The Rain Didn't Stand a Chance

P-day excursion --  HAHAHAHAHA

Miri Crocodile Farm--we fed the crocs by hand!

Hello!

Great week! 

Elder Stewart and I got out there and did tons of good work. It was a weird week, which included going to a shopping mall and advertising about Family History, but it was great!

Major highlight and unforgettable experience. So cool. God is real.

This week the Assistants to the President came on splits (to work with us) in Miri. In most missions, they just drive over, but in ours, they take not one, but two flights. #singaporemishbaby Anyways, we were at a member's house, asking them to follow us, and then the worst possible thing happened. It started raining. There's rain, and then there's Malaysian rain - it's a whole different beast. Rain takes out all the desire from Malaysians to do anything. Eg, if it rains on Sunday morning, no one comes to church. If you call them and ask why, they'll just say "Elder, it's raining." And this was some strong rain - even for Malaysia. 

So we were just talking on the way over to their house about all these stories when people asked God for a miracle, and God stopped or moved the rain/changed the weather. We decided to get the whole family to kneel down and pray together. The rain is pounding all the while. We prayed that God would move the rain so we could visit Sister P who has been less active and hadn't gone to church in 4 years or so. THE SECOND I STARTED SPEAKING THOSE WORDS in the prayer, the rain started decreasing - almost imperceptibly, but it started to change. It continued throughout the prayer - and by the time we said amen, it was almost done. 5 minutes later, it was a slight drizzle. The members were stunned. Their minds were blown. One of them was like "Elder, you stopped the rain! You did it!" And I replied, "No no no no no. It wasn't me doing anything - it was God! It was all God!" We left, had an amazing lesson with Sister P- and then she came for the first time in years to church this Sunday. Such a miracle. I was amazed, the members were amazed, and it was cool to see that I was needed to go do missionary work with members - so much so that the rain didn't stand a chance!!

Love you all!! I know that though all churches bring people to God, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only one that has the actual priesthood authority of God, and that's why Mormons believe so strongly in sharing our church and religion!

Malaysia boleh!

Love,

Elder Clay Coleman

A little treat from home! Chick Fil-A sauce!

Ummm...I guess this is their only way to transport things??? 

Gorgeous Miri sunset

My Whole Desire

With the Sylvester family 

LOVE this Malaysian food!

Hello hello!

This was a good week. Elder Stewart and I got out and worked hard. We spent as much time as we could out of the house talking to people. As a Zone Leader, if I'm asking the missionaries under my stewardship to work hard, I've got to be a good example for them. We felt like we did our best this week. We have a whole ton of potential in our area!! We work in Miri 2, in an area called Permy Jaya. Elder Stewart and I have been saying we're gonna work with the Lord until Permy Jaya is the new Sibu Jaya! Hahahaha So we're feeling motivated and dedicated to the work. We've got an investigator going to be baptized in two weeks. So excited!!

Elder Stewart and I are becoming good friends. We were meant to be companions!! He's got 3 sisters and no brothers - just like me! He works hard and is pretty funny. He is way dynamic and Iban people love him! He's kind of famous in our mission. We're hopeful that everything we do together will have a long lasting impact in Miri here. He's transitioning well into his role as Zone Leader and is a very hard worker. It's a great dynamic to be in a companionship where you treat each other as equals - it really allows you to both contribute a great deal to the work. 

This week I had an experience that reminded me of the importance of families. I was at Brother Sylvester's house - one of the best members here in Miri - and we were gathering to say a prayer before we started to eat, when I just looked around and saw the light of the gospel in all their faces. They just laughed and smiled and the love of the family was so visible. It felt like our family back at home. I began to tear up. While we were praying, I was pouring out my heart that I can find a family just like this and change their lives with the gospel. That's my whole desire - to allow families to have the love and good feelings that we have in our family and that exists in Brother Sylvester and Sister Jennifer's family. That's my whole desire! To bring them unto Christ so they can be happy!

Missionary work is just the best. It's so great. In Miri, we only teach the native people, called Ibans. They don't learn Malay as their first language, and so they don't always understand what we say to them. People often just stare at us and say "orang putih!" (White people). They're all 'Christian', but about 40% of people only go to church and don't understand what Christianity actually is...and the rest don't even go! So we teach people with limited Christian backgrounds, which makes for interesting lessons. In their churches, the pastors say "Run away from the two white kids in white shirts and ties." And sometimes they do! hahaha But even so, these people are so nice and generous. They are so willing to serve us or give us water or something, even though they often don't care a bit about what we have to say to them. hahaha I love my mission.

Usually, we try to have the members of the church in Miri bring their friends to us. They can testify that we aren't sketchy people, but that we're just good guys and that what we bring can change their lives!! So that works pretty effectively - but we work on teaching them how to tell their friends the gospel will bring them great joy and happiness. The Mormon people here, though they are just as poor and in the same situations as everyone else, are so happy and so content in their lives. They walk around with smiles, while a lot of people walk around looking less than happy. It's just a little difference, but something that strengthens my desire to share the gospel with these people.

The branch is working on getting home teaching going. I regret being a pain about it when I was a teenager - I am now trying to get these Iban people to do it!! hahahaha So interesting to literally be building the church on my mission. 

Malaysia Boleh!

Love you all!

Elder Coleman

SO great to see my "son" Elder Yang at Zone Conference a couple of weeks ago

The Work Goes On!

Goodbye to Elder Bodhaine

P-day adventures

It was a thrill for me to meet so many of Elder Coleman's fellow missionaries in the Singapore mission

Hey everyone! 

Well! Usually I send this message to my mom before I send it out to all of you, but it's weird because she was within 750 miles of Miri! Momma Coleman hit up Singapore on her way to Tokyo to meet jonnycc. So she was wayyyyyy close to me. And met all my missionary friends currently serving in Singapore! So weird to get some pictures of her with them. (Mom, feel free to include some.)

So this past week, Elder Bodhaine went home. He served a great mission and worked hard. It was interesting to watch as this hard-working elder finished his service for the Lord and returned home. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes! Definitely not ready to come home, let alone think about it. Good thing I have 14 months left. :)

So! My new companion is Elder Stewart and he came to Miri this past week. He has been serving for a year and a half already, and so we feel we're going to do a ton of great work together. We got out right away and have been trying to go as hard as we can. We're excited to see what is going to happen in Miri together!

A couple of awesome experiences this week. The first one came on Wednesday, after we dropped off Elder Bodhaine at the airport - I had no companion! So I went out to my area, and after visiting with some members, I had a 16 year-old member named Patrick follow me to an appointment along with his little brother and their friend, who is an investigator but wanted to follow to visit some less-actives! Hahaha We were a funny group going around.

Anyways, earlier that day, I felt like I should visit this man D and his family - some investigators - but then when I called, he said that he had no time to meet! But I still had this feeling I should go to his house. So I wasn't going to argue with a prompting like that! I just said okay! So I led Patrick and the other to D's home - and when we got there, Patrick and the kids started walking to another home. Suddenly, I remembered that Sister P, a less-active woman whose husband just recently died and whom I had never met, apparently lived right near there. I instantly recognized that she was the reason we went to D's home and so we went up there and knocked - she let us in and began to tell us about how hard her circumstances were. Her heart was opened and we were able to teach directly to her heart. It was a great lesson, and we feel that she really might come back to church. Even if she decides not to, I know that I did all I could and followed the Spirit to do the Lord's work. 

I know that the Lord is ever aware of us and will use those around us to meet our needs. He is ALWAYS aware and anxious to help us out!

Another funny experience. I tricked my new companion by having my branch president, or leader of my congregation, act like a brand new investigator. He was just priceless. President Augustine told my companion that he was looking for the truth, that he thinks it makes sense for God to send us more scripture. Elder Stewart was getting so excited! He was like "Man, these guys are gold!!" We also threw in little things that didn't make sense until afterwards. While pretending to get to know each other, President guessed my age and was like "You're 19." and I said "Wow, it's like you already knew!" Then I totally 'guessed' his age correctly at 39. So funny.

The work goes on! I know the Lord is with every missionary around the world and He sends His Spirit to guide and direct us. 

Malaysia Boleh!

Love you all!

Elder Coleman

Elder Coleman's new companion, Elder Stewart (photo from his mom's FB page)

Elder Johnson (in the center) was Elder Coleman's zone leader back in Tawau and one of Clay's favorites.
His grandmother and Elder Coleman's grandmother are friends from their teen years in Mississippi

This is me with Sister Bourgeois, who is a cousin of one of Elder Coleman's high school classmates. Sister B actually attended the Tesoro high school graduation when Clay graduated. Small world!! She has such a darling, funny personality as it shines through in her missionary blog. Loved her!

Gawai Party!

Branch Gawai party

No time to share much this week. Sorry!

But my week was GREAAAAAAT! Elder Bodhaine literally has 2 days left in Malaysia. He is a really great missionary. He's taught me so much about leadership and missionary work in the past six weeks. I'm very grateful to have been able to serve with him. I'm getting a new companion - Elder Stewart from Dubai!!!! He's way fun and way hard working and Elder Bodhaine's former companion, too. This is going to be so fun. We're going to work our heads off and do WORK! So stoked. 

This week we had a branch Gawai party. (See below for a description of what that is.) They had a traditional dance called "ngajat" and there was a girl competition, and so I was like "Hey, let's do a guy one!" So they did it, and I won!! hahahahaha I just tried to follow what they did and imitate it. The whole Gawai party just DIED of laughter!! hahaha

More next week!

Malaysia Boleh!

Elder Coleman

From http://goseasia.about.com/od/eventsfestiva2/a/gawai_dayak_festival_malaysia.htm 

"Celebrated with enthusiasm across Sarawak both in cities and rural villages, Gawai Dayak is a multi-day festival to honor the indigenous people. Gawai Dayak translates to "Dayak Day"; the Dayak people include the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit and Murut tribes which once roamed Sarawak and relieved unsuspecting traders of their heads.

Although steeped in headhunting traditions of the past, the only head removed these days during Gawai Dayak belongs to a chicken sacrificed to honor a successful rice harvest.

Gawai Dayak is celebrated with genuine joy and enthusiasm. Weddings take place, singing and toasts fill the air, and families are reunited with one another after being separated all year."

God is With This Work

Coleman pan popcorn! In my apartment in Miri

With my companion Elder Bodhaine at the airport.
We have to wear street clothes when we enter or exit Malaysia.

Crab anyone?

Wow! Sorry, everybody, for not getting time to shoot an email off on Monday.  I was flying into Singapore for Zone Conference. Last week was another crazy, eventful week.

So Monday, we drained the font again - another 3 hours hahah but whatever! Just a few days later we actually found out that the pump wasn't broken... There was just another switch in another room that was off and controlled the pump. Ohhhhhhhhh well! At least we know we're dedicated enough to go hard and do it!

Tuesday was a great day. Elder Bodhaine and I gave a Zone Council training - my first time. We put a lot of work into it and it turned out fantastic. Our Zone is way more committed to fully dedicating ourselves to the work and becoming truly consecrated. We're stepping up our game to try to talk to everyone and to make sure we are opening our mouths!! We're working to qualify for Miricles. Get it??? hahahah MIRIcles?? haha (They are serving in Miri.)

So Wednesday, we decided to put that into practice. We opened our mouths several times, stopping by the way to talk to people - and we taught a spontaneous lesson! Another time, Elder Bodhaine and I knocked on a gate and asked for some water - we were invited in, just had a fun time with them and blew their minds because we speak their langauge (literally, no one ever thinks we speak Malay or even a little Iban). Then we got a return appointment, and later in the week (Saturday) we went back and taught them and it was awesome! Four new investigators and perhaps even more later this week!!!

On Thursday, I got sick and threw up. hahahah Yummmmmmmmmm but whatever, you only have to endure the negative aspects of Malaysian food once, right? So that was a bummer, but the day after I felt fine! Woo!

Friday was an interesting day.We did our weekly planning and made pizza! Elder Bodhaine is this epic cook and just loves to eat at home, and so we made pizza! Way fun and pretty good. He's an impressive guy.

Saturday, I went on splits with Elder Warner, the Chinese-speaking elder. We had a great time and taught that family with Durin. Another miracle! We felt like going to a member's house, and we go there and Brother Masir wasn't there.... but then we go inside anyway, and boom! An investigator that was lost for a couple weeks was there! We had a good lesson with her and then she came to church on Sunday!!! Sooooo great!

Sunday, we taught Jimbun again. He's a very simple man but amazingly, defying his entire culture's standards, will do anything possible for our church! He literally walked through the rain to get to the bus stop and then come to church. Let me repeat that - HE WALKED THROUGH THE RAIN. If rain happens, Malaysia stops. Ibans will just not leave the house. If it rains on Sunday, attendance drops by like 30-40. You ask them to do something and all they say is "Elder, ada hujan." / Elder, have rain. hahahahah So funny!! Jimbun is on a baptismal date for the end of August - he can't read so we're taking it slow with him.

Love you all! The work goes forward when we do all that we can! I know God is with this work and no matter what, He is with us. 

Malaysia Boleh!!!

Love, 

Elder Coleman

More Niah Cave shots from last week.

Can you spot me in these two pics?

Look how awesome this is.

Happy Father's Day!

Niah Caves

Climbing in the caves

Hello All:

Crazy past two weeks!

Here's a list of all that went on.

- My birthday!

- First Mission Leadership Conference in Singapore!! (all the Zone Leaders of the mission and the Sister leaders as well)

- bailed out a baptismal font with a trash can, a hose, and siphoning... 3 hours...

- went to world-famous caves at Niah

- FATHER'S DAY! Happy Father's day to all you dads out there, you're epic and thanks for all you do!

- President Mains came to Miri and did interviews!

- Elder Bodhaine (my companion) only has two weeks left on his MISSION. So weird. 

- I gave a last minute talk at Sacrament meeting. That's always fun!

- We found a 4 inch long caterpillar at a member's house. Sometimes there's just stuff like that which remind me I'm in Southeast Asia! 

- Elder Bodhaine and I won every ping pong doubles match at the MLC thing. He's way good and I'm a good doubles partner, so that was fun.

- Discovered that powdered milk is actually WAYYYYY good. I've been drinking it nonstop for the past week. Also found out our grocery store has Waffle Crisp cereal in it - so good!!! 

Lots of stuff has been happening. I didn't really get to expound on much this week and I feel bad - I instead responded to all of your birthday wishes!! Thank you so much for the love and support!! I really love it and wouldn't be the happy and blessed Elder Coleman I am without all of it.

Here's my little message for the week. It's Father's Day, and I think it's important to honor the common Father of us all. God truly is our loving Father in Heaven. I know He exists and loves us so much, despite of all of our weaknesses and mistakes. I think He sees us as mortals with the potential to do so much good, even if we're flawed- so He is patient with us and loves us no matter what. He loved us enough He sent His only perfect child, even Jesus Christ, to come to this mortal world and suffer and die for us. Our Father in Heaven is the most kind, gentle, loving being we know - and I know that He loves and knows us perfectly. I invite us all to take a few moments and offer a prayer of gratitude and love this week to let Him know how grateful we are for His perfect and unfailing love.

I love you all too! Work hard and do what you're supposed to and go forward with faith!!

Malaysia Boleh!!

Love,

Elder Clay Coleman

ulat beluncas and my new sick birthday watch

Why We Want to Share the Gospel

Shout out to Sharon Yeap for these darling videos she sent for Elder Coleman's birthday

Got this from the Tawau branch. Wow, I guess they really loved me.... No greater feeling in this world especially 

when seeing an investigator of mine at church!!!

Hello!!!

Literally NO time this week. Super busy day!! Tune in next week for EPICCCCCC pictures of going to some natural caves.

If you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, get a copy of Clayton Christensen's "The Power of Everyday Missionaries." It will change your life.

If you are not a Mormon, just know we try to share the Gospel with you honestly and truly because we know it can bless your life and we truly believe "The Church of Jesus Christ" is not just a title - it's a truth.

Love you all!! 

Malaysia Boleh! 

Elder Clay Coleman

PS LOVE THE BIRTHDAY BOX!! Thanks to everyone...I got over 80 birthday emails and I couldn't even get to 49 of them yet!