Weekly Post

December 10, 2018

Transfers were this weekend and I found out that I will be staying here with Élder Robertson! There didn't seem to be a lot of changes in the islands. No one in our district moved, and our zone leaders didn't change either.

A_____, who was baptized last week has been super busy. S____ is super good tho. We had a really good lesson with her and some awesome members, and then we invited her to this FHE in the church, and she said she had some doubts and wanted to meet right before the FHE. That's always worrisome, but when we met she just meant she answered all the review questions at the end of the restoration pamphlet (I didn't even know there were questions and scriptures in the back) and she just wanted to make sure she answered them all right haha. Her boyfriend is doing well, he's coming back to church activity and really has been willing to serve and everything. He's been a really good addition to the branch!

So we are running the branch Facebook page and getting the members to help. And if someone doesn't do it one day, we do it for them. And the page is doing well! It reached 5,000 people this past week which is pretty good.

This week we did an FHE surprise service haha. The members came and we gave them candles and light the world pass-along cards and made them hit the streets and do little acts of service and invite people to sacrament meeting on the 23rd. 

Have a great week!

Elder Coleman

 

Weekly Email

December 3, 2018

Friends and Family,

Sorry it's been a while once I've sent one of these, the past few weeks have been crazy! The past 2 weeks we've been traveling on p-day, so I didn't have much time to email. Buuuut now I'm back on my island so that's all good! Last week we had the baptism of Alejandro! He's 10 years old, and he's such a cool kid that loves the gospel. Yesterday for his confirmation, he ran to church alone so he wasn't late.

Lately, I've been studying the "War chapters" of the Book of Mormon. Many find it difficult to apply these passages of scripture tho their lives, seeing as they speak mostly of the wars between two tribes. This week, I studied a little bit from President Hunter, a past modern day prophet. He speaks to those who feel that they go unrecognized or underappreciated:


"It was said of the young and valiant Captain Moroni: “If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.” (Alma 48:17.)

What a compliment to a famous and powerful man! I can’t imagine a finer tribute from one man to another. Two verses later is a statement about Helaman and his brethren, who played a less conspicuous role than Moroni: “Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni.” (Alma 48:19.)

In other words, even though Helaman was not as noticeable or conspicuous as Moroni, he was as serviceable; that is, he was as helpful or useful as Moroni.

Obviously, we could profit greatly by studying the life of Captain Moroni. He is an example of faith, service, dedication, commitment, and many other godly attributes. Rather than focusing on this magnificent man, however, I have chosen to look instead at those who are not seen in the limelight, who do not receive the attention of the world, yet who are “no less serviceable,” as the scripture phrased it.

Not all of us are going to be like Moroni, catching the acclaim of our colleagues all day every day. Most of us will be quiet, relatively unknown folks who come and go and do our work without fanfare. To those of you who may find that thought lonely or frightening or just unspectacular, I say, you are “no less serviceable” than the most spectacular of your associates."


How blessed we are to know that "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" (1 Corinthians 1:27). Although many of you serve in often quiet ways, your service is no less valuable than any other. I hope we can remember this lesson at this time of year, as many will remember their Savior and serve in quiet ways as He did.

Love you all!
Elder Coleman

Pic1 - Alejandro

Pic2 - Matching ties

Pic3 - Tenerife

 

 

 

Weekly Email

November 26, 2018

This week we were in Lanzarote from Monday through Wednesday, so we didn't have much time in our area, but, we did work on preparing for A____'s baptism. Facebook teaching is going well! It's basically accelerated street contacting. In the street we'll maybe find 2 new investigators and then we won't be able to contact them again so we'll end up dropping them, but in Facebook we get like 4 times that. So like 8 new investigators that we won't be able to contact again and then we'll drop them haha. But every 2 weeks we'll get a super solid person from Facebook, whereas like once a year you'll get a solid person from street contacting. 

 In the morning while getting ready I've been listening to Brad Wilcox's Book of Mormon class which is really interesting. And during personal study I'm still trying to finish reading the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. I studied Alma 36 this week and I knew about the chiasmus before but I didn't know it was as good as it is. It is pretty cool how intricate the writing style is, and there's another one in Alma 41 I think it is that's incredibly hard to follow but it's super cool. But the focus of the chiasmus is on Jesus Christ and his power to save us.

Believe in Him and have a good week everyone!

Elder Coleman 

 

November 19, 2018

Friends & Family,

Our teaching went really well this week. We didn't teach the Nicaraguan the family that much but we did teach A____ and he is a beast. We taught him the law of Chastity which was fun and the word of wisdom and we practiced for his interview for baptism. He should be baptized this weekend which is pretty cool. We didn't teach J____ but she came to church and we might visit her this coming week. We did start teaching this family that is the family of a missionary up in Barcelona. They're super cool and we're hoping that they will progress.

The weather here is really nice! It's actually really windy here so it's actually chilly at night but it's really nice during the day. It's not hot and it's not cold. I sometimes wear a sweater but other than that I just wear a short-sleeved shirt.

The food on the island is fine it's usually a lot of soup or chicken or something interesting. The food really isn't spicy except for one meal a family gave us it was really really spicy.

We will be eating Thanksgiving with a family that one of the son in laws is American and that family lived in America for a long time so I think we'll prepare something. And we did have permission to stay longer on Thanksgiving for lunch.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Elder Coleman

Weekly Email

November 12, 2018

Friends and Family,

Sorry I've been really sporadic with my weekly emails, my mother is going to send something out each week from what I tell her. Good mem from this week was singing hymns with our good friend Zenon to keep him from falling asleep while driving us from the southern tip of the island.

Here's some wisdom from Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "If various trials are allotted to you, partake of life’s bitter cups, but without becoming bitter"

I love you all! Elder Coleman

Pic1 - Arepas with friends, Pic2 - more arepas with more friends, Pic3 - Elder Curtis from ST, Pic4 - The hottest peppers (just under ghost peppers). 2 drops is plenty, Pic5 - Doggo (Anyone actually say that anymore??)