dear family,
if i could explain in words what i feel right now i wouldnt hesitate, but my feelings are simply not describable. something changed in my work and in my life. something big. something that i can never forget. something that is so simple, but definetely changed my life forever. i dont know why it took so long for me to achieve it or where it has been all these 19 almost 20 years of my life. i, for myself have found the secret to life. it wasnt easy. and i know it still wont be easy. but if everyone could feel what i feel, the world would be a different place. without war. without sadness, mourning or frankly anything negative. as i have walked the first 19 years of my life. i have learned. i have fallen. i have stood back up. moved foward. made mistakes. tried to changed. fell again. made more mistakes. never gave up. just kept moving forward. something happened. i found the light of the world for myself. i found our beloved savior jesus christ. i know that he lives. that he died and ressurrected for us. so that we too can live forever. "he is risen", as president monson talked so lovingly about this last confernce. i have no doubt that he is my brother and my redeemer. i always thought i KNEW this. but i have never FELT it like this. AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, I TESTIFY THAT HE LIVES AND THAT HE LOVES US!........
three weeks ago me and elder balls showed up in church with high expectations that we would have plenty of investigators there, because it followed a very hard week of contacts, knocking doors and teaching new people. as the hours of church passed we were sad to see that it was only one investigator that had been coming for several weeks already had showed up in church that day. there was a woman, no older than 25 years old, that we did not recognize. we went up to talk to her, to find out who she was. she said she had heard about our church, and recently being rejected by the catholic church, she decided to give our church a chance. in church that day, there was muched talked about the atonement. she asked if we could come by her house to explain more about that word. we gave her a plan of salvation pamphlet and marked a day with her.....
five days later we went to her house and taught her. it was a normal lesson. we taught about the atonement. marked a next appointment and left.
she didnt come to church sunday...
we went to our next appointment we had with her this last week. i was now with elder sargent. we went to her apartment. we were 20 minutes late. we didnt think anything of it. knocked on her door. she came to the door with a smile on her face. "i have been waiting" she humbly said. we sang. we prayed. elder sargent began to talk. to see if she had remembered anything about the last time we talked. he didnt get any farther than asking her how she was when she cut him off saying, "i read the entire pamphlet, can i read each part and then explain it to you guys?" shocked both of us said, "OF COURSE!" as she began to go through each step of the plan of salvation, explain and then ask questions she had, i grew a greater love for the savior. i gained a personal testimony that he is our savior and that he is preparing those he knows will except the message. i am serving in a country were people have very little schooling, if any. its a great chanllenge to teach these people in portuguese when they grew up speaking creole, a completely different language. not ever had i even DREAMED that we would find an investiagtor such as her. she taught us. it was the most amazing experience ever! there was a great spirit in that room. and ever since i walked out of that lesson i have simply felt different. who would have ever thought something so simple could have such a dramatic change on a person. i cant tell you how greatful i am for this experience.
familia, i love you all very much. i hope that you all can realize, the same way that i did, that christ lives! that he loves us. and because of him all of our past mistakes can be wiped away. just as it is taught in the scriptures, " though it is as scarlet, it can be made white as snow," i testify that this is true, because i have used the atonement in my life. it has changed me. and i know now no matter how hard times get i will always have someone to lift me up.....we are NEVER alone!!!!!
the mission continues to be an experience beyond anything, i am learning and growing so much. i hope that we can all learn from the experiences God places before us, that is my prayer! i am now serving with elder sargent, from black foot idaho. he is an amazing companion and i have loved the first two weeks we have had serving together. he is humble and is helping me become the same way. it is true when we are taught that we can learn from everyone around us, if only we let it happen. i was very grateful for the package i recieved from you. we actually made blueberry pancakes for breakfast this morning, quite delicious if you ask me. we are gonna go buy some chicken to try out some of the other things in the magical box from america. thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do for me, an imperfect but improving son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and grandchild. i love you and you are continuely in my prayers.
a wise man once said "if we do four things in our life we shall find happiness in all things....
read your scriptures
say your prayers
go to church
keep the commandments and keep trying"
(that wise man, is me by the way hehe.....)
much love from your elder half way around the earth in the middle of the sea.....
elder coleman
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