Busy week

The baptism I had RIGHT after I got transferred so I didn't get to see it. Oh well


A scary building







A really nice family I met while visiting some countryside elders




A super classy mens bathroom sign




One of my favorite families in Mongolia. Their son just got off a mini-mission that he loved. Such an amazing, faith-filled family!


Homemade Tacos


My week:

Monday- P-day busy as always preparing for the week, and at night on a train going to Erdenet.

Tuesday- In Erdenet on a split with the Erdenet elders (Yes I got to go to Erdenet again! I got like a heroes welcome! Everyone saw me and was super happy! It was awesome!!! (and this was safe and legal)

Wednesday- Still in Erdenet teaching them the area and helping them with their companionship and missionary work. I helped one missionary get three referrals (new investigators information).

Thursday- Got home in the morning, taught district meeting in the afternoon, met with a family, then got on a train to the next place.

Friday- In a place called Selenge. Its a super small little town. We went there and just went on a split with them to find out about their area and companionship. How we can help, etc. It was really successful . I helped one missionary find two new investigators. At night we got on the train again.

Saturday- Got into another small countryside town, called Zuunkharaa. Even smaller than yesterdays town. We went on a split with them too and worked with them on what they need to do to improve and help the area/work grow. Also very successful.

Sunday- Were supposed to go home but missed the 2am train back so had to stay longer and went to church in Zuunkharaa. We got back and immediatly had an appointment so with our luggage in hand we met with him, then right after (still with our stuff) visited another family and finally got to go home! First time I got to sleep in a real bed this week!! Busy busy busy!! Awesome!

Next week I will email a really inspiring storyt

So this week has been fun. Just a week or so ago I was transferred back to the countryside. Im Zone Leader here, which is really fun. We have lots of missionaries in our zone and we are trying to help and support them in every way we can. Im learning a lot! We hope to go on splits with some missionaries this week and I will talk about that next week.

Ive been studying two scriptures lately. One is Alma 7:24

And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.

and 2 Nephi 5:27

And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

The first one is simple but its given me things to focus my study on. If we are constantly exercising and working on our faith, hope, and charity then we will always be doing good things. Its made me realize I need to study more about those three things since they are re-occurring and are always together.

And then the next scripture. By living according to this Gospel we live according to real and lasting happiness. People my whole mission have asked me why I went on a mission, and what the blessings are from joining the church. I always answer the same thing for both questions; Happiness. This church has made me happier than I could be in any other way and I want to show others how to be just as happy.

A really really scary old Russian apartment that almost made us pee our pants

Mongolian Holiday Tsagaan Sar!

Mongolian Holiday Tsagaan Sar!

A cool view that this picture doesnt do justice, and on the coldest day of my life!!!

Email from President Benson, "

"You have a very short time to effectuate great change, even eternal change, in the lives of many"

no pressure... haha

Back in the Country...

(Okay. So I paniked a little when I learned he'd gone back to the country). Here is Ty's response.

When I met with the immigration officer he said that because my sponsor (the guy who paid for my VISA) is in the city I have no reason to be anywhere else. He said that I should be teaching for him and only him (something we didnt know). My sponsor is a church member and we made legal agreements with the learning center I was teaching at in Erdenet saying that my sponsor gave me permission to teach there while I lived in Erdenet. The documents were legit and legal, but according to that immigration guy, those documents are invalid. Because I had been living in Erdenet for so long under "invalid and illegal" reasons he was going to deport me, but he was stretching it to the max. The church called the head of immigration of mongolia and asked if the Erdenet immigration mans reasons were legitimate. The head guy said it wasnt and he would call the man himself and everything would be ok but just to be safe I should go to the city. Before I left I asked the Erdenet immigration man if I could travel and stuff around mongolia, especially my last month or so. He said yes, so I went to the city just to be safe until the church had a chance to send a representative to Erdenet to talk to him on my behalf. Everything is fine now, and my VISA does not have any problems.

The church is smart and legal, and right. Im 100% safe, dont worry. Trust President Benson and God, if it wasnt safe for me to be here I wouldn

't be.

More details (by mom's demand) on why he was interrogated

Ok so let me tell you what happened this last week. I was just at home when I got a call from someone at church headquarters. They said not to leave my house because immigration officials are out searching for me. The officials had already gone to my old apartment but I had moved and didnt change my address so they couldnt find me and they had gotten even more angry. The reason why they were searching for me or had gone to my old apartment in the first place wasnt clear so I needed to stay home just to be safe. Later our church representative called the official and he was insanely mad. She talked to President Benson and they decided that I needed to leave my companions and go with my Erdenet City sponsor and meet this guy. So I did, and we went together. I met with him and he brought me into a room with 10 or 15 other government officials and interrogated me for an hour in mongolian. I was very friendly and did my best to pacify him. He calmed down towards the end and it ended up being not too bad, but he told me that he needed to deport me and restrict me from coming back for three years, and fine me 65'000 tugrugs (mongolian money). He also said he needed ALL of my government documents. I went home and called my mission president and they said to just stay home and they will figure out what we should do. I stayed home for two days while they called some people (our church rocks) and finally long story short we negotiated with them to not deport me if I move to the city and go home shortly (I was going to anyways). So im here. I got with one of my old companions this week.

My mission president was worried about me because he knew how much I love Eredent, but I trust in Gods foreknowledge and I knew there was reason in this even if it seemed like maybe there wasnt. Sure enough Ive seen many blessings from this already and have done a lot of important work since coming here.

Health = fine. That was my old baptism I just got pictures for

Im working really really hard, but im so close to the end I just kind feel like I can tell you better in person and im a little lazy when it comes to emails. Doing great though.

Love you momma,

hey also we had an AWESOME mongolian holiday, i'll send you pictures!

-elder clement

HALLELUJAH

We received Tyler's Itinerary today. He comes up on April 9th at 9:10PM. Happy Day!!

Never start an email with "NO NEED TO WORRY MOM"

I start this email with this: No need to worry (great you just started to worry, stop it!)

I just came to the city, I got hunted down by an immigration official and almost deported but after two days undercover in my house and several church members and pres benson meeting with the head of immigration im not gonna get deported but I have to stay in the city! Crazy! I will get a new companion today and a new area! Super disappointing but whatever. I know God knows what He's doing! I will tell you more next week when hopefully we can chat. I seriously dont want you to worry, God wanted me in the city and allowed this to happen for a reason. Im not being deported or anything anymore.

Thanks for all the updates these are the emails I love the most.

I love you!

Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures

We met the Hills :)

I'm glad you got to meet the Hills. They are good people! I really love them!

My week has been really good, i dont have much time though so I'll say more next week.

Far Right - Pres. Benson

(TYLER'S RESPONSE TO MY SAYING I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO NOT WORRY NEARLY AS MUCH AS I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE)

I'm really glad you've felt that blessing. And your absolutely right, even if the doc wanted to send me home I wouldn't go. I've got work to do and I'm gonna finish it, even if it finishes me in the process! haha I honestly havn't hid that much from you. A mission is hard, that's all there is to it. No use worrying.

I love you momma. I want to give you some homework. Read from Mosiah 4, and Ether 12. They both are about faith. Im come to realize faith and stress have a big relation to one another.

-elder clement

Drunk People and Scary Car Crashes

My week has been good. Erdenet is pretty warm so I'm lucky. We just had transfers. I got two new companions. One is a new missionary only been out three months, and one is the deaf companion I had a couple of months ago. Im really happy they are both great!

So Here's a funny story. We were walking home at night when we saw a drunk man, barely able to walk. I looked closely and realized it was an inactive member. We were walking him home (basically carrying him), and he told us that he had another small bottle of vodka he was going to drink when he got home. We told him no, but he was really persistent so when we helped him inside the house I stole his bottle of vodka, unfortunately as I did his crazy mini dog attacked me and started biting my foot. So in summary, as I was stealing vodka from a drunk man I got attacked by a dog.... yep this is missionary work.

Also we saw an insane car crash!! We had just gotten out of a taxi and just a few cars behind us a man going the other way hit a car straight on and destroyed it. He was drunk in a large SUV and there was a young family in a small taxi just a little ways behind us. The drunk man hit them and sent both cars flying. We immediately ran over to see how we could help. Half the people in the car had been ejected on impact and there was a frantic young mother holding a motionless, bloody child. I went straight to her and tried to help. She said "My son, call my dad", I dont know why she called me that, but the way she did made my heart drop. I called for her and gave her my phone. Then my companions and I helped carry the body of another man into the ambulance. It was a scary experience I never thought I would be in.

So transfers this week. I am with a new missionary, thats only been out three months, and a deaf missionary I trained about four months ago. We are doing great and are very happy

Love you to Mongolia and back (thats further than the moon I think).



-elder clement

Zone Conference and Pics

We had a big zone conference with all the missionaries from the countryside. Its was really awesome! President Benson is so AWESOME! I learned a lot, mostly about sacrifice, and how in the Gospel it pays off more than it cost.

This week was pretty uneventful too. We found a new investigator with a lot of potential. I'll let you know later how that goes. We are also working closly with the branch leadership to get people callings. I am laying a strong foundation in EVERY part of the branch here (relief society, priesthood quorums, primary, etc) so that when I go they will continue to get stronger and stronger. So we are busy with doing that.

Yeah Im very excited to play some games! You'll have to reexplain all of them to me again though! haha

Im glad everyone is doing so good! Tell the kids to email me! The poopies!

Happy Anniversary! I love you and dad so much, im so glad that you guys are my parents and raised me so well! I thank Heavenly Father everyday for the life ive been given, and you and dad are also very much a part of that. Thank you for everything!

Here is a great quote I read today:

"Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it!

love you

-elder clement

Exact Obedience.

(As you can tell, Elder Clement's last few emails have been short and sweet. He and I have been working on exact obedience and this was an email I received from him)

That's EXACTLY right, not perfect obedience, exact obedience! No such thing as a perfect person, and theres no use trying. Just be all that you can be and thats good enough.

That's what I noticed too. My health got better, and I stopped getting stressed. Its been awesome! I'm sooooo glad yo'uve decided to try this too, I know you'll get lots of blessings. And I have been blessed this week, so now I know the source.

I'm glad everyone is doing well.

I'm doing awesome!! There wont be a great email this week though sorry

(Then I gave him a hard time)

haha, momma before I didn't write cause I was having a hard time, but now I promise my mission is doing great! Everything is going amazing! I am loving everything. Don't worry about me

I'm feeling great!

love you LOTS

-elder clement

Still in Erdenet

I'm still in Erdenet, which I'm very thankful for. This was president bensons email to me this week: "You keep leading your district as you've been leading. You will bless their lives and the branch. Thank you. ". I love my mission and these people, I never want to go (sorry momma). I will do the best I can before I have to go. The transfers are every six weeks, but this one was delayed. The next one is Jan. 14th.

My loving companion taking pictures of me during a long ride in a van.

 And me with my new member, his wife and some church members

Short and Sweet

"Tell us about your week?"


President Benson is having all of the missionaries in the whole country come together and celebrate Christmas together this year. Did you know his wife just had a baby?

We will only be there for a day probably. Our next transfers are on the 18th. Thats when my last companion will also go home.

I baptized our sister missionaries investigator.

Sister Hill made us AMAZING burritos!

Baptisms :)

So... I had a baptism! His name is Chinsanna!! I started meeting with him first over a year ago now (one of the benefits from serving in an area for so long). He was really great and we knew at once that he was going to be baptized. Unfortunately he went the to city and we couldnt finish teaching him. Then later I went to the city but couldnt find him. When I came back to Erdenet he and his wife also happened to move back. I called around and found their number and called them. They were very excited to hear that I had come back and we met that week I think. Anyways we started meeting and meeting and meeting! Pretty soon it was them calling us and asking if they could meet with us. Our first lesson was SUPER spiritual, and after that I think they hungered to feel that same peace and spirit again. We ended up meeting almost everyday and if we couldnt meet with them one day they were really disappointed. They started reading the Book of Mormon, and praying everyday. They also came to the church whenever they could. They said when they met with us or came to the church they forgot their fears and troubles. It was a really powerful experience for me. He was going to be baptized this week but because of family issues had to be baptized last week. He chose me to baptize him and I did. That day the hot water was gone so we had to fill it up with only cold (WINTER, FREEZE YOUR FACE OFF COLD) water. When we came out though he was BEAMING, he was sooo happy. He just kept saying, 'thank you, thank you so much'! He was overwhelmingly happy and so was I. Later he also asked me to give him the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and after I gave it to him, and hugged me almost crying! Later my companion gave him the Aaronic Priesthood and he could wipe the smile off his face!! He gave my companion and I another hug and, and was really really happy.

It was an awesome experience, and im so thankful I was able to watch him be baptized!

I also baptized some one else this week. Her name is Munguntuya. When she first came to church I befriended her, and I handed her to the sisters to teach. She was amazing and received several spiritual experiences. She also asked me to baptize her! It was really cool to see her get baptized too!

-elder clement

Our district. Im 'K'

my favorite mission district!!!! 

my favorite mission district!!!! 

my favorite mission district!!!! 

a pic of me and a member after the district conference

a pic of some missionaries together. I was companions with all of them at one point of another except the guy in gray pointing to his arm and the american.

Thanksgiving

Hey momma,

So good news and bad news. We had a great Thanksgiving. I made cornbread, deviled-eggs, shredded chicken, and potatoes with gravy! It was AMAZING!! Unfortunately my camera went weird and all the pictures are hard to access. I don't know if I can get them from my camera. It was great though! My companion and I about died from how much we ate! It was just my companion and I though.

We had a big district conference (like a stake conference, but without the stake), and there was no one there to translate so I translated for them. It was fun, but really tiring.

Its really weird. I only have three planners left for my mission. Its getting closer. Also I got your letters! Send more! Letters are WAY better than emails!

Im doing good, I promise. There is not a single thing I can complain of. I am given everything to the Lord and He has given me so much more. Im doing really good.

Our week was good. We had that two day conference. We had to take a long three hour van ride with all of our members to the city where the conference was being held. It was a cramped ride. We actually had to take four "vans" to get there though, and a couple of cars.

-elder clement

Just a few pictures

Grilled Cheese Hamburgers

Lunch. That is a fruit drink (in case you were wondering) :)

Transfer

Q: How was your first week back in Erdent?

A: It was awesome! I know so many people, and many of them had fallen through the cracks after I left so it was great to come back and be able to help them. I also have changed a lot since I've become trainer. I want my trainee to be the best missionary in the mission so I know that I have to show an example of excellence to him and give him a good experience to base the rest of his mission on. I'm not letting this second chance pass me by. I'm working harder than I ever had in my entire life and the blessings are definitely following. Church was great, our attendance is a lot better and the branch is working with us really well. Yeah I saw a ton of our members this Sunday.

Q: How do you like your new companion?

 A: My companion is awesome, he's trying really hard to adjust to the mission and to the new standards required of him. I know that his future companions may not be perfectly obedient so I am making sure that we are EXACTLY obedient in every way so that maybe he can be an example to his future companions.

Q: How are you feeling?

A: I'm feeling great momma. Like I never have before. I have another scripture that I am memorizing and trying use to strengthen me even more. Its Helaman 10:4-5

"4 Blessed art thou, Clement, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness (Diligence, a Christlike Attribute) declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared(Trusted God) them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."
They are, ive eaten at their house twice already. They're awesome! They didnt, what did you post on Facebook?

The baptism I missed. That's me on the far left (the one you can't see)

Back in the country

I'm really good. Yup already got the package! Got here in ten days!!

Transfers: I am back in Erdenet (which I am very grateful for), I'm training a brand new missionary, and I'm District Leader. So far it's been awesome.

The work here is disheartening. When I left I had got each branch from 30 church attendance to 50ish. After I left it went lower than where it was before. We only had 25 members at church this sunday in the Erdenet 2nd Branch, and 36 in the 1st Branch, and neither branch president showed up. It broke my heart. We got to work though. We got branch lists for both branches and had many members check and update it. We will use the new information (its so outdated its not even funny) to meet with members and get a lot more less-actives to church again. I want to get the ward attendance above 100, and I fully believe thats an achievable goal before I finish my mission.

I also have a new scripture that is fueling everything I do. I've been given another chance, and I know it. I will make the most of it. Ive got a chance to make a lasting and big difference on this branch. Maybe enough to make it a ward. The scripture that has really helped me is:

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me".

I have been learning about Fear and Faith from the scriptures, and Im have no doubts as to whether or not I can do something anymore. Ive had a thought thats been going through my mind lately, I dont know if ive heard it before or just made it up myself but its been really helping me. "Through submitting our will to Him, we in turn are made free". I am truly renewed in Spirit and Mind and im not worried about sicknesses or bumps in the road at all. Im ready to work.

My companion has also been a really good experience for me. I told myself if I ever got a brand new missionary I would be the perfect example to him in obedience and Christ-like attributes. Because thats happened ive kept my promise. I havn't given myself a moment of rest, I've been using all my time effectively and leading my example. This is the chance I needed, and im not going to let the Lord, my companion, or you down.

I'm excited for the many opportunities that lie ahead.

-elder clement

Horse Meat Burgers

I'm cold but doing great! No more snow, but its still cold. Wearing a jacket everyday almost. Actually the last two days have been awesome!!! Super warm and great! Every night it gets cold though. I havn't had to use it yet but I pulled out my big winter jacket yesterday. I'm super jealous of your beautiful Utah weather!! Feel free to send some my way! 

(In response to a comment I made about having a picnic in the mountains today after church)

That's it! That is the exact meal I want when I get home. That right there! That is what I miss more than anything!! I mean don't get me wrong, I definitely want Tori's "cut-diagonally, mayonnaise-on-one-side-and-mustard-on-the-other" turkey sandwich, but what you just said sounds amazing!

This week not too much happened, but no I think the sisters from my group leave in a little less than a week. And the new group will come. This week is also transfers, so wish me luck with my new comp and area! I found an awesome scripture though. For the last month or so ive been focusing my studies on Fear and Faith. I was reading in the Bible and found this: "whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear" DC10:55. It really made me realize that we have no need to fear. Fear is of the devil and has no place in us if we are righteous. It was a cool realization for me.

I'm feeling really good. I've gained 10 lbs. Im up to 145ish now!

Both of my companions are doing really well. My sign language comp is working hard and learning lots and my American companion is not too trunky. All is well. haha.

No, my old Mongolian companion isnt in my Zone. My sign language is coming along really well. Im a visual learner so im picking this language up a lot faster. I feel pretty confident speaking it.

Haha yeah its weird how close I am. When my american companion goes home, it will almost be the three month mark for me. Crazy!

Thank you momma. I re-read the scripture you wrote on that pillowcase yesterday. Its kinda like what you just said. I'm glad I am living up to what I should be doing. I'm thankful for the examples and teachings you and Dad were able to get into my thick skull. love you too.


-elder clement,

Horse Meat Burgers

Email to his Dad

Its going good. Yeah its still cold. No snow anymore but still really cold.

We only got one new investigator this week. His name is Maygmardorj. He's 18. He looks like he can be a really good investigator. The biggest problem though is that he goes to school at a Army school and his free time is really restricted. Mongolians dont have any problem with 12 hour work days all week. We met him one time but they are having a really hard time.

The sign language is going really well. Im learning a lot and been translating a lot too. Its really fun, I like it a lot, but its one of those things that gonna be really hard to keep up after the mission. No new adventures but here are some funny stories from my deaf comp:

- So first mongolians as a whole are very uneducated about sciences, but deaf mongolians basically have NO knowledge of sciences or things like that. So my companion saw a Solar Eclipse a couple years ago with a bunch of other deaf friends and they all started freaking out. He thought the world was ending and Jesus Christ was coming back. He was expecting earthquakes and stars falling from the sky, etc. haha

- So one day he was trying to start something one fire (didnt catch what), but he didnt have any matches. So he decided to take some glasses he was wearing and try to light it with that. He saw it once on TV. He said he just held his arm there forever and was thinking about random things when all of the sudden it lit on fire and he said he was really grateful. I realize writing this that it doesnt sound that funny in english but if you can imagine a 21 year old kid with very vibrant facial expressions signing this all out with his hands its a lot funnier.


love you dad!

-elder clement