Merry Christmas Jaen!

Dec. 25, 2014

Wow. so much has happened it is crazy. All I can say is... wow. First off my new area is Jaen... which originally I got on a 7 hour bus ride thinking I was headed to High End... the gringo ness is unbelievable. My area is awesome. It is a mountainous city that is the farthest area out in our mission that they send sisters to, and the hottest. I have not stopped sweating since I got here... even in the cold showers, haha...

Pretty much all I know is that I do not know Spanish haha.... The CCM is full of false hope, but thats okay, I learned lots of good things there. My companion is Herman Bean from Colorado and is awesome, not just because she speaks English, but she is cool! Peru is awesome. All of the families live in little rooms with their whole family. Cousins, uncles, grandmas, everyone lives in the same area with little cuartos slash rooms... crazy. 

Culture shock is unreal. I never thought I could see so much garbage, gross animals, poor people, and chicken are rice. I love it. There was a couple days during the deer in the headlight phase last week where I just thought... why in the world did I want to go to a 3rd world country! But one day while we were eating watermelon.. I was eating it and it had tons of seeds. I started to pick off the seed so I could eat the watermelon, but it showed to be impossible. So I just started to eat the watermelon with the seeds, and realized it was kind of like being here in Peru. There are TONS of good parts. The people, the mountains, the culture, etc. But there are a lot of seeds that I was having a hard time dealing with... one big one being Spanish haha... But I realized, it still tastes good with the seeds, and ya just got to enjoy the watermelon! After that it’s been great, and I'm starting to really love teaching people with bugs crawling all over me and sweat dripping down my face. Having the opportunity to help others feel the love Heavenly Father has for us is awesome, and I love teaching them the gospel. Even though they laugh cause my Spanish is so bad, hopefully I get a few words out that the spirit is telling me. 

We live in a pretty nice apartment and have a pentisita that works in a restaurant and we eat there. SO SPOILED! 

Pretty much I am blessed beyond belief to be here for my first area, so awesome! 

I don't have a lot of time, so I'm just going to send pictures and say that Heavenly Father is aware of us in EVERY way. Always remember to pray to Him and do the little things. Just in the 7 days I've been here and taught investigatores and menos activos, I've seen that the little things are what converts us and changes our lives. 

Know I love you all and WISH I could respond to all of you this week, but I hopefully I can next week. Thanks for your love, support, and example. Merry Christmas, it really is all about the Savior. Hopefully I'll have more time next week. Love you all! 

Hermana Clegg

Lindy and her companion Sister Bean

Christmas package!

It was so great to Skype on Christmas Day!

Finally Starting!

Dec. 16, 2014
Hey so I got to the mission home great. I haven't met my new companion because I am going to the High End mission!! I think its in Cajamarca. All I know is it is a 7 hour bus drive and very hot. Im so excited to meet my companion there and have heard nothing but good. She is American which will be good, and the President said to take advantage and learn all I can because I will be with Latinos the rest of the time! This place is so crazy, we got to go to the beach today and holy cow, poor! Can't wait to share the gospel and tell you more. Mostly, I'm alive!! 

Love you! 

Hermana Clegg

Lighting the lights and Pizza!

Dec. 10, 2014

Hola!

This week has been so awesome, if you guys haven´t already heard, I LOVE being a missionary!! This week I feel like I learned loads about how to learn and receive revelation and it has been one of the coolest things ever!

Some of the highlights were when we got to do a service project! We were in charge of cleaning the outside, and me and my comp got to sweep and dust the top of these like oil and gas tanks, it was amazing. There is just something about menial work that brings a ton of joy, like doing the dishes. We just swept dirt for a solid hour and I had sweat dripping out of my eyes, but it was so great.

Also we had a couple really great Christmas devos this week! The first one was the first presidency message which was amazing, except for the first time I got SO HOMESICK. It was hard to see temple square and hear about Christmas traditions with family and not be with mine, but as I was praying through the devotional I felt such a strong reassurance that this is where I need to be, helping the people of Peru.

Then the next night we had a HUGE Christmas delio, where we sang in the choir and all the mission presidents from Lima came, it was awesome! There were talks and choirs and songs, we ended singing Silent Night in Spanish with everyone and it was incredible! It is so true that no matter where you are or who you are with, the Spirit of Christmas and love of Christ is always there. After that we went outside to see the lights! It was so pretty! I just started crying and the Elders in our district were like, "sweet, another moment where Hna Clegg cries out of joy for no reason.. check!" Haha they know me so well! But it was so pretty, there was a nativity scene, lights on all the columns and trees playing little Christmas tunes, so awesome! We had delicious hot chocolate, and not so delicious Panaton (fruit cake) and just took in the moment. I really just felt so much peace and love for the people I was with and being a missionary. Then the cockroaches started coming out of the bushes so that moment ended... but still an amazing night haha.

Another highlight this week was yesterday when we got PIZZA! Honestly, since day 5 of rice and chicken every day, all we have been saying is "I just wish we could have pizza" and there it was! We were all enjoying it till we realized that only two districts and gotten pizza and then they had run out, I seriously felt so sick because I knew how much we all wanted it. Then, just like in "All dogs go to heaven" We all started giving away to other people the pizza we had left and it was awesome.

Kind of silly, but meant a lot and made me realize how happy and blessed we are to have the gospel, but how selfish and rude we are if we just keep it to ourselves. And really, the more you share, the more you are gonna get!

Today for PDay we had the opportunity to place another Book of Mormon to some guys painting a house, it was so scary and I realized how bad I am at Spanish, but it is always amazing to me that when we have courage and listen to the spirit, miracles happen.

I have seriously learned so much here in the CCM, but am STOKED to leave early Tuesday morning! I am so not ready Spanish wise, but I am excited to have opportunities every day to share the gospel, and not be stuck in a box haha..

I have gained such a strong testimony of prayer while here as I have received and asked for help in learning a language and becoming a missionary. I want to challenge you all to make prayer and scripture study part of your day. I KNOW it is hard to find time, but I know that Heavenly Father is literally waiting to give you answers and help and more knowledge if you just study and pray. 5 min a day is all it takes! I love you all and am so thankful for your love and support. Have a great week, Feliz Navidad, and remember to pray and give thanks to Heavenly Father for everything this wonderful Christmas season!

Love,

    Hermana Clegg

One month a missionary?!!

Dec. 4, 2014

Oh man, it has been one month since I became a missionary, crazy beans!! It has flown by and at the same time it gets hard to remember life before the box of the CCM in Peru haha...

Thanks for all of your updates and emails, I LOVE hearing about your lives and all the fun stuff going on. You all are seriously such amazing support to me, thanks for being awesome!

This week was pretty great, learned more spanish, learned more gospel things and how to teach more, kind of getting old and I’m STOKED I’m finally an Advensario and get to leave in one short week and a half!!

Thanksgiving in Peru was so much fun. We had turkey, potatoes and pie so what more can you ask for? Also we all went around the cafeteria table of Hermanas and said what we were thankful for, some traditions are just the best. Also, we had a MASSIVE TURKEYBOWL football game with all the North American missionaries and it was such a party. I thought I was going to die of heatstroke, but it was so fun. Merica!

Also this week we had the BEST DAY EVER! Let me explain. Our whole district was kind of having a rough morning with language and stuff, and I said, "Hey, today is the best day ever! Wanna know why?" from there we all complained about things in the CCM and then stated all the awesome things about being here, and the whole day was amazing cause we were all saying "BEST DAY EVER!!" That quote can literally change lives haha... so from then on we say it every day, as well as quote Mr. Peabody and Sherman and say "pretty fantastic!" I promise you, any problem can be fixed with a change of attitude and faith in the Lord.

Another highlight was on Saturday, it was our morning teacher’s last day and she has taught at the CCM for 4 years!! So obviously, if you know me, we HAD to throw a party!! It was also our afternoon teacher’s birthday, so we threw a massive party... well, as crazy as you can get here in the CCM. We made a banner, a card, and gave a gift to each of them. Then after class with both of them we toasted to Inca Cola (kind of like cream soda but better) in the cafeteria. SO FUN and honestly am so grateful for them, they are amazing, i just wish they would speak in English sometimes haha..

Also I SAW THE MOON for the first time since I’ve been here! It is pretty polluted and foggy, so I was super stoked! It is at a different angle down here which took about a half hour for some elders to explain that to me, but I love it so much because it reminds me of all the people I love haha...

We’ve been playing volleyball pretty religiously and figured out some pretty intense teams, such a blast. One day I went up and blocked Elder Romrell (who is this elder that always slams it down) and it went right back into his face.... felt kind of bad about that. Then the next day I got a massive fat lip when I collided my face with the back of an Elders head. Maybe a sign we need to tone it down haha... So that was embarrassing and made it harder to speak Spanish for a day, but it’s all good now. That day also some Hermanas got back from a service project and said "Hermana Clegg, Elder Batty says hi!" WHAT? Turns out he was like 20 feet away from me, but maybe it was better. Just a little bummed because he is such a good friend, crossing my fingers though haha....

Hahahaha.... so also I was coming out of our district classroom and started to walk away and my head got yanked back because my hair was stuck in the crease of the door!! A Latino elder yelled "HERMANA!" Cause I couldn’t figure out what was going on and he opened the door haha... sometimes I think one of my talents is embarrassing myself and making other people laugh...

Another great part was on Thanksgiving we had a live devotional broadcast from Provo with Elder Bednar. Whoo... powerful stuff. One of my favorite things that he said was that being out on a mission is better than anything you could do by being at home. Meaning, for young adults, senior couples, etc, it is better for your family and friends to feel your absence and see your example than it is for you to be at family parties, etc. So if it is right for you, GO ON A MISSION. Honestly the best decision I’ve ever made and love every part of it.

The Lord knows you and your needs. If there is one thing I’ve learned this month, cause I still haven’t figured out conjugations haha, it is that PRAYER WORKS. In every possible need you have, prayer works and your Heavenly Father hears you.

Also I’ve felt your prayers and have been so blessed because of all of you.

Have the BEST WEEK EVER and know that I love you!

   Hermana Clegg

Mom-Thanks for your letters. Love you and excited for your new calling! Also I sing my turn on earth and no one knows it haha... dang. Also can I get Jessica’s email from you? I got it but didn’t add it and wanted to write her!

Dad- Hope things are going well with work, another Elder here said his dad is an engineer and he literally can’t talk about what he does. Haha i said you made chicken coops! But then said that you really were a genius of course haha.

Megan and Alex- I LOVE YOUR BABY! He is so precious and looks just like troy did. Congrats, it sounds like everything went well! Good luck with this next month!

Wyatt- Glad you got to have fun with your friends for thanksgiving, good luck with finals coming up and doing something fun in provo for me!

Dawsen- What are you up to now that band is over? Tell me about your life too haha... the details! (haha girls!)

Tanna- Congrats on volleyball! Hows that going? Good job on all yalls grades too, keep it up! Let me know how your last name boys are. I can’t remember them because they were so weird, their names, not them haha! And your hair is totes adorbs! super cute!

Andie- I have twinner pants as you and every time I wear them I think of ya! Are you excited for the Tavaci Program?

Brooklyn- How’s it going? Still sleeping with my suitcase because of you.

Love you all!

Chistes and Zombies....

November 26, 2014

Man! What a great week this has been! I love the MTC and everything about it. Btdubs my Pday is today because of thanksgiving and such, and maybe will be Wednesday the rest of the time... so there is that! But seriously, I love everything about the CCM and being a missionary. All of it.

One of the funniest parts of this week was when I ran into one of the new Latino sisters. I was coming out of the hall bathroom and she was coming in, and we both kind of saw each other and took a step back, and she look so scared! Because... she literally came up to my belly button! I felt like a giant monster and felt so bad for scaring her, she literally tilted her head all the way up to look at me haha.... got to get used to that feeling. She is super nice though.

Also, during class our favorite teacher who always jokes told us to prepare to teach the Latinos in five minutes, then about 2 minutes later he was like, "NO worries, is un chiste (joke)" And from earthquakes, to Latinos, to verbs due, etc, I was sick of his chistes, so through laughing frustration I said, "YO ENFERMO SUS CHISTES" (I‘m sick of your jokes haha) and his response back was "USTED ES UN CHISTE!!" (YOU ARE A JOKE!" haha we all were like crying laughing... the people here are literally so funny and almost never serious.

Now for the Zombie part. I can feel the brain washing happening. I don’t want to get ready in the morning, I only want to read my scriptures out loud in Spanish and stuff like that. I can’t remember names of artists, movies, people, etc. from home. My favorite thing of the day is watching a clip of a general authority, and it’s the best day ever if we have fish for dinner. Things that are NOT NORMAL but truly are amazing. I know these changes are good because I am truly learning how to become a better missionary and give myself to the Lord completely for these next months. Although, it has been a struggle. Not singing songs "of the world" has been incredibly difficult. And although I do let Disney and some other good ones stay, a lot of other ones do distract from what we are doing here, and it has been a struggle. Also not being able to just go running and play the piano have been some rough withdrawals. HOWEVER in reading a talk about becoming a consecrated missionary (thank you Amanda!!) I have realized that the blessings of choosing the things of the world and giving up those "little things" that are holding you back is so worth it. I felt the spirit SO strong, in lessons, in just everything. A quote I loved from a talk this week was "We were created and destined for glory long before the world was, therefore, which is more important?" I know that I am forced to choose only the things that help me spiritually and are not of the world, but know that in choosing to do and spend time with spiritual things you will always be more blessed. Also, yesterday me and my comp walked around the little box for like 2 hours memorizing the first vision and such and I did feel like a zombie then haha....

Also the other night we had the opportunity to do lessons with the NEWBIES and let me tell you, the lord has blessed me! I realized that I actually had learned something here and knew Spanish! One time though we were with these elders that were not even trying. NOT EVEN! And it kind of made me mad because I could see they didn’t realize at all the sacredness of their calling. Then when it was our turn to give feedback, I felt the Spirit burn in me so strong and words just flowed. I told them they needed to realize they had been set apart to teach and had the Lord on their side, and that even if they couldn’t do anything, they could try. I felt so much power and knew that they needed to hear that. After I said that I said, sorry to be so harsh, I just felt SO strongly that I needed to tell you that, and they were chill with it. Afterwards I almost threw up though cause I felt bad... maybe that’s just a reaction to feeling the spirit strong haha... But after that I realized... holy smokes! I’m like a missionary! I can feel the Spirit working through me and saying the things Heavenly Father needs to tell his children. Haha you would have thought I’d figured that out long ago, but it was a fun realization for me...

Anyhow, nothing else too exciting. My hermanas and district are so great! There is this one elder from a Navajo reservation in Arizona and he tells us some pretty awesome stories! Dad I told him about the blood suckers and the cave, but he said he hadn’t heard it haha... so that’s fun. Also we have played volleyball EVERY DAY this week and one day we did Hermanas vs. Elders and WE TOTALLY KILLED! Well.. if we kept score we would have haha... Oh man, and the one day I did play soccer, the teacher reffing told us to be careful because the new group of Latinos we have is very aggressive... and we said okay. But then halfway through the game he told us we couldn’t play because he didn’t want us to get hurt.. I was kind of mad we got kicked out, but then some elder almost broke his ankle and had to go to the hospital, so I felt better after that. If there is one thing that is serious here, it’s soccer. They kind of just don’t apply the competitive rule to it haha.

Have a happy thanksgiving and know I am thankful for all of you!!

Love,

Hermana Clegg