CALLED TO SERVE - PERU LIMA CENTRAL MISSION - JULY 2014 ~ JULY 2016

Monday, March 30, 2015

March 30, 2015 Letter...

Yeah, I guess we can start planning a trip to Ruth´s Chris for the night I get back, haha, You´ll have enough time to start saving. That´s awesome about dad, I'm glad he is seeing a lot of success and getting a lot done. He is my hero.

Wow, and glad to hear all the family will be in town for Easter! Please takes lots of pics and let me know how everything goes :) I love you guys! 

I'm happy for Zack, Cam, and Brig. For real. They are the best. Freaking studs. The pic you sent me of them by the temple.. those kids are too smooth. I love my brothers.
And I'll send a huge good package really soon.. maybe Christmas, hahaha, but we´ll see. It's just hard to find time to be honest. Andddd I'm in the part of Lima called San Martin de Porres, in the stake of Condevilla. It's the greatest!

This week was super stressful. I´ll be honest, I was really tested with all that I´ve learned on my mission. Our ward only had four missionaries, but one missionary went home early, so they took his comp out too and transferred him. So their sector fell on our shoulders. We had to learn there "area book" and everything and find all of their investigators and everything. It was a super, super, SUPER stressful experience but we´ve pretty much got it all learned and figured out. Everything is getting a lot better. So yeah, now we´re the only missionaries in our ward and we have a huuuuggggeee area to cover. But lucky enough, it's still smaller than my last sector.. hahah my last one was ginormous. But we are seeing a lot of success here, I can't even begin to explain. Even though we have to use our time super wisely to be able to visit everyone, we have a lot of people who are preparing for baptism and a lot who are progressing beautifully. More than anything I just love to see this gospel take effect in peoples lives. It's great. And yes, this week we had another baptism! That marks 4 this month! We've had a really great month. The Lord has prepared so many and awww, it´s great. The person who got baptized is named Franklin, and he was an investigator from the other missionaries, and he had almost half of the lessons, so we finished him off, and we were able to get him baptized this week. It really was a miracle story. Their family is passing through a lot of difficulties, but we focused so hard in explaining that this is what the Lord wants for him, and his family, and we were able to commit him to baptism and he was baptized this past Saturday. The spirit was so strong in his baptismal service and I know that he was able to feel it. Great experience. Also, the elder who had worked with him a while back was able to come back to our ward to baptize Franklin. Great experience. We worked super hard together to make it happen, and the Lord blessed us, and we are happy. The month of April is gonna be another great month. Love you guys, I'll send pics, and have a great Easter weekend :)

Elder Cluff

Sunday, March 29, 2015

March 23, 2015 Letter...

Wow glad to hear everyone is doing super good. That always makes me happy :)

I love all my brothers and I'm glad they are happy. I´ll get home from the mish and dad will be retired.. that will be nice. We´ll be able to spend a lot of time together! I'm excited for that. I'm glad you guys got to go to Temple Square too.. I can´t wait to do that again. Such an amazing experience. How awesome.

This week was great. We were able to have two baptisms, one of Sabastian, and the other of Luz Maria. They were so happy and are still super happy and we´re all happy so everything is good. My comp´s name is Elder Mera from Trujillo, Peru. He is solid and he´s learning a lot. I have 8 months and I'm coming up on 9.. the time goes by soooo fast out here. We have a lot of investigators who we're working with who have dates for this April, so pray that we can complete with their goals. I´ve really seen the Lord´s hand in this work. I´m really so grateful for him and for the blessings he´s shed upon me and my comp. Really it´s amazing to see the hearts of people change, when they accept this gospel. There is nothing better :) I'm also so grateful for the Book of Mormon, the most powerful tool we have to teach with out here. One of the most powerful tools we have in our day-to-day life. Like I sound like a broken record, but my testimony of the Book of Mormon is much more powerful than anything else that I know, and it has helped me personally out here and my investigators, too; more that I would have ever thought before the mission. The book is SO powerful. It was written for our day and age.. and we are taking part in it. I LOVE IT :) I'm reading right now in Alma 44 getting into those war chapters... It just talked about Alma and how nothing was ever heard of concerning his death or burial, so it´s supposed he was translated. I believe that. I'm so grateful for prophets like him in the Book of Mormon, for all they went through to conserve the records, so we can benefit from them. Alma is one of my favorites, that dude had no fear, and he taught the gospel such an effective way, solemnly and by the spirit. I´ve been able to learn so much from him and his example. I have decided that Alma is my favorite book in the Book of Mormon. Purely missionary work, and I love it. Anyways I love you guys, everything is good here. We are getting a lot done, we just gotta remember who´s work this is, and that it´s not ours. The Lord will direct his work and his servants, we just gotta be ready and worthy so we can receive that inspiration. Loveee you guys. Read your Books of Mormon.

Elder Cluff

-- Now, some pics...


Sabastian's baptism :)

Luz Maria's baptism :)

Jean Franco's baptism :)

 Me and my son -- Elder Mera (from Trujillo, Peru)

 Elder Pedrera, and I with our Peruvian grandparents, Ramon & Corpusa.
 They are the sweetest people and Hermana Corpusa cried when I told her I was leaving
because I was transferred. I love them so much and I miss them everyday.

Elder Cluff and Elder Mera at the Zoo :)

Monday, March 16, 2015

March 16, 2015 Letter...

Ah yeah! Cool thanks, Mama :) and yesss I need to upload pics.. I might have time today.. but I´ll try to get them to you. I´m excited for the package, I love ya! Hey, I wonder if you can send me a hat? Did any of my hats get left behind when I packed? If so, can you send me it? If not, don´t worry about it. I love ya though:) And I'm glad you and dad are working hard to get that all done. Love you guys.

This week was a week of super hard work, trying to prep all of our investigators with baptisms this week for their baptisms. We have two this week, so that´s the goal, one is for sure set in stone, the other could happen the 28th. But we´re really seeing the Lord's hand in this work. It can be super hard and stressful, but it´s really worth it. I love seeing people gain their own testimonies. Nothing is sweeter. This week we had the opportunity to help a sister move.. she lived on the 3rd story, and the stair case was super skinny and sketchy, so we had to move everything down, and then take it to her new house, and then up 2 stories more.. it took about 5 hours with 4 elders, but we worked our butt's off. Really. But it was a really sweet experience. The sister, Sharazade, that we helped move is a single mom, and had no help, so we got there and did it all for her. Seeing the gratefulness in her face when we finished made it all worth it. I'm always going to be grateful for the experiences to serve. 

King Benjamin said that when we're serving our neighbors, we are serving our God, and I know that to be true. Charity is the pure love of Christ that he has for us, his children. When we show that love to others, through whatever way it may be, we are showing the most noble, elevated form of love and care that we can show and give to others. This week taught me a lot about charity. Sometimes we have to forget ourselves, and take that step out onto the water, and give it all we got to serve others. 
It´s something I'm learning out here, how to love people, how to really love them, I still have so much to learn, but it's something that has really humbled me and has given me so much more desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and really love the people. I'm learning that we demonstrate our love more with our actions than anything else, and when we do it, we are going to feel more of the kind of love the our Savior has for US. 

This week I had to give a talk on the Book of Mormon in church, and it was awesome. It was only like 10 minutes, but I felt the spirit so strongly while speaking. Cool experience. Speaking about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith said "Un hombre se acercaría mas a Dios al seguir sus preceptos que los de cualquier otro libro" (a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book). If we want to really know our Heavenly Father, and feel his love, and learn the plan he has for us, all we need to do is read. Read :) I love the Book of Mormon and hope you guys are still reading it personally and as a family :)

Anyways, love you guys! Today we went to the Zoo, and I'll send pics soon, it was SICCKKK. We saw lions and tigers and TURTLES.. You thought I was gonna says bears, haha, but yeah, we saw those too. And one of the missionaries got pooped on by a pigeon and it was the funniest thing I've ever seen. It reminded me of our first time at Disneyland when Rick got pooped on, hahaha. I don't know if you remember but I do.

Love,
Elder Cluff

March 9, 2015 Letter...

Hey Mom! I love you guys, freal. That´s so weird Skyler´s friends are getting married.. I never thought it would happen. Lol, jk.. but congrats to them. Send my congrats or however you say that in English. Thank you for the pics of Gma and Gpa. Finally gonna complete my booklet :)

Tell Zack he is a stud and congrats! I´m glad to hear he´s killing it. Seriously I mean it when I say
he´s my hero. Hahaha dating days.. what a stud. Tell him to not worry about it and just give it all
he´s got and just be himself and have fun. Don't get caught up in the details. I often did and it´s something I really regret. Just have fun in high school and don´t worry about anything. I´m glad to hear tho that he got his license and is a priest :) tell him to go on group dates, it's a lot less pressure. Just tell him not to be nervous and just be himself; don´t over do it. 

Yeah, I don´t have pics today, but soon, don´t worry. Things are great here and I'm a little short on time today, but I love you all and I hope everything is well. This week Elder Waddel from the '70, (president I think) of this part of South America, came and talked at our stake conference because we got a new stake presidency.. and can I just say, it was one of the most powerful things I´ve ever heard. A true and living general authority, coming and talking to us. Ahh.. It was the coolest thing ever. It was cool too, because he talked to our stake, and wasn´t talking to a group of missionaries, so we all got to hear to a message not focused and missionaries and it was a refreshing change that was cool. He spoke on so many different things and I feel terrible, because I didn´t bring my notes, but one thing he talked about was the importance of showing our faith through actions and now only saying I believe. We have to have faith in the Lord, but faith is so much more than saying I believe, I believe. It's action. It's firm action. It´s showing that we believe, not saying so. If we have faith, which is one of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, how are we gonna show it? What are we going to do to prove that we believe, through our actions? Something to ponder on this week that I liked. He talked about sooo much more stuff, but I don´t have my notes, but next week I´ll share more. This week was awesome, and we have two baptisms coming for this next week the 21st of March, andddd my comp rocks, he is learning a lot, and this sector really is a blessing. We´re really being blessed out here, I can feel all your prayers. A lot is gonna be happening in these comings weeks and months, so be ready. The work of the Lord is the greatest. Keep reading your Books of Mormon, personal and as family, every day when I read I'm filled with such a special feeling brought on by the spirit, that makes me want to never stop reading them. The book is true. And the promise is true, if we read it, we´ll receive the help and support we need in our lives. I love it. Oh yeah, today we went to Larcomar to ride bikes on the beach again, but my comp crashed bad, yikes, so I had to walk our bikes back while he limped by my side. Poor guy, but we went and played pool instead. Pray that Sebastian and Luz Maria and Jean Franco can be baptized this 21st :) Love y'all. I´ll keep you informed. 

Love,
Elder Cluff

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

March 2, 2015 Letter...

Mi Familia!

Yes I movedddd.. my son is from Peru and he smells like fish. Lol, jk he is cool but we´re working hard so he can learn the ways of Cluff.... and the mission. And yes I got tranferred to Condivilla in San Martin De Porres.. where the parents of our cousin live! I don't know where, but around here somewhere :) cool eh? It rocks here. He are working hard! We had a baptism Saturday, a boy named Jose Miguel, that has an awesome testimony and the baptismal service was awesome :) I baptized him, and I'll send pics soon!

It´s great being a trainer and Sr. comp, to be honest... it´s a loootttttt more responsibilities, but I love it. I love it. The mission just keeps getting better.

Hahaha, so sorry about Bear and Kula.. that is one thing I do not miss.. that was always the worst to clean up. How ugly... hahahahaha. Anyways, congratz to Zack! He is a stud. He is working hard and I love to hear that. And I'm pumped he´s gonna start driving too ... what a stud:) and ahhh for real you made those cookies? Make them one day and send them to me. Sounds good. Oh, and also glad to hear all the boys are taking up sports. I´ll get home and ball so hard with them.

I´ll be praying for Adam.. ahh. I love him and know he´ll be okay. Glad to hear he´s alright right now.

Daniel is finally getting married? It´s about time... and who is Kaitlyn? Put pics of them on Dropbox. I'm excited Sky and Ash are gonna come up, have fun! :)

Know that I love you guys and I love the mission. The Lord has really blessed us out here. I´ll be honest, I miss my older sector a bit, and also the people, but it's alright. Oh yeah, did I tell you also that my old sector got shut down? 2 elders got sent home and there weren´t a sufficient number of Elders, so they made the decision and shut ours down. It´s sad because we had a lot of baptismal dates there, but yeah we can´t do anything about it. I hope it opens back up someday but we´ll see. My new sector has zero hills , purely streets and it's in an area with a little bit more money. We have a pensionista (mom #3, lol) who cooks dinner and lunch and it's just great having one :) our house is huge and I'll sent pics of it. The bathroom is super nice. Everything here is going good, and we have a lot of work to get done here :) I´ll keep ya updated!

Elder Cluff 

Text Box: Misión Perú Lima Central                                                                                                                            Av. Jorge Basadre 592 Of. 604 - B                                                                                                           San Isidro, Lima 27, PERÚ                                                                                                                        Tel: 011-51-1 222-2173                                                                                                                            2010429@ldschurch.orgText Box: LA IGLESIA DE                                                                                                                                           JESUCRISTO                                                                                                                                               DE LOS SANTOS                                                                                                                                                  DE LOS ÚLTIMOS DÍAS


February 26, 2015


Dear Family of Elder Cluff,

I am delighted to inform you that your son, Elder Caden Matthew Cluff, has been assigned to serve as a trainer in the Peru Lima Central Mission. He will be the first companion of a new missionary in our mission. We all feel there is no more important assignment a missionary receives in the mission field. It is the most respected assignment one can receive in our mission. He will be responsible to teach his companion how to become the most successful missionary he can become. This significant responsibility has come to your son because he has exemplified the qualities of outstanding missionary service. Please know that this assignment comes to Elder Cluff by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and only after pondering and prayer.

I am sure that you are pleased with the accomplishments and leadership ability that have made him worthy of this great responsibility. We pray that you, with him, will “lift up your heart and rejoice,” for the hour of this important phase of his mission has come. (See D&C 31:3) Thank you for all you have done to make Elder Cluff the fine young man that he is and for your continuing support of his missionary endeavors.

Warmest regards,

Alan M Borg Presidente
Misión Perú Lima Central









February 23, 2015 Letter...

Hey Family, 

Haha, that's cool you got to talk to her a bit.. she told me.. how awesome. But yeahh... me voy. I'm leaving tomorrow... it's pretty sad to be honest, saying goodbye to everyone, especially converts and the Bishop and his family, but it's time. As of right now, my whole mission has been here, so I'm excited to transfer and meet new people and places. I find out today in the afternoon where and with who. So that will be fun :) and yeah, moving the weights will suck, but I can do it.. And I'm glad Zack is killing it. I'll be praying for him so that all will be well. He is such a stud.. all my brothers are. And hey I hope you get to go to Cali soon... that would be awesome :)

I hope all goes well with the transfer, too... there is still some talk with what might happen to me.. but I'm not gonna say it because like I said before, it might not happen. Haha, but we'll see though :) Keep killing it mom with everything, and dad too.. please tell him to send me an email when he has time.. I want to know how he is doing.

This week I read a bit in Alma 34 and wow.. the Atonement. The Atonement is beautiful. I'm so grateful for the Atonement, and what Jesus Christ has done for us. God cannot save us; he lives a Celestial law in which he literally could not save us unless we were 100% perfect, without a blemish of whatever sort. If he were to save us, he would break those laws; he would break HIS laws, and cease to be God. Here, on this earth, we're gonna make mistakes, I'm so grateful that, being imperfect and prone to make these mistakes, we can return to the presence of our father in Heaven. That he provided the medium between us and him. That our Savior was willing; that he understood the Plan of Salvation, and that he loved us enough to give himself. We need to use the Atonement every single day. We have something so great in the palms of our hands, and if we're not using it, we're not showing the Lord that we care. It's something so beautiful, the Atonement, and the more we use it the more we progress, and the closer we become to the Lord.

I love you guys :)

Elder Cluff