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

A Hunger to Learn

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

This coming Wednesday we have transfers so I would probably not send any mail my way for the next week or so until I find out if I stay here or can give you my new address.  

Last Sunday, a local nurse who served a mission in El Salvador brought her friend (whose name is Salvador) to church with her, and he loved it.  We set up a lesson for the next day.  At the end of the lesson he asked if we could meet again the next day.  At the end of that lesson he asked the same thing.  He literally wants to meet with us everyday.  

I don't know if in my entire mission I have seen someone with such a hunger to learn.  He grew up Catholic in Mexico but while he was there he converted to a Christian Church.  His family nearly disowned him for the choice and he lost nearly all his friends.  Two years ago he came here to Utah and met with missionaries a few times but never was super interested.  Then he met Kali (the nurse) and asked her "why are missionaries already trying to baptize me when I've already been baptized in another church?"  Now he gets it.  His family will probably be upset all over again, but he feels its right.  He is planning to be baptized on August 17th.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Things Are Looking Up

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

It's amazing how quickly the missionary work in an area can turn around.  This past weekend our branch president (aka...the pastor) and our branch mission leader (aka...the one who is supposed to help the members share the Gospel) met and put together some plans.  We also had a former missionary (who served in El Salvador) bring a friend of her's to church.  His first question: "I want to know about baptism and what Mormons think about it, because I always have people inviting me to get baptized."  Not to mention a 10 year old girl brought her best friend to church.  Who says you need to be old to do missionary work.  

Sandra also came to sacrament meeting (the main worship service) and had a great experience.  She is focusing right now on praying and asking God if the Book of Mormon is true.  She feels like it is but wants to be a little more certain.  Her husband has really opened up to us.  He loves having us over now and is always willing to listen.  He says he wants to change, but he doesn't want to be hypocritical in that change, which he interprets as wanting the change to come from within. We're helping him pray and we're going to invite him to read the Book of Mormon with his family each night.  Please pray for him to have a softened heart.  They are such a great family.  They need this Gospel in their lives right now.

Next week we have transfers so I would probably not send me any letters for the next week or two until I find out if I'm staying in the same area or leaving. 

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

Go Cadet Kevin!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well if anyone was ever in doubt about which of the Colton kids was coolest, we now have the answer: 

That's my LITTLE brother.  

Anyways.  I don't have too much to write about his week.  It's been rough recently finding anyone to teach but the worst is behind us.  We're just going to put smiles on and move forward.  

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

A European Mission

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

Well...after 24 years of dread the day has finally arrived.  My parents are officially empty-nesters. Kevin started college last week.  Oh the tragedy.

Life is still fairly difficult here in Salt Lake but nothing that is getting us down.  We spend all day, everyday (except for 8 hours on Monday when we shop and clean and exercise for a bit) trying to find people to teach. Recently it has felt more like a European mission where the missionaries are lucky to find one people a week who will listen to them than a Utah one.

We still are teaching Sandra Vargas and her daughter, Natalia.  Tonight we have a lesson with them which we are super excited for.  They are reading the Book of Mormon right now and praying to find out if its true.  We found out that Natalia actually met with missionaries on her own just 6 months ago (she had parental permission).  Kind of incredible for a 13 year old.

Despite the obvious lack of success we've had here we are still keeping working hard and trying our best to work smart.  I know Jesus Christ lives.  I know Heavenly Father loves us.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton

People In Our Path

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

On Saturday night, Elder Martinez and I were walking towards a family we wanted to visit when we starting talking with a man named Levi.  Within the first minutes he mentioned to us that he had decided to finally go to a drug rehab center to fix his life up.  He had been on drugs since he was in his early twenties and though he had tried to go to the rehab center before, he was always rejected because he never committed enough.  Thirty minutes earlier he had been sitting up on the mountain crying about his life and the path he had taken.  He decided he was fed up and wanted to change and fix everything; so he started the hour walk to the rehab center.

And that was when we ran into him.  We were right in front of a chapel when we met him so we invited him in to talk about the Atonement of Christ and how that can help him.  

Five minutes earlier we had called a local member to give a ride up the hill, so he and his wife showed up right about at the beginning of the lesson.

For 30 minutes or so we talked with him about repentance and how Christ and help him fix his life if he will exercise his faith.  Suddenly a desire to change formed into a absolutely resolution to change.  The member couple drove him the rest of the way to the rehab center and he said that as soon as he gets out and finishes the changes he wants to make that he wants to be baptized to start his life fresh.  

God simple puts people in our path.  Cool.

Love ya'll,

-Elder Colton