Dear beloved missionaries, families and loved ones,
As I sit down to write these last final posts, for our mission blog,
my heart is as full as can be.
my heart is as full as can be.
We can hardly believe that this day has come.
Has it honestly been three years??
Has it honestly been three years??
Both President Clayton and I would agree that there have been
days that have seemed like they would never end; and weeks
that have absolutely flown by!
days that have seemed like they would never end; and weeks
that have absolutely flown by!
Our hearts have melted with love for those we have met across
Mexico; our hearts have been filled to overflowing with the joy
that has come from the good news of the gospel; and our hearts
have also broken in two for the heartache and suffering we have
witnessed.
Mexico; our hearts have been filled to overflowing with the joy
that has come from the good news of the gospel; and our hearts
have also broken in two for the heartache and suffering we have
witnessed.
Our hearts have burst wide, (I don’t even think it’s measurable),
as we’ve gone on divisions and heard our elders and sisters
teach so perfectly and so earnestly. It’s been an absolute honor
to serve alongside the some 417 missionaries we have served
with during our three years here in Mexico.
as we’ve gone on divisions and heard our elders and sisters
teach so perfectly and so earnestly. It’s been an absolute honor
to serve alongside the some 417 missionaries we have served
with during our three years here in Mexico.
My heart has fallen even deeper in love with my favorite senior
companion as I’ve watched him receive revelation, act in faith,
and become a mighty tool in the hands of the Lord. I have
loved watching him teach and connect in love with our
missionaries.
companion as I’ve watched him receive revelation, act in faith,
and become a mighty tool in the hands of the Lord. I have
loved watching him teach and connect in love with our
missionaries.
My heart has increased and enlarged as I have learned and
taught over and over...and over again this beautiful gospel of
our Savior Jesus Christ, of the power of the Book of Mormon,
and of our Father in Heavens most perfect plan.
taught over and over...and over again this beautiful gospel of
our Savior Jesus Christ, of the power of the Book of Mormon,
and of our Father in Heavens most perfect plan.
It has been a life changing experience. It would be an
understatement to say we have never faced such challenges;
or had to deal with the overwhelmingly, critical and serious
decisions that we have had to tackle head on.
understatement to say we have never faced such challenges;
or had to deal with the overwhelmingly, critical and serious
decisions that we have had to tackle head on.
I have learned firsthand that it is during our greatest worry
and desperate desires for divine help, that our Father in
Heaven is always close by.
and desperate desires for divine help, that our Father in
Heaven is always close by.
One Elder shared his conversion experience with me.
What he has come to understand here in the mission has
awakened in him the ability to teach the gospel from his
heart, born from great sorrow, but resulting in such
great joy and spiritual confidence.
What he has come to understand here in the mission has
awakened in him the ability to teach the gospel from his
heart, born from great sorrow, but resulting in such
great joy and spiritual confidence.
He shared that before the mission, he said, I was lost…
absolutely lost. As he met with the missionaries, they
began teaching him that God is our loving Heavenly
Father and that He gives us families to help us and to
bless us.
absolutely lost. As he met with the missionaries, they
began teaching him that God is our loving Heavenly
Father and that He gives us families to help us and to
bless us.
He told me that that was a very difficult teaching to hear.
He said, it made me feel sad and also angry, because
my family was so broken, but, he said, I was so intrigued
by their words, and in a way that I didn’t fully understand,
I felt pushed to hear more.
He said, it made me feel sad and also angry, because
my family was so broken, but, he said, I was so intrigued
by their words, and in a way that I didn’t fully understand,
I felt pushed to hear more.
And now, here is the lesson that he shared with me...
'It is hard to preach something that you don’t have, and
that you don’t fully understand; but I have learned that
as we teach truth, we start to believe it, and as we continue
in faith, we come to know God’s truth for ourselves, slowly,
but most assuredly. He shared... I know that God blesses
us to understand His plan, and as we trust in His truths…
things will work out, and we will see His blessings in
our lives'.
that you don’t fully understand; but I have learned that
as we teach truth, we start to believe it, and as we continue
in faith, we come to know God’s truth for ourselves, slowly,
but most assuredly. He shared... I know that God blesses
us to understand His plan, and as we trust in His truths…
things will work out, and we will see His blessings in
our lives'.
This is a work of miracles. I have seen it over and over
again.
The greatest miracles that I have seen, have been in our
young and heartfelt elders and sisters.
It has been tender to see and witness their awakening.
again.
The greatest miracles that I have seen, have been in our
young and heartfelt elders and sisters.
It has been tender to see and witness their awakening.
I’ll absolutely never forget what we have seen and been a
part of.
part of.
President Clayton's and my prayer is that we have made
a mark.
That our words, our teachings and the counsel we have
given to our missionaries over these three years...
accompanied and confirmed by the Holy Ghost, have
been impressionable enough, that they will solidly
these truths for themselves in their own hearts;
determined to remain faithful; and ultimately teaching the
things that they have come to know for themselves to
their own children.
a mark.
That our words, our teachings and the counsel we have
given to our missionaries over these three years...
accompanied and confirmed by the Holy Ghost, have
been impressionable enough, that they will solidly
these truths for themselves in their own hearts;
determined to remain faithful; and ultimately teaching the
things that they have come to know for themselves to
their own children.
Our greatest and grandest desire as our missionaries
return home and remember their missions... is simply
that they will teach the gospel to their children.
And that they in turn, will teach it to their children…
that their children’s, children’s, children will also choose
to be faithful.
return home and remember their missions... is simply
that they will teach the gospel to their children.
And that they in turn, will teach it to their children…
that their children’s, children’s, children will also choose
to be faithful.
I testify that the Book of Mormon is the mighty tool
we have been given in our day. It is the instrument
of heaven that has been brought to light in our day, as
part of God’s perfect plan… because it contains the
converting power of the Holy Ghost. I testify that the
Book of Mormon contains everything we need to
understand the doctrines and purposes of our
Father in Heaven; and through His Son Jesus Christ,
how we can obtain salvation.
we have been given in our day. It is the instrument
of heaven that has been brought to light in our day, as
part of God’s perfect plan… because it contains the
converting power of the Holy Ghost. I testify that the
Book of Mormon contains everything we need to
understand the doctrines and purposes of our
Father in Heaven; and through His Son Jesus Christ,
how we can obtain salvation.
What glorious truths we have been given to embrace...
and to share.
and to share.
It is time for us…. to return home!
much love,
President and Sister Clayton
Dear missionaries, families and loved ones,
Our mission is nearing the end in a few days.I can hardly
believe it!
believe it!
What a rollercoaster of emotions. How can you even begin to
describe something as sacred, special and wonderful as our
mission to Mexico, has been?
Over the last 3 years we have loved, ministered, taught,
interviewed, counseled, planned, contacted, found, organized
and prayed together.
We have driven more than 135,000 kilometers, spent 756 nights
in hotels (and ate in restaurants). We have known, loved and
served with about 500 missionaries and thousands of members
and nonmembers spread throughout stakes and districts.
We have given talks in each stake conference and in district
conferences and branch conferences. We have held more than
234 zone conferences most averaging 6 to 7 hours long,
36 mission councils and mission wide transfers every 6 weeks.
I have conducted more than 5,000 missionary interviews not
counting member interviews and have read and responded to
more than 21,000 missionary “weekly” letters, all, I might add,
in Spanish. Sister Clayton has responded to hundreds of
medical emergencies. We have answered literally thousands
of phone calls, texts and emails.
medical emergencies. We have answered literally thousands
of phone calls, texts and emails.
But those are just numbers. A mission is so, so much more
than that. I think it is best described by President Eyring in
a 2016 mission president seminar:
than that. I think it is best described by President Eyring in
a 2016 mission president seminar:
"Missionaries....invite others to come unto Christ by helping
them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ
and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ
and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
That seems so clear and straightforward, and yet you will find
the reality of leading missionaries in that charge will be among
the greatest challenges you will have in your lives.
the reality of leading missionaries in that charge will be among
the greatest challenges you will have in your lives.
He continues, I received this letter just a few days ago.
A mission president wrote: “It has been almost three years
since we met in our mission president interview and you called
us to serve in a Spanish-speaking mission. This calling has
been the most rigorous, relentless, repetitive, redefining,
revealing, refining, revelatory, and rewarding calling I have
ever served in. You cannot prepare yourself enough spiritually,
emotionally, and physically for this experience.”
since we met in our mission president interview and you called
us to serve in a Spanish-speaking mission. This calling has
been the most rigorous, relentless, repetitive, redefining,
revealing, refining, revelatory, and rewarding calling I have
ever served in. You cannot prepare yourself enough spiritually,
emotionally, and physically for this experience.”
And so it is.
Sister Clayton and I rejoice in these precious days we have
been given to serve the Lord. We will never be the same and
will remember these missionaries, these people and these days
of our lives with each other with tears of joy, smiles of happiness,
feelings of gratitude and a lasting commitment to be faithful and
true till the end.
been given to serve the Lord. We will never be the same and
will remember these missionaries, these people and these days
of our lives with each other with tears of joy, smiles of happiness,
feelings of gratitude and a lasting commitment to be faithful and
true till the end.
I truly love you and as we say here in Mexico—
un abrazo fuerte. (a big hug)
un abrazo fuerte. (a big hug)
President Clayton
