The Adventures of Elder Clement: Happy Camper

Howdy!

It's been a good week here in Ireland! Same old same old. We're seeing pretty good progress with a few investigators, but most people have crazy schedules or just don't want to commit to anything. Summer is a pretty hard time for missionary work because lots of people are leaving on holiday.

Our main mindset for this year in Limerick District is to make our district a stake. We're the only district in Ireland that isn't a stake and we just need 25 more priesthood holders in the district. We had a great district meeting this week on how we can further progress towards that goal.

This week was the district's young men's camp. As young men's president, Elder Leonard got permission to go as a leader... what a jerk. So I was stuck here all week in a trio with Elders White and Dalton. We all were required to go down to Tralee on Friday to camp, though. That was an awesome day. We had so much fun with the boys, and after we bore our testimonies to them and left, I really felt like we made an impact on some of them to choose to serve missions.

We had a branch BBQ on Saturday, as well. It was such a great idea, because it really brought the members closer together and helped them build relationships.

Our testimony meeting on Sunday was radiant. The room was filled with so much love and the Spirit was so strong. I'm starting to see progression in the branch prerequisite to it being ready for baptisms.

Next week we're going to Blarney Castle for P-day, so I probably won't be able to email :/ The senior mishies here offered to drive us and it's a long journey. Sorry! Ill send pictures.

I'll leave y'all with a message from Alma 29 in the Book of Mormon. Alma is talking about how he wishes he was an angel who could just fly down from heaven and cry everyone to repentance. How nice would that be? I wouldn't have to be working so hard as a missionary and seeing little progress in those I meet.

He goes on to say:

 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

 I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their bwills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.

 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?

 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

I know that I am here for a reason. I know that I am called by God and that He cares for me. I also know that He has called all of us to the work. We are each given callings in life individually and in our families, but He has charged every person who has received His word to preach His gospel. Thus, my challenge for the week is to pray for missionary opportunities.

I love you all!

Elder Clement

"4th of July Swagwagon"

"The waterfall mountain we climbed at camp"