Good Stuff

Hello family!

We had a fantastic week here in Bay City and in the Midland zone! Seeing the work that took place among the incredible elders and sisters of our zone this week reminds me of a phrase that came to mind as I listened to President Monson's first welcoming talk in this last General Conference. As he spoke of the tremendous growth the church is enjoying worldwide, I jotted down "Hasten the work!" in my study binder. I'm not really sure where that phrase comes from but it feels appropriate this week.

Our zone doubled the number of new investigators we found this week, getting more than this zone has had in one week in a long, long time. The only sad part is that this great feat was accomplished by about 2/3 of the missionaries in the zone, while the others did not contribute. If we can get everyone working and exercising their faith, I do not think there will be a limit to the success the Lord will grant us in the wards and branches of the Midland Stake.

As for Elder Morales and I, we had a great week. Some highlights:

- We had splits with the Priests on Wednesday. I went out with Donald and checked on a former investigator named Bryan. He invited us in and we talked with him for about 20 minutes about the things he remembers from what the missionaries taught and how he felt about it. He told us it was so crazy that we had come by because he'd been thinking about us lately. He actually stopped being taught because he moved to Saginaw for a job, which he had since lost. He only recently returned to Bay City and has had a lot of time on his hands to spend time thinking and praying at home. He's had a pretty crazy and sometimes criminal past but he knows he's not happy and wants to change for himself and for his kids. He said he has been praying every day for God to show him what he wants him to do in his life. Anyway, he had just found an old pass-along card in a drawer that had the missionaries' number on it and had showed it to his girlfriend, who told him he'd better get back to church. And then we show up, seemingly randomly. "By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass".

We got to spend a little time on the campus of Central Michigan University Thursday with a six-foot-tall Book of Mormon. We drove the prop over to the sisters who work campus and they let us stay for a bit. It was a lot of fun to talk to students my age, who were generally as open and receptive as anyone I've ever talked to. I did almost freeze to death though because it was in the 30s and I wasn't wearing a coat.

Saturday, we taught three more new investigators. One of these was in an incredible lesson with the Rodriguez'. Sis. Rodriguez was once married to a less-active church member, so she had a lot of questions for us starting out. The Spirit that was there as we talked about Joseph Smith's First Vision and the Book of Mormon was incredible. They were so prepared to receive our message!

To top it all off we had six investigators at church on Sunday. And we're hoping for more next week. Elder Morales' previous record is 10 (WAY more than I've ever had there) so I'm hoping we can beat that. So many people in Bay City are openly seeking greater truth and light in their lives and they're welcoming us into their lives and their homes. The gospel is true!

I love you all,
Elder Cloward