Crazy Week!

My mind is all over the place, so once again i am doing bullet points:

• So Tuesday we went to the trainers/new missionary meeting. It went really well, and we learned a lot, and good analogies from President Holzapfel. He shared a great scriptures Exodus 3:6-8. the Lord sees, hears, and knows everything that we are going through. and he will deliver us! We shared that with a lot of people this week. Later that day we went to do mormon.org, and talked to like 7 different women afterwards while we were waiting for an appointment to get home. One of them knew a member and had lost contact with her. She had been wanting her number so we got hers and told her we would contact the member for her! She was so excited. Miracles! Later that day we got a referral from salt lake of a woman who had just moved from Indiana and had received all the lessons, just needs to be baptized! We contacted her and have an appointment with her this week. At craft night later that night- none of our investigators came, but 6 members did, and we got 3 referrals out of it! It is amazing how things don't work out the way you plan, but the Lord blesses you in other ways. As I have heard a member explain before. Don't complain or worry when you were asking for a steak and the Lord gives you a fish. We made earrings, and all of those women needed a break and said how it made their day. Sometimes we don't realize whose faith the Lord needs us to strengthen that day.
• We taught Bobbie again this week, the lesson went well and we were able to go on a team-up with the stake president, who was the former ward mission leader of this ward. It went really well- we learned a lot from the way he taught and looked at the scriptures. It was really neat. and the other member we brought- Kristina bore a really strong testimony- it made everyone in the room go silent- you could hear a pin drop. She will be an amazing missionary.
• Thursday we had a ton of plans cancel, but through some phone calls we filled up our night. We taught one of the less-actives, she hadn't come to church in 50 years, and you wouldn't know it with how excited she is about the gospel. She said " i just want to walk down the street and knock on all my neighbors doors to tell them about this church." Her mom wasn't open to reading the Book of Mormon, but she asked this member on Saturday if she could send her a copy! Crazy how much the Lord helps and inspires us.
• We went out to Jasper this week as well, a small country town to contact a Hispanic man, He wasn't home, but we were able to help out the other Elders and meet some less-actives and their families, and contact others along the way. Our confidence is increasing in opening our mouths
• Saturday we did a mini mission type thing with Kristina- we studied with her and then felt inspired to go to a members apartment complex. As we were walking to his place, right outside there were two Hispanic men who were painting. We started talking and I found out that one of them was really good friends with a member! He had tried to come to church about a year ago but never made it. He said he knows that change is a good thing, and that we don't have a lot of time because the Lord is coming, i was like, Exactly!! So taught him two principles of the restoration, and gave him the pamphlet and we set up an appointment for this Saturday. He really is interested, and his member friend was so excited on Sunday that we found him, he wants to come teach him with us. The Lord is in control of this work! We went out later that day to Bobbie's house in Gordo and ate a delicious southern meal with the whole family and saw their chickens- took pictures and played with the kids for a bit. It was fun to get to know their family a little better.
• This transfer is over, but Sister Stahle and I really learned about loving people this transfer. We feel like we did a lot of prep work for the future Sisters that will be here, as we have gotten to know the members, and members who are returning to church. Miracles have happened, and I know that next transfer will be a big finding transfer- people are waiting to hear!!

Love you all! make it a great week,

Hermana Coleman

Time is Flying!

This was a good week!

We were able to teach a good lesson with a member this week, and the investigator had some great questions. Turns out her dad had listend to the mormon missionaries before as well.

Two weeks ago we gave flowers (us and the elders) to a less-active. we went and saw her this week and she still had them!! She talked about them for 10 minutes and how much she loves them and it shows her God loves her. Invited her to conference, she has been a member for a while but has never been!

We taught another woman who God led us to at the Wal-Mart. She has a lot of friends who are Mormon and she is looking for a church right now! We were so excited and committed her to read the Book of Mormon with us on Thursday.

Lots of crazy things happened Thursday though- we were planning for investigators, and the two people i mentioned above dropped us, and so did another investigator. We were pretty sad, but I felt at peace because we opened our mouths to them, and even talked about baptism- which is what we are supposed to do in every lesson. It is better that they tell us then to keep wasting time. But as PMG says- as missionaries a lot of our job is to plant seeds for missionaries who will follow. The member whose friend dropped us was just happy that it went as far as it did. So that was a blessing.

We had an amazing lesson with Bobbie (part member family)- spirit really strong and she said she would be baptized when she has an answer. We will help her get one! With the help of the spirit. the member who comes with us to teach is our age and wants to go an a mission and she is loving the experiences she is having. We are going out with her all day Saturday so she can see the mission life (studies and all) and so we can go out the Bobbie's house and do service/have a BBQ and help fellowship. It will be great.

We are also doing a craft night tomorrow night. We have invited a couple members and they are bringing friends, and some investigators are coming, we are using it as a finding tool and we are really excited. We are making jewelry- a member has a lot of supplies and volunteered to help. We also invited some sisters so that they can all make more friends within the ward. it should be great, even if only a few come!

Highlight- Saturday we went out to Demopolis- about 70 minutes away from us. and met with a member out there, she had some referrals she wanted to take us to because there are not missionaries out there right now. So we went to a little city called Linden, and met some amazing people! First of all she is the mail carrier so she knows EVERYONE and their address (28 years working and still going strong...haha)We were driving in her truck and she said " We need to go see this family" and she took us straight there, we met two families there and the one person she didn't intend for us to meet is truly searching! we gave them Book of Mormon and committed them to read. Also met another sweet lady and her daughter who had a handicap- we taught her about Book of Mormon and the Atonement of Christ and how she can live with her daughter one day with a perfect body! Spirit came so strong, and her daughter even though she couldn't talk got really smiley and really animated- the Elders will be going out every other week so we can keep up with these people in person and over the phone. Great experience.

Learning a lot about early morning meetings (7:00am) and working with ward councils. Such cool experiences of learning how to help other leaders in the church.

I hope everyone had a good week, make it a great one!

Sister Coleman

"I'm as excited as a mexican jumping bean!"

So Sister Stahle and I are really trying to develop our southern accents....well she is so in the process she has convinced me it is a good idea. We have been noting a lot more southern phrases such as "I am fixin' to go to the store" or "Wait while I cut of the television" or "I'm as excited as a Mexican jumping bean." Which is my all time favorite. We are trying to write more down so stay tuned.

We had a fun zone activity on Monday where we played kickball......I was hoping the MTC would be the last of those embarrassing situations but it wasn't. Instead I enjoyed just laughing at the Elders and funny situations so it was a good time. We have been teaching in members homes a lot which has been good, and it is good for sister Stahle and I to practice teaching together. It is helping us. One family in particular wants us to teach all the lessons to them- we did lesson 1 on Monday and today we will teach lesson 2- the plan of salvation. We have a cool visual involving cardboard cut out circles rectangles. it is pretty great.

We have been visiting some people that the ward wanted us to see, and so we didn't get to teach a lot of them, but set up appointments for this coming week.

We have two investigators that are reading in the Book of Mormon, and have great questions. We are excited for them, and are now trying to help them pray and come to church. One almost came on Sunday but had a last minute obligation- there is still time!

We went to go teach a family out in Tuscaloosa, and we had about 45 minutes before we needed to be at their home so we did some tracting and met some people. It was fun to go tell the members about them and it got them excited. The member took cookies a couple of days later to one of the people we met- but put it at the wrong door.....at least they too felt some love!

We went out with a member and she helped us find some less-actives- turns out they had moved...and she showed us where some other members lived...good week!

We have a lot to look forward to this week. We have some good appointments set up- and one with a part member family that lives in Gordo- great name! haha. The work is starting to move forward slowly, it is comforting to know that whatever sisters are here next will have more to work from, and we are grateful for all the members are doing to help.

CES fireside was great, and we got some young single adult girls to come with us- and they tried to invite friends. we were so proud of them for inviting. sometimes that is the hardest part!

Learning a lot about submitting our will to the will of the Father. Is getting mentioned and talked a lot about- I know that is something to work on, and am really learning more how to apply that into missionary work and this mission that I am serving. This transfer is only 5 weeks, so only 2 more weeks!! There is a lot of work to do in that time and I look forward to pushing myself to do more.

Love you all! Make it a great week.

Hermana Coleman

Tuscaloosa!

Good week. We have been trying to get used to our new area, and day by day it gets better. We had a family home evening with some of the Spanish members- they shared the different principles of the gospel that converted them to the restored gospel and then we ate burritos and they told jokes...haha it was funny, they had a lot of good ones.

We also went out with a member to give a blessing to her friend- and at first the friend wasn't super open, then we gave the prayer and she was more friendly and said we could come back, her daughter also wants to listen, and said she likes listening to young missionaries because she feels she can relate...haha. We also gave some more blessings in Tuscaloosa but so far no one is progressing from there. We were able to give service to a young girl who is paralyzed from the neck down. She needs people to talk to, and the Lord put us in her path to help. Elders used to go over and help as well. We were able to contact some other member referrals and get to know some members in the ward- part member families, and less actives as well. We went and took flowers to a less-active for the Elders, she was feeling kind of down when we first got there, but after giving the flowers and sharing a short message to help her, her countenance was completely different, it was neat.

Friday we had a mission conference! It was amazing, we had 3 visiting authorities who were there, including Elder Christofferson. We were so blessed and I learned a lot. Before it started I was talking to Sister Schroeppel and she said "Oh!, did you know that Mariela is getting baptized today?"- she has been an investigator for the last 4 years and both of her sisters are members. I didn't believe her at all, I was so surprised! Missionaries have been trying to help her for a longgggg time!! Turns out we got permission to stay, especially because new missionaries need to see baptisms- and so we got to stay the day in Lorna, and teach lessons- I was able to go and teach Rebecca which was a blessing and the spirit came once again, the Lord really is helping her and I am so grateful for the experiences I have had with her. We visited/taught a couple of other people and then went to the baptism. Mariela seemed like a completely different person, she was so happy- even before she got baptized. I was so grateful it happened to be the weekend that we were already in Birmingham- such a blessing! My faith was definitely strengthened and it was a tender mercy from the Lord. Spirit was there very strong.

Sunday went well, we were able to set up some great appointments with members/less-actives and find out what the bishop wants from us as the missionaries in the ward.

Favorite part of the week: We got a referral from the Tuscaloosa elders to teach a woman named Betty. We went and she asked about what the Restoration means in respect to other religions. We told her about prophets, and the Joseph Smith story. The spirit came super strong and she said "So you are guided by a prophet....and my pastor is not a prophet?" We explained to her why, and she loved it! She loved the picture of the first vision, asked to keep it and ran and got a frame for it. We asked her if she would want to become a member of this church if it was true, she said yes! We gave her a book of Mormon, and she said she would read it before we came next Sunday. We already love her, she is so sweet and we were so happy after. She called the Elders after we left saying how happy she was and how she was going to try and come to church on Sunday. Miracle! We are excited to see the Lord work with her, and pray that she will continue to see and feel of the truth.

We look forward to another busy week, and hope that we can continue to bless these people as they bless us.

Love you all!

Sister Coleman

February 18, 2013

Hello everyone!

So transfers came and I am currently serving in the Northport ward (which has a Spanish group in it....a brother gave a talk in church yesterday in Spanish and it made me very happy, I felt that I was back at home in the Spanish branches) I am also training, which has forced us to really rely on the members and preach my gospel because 1. All the people I was teaching are not here....and 2. we have no previous knowledge of the area besides the 1 Elder who was not transferred out the of ward. But! missionaries do this all the time, transferred into new areas to pick up the work and serve the members. We enjoyed Sunday getting to know everyone and setting up appointments for this week. We have already had a member take us around today to explain the city of Northport, and another two days ago who explained Tuscaloosa to us :)

I have never had to do anything like this on my mission, but it is already teaching me a lot and causing me to have a lot of trust in the Lord.

My companion Sister Stahle is also from Bountiful, we both graduated from Woods Cross High, two years later than me! Everyone out here thinks it is hilarious. We are getting along super well and have a lot of things in common!

We are looking forward to having good lessons this week with some member referrals and really start tracting in some great neighborhoods.

Well more details next week! Make it a great week!
 

Hermana Coleman

 

Lots of Rain!

This week has been full of a lot of rain, but it hasn't been very cold at all. I am loving this winter.

We had another good lesson with the recent convert Jasmin, she is very excited about being a member missionary and we have started teaching her how she can better share the gospel with others.

We got some good referrals from members this week, and more help from girls who are getting ready to go on Spanish speaking missions.
Funny story, we were waiting in a Mexican store parking lot to go visit an investigator with a member. While there we were able to make some calls, and while we were doing this our progressing investigator Stephanie and her sister pull up right by us( they were the ones we were going to see with the member...haha)! It was crazy, so we were able to talk to them for a bit- get some great daily contact in and set an appointment for the next day. Also, another member pulled in and we were able to talk to her about plans coming to her house the next day. Instead of going to the people the Lord brought them to us, we were laughing and very grateful.

Cristina is doing well, she came to church on Sunday, where they talked about temples and baptism again. Temples really interest her and we had been talking to her about them a lot lately, so it was perfect. She wants to know everything, keep learning before she will recommit to a date- she wasn't ready when her date came up and so we are now focusing on helping her recognize the answer she has already received. She knows the Book of Mormon is true, so we are excited for what is in store for her. Oh! So Christina had told us she didn't have very many winter skirts- she had one and it was the one she more to church two weeks before. So somehow Sister Schroeppel casually asked what skirt size she was and what length she liked....that night when our appointments fell through (same night we were in the Mexican store) we went to the American Thrift Store, biggest thrift store i have seen in my life....and found 6 skirts for her! we were so proud. While we were there we were able to open our mouths and talk to a really nice man about the gospel and things happening in his life.

We were able to talk to one of our neighbors this past week about the gospel- she has tried a lot of different religions, so we taught her a little more about ours and invited her to read the Book of Mormon, we will follow up with her today.

Great activity Sunday night- the branch president organized an activity for some of the families and investigators in the branch. We started out by watching this old 20 minute church movie- "What is real" it talked about how a new father was worried about being able to help his daughter know the purpose of life, and raise her the right way. The branch president got up after and testified that Christ can help them know the answer to these questions to help their children. They don't have to rely on him, or the missionaries, they can know it for themselves. Then I accompanied Sister Schroeppel while she sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." while people thought about a question or concern that they wanted answered for their family. It was beautiful and the spirit was very strong. The Lord can help anyone, and any family. He is constantly listening to our prayers and needs, and he has solutions. We just need to listen and humble ourselves so that we can hear, feel and apply the answers into our lives.

Transfers are this week, so we will see what the Lord has in store!

Have a fabulous week!

Hermana Coleman

February 4th, 2013

Good week, I have been trying to work more on Spanish this week, I have a goal to finish the book of Mormon in Spanish by the end of my mission by reading it out loud....it will happen! We are reading 6 pages a day as a mission and we are now in Mosiah- just read about Abinidai and Alma, I have learned a lot by applying their work/words to missionary work. They were very bold and testified over and over about Jesus Christ, Repentance, authority and baptism. They are great examples.

We were able to do some good work with members this week. We went out to Hueytown again with a member, and we had some good conversations. She is so strong in her testimony, and wants everyone to come to church, and return to church to feel what she feels. I love hearing her testimony and how many goals she has for herself and her children in the church.

We were able to go out with two other members this week. They are both trying to learn Spanish as they prepare for Spanish speaking missions. They love listening to it, and it is fun to help them speak and understand what is going on. The women we brought them to loved hearing their testimonies and it really helped in the work. Especially with Cristina and another women named Veronica. We see so many different personal situations and experiences, but time and time again we can testify of the same gospel, the same spirit, and the same Christ that they can receive the help, joy, peace, and comfort that they need.

We taught English class this week, and we had four people there, Sister Schoreppel and I split them off into two groups and helped them according to their own needs, and had a good lesson on the 1st half of the plan of salvation. We ended up sharing a part of the Book of Mormon that was one of the favorites of the member that was there- so inspired! We were able to testify of Jesus Christ and his importance of the plan, and how everything he has done is to keep us on the path. Good day!

We are still enjoying working with the recent converts in the area, both Spanish and English. I really do love doing both work. It just makes it so we can talk to even more people. That has still been one of my goals, to talk to more people about the gospel. People have heard about the church, but have questions. And we will be blessed as it says in Mosiah 15 to those who have "opened [their] mouths."

I love you all!! Have a great week :)

Hermana Coleman