The Book of Mormon

Hello family!

We've had another Book of Mormon-centric week here in Michigan. We had a great zone conference on Wednesday. President Jones gave each of us a softcover copy of the Book of Mormon with an assignment to read it twice by August 1. Between now and April general conference, we are to read it, marking in red each reference to Jesus Christ, His attributes, or His words. Elder Taylor and I have additionally been reading a chapter together each evening. President Jones' program (a suggestion in Preach My Gospel) was first used by President Marion D. Hanks, who had his missionaries use it in England when Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland were serving as missionary companions. (Elder Cook was head of the missionary department when Preach My Gospel was produced - I'm sure some of President Hanks' other wisdom is included in the manual as well).

Our week wasn't quite as exciting as we wanted it to be. Elder Taylor has been helping me improve by encouraging us to confirm appointments the night before so we spend less time going to people's homes when they have forgotten they were going to meet with us. In spite of that, we had almost every investigator call us an hour or two before their scheduled appointment to cancel this week. It seems like everybody and their dog is sick in Bay City.

Still, we had a pretty good attendance in Sacrament Meeting, with a lot of people that haven't been in a while, including a number of people that we have been teaching. It is so rewarding to see people improve themselves as they immerse themselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have never seen anything in all my life that has such incredible power to ennable positive change. The gospel has all the answers the people of the world are seeking.

Additionally, I've reflected a lot on the significance of the family. We meet and work with so many people whose problems arose because they had a negative family environment (and sometimes no family environment at all). The world needs strong families more than anything else right now and I am confident that "happiness in family life is more likely to be acheived when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Proclamation to the World on the Family).

I love you and I'm so grateful for the strong family that you are!

Have a great week!
Elder Joseph Cloward