The Ten Commandments

November 20, 2016

Hey everyone!

This week was a good one! We were super busy and we had a lot of disappointments but if I have learned anything on this mission here in Korea it is that we can still be happy when we are in the midst of difficulty. This is because I know that even if we have some difficulties now, in the future if we try to do our best, we will eventually succeed and be happy. This belief comes from my belief in a God who rewards those who follow his commandments and try to do those things that he asks us to do. 

Recently when teaching people I have realized that a lot of people (myself included) forget some of the most basic commandments that if we kept them, we would be able to stay on a path to happiness and peace. I hope you take some time to read them and think about the 10 Commandments. They are for our benefit and they are for our day as well. I hope that as you study them you will find ways that we can all be more obedient and better people. These are not rules with punishments attached to them. They are guidelines that lead us to safety and peace with eternal blessings along the way.  I know that if we try to keep them, we will be able to live happier lives.

Elder Coleman 

1.  “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

2.  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (Exodus 20:4).

3.  “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

4.  “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

5.  “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12).

6.  “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

7.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

8.  “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15).

9.  “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16).

10.  “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17)

Loving Others

November 13, 2016

Hey everyone!

This week was a little crazy! I am training and in a threesome so we are all over the place all the time and it has just been a little bit unorganized. But we are figuring it out so that is good. This week we spent a lot of time teaching lessons, which of course is the best and that is when I am the most happy. Plus, my back which has been bothering me a good amount has gotten a lot better so that is something else to be grateful for!

Today I actually had a great opportunity to finish the Book of Mormon. I have read it several times on my mission and each time when I read it, I try and focus on something that is important to me at the time. This past reading, I focused on happiness and finding joy in the journey. If I am to summarize what I learned, it would be this: keep God's commandments always, be grateful in all circumstances, and cling to faith, hope, and charity. I wanted to talk about the last one for a little bit.

Some people who are reading this not might know the story of the Book of Mormon perfectly or at all, but anyways it is about a family who follows the Lord’s commandments to come to a promised land. There they build up a society and worship Christ for almost 1000 years. Then, eventually they become very wicked and were eventually destroyed. But anyway the point of this short explanation is so that I can share what one of the last prophets thought about their situation.

“For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.”

When I read this section this morning I thought a lot about the world today. How many problems would we really have if we just loved each other? Of course, everyone says that but do we ever actually try to do it? Would you ever get divorced while loving and serving your wife or husband every day? Would countries ever go to war if they sat down and respected one another and each other’s cultures? I know that if we just loved each other we would have a much better world. Yea, it’s true that we probably cannot influence the whole world and fix the problems that we have, but we can fix our families, our friend group, and those around us. I like this verse from the scriptures as well.

“And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they!”

I have people ask me everyday questions like what do I have to do to be happy? How can I be saved? Why am I  not happy in my life? I will give some practical counsel. If you have a family love them with all of your heart and with all of your mind and with all of your strength. Serve someone every single day. Never speak ill of anyone, backbite, or speak in anger towards anyone else. If you will try to do this, which I will try to do this week and in the coming months and years as well, you will be blessed with happiness whether or not you believe in a God or in Christ. By giving up yourself and trying to love others, your heart will expand and it will be filled. I also know that if we seek to love others and pray every day for that love, we will be given the strength to love the people that are not easy to love.

I love you all, even though of course our love is never perfect,

Elder Coleman

Stepping First

November 16, 2016

My families and friends!

What a crazy week! I started training a new missionary this week and we also have elder Perry with us (3 in our group now). So that has been an adventure and will continue to be so.

This week I have looked back a lot on the past 2 years. On the 5th of November 2 years ago I started my mission, so my group that I started my mission with is now at home hugging their moms and having a nice hamburger. So, when I got to see them off to America I thought about the things that I have learned in the past 2 years. Of course, I have learned a lot of Korean and a lot of things about people, but I think I can summarize the other things pretty fast.

Before I started my mission, I believed a lot of things. I believed that I had a Father in Heaven who loved me and heard my prayers. I believed that I had a Savior, Jesus Christ, who also loved me and suffered for my sins. I believed that there was a prophet on the Earth in our church that helped us better understand God's will and guided us to truth. And I believed that if I obeyed the things the things that God said, I would be happy.

I wish I could say that I had all the answers to my questions. I wish that I knew why some people are so blessed and some suffer so much. I wish that I knew why God sometimes allows good people to pass through trials that seem too hard for them to bear. But whenever I think about the things I don't know I remember a scripture in the Book of Mormon

“And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”

If we knew all things in this life, we would not have any need to walk in faith. If we didn't experience trials, we would have no need to hope for a better life. If I could share the thing that I have learned (so far) that is most valuable on my mission if would be this; you must step before you can see. We will never know if God loves us or not until we pray and ask. We will not know that Jesus Christ is our Savior until we learn of him and repent. We will not know if there is a true prophet until we listen to his words. And we will never find the happiness that surpasses all understanding until we first take a step and live the commandments. So now after over 21 years of being a part of this church, learning from great parents and teachings, and living and not living the commandments there are some things that I have come to know because of my own personal experience. I know that anyone who diligently and sincerely seeks for this testimony can also receive it.

I know there is a God, and I know that he is my Father and that I can communicate with him every day when I pray. I know that I have a Savior who suffered for my sins and gives me the chance to overcome my mistakes and weaknesses. I know that there is a prophet on this earth, I have seen him with my own eyes and heard his words and I have felt in my heart and in my mind that he speaks for God. And I know that there is no other path to true and lasting happiness without following the Savior’s teachings. I hope and pray that all of you will have similar experiences and find the same testimony that I have found. I hope that we can all continue learning and grow step by step to become who our Father in Heaven wants us to be.

I love you all,

Elder Coleman