July 2012 Letters

July 30, 2012

       Hello family and friends. This week I had a very big shock: I was placed into another ward to work. It's called Los Jardines. It's actually a ward! So now I have a ward and a branch to work in. In my branch, things are still stagnant. It's helping me to realize that if the members don't help at all, nothing really happens with missionary work. It kind of makes me feel bad because I never helped the missionaries that much before I left, but I guess it all comes back to you. But we are woking really hard.

       We went to my new ward yesterday and there were about 180 people attending the ward. Everyone that we talked to yesterday told us how much they love the Elders and missionary work and that they are willing to help us out on anything that we need them to. It's the very first ward that I have ever seen on my mission that has told me they are willing to work with us. In all of the other wards I had to go and visit the members to get them fired up. So I guess it's a nice little blessing for my last 5 weeks in the mission field.

       It's crazy to believe that I have 5 weeks left. It's flying by! I remember arriving in Lima so long ago and feeling like it would never end or that I was never going home. But now it's about to hit me in my face. But we are still working hard to help everyone.

       This last week I had a work visit with my new zone leader Elder Emett. I have known him since the first time I was in Lima. We had a good time together on "gringo" night. It was awesome! It's funny how fast the time flies and how hard you work with a fellow gringo. All in all, it was a great booster for me.

       Well, everything is going well and we are just hanging on trying to help the branch and the new ward to grow. I love you all, and hope you have a wonderful week!

                                

                                                                                           Love you dearly,

                                                                                           Elder Clouse

**************************************************************************

July 16, 2012

       Hello family and friends! Well, here in Peru everything is going good. We are just trying to work hard. This last week we tried to have a branch activity, but it didn't work as much as I would have liked. Only 5 people showed up. The members here aren't really "fired up" to do missionary work. It's sad, but I think if we keep trying then eventually they will start to help. I always have thought that it's just like the huge stone spoken of in Daniel chapter 2. We just have to push it down the hill and it will start rolling all by itself. So, we are going to keep trying.

       Well, we have many people now that can progress. We are working with 3 families that are going to get married for sure. I am hoping to see a few of the baptisms before I leave, but we will see how it goes. If not, at least my companion will start off his mission well with 3 families baptized. That makes me happy for him. I wish I would have had that to keep me focused for all of my mission. I kind of had to figure it out on my own, trying to work hard in Iquitos. It's truly a blessing to work with families. It's a very special feeling when a whole entire family gets baptized.

       Well, the diet continues and the work continues. We are doing well here. Trying to endure to the end with a lot of hard work. This Thursday I will go to the temple here in Lima; the first time in a year and 6 months. So I am very excited for that! I love you all and hope things goes well for you all.

                                                                                                        Love,

                                                                                                        Elder Clouse

*************************************************************************

July 9, 2012

Familia y Amigos,

       Well, things are going well here in Peru. My area is still giving me difficulties but we are making progress with a few families. We now have four families that have attended church. We have recieved a few good referrals from our wards and we are really making progress with them. It's the first time that four different families have attended church. So, we are very happy with what we have done. But we want to get them wet, especially before I go home. We will see what we can do this week.

       This last week I was invited to go the zone leaders council. It was weird but President wanted all of the district leaders there too. It was great to eat pizza and Sister Blunck's sandwiches, but I really have missed attending those meetings as a zone leader. They are really spiritual and provide a lot of the strength needed to continue on and to be better. They are now talking about giving every companionship cell phones, but that would mean a lot more robberies and other junk. So I am happy I will be gone before that comes into play.

       My companion is doing well. He is becoming a very good teacher of the gospel. He teaches very clearly and directly; I am training him to be a prophet, and he should get to be one right after I leave....ha ha.....But we are still having a lot of fun and trying always to be better.

My diet has officially started, but it's not working because if I refuse something to eat, the sisters get offended. I guess I will just have to be fat until I can do a real diet when I get home. But eveyone loved me when I was fat so I guess everything will still be ok.

Well, I hope everything goes well in this next week. I will talk to you then!

                                                                                          With much love,
                                                                                           Elder Clouse
*****************************************************************************

July 2, 2012

       Hello family and friends. Well, I am still climbing every mountain here in Peru. This week we had 5 investigators in the church building. It was a very good goal that we finally reached! We still have a few problems in the ward council, and with trying to work with the members, but for the most part we are progressing pretty well. We are looking to have at least 3 baptisms this month. We are hoping that we can reach that goal, but we will see.

       My companion's new thing is to take pictures of me while I am sleeping. Ha ha! You'll understand if you look at the pictures that I will be sending.

 

       This week we had a little experience. I was in the shower bathing myself when, out of nowhere, my electric water heater started to burn up and smoke. It caught on fire. It scared me so bad that I ran out the door wearing nothing. As the cold air hit me, I remembered my towel...right after my companion saw way too much of me, if you know what I mean............ Ha ha... It was really funny and scary at the same time.

       Well enough of that. The families that we are teaching are really cool. We have three now that are working to be married. Again, I am hoping to have the first familiy baptized in the branch in over 4 years... So we will see if I can do it before I go home.

       Well everything is going well here. We are working and progressing.

                                                                                                      Love you all, 

                                                                                                      Elder Clouse