MTC LIFE - First email home

Well hello there!

Before you chastise me for not emailing sooner, let me tell you that today is my district's first preparation day! Our P-days are on Thursdays, and so we weren't given one our second day in the MTC. Today is a much needed break for the entire district. Hopefully you got my little letter about how the MTC felt on the first day!

First of all, I hope all is well back at home! I know school has started and the like, and I hope everything is just swell! Thank you all for sending all your letters and packages; it means so much to be able to know of your love and support!

The MTC is the bomb! I mean, it won't even compare to the actual field in the slightest, but I love it here. My district is seriously the best; everyone just loves each other and laughs and enjoys everything. I was called as district leader last Thursday, which has contributed to my inability to find time to write home. I have developed such love and devotion to these elders, and I just pray that the Lord can help me meet as many of their needs as possible!

Malay is awesome! This language is amazing, and it's coming pretty naturally. I have been picking my teacher's brain about some moderate grammar concepts, and it has been helping immensely! I can talk and form sentences without notes in lessons, providing I study the specific words of a lesson or principle. Brother Goodman's mission prep class at BYU was the best thing I ever did! Seriously!

My companion's name is Elder Poppleton, he's from Clinton, Utah. He's the best. Heavenly Father really was involved in assigning us together. The language is not coming as easily for him as it is for me - but I have been blessed to be so patient with him and provide any help that I can! 

My district honestly feels like one giant companionship. We have Elder Bester (Calgary), Elder Jensen (Alpine), Elder Harr (St. George, the one I met via instagram), Elder Mix (Provo), Elder Chang (Draper), Elder Poppleton and myself. It's the best, and we just love each other so much! We laugh and laugh, yet also study very hard and are perfectly what we need from one another.

I am on the West Campus MTC, meaning I am living in Wyview and our classroom is in an apartment in Raintree. Apparently, I am super blessed because the main MTC is supposed to feel more like a prison? Jokes. We love it here. Unfortunately for all my friends at BYU, west campus missionaries don't walk to the temple on Sundays! So you won't be sighting Elder Coleman walking to the temple...

McKelle sent the best care package ever! Literally I am so thankful for that, my district and I love those dang brownies. 

Really, I am so blessed for all the support! I love you guys so much, and I just can't imagine any place I'd rather be right now. I miss you all, but it's more strange than sad that I won't see you for a while... hahah does that even make sense? I dunno.

Love you all!

Godspeed,

Elder Coleman

FIRST GLIMPSE FROM THE MTC

Missionaries are given one day a week called a Preparation Day (affectionately referred to as P-Day) when they get to do their laundry and other chores, as well as write to their families. Elder Coleman hasn't had a P-Day yet, so we were THRILLED to get a text tonight with this photo of him from McKelle's friend Brett Steele who works at the MTC.  We are guessing that the other missionary is his companion. 

I was STOKED to get a look at his name tag finally and to see the Malay writing on it. Seeing his name tag makes it all very, very real. He's a missionary!! 

MTC or BUST

Saying farewell to technology! No iPhone, iPad or laptop computer for 2 years!

Giving one last hug to his beloved little sister before he left California

At 1:00 pm today Jon and I dropped off Elder Coleman at the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC). Shakespeare captured my emotion centuries ago: "Parting is such sweet sorrow." My heart was full of joy to see his excitement to finally be there and sorrow to know I won't be with him for two years. After we gave him one last hug and watched him walk away with his suitcases, my heart nearly burst. Lyrics from a Mindy Gledhill song popped into my mind: "Don't let this distance tell you this is good-bye....It's not good-bye."

 The three of us ended up with a 12 passenger rental van for the drive from Salt Lake City to Provo. Haha Awesome memory of bouncing along in that cruiser!

 Clay's last meal before entering the MTC...CHICK FIL-A at the Cougareat, of course! His favorite!

 The long line of missionaries waiting to welcome the newly arriving sisters and elders...

These hugs will have to last us for two years!

 And off he goes. Godspeed, Elder Coleman! We love you to the moon and back!

Flying back to California, we flew past Provo. It was surreal to know that somewhere down there amidst all of those lights was my little boy. He couldn't be happier and neither could I. 

Officially a Full-time Missionary

THE SETTING APART:

Participating in the setting apart: Bishop Chapman, Clay's dad, Elder Coleman, Wyatt Corbin,
President Brennan, and Travis Corbin

Before a missionary departs on his mission, he/she is given a priesthood blessing called a "setting apart" which bestows authority to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary.

I had no idea what a special night this would turn out to be. First, our stake president asked the close friends and family members who were invited there to share some advice and their feelings about Clay. As a mother it was simply a dream come true to hear the remarkable things shared about Clay. Such tender and heartfelt emotions were expressed about the wonderful person Clay is. Jon told him, "Well, Clay, now you know what it would be like to attend your own funeral." Then President Brennan gave the setting apart blessing. It was one of the most powerful blessings I've ever had the privilege of hearing. Clay was blessed with an ability to learn the languages of his mission, with safety and wisdom, great love for both the people he serves and his companions, and many other remarkable promises. Afterward, Clay looked at me and said if he could walk to the MTC right then and there, he would. He was just so ready to go. The spirit was palpable. It was a night I will cherish forever.

Clay's Farewell Party

THE OPEN HOUSE:

"The Atonement of Jesus Christ"

THE FAREWELL TALK:

Before Clay left on his mission, he gave a farewell talk to our local congregation on August 18, 2013. Here is the audio of his remarks about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (It's 12 minutes long.)

Ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood

THE ORDINATION:

Back row from L to R: President Sterling Brennan, Bob Warnick, Bishop Bill Chapman, Clay, Jon Coleman (Clay's dad), Brenden Dahl. Front row: Elder Hemmelgarn and Elder Chandler.

Today Clay was ordained to the office of an Elder in the Melchizedek priesthood. Clay's dad Jon gave him the most beautiful blessing in conjunction with the ordination. Jon was so overcome with emotion near the end of the blessing that he had to fight back sobs. I was so grateful to be there for this sacred and memorable moment in Clay's journey!