Entry Twenty One: You Would Not Believe Your Eyes

June 09, 2025

Entry Twenty One: You Would Not Believe Your Eyes

6/9/25

Good morning everyone! How have you been? This week was a great week here in Forest City, although I hope I’m not trunky, since this week I’ve had Fireflies by Owl City at the forefront of my mind. The world is just a magical place, if I’m being honest, but more on that later!

This was the first full week of this transfer with Elder Bergeson, and we’ve just been doing our best and giving our all to invite all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of his restored gospel. What never ceases to amaze me is that despite the near constant rejection, you’ll always find some success if you keep trying. In the Forest City ward, we haven’t had a new friend come to church for over a month, but we broke that streak with our good friend Isaiah!

Isaiah is among whom we’d call the elect (woah sorry I just realized how eloquently I’ve been speaking in this email). We met him at Walmart a few days back, and he wanted to come to church, he kept his return appointment and actually picked up the phone (although we had a little scare since he was in the bathroom while we knocked on his door and couldn’t let us know he was in fact there), and came to church his first week! We stayed a little after to show him the baptismal font and we taught with the most power I think I’ve ever been able to teach on my mission thus far (sorry again for the prim and proper 😂). Safe to say, Isaiah wants to be baptized, and we have his date set for the 28th of June!

Aside from Isaiah, here’s a couple minor things:

1️⃣ Dunkin Donuts apparently has a grilled cheese… It’s a solid 6/10

2️⃣ Our institute teacher said, “I would love to lay in a field and cuddle with Joseph Smith and have some visions.” 💀

3️⃣ Members are a tiny bit frustrating to work with during the summer. Like come on, why are you actually living life instead of constantly being on standby for missionary work? (We love the Forest City ward members though! 🫶)

4️⃣ R.I.P. Facebook finding. The mission department said it’s not effective for our mission and just booted it lol

Spiritual Thought Time!

First of all, shout out to Elder Driggs for this one, I'm stealing it from him because it really struck a chord with me this week. In Alma 34, Amulek testifies of Christ and recommends us to follow him. I really like what he says at the end here:

37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ;

38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Going back to what I said at the beginning of my email, the world is a magical place. Sunsets have always amazed me, but this week the sky was like a canvas painted by a master artist. There was lots of rain and lightning, which made the sky light up in a deep, rich purple. For the first time in my life (from what I remember), I got to see fireflies. As Elder Bergeson and I went into our backyard to watch the fireflies, I was filled with such childlike wonder I haven't felt in years.

There's a video that talks about what it means to live in Thanksgiving daily, I'll link it below. But essentially the people say to live life like you're seeing it for the first time. Notice the small details like how the birds are singing and the leaves are rustling in the wind. Be grateful for things you've never thought about before like the fact that the sky is blue and that we have the ability to sweat (I talked with a burn victim this week and he told us he had to constantly have the AC on otherwise he’d be in slight agony).

To follow Christ we must humble ourselves, and one of the best ways to build humility is to recognize where everything you have came from. I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. He’s given us everything we have, and the least we could do is show appreciation. One thing I do (and I invite you all to follow) is I have a gratitude journal where I write down one thing from that day I was grateful for. This could be something I saw, tasted, experienced, etc. Some days it can be really hard to see the good in my life, but when I take a look back at everything I’ve written down I remember that maybe the world isn’t all bad. There is goodness everywhere, you just have to look around you.

But, that’s all from me! I hope you’re all having a wonderful time wherever you are in the world! I love you all! And remember the Lord loves you more than you can even imagine!

Standing on the promises of Christ, my King! Through eternal ages let His praises ring! Glory in the highest I will shout and sing! Standing on the promises of God!

Standing all amazed,

Elder Clayton

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