Transfer calls have come in with most epic news...

I'm leaving already!!!  I barely got here, but I'm getting called out.  :(   I'm staying SUPER close though, I'm going to be in Santa Maria.  Elder Bautista and I are WAY disappointed to be separating already; I think the only missionary I've gotten along with as well as I have with him would be Elder Buckmiller!  I've learned so much from him and this hard area; and I am certain that when I make it to the Celestial kingdom, these last six weeks will be one of the pivotal-points where I got put on the path to make it.  I'm a little disappointed to be leaving the area without any progressing investigators, but we have 4-5 appointments lined up for the first week; and that's WAY more than we had coming in.  The area is organized and prepared nicely; and most of all; WE GOT THE TRANSLATION DEVICE YESTERDAY!!! WHOOO!  I feel like; if nothing else, that's why I came here, because we fought so hard to get it!  It felt good to finally hold one.  I also know that this area will be taken care of because, 1: Elder Bautista is a mega-boss!  and 2: His new companion is going to be ELDER MORTIMER!!!!  It's going to be so awesome to watch these two tear it up!  I can't believe the first missionary I trained is going to follow up train the last missionary I've trained so far!

But on to my next assignment!  I'm going, as I said, to be stationed in the Spanish branch in Santa Maria, AND, I'm going to be working in the YSA ward, so that's going to be new.  Actually, I already know my new companion pretty well; but it'll be interesting to see how he's progressed.  Hopefully I don't disappoint his expectations!  I'll be serving with ELDER JENKINS!!!!  I was hoping for a last transfer run with this man, but this is super exciting anyway!  He's going to have to help me out a lot though; because I'm also going to be a zone leader.  I've given up panicking when I get new assignments;  I still don't feel ANYWHERE near qualified, but from what I've seen so far that's a pretty common thing.  It seems like every time I start figuring things out the Lord puts me somewhere where I don't know what I'm doing again. :P  But I shall do my best.  

This week was an interesting one.  We had a great start and a fantastic finish, but in the middle, we got stuck in the apartment for two days while Elder Bautista was pretty sick.  He used some kind of mexican throat spray though and it went away pretty darn quick!  The best part of this last week was when we dropped by a potential investigator named Edgar.  We asked if we could come in and have a lesson and he welcomed us on in!  The Lesson was really good, and he payed attention, but after Elder Bautista asked him to read and pray to know, and he agreed, I asked him why he wanted to do that.  He thought a minute and said, "Well, I'm actually pretty interested! I want to know more about this book and get closer to God."  It was awesome!!!  Hopefully he is ready to start progressing; he could be the key!  

I love you all, I'm very grateful for all your love and support.  I can't believe Elder Hoffman's coming home soon; I got floored when I realized how far along I'm coming.  It really does go way too fast; and if it slows down for these next months, I won't be any the sadder.  I love this work!

Love,

Elder Matthew David Clough