Week 52

Hello to ya'll!

Well, I have to say this week was great!!  We had a workshop for the trainers and new missionaries on Wednesday, and so we went to Legazpi and had a great training!  I learned a lot!  One thing I learned and I am applying is to invite early to baptism...so on the first visit.  We invited Sister Margie Buenavente on the first visit, and she just progressed like non-other, and was baptized.  She was really prepared.  We also invited the Torres family, and they are just ready to be baptized...which they will be baptized on the 1st of November!  Oh man, I just was refreshed on how important the invitation to baptism is.  It will help us see the expectations as well.  :)  Anyways, it was a great training, and I just love love love the work, President and Sister Guanzon, my companion, and everything!!  

So how was general conference?  We get to see it on Sabado and Linggo this week.  I can't wait!  I will really be working on the Christlike attribute of Patience this week! haha! We got to watch the womens conference last Saturday.  It was so spiritual! Luisa Ortiz really felt the spirit, and she was really touched by President Uchtdorfs talk, when He said that God loves all of us.  She is so prepared!! She will be baptized on the 25th of this month!  I am so excited!!  

Okay, so I just love the Torres family!  Tatay is always taking notes in his little notebook.  At church, in lessons and when he reads the BOM!  What a prepared family!  I am so excited for their baptism on November 1st!  I am so blessed to be teaching them.  I love this family so much!  I am pretty much a part of that family!  I love them to death!  They have seen how much the gospel has blessed them, and brought them happiness.  The lesson with them yesterday was so wonderful!  Oh I just have no words to express my love for them, and the love for them, from God.  Please continue to pray for them!

Well, I am doing great! Sister Wilkinson is teaching me so much.  I am so blessed to be her companion.  Last transfer I was really hoping for someone who wants and is exactly obedient!  I am obliviously so blessed This sister is great, and is so obedient!  I love her to death!  She will be training after we're done in December! :)

I love you all, I pray for you all! Please be exactly obedient to the commandments and the words of God.  You will receive many blessings and help from God!  I know that ang Simbahan ni Jesu Cristo ng mga banal sa mga huling araw ay totoo! Ito yung simbahan na itinatag ni Jesu Cristo noon, at naibinalik sa pamamagitan ng isang Propeta, si Joseph Smith!  Alam ko po na kung gusto natin na maging masaya, ang ebanghelyo ay yung paraan!

Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Coleman

Week 51

Hello Po!!

Kumusta kayo??  We are doing great here in Ligao!!  Sister Wilkinson is great, and we are getting a long really well.  I love her so much, and I can see so much great potential in her!  She's a wonderful missionary! 

Well, this week has been pretty good.  We have been tracting A LOT and trying to talk with people. Man, we're got to figure out a better way!!  The Torres family, and Luisa ortiz are referrals and are progressing so well!  Why can't people just give referrals who are prepared!!  Anyways, we have been trying to work hard!  I've been trying hard to help sister Wilkinson eat the good food here...and so far she is just like me and eats everything! haha!  I am so blessed to have her as my comp!  

Oh man, so we were coming from one of our areas, and the chain on the tricy broke.  So we waited for him to fix it, and then got back on the tricy, and then after a while again...it broke again. This time it was broken off and he walked back to pick up his motorcycle chain.  Oh man, good thing we weren't too far from our destination, so we just walked a little ways.  Oh the good things that happen here in the Philippines! I love it!

I love you all, I love the work and the gospel!  The gospel is the way!  One of our investigators asked us yesterday, "Why do you always say that the gospel will bless our families, how??"  I am so grateful for the gospel, and I know that we can work all problems and trials out, through living the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ.  I know that as we are faithful to God, and through the Priesthood ordinances in the temple, families can be together forever!  I am so blessed to have such faithful parents!  Thank you, and I love you!!

Have a wonderful day!!

Love Sister Colman

This is my new companion, Sister Wilkinson from Payson Utah.  She's a great missionary!!

Sister McCoard and I were temporary comps while we waited to meet our trainees.  Funny thing, her trainee and my trainee were comps at the MTC.  Also I said goodbye to sis Siola'a, my trainer. Sister McCoard was sister Siola'a's last comp. Small world..or mission. :)  All the trainers and departing missionaries with Pres and Sister Guanzon.

Sister Kwong and my last days together..;(  People in our branch, and the Torres family on the bottom left!  I love them all!!

President and Sister Guanzon with us.  I love my mission president and his wife!  They are so amazing!!

Week 50

Hello Po Family,

Kumusta po kayo??  Ano ba iyan!!  It’s week 50 already??  Time flies so fast! It’s not fair!!  Just so you know, I’ll just stay here after my mission...I love it here!  I love the work!!  I am doing great here in Ligao!  I love it so much here!  I am so happy with my companionship and with our investigators.  We are really really striving to find more though.  We have been doing A LOT of tracting here, and I’m sure all the people know us now! Haha!  Lets just say, my mouth and my tagalong is just about worn out! J  It’s a lot of fun actually being with an American companion.  We get a lot of crazy looks and words spoken to us. J I have learned so much from Sister Wilkinson this past week.  She has reminded me of the energy and excitement we should have about the gospel!  She is amazing, and I am very blessed to be her companion.

So the Torres family is good.  The 3 of the have a Baptism goal date of October 25!  Pray that they will come to church and stuff, and not get sick, so they can come to church.  I would really appreciate your prayers.  This family has become my family here!  I love them so much.  I know they will benefit the church so much!  The gospel has really blessed their lives. They’ve seen it, and I have seen it.  I know that as we diligently live the gospel, and follow the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, we will be able to receive help and strength to overcome our trials.  I love the gospel!

Sorry for the short e-mail!  I love you all!  I love our Savior and I am so happy!

Love, Sister Coleman

Week 49

Honestly I have no idea what week it is...I guess thats not super importante anyways. haha!  Well, Kumusta kayo??  I am doing great here in the Philippines! I have been blessed to be able to be the first companion of sister Wilkinson from Payson Utah!  She is so awesome! She is really fast in picking up Tagalog and the things we do as missionaries.  I've got it so easy. She's prepared!  She is very obedient and is ready and excited to serve the Lord!  I have learned so much from her.  Today she just did this simple act of service that really made me smile and feel that she loved me.  She cleaned/washed my rubber shoes.  Okay, so translating that to a mission in the US it would be shining shoes. haha!  She's so great though, and I do love her!  We have had a lot of fun already!

I said goodbye to my trainer, sister Siola'a on Tuesday. :( It was sad.  I am so grateful for her and her example to me!  She is a very hard worker and loves the people she serves!  I learned so much from her!  I hope that I can serve and love my trainee just as much or more, than my trainer did to me!

Well, our investigators are doing well.  We taught the Torres family last night about tithing.  They already wanted to pay it earlier at church.  Anyways, they are so accepting to the gospel.  They told us that they are so excited to learn more about the gospel, and the things that we do in church!  THey are really prepared!

Well, I need to go now.  I am sorry I don't have a picture...walang oras!! (No time) next week na lang. :)

I love you all!  Thank you for your support and love for me!  I am praying for you all!

Love Sister Coleman

Week 48

Oh man, this week has been pretty good.  It's been full of, "Well goodbye, because I think I will transfer..." haha! So we all thought I would be transferring, pero we got the announcement and it said that I was training! Ano ba iyan!!  Well, I am really happy to be able to train!  I will probably be the one getting trained though, so I am excited for that! :)  I will be in Ligao, my 2/3rd area for 9 months!  Wow, so long!  I love it here though, in Ligao! I am so excited to be able to work in this area with my new companion from the MTC and help this area come more unto Christ!

Well, the people are doing well.  We are really trying to find new people, who are prepared for the gospel!  Please pray for us, and especially the people here, that they will be prepared! I love sharing the gospel and inviting others to come unto Christ!  This work is really the Lord's and I need to give the best to Him!

Well, I love you all!

Have a great day!

Love Sister Coleman

Week 47

Hello everyone!

This week was great!  We had zone conference on Tuesday.  I learned a lot, and I am excited to continue applying it to the work we do as missionaries.  Okay, so the BOM is soooo important! One of our Less active members, always reads the bible.  The bible is true and "is the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly, but we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God.,"  It says in PMG that we need to do all, so that our investigators and Less actives read and understand the BOM.  We have been trying to help him read the BOM, but the Bible is the only thing he reads.  Well, we were teaching and I was testifying about the BOM, and then the thought of what President Hinckley said, that we need to read the BOM everyday, came into my head.  I said that, and then Tatay said, "I will read the BOM, it is  very important and the Word of God."  We also invited him to read them together to understand more.  When we came back, he had read!  YAY!  I am so happpy that he has been reading the BOM!

The Book of Mormon is the Word of God, and is true!  The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the everlasting g gospel. The gospel is God's plab for us, to return back to Him, and be happy!  If we want that, we need to study the BOM every day!!

Well, I am excited for this week and to really strive even more, to do my best as a missionary.  I might be transferred next week.  We'll see.  I love this area and I have grown to really love the people and more, the work of Salvation!

I love you all!  I am praying for you all!

Love Sister Coleman

Week 46

Hello tabi Sa indong Gabos, (Hello to all of you..in Bicol)

This week has been good!  The gospel really changes people's hearts and lives!  I love it!!  Yesterday, this 19 year old guy and his little sister came to church for the first time.  So after the bagyo, we helped them with their house and then a few weeks later, they just came to church out of their own desire. :)  We were able teach them later that day and they are awesome!  They loved and enjoyed church a lot, and said they will continue to come. :)  They are new investigators!  After the lesson they let us taste...cobra!  Yes, Sister Coleman has officially eaten ahas (snake!)!  It was actually really good!  I would eat it again with no problem! :)

Also we had a lesson on Tuesday with the Torres family.  Brother relapsed and drank a little bit of alcohol.  Well, we ended up having a beautiful lesson. The spirit was there.  We taught him, not a lesson. :)  We went back yesterday and he hasn't drank or anything since last Tuesday!  The atonement is real, prayer is real, the gospel is true!!  Ah I just love the gospel so much!!  I love the Torres family, and I have learned so much from them!

We went to out investigator, sister Rena's house this morning and had a delicious lunch that the rice was laid on Banana leaves.  I'll try and send pics next week!  Well, we went and say a small water fall by her house, and then we just saw a gorgeous view!  Ah I love the Philippines!  There is not a better place in the world, besides the temple! :)

I love you all!  HAve a wonderful day!

Love, Sister Coleman