed to Jesus and she said it was because he used to have that picture hanging in his room. Then we started to share the familia with them and when she saw the picture of the Lima temple tears came to her eyes as she remembered doing baptisms as a teen.

I loved seeing the joy that she had when she remembered the love her Heavenly Father had for her. Sometimes we just forget, but the truth is His love is ALWAYS there for us. Hope you all know that.

Thanks for your support and love. Have a great week!

Hermana Clegg
Reunion at camios with the CCM Hermanas!

Church in the central park.... so pretty! 


Monday, April 20, 2015

The language of love.... more rice!

Claudia


April 20, 2015

Oh man.... I never thought this day would come, but here I am getting ready to get on the bus and leave Jaen! First cambio I’ve heard is always the hardest, and I believe it. I’ve truly learned to love Peru, the mission, the work, the Spirit, the experiences and the people here in Jaen, its been hard to say goodbye. These people are so loving and it was so sweet to have the chance to get to know them, learn to understand what in the heck they are saying, and learn from their examples. 

Yesterday we said goodbye to the families and people we helped come back to church and other members that helped us a lot, and everyone fed us SO MUCH. My companion ended up throwing up, but somehow I stomached it. So nice. 

One that made me laugh is Hermana Emilia and her crazy ways fed us a giant plate of rice, then we talked and she started to cry and poured another huge spoonful of rice and said "because you won’t be here and I want the best for you!" I know that the rice may not help me the rest of my life, but the love and strong spirits of the people here has helped me so much. 

This week was pretty normal, ate a fish eyeball... that was gross. We saved the family Walter and Yovanna who we have been working with for a while... I’ll put a pic. But seeing the change in these people will always be my favorite part, the power of the atonement is night and day. 

Also a recent convert couple Karina and Diominis work in a dance costume store and she asked us to help her one day, and we ended up being models for all of the costumes! That was super fun... felt like a Latina paper doll with all the ruffles and fun colors... wish I could have taken some pics. 

I find out where I’m going tomorrow, so I’ll let you know! Thanks for all of your prayers and support, love you all lots. Keep up the great things in your life and never lose sight of the eternal plan that we have. 
Hermana Clegg
Walter and Yovanna

One last meal before transfers!
Juanita and fam

Last sun rise of Jaen... can't help think of lion king haha

noche de hogar with a less active family! Made spaghetti.... they didn't like it haha.


Monday, April 13, 2015

Understanding..... rats

Hermana Maria and Kelvin

April 13, 2015
Haha so I don’t know where I picked up the saying, but I always say, "ratas!" When people aren’t home or people walk away from our contacts... but the worst thing happened and I remembered once again that I am in Peru. 
We were teaching a lesson with a family we are trying to help assist to the temple, and a RAT FALLS FROM THE ROOF. Giant, ugly and starts crawling all around the floor, I jumped onto the couch and everyone was laughing at me cause I was screaming, then I cried a little because it was so nasty... but yeah, gotta love Peru. 
But this week has been a crazy one. I have been sick and dehydrated for most of it so that wasn’t too fun. I have had way too many hot drinks from my pensionista. Also, because a tree fell on the pipe or something, all of Jaen has a short water supply, and we have had a couple days without water (and showers) so it has been a fun 3rd world week. LOVE IT. 
But, lots of good things are happening. This week we got to be part of the baptism of Hermano Keller who me and Hermana Bean taught for a couple months then passed him to the elders because his wife didn’t want to listen. But through a lot of miracles he was able to be baptized. What a sweet experience. 
Also, it was Herman Ortiz’s birthday and holy smokes... I’m so sorry that I loved my birthday so much. It took so much effort to plan stuff and make it a special day because she LOVES her birthday and cried the night before because she was worried it would be bad... I love her. But that was super fun and turned out great. 
Also we had a lot of people attend church and a new investigator se llama Iris. She is 19 and has already attended twice! So I’m stoked to keep going with her. 

Something that I loved this week in my studies was studying the atonement. That truly it is not to take away all of our suffering, but to help us through it and give us UNDERSTANDING. The Lord has helped me with that so much this week and I’m so grateful to be here. 
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. Hope you all have a great week!
Hermana Clegg
Companionship love

Birthday dinner for Hermana Ortiz

Hermana Deysi and Christian (long time investigators/friends) 

Baptism of Hermano Keller


Monday, April 6, 2015

Jump

General Conference!

April 6, 2015

Loved all of conference and don’t have much time, but one talk in particular by Elder Holland was the bomb! The part of the teenager jumping and the power of the atonement was such a great analogy, that really life isn’t like that. That the Savior always has our back and things are going to be alright if we rely on him. 

My testimony of the atonement has grown so much this week. I have never been so humbled in my life and never so grateful for the grace that our Father in Heaven gives all of us. It really is a miracle that we can repent every day. 

Things in Jaen are still hot, hard and worth it. Love the progress we are seeing with those we are teaching and the joy of testifying of the gospel. Hope you all have a great week and know I’m thankful for you! 

Hermana Clegg 

Semana Santa

March 30, 2015

Coming up on semana santa! Whatever that is haha... nah, the week where everybody celebrates Christ! Good thing we do that everyday, I’m stoked! Well, this week has been great! Not anything too exciting, but missionary work none the less and things are going well! 

Funniest part of this week is still everyday when we attempt to talk and have misunderstandings... it reminds me of my family and our selective hearing "sweetart balls" "what retard balls?" Except in Spanish. Everyday. So I laugh A LOT and sometimes cry too because Hermana Ortiz is SO FLIPPIN HILARIOUS. 
My favorite quote was. "Piense un poquito" (Think a little!") during one of our discussions. 

Things are going well with the few investigators we have. The Family Ochoa is my favorite and every time we are there we have to find creative ways to keep the kids entertained, but man I love teaching them. You can just feel it. 

Also, it has been raining TONS here, which is great except the fact that there isn’t passage to Chiclayo because the river is above the bridge... so there isn’t a lot of imported food here so it looks like well live off of more rice haha and kind of a weird feeling to know you are stuck in one place, but it will all pass... kind of fun. 

Also the womens conference was awesome and all of us gringa missionaries got to watch it in English. Best. Night. Ever. Stoked for conference this weekend in English again, I LOVE IT! 

This week we did a lot of service, one night we went to do a noche de hogar but ended up working a printing press and cutting papers with super old machinery, so that was amazing! Also we helped with a parreada... not sure how to spell it. Kind of like a fundraiser where you make lots of food and sell it, with our family that we are trying to reactivate. 

Besides that not much else is new. Spanish is getting better, still hot, and still loving the people and experience of Peru. 

One thing I learned this week is in Matt. 14 when the disciples bring their fish and bread and say that it is all they have and all the Lord says is "bring ye to me".
Doesn’t matter how much we have to offer, He just wants it all. Even if I still can’t speak and understand very well, or feel inadequate He just wants us to serve Him and will ALWAYS make the difference.  Stinkin love the New Testament. 

Anyways, hope you all have a great week, enjoy conference and Easter! 

 Hermana Clegg