"Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different--in happy ways--from the women of the world... Thus it will be that female exemplars of the Church will be a significant force in both the numerical and spiritual growth of the Church in the last days" President Spencer W. Kimball

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving


Count your many blessings name them one by one...

Lets be honest, that would take me a lifetime... which I believe is the point. So as we prepare our Thanksgiving feasts tomorrow, let us all remember the most important thing that should be upon the table. Not the turkey of course, but the list of things that we appreciate and love the most. It should drape the table with an appeal that is more filling than the stuffing and mashed potatoes that are always so delicious. The idea of it should make our minds thankful for all the Lord has blessed us with! I adore all of you and am so grateful for all of you being in my life. My list is overwhelming and it makes me happy!

So besides preparing myself mentally and physically (on the mission, preparing for the holidays are strenuous in light of all the generous foods we are invited to eat) for Thanksgiving, I was able to participate in one of the crowning PDay events of the mission today...which means I'm almost dead - weird! A Broadway!!! Yeah, it was so great! I love the The Lion King and was in tears by the end of the opening song...haha! You know how I feel about that Disney magic! It has been way too long. I am floored at all of the amazing talent that graces that stage, it truly was a treat :) Of course when Simba is remembering who he is at the sight of his reflection, some of the greatest words are spoken and songs sung, "He lives in you, he lives in me." I cant help it ya'll, I always feel the Spirit when I watch/see that movie/Broadway. It was amazing!




To wrap this all up because I am surely out of time... don,t forget. Remember why. Remember who you are. And remember the Lord our Savior and all that he has done for you. You will find your table full of reminders :) I just love you all and wish you a happy commencement of the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving! Love you love you, and so it is...

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Right Off the Other 6


Look at this CAT!!! Xander is huge!

It has been a real long time since I have sat here and really talked with everyone. So, lets spill it...

I'm in the Bronx first off with companion number 6 (Sister Asregadoo)! It's crazy when I think about it because it doesn't feel like it all adds up, but it must. The last few weeks have gone by in a whirlwind and I cant seem to grasp time anymore. After the transfer was Halloween, soon to be Thanksgiving. It is incredible to think that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away!

So let's start answering all the questions I know that you all have:

1. Yes I am liking the Bronx but I must admit it is sooo different. Who would have thought just a train ride over the river would bring such dramatic changes. I even walk slower which is unheard of!!! Maybe that is in preparation for those who will be walking with me after the mission because let's be honest, poor Sydney had a hard time keeping up and I'm sure everyone else will too - still sorry for that one :(

2. No, I wouldn't say that I am loving the family ward yet. It is weird that I am not in the YSA program anymore. I feel like it is a similar feeling when someone gets their language changed partway through their mission. It definitely is a completely different language going on here and I am still nervous every time we have an appointment - and that is not in the "nervous because of missionary work" nervous (which will never go away), but the "nervous because I feel like I don' t know how to act" nervous, haha!

3. Yes, I love my new companion Sister Asregadoo - after it took me a week to remember how to say her name correctly :) pronounced: as-re-gAh-doo. She is so sweet. I am happy to say that she is so willing to learn and grow, which makes my job easier. I am her second companion, in other words her follow-up trainer or "Dad". I have never had a companion this fresh in the mission yet and it is a fun and funny experience... I just hope she learns something from me, eke!


4. Yes, I am sad that I am not in Manhattan anymore. I just love that place! No more Puerto Rican bongos being played outside of my apartment until the early dawn hours. No more Central Park. No more contacting while walking (yeah, people actually stop while you're talking to them here! Its nuts!). And with the holidays here again, no more lively, amazing holiday city life... I just cant go on, hehe. But I must admit it is an expected change. As President Smith said on our transfer call, "Sister Coleman, you didn't think you would be in Manhattan your entire mission now did you?" Oh President. One can always be hopeful.
And lastly,

5. No, this doesn't change anything! As always there is a specific work for me to do here in the Bronx and I am excited to find out what it is. Maybe I wont while I am here and will find in the future that it was miraculous, but I know that as with all callings this one is inspired. I am happy to be called to the work out here. It is different but have I ever been afraid of that in the past?! Its a new adventure and I'm about it.

Anyways, don't go thinking you are going to get away without me sharing some of my amazing "ah-hah" moments over the last few weeks. Today I will just simply testify how the Lord miraculously answers prayers. Let me explain. I have been praying to come into contact with a girl from my distant Junior high days for years now. She was such an example to me in the time that my testimony was not very prominent. She helped me identify what it meant to stand for something and she was just the nicest girl I knew. Now mind you, the last time that I saw her was in 2004 at BYU at a Stake Conference in the HFAC, De Jong Theater to be exact, haha! It was brief but I was so thankful to have seen her after we parted ways some 5 years earlier after JH.

So, we all know how hard it is sometimes to keep up with our friends in the LDS community, especially with the changing of names after marriage and all that. Anyways, so Sister Asregadoo and I were visiting some investigators in the area. Upon meeting one of them, she asked me where I was from. Of course we all know no one really relates to city names so I told her where then followed that with "its near Irvine, CA". Where she responded that she had some LDS family who lived there. What!? Yeah, long story short the girl I was praying to find, her brother had married the investigators niece and I recognized the last name! It was her!!!! I eventually got her address where I am sure the letter is still in the mail. Nonetheless, the Lord answers prayers in the most amazing ways!

Now doesn't this world seem so much smaller now :)

That is my simple testimony this week! The Lord loves us, even if it is for the small opportunity to wish someone well who played such a pivotal role in our life whom we haven't seen for years. He answers them when they count and sometimes when we feel that they don't. I love this work, and I love being blessed with seeing miracles everyday. I hope that you all have the opportunity to recognize miracles in your life because I promise you they are there.

Anywho, sorry for the novel. I just love you all so much. Thank you for your love and support! Have a great week :)

R.I.P Fui, Love you! - One for the road