20 Months Down and Going Strong

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Life continues splendidly here in Salt Lake City. Today I realized I have almost exactly four months left. These 20 months have undoubtedly been the fastest of my entire life. Missions seem to be God's little play ground with time. For some missionaries it goes by at a snail's pace, for others it seems normal, and for others it goes by in the blink of an eye. 

I have a special request for everyone who is reading this email this week. One of my companions name is Elder Luke Morgan. He is from Springville, Utah, a whooping 45 minute drive from our current area. He has been waiting since February to leave to his assigned mission in Argentina, but hasn't heard anything at all about his visa. If you could please pray for him that he will get his visa soon it would be most appreciated. This coming Sunday we will be fasting for his visa (he has worked hard here in Salt Lake and is a great missionary, but there isn't such thing as a visa-waiting who deep down inside doesn't really want to be in his assigned mission, especially if he is waiting in Salt Lake City). I can't ask you to fast for him, but I also can't ask you not to :)

Right now we are teaching one of the greatest couples on the planet. Viate is a 75ish year old women who hasn't been able to walk since birth. Her husband, Genaro, is a crazy 75ish year old guy who is almost continually drunk (we're working on that part with him). Viate is going to be baptized in 2 or 3 weeks and yesterday they came to church for the first time. As Genaro walked into sacrament meeting (15 minutes late), he dropped to his knees and offered a short Catholic prayer. We nearly lost it laughing. No disrespect to him or the Catholic Church. I truly love and respect both. But to watch a 75 year old man walk in a Mormon Church and drop to his knees in the middle of the service was simple hysterical. During Sunday School he interrupted a few times and went on a few minute rant about honesty. I'll let you know what happens next week.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Life. Is. Good.

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Life is good. That just about sums up everything right now. I love this Gospel. I love Jesus Christ. I love life.

This past week was a great (and interesting one):

Right now we're teaching the Guasin family (well...really only the father so far) and they are an interesting bunch. The father, Hector, has met with missionaries off and on for many years, but something has clicked recently and he is now reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. He basically wants to know if it is true because he realizes that if it is, then everything will change for him. His wife (who we've only met once and whose name I can't remember) has two sisters who were baptized as teenagers and are sealed in the temple to RM's (which is mormon slang for "returned missionary," or someone who served a mission).

Something has recently touched Hector's heart and he really wants all of this to be true. He and his wife have both asked us about what being married in a temple means. He is going to pray for a way to go to church (he has worked every Sunday for years). If ya'll could pray for him to have a way to go to church then it would be most appreciated.

This past week also brought another interesting event:

I saw my whole family (minus my slacker little brother who wasn't allowed to leave West Point to come). My older brother was married in the Salt Lake Temple on Friday, so I was able to meet up with all my family for a few hours and join them. Mama Colton didn't even cry when she saw me. Talk about disappointments ;)

It was the first time I had ever been to a temple wedding. And it made me realize that I should explain something:

A lot of people who aren't members of our church know this about weddings in "Mormon" temples: that they can't go. Sometimes there will be a ring ceremony or something of the sort at a local chapel, but the actual ceremony that takes place in the temple is only open for active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More than likely there were friends and family of Jared and Eden who weren't able to be there. I recognize that there will be friends and family of mine that won't be able to be at my own wedding. Many couples in which the boyfriend or girlfriend is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ break up because the one who is a member says something to the effect of "I want to be married in the Temple." That makes a lot of people angry, and I don't blame them one bit. But I want to explain a little bit about that.

Temples are sacred places. They are places where the Spirit of God is felt powerfully, as anyone who has ever been to an open house just prior to the dedication of a temple can tell you. Going to the temple isn't a hobby or just another "thing we do." We go to temples to worship God, learn of His ways, and promise Him that we will follow the commandments that He has given us.

Just as when we are baptized we promise that we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and promise to follow Him, in the temple we make similar promises. And just as no-one would step into a filled baptismal font in one of our local chapels "just to see what its like", no-one goes into our temples "just to see what its like." Until people are ready to be baptized, you won't find them in a baptismal fonts. And until people are ready to make more promises with God, you won't find them in a temple.

I hope that helps clear up a few concerns. I personally know for myself that temples are a place where we can bring ourselves closer to God. I know that on Friday, Jared and Eden started a family that will be eternal as long as they continue following in Christ's path. I hope everyone I know and love can have that same opportunity one day.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Heaven on Earth

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This past week has been interesting.  It fees like Heaven on earth still.  Our stake president (aka leader over a few congregations) called us in for a special meeting.  His name is President Kafusi and is Tongan and he is legit.  He told us that our new area is 60% minority (Hispanic, Tongan, and African) and most of those are not members of our church.  Normally in the English wards, they focus on sharing the Gospel with other English speakers (which is normal because they can't really communicate with the other ones).  But he talked about how he wants all the English members start sharing with their non-English neighbors.   We're meeting with nearly everyone in our wards and Spanish Branch to invite at least one person to have a lesson with us in their home.  

At church this past Sunday, a 16 year old named Jair brought his friend to church with him (Joel).  Joel has already decided that he wants to be baptized.  He lives with his grandparents and doesn't seem to have much direction in his life and the Gospel and Church are going to help him so much.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

I am in Heaven!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well I have finally left the white people areas of our mission and headed back into the places I love.  My new area is in Glendale (for anyone familiar with Utah, I live a block from the Seven Peaks that is in Southern Glendale).  Our area feels like it is pure Tongans and Hispanics.  I am in Heaven.

My new address is: 

1046 W 1700 S

 Salt Lake City, UT 84104

I have two new companions: Elder Morgan, from Springville, Utah, and Elder Shepard, from Fresno, California.  They are both waiting for their visas to serve missions in Argentina.  Elder Shepard is brand new and Elder Morgan has been out for six months.  We're are having so much fun. In just this past week we have met and talked with more Hispanics than I think my last three months combined.  I cannot explain how excited I am.  I think I will probably end my mission here.

On another note, MY SISTER IS ENGAGED.  Trent Hazy has made the decision to finally be part of the Colton clan.  If only he knew what he was getting into.  And next week Eden is marrying Jared!

We met a new family this past week who we are excited for.  They live in a largish house (for Glendale) and have four or so different families that live there.  We've met some of them individually outside and they said they would talk it over as a family if they want to take this path. There are at least 10 people of baptismal age who live there.  Please pray for Maria, Rogelio, and Leonardo (the ones we have met so far).   

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton