Happy New Year

I love you!

It is P-day again. It was a difficult week here with lots of Holiday festivities but we did our best! There was lots, LOTS of free food this week too! Saturday it was 2 lunches and 3 dinners. I like free food! I am still with Elder Moncada for now. Today his needed papers arrived and tomorrow or Wednesday we will be going to the Mexican Embassy to take care of the visa. It could be this week or next week that he goes! Time is flying though! I can hardly believe that it is week 4 of the current change!

So Tuesday we had a great experience with finding some new investigators! We were led by the spirit.  We were passing by this guy who was out in the street and he advised us to be careful walking around at night and we decided to go and talk to him. He, Ramón, his adult age son, Marlo, and the 10 year old girl named Carolina all had questions of the soul as we call them so we taught them the Plan of Salvation and were able to answer their questions. They are all very Catholic but had some very big doubts and questions about Christ and life after death, etc which means that there is a need for us to go back! They let us teach and answer their questions.  It was a great ánimo booster to go and teach that lesson with them. 

We got beds!

Wednesday we had a busier day. We are finding service opportunities with the members, gaining confidence... In the morning we helped a widowed recent convert do a little garden work and got free pancakes out of it. Also she wants us to come and teach her adult sons...we'll see.  Also we did some serious exploring of our area were able to make come connections to places that we'd previously seen, etc. There are still many places that I haven't been but I feel very confident in navigating the area at this point. We're figuring out the back roads, short cuts, etc. It is a comforting feeling to always know where everything is! We had a dinner appointment with some members and the son of our current mission presidente who served his 2 year full time mission here and served in my current area showed up with his wife. He married a girl from California. They both attend BYUi.  It was the 2nd dinner and it was so good! 

Thursday we had the reunión de distrito and Elder Moncada and I taught the section of PME "Hable con Todos." It was pretty awesome. I love teaching and talking, of course. We went out and worked with the bishop Thursday night which was good. He is going to be a great help to the work here! I love his enthusiasm. Also he bought us ice cream.

Seasoning package from Schmutz family

Friday we met a guy with last name MONTOYA.  Also did some more service for members and...another reference! The work is moving forward! We taught a guy that we'd been talking to in the street everyday. He is retired and just hangs out with his friends selling fruit all day. He is very passionate and active in his church but I felt that the spirit testified to him the truthfulness of our message as we taught Friday night. He will be very positive if he has been reading and praying! It is always exciting to have a return visit appointment. We are going to have him over to the house of a member to watch a movie about the restoration. 

Marinade from the Schmutz package

Saturday was a day full of FREE FOOD.  2 lunches and 3 dinners! We are trying hard to work on our next door neighbor here in the apartment. He has a lot of trials. He is 34, lives alone, smokes and drinks a lot.  Also he has a sick tattoo on his chest. "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR." I loved that.  He did invite us for dinner on Satuday night and we partook of the bounteous food he gave us. He grilled up meat and cooked beans del estilo nicaragüense.  It was super good! Also he cooked up HUEVOS DE TORO. Also known as BULL'S TESTICLES: I ate one. It wasn't my favorite but it was intense. He said that he could come to church with us next Sunday. We'll see. 

I love you so much family. Thanks for all the prayer.
Letter from: Dannee (2), Katie and Michael, Anne Morris, Shannon Timmins, Nannie, G-ma, and all the sisters. 

You guys are my favorites. 

Next time I write I will be 20 years old....!! AHH!!!

Love,,

Elder Clay

Neighbors dog, Bako- He is super awesome!