April 25, 2011 - Email to Parents from Mission President and Wife

Dear Bro. and Sister Hafen,

We wanted to let you know that your son, Elder Hafen, arrived in the Spain Malaga Mission today.  What a wonderful young son he is.  We are always so excited to receive new missionaries and today was no exception. 

Elder Hafen has been assigned to serve in Huelva and his trainer is Elder Shaver.  We have attached a picture of Elder Hafen with us and with his trainer, Elder Shaver. Their preparation day is Monday and so you will be hearing soon news about the arrival and first area then.

In the Spain Malaga Mission we have a blog that we put a new post every Sunday.  We are sure you will enjoy looking at it and seeing what is going on in the mission.  The site for the blog is Spainmalagamission.blogspot.com.  He will be on it this next Sunday and you will be able to see what happened as he arrived.  Watch each week for new updates of the wonderful miracles and happenings that are going on in the mission.

Thank-you for raising such a fine son of God and sending to us at this time.  We will do our very best to look after him both spiritually and physically.

Love,

Pte. and Hna. Clegg

April 21, 2011 - Email to Family

Elder Cody in front of a cool building

Hola Familia.  ¿Como Estan?

How is everyone?  The baptism looked like it went well!  You will have to tell Candice thanks for the email because I don´t have time to write a lot of emails.  Happy to see your faces!  Love your face Jude.  So this past week was interesting.  So some TV crew from France is here in the MTC doing a documentary on missionaries...it´s kinda crazy we have to actually act like missionaries.  Ha kidding I always do!!  So they have filmed us teaching ward members and stuff.  They got here Tuesday night and that´s when we taught this lady from the ward.  We did a really good job apparently and wanted to go do splits with us.  But we told her we were leaving next week to Málaga.  This Tuesday, the 26th, my train to Málaga leaves at 6:30 in the morning!  WOOH I am sick of sitting in a class all the time.  It´s a speed train and it will take 3 hours to get there and 45 minutes on the metro.

Some of my favorite missionaries

So a cool thing happened with the TV crew filming us.  Yesterday morning we had a Easter devotional about Christ, of course, and it was a testimony meeting.  All the French speakers bore their testimonies, and they asked 3 Americans to share their testimonies in English.  They called a sister missionary, Elder Manning, and me.  It was awesome I really enjoyed it.  I had a really powerful testimony I thought, and now people who watch in France can hear it!  I am helping people in France hear the gospel, made me feel pretty darn good.  See, now they are about to film me right now emailing you.  They are pretty much everywhere.  This Monday I got to go into the city and sign some final papers so I can live here for two years!!  Yeah that is crazy, I cannot wait to get out of here and not be stuck in classrooms around Elders that bother me a lot!  But I love Elder Manning, Peterson, Kirkham and this new little guy Elder Shifflet.

Elders Kirkham and Manning

Shiffelt is from Arizona and has played soccer, so he and I tear it up.  I have played soccer for like 4 days in a row and me knee kinda hurts, well it is just really worn out.  It´s all good it get a 2 day rest.  So this week it is Holy Week, that crazy holiday they do.  We want to go eat some real food today for pday in the city.  So I will take pictures of the freaks all dressed up like the KKK if I see them. 

His buddy Raphael. They played on the same team every time and tore it up!

Oh another cool experience this week during practicas, I got to teach the fisrt vision.  We usually do it one on one with another missionary.  So me and Elder Peterson always are partners.  I got to recite the vision and bear testimony about it.  Some how I just spoke really good spanish and bore testimony about it.  I think it went well because I know that really took place and and I had the spirit.  It probably lasted like 10 minutes total.  I was pretty proud of myself.

It has been raining a lot here the past 3 days.  It has been super hot so it is nice for a change up.  Elder Rodriguez was supposed to be here this morning but apparently they didn´t make there flight in Salt Lake.  Which is weird because we had like an hour to sit around before the plane took off.  I am sad for him but he will get here eventually. 

This is crazy I leave in like 4days!!  I hope I have a cool trainer and I still want to go to Sevilla.  I was told the last missionaries they sent out went to the Northern part of the Málaga Mission.  So, we all may got to the Southern part which I want to happen. 

Disgusting, look what they are trying to feed me.  I am pretty sure I have eaten one of those little critters eyes because they fall out and you can´t see them sometimes.

Last week I said if you send me anything this week send it to the mission home!!!!!!!  So Friday and Saturday we get to go contact at the park because the French people want to film at the park and they leave tomorrow I believe.  This video they are making goes on some website.  On Monday they give us all the information about it so you can go watch it!!  I am having fun here and I love the work but I don´t know what else to say nothing happens in the MTC.  I will send you some pictures and I have a song from Elder Manning that he wrote and played.  It´s amazing and I will attatch it.  Mother I love you so much, and am truly thankful for all you do for me.  You really are the best and always there for me.  I love you madre.  LE AMO.  "I love you"  Padre gracias por su amor para mi! le amo tambien!  "Dad thanks for your love for me, I love you too!"  Tengan un gran semana!  hablaré aproxima semana.  "have a good week and I will talk to you next week!

This Polynesian is huge and lifts his weights in the bathroom in front of the mirror, and one of his weights rolled into the sink and it fell through the sink I cried I was laughing so hard!

Updated Pictures

Cody has been very diligent about taking pictures and sending them to us, so, I thought I should share some of the really interesting ones.  I will also post all of them at the end of his blog in a filmstrip.

The Horse in the middle of a Plaza

Sacrament Meeting Room

Cody and Spain's Flag

A Study Area

A place called Sol

 

Another view of Sol

Cody didn't know what this was, just some Temple he said

A cathedral nearby

April 14, 2011 - Email to Family

Hey Family!!

How is everyone?

How are things?

The MTC is still great I love it!  But the Spanish really gets me down sometimes.  I have had a couple of rough days this week!  The teachers are really starting to beat us up and teaching the Plan of Salvation in Spanish is pretty hard.  My major accomplishment this week consists of finally memorizing the first vision in Spanish and teaching the plan of salvation much better.  I still have to use some of my notes but it´s all good.  So Elder Hunt and I have had a new companion this week his name is Elder Grossman from Vegas.  But he has been serving in Russia for a year and nine months and had to come here to renew his visa.  Let me tell you, I am super glad I don´t have to speak Russian.  They have upside down N´s and letters and capital B and lower case b "Bb".  Anyway I can´t believe Jerame learned that language.  They Lord is real!!! I need to have more faith in Him and my Savior.  So Elder Grossman was sent here to help me I swear.  He is such a sweetheart and helped me a lot.  I was extremely frustrated and upset with my Spanish the other night.  Grossman gave me his scriptures and told me to read D&C 6:33-37 walked out of the room and it was exactly what I needed to hear.  Fear not!! I also got like two personal revelations in the temple today.  One was in the prayer circle during the prayer.  It was just amazing and the prayer was so strong!  I need to have the Holy Ghost and stop being selfish about my horrible Spanish and let the spirit guide me.  They other revelation I won’t share! 

Elder Grossman and Cody in front of the King's Palace

So I haven´t really taken any pics this week yet but we are going into the city today and I will make sure to take pictures and get one with Elder Grossman.  So Elder Blanch is here....but it is okay I think he knows not to bother me anymore because we aren´t companions.  People struggle with him because he is self righteous.  But it´s okay because we have seniority here and we are kinda the top dogs now it´s cool.  I think I leave this place in 12 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crazy!!!! I cannot wait to be out of the MTC.  I don´t care if I can´t speak Spanish I will let the Holy Ghost guide me and use it!  I hope I get a sweet trainer.  I heard down in Málaga people can get fluent in 2 months.  There are kids here that speak worse than me and they are only two weeks behind me.  But still I knew more than they did two weeks ago.  So I am blessed!!! 

How is the family? I heard everyone is good. Oh I guessed Damon’s email so now we are writing each other.  He wrote me some in Spanish go look at it, I can understand all of it, I think haha.  My teachers do teach in Spanish a lot, but they can also speak English.  They teacher the grammar principle in English so we understand it in Spanish.  Our teachers are awesome; I will get pictures of them the last week I am here.  So yeah we still go to the park I have 2 times left.  I did pretty good last week, I was paired with Elder Manning and we did fairly well.  I asked a guy if he had a Book of Mormon because he was reading The Bible.  We bore testimony of the B of M and gave him a Restoration Pamphlet.  It was good!  I am understanding people better...but not really I still feel like I haven´t improved in understanding them.  I need to listen better.  I can understand the missionaries when we speak Spanish.  But it´s okay I have faith.  So if I have time today I will send pictures again that I am gonna take today.  Spain is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love it here.  If you have more questions right now and read this soon and email and in about 4 hours I can write again.  Cool?

The King's Palace

I love you all!

PS.  Tell me when Josh gets his call please!!! Have Brady ask or something!

Peter and Cody

Hey thanks mom.  You guys need to come pick me up in two years!!!!!!!!!! this place is awesome.  I just got back from the city and I could understand people talking.  So I saw a missionary yesterday that just finished his mission in Málaga.  He said you can pick up the language in two months.  I have also heard all the missionaries are leaving, so in like 2 months you are a senior companion and have to be top dog.  So that will be good for me!  So I am excited about that.  It´s so hot here and it isn´t even humid!  It is 77 degrees!  I love you, thanks for your prayers and your faith! I will send like 5 new pictures right now.  I love you! Tell the fam I love them!

A Plaza where the filmed Vantage Point

Elder Baby Cody

April 7, 2011 - Email to Family

The French and NA Missionaries (whatever NA stands for?)

Hello Family....

On the Metro, Elders Wilkinson, Forsythe, Manning, and Peterson

The MTC is great and it´s just the same old thing every day.  So you asked what my companions first name is, Jason Hunt.  He is pretty cool but sarcastic without the humor.  But it´s okay I like him, Elder Petersons companion is Elder Walton he got here like 5 days after we did.  Elder Hunt and Walton are like lovers so they are always together so me and Peterson are pretty much companion’s haha.  The food here is the same still, horse burgers, really fishy fish and french fries.  It was a sad day this Tuesday.  Our favorite people got sent out into the field!!!  Elder Forsythe and Wilkinson are gone.  Elder Forsythe is from Dallas TX and is 6´4¨ and about 300 pounds.  He played football at Snow College and his family moved to Orem.  They live right by Timpview High school now, so his little brother is now playing there.  Elder Wilkypoo is from Leeds England and is the funniest kid alive!  He hates people touching him; so Manning would always grab his butt and stuff.  So now Wilkinson will ¨Smack bottoms´´ we have corrupted him.  This is good he needed to loosen up a bit, but they are gone now serving in the Madrid mission.  We get to go travel the city on P-days so I have a ton of cool pictures.  Madrid is like New York City exactly; but the buildings look Roman catholic, it is pretty awesome looking.  I cannot wait to get to Málaga; the MTC is getting pretty old.  I don´t care that I hardly know the language I just want to get out there.  So my Spanish is getting a lot better but it is so stressful; it gets me down at times.  Last night I got caught up in talking about the first vision, well leading up to the first vision.  I am really good at testifying which is good because they are only going to believe it if they know that I know it is true.  But I have faith, I know I will learn the language eventually and come home fluent with a Málaga accent.  They drop the S´s and use the theta ¨th¨ lisp more.  I am already using the lisp when I remember to use it.  They also speak super fast.... I hope I am called to Seville that is where it is 120 degrees.  I will lose weight out there.  I don´t understand, I eat less and never get to snack out here and I keep at the same weight.  I do a lot of pushups every night.  Last night I did 4 sets of 20 I was pretty impressed because I don´t do wimpy baby pushups.  But I am loving the MTC it is awesome; I love the mission because I know it is making me into a man.

Madrid Temple

GENERAL CONFERENCE.  WOW.  So you know me, I don´t think I have ever sat down and watched a whole session of General Conference.  It was amazing.  I was laughing and panicking at the same time.  Because there was 4 talks on getting married!!  One of the apostles said, I believe Elder Scott in the last session ¨after your mission, your number one desire should be taking a young woman to the temple to be married.¨ That is not far away for me at all!! Every talk was so interesting to me besides the weird General Welfare program talks I kind of tuned out even though I know it is awesome and our church is awesome.  My testimony grew so much.  I took like 14 pages of notes because I was just soaking in all the info they gave me about being a good father and spouse.  That is super important to me because that is what this mission is doing for me!  I loved the talk on trials too by Kent F. Richard, because learning Spanish is hard for me! I know I am in the Lords hands, and I have Jesus Christ as my brother and his atonement to always help me!  Brady, yes way to listen to those talks about getting married.  I thought about you the entire time during those talks.  I think going to Dixie is where you need to be.  When I read the email mom just wrote it felt right in my heart right away.  So I hope all that works out for you and a new start down there seems to be the answer. Good luck.  Conference also made me think about my mother.  I think it was Elder Oaks talk about women in the church!  I thought of all the times you have served me and continue to do so right now!  Thanks mom it means so much to me and I love you sooo much!!  You are amazing! I kid you not!  Love you MOM!  So about the card I will go look for one today.  We took more pictures today because the Italians are gone and we got a new France district.  So Pres Earl is gonna send some more pictures.  Pres Earl is soooo cool.  He literally knows every little detail of the gospel.  Pres is also a millionaire.  He knows every single missionary that has come into the MTC and the missionaries when he was a Pres in the Peru mission.  He told us if we get married in the temple he will let us stay in his house in Mazatlan for free!! He said his missionaries do it all the time.  He really makes you family here and keeps in touch really good. 

Have a wonderful day.  I have the best parents in the entire world.  Sorry I have sent you like 16 emails but I forgot to tell you Happy Anniversary.  I love you and make sure you have a good day!  How is the ankle dad? How is work? I love you.  Congrats on how ever long you have been married, I forgot...like 36? I don´t remember but you are old!

Love you,

Yo necesito estudiar español mas.

Baby Cody

March 31, 2011

Hey how are you?

So pretty much Spain is the coolest place on the earth.  Everything about this place is better besides my old teacher Hermano Toone. 

But I will tell you about the temple because I just barely got back from it.  We did a session today in English which was cool and it was of course amazing.  The celestial room is gorgeous, much better than Provo (no offense anyone).  But this is my temple because it´s in España.  The ceiling in this temple is super cool, and we get to look at the temple through all the windows in the CCM (MTC).  So after the session President Earl said we could go look at the baptismal font down stairs.  So Elder Peterson and I go to walk out of the dressing room and a worker corners us and asks us to be witnesses for the baptisms for 30 minutes.  So we are like okay cool no problem.  We get there and there are 13 people and they are going to do 15 baptisms each....so we got to sit there for an hour and a half and got to participate in 3 confirmations by putting my hands on the kids head.  It was actually a really cool experience and it made me excited to baptize people. It was cool; this is what Elder Peterson and I got for going to the temple together prior to the mission.  Yes mother that is Elder Peterson, the tall skinny lurp in the picture next to me.  Haha I love Elder Peterson I hope I get to serve with him in the field.  Elder Peterson is our district leader.

Madrid MTC Building

Mmmm, delicious!

So the CCM de Madrid.  It is awesome here, like a heaven compared to PROVO.  I am now 12 hours away from family and mi novia which feels a lot better than being 5 minutes away.  Here in Madrid we get nap time for 2 hours on Sunday, we get snack time at 9:30 every night, better beds, much better food, and our President is ridiculously awesome.  I don´t really participate in snack time, because I don´t want to get fat.  Snack time usually consists of juice, bread and nutella.  I stay away from the nutella because the food they feed us here is simple carbohydrates cooked in oil.  Somehow I am not getting fat, probably because I watch what I eat and wash it down with a lot of fruit so it cleans me out!  Yesterday we had a weird little fishy with eyeballs still attached to his skull, but I didn´t eat it.  I also do at least 100 push ups a night so I can get in shape.  We play soccer a lot!  Oh so there is like 7 Italians here and we do Italians versus USA and we always win haha.  I am the only one that has played soccer.  

My companion is Elder Hunt, he is pretty cool. He is from West Virginia but they move like every 3 years or less, his dad is some secret military dude.  I love my teacher here too, she is a sweet heart and doesn´t speak much English but her testimony is amazing.  She loves us.  She cries whenever she tells us she loves us.  Our other teacher is on vacation right now but apparently he is super awesome too.  In this MTC we have to teach in Spanish every night.  We have practices every night besides Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Tuesday and Thursdays we have to teach an investigator from the ward or another teacher or something.  Saturday’s are when we do contacts.  Haha so contacting in the park was terrifying, but a good experience.  Elder Hunt and I paired up with an Italian.  The Italians are Italians going to Italy on their missions so they only speak Italian.  But Elder Hunt and I would do the "We´re missionaries from the Church etc..."  and hand it over to the Italian because we would freeze and not know what to say haha.  But it was good and I am super excited to contact on Saturday again; because I know a lot more Spanish now and can understand more.  But still no where where I need to be! I am super hard on myself, but I need to remember I am called of God to do his work and I am in his hands.   

Oh yeah about the food, I am pretty sure we ate a horse burger which is cool right?  It tasted okay but I prefer American fast food.  Everything here is greasy but it isn´t real Spanish food most of the time.  So when I get out in Málaga it won’t be this unhealthy I hope.  So the people in Málaga talk more with a lisp and faster, they have their own accent!!!  I like the pastries but I don´t really like bread stuff so I would rather not eat it.  I have taken a lot of pictures and want to send it out with a package.  So send me the card, and when I get it I will send the package.  Hide it in something so it won’t get stolen, PLEASE!

Tell people about dearElder people are getting letters from it, it costs like 98 cents to send it here and it gets here in like 4 days.

Thanks for everything. Thanks sooo much!

I love you all and I get to go to museums or something today so I will have cool pics.

Cody