Hello all!

I may not have time for any individual replies, so I decided I'd better start with my newsy letter. Because there's a lot of crazy news!

So ... a couple of weeks ago President Jones told both Elder Tribett and me during interviews to get comfortable in Hart because we'll be staying for quite some time. And we were excited! Then President Jones came to our branch for a fireside and told all the members he intended to keep us both here for a while. And we were even more excited! Then President Jones called us for transfers on Friday morning.

When two missionaries will be staying together, President Jones doesn't bother calling them - the zone leaders do. So we were initially surprised to get a phone call from the mission office. "Oh no," I thought, "he's transferring me out of Hart."

I answer the phone. "Hi, President."

"Good morning, Elder Cloward. Am I on speaker phone?"

"You sure are."

"Good. Well, elders, I'm sorry to do this to you. Elder Cloward, you'll be staying in Hart. I'd have liked to have kept you there too, Elder Tribett, but I want Elder Cloward to train this transfer."

"Oh ... okay," I said. Elder Tribett turns to me and mouths, "What the heck?!"

"Elder Tribett, I bet you'd like to know where you're going." President Jones continues. "You'll be heading down to Paw Paw with Elder Thompson and Elder Baros."

So - that's our transfer news. Elder Tribett said all his goodbyes over the past few days and has been a little upset to be transferred after just six weeks. It seems he's not going to get to spend more than six weeks in any area.

This morning we went golfing with Brother Fuller and Brother Girardot, which is why we're emailing a little late (sorry mom). Anyway, there we were at the sixth hole when Elder Tribett, who has the phone, gets a call. He waves me over in the middle of a putt - "Elder Cloward! Get over here, quick!"

As I hurried over , I was surprised to hear President Jones' voice, yet again on speaker phone. "Elder Cloward, there's been a slight change of plans. The elders who were supposed to get here from the MTC this next Wednesday will be delayed at least two weeks because of a breakout of swine flu in the MTC. Elder Tribett will be staying with you for at least the next two weeks. We'll let you know more as soon as we know."

"Oh ... okay," I said. Elder Tribett pumps his fist and mouths, "Yes!"

So - that's our newer transfer news. I'll have to let you know what's going on when I know what's going on. Until then, Elder Tribett and I have to find things to do for the next several days, which, until this afternoon, I was planning to spend in Lansing.

Things continue to go fairly well here. Our best investigator, Gary, told us last night that he believes Joseph Smith was a prophet and he thinks he'd better get baptized. He doesn't want to do anything too quickly, but we're very optimistic. And we're working with a number of other people as well. Nobody in church this week, though. That's been tough for us. We'll keep working on it.

Have a fantastic week. Happy June!

Love,
Elder Cloward