Monday, September 23, 2013

From: Spencer Coleman <scoleman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 1:59 PM
Subject: Transfers...again
To: Lori Coleman <lcoleman@byu.net>

Dear friends and family,

 

Elder Matthews and I had an awesome week this week! Lately, our zone has been doing the "Fast and the Forty." We started on the 12th and the goal was to find 40 new investigators for the rest of the month. So we fasted that Sunday, and encouraged all the members we had dinner with to pray for us to find those 40 people. Well, this week, we saw the miracles that always come from fasting and prayer. First, on Wednesday, we had a lesson that Elder Miles and I tracted into last week. We arranged for someone to go with us and were very hopeful. Wednesday morning, we got there and chairs were set up outside and she was ready to learn. We taught her the Restoration and she loved how our church believes in prophets, personal revelation, and organization that comes from God. We invited her to come to church, and she came with two of her kids!!! We're following up with her on Wednesday to see how it went. Then, later that day, we saw a former investigator family with our ward mission leader. They talked to us about their concerns, which were many, and we followed the Spirit on how to best resolve them. The Spirit was there, testifying to them that what we were saying was true. Our ward mission leader did a great job of fellowshipping and we are excited to see them progress!

 

Member missionary work combined with fasting and prayer really is the key to success. As you can see, the members here in Selah have prayed for us and attended lessons, testifying of the truth of our message. When we pray, and combine it with fasting, miracles always occur. Alma 6:6 says: "Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God." Fasting has led to many of the miracles I have experienced thus far on my mission. I know that when were care enough about something to sacrifice 2 whole meals and give of our finances, the Lord has promised us that he will "open the windows of heaven." The windows of heaven were truly opened this week. I know that as we pray for missionary experiences and work diligently so we can find the elect, we will find success and the wonderful happiness that accompanies it.

 

So transfers are this week and I will be staying in Selah and receiving Elder Maughn (I think that's how its spelled). I'm super excited for the upcoming transfer and the wonderful things that are happening in Selah!!!

 

Elder Spencer Coleman

September 16, 2013

Greetings "Kindred and Noble Friends",

 

It was a great week in Selah this week! We're working our hardest to find people to teach and may have hit the jackpot. There is a family that was investigating the church a while back and sort of stopped coming for various reasons. Recently, the mom referred us to her grandmother who was interested in coming to church up in Everett WA. So, we decided to stop by and maybe start meeting with them again. We went by and we talked for a little bit and they really wanted us to come by again and teach them! They also wanted to come back to church! We are going to see them this week with our ward mission leader and invite them to church and the whole 9 yards. Miracles do happen!

 

This week in my scripture study, I studied Ether 12. Moroni talks a lot about faith and its purpose. Specifically, Ether 12:6 has really impacted my mission. We "receive no witness until AFTER the trial of our faith." This one line has guided me through the toughest of times, but the rest of the chapter is often lost on me. The rest focuses on faith, hope, and charity. These three Christlike attributes are what missionary work is all about. In D&C 4:5 it says: "And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him [or her] to the work." As we develop these attributes, our ability to share the gospel increases. Back to Ether 12, as our faith increases, through obedience to God's commandments, we grow in Hope as well. These two attributes are inseparably connected. Hope is the anchor of our souls. It allows us to see what the eye cannot see and hear what the ear cannot hear. Hope gives us direction and a purpose: that we are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father, who wants us to return to Him; however, even with the faith to do miracles and the hope to endure to the end, without charity, we are nothing. Charity, the pure love of Christ, is the Why of missionary work. As we love our fellow brothers and sisters as God loves them, a new light will come into our lives. On my mission, even when doors are slammed in my face, I have tried to pray with "all the energy of heart, that I may be filled with His love" (Moroni 7:48). Charity, the desire for others to return to our Father in Heaven, is why Jesus Christ went through all that he did, so that we may become as He is. THIS is charity. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). As we give of our time and talents for the benefit of others, our love for those we serve will increase and "when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure." Love is the PURE love of Christ so that when we have charity, we will be pure. I know that as we love those around us, we will see how God sees us and we will want to serve our fellowmen accordingly. I love you all and may God bless you with his boundless mercy!

 

Love,

Elder Spencer Coleman

9/3/13

 

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Another interesting week in the Great Selah area. We mostly tracted, and found a few potential investigators. Finding is really tough out here, but we're getting there. This may seem hard to believe, but I kinda like tracting. It makes you feel like you are searching out God's children and being a productive servant of the Lord. I don't know what we would do if our mission took it away, like so many other missions. We probably won't do too much because we don't have any investigators. That's alright, they'll come in time.

 

I was feeling a little down because of this, and I decided to search the scriptures for some great missionaries. The very first one that came to mind was Ammon. Not because he cut lots of arms of, but because of his faith. I was reading Alma 26 and came across a scripture that hit me really hard. It's Alma 26:22,27 and Ammon says:

 

"Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance."

 

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

 

This showed me that I need to faith that we WILL have success as we repent and strive to be more obedient, and pray constantly. We pray before everything now and its been cool to feel the Spirit that has come into my life. I've learned that success is not measured by the outward results, but by the inward commitment. I was also reflecting over the Atonement in the car as we were driving. As I sat pondering, two of my favorite songs came on: "Come thou Fount" and "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul" by Vocal Point played right in a row. It came to me that Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, has gone through the EXACT same things I have. When he taught, most people didn't listen and mocked Him. As shown above in Alma, He had perfect faith, had no need for repentance, and certainly prayed to His Father continually. Still, He had little outward success; however, His atoning sacrifice was the single, most important act ever accomplished in all of eternity. If it was not for Him, we would be left to our own devices and would certainly perish, both spiritually and temporally, but through His grace and mercy, salvation is possible to all those who come unto Him. I love the word in both of these songs:

 

"Never can I repay thee, Lord,

But I can love thee. Thy pure word,

Hath it not been my one delight,

My joy by day, my dream by night?

Then let my lips proclaim it still,

And all my life reflect thy will." ("Savior, Redemer of my Soul", v.2)

 

"O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above" ("Come thou Fount", v.3)

 

Christ is there reaching out to all of us. Take His mighty hand, for His "yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light" (Matt. 11:30). He will strengthen you, even through the hardest of times. He is and will be there to carry us along. I love my Master and I am out here to serve Him with all my might, mind, and strength. I love you all and my God bless you all!

 

Love,

Elder Spencer Coleman