June 28, 2015

Hey!

So this week was a great one! We got two new missionaries into our area, Elder Smith and my Boy, Elder Perks. It was a pretty fun week because we got some chances to teach our investigators, who are all doing well enough, and we also had an opportunity to.... Clean! We organized a lot of the stuff about the area. Anyway, I learned this week that planning for the long run is super important, even if it means sacrificing some time in the short run. 

My spiritual thought for the week is something that I found in Hebrews 4. 

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.

Just like us, our Master Jesus Christ faced trials and temptations, but fortunately for all of us, he never yielded to those temptations. Because of that, he can feel our infirmities and he understands what we are going through and how we suffer; but he also knows how to overcome those infirmities. Because of the Savior’s atonement, we can do as Paul says, "obtain mercy" through His death and suffering, but we can also "find grace" or divine help when we need it. I testify that Christ is the Savior of the World. I know that He walked the roads of Galilee, that He ministered to the humble, healed the sick, and taught His gospel to those with a contrite heart. I know that His arm is outstretched to reach all of us, no matter our situation and no matter what mistakes we have made. I hope that the people I teach, those who are impacted by my mission or by any missionary, and those who follow Christ's words can learn for themselves through diligent prayer and study, that Christ is indeed the Risen Son of God. 

I love you all, 

Elder Coleman

June 14, 2015

To my friends and family,

This week has been a pretty ordinary week of finding, learning, and teaching people about the gospel of Christ. But one thing that has not been ordinary and that thing is... Ping pong. Before I left on my mission I never played ping pong aside from the occasional time at someone's house, but I never really enjoyed it. Now that I have been forbidden to play basketball, I play ping pong instead and get lessons from Korean teachers. Super fun, they are so good. But apparently I have been improving!  In the past, Korea used to have a lot of places to play ping pong, but now they mostly have been replaced by PC places and video games. So a lot of people love to come to our church to play ping pong. 

Anyway my spiritual thought for this week is on the Book of Mormon and specifically its witness of Jesus Christ. For the past 2 months I have read through the book every day and I just finished it this past Saturday. Also, throughout this week, I have had an unusually large number of opportunities to teach about it and to study about it. As I testify and as I read, my testimony of the Book of Mormon, specifically of its important testimony of Christ, has grown so much. It simply, powerfully, and unconditionally testifies of the Savior, His divine role, and our responsibility if we want to follow him. The Bible wonderfully accomplishes this same task, but in the Book of Mormon we find clarity for certain passages in the Bible. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that it testifies of Christ. I know that by following the precepts in it, we can become closer to God and find our purpose in this life.

I love you all,

Elder Coleman 

June 7, 2015

To my friends and family,

Super fun week. Thank you all for the birthday wishes and also the prayers that you give for all the missionaries in the field. We feel them and it gives us strength to do the things that we have to do, no matter how difficult they are. 

The highlights of this week were probably our interviews with our mission president and also that we were able to get dominoes twice and one time for free with one of our investigators. We also had a lot of success talking with people on the street this week. Several times this week people actually came up to us and wanted to talk to us. So that was strange, but super nice.

Korean culture for the week. don't put your chopsticks in your rice or point the bottom of your shoe at people: both are rude ( you are welcome mom).

I don't have much of a spiritual thought to say for this week, but I will say that obedience brings blessings, but diligence brings miracles. If we obey the commandments without enthusiasm, then we will get the same in return. If we diligently read our scriptures (흡족하게 취한가) or pray earnestly or go to church with the intent to learn something, then we will see those miracles. 

I love you all,

Elder Coleman

May 31, 2015

To my friends and family,

Today I want to talk about one of the most powerful tools we have in this life. A tool that we can use to find peace and also find strength in our daily life. That tool is prayer. Prayer is more than saying or thinking words silently to yourself, or just rolling over in our beds and mumbling some words. Prayer is a principle of power that is connected to our faith. Prayer demonstrates our reliance on God and our willingness to ask him for what we need.

This past week, we had the opportunity to have a combined conference with the missions in Seoul. My Mission President and his wife both talked about prayer and used two verses that illustrate principles I think are critical.

“Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.” (D&C 67:1)

God declares that he hears our prayers, knows our hearts, and feels our desires. Many people that I teach struggle to pray, mainly because they feel that it will do them no good or that they feel uncomfortable doing it. But I know that as we pray, God hears our prayers. I know that not because I have gotten an answer to every prayer immediately or that I have seen a vision, but because as I have been patient with God and sought for his will and timing, I have begun to recognize the answers to those prayers.

“And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer. And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.” (Alma 33:6-8)

I know that the Lord will hear our prayers as we continue to ask in faith. When we pray, we must pray according to the feelings of our heart and ask for things that we need. I know that God hears all of his children's prayers and it is our responsibility to have the patience and the faith to recognize those answers.

I love you all,

Elder Coleman