Hello all!

Another good week here in Bay City. It's officially Christmastime now that we've had our first snow - just a light dusting on Friday. I understand we're supposed to get a bunch more soon, though.

Elder Morales and I each took a turn being sick this week, although it must have been some 24-hour bug. Neither of us could talk the other into taking much of a break, so we taught 9 lessons between the two sick days. I hope we didn't infect anybody ...

We were pretty excited about the number of lessons we were able to teach this week. We've been working for the 20 lessons/wk Elder Perry has challenged us to reach and got so close this week with 19. This week it will be hard to get because we've got zone conference on Wednesday and no car for a couple of days (it's in the body shop) but we'll do what we can.

Sunday was awesome. Mike Arquette was confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Roxanne, who we've been teaching for just over a month, came to church for the first time and loved it! She got so excited about her upcoming baptism that she asked us if we could move it up a week. (It helped that we had a really good fast and testimony meeting and that she stayed for the baptism and confirmation of a girl who just turned 8.)

Elder Morales, Elder Alder, and I all bore our testimonies during Sacrament meeting, which was exciting, because immediately after Elder Morales (who was last) finished his, the Bishop stood and bore his testimony. He told the congregation that if they had not yet had us in their home, they needed to have us come teach them because of the special spirit we have. I love this ward and I'm excited that they're excited to have us - I think it would be so easy for the work to take off here, even to the point of having 50 to 100 people reactivated or baptized within the next year - there's just so much potential!

I hope you all have a great week!

Remember: His strength is made perfect in weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Love you all,
Elder Cloward