Eternal Families

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 

I love all of you who read these letters.  But this week Brother and Sister Moody, and Sister Moody's dad are the ones that I love the most.  (Except of course my little cousin Annie, she is and always will be the favorite).  On Wednesday morning I had a pleasant and very unexpected surprise: six very good seats for the Saturday morning session of General Conference.  And the results of those six tickets: the husband of a long time member of the Church overcame much of his concern about whether or not the Apostles and Prophet of these days truly are called of God.  And Trevor, some who the english missionaries are teaching, decided he wants to be baptized on November 3rd.  I would consider that very successful.  Thank you Moodys very much.

 

I realize that for the last few weeks I've talked about a different family each week which doesn't make for very intesting reading.  So what I'm going to try and do is stick with one family for the next few weeks (assuming I stay in this area at transfers next week). 

 

A few weeks ago, we met a young couple walking outside their apartment: Kristina and Beranrdino (Berna) along with their 2 year old daughter, Naomi.  We only talked for a few moments about the importance of the family within the Gospel and the Church and they invited us to come to their home.  We tried for a few weeks but they were never both home together.  But Sunday night we finally caught both at home. 

 

They wanted to learn more about how our message can strengthen families and why members of the Church typically have strong families.  We began to explain that one of the main reasons is because through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mormons), families don't begin when we're born and don't end when we die.  We told them that we lived with Heavenly Father (God) before being born and that after we die we can have the same chance.  Aka...there isn't the "until death do you part" in the marriages.  Thus, if our families are going to be together forever (think about how long forever means) then we need to learn to support and love each other now.  We also explained what exactly happens after we die (where we go and what opportunities we'll have). 

 

Both Bernardino and Kristina had many questions as we taught that we helped answer:

1. Where is my Grandpa who died three years ago?

2. Where was I before I was born?

3. Why am I here on earth (other than to work and help my family)?

 

It was a wonderful experience with them.  We went by last night and helped clear up more questions they had.  This Friday we are going back and teaching them at a local member's home.

 

I'll let you know how all of that goes next week.

 

Love you all,

-Elder Colton

Yet Another Miracle

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 

Greetings from Mill Creek, Utah.

 

Well last week I wrote about Carina and Luis and was super excited about them.  But, we haven't been able to meet with them for a week so we don't know where that is going.  But fear not, because we had an amazing experience this week that shows just how well God knows each one of us.

 

A few weeks ago, our Bishop (head of our congregation) sent us to a family who are all members of our ward (congregation).  He told us to talk with them about people who we should visit.  The father of the family told us that he met two young boys outside his apartment the day before who were trying to sell smalls gadgets and stuff for money because their family on absolutely none.  We went by the house but no one was home.  We tried a few more times and eventually met the Grandfather of the family, Hector Trono.  We found out he and his family (daughter and three grandchildren) had just moved from Mexico to Utah.  He and his daughter were less active members of the Church who both needed the Gospel and healing power of Christ again.  His daughter, Isis, has a month year old baby girl.  Her other boys, Alfredo and Issac, are full of energy and loved church on Sunday.  Alfredo is 8 so we are helping him prepare to be baptized in the coming weeks. 

 

But the miracle didn't stop there:

 

We also met another daughter of Hector's last weekend.  She is also a less active member and she has three children.  As I was talking with her 10 year old son, he mentioned to me that he used to live in Georiga but didn't know where.  So I asked his mom what part of Georgia they were from.  She asked if I knew where Duluth was.  (I am from Duluth).  Then I asked her where in Duluth and she asked if I knew where State Bridge Road is.  (I live 45 seconds from State Bridge Road).  Then she asked if I knew where the Publix was.  (I live right behind the Publix).  She lived in the apartment complexes right next to my neighborhood.  Her daughter and son went to Medlock Bridge Elementary School, which is the same one that I went to. 

 

Tonight we are having a Family Home Evening (a weekly family night that most members of our Church do) with them.

 

There are three things that I have learned over and over again as a missionary:

1. Coincidences are Heavenly Father's way of staying annonymous.

2. Jesus Christ really can heal us from anything.

3. Heavenly Father really does have a perfect plan for us.

 

Maybe someone reading this is a mathmatician and can find out the odds of me finding the Trono Family, but I have a feeling that it's on the level of math that only Anna Qui can do (one of my best friends from high school). 

 

I know that Heavenly Father loves each one of us and is setting up a plan for each of us to return to him through His restored Gospel.

 

Love you all,

-Elder Colton

Starting from Scratch

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well first things first: On both Monday and Tuesday morning, the UPS
man dropped off boxes at our house, which is very unusual for us.  The
one on Monday was from the Hughes Family and filled with a box of
delicious barbaque potato chips which we've already eaten nearly half
of.  The one on Tuesday was an overnighted package from my Grammie and
filled with a box of homemade chocolate chip cookies (which nearly all
made it without being crushed or broke).  Maybe I'll do this mission
thing for a few more years so that I can keep getting goodies like
that :)  Thanks a bunch.

Things have been interesting for the past few weeks for us here.  We
came into an area where the previous missionaries weren't teaching
anyone so we are starting from scratch, and that has been hard.  But
we finally have a family of four that we are teaching.  Carina was
someone we met on in the first week here.  She and her husband Luis
have been together since they were 14 years old and they know have two
little boys, Pablo, who is 8, and Brian, who is 6ish.  In the first
lesson, Carina told us she wants to be baptized because she knows that
the Church is something that will help her family and she feels
peaceful when she talks or thinks about it.  But she also said she
doesn't want to be baptized unless her husband wants to do it also.
So for a few weeks we tried to meet him but he was always either
working or already asleep (he works a lot).  But on Sunday, we finally
met him and he was super excited to talk with us.  Tonight we are
going back and we are going to talk with him about Heavenly Father's
plan for each of us (ask Kevin or write me if you have any questions
about that).

Please pray for Luis and Carina that they will be able to be baptized
and start the path towards having an eternal family.

-Elder Colton

ps. Calling all former missionaries, members of the LDS church, and
anyone else with ideas: We are trying to improve how we work with
members and more specifically how we can help members learn how to
share the Gospel with their families.  Please send us ideas and
suggestions on what missionaries can do to help you feel more
comfortable sharing the Gospel.

New Area. New Challenges.

Hola mi famila y mis amigos,

Well here I am in Mill Creek, Utah now.  My new area is much more diverse than Rose Park.  Most of the people are not white or hispanic.  Most are Nepali, African, Iranian, or any one of another hundred countries or so.  It makes finding hispanic people to teach a little more challenging, but we're enjoying meeting all sorts of new people.

One of the best parts of this new area is the bishop (what we call a pastor) of our ward (congregation).  He's 62 and is going through chemotherapy right now because of cancer.  Typically a time of life when people sit back and take it easy.  But not him.  He has the energy and excitement of someone half his age.  He told the last missionaries that he would probably be dead were it not for his position as bishop, so he does all he can to keep Heavenly Father happy with the work he's doing.

Please pray that this week we can find people who want to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized.  We have nearly no people we're teaching right now, so prayers would be wonderful.

Love you all,

-Elder Colton

ps. Sorry if you sent a letter recently (within two months) and I haven't responded.  Love you all.

pps. One of the advantages to serving here in Salt Lake City is that we have the opportunity to watch General Conference (a bi-annual televised broadcast of the Prophet and Apostles and other leaders of the church) live with people we're teaching instead of on tv.  But, to do that, we need tickets.  So, please talk with your bishops and anyone else you know about getting tickets and then sending them to your favorite missionary in Salt Lake City (or if you know any other missionaries, then send them to me anyways).

Farewell Rose Park

Hola mis amigos y mi familia,

 

Today has been crazy to say the least and I only have 10 minutes of email time today. 

 

Quick summary:

 

I've left Rose Park and I'm now serving in Millcreek.

My new companion is Elder Thevenin from Houston, Texas.  He's been out for a total of 5 days.

I love it here and I'm doing wonderful.

My new address is 3632 S 300 E, South Salt Lake City, UT 84115

 

Thanks to each of you who have sent me ideas of what it is you remember and see in the best missionaries you know.

 

Love you all,

Elder Colton

 

"Despite the fact that Johnny looks terrible unhappy, I promise he really is happy. A large majority of the hispanic population simply do not enjoy smiling in photos. It is one of the great myteries of the world. If anyone has any enlightment on the subject let me know."

-Elder Colton



The Story of Maribel

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well on Wednesday we have our next set of transfers (when our mission president tells us if we will be changing to a new area of Salt Lake City), so for the first time in my mission I might be moving out of Rose Park. Don't write any letters this week because I'll probably be changing addresses on Wednesday.

 Highlight of the week: the baptism of Maribel.

 I can't remember how much I've written about Maribel, so I'm just simply go to give an overview of how her entire life has been preparing her for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 Maribel grew up in a Catholic household, similar to probably 90% of the Catholic people that we teach. As a little girl, she developed a great love for the Bible and has studied from it her entire life. During her studies as a teenager, she read the Ten Commandments as found in Exodus 20. When she read the second commandment (verse 4 and 5), she became very confused with the Catholic Church and the worship of Saints and the Virgin Mary. So between that and other parts of the Catholic Church, Maribel decided she didn't believe it was true and left it at that.

 Once she moved her to Utah, she learned quickly that "when in Rome, do as the Romans" and began to hide whenever missionaries knocked on the door. (Sorry to break it to you, but as missionaries we knock on doors all day, everyday. We know without a doubt when someone is home and just not answering and when no-one is home).

 Not long after moving to Utah, she met her husband Johnny and the two of them have been together for 8 years now.

 Four months ago, my companion (Elder Moczygemba) and I went to the house of a women who asked us to visit her. She wasn't home at the time so we decided to knock on the next door neighbor's house as well. A man in his 20s (Johnny) invited us in and after a few minutes of talking, said he wanted to introduce us to his wife.

 Maribel came out of hiding in the kitchen and we began to talk with her. We shared to story of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith and invited them to be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. She said she wanted to pray about it (which is exactly what we were going to invite her to do anyways) and we set up a return appointment and then left. And for the next two weeks...we couldn't contact them...so we stopped trying.

 A month later when Elder Camacho and I were riding out bikes one afternoon, we decided to stop by and see if she was home. She was.

 She immediately apologized for not answering the door before and said she was scared of us (who knew that a skinny white guy with a part in his hair was scary). We set up an appointment for the next day and when we came bike, she had a Bible open and was ready to talk with us.

 We shared with her the Plan of Salvation (for any questions on that...ask my brother Kevin or send me a letter) and she felt the Spirit testify that what we taught was true (because it is). She told us she wanted to be baptized and then set the 2nd of September as her baptismal date.

 Maribel told us multiple times that this Gospel is what she has been searching for her entire life. She has never been happier and now is working with her husband to help him learn of the same truths. She wants more than anything to have an eternal marriage in a Temple of the Lord (none of the "til death do you part" stuff) and begin a family here in this Church.

 The Lord prepares people from the moment they are born (actually...even from before that).

 -Elder Colton