Entry Seven: I think I’m famous

February 28, 2025

Entry Seven: I think I’m famous

2/28/25

Hello again! I hope you all have had an amazing week! This first full week at the MTC has had a LOT happen, but I’m just so excited to be here. Also, I leave for Tennessee next Wednesday, and I don’t know when my next p-day is so sorry if I go radio silent for a while.

This week we got to go to the Mt. Timpanogos temple twice! Our first time was for baptisms, confirmations, and initiatories, and then this last time was for endowments. Funny story from the first trip: We brought bagged breakfast on the bus (alliteration!) but I didn’t get to eat my deserts since I gave up my seat so a Sister Missionary could sit down (Thanks Mom for raising me right!). When we got to the temple, I didn’t want to throw away a perfectly good chocolate donut, so I quickly shoved it inside my bag and smuggled it inside. However, I forgot smell is a thing, so anytime I went in the lockers to change all I could smell was that sweet sweet chocolate smell and I was incredibly hungry. My bag still kind of smells like chocolate even a week later! 😂

It is really surreal to be at the Mt. Timpanogos temple since it is the sister temple to the Bountiful temple, where I’ve spent a lot of time, but it also was nice to re-experience the floor plan for the first time.

Surprisingly, the donut is not the reason I titled this entry. So for some context, us Elders in 10A got to do 2 service projects this week, both hosting for new missionaries (we helped with the senior missionaries first and then the young missionaries a later date). During the pre meeting for hosting the young missionaries, I guess my bag knocked off my tag, and so my companion and I walked around for a little bit retracing our steps, but we couldn’t find anything. I ended up using my a different tag, but very shortly after I received an email from the front desk saying they found it. So that was that, however, my name ended up on a million screens they have around campus. This is because they play a slideshow on those screens that includes a “Please see the Information Desk ASAP” slide, and ya boy was at the top of that list for I wanna say 6 hours after I had already picked up my tag. So, I’m basically famous.

Every week in the MTC a member of the Seventy or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gives a devotional, and this week we had Elder and Sister Klebingat! They both gave really good talks, and I especially liked Elder Klebingat’s talk about the premortal and plan of salvation. Fun fact: my branch president is good friends with Elder Klebingat, so he sent a selfie of our district to him. 😎

I got to perform in the choir at the devotional! We sang an arrangement of Let Zion in her Beauty Rise. I genuinely missed choir so much it felt goooooood to be back.

This week we’ve focused a lot on keeping the doctrine simple and concise, or exactly as how Christ taught it. It’s honestly been a struggle because, in the words of one of my teachers, I “know the Gospel super well and want to put it all out there at once.” However, I’ve found that by keeping my teachings focused on Christ and His atonement, I am able to keep it simple and clear.

It reminds me of a verse in 2 Nephi 31:3, which reads: “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.”

I know that our Savior teaches simplicity. I know that this simple message brings blessings that touch every aspect of our lives. I personally have seen this as I’ve chosen to focus on Christ. I want to invite you all to read 2 Nephi 31 in its entirety. I promise if you do you will understand the Gospel of Christ. I leave this with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all like Christ does! You all are wonderful and amazing! Also thanks for all emails (Oh also also if you had me on your email list as majaiens4@gmail.com, maybe consider changing it to zachary.clayton@missionary.org, I love hearing from you all)!

“Work will win when wishy-washy wishing won’t.” -Wengert Family

Till you read my next email,

Elder Clayton

Photos! (OK so after waiting to go to the computer lab to upload from my camera I realized that they don't allow USB drives so these are just from my phone)