One Last Post

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 

Two years goes by fast. The experiences here are simply unforgettable. My Dad wrote me this week and included his last entry as a missionary in the Phillipines when he was my age. He manages to describe how I feel better than I can.

 

"It’s had to believe this is my last day in the field but I guess it must always come. It sure has been hard to say goodbye to some of the missionaries and members. I love these people so much. They’re the best! I really love them. We spent some time running around getting our last minute shopping done...It was really hard to do everything for the last time. My eyes stayed moist.

The last home evening went well though I was in a daze. I couldn’t believe it was my last night and my last home evening. It was really hard...Tomorrow we fly – it’s scary." 

And if I had to throw a guess out, tomorrow as I drive away from Salt Lake, I'll feel much like he did as he flew away from Mindano. Anxiety and a flood of other emotions have overwhelmed me in the past few days. To try and explain how I feel is impossible.

 

Over the past two years I’ve written letters to a few of you. Some of those may have been a bit bold and overbearing in trying to share my beliefs. Please forgive me, your overzealous friend who wants so much to share that he forgets to ask if people are interested in the first place.

 

For those of you who are wondering, at the end of my mission tomorrow I’ll be staying here in Utah to begin school at BYU next week. On January 17th I’ll be coming home to Georgia for the weekend. That Sunday (the 19th) I’ll be speaking to my local ward (congregation) at 1:30pm just as I did before my mission, and everyone is more than welcome to attend. If you have any questions contact me any time after tomorrow through Facebook or my phone, 404 933 5730, (which is the same number as before my mission).

 

The best part of this past weekend was being with Awasio. He is from the island of Chuuk (near Guam). We met him two weeks ago. He wanted to be baptized, so this past weekend he was baptized and it was wonderful. As he came up out of the water, tears filled his eyes. At his confirmation at chuch on Sunday, he glowed with happiness. Last night we visited Temple Square (http://www.mormonchannel.org/introduction-to-the-church?v=2639135657001) with him and his grandson, CJ. We taught about the Priesthood and how it was restored through Joseph Smith. We explained that he could hold that priesthood to bless his family. His final words of the lesson were "it looks like I have a mission to do," in references to sharing the Gospel with his very large family, only 3 of whom are members.

 

I know Jesus Christ lives. I love Him. I know Heavenly Father watches over me. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, just as the name implies. I hope that I can share that with more people in the years to come.

 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

The Best Two Years

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

As missionaries we live to help people live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are not perfect at it (for which many call us hypocrites), but for two years I can say I have given it my all.  Next week's letter will be hard to write, but this week's isn't much easier.  At this point I don't even know what to say.  Two years goes by so fast that when the end comes it doesn't feel real.  Perhaps it will be when I see my family that it finally hits me.  Perhaps when I step foot on BYU's campus.  Maybe it never really will.  All I can say is that these two years have meant everything to me.  To try and put into words what it has done for me isn't possible (though its certainly a bit easier now that I'm speaking English for a majority of that day again).

Utah has become a place special to me.  Ironic.  When I go home I will leave a part of my heart here.  Two years does something to you.  Or perhaps it's two years serving people and God.  Whatever it is, it has meant a lot to me.  People always say that nothing in sports compares with high school.  Hopefully its not that way when it comes to serving God after a mission.  

This week we continued teaching Awasio, our friend from Turk (a small island near Guam).  The man is simply incredible.  We ask him questions about life and God, and the answers come so profoundly back to us.  The Gospel is something already in him, as if we don't need to teacher, but rather remind him that he already knows.  He is going to be baptized this week.  It will be special.  

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

"A Break Through"

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

It feels like every week I say the same thing: I don't have a lot of time to write.  Sorry.

So this week I thought I would mix it up a bit and actually write a little.

One of the people we are teaching right now is a retired Air Force interpreter named Sarah (name changed) and her 8 year old daughter, Jo-Ann (name also changed).  Sarah first heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka...LDS Church, aka...Mormons) from her friend in the Air Force.  Someone in one of their classes made a harsh joke about LDS Temples and another student asked them if they knew that a soldier in the back of the room was a member of the Church.  That member then explained the real purposes of Temples and everyone went back to work.

But the conversation peaked Sarah's interest so she began to study about the LDS Church and its beliefs.  She went to church with friends to see what it was like and realized that it wasn't crazy or totally foreign.  She kept going, even after she moved to Salt Lake with her daughter.  We, the missionaries, met her and began teaching her and visiting on a weekly basis.  

Just last week she had a break through.  Sarah knew from her Christian upbringing that the Holy Ghost can teach truth, but she didn't feel like she had ever felt it. But last week she was reading the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6 and didn't understand one of the verses.  She said a silent prayer in her heart and suddenly felt, in her own worlds, "something floaty and happy that came from God."  The verse "clicked" in her mind and she understood what it said.  

Now that she has felt that, she is continuing to read the Book of Mormon to ask God if it is a true book of scripture. :) Its been a great experience to watch her read and pray about it.  She is in the book of Helaman already (about 3/4s of the way done) and wants to finish in the next month or so.  I am so excited for her to receive that spiritual witness it is true.  I've felt it in my life and it has been the world of difference to me.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

 

Bob Diaz

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 Only a few more of these letters left.

This past was interesting.  Shocker of the world: Layton and Salt Lake are about as different as two places can possible be in the same state. In Layton, the area was like Johns Creek (middle class America). But here it is so different and I love it. The diversity is incredible.  During a ward Christmas party this past week I met dozens of people from around the world.  And many of the people in these wards struggle financially but are so happy. The Bishop had arranged with another ward to donate hundreds of coats and when the ward saw them, they were overjoyed.  

Most of our days are filled with visiting people and sharing a Christmas message with them about Christ and His birth.  One of my favorite parts of the message is this video: http://www.mormonchannel.org/bible-videos?v=2893093383001

One of the highlights from this past week: meeting a hispanic guy named Bob Diaz.  He was such a happy person and I loved him, but it just cracked me up that his name was Bob Diaz.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

...and the countdown begins.

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 

So I have just a few minute again today.  I'm going to be transferred for the next month of my mission.  I'll be serving in the Liberty Stake (which is just south of Temple Square in Salt Lake City).  My new address will be:

 

637 S 600 E Apt 1B

Salt Lake City, UT

 

My new companion will be Elder Steele.  I'm excited.  I needed a little change near the end of my mission and this is perfect for me. 

 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

 

ps.  Just a reminder.  NO VISITING ME EVEN THOUGH ITS NEAR THE END OF MY MISSION.  STAY AWAY FROM MY HOUSE AND ME. (I mean that in the nicest way possible) :)

Called to Serve in Mormon Mecca

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This past week a few people asked about when I'll be coming home. 

I will be released as a missionary on December 31st but will be staying out here in Utah to start at BYU a few days later.  The weekend of January 17-19 I'll be heading back to Georgia, which is also when I'll be speaking at my church on Sunday (the 19th) but I'm not sure at what time yet. 

These past twenty-some-odd months have been indescribable.  More than two years ago I headed up to Rock Canyon at BYU and opened up a little letter that changed everything for me.  I still remember the first people I told in person: my roommate Jared and his family.  Not one of them knew how to react when I told them I was going an hour up the road to Salt Lake City.  (Although I can't blame them at all for that).  I had called a lot of my immediate family members right after I opened the letter and if I remember correctly, every single one laughed but still was genuinely excited (with a lot of tears mixed in). When I texted my high school lacrosse team to tell them, they were perhaps the most honest of everyone.  Mike Rettker had always made jokes about visiting me in Tahiti or Africa or someplace cool while I was on my mission.  His response to my call to Utah was something to the effect of "I'm sorry."  Most of them asked if I had done something wrong to get sent to Mormon Mecca :) 

Once, at BYU, my friends and I all piled in our cars to head to another part of Utah to be with a friend as he opened his call.  His mom asked us while we were waiting if any of us had calls yet.  Two of us did.  The other person said some place in Mexico, followed by a chorus of "wows" and "oohhs."  Then..."Salt Lake City, Utah."  No one said anything for a few seconds until his mom asked "are you even excited?"  Priceless.

Coming here has been, like I said before, indescribable.   It feels like everything has changed for me.  Its been the best experience of my entire life and has meant everything for me.  The last five weeks will be the best five weeks.

People keep asking how I feel about going home and I don't know how to respond.  Maybe I'll figure that out sometime in the next year or two.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Casually Meetings with Apostles

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This past weekend was awesome.  On Friday morning we had a mission seminar with Elder Bednar (Of the Quorum of the Twelves Apostles) for three and a half hours.  It was a most remarkable experience to hear him bear his witness of Christ.  It greatly increased my testimony. 

Then on Saturday, Sister Stauffer was baptized.  She shared her feelings right after her baptism and put the entire room in tears.  During the luncheon after her baptism we had a surprise visitor: Elder Anderson (Of the Quorum of the Twelves Apostles).  He talked with Sister Stauffer and her two children for a few minutes and took a picture with them.  He was there to reorganize our stake presidency and was able to stop by the baptism for a brief chat.  During the Saturday Evening session of conference, he and another of the speakers talk about her story.  Then in the Sunday morning session, he asked her to stand up (in front of about 2,000 people) and introduced her to all of them.  Both he and Elder Laing (Of the Seventy) talked with her for a few minutes.  There aren't too many things that get a missionary more excited than watching one of the people he has taught be introduced to an Apostle. 

Overall, a very great weekend.  Its been very special to serve in Salt Lake and be around men and women with such faith and testimonies of Christ.  I know that the men we call Apostles truly are special witnesses of Christ.  They witness carries with it a special power and authenticity.  I know that to be true.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

A Tired Missionary

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Lots of fun this past week.  Apparently my photos haven't gone through so I will work on changing that. 

The Prior girls were baptized this past week which was amazing.  They are such an awesome family and now they are all active in the Church.

 

I'm not going to write too much this week because I am just tired and looking at this screen hurts my head.

Have a great week.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

The Ice Cream Bet

Note from the editor ... I'll have to check with Brandon about the pictures that are not coming through.

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

 This past week was great.  Most of the people I taught in the spanish program were adults who wanted to learn more about the Gospel.  But in English its about 50/50 adults vs. children.  Most of the children come from parents who were once actively living the Gospel but fell away.  We help them come back and at the same time, help their children be baptized.  The first picture is Hailey and Dave.  They are legit.  Dave was able to baptize his daughter Hailey this past Saturday. A very special day for them.  The other picture is Camden and Brooklyn.  They are as cool as they look.  Camden was baptized and Brooklyn will be one she turns 8.  Check out that bow tie. 

Halloween night we weren't able to go out and teach.  So we decided to use our time to make a little gift for one of our three Bishops.  We didn't know him too well, so this was out ice-breaker gift. 

We're hoping it will help him remember us.  We also made a deal with him that in 4 weeks, he could give us a test of 10 members in his ward and we could tell him the name and a little bit about those members.  (We cover three ward and about 800 members so it'll be challenge).  If we do it, he owes us ice-cream.  If not, then we owe him ice-cream.  We'll see how it goes.  

Love ya'll,

Elder Colton

 

 

College Rivalries

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

So jokes on you.  I moved again.  My new address is:

689 N Adamswood Drive

Layton, UT 84040

So this past week, I had the pleasure of seeing on of my friends from BYU who just arrived as a new missionary in our mission, Sister Lauren Holbrook.  I've been able to see her a few times and she told me something important: "You show absolutely no excitement in your letters," which was a polite way of saying "your letters are boring".  So...my goal for the next two months will be to spice them up a little.  It'll be difficult because I am me after all, but its worth the try.    

Maybe this is worth something: I'm now serving in a trio again and one of my companions is from Tahiti (how's that for excitement...eh?).  His name is Elder Souday and even though hes almost brand new (two weeks) he is one of the best missionaries I've ever been around.  Not to mention he is giant.  We were moving weights and chairs in our last house and he started curling the 50s like they were nothing.

One of the hardest things over these past few weeks has been finding new people to teach.  The entire area that we cover now is about the size of my neighborhood back home (just a few hundred houses) plus two small apartment complexes (with 50 or apartments total) and two small condo complexes (totaling 30 or so).  We only cover three wards (which is the second smallest in our mission in english), and the other area that small is in Rose Park, which is a whole lot different then Layton (think downtown Atlanta vs. Johns Creek).  We're still teaching a lot of people but its hard to find new ones.    

Sometimes we do fun things as missionaries.  One of the families who we know are University of Utah fans.  And they aren't just any U of U fans, they are extreme.  Season ticket holders, a giant U on their roof, and continuous U of U apparel.

We as missionaries help people make changes in their lives that will make them happier.  This was one of those times...

The house on the right is one family (the U of U fans).  The house on the left is another family who we are close friends with (he is the high counselor over missionary work in the stake).  A local member and we built the "B" and "Y" and put it on the high counselors home.  Now every time the "U" gets lite up, the "BY" go right with it.  Missionaries...always willing to help.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

"That is Exactly How Missionary Work Should Be"

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

I am going to be in heaven for another 6 weeks :)  Last night we found out transfer information and I get to stay here in East Layton for at least another six weeks. And as if that wouldn't be awesome enough, it will be with Elder Thevenin again.  By the time we end our missions, we'll have spent a quarter of our two years together.  Woohoo.

 

Life has been going great up here.  Last night we had a lesson with the family that I wrote about last week.  Both of the girls that haven't been baptized decided that want to be baptized on November 9th.  Their dad is going to baptize them and their grandfather will confirm them.  The whole family is coming to church and they seem to be loving it.  Next week I think I'll write a little bit about how I personally feel about baptism.

We're teaching a ton of people and more people seem to come out of nowhere everyday (which has been far from the norm on my mission).  I've loved my mission like nothing else, but I would be lying if I didn't say that it is so much easier when we're teaching a lot of people.  We're teaching people who aren't actively going to church as much as we are teaching people who aren't members of our church, which has made me realize that that is exactly how missionary work should be.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

"An Awkward Moment..."

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

General Conference was legit but it feels like an eternity ago, not just one week.

We had a really great experience this past weekend.  For a few weeks now we've been visiting a family.  They've been coming back to church in the recent months and its been awesome to see how happy they are. 

The mom goes each week and the dad goes just about every week.  But his daughters were a little more hesitant.  Two are teenagers and one is eleven. When we first visited, the daughters felt kind of awkward (or at least it seemed that way to us) and who can blame them?  Two twenty year old's suddenly walk in and start talking about Jesus Christ and how he can help us, prophets, a plan of salvation, and who knows what else. I would be weirded out at first too (I never realized just how awkward some people feel with us until I was talking with the couple who are our landlords...she was baptized two years ago and is able to give us great insights on what not to do in first lessons).

In our second lesson we had an awkward moment when we started talking about the parents preparing to go to the Temple to be sealed (when a family is joined together for eternity) and pulled out a lesson pamphlet.  Then the dad whispered loudly to us "that was still a secret." Opps...they hadn't told the girls about it yet. The girls were a wee bit surprised, but it worked out well in the end. 

Now they are going to church and are enjoying it.  One of the teenagers isn't baptized and said she wants to be baptized in November.  All of them have said they want to be sealed in December with their parents.  Last night we talked about the plan of salvation and repentance and we could see the "light bulb moment" happen for one of the girls.  They are one of my favorite families from my mission. 

Only a few months left but it will be the best few months of my mission. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Life: Experiences and Realizations

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

My companion and I changed houses this past week so our new address is:

Elder Brandon Colton
1262 N 1450 E
Layton, UT 84040

We're living in the basement of a family from our church and they are legit. If you already sent letters don't worry about it.  I can still go back to my old house and pick them up when they get there.

This past weekend was a little bit interesting.  Here's a summary...
 
1. Seeing Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Dave, and Aunt Julie.  Thank goodness for all those "law and religion symposium" signs which led me right to them as we left the Sunday morning session. 

2. Got caught in the middle of a family fight.  Imagine a dad and his adult son arguing with another 20 family members with their heads down trying to be invisible.  Not pleasant.

3.  Helped a 12 year old girl be baptized after her waiting for 4 years (her mom wouldn't let her before that).  She basically taught us the missionary lessons rather than vice-versa.  Doesn't look like the mom understood the doctrine of 8 years old as the age of accountability.

4. Watching the Sunday morning session of conference from seats very, very close to the pulpit. 

5. Watching the Sunday afternoon session with one of the families we're teaching and another family from our church.

6. Listen to President Monson chastise the world for either not home-teaching, or home-teaching the wrong way, and then listening to members talk about it and not realize they were just told by a Prophet of God that they need to repent.

7. Realizing that in one year, none of the Colton kids will be teenagers (sorry Mom). 

8. Realizing that in two weeks, I'll start my last full transfer as a missionary.  That freaks me out. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Living the Good Life

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Unfortunately I only have 45 minutes of email time today and spent most of it emailing my family.  Everything has been going wonderful up here in Layton.  We're teaching 15+ lessons a week (which is a lot for Layton) and having so much fun.  I love this Gospel and love what I'm doing. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

"Maybe White People Aren't Half Bad"

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This past week has been another wonderful one.  We're teaching many people and having such a great time (maybe white people aren't half bad). 

One of the reasons that its been so great is because every Thursday evening at 7:00, our stake holds an open house that stake members invite their friends to.  Each week we have less-active members of our stake and people of other faiths joining us for presentations on the different organizations in the Church. Its legit. One ward "sponsors" the open house each week and we're just about done with the opening round and will start back at the first ward again. 

People are genuinely curious on what goes on in a Mormon church or what its like (or at least they are here in Utah...and I imagine its the same everywhere else). 

One of the families that we've grown close to is a mother and father with their two kids.  The parents have had rough lives and in the past years have been getting out of drugs.  The mom has been going to church for a month or so trying to make sure they keep the changes they've already made.  And her 14 year old super rebellious son came to church this past week (we nearly passed out we were so surprised).  On Saturday morning she is getting baptized at 10:00.  We're very excited.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Heaven on Earth

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

I am in heaven.  We must have one of the most missionary minded stakes in the entire world.  The people here are incredible and we're teaching a ton.

But I am going to be "that" missionary this week and not write anything.  We've been super busy and I just don't have time this week.  Sorry.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

"The Work of the Lord is Hastening"

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well...surprise: I was already transferred, and on Wednesday will be transferred again.  Last Monday night at 9:00, our missionary president, President Hansen, called me and told me that Tuesday morning I would be leaving Glendale and heading up to Farmington to serve as an English missionary.  So right now I'm serving in Farmington.  I went from covering half of a spanish branch (congregation) to covering three english stakes (which is the equivalent of 25 congregations).  A little bit different.  Glendale is sort of the ghetto of Salt Lake and Farmington is the Johns Creek.  Basically like going from downtown Atlanta to Johns Creek. 

But its been a great change.  I've loved it with all my heart up here. (And on that note, don't send any letters for a week or so until you get my new address).  My last companions promised to forward any letters that were already sent. 

And on Wednesday, I'll be moving up to Layton to serving with Elder Thevenin again (I served with a year ago in South Salt Lake).  And I'm staying in English, which is exactly what I've been hoping and praying for.  We've had some great experiences.

On Saturday night, a member from one of the wards called us and asked us to come to his house for dinner at 7:00 on Sunday.  He told us that his sister-in-law wanted to meet with us. 

When we got there, we met Nate and Jordan (a young couple from the ward), along with Jordan's little sister, Kinsie.  Jordan grew up here in Utah and was baptized three years ago when a friend invited her to church on the pretense that there were cute guys there.  Nate is a returned missionary who served in El Salvador.  Kinsie is a senior in high school and hasn't grown up in really any religion but has always believed in God.  Her sister had shared a lot with her about hte Gospel.  And she is legit.  She had already decided she wants to be baptized and basically just asked us to help her get ready. 

As we share the Gospel with our friends and invite them to learn more, they will accept that invitation.  Pray about how to share with specific people and God will answer you.  Ask the missionaries for ideas.  If they are good missionaries, they will help you invite your friends, not try to go around you to reach your friends.  Ask me for suggestions if you have any questions.  The work of the Lord is hastening.  I see it everyday and I hope you can see it to. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Ivan is Alive!!!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This past week has been one of the best of my mission for so many reasons, but I'll just share one.  The first Sunday of every month at my church is what we call "Fast and Testimony Meeting" during our main worship service (aka...sacrament meeting).  The "fast" refers to our practice of fasting (abstaining from food and water) on the first Sunday of each month, and the "testimony" refers to our sacrament meeting becoming an opportunity for everyone to share their thoughts and feelings about the Savior, the gospel, the Restoration, and life from the pulpit. 

So on Sunday I went up to the pulpit and shared my feelings about the Savior.  Earlier in the meeting I had noticed a middle-aged Mexican man walk in and he looked familiar.  When I was up front, I recognized him.  His name was Ivan Cid Martinez.  He was a man who I baptized nearly a year and a half ago when I was in my first area (Rose Park).  Two weeks after his baptism, he went back to Mexico because his mom was sick.  His brother, who still lived in Rose Park, told us he hadn't heard anything for 4 months and they had accepted that he died during the crossing.  So for the past year I have just assumed that Ivan Cid was dead.  Surprise!!

He lives in my new area and for the past few months has been coming to church on each Sunday that he didn't have to work.  We had a happy reunion and he is planning on making a few visits with us in the coming weeks.  A very, very happy day for both of us. 

 

Heavenly Father knows us so perfectly that it truly amazes me.  Ivan is at the perfect moment in his life to progress even further in the Gospel, and no-one except God Himself has more of an interest in his progress than me.  I love this Gospel so much.  I'm so grateful for what I have learned over these past 20 months. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

ps. If you have any General Conference tickets they would be most appreciated.

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