Progress

Visit to Pulau Ubin (Love his tshirt!)

District p-day outing 

Hawker stall food for life

Birthday box booty

These weeks are getting faster and faster and better and better!! The ward is really embracing the energy and enthusiasm we're bringing to the table. The number of member presents we had this week jumped from 3 to 6!! We have a great new program we think will be able to change missionary work in Singapore native wards if used properly. I'll be sure to pass it on when I'm done :)

I'm really grateful for this mission experience to develop friendships with Singaporeans and Malaysians and the people I meet from all over the world. I know this gospel can solve people's problems and help them find happiness.

There were many miracles last week. Let's just say this - we had a new investigator come to church the day after teaching him; and a family came to church and is progressing.  Just all around good things are happening :)

Love you!!

Elder Coleman

Getting the Hang of Singapore

Wooo! Another week gone. 

I'm really getting the hang of Singapore, and developing some relationships with terrific people. The Ang Mo Kio ward is going to be my second home by the time I'm outta here. 

This week we had to take over the entire ward's investigators and less actives because the sister missionaries were taken out of Ang Mo Kio!! So now we've got a few more investigators and a couple of families. We're excited about that, and so this week we spent our time getting to know them, serving them, and we even went all Sister-missionary for a bit and made cookies for them. Dang it..... hahaha! One of them came to church this week because her little daughter said, "I want to go see gege (older brother in Chinese, which is what she called me after I visited once and loved me lol)!!" So she got her mom and younger sister to come even though they were 45 mintues late.  

Well, we have been going like crazy and trying to make the most of our time. I figure that if the Lord put me into a truly difficult area for the last bit of my mission, then I'd better show Him I'm serious about this whole Discipleship and enduring to the end thing and work as hard as I ever have. So many times I'll be at a bus stop and see people, not really wanting to go talk to them, and then I'll say to myself "I've got a message that is going to make you so flipping happy!" and I go talk to them. Hahah It's a lot of fun with a lot of rejections. But hey, like Cectpa C learned and taught so powerfully, rejection is a part of life. In fact, it's often a tool Heavenly Father uses to guide us to that which is better and best for us. 

Funny story for this week. Our church building is shared by 3 wards, Bedok, AMK, and the 4th Ward (one of the Expat wards). This week, each ward had a baptism! Bedok had a convert, and both AMK and 4th wards baptized 8 year olds. I was asked to speak at the baptism in AMK which was fun. :) But the real thing I wanted to share is that we WEREN'T informed that 4th ward had a baptism at 3:30. We had ours at 4, and Bedok at 11. So when we show up at 2:30 to fill the font, we saw that the Bedok ward had left it filled. No problem, draining it takes 30 minutes, filling takes another 45, great, we can do that in time for 4 o'clock. The water was cold and so we felt like switching it. So we did, and about 3:00, an expat walks in and asks if the font is full. Then we realize that WE DRAINED THE FONT AND THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME FOR THEIR BAPTISM AT 3 30. D'oh!! We blew it! But no one informed us!! hahah We felt terrible. SO, we got Ryan Lau (the baptizee) and his sibling to help us fill buckets with water and chuck it into the font as the pipes were filling it, too. hahah! It was a lot of fun, but our buckets actually hindered the water flow (the same pipe connected the faucets lol). We just left it running all the way until we started to see white people come down from the chapel, then we hurriedly shut off the pipe and hopeddddddddddd it was deep enough. Oh so funny.

Today for p-day I'm going to Pulau Ubin (a small island off the coast of Singapore) for my birthday excursion... :) I haven't mentioned to any of the missionaries that it's my birthday, but hopefully I can have a great time today!!

Well, life is good, I'm working hard and feeling great! I know this is all real. I know God loves us and is doing all things for our good - though what we can see from our limited perspectives might not give us the full picture.  

Love you all!!!

Elder Clay Coleman

Two More Transfers

Transfers! Staying with Elder Wang in Singapore

Hey everyone!! 

Today was transfers. I'm staying here in Singapore with Elder Wang to finish off his mission, then I'll have one more transfer myself. Because I know he will be leaving back to China this upcoming transfer, it is HIGHLY unlikely that I will be leaving at the next transfer, too. So it looks like I"m going to for sure finish my mission in Singapore. What a great end to a terrific experience. Unfortunately, the sisters sharing the branch with me are being transferred out and their area is being closed!! 

BUT it's not over yet. Push to the finish!!

This week was pretty good. We worked hard and saw some really cool miracles. We found two new investigators this week, one through a member and the other from an investigator!! JW didn't make it to church this week, unfortunately, but his friend D did!! He introduced us to D this Friday, we taught him Saturday, and had him at church on Sunday. He seemed to enjoy it, and we will teach him again this week and help him and JW progress this week. !!!

We also had a great experience teaching Nigel, the nephew of a member named Alice Ong. We taught him, and tried to commit him to come to church, and he didn't end up making it. HOWEVER!!! The Lord knew what Nigel needed, and inspired his aunt to bring him to a bishop's fireside (unbeknownst to us) that evening, where he met some youth and the leaders. PRETTY GREAT. That is a huge step forward for Nigel, and we hope that we will be able to help him take big steps forward this week. 

I gotta get off the computer now but hey!! I love you all and I had a very spiritual experience this week that testified to me once again that this is ALL SO REAL. Jesus Christ really lives, God is real, loves us, and will help us as we make Him our priority.

Love you all!! Talk to you next week!

Elder Clay Coleman

Zone Conference...from Singapore

With my former companion Elder Hansen

With my former companion Elder Parker

With my former companion Elder Misa

Hey everyone!!

This week was terrific and hard! Terrifically hard!! Hardly terrific!! .... Wait, that last one didn't make sense. Whatever. It was a good and tough week. But somehow I can't remember the details of the difficulties. I only remember the good. I prayed for these blessings and feel like I've received them :  

Alma 31: 31 "O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people." (a verse from the Book of Mormon)

Singaporeans are incredible because they really want to do big things and educate themselves and make it in the world!! And, as everyone who has ever been to Singapore can attest, that which they have built already is truly a wonder. Their dedication and perseverance is remarkable and worthy of emulation. However, for a missionary, it can be tough because people just see the name 'Jesus Christ' on our name badges, then turn away and shake their hands at us. That can be really tough!!! But those who are willing and open to receive it, those who have a sincere heart, they are benefiting so much from this gospel. The Singaporeans I know in the Church have really undergone the change of heart spoken of by the prophets, and they stand as a light to the nations. I just hope and pray I can be God's instrument to help Him bring about this change of heart in their lives. 

I'm glad to be here. I'm using this time as a time to prove to God that I'm willing to do whatever He asks of me. And my companion, Elder Wang, is a straight up legend!!! I've been trying to help him improve his English lately, which has been hard and sometimes having to repeat something 4 or 5 times can be frustrating, but the Lord is working in me a greater desire to learn Chinese and patience! hahaha

Something I love to see among our investigators is legitimate desire. One of them, a kid / professional Ping pong player from China, really exemplified that this week when we were teaching him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He kept on saying, "What's the point of being baptized if I'm going to sin again afterwards??" When we taught him that he needs to ask forgiveness from Heavenly Father, he again asked "Why?? I'm just going to sin again??" We could tell he was tired of dealing with sin and repeatedly falling into transgression. Elder Wang opened up the Book of Mormon to Ether 12:27, where Jesus Christ teaches us the following: 

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

It was amazing to see the verse affect him. Though its words are so familiar to us in the church, I saw this young man realize that God is okay with us being imperfect as long as we recognize our weakness and strive to repent - to change our actions AND our natures to be in line with God's teachings. He was struck with force. I want to testify that Jesus Christ's grace IS sufficient that we can repent and improve in our lives. I am so grateful for his sacrifice for me.

Zone Conference was fantastic. I've met so many wonderful, hilarious people I hope I can be friends with for the rest of my life. It was awesome to see so many of my KL mission buds come down to Singapore and to see them again. The mission has been such an awesome experience, and I hope I can see all of these missionaries again once we head back to the States. I've met so many fun friends from New Zealand and from Australia and Malaysia. I'm going to miss them so much! I don't know how I"ll see them again, but it'll happen sometime. 

I want to offer my testimony here again. I believe Joseph Smith was the instrument in God's hand in restoring His true gospel and true priesthood authority back onto the earth. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God by divine manifestation. I know and testify that Jesus Christ is there for us to pick us up whenever we need him, and that if we can just trust him, he will deliver us out of our trials and our troubles and our afflictions.

I love you all so much!!

Elder Clay Coleman

Farewell to My Grandma Coleman

The Compassvale Chapel

Hello!

This week my Grandma Coleman passed away. President Mains called to let me know. I am so thankful our prayers were answered on her behalf. How grateful I am she is in the spirit world now!! She's resting but also getting straight to work I would imagine! When I heard the news, and read the incredible experience that dad had right before she passed away, I was overcome with joy!!!! I knelt down and prayed full of gratitude for our many, many blessings.

We had a great experience with one of our investigators this week. He is a Singaporean Indian guy, and he readily accepted the Word of Wisdom when we taught him this week. We asked him if there was anything we could help him with at the end of the lesson, and he told us, "If I have anything, I will call you and tell you." We thought that was fair enough, so we left shortly thereafter. About 5 minutes later, as we are walking out to the bus stop, he calls us and says this: "Ya know, you wanted to know how you could help me. Help me change. I want to change and be a better person. I just want you to help me change." That was pretty sick and pretty fulfilling. The Savior through us is going to help him change!!!

This week I finished reading the Book of Mormon again and wanted to share my experience with you. Yet again, I heeded Moroni's promise as recorded in the final chapter of the Book of Mormon. Yet again, I got an answer from Heavenly Father as He spoke through His Spirit to me. (See "An Educated Conscience" BYU devotional by Stephen R Covey)

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know it's the word of God. I know it's a trial of our faith to see if we will accept the Book of Mormon to see if we will be open and humble enough to accept anything that is from God. I am so grateful that in the LDS faith, we do not rely solely on a book that has been meddled with and edited and changed by men - but rather we depend on additional and continuing revelation, both from a prophet and apostles to lead us and personal revelation to ourselves directly. We are so blessed for our heritage of faith!

I know this world is merely Part 2 in a drama that spans long before we came here and will yet span for centuries. I'm excited to one day see Grandma Coleman again and come to know her without the Alzheimer's disease, to thank her for her powerful influence on our father and that she continued in the faith so that WE could all benefit from it. 

I love you all so much and can't wait to see you. Progress to the end, baby!! 

Elder Clay Coleman

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

(We had the best phone call with our favorite missionary! I'm going to try to upload some of the video from the call. Stay tuned!)

I just want to express my love and gratitude for you, Mom. I love you so much and am so happy and blessed to be your son.

Another GREAT week!

Leaving Malaysia

Arriving in Singapore

Snippets of some of my emails with Elder Coleman this week...

Elder C: I took a ton of pictures on the flight into Singapore from KL. You can enjoy the ride with me as I look out the window!!  

Momma C: LOVE THE PHOTOS! That series leaving Malaysia and heading into Singapore is sooooo cool. Also made me a little sad for you, knowing you were leaving a place you loved. Do you think you will end your mission in Singapore?

Elder C: I knew you would love it!! I call it - "Fly with me" 

I don't really know if I'll finish my mission here! I have my own feelings, but we'll see! I'm not too worried. I don't really care where I serve at this point because I know whatever transfers holds for me will be what I NEED and the Lord knows best!

Momma C: Elder Wang is adorable! Does he have members of the church in his family?

Elder C: His mom!! His dad is a 'communism', as he says, so he only believe in science.

Momma C: Have you met President Lai. the stake president in Singapore?

Elder C: Yes, many, many times. We talked for quite some time once about how he knew dad!! also this week I got to see white kids because we had a special conference. THEY'RE HILARIOUS. I MISS WHITE CHILDREN! 

We met a French woman yesterday who REALLY didn't want to talk to us and was super disdainful with us hahaha Oh well my French needs some work :P

Momma C: How did you handle that? 

Elder C: You just smile and say have a good day!! What else CAN you do? Just pray that you can be a light in someone's life, right?

Momma C: How was your week besides getting the French brush off?

Elder C: WE HAD A GREAT WEEK!! I'M SO HAPPY AND LOVE LIFE!!

Momma C: To quote my favorite elder...What is life??!

Elder C: The update...you'll get it this coming Monday when we Skype!!! :PPPPPPPP Gotta go!! Don't worry there's a great big letter in the mail for you that has this week's updates ;)

Love you! You're the best!