August 25, 2014

Dear Friends and family,

Hope you enjoyed last weeks email........Ok I got lazy and didn't
write one but this week, I am repenting. We had an amazing week.
Transfers are this week (already) and I am receiving Elder B______ so
that should be exciting. So last week, we got a referral from a sister
in the ward whose cousin was interested about hearing the lessons. So
of course we were very excited. She has come to church twice and is on
date to be baptized! It has been an amazing experience watching her
feel the Spirit and while our traditions aren't what she is use to,
the Atonement is changing her life.

We also are teaching A______, an awesome guy who loves martial arts. He
has investigated the Church before. His retention is awesome and can
teach us back. He is super cool and also wants to be baptized.

So this week, we had stake conference. The whole Saturday Session was
devoted to missionary work so I was all ears. As I listened, one
message stood out to me, and that was charity. I'm sure that was the
Holy Ghost telling me that I should work on it. So, I studied up some
more and read Moroni 7:45 for the hundreth time. I learned something
new though, and that's why I love the Scriptures. It says, "And
charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not
puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no
evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth,
beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things." In normal English this says that Charity is patient,
kind, humble, selfless, peaceful, and righteous. This is Charity and
it is what I want to be like. I know as we all come to develop
Chirst-like love, we will be happy, because we will see people as they
really are. I love all of you and have a great week!

Love,
Elder Spencer Coleman

August 11, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Things are going well here. So maybe 4 hours after my email last week, I
rolled my ankle playing volleyball:( That was really painful but I
tried to endure. I took the old motto "Pain is just weakness leaving
the body" and toughed it out. Unfortunately, it turns out that the more
you work on it, the more it hurts. Who knew?

We did have a cool spiritual experience this week. Another set of
missionaries in the stake found a family of 7 and the mom and dad got
baptized on Saturday. The Spirit testified that they were doing the
right thing. I know that as we make correct choices that the Holy
Ghost will let us know through our feelings that we are doing the
right thing. I love all of you and have a great week!

Love,
Elder Spencer Coleman

August 4, 2014

Dear Friends and Family,

Good week, not as amazing as last week but still really good. We found
a new investigator that use to be investigating the church, but was
arrested the day of his baptism for not paying fines. So after a year
of try bys, we got in!

So lately, I've been reading Ye Olde Testament. A forewarning, I would
not necessarily recommend it unless you really like to learn and
really like to look at genealogies. Anyway, as missionaries, we teach
that God has revealed His gospel in every dispensation of time and
that, because He is merciful, He reaches out to us all the time, even
when we don't accept Him. I have seen that in the Old Testament. As
I've looked past all the craziness of the Old Testament, (for
craziness, see Judges 3:16-22, 4:21, 1 Kings 18:40, 2 Kings 2:23-24,
not all the examples, but my favorites. Not trying to hurt your
testimonies of the Old Testament...) I've seen that this is true and that
even though they, "refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy
wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in
their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but
thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and of great kindness, and forsookest them not." (Nehemiah 9:17) I
know that God is ALWAYS reaching out to us so please take His hand. I
love you all and have a great week!

Love,
Elder Spencer Coleman