Apacienta mis ovejas

Part of our zone wearing Indiana Jones hats in Pomaire.
It's a small tourist site. Where they sell Chilean items.

Daniela's family

Elder Cloward, Daniela, Rafael (Her brother), & Elder Hrabar

Dear Family,

Apacienta mis ovejas-that´s feed my sheep in Spanish. The language that the Lord helped me to learn here on my mission.

These past few weeks our focus in the zone (one of the focuses) has been to motivate local leaders to do their callings. That´s not really part of missionary work if you think about it, but we´re here to help, and a ward that fulfills its callings will also have the Spirit to help them in missionary work. Elder Hrabar and I go to the chapel every Thursday at 8 p.m. to go on divisions with the Elders Quorum and help in home teaching. But there hadn´t been any elders showing up for 3 weeks to do visits. we were kind of frustrated. So we asked for time to speak in the Elder´s Quorum last Sunday and we gave a class. I read "if ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15) and then we asked the brethren: what are some of the commandments of God? They all said: don´t kill, don´t rob, obeying the word of wisdom, law of chastity, Sabbath day, tithing etc. and then we said: good answers; now lets read in John 21:15-17 where Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him 3 times and repeats to him three times the commandment: FEED MY SHEEP. We then lovingly explained to the brethren that if we love the Savior we will feed His sheep. Because if nobody feeds the sheep, the sheep will die. aka there will be no active members left in the Quorum.

So this last Thursday, 4 out of the 20 members of the EQ came to do visits. Hey, it´s a start.

We just have to be more patient with them and teach them with love. We need to show them WHY they should do the things they need to do, not just tell them they need to do it.

1. I think I'm good on all my supplies for the next few months.

2. Yes, there are fleas in the apartment, but they don´t biteme. They only bite Elder Urbina. But then when Elder Hrabar came to our apartment they started to bite him too. I guess I´m just not delicious to the fleas so that´s good.

3. I think I´ll really enjoy Brother Marsh´s New Testament class. He was my Book of Mormon teacher before my mission and his class was great!

Happy Birthday Grandma! I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for all the letters, and cards and packages.

I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to serve my Heavenly Father and my Savior and the wonderful people of Chile. Serving a mission has been the greatest experience of my life. Thank you for all your support, encouragement but most of all your love.

Love you all and have a great week.

Love,

Elder Cloward

Hello Everyone

Conferencia with Elder Amado

Zone BBQ

Cristofer's baptism

Dear Family

So President Jones has asked us to read parts of Preach My Gospel with members when we visit them for lunch or in other opportunities. But carrying around a big PMG is a bit of a struggle, as Cara would say. So Elder Marín and I thought of asking you for the mini PMG that you told me about (obviously we need it in spanish, Predicad mi Evangelio). I wanted to ask if you could send us 2 copies, 1 for me and 1 for him so that he can have one, since we have changes next week and we most likely won´t stay together. The other 2 elders we live with also asked for one, and said they´d pay me for it. So please let me know what we can do with that. I´m not asking for another package, all we need is the mini predicad mi evangelio.

This week was cool. Today we played soccer for two hours, and then we played volleyball for an hour in the chapel. It was so much fun. A lot of people just don´t know how to play volleyball and are really impressed when they see me play. It has been fun teaching my zone and helping with the Chile team in the wards and stakes I have been in.

Yesterday Cristofer was ordained a Priest. He´s just super excited about everything, which is great. Barbara and Daniela both have baptismal dates for March 13th!! Daniela´s brother, Rafael will baptize her and we think that Maximo will baptize Barbara.

There´s a couple new investigators that I want you to know about.

1. Franco. He is Bernardita´s son (Tity´s brother) and when I got to the sector 4 months ago he was like "hard core rebel I listen to heave metal music and I don´t believe in God..." And out of nowhere he had this miraculous change of heart. He came to Cris´s baptism last Saturday and he came to church Sunday the 14 and yesterday. He wants to get baptized but he doesn´t have a specific date yet. Elder Marin and I are praying to know what day his baptism should be, and he will pray to confirm it.

2. Fernando: Tuesday I was doing divisions with Elder Cummings (of the 16 elders and sister missionaries in the zone, we are the only 2 male gringos, and Elder Cummings has 4 weeks in the mission). As we were walking to the Chapel for a meeting, some guy on a bike (Fernando) called us over to talk to him. I thought he just wanted to make fun of us (people do that a lot, shouting stuff in poorly spoken English) but such was not the case; he told us "hey, I have your Bible, the one that Moroni wrote! I want you guys to teach me about your church!" So we got his address, and on Thursday we went to his house and taught him about our Church and shared our testimonies with him. The spirit was so strong. He has a baptismal date for March 20th, providing he meets the attendance to church requirement. We have a cita with him today at 8.

Other than that everything is cool here in Talagante. We`re all having a good time, just sad for changes next week. I`ll be sure to let you know who has changes in the next email. But until then have a great week everyone and keep doing the best you can at all you do!

Cloward Power! Haha I remember when Dave Williamson used to say that to me!! Good times.

Thank you for your prayers, love and support. The church is true and I love serving my Heavenly Father and Savior.

Love,

Elder Cloward

18th and Elder Hernandez

Some members of El Rosal dancing the cueca on the 18th

Elder Mawhinney and I the day of changes. He is in Talagante, which is in the campo just outside of Santiago. Elder Hernandez was his companion last change.

Elder Hernandez and I the day of changes

Fotitos

Service = moving a couch out a window. Naturally.

Elder Cannon drew this. Beautiful.

Mixing brownies for noche de hogar.

Fotos

Fotos (finally!)

Javier's Baptism - July 18, 2009

The volleyball team Elder Cloward's been coaching

A Chilean sunset

Fotos of Old and New Friends

Elder Cloward, Elder Cannon, President and Sister Jones
Elder Cannon is the first missionary Elder Cloward trained (or the missionary he is training now would be more accurate)

Elder Cloward, Elder Krainik, Elder Mahwinney
These three were in the MTC together

Fun Fotos

A girl in Chile who knows Elder Cloward posted some pictures on Facebook! Check them out!













Thanks to Claudia Valentina Montero Marin for the fun fotos!

Baby Gasper

Elder Cloward and Elder Mcbee


This is the baby Elder Cloward and Elder Mcbee blessed, and his dad Rafael

Fotos of Felipe's Baptism

Felipe, Yasna, Elder McBee, and Elder Cloward at temple square Saturday May 30th

Felipe, family, and other investigators and members that came to the baptism.

Felipe and family, Elder McBee, and Elder Cloward

Fotos de Elder Cloward y Elder Mcbee

Elder Cloward y Elder Mcbee

Zone playing soccer (aka futbol)

Cutting off Filipe's hair!

Fotos de Pasqua

egg, avacado and turkey sandwich (Easter lunch)

Eggs + Inca Kola = yum? to Elder Cloward, yes

The ill-fated egg fight (next year those Utes are going down!!!!)

Fotitos

Gaby modeling

Elder Cloward modeling

Gaby's little sister Valentina

Fotos de los animales

Elder Cloward says this bear reminds him of the California flag
Chilean police at the zoo

Fotitos

Elder Cloward & Elder Mawhinney
Ghost effect on the camera (and a view of the pension)

The refrigerator magnet that Janessa sent me, plus the sticky notes that Elder Fuller (who lives in the pension with us and went to the U of U... disgusting) put on there. They are basically girly comments that the players are making to each other, such as, "hey John do you like my nails?" "yeah Tom i think they are beautiful." etc. It made me laugh so I told him he could keep the sticky notes on there if he lets me keep the magnet up.