Unsurpassed Insanity is Wonderful

Elder Taylor and me at the temple.

Hi Family! Happy Memorial Day!

Just when I thought life could not get any more hectic ...

We had a great week! We had lots of driving and lots to do but I learned a lot and grew a lot, and hopefully was able to do a little good. I'll have to give you the play-by-play for this week or I'm pretty sure I'd get lost trying to remember everything.

Tuesday: Zone Leader Council (ZLC) was a significant spiritual and emotional experience. President Jones changed the agenda at the last minute, feeling impressed to have us try an exercise Elder Zwick of the Seventy had used while meeting with President Jones and the Midland Stake Presidency last weekend during their Stake Conference. (Incidentally, it sounds like it was an amazing Stake Conference. President Jones said he thought it may have been the best he has ever attended - and he has been a Stake President.) We went around the room and each person shared three things: 1) What problem or challenge keeps you up at night?, 2) What is your solution to this problem?, 3) Your testimony. It was hard not be filled with love for the elders in the room.

After ZLC we taught six lessons. (It helped that we did splits with our ward mission leader and another member in the evening). I wasn't at the lesson, but Elder Taylor and our ward mission leader, Brandon, taught two Chinese students for the first time. We teach them again tomorrow.


Elder Taylor's companions (that were at the temple Thursday). From left: Elder Merrell, Elder Taylor, me, Elder Sutton, Elder Wray.

Side view of the temple.


Wednesday: We took the Midland zone to the temple. It was great! After we brought them back, we picked up Elder Curtis, whom we were transferring to the Kalamazoo zone, and drove to Bay City. Elder Taylor stayed there with Elder Hiatt and I picked up Elder Arroyo so that Elder Taylor and I could take two separate groups to the temple the next day and still have a companion with us at all times. We drove from Bay City to Marshall, where we dropped Elder Curtis off and made our way over to Kalamazoo to spend the night just in time for bed.

Elders and Sisters taking pictures at the temple.

Thursday: Elder Arroyo and I got up early and drove to Grand Rapids where we picked up parts of the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo zones and took them to the temple. I was extremely grateful that Elder Barney was able to drive the van. (He's the only person except me or Elder Taylor who is officially certified to drive it.) I was even able to fall asleep for 20 minutes or so on the way back from Detroit. I enjoyed the temple on Thursday, although it was much harder for me to pay attention and feel like I was getting as much out of the session. It's amazing how much sitting and driving all day can wear you out.

After dropping people off in Grand Rapids, Elder Arroyo and I drove to Lansing to pick up a mattress and box springs and then back to Bay City where I met back up with Elder Taylor. We stopped briefly at the Schindlers' to say 'hi' on our way over to Mt. Pleasant where we spent the night with the zone leaders.

Friday: We had a companion exchange with the Midland zone leaders. I spent the day in Mt. Pleasant with Elder Wray. We taught a bunch of good lessons, one to a Brother Villahermosa and his wife. They are from the Phillippines and he was a mission president there about ten years ago. It was interesting to hear how different a mission that would have been. Elder Taylor drove up to trade back in the evening and I finally got to come back to Lansing!

Saturday: We had a number of awesome lessons. My favorite was with a Chinese student named Alex whom we met and taught for the first time last week. After teaching him about the message of the restoration we taught him to pray and, after asking a lot of questions to be sure he understood how to do it, he gave the closing prayer. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BEING PRESENT THE FIRST TIME A PERSON PRAYS!!!! Last week Alex did not believe in God. On Saturday he spoke to Him. After his humble prayer, Alex said he felt "uplifted", like he was flying or could fly. "I have closed my eyes while talking to a friend before but I have never had a feeling like this," he said. "I feel like there is someone there listening."

The bell tower on campus. (MSU has a beautiful campus!)


Sunday: Alex came to church! The language barrier was really difficult for him but I really admired his tenacity in trying to understand what everyone was talking about. We have two Mandarin-speaking students in the congregation but both of them were out of town for Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully they'll be able to help answer Alex's questions once they're back.

I love being a missionary! This is truly the Lord's work! There is great power in it! I am so privileged to serve as an instrument in His hands, as one of the weak and simple of the earth chosen to carry light and truth to His children who are searching for it. I hope that I can endure in faith and truly be said to have wasted and worn out my life "in bringing to light all the hidden things ... truly manifest from heaven" (D&C 123:13). I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Cloward

P.S. Next week I'll be able to tell you whether I am being transferred (although if I am I won't yet know where).