Starting to get chilly!

Hello Family! So I agree with Elder Liston- it is very hard to not say "So This week was great, or good or whatever" at the start of every sentence. For the sake of you all I will try to be more creative.
We had some fun things happen!
We had a marriage! Yay! Not in the way we had planned- but it happened!! We celebrated by eating lasagna and laughing- Rebecca is the greatest, and so is Francisco.
We spent Tuesday trying to find more people to teach, we also figured out the name of a trailer park that no missionaries had every figured out. We were pretty proud. We met a lot of great people, and also had a great lesson with one of the families we are teaching. We took a member with us- Elvira (she is an amazing recent convert of 1 year) and she shared her testimony about the Sabbath day and how she knows this church is true- how it has brought a peacefulness to her life. I really do look up to all of these members- they help us so much
We also had a fun lesson with Joaquin- we had found the wolf-talk in one of the past Liahona's that we had wanted to give him- so we gave it to him and had a good lesson on how we humble ourselves and do the will of God- while eating Arby's in the back of his truck bed. We try to get creative :)
We had fun trying to convince someone to help us decorate their house in Christmas decorations- after two attempts we decided they probably just don't really want our help- so we will think of something different to do..haha
We went and helped at the Bakery again this week- we usually try to go once every week or every other week- they always love to talk to us about the people we are teaching and how they can help- how we can help them with their callings- and we do service and eat delicious food. We are so blessed to have amazing members who really do help us so much- they do a lot for us since it is a smaller branch- but growing!!. We are so lucky!
We did some service for less-actives and recent converts. We really are meeting such great people and establishing great friendships with these people. It is amazing how the gospel helps us really feel so close and really like brothers and sisters. That is one thing that a lot of people have commented on about our church- how when they come they feel like it is a big family- we are!!!
Sister Schroeppels mom is from El Salvador, we have some people we are teaching and two members who are from there- they got pretty excited when they found out so it is fun to tell everyone.
We did exchanges with the Huntsville sisters this weekend because of the baptism. We had fun planning and meeting new people and organizing everything together. The baptism did not happen- but it just means that there is a lot opposition- that we learn from it and be more determined to help them make this step- they are ready and we know that in the Lord's time it will happen!
We got to go up to Huntsville and work there for a day. It was fun, the members are so great and I learned alot from them during church. I learned a lot from being with Sister Kemp- we had fun laughing and meeting people in the street. I also got to do some good bike riding this weekend- can't feel my legs very well- but it is good for us.
Well this should be a good week- we are going to a Halloween party at a recent converts house- we are hoping to meet some great people- and since we can't really go knocking doors that night anyway it will help us strengthen the members and meet new people- be missionaries!! We might spice it up and switch nametags or something for our costume- typical. haha
love you all!!! have a great week and enjoy Halloween :)
Love,
Hermana Coleman

Hello Family!

Hello everyone!
So quick update
We got to help plan a wedding for another investigator of the elders in the English ward. That was fun, trying to figure out table cloths....I don't know that we helped that much. But the wedding was beautiful and we met some really nice people. Afterwards we booked it to English class- so it was a fun day.
We were involved in a couple interviews this week-  (she was interviewed for a couple of newspapers.  Because of the election there is a lot of interest)they have been some of the neatest experiences I have had- and I've learned a lot. The people's impression of Mormon's have really changed with the elections.
We had a really good lesson this week about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We used the footprints again to demonstrate the "Gospel Path" The kids really liked it and we did a cool analogy of using the Holy Ghost to help us on the path from the influences and distractions that are off the path. We had a good time- who knew learning could be so much fun?? They are a great family, and I have loved getting to know them. He told us "The Book of Mormon really is true, it all makes sense!" We were in very surprised when he said that, and were like Yes!! It does!!
We have been continuing to get to know the Recent Converts, to help them be ready for the temple and their callings that they have. We are so excited for Rebecca and Francisco to become members and see what callings they get, they are going to be a great addition to the Branch. I love all the recent converts!! They are such a good example to me of trying to learn and do the best they can, and that is what matters! They are learning, as well are we that we do not have to be perfect to be a part of Christ's church.
We had a lot of training this week given to us. We had the Sister's meeting which was super great. I learned a lot and felt like there was a lot more potential for this mission. There is a lot of work to do and they gave us council, and training to do a better job and get more involved in the work. I am excited to apply it. We also had some good training that same day by the Callisters (They know Grandma and Grandpa Coleman)- they help us become better teachers- think of things in a different way, know more scriptures and help us ask good questions. He kept telling me he was going to take a picture of me yawning and send it to Grandpa to show him what the mission was doing to me...haha It had been a long day!! 9-6 full of training which was very needed.
We met the nicest elderly man the other day while we were running outside. He lives near us and puts up a lot of decorations every Christmas. Well come to find out he has been doing it for 14 years and people from all over the nearest cities come to see it. you can see it from the interstate! We are trying to convince them that it is a good idea that we help them set it up- they still have a long way to go and it would be a great chance to serve- Him and his son are very nice and it would be a great experience for us all.
I have been studying in 3 Nephi the last couple of weeks and have been learning a lot. Doing that and watching the Bible videos on lds.org, and really trying to understand our Savior has been helping me a lot out here in the mission field. This is his work, and it always will be. I am trying to understand him the best I can so that I can take his desires, attributes, and love to the people that we meet every day. I am so lucky to be a missionary in Alabama, so lucky to be where I am, I need to take full advantage of it and learn the most I can.
I love you all, and am grateful for you all! Make it a great week
Hermana Coleman

New Transfer!

Great week, my new companion is Sister Schroeppel, we lived together in my last area- my first two transfers in the mission. We were not companions but we got along really well and had some great moments haha. So we are excited to be together again and I am already learning a lot from her. We laugh a lot to which makes us even happier- I think people are noticing haha.
We have been seeing more cockroaches lately...I think it is the weather...
We have been meeting a lot more of the members lately. And visiting the bakery.  We have been finding new people that way, and doing service as well. I love when the Lord leads you to the right place at the right time. My love for the computer and determination to figure things out (stubbornness actually) really came in handy this week. A member had lost her password to her LDS account and has a bunch of genealogy she needs done. So through the Spanish language, computer language, and my guessing we figured it out!  We were all pretty excited (may or may not have been some cheering going on- it was pretty crazy) But all in all I know that the Lord helped us  figure it out because there are people waiting on the other side!!
We are focusing this week on getting to know the members, and getting referrals through them. We are trying to increase our teaching pool, and find who the Lord has prepared.
I read today in 3 Nephi 18:13 and it talked about if we do more or less then what the Lord has commanded we are building upon a sandy foundation. There is a point where we try to do much (at least I do) and then I stress. But if we do are best with what the Lord has asked us to do- help with investigators, serve, befriend less-actives and strengthen the members he will help make the other pieces fit. He has put us in the right places this week to touch someone's heart. I have been reading a little bit out of Jesus the Christ the last couple days and it is really helping me to understand our Savior a little bit better. I am loving it.
Even though things don't work out the way we plan sometimes, the Lord has his own timing, and just wants us to be happy and work hard until things work out :) I know he is helping us and am grateful for that. We are working on helping Rebecca and Francisco get baptized in the next couple of weeks- they are amazing and we know that in the Lords timing everything happens!
I hope you all have a great week- I am excited to hear about some new mission calls!!!! (Ky:))

Feelin' like Fall

   
It is starting to get colder here! Which will be fun I think, some of the trees are starting to change and i have heard that it is breathtaking- don't worry pictures will come when this happens. So the news is.....I am staying in Lorna for another transfer!! Hooray!! I am very excited and know that it is a new opportunity to change and implement new things here in the area. My companion Sister Simpson will be leaving, and so is the district leader....I am sad about this we work very well together- but it just means we are both off to more adventures! I find out my companion on Wednesday- I am not training so I will already know my companion because I know/have served around all of the sisters in the mission. But! we are getting 6 new sister missionaries to the mission so we are all excited about this, one will be Spanish.
So Conference was AMAZING! 3 investigators came, including Rebecca and Francisco. They really liked it a lot and were surprised to see all the people in the conference center when they show it on the screen during the intermediate hymn- conference really is amazing! So when they announced the new age limit, Sister Simpson and I had one of the Laurel girls from the English ward siting in between us on the chapel benches- she has helped us a lot these past weeks and comes out to lessons with us at least once a week- she is amazing. Anyway so they announce it and we all just gasped (like 12 missionaries that were there- including couple missionaries) and we both just turned to Chandler and shock and were like You can go earlier now!!!! We always talk to her about missions and now the fact that it is so much closer for her made us so happy!- we really didn't know what to do with ourselves to be honest- and the feeling that came when he announced it was amazing! I think we were all crying- well at least the girls were. We were also texting one of our investigators at the same time who was listening from home, and she is the same age as Chandler- she was also very excited!!!
All in all it was a good week, things are moving forward with the baptism for Rebecca and Francisco, keep them in your prayers- they are ready and we are so excited for this to happen for them. So this weekend I was able to go on a mini-exchange to Clanton while Sister Simpson went to Huntsville to see a baptism. Sister Deem  and I had a great time watching the second session of conference on Saturday and then we went out and visited a ton of members with Sister Abbott in the branch. Let's just say it was a great time, and I got to see the deep south- it is such a cute, small southern town- everything is super spread out. I got to meet a lot of the members which was really fun for me and Sister Abbott entertained us the whole evening- she is a really funny lady- but very service oriented and dedicated. We had some very good laughs.
I hope you enjoyed these stories- the work is really moving forward and there are great things in store for next transfer. A general theme I saw throughout general conference was how it is important to do the will of the Lord. I loved President Eyring's talk about the pavilion. There are so many things to apply from conference into our lives, and one thing I loved doing Sunday after conference was applying conference into the lives of recent converts that we went to visit right after. I really felt like a messenger for the apostles, for the prophet, and for the Lord as I told them about how doing family history will bring them double the blessings in their lives as they take names to the temple- as Elder Scott talked about.
I love you all! Make it a great week, and take time to apply conference into your lives this week! As will I. Love you!

Hermana Coleman

Lovin' Lorna

Super great week last week.  I learned a lot and am grateful for the opportunity to learn so much!
We went to Botanical gardens last week- spent about two hours there for preparation day. Super great, and beautiful! We spent time walking, finding neat little things, and writing letters by the lake. Very calming.
We got in contact with some people that we hadn't seen in a while, so that was perfect! We had been thinking about these people a lot and so we were excited to get in contact with them.
So we also may or may not have lost our house keys for two days.....thanks to the amazing Elder and Sister May we were not stranded outside of our apartment for that long. We were trying to retrace our steps and went to a trailer park and saw them sitting in the grass in someone's yard! We were very very excited, mostly because the mail key was also attached to these set of keys that we lost. It was a happy day.
We taught some amazing people this week. All looking for ways to bring their families closer together. Deep down to it all of them are searching for more of a fulfilling way to follow our Savior, to keep their family united and do what God wants them to.  They are all teaching me a lot. I have learned that God really does care about us and answer our prayers.  I have learned that even though a lot of things in this life are not fair- God has ultimately given us our agency so even though others may cause us harm, it will all be made right in the end. I have also learned and am so grateful for the Temple, what peace it brings and gives us.  Everyone needs this same peace! We were able to go out to the temple again this Friday- every 4th Friday they do a temple night for all the English and Spanish recent converts.  We went to translate for the speakers. We also were able to see some of the members from all three of the Spanish branches, and our recent converts. IT WAS AMAZING! we were so happy, and that experience I will be able to remember forever! I am so grateful we were able to do that.
I LOVED the relief society general broadcast. It was also amazing. It helped me put my focus back on the Savior, and how important it is for us to make him apart of our lives, and make him a part of our teaching.
All in all this weekend- we had a lot of things going on, but I felt so much help from the Lord and from my leaders. It was a great weekend, that has really helped me refocus on what needs to happen in the mission field. We are having fun, meeting new people, and learning a lot about how God answers prayers.
Also had a great experience last night talking to youth from a Methodist church. It was so neat to get to know them, and we taught them more about what we do as missionaries, and our Faith in Christ throughout high school has really shaped us. We had a question and answer after and they had a lot of good questions. We learned a lot, and it was a great experience!
I am so happy and grateful to be in Alabama, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for my mission, I love it- I love how the Lord knows exactly where we need to be.
Things are moving forward with our investigators, the Lord's hand is in all of this and we just try to keep up :)
Next week are transfers....all ready!!! I will know next Monday if I am staying or going.
Love you all,
Hermana Coleman