Entry Fourteen: Sometimes you gotta buy a pickleball paddle

April 21, 2025

Entry Fourteen: Sometimes you gotta buy a pickleball paddle

4/21/25

What’s up everyone? This week was a very strong reminder of the council I was given multiple times when working at the temple: “Your mission is going to be the most difficult thing you’ve experienced at this point in your life, but by golly you’ll grow so much” (Exact quote (not really haha)) There have been some moments where giving up was really tempting. But, we pushed through.

Like the words of Jacob, “He (Satan) had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore I could not be shaken.” (Jacob 7:5)

Now, I haven’t seen angels, but I know in times of trouble I can look back to my testimony. I love how Joseph Smith described his own testimony after the first vision, “I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it.” (JSH 1:25)

These two verses have been of good comfort whenever it feels like my testimony isn’t strong (and trust me, that’s a lot of times). But remember, the adversary wants you to forget your testimony, because he knows it has power. When you bear witness of Christ our Savior, the heavens rejoice! (D&C 62:3) Your testimony is yours, and no one can take it from you. Let it be known to all you have a testimony! You have power! You are a child of God! Satan can never triumph over a child of God, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Cool, now that the spiritual thought is over, here’s some significant moments from this week:

1️⃣ Our mission has started to put out ads on facebook just bluntly inviting people to be baptized. We’ve gotten a couple in Forest City, but unfortunately have never been able to contact any of them… until this week! Oh yeah! We put 2 people on date from 1 ad.

2️⃣ This one’s sad, but our dear friend Norma (she feeds us at least once a week) has a small little dog named Miss Piggy. Unfortunately, this past week, Miss Piggy’s body started shutting down a ton, and she had to be put down. Rest in Peace Miss Piggy, you will be missed 🫡😢

3️⃣ Elder Driggs and I decided we were tired of waking up every morning and (for lack of a better term:) half donkeying our exercises, so we bought pickleball paddles to take to the church. After literally one time it was so much more rewarding than basic core and chest workouts with a max of 50lbs could ever be.

4️⃣ A funny story from after that first day playing pickleball: We went to fill up gas, and the pump didn’t have a card payment terminal. So we did the only sensible thing and went inside to pay. However, our mission’s gas card only works at pay pumps, so it declined multiple times on us. I didn’t have my wallet on me, and Elder Driggs didn’t have enough money to cover the cost, so we were kinda held hostage at this gas station for like an hour, until we were saved by President Barlow.

5️⃣ These emojis are fun 🤠

But, that is all from me this week! I hope you all had the most awesome and amazing Holy Week last week, and at the very least a delightful Easter Sunday! I love you all so, so much! I also appreciate all y’all’s emails! Have a wonderful week!

When we don’t act, we become an object to be acted upon.

With wagons full of love,

-Elder Clayton

Pics!