You just got Lansing'd!

Hello Family!

I've had a really great week here in Bay City with Elder Taylor, we've been very busy. We had trade-offs and business all over the zone this week. Tuesday, we drove to Alma, where I left Elder Taylor and then spent the day with Elder Lyons (who went to Bennion, Bryant, and East) in Bay City. Wednesday, we drove to Mt. Pleasant for a district meeting and then I went with Elder Jordan Hansen to Harrison for the day. (Harrison is beautiful! And very cold!) Thursday we were done with trade-offs but had to drive to Caro to do a baptismal interview, which went very well. Baptismal interviews are one of my absolute favorite things to do as a missionary; it's so exciting to have someone share with you their newly found testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

In other news, Sacrament Meeting was incredible yesterday! We had a small attendance, which was disappointing, but the Spirit there was very strong. Sister Andrea Klopf gave a talk on "worthiness". I felt strongly that as I maintain a focus on the temple I will have the power to resist all temptation because worthiness to enter the temple will be my most carefully-guarded possession. Elder Taylor and I performed "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" with two of the young men and Brother and Sister Schindler accompanying (he on the cello and she on the piano). I didn't really feel nervous, but I started to shake a bit, so I'm not sure how great my solo first verse sounded. We performed the same number later at a missionary fireside we held last night. I was glad to have a re-do because I felt I sang much better the second time. The Schindlers videotaped it, so it may or may not be on YouTube sometime soon ...

President Jones called Friday morning. I answered the phone. "Hello, President."

"Hi, Elder Cloward."

"How are you, President?"

"Great, thanks. I'm transferring you to MSU. You just got Lansing'd!"

All right. Maybe that's not quite how it went down. In any case, I'm going down to MSU tomorrow, where I'll be serving with Elder Barney (and Elder Packer; regular transfers don't happen for another week, so Elder Packer's got a week before he goes home). I'll be serving as an Assistant to the President. I've got kind of mixed feelings about it. I'm definitely going to miss Bay City a ton. I knew it wasn't likely, but I was really hoping to stay with Elder Taylor for another transfer. I'm really nervous about serving at MSU; it will be very different to teach no one but college-aged young men and women, although it should be fun. In any case, I'm grateful the Lord allowed me six months in Bay City. I have learned and grown so much here. I am so grateful for the miracle of a mission!

I love you all and pray that God will continue to bless you!

Have a great week,
Elder J. Cloward