Entry Seventy Two: In Sevier Trouble

June 01, 2026

Entry Seventy Two: In Sevier Trouble

Welp the moment finally came. They put down the hammer of justice and I got emergency transferred to Sevier County TN…

Nahh just playing, but I did get to see it this week; it is a wild place! 😆

But how is everyone this week? I hope things have been real swell, and if they haven’t, then may this next week go better for you. I sincerely love you and am keeping you in my prayers. Thank you for the impact you’ve had on my life.

So long story short, what really happened was we needed an oil change. The church has an account with Firestone, and so it’s best to find the nearest location and go there. Our closest ends up being a 45 minute drive to the best tourist trap ever called Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, TN! Now, I am real close with one of the Spanish Elders there, and so we hit him up to go get lunch while we were waiting the 2-5 business days plus change for our oil to get changed. The rest of his district found out and so pretty soon we had about 6 Elders dining at Cookout with the most incredible view of a statue of the Little Caeser’s guy.

Oh also, turns out one of the missionaries we ate with was companions with a good friend of mine back in Utah! Small world innit?

As for the rest of the week, we saw a lot fall through. Like an ungodly amount fell through.

I didn’t mention this last week, but we found a lady who labeled herself as a “Pagan Buddhist” and she accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon. When we came back Tuesday, she was anxiously awaiting us and told us she had read half the book and knew it was true!

We kept meeting with her and even extended a baptismal date which she accepted! Until the next day when she texted us saying she is no longer interested and refused to elaborate further.

That is just one of many instances we had this week of things falling through.

Despite all the hardships I've experienced this week, on the mission, and even in my whole life, one eternal truth has been able to carry me through: I am a child of God.

We learn from the Doctrine and Covenants that intelligence was with God from the very beginning, and therefore as intelligent creatures, we were with God. We lived with Him premortally! He is our Father!

It is often thought that the premortal existence was a short time, but it is clear by the name that we spent a loooooong time there. Can you imagine how much we grew during those eons? And now on this earth we have a physical body!

There truly is no end to our progression, because it is eternal, both forward and backward. Our potential and nature as children of a God, is divine, and I so testify that because of Jesus Christ nothing can stop us.

His atonement not enables but propels this progression from eternity to eternity. Next time you feel overwhelmed, remember how far you have come, and more importantly how far you will be able to go. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me. As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, while God is marching on.

Love you all!

-Elder Clayton

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