IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER THAN THIS?!

With Santi in Tawau

Hello everyone!

It was a great week out here in Kota Kinabalu. Well, KK and Sandakan and Tawau. As the zone leaders here in Sabah, we get to go on splits in two areas that are an hour flight away. So Wednesday and Thursday we spent in Sandakan and Tawau, respectively. 

Some of you may recognize the funky looking word Tawau - yes, that was one of my former areas! So I got to go back to a place that is really in my heart and visit some of the best members there. So special to me was to go back to visit Sister Evelyn and Brother Kenneth, whose husband/father passed away while I was serving there last April. So special. Another incredible thing was visiting Santi. When I was serving in Tawau, I taught her with Elder Yang and got her to church. Then after I got transferred, she got baptized!!! I said to her "How has the church been?? How has your life changed?" She said, "I'm just happy all the time. My family and I are just happy all the time. Thank you Elder Coleman." IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER THAN THIS?! Right afterwards I said to her "Hahahah I told you!!" Funny and happy times.

In Sandakan, I was part of helping Elder McCown teach a new investigator, Mary. We taught her about the Restoration of the Gospel, through the prophet Joseph Smith - and after inviting her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, we invited her to be baptized. She will be baptized in December! It was cool to play a small part of that experience. 

This past Tuesday, something miraculous happened. I was going with Elder Parker to go grab some duit from the ATM, and we passed by some massage chairs (random details) with two women sitting in them. I recognized one of them, and she smiled at me, but I couldn't place from where I knew her. So I told Elder Parker I knew them, and he said on the way back we would go talk to them. Okay, why not right? Well... The girl I knew works in a shop around the corner, and I had contacted her once before. Well, we explained to her (C) and her cousin (D) about our purpose here, and D asked us for a pamphlet to read. We gave her one about the Book of Mormon with our number written on the back of it - but forgot to get her number!! It was a little late and so we were hurrying, but Elder Parker and I looked at each other in the elevator, and we were both like dang, never see them again. About 30 minutes later, we get a text on our phone: 

"I would like a copy of the Book of Mormon. D" WHAT THE HECK?! We were stoked!!  It gets better from there but just know they're both learning now and reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. We meet them tonight again. Solid potential. We shall see!

Things are looking up. Elder Parker and I are getting along great, and we are turning to the Lord in all we do (Alma 37:34-37)* and we feel like we are starting to witness the workings of the Lord in KK here. Funnily enough, whenever I see success on my mission, it all starts when I just commit myself and work hard, and then almost separately to my own efforts, I start to see things going - a further witness that it is the Lord doing His work, and I'm just there to see it happen and be thankful to be a part of the process. Pretty legit.

Love you all!! This gospel is really the truth!

Malaysia Boleh!

Elder Clay Coleman

*Alma 37: 34-37

34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.

 35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

 36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

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