Bom Dia Meus amados Pessoas

Hey yall !!

Okay so this week was a pretty steller week!!! I started this thing where I write down everynight How i saw god working in my day. and man It is just amazing how much he does when you start looking! try it! you will be surprised!!

well I am also with out my planner today, so it will be a highlight week of what i remember off the top of my head. so this letter could be incredibly random. Hope thats okay!

Okay so Highlight Pedro got babtised!!! it was kind of it up down week getting to there though. last sunday we taught him about a lot of the commandments. which then he was like sweet i can do that. then we met with him again wednesday and when he walked in I could tell something was wrong. so i asked him straigt out pedro I know somthing is bugging you inside please tell us. He admitted he was feeling unsure about being babtised because he had alot of friends and school mates telling him that he could not live the law of chasitiy and word of wisdom and he didnt want to make a covenant with God if he was not going to be able to keep it. anyways this was at our sports night at the church and thankfully Carla was there (she was babtised last week) and i dont remember all that she told him but the next day when we met with him He was Super firm to be babtised He told us `I am going to change and I know that God can Help me`. and then on Firday we took him to a birthday party of one of the member of the ward and he told us he wanted to serve a mission and wanted to know how to get to that point. AWWW YEAH!!!!! I cant tell you how happy that makes me to know that Heavenly Father is working through Me to make stuff like this happen. Through me. I feel like ammon I just want to Boast in how freaking Awesome God is! and how good he has been to me in bringing people to Christ and in just life in general!

Second Highlight Carla Got Confirmed and got a calling in the young womens in the same day. Bishop was telling us that when he called her he said "look i know you dont know what your doing" then she stopped him and said "no bishop if this is what god wants me to do then ill do it and it will be fine" once again AWWW YEAH!!! and bishop also told us that he wanted us to confirm her and gave us a super nice complement telling us that me and Elder Fryer are the best missionarys they have had for 2 years and that we diserved to confirm her. I dont know about that. I told him that its God who has been doing all the work. Like really I feel like I have so much more i need to be doing. but it feels way good to finally have the ward trusting us. I feel like Heavenly Father is Working so much in the ward!

Third Highlight Division on thrusday. so thursday I went on a division with the Zone leaders. I went to their area with Elder Anderson. He is from seattle and man That division was SO GOOD!!! it was just a blast and I felt again like God was working with us so much! we went to a less active lady who has cancer and is going through Radation right now. I dont know why but I felt like we needed to teach her about tithing and how the lord promises Blessing. it was such a spirit packed lesson. She was crying at the end and we set up a plan for her to start coming back to church. You could just see a light go on in her. when she got there she looked so worn out and just wasted. when we left she was smileing and just looked like she had more life in her. THen we went to another less active a kid. He is 19 and I dont know we just talked about our mission and how it changed our lives. by the end He was planning on getting a hold of his bishop to start preparing. it was just awesome! then we went and taught a Family and man The spirit was so strong! they finally understood why the Book of Mormon is so Important and how though it they could know For THEM SELVES if this Church really is the Church of Jesus Christ and that Joseph Smith really was a True prophet of God and not a hoax idk it was just an awesome day. I Love Elder Anderson! both the one here and the one in JAPAN ...I miss Taft

anyways OKay so yeah that was my week mas ou Menos. For those who want to know I am Feeling So SO SO SO Much Better. I feel like that after I left the temple a couple of weeks ago that god healed me and i knew that i would get better. Missionary work is so much Better when you aren´t losing your insides everyother day! Thank you for all of you prayers!! like Really! Thank you!!!

I am so Grateful!!! I really do have so much to be thankful for in this life and I am so glad i have the oprotuinity to share these blessiing that I have with others! I love you All and hope that you are well.

I Love you peoples!!!

Elder Josiah Clements!

I am 6 and Things are going very well!!

Oi todo mundo!

okay so this week has just been really awesome!! and by this week i mean that we worked most of the week and nothing happened and then Saturday and Sunday were just awesome!

but okay so ill give you the highlights of the week, then the weekend. so like Wednesday we had our second lesson with Pedro this week and it was pretty darn good. (any lesson is a high light really! Sao Paulo is not like the north where people just let you in no questions asked.) We met at the chapel because his mom doesn´t know that he meeting with us. his Family is catholic and he is scared to talk to them about it. Catholicism here is more of a family tradition. most people don't even go to church. anyways we had Bruna (she is an ex-missionary who just got home like 2 weeks ago) there and I am so grateful for that. I entered the lesson and just felt like my tongue was being tied and that she needed to talk so we kind of let her talk alot and man the spirit was there working hard. after the lesson i reminded him of the goal to be baptised this week and he said wants to be baptised. It was testimony of how important it is the listen to the spirit.

really that is the only highlight of the week. the rest of the week was pretty much knocking doors and just trying to be diligent. Our ward mission leader is such a stud! he got a job working security at night 6pm until 6 am. and he is supposed to work 12 hours every 36. anyways he has been working every day. and so he wanted to meet with us. Thursday our alarm goes off and not even a second later our doorbell goes off and it was Eloi. and then later in the after noon he has been leaving with us. He is such an example to me and I know i need to step it up. and work even harder. oh and i turned 6 months this week and Elder made me a cake and then we burned a tie. It was pretty cool! :) its crazy to me its been 6 months on one hand it seems like i have been here for ever and on the other it seems like i just got started.

Okay so Saturday, we met with a couple. Rafael and Priscilla. they were the first reference we got In the whole transfer We got it the end of week 5. so anyways we had met with them one time before and it was really good. they had some doubts about why in the world did we need the book of Mormon and why Joseph Smith. why was he important. anyways The spirit was doing work, helping us speak, think of scriptures. it was pretty legit and I could tell that they felt it to. anyways they are going to be married this week and are just going to the courthouse and are not going to do anything to celebrate because they don't have money. I just felt sick when they told me that! like my Heart hurt. I told them that we could organise a party in the church for them. that it would not be much but it would be something. she looked like like i had just given her a million bucks, and i could tell that she wanted to do something to celebrate! so us and the relief society are going to plan a party. :) it was one of the time where i could just feel the love of god going through me for someone else.

Sunday, Oh Man what Awesome day!!!!

Okay so it started with church. church started and had been going for like 20 Min's and Carla had not shown up yet. I was just about to crab elder fryer and go track her down when she walked in the room. I could tell that something was wrong. but i felt like i should just leave it be. anyways by the end of church she was smiling and happy. come to find out later that day she almost didn't go to church today. luckily her mom who really has not been super supportive of her and church told her that she had to go today because today was her baptism. which i am so grateful. Satan had been working hard on her all this week and she had not slept the night before. But it all worked out! she got baptised and it was a such a great meeting. she gave a testimony after her baptism and Man oh man the spirit was so strong. Pedro was there and he told me Man i can not wait until next week! I was super stoked! and then a17 year old girl who i thought was a member but is not came up to us after the baptism and told us that she also would like to be baptised and asked to meet with us to get her ready. I was Like Yeah!! we can do that!! then we met with Pedro and taught him I had been kind of worried about him being ready for this coming week. I knew he wanted to be baptised but didn't really know if he had a testimony yet. and I had been praying so much this week for help to have him prepared and that he could gain a testimony that this really is the Church of Jesus Christ. like it not just a name for a church but that its His church. God answers prayers did you know that!? you could just see the light had come on. He asked us if he could bring friends to church and give people The book of Mormon. I am so grateful that Heavenly father and the Spirit are helping me because really I could not do squat with out him. then we went to Meet with Fabio and one of the first things he asked me was `how was the baptism today? ´it was good´ `so when can i be baptised` so we talked about how he needed to be married with Laurasia before and explained a bit more about baptism and he said `we i guess were going to mark a date to be married tomorrow´ ....Heck Yeah!!!!

I just Love being a missionary! I love being a instrument that the spirit can work through. I love seeing the joy and light that comes into people lives as we teach them with the spirit and that desire that builds in people to know and follow Christ. I love seeing people read and pray about the book of Mormon with a sincere heart to know if its true. And then watching heavenly father answer people in so many powerful and simple ways. and the feeling of peace that comes into peoples life's once they know that The Church Of Jesus Christ has been restored and that the really do know that Christ suffered for us and payed the price for our sins. It so incredible to me how simple it is to gain a certainty that these thing are true. Read ponder and pray about the Book of Mormon and everything else will come after that. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ that we can return to our heavenly Father and live with our Families forever. I only hope that i can keep improving and being a better. and that i can learn how to serve the lord not only here on the mission but for the rest of my life!

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers and love. I feel them in here everyday! Have a super awesome amazing week!!!

Tchau!!

Love Elder Clements

God is Good! understatement of eternity!

Bom Dia meues queridos!

First off I just want everyone to know that I love you! That God is good, and Prayer works! this week has been excellent. I feel like god has showered me in blessing this week. He blesses me in so many ways every week but this week I felt like he just kind of let it pour. going to the temple on Tuesday was probably the biggest blessing of all! The temple is the greatest place on earth. The peace you feel and the spirit you feel is like leaving this world. I feel like heavenly father recharged me there. I had woken up very sick spending a good amount of time in the bathroom that morning and almost didn't go. I said a prayer and just asked Heavenly father to help me have the force and health to make it to the temple( like 2 hours walking of riding sardine packed buses and metros..not the funnest thing when your insides are wanting to escape) But Heavenly father heard my prayer and I made it there. and I am so Grateful for that! God is Good!
so then Wednesday was just a super productive day! I woke up feeling good, I got to do all of my personal study and comp study and was prepare spiritually and physically for the day(it felt like so long since i got to do both) , then we had an appointment with Pedro he is 21 and it was the first lesson with him and it went so good! the spirit was there, i was able to talk and think clearly...(the best part of missionary work having the spirit there! its like being high but so much better :) !) He accepted a date to be baptised the end of this month as goal. He came to church Sunday...I just feel so grateful for Heavenly father putting someone in our path ready to be taught. and then later after lunch we had a split with some members and it was so good. I left with Ricardo who turned 18 and is not sure if he wants to serve a mission. it was so good to just work with him and help strengthen him. answering some of his doubts and idk I was just so grateful for that chance to help him out.
Thursday I went on spits with my District leader. it was pretty fun to be back with a Brazilian companion of a day. I love talking with Brazilians. it not the same as talking Portuguese with Americans anyways it was a pretty good day we stopped and ate crepe which in in English is same sound as Crap... so I have now eaten crap and it was pretty good! the vendor was super cool and we talked to him for a while. a old lady who was in line heard that i was American and basically everyone that walked by as we were eating our crap she stoped them and told them I was American ...it was pretty entertaining, but we got to talk to alot of people because of it.
Friday was awesome!! So I had been praying and telling Elder Fryer that I wanted a Baptism. so we had a lesson with Carla Friday and we had already given her a baptismal invite 2 or three times before and every time she said she didn't feel ready or have a testimony yet. but I just knew from the moment we entered the lesson that she was ready and that she would accept. so we had a lesson about repentance, tithing, and the law of Chasity. It was awesome! when we were going over tithing I felt bad because I told her that only member could pay tithing and she kind like oh and seemed a bit bumbed. so then I just told her How do you feel about being baptised next week. and it she said vamos! like lets do it! we also talked about the temple a bit at the beginning and she said I am not in any rush to get to the temple because i know one day ill get to go in. I don't know it was such a good lesson and the spirit was so strong. I Know that god heard my prayer when i asked him to prepare someone to be baptised this month. and now we have two. God is good!
Saturday. was a day where i just kinda of saw god working his magic to bless us and letting us bless others. So we had planned to go to jordanopolis to work a for the day which is like going to west rich land from my house. anyways we went to lunch and decided that we were not going to take our umbrellas because the Sky's were clear and it didn't look like it was going to rain. The lady at the restaurant told us randomly that it was going to rain later in the afternoon. so we went home to get our umbrellas. this was the first time a saw god hand working in our day. next we were walking to head to jordanopolis and a member and his wife that we hadnt seen for a couple of week stoped us and bought a ice cream. usually i would have declined because we were already a little late but i felt like we should accept and talk to the couple. Hand Two. it was a great visit and I felt like that some of the stuff he told elder fryer helped him alot. (he has been worrying alot about his girlfriend lately who is not a member who is really close to being baptised but her parents have been giving her alot of crap that they found on the Internet about the church. not of which is true) anyways the visit seemed to brighten every ones day. then we started walking again and then we ran into Lewis a counselor in the bishopric he was walking to pick up his car that was quite a bit away right as we met it started to down poor and he didn't have an umbrella so I was able to share my umbrella with him and we walked him to his car. he told us that he had been asking heavenly father why his other car had broken down and how come he now had to walk to get his other car and was going to get soaked and be late for some party his family was going to. and then we showed up. and he was able to get his car and be dry and he was able to drive us to Jordan. It was just awesome! God is Good! then he dropped us off in Jordan and the down poor stopped for a bit. we were able to walk to our appointment and then the moment we entered it started again. it down pored like crazy the whole time we were at that lesson and then right as were leaving it stopped. we walked to the next house and then it started again when we entered. and stoped when we left. we walked back to Rudge Ramos and once we got back to the church for our next appointment it started again. heavenly father is so good to me. I Have just felt his love and presence around me all week and I am so grateful. oh I almost for got I was asking Lewis where i could get my suit cleaned because it needs it bad. and turns out he has a dry cleaners and he is washing it for free! I just feel so incredibly blessed! I am so grateful for the the chance I have to be here on the mission for the difficulties that i have had and will have. For the chance to Have heavenly Father teach me and mold me into someone better. I know more then ever now that Prayer works! That we really do have a Heavenly Father that looks after each and everyone of us!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you can remember that prayer works and the lord will bless you for doing what is right. I love you all and pray that you can feel Gods love in your lives!

Love
Elder Josiah Clements

Okay so I have been asked by a couple of people to make a list of things that i would like or want that people can send me.
so here is a short list of ideas.
A salt and pepper shaker(the fresh pepper crusher if possible but ill be happy with either), Candy ( any kind Its all good, the Brazilians love it and it fun to share American things with them) Socks, ( black ones gold toe are pretty good), Peanut butter! (its so good) Thumb drive with music on it( efy, Mo-tab, any music that wont be a distraction to my calling) Pens. a new study journal. maple syrup. Pancake mix. Cookies or cookie mix, fruit snakes, granola bars, Cereal, Pictures! and picture album( of people, Houses, place from home. taco and ranch seasoning. maple and root beer extract. Cologne, ... that's really all i can think of. Surprise me with other stuff. I feel like i have forgotten a lot of stuff. please don't feel obligated to send me stuff these are just ideas that people had asked for.

Bom dia!

Olá

First off I would just like to say thank you all for the prayers and for fasting for me on sunday! it is wonderful to know that I have so many people supporting me and loving me!

This past week was a good one, It was incredibly hard but it was good.

Monday, so after emailing I went home and tried to start writing a few letters, but the new meds I got for the rash kicked in and I was gone...I was out until the next day.

tuesday: tuesday we woke up and went and taught a english lesson in our chapel with a guy called neilton. I dont know if i have told you about him yet...anyways he is like 45 and he called our Disrict leaders a couple of weeks ago wanting to know if we gave English lessons. he already know english just needs to practice. so basically we just talk in english for an hour. He is/ was a Methodist preacher and is now a psycho-analyst. he has some very interesting ideas about god and humans. for example he was telling us that god is diffrent for each person based off what that person wants god to be. he has done a really good job of mixing sigmond Freud's philosophies in with religion. anyways it was an interesting conversation... after that we ate lunch and then i had to take another really big douse of my meds and it kinda sucked. The meds dont make drowsy like the benadryl does but man does it suck the engery out of you. the rest of the day was just me trying to put one foot in front of the next. all of our appoinments fell and so it was a day of just knocking doors.

Wednesday we had ZOne Conference which was AWESOME! I love being with all other elders and getting to see how there doing. I got to talk with Elder Cambell for awhile which was awesome.... He is such a stud and is doing so awesome! It was also crazy to say good by to Elder soucy who goes home this transfer. It crazy it seems like he just trained me and now I almost have 6 months. but the best part of zone conference is getting to be trained by president and sister Tanner!! they talked alot about true conversion and real growth in the church. I also got my meds to kill off my friends, but have not been able to take the yet( I take them tomorrow WAHOO!) because I had to finish off the allergie meds. .....I Hate meds , just saying... but will be so happy when I can be Healthy!

Thursday through saturday were just hard! I still was not feeling the best. by friday the rash had pretty much gone away completely and i was able to start a taper off which was so wonderful because missionary works is tiering enough without Meds that make your muscles feel like jelly. but I have been learning alot about depending on the lord. I have done so much praying this past week. praying just to have the force to make it through the day, praying for the force to be able to get out the door. I dont remember saturday, laying in my bed, feeling crappy, feeling discouraged, feeling like i was done and feeling like I just didnt have anything left in me to give. I was just laying there and told heavenly Father that I didnt have anything left in me and that if i was going to be able to get up and work he was going to have to help me...I layed there for a minute and then i felt like someone just like lifted me up to my feet. lt was like someone grabbed me and pulled me out of bed. I know that Heavenly Father Helped me in that moment and I am so Grateful for a Father in Heaven who answers prayers. I dont know how many times I prayed for strength, spiritually physically emotionally. I so grateful for the Help that he has given me so I could go help others. Sunday we were able to go visit and give the sacrament to a sister in the ward who had eye surgery a couple of weeks ago and her sister who is taking care of her. we went there with our ward mission leader and the elders quorum president. we had a mini testimony meeting before giving them the sacrament. I felt like the visit did more good for me then it did for them. I can only hope that one day I can have the kind of faith those two sisters have.

So, one of the things that I prayed for alot this week is peace. Heavenly Father blessed me with it many times this week but today we got to go to the temple which was so good. It is amazing the peace that just rushes into your body the moment you walk through the doors. I have never felt so grateful temples as i was today. I could not help but just let out a huge breath of relief. I love the temple and if you can go...GO! it is such a blessing!

again thank you so much for all of your prayers! thank you for your emails!

I love you and Hope you are doing well!

Love Elder Clements

ps. Kim Nelson: I got your letters you sent me in febuary through missionties this week thank you! I even got the pictures. and congrats on the Morgage!!! and good luck with all of the wedding plans! I am sorry that i have not got back to you sooner about idea for stuff to send me. I sent a list 2 times with letters to alyse a month or two ago but as far as i know those letters have not got there so sorry and I will try again. I will send a list of things to everyone so if you want ideas you will have them.

Ashley Nelson: Congrats kid!! it is a little weird to me that your getting married but I am happy for you!!! good luck with everything!

Kamora: I miss you too! there is a little girl here in the ward who reminds me of you and everytime I see her I miss you like crazy!! Keep being good and way to go on the basketball game!! and make sure you´re real nice to your mom and help her lots with nate and addie!! ;)

Asa: thanks for the email and the prayers in portuguse :) Eu te Amo! e Boa sorte com suas Aulas!

Ben: Are you alive? I have not heard anything about you from anyone since x-mas. I would write you a letter but i dont have you address. I love you!

Lauren: I am way stocked for you and congrats on going to BYUI...try to stay focused and make it through the last semster strong. enjoy high school while it lasts you only go there once...unless you fail ;) I love you sis!

Arina: I just want you to know that I love you and I Miss you! I miss you laugh and beautiful smile. be happy and keep being your wonderful self!