Week Two

Hello all!

First off I'd like to genuinely thank everyone who has sent a letter or email to me. It means the world to me to know that you're thinking about me and want to know what's happening. All the advice has been greatly appreciated.

This week has been awesome! We are starting to get into a groove here at the MTC, for which I am extremely grateful because I have a long way to go! We just started Week 3 here.

In answer to mom's question about my zone...My zone is not only missionaries going to Singapore. We have missionaries going to Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Madagascar. Basically we have the "why the heck would you ever learn that language" zone. (A zone is made up of several districts)

Malay is the bomb! But it turns out I kinda lied to everyone (about what the mission is like). At least, the information I had about the Singapore mission was how the mission was 10 years ago. I can actually tract and street contact and everything! Just can't teach people of the Muslim faith. In fact, my mission could be compared to South America, where loads of people get baptized! One of my teachers baptized ninety nine people on his mission to Malaysia.  NINETY NINE PEOPLE. 99. Mind blown. I will have the opportunity to help bring so many people to Christ! I am SO stoked. 

Some places, however, are still non-proselyting areas, and those are the places where the conditions are no tracting and no talking to random people while you serve.

It is so important to focus on the Atonement (the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ) here. It's what makes anything and everything possible in this church! Read 2 Nephi 2 and you'll see that we have a very bad fate without the magnificent Atonement. So grateful for it.

Something I have been learning here is that in order to help someone change, you have to really care for that person. It's not about getting a number of baptisms; it's legitimately changing people's lives and genuinely wanting to help them be saved! "The worth of a soul is great in the eyes of God" (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10) and in order to help convert that person or help bring them closer to Jesus Christ, their soul must be great in YOUR eyes as well. 

The mission is unreal! It just seems normal to be out here! The only bit of homesickness came when I heard the roars of the BYU-Utah game. Keep it down, will ya?!?!

Tell Maddy happy birthday! I am so excited for her to get here! The MTC is awesome, and she'll thrive here. She can sing during her Branch's sacrament meetings while she's here. Also, I will only be able to shake her hand...whatever. Jokes. Exact obedience, baby!

Saya menyayangi kamu dan keluarga kita. Love you all! Letters are so appreciated! If I haven't written you back, please just know that every word you send to me means the world and I love it!

Saya tahu Bapa Syurgawi kita menyayangi kamu, saya, dan semua anak-Nya. Saya tahu kitab Mormon benar dan Joseph Smith nabi benar.  Gereja Kita gereja Yesus Kristus. (Translation: I know our Heavenly Father loves you, me, and all of His children. I know the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet. We are the church of Jesus Christ.)

Godspeed,

Elder Coleman

Raintree Apartments, where our classrooms are.

The "why the heck would you learn that language" zone

   The mountains are COVERED in snow today! (9/26/13) Winter is coming and I love it. You know how the air starts breathing differently when it's cold outside? I don't know how to explain it, but it's unreal! Like fresh air or something! I love it!! 

200 W where we see the outside world like 3 times every day hahaha