Christmas is around the corner and this is Rachel's first away from home. Share some of the chistmas spirit with her by sending her a letter or a Christmas package. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be extravagant, just something simple or homemade. Share your cup of Christmas cheer!
Here are some ideas if your out of them:
-Buy a few of things Rachel may want or need (treats, socks, pictures, gloves etc..) and send them along with a Christmas card that people have signed from her home ward one Sunday. Also send a small 2009 calendar to her; include some verses written in certain days, as well as some birthdays and anniversaries, so she could stay somewhat connected to what is happening at home.
-Send her a Chistmas Card or letter with your family photo. Most of you do this every year already so be sure to remember to send a letter to Sister Coleman.
-Send her a Mormon Tabernacle Chior Chritmas CD, or a recording of your family singing Chistmas Carols and Hymns.
-Gather some of your favorite, yet simple, Christmas recipies together and make a small booklet out of them.
-To help your ward members write to Sister Coleman type up labels with her address and pin them to the ward bulletin board along with what it cost to send a one page letter to her. Ward members will like the convenience and it will increase your ward letter writing.
-Send her some stationary pre-addressed with family and friends addresses. Giving her an idea of possible people to write and saving her some time on looking up addresses.
-Send her a stalking stuffed with nessesity items.
-Make a Christmas pillow case for her and her companion.
Please add any additional ideas you may have as a comment. You can also see here for some more LDS Missionary ideas.
As well since Rachel's family will have the opportunity to call her on Christmas here is a website that offers cheap calling rates. www.MissionaryCalls.com
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
From Rachel to Family Wednesday November 26th 2008
Dear Family,
I don't have long to write everyone indivually this week because the time slot that I could get a computer was very short. Mom, to answer your question about where to send a package. Send it to the mission office and put my first name because there is another sister coleman. the address is:
Sister R. Coleman
England Manchester Mission
Springwood Suite G5
Boothspark, Knutsford
WA16 8QZ
England
the other address I sent you is where i am living currently.
Wow, everyone in the family looks great! Everyone is losing a lot of weight. Except me. I am not very attractive right now. And I am not very skinny either. YOu know what is weird. I eat so healthy and I exercise constantly and I just seem to gain weight. I know their must be some kind of curse placed on Sister Missionaries becuase this is denying all the laws of science and everything. Oh, well I learned to be humble about what I looked like in my first transfer. I never thought I wouldn't care. But I am doing very well. Both of my baptisms fell through. Franks girlfriend doesn't like us becuase she thinks that the church sends there two prettiest and charming girls to munipulate people into joining. She told me that on the phone. It is really sad so we gave Frank the the Elders in our ward. We share our ward and area with two Elders. And Sean it turns out that he has a criminal record and was or is a drug dealer. He may be able to be baptized later on though. We taught a pasor of some church here in manchester the other day. He was so amazed when we told him about the Book of Mormon. He is from the congo and wants us to come teach him again. But he offered to say the closing prayer when we taught him and to be honest it reminded of when alma comes upon the zoramites praying ontop of the tower and I was terrified. he was yelling at the top of his lungs these crazy things and the tow girls with us were chanting along. At first I was just praying for protection, but then I almost just busted up laughing it was so bad of me, but I have never in my life seen or heard anything like that. It was vrey wicked. But I believe he is good man, he is just very descieved so we will go back and teach him this thursday. I have to go I am sorry that this is so short. But I just want you all to know that i love you so much. From all of your emails I am just so proud and amazed at all of your goodness and I know the Lord has really blessed our family. YOu are all so amazing and we are so lucky to have the family that we do. Heavenly Father really did put some very righteous people together in our family. I want you to know that I know this church is true. I know it and I know that it is only by following and implementing the gosple in our lives that we can be happy. There is no other way to God. There is no other way to be happy. There is war going on and in fact one of the area 70 came and spoke to us and said the number one thing that satan is trying to destroy is eternal marriage and families. because he knows when that goes everything will go. This is not a time to sit on the fence the world is getting so wicked as Iam sure you know but it is beyond comprehension. We cannot sit still we have to firght for what we hold so dear to us. And it can't wait. And satan is going to throw everything at us while we try, but god will always be there walking by our side. I know this sounds a little crazy but if you could just get a glimpse of what i see everyday your heart would break. I love you all so much the lord has blessed us for a reason. we are a strong family and he has preserved us to fight for him in these times. I know that this is the only thing that matters there is so much at risk. I love my lord and I know that this is His church the only true church. There is not any other true church. This is His. And President Monson is the Prophet in these latter days. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. NOne of these things are on trial even though the world seems to think they are. Only we are and whether we follow these things. I love you all so much and I will write next week. love sister coleman
Dear Family,
I don't have long to write everyone indivually this week because the time slot that I could get a computer was very short. Mom, to answer your question about where to send a package. Send it to the mission office and put my first name because there is another sister coleman. the address is:
Sister R. Coleman
England Manchester Mission
Springwood Suite G5
Boothspark, Knutsford
WA16 8QZ
England
the other address I sent you is where i am living currently.
Wow, everyone in the family looks great! Everyone is losing a lot of weight. Except me. I am not very attractive right now. And I am not very skinny either. YOu know what is weird. I eat so healthy and I exercise constantly and I just seem to gain weight. I know their must be some kind of curse placed on Sister Missionaries becuase this is denying all the laws of science and everything. Oh, well I learned to be humble about what I looked like in my first transfer. I never thought I wouldn't care. But I am doing very well. Both of my baptisms fell through. Franks girlfriend doesn't like us becuase she thinks that the church sends there two prettiest and charming girls to munipulate people into joining. She told me that on the phone. It is really sad so we gave Frank the the Elders in our ward. We share our ward and area with two Elders. And Sean it turns out that he has a criminal record and was or is a drug dealer. He may be able to be baptized later on though. We taught a pasor of some church here in manchester the other day. He was so amazed when we told him about the Book of Mormon. He is from the congo and wants us to come teach him again. But he offered to say the closing prayer when we taught him and to be honest it reminded of when alma comes upon the zoramites praying ontop of the tower and I was terrified. he was yelling at the top of his lungs these crazy things and the tow girls with us were chanting along. At first I was just praying for protection, but then I almost just busted up laughing it was so bad of me, but I have never in my life seen or heard anything like that. It was vrey wicked. But I believe he is good man, he is just very descieved so we will go back and teach him this thursday. I have to go I am sorry that this is so short. But I just want you all to know that i love you so much. From all of your emails I am just so proud and amazed at all of your goodness and I know the Lord has really blessed our family. YOu are all so amazing and we are so lucky to have the family that we do. Heavenly Father really did put some very righteous people together in our family. I want you to know that I know this church is true. I know it and I know that it is only by following and implementing the gosple in our lives that we can be happy. There is no other way to God. There is no other way to be happy. There is war going on and in fact one of the area 70 came and spoke to us and said the number one thing that satan is trying to destroy is eternal marriage and families. because he knows when that goes everything will go. This is not a time to sit on the fence the world is getting so wicked as Iam sure you know but it is beyond comprehension. We cannot sit still we have to firght for what we hold so dear to us. And it can't wait. And satan is going to throw everything at us while we try, but god will always be there walking by our side. I know this sounds a little crazy but if you could just get a glimpse of what i see everyday your heart would break. I love you all so much the lord has blessed us for a reason. we are a strong family and he has preserved us to fight for him in these times. I know that this is the only thing that matters there is so much at risk. I love my lord and I know that this is His church the only true church. There is not any other true church. This is His. And President Monson is the Prophet in these latter days. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. NOne of these things are on trial even though the world seems to think they are. Only we are and whether we follow these things. I love you all so much and I will write next week. love sister coleman
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday November 12th 2008
Letter from Rachel to her Mother (family)
Dear Mother,
Thank you so much for all those emails. I really appreciate it and it was so good to hear from you. You look amazing in your picture with your sister and june. And oh, the kids are so cute. I wish i could have taken them trick or treating. We had to be in by 5 on halloween and couldn't answer the door. The kids here don't really get dressed up and just ask for money. It is sad.
But things are going really good here. I am in a new zone called ashton zone. I am in Manchester. It is a hard area actually the hardest in our mission. President Bullock must trust me a lot because he whitewashed us into this area and we had no one to teach. People do not care about the gospel or anything and we have to be careful who we talk to as well. It is a huge jewish and muslim population as well as indian.
In one of our first days here we found an indian family to teach. There kids are wild but lissy the mother is so good. On the second lesson we taught the restoration and as I was reciting the first vision the spirit just hit peirced my heart so strongly that i just started weeping and then lissy felt the spirit. We committed her to be baptized and she said yes once she knows it is true. It was so amazing.
Also, we found a women from zimbabwe. her name is shupi. We have jsut taught her the restoration, but we have already committed her to be baptized as well . she said the same thing and came to stake conference with us this last sunday. President Bullock spoke as well as the area 70 president ford. As missionaries we sang the armies of helaman and sisters in zion duet. I was really nervous becuase they told us an hour before and we pracitised it twice and there were only 5 girls and none of them really sang so i had to sing loud and we all know i can't sing. but the spirit was with me and i somehow was able to sing. it sounded amazing. and when i sat down shupi was crying. She felt the spirit as well. WEll, that is what is going on. Things are really going good here. I love you mom so much and i want you to know that I know that this church is true with all my heart. I am and will continue to sacrifice everything to the lord for his tender mercies for me. And I have the best example to follow, you. I love you and i am so proud to be your daughter.
love, sister coleman
Dear Mother,
Thank you so much for all those emails. I really appreciate it and it was so good to hear from you. You look amazing in your picture with your sister and june. And oh, the kids are so cute. I wish i could have taken them trick or treating. We had to be in by 5 on halloween and couldn't answer the door. The kids here don't really get dressed up and just ask for money. It is sad.
But things are going really good here. I am in a new zone called ashton zone. I am in Manchester. It is a hard area actually the hardest in our mission. President Bullock must trust me a lot because he whitewashed us into this area and we had no one to teach. People do not care about the gospel or anything and we have to be careful who we talk to as well. It is a huge jewish and muslim population as well as indian.
In one of our first days here we found an indian family to teach. There kids are wild but lissy the mother is so good. On the second lesson we taught the restoration and as I was reciting the first vision the spirit just hit peirced my heart so strongly that i just started weeping and then lissy felt the spirit. We committed her to be baptized and she said yes once she knows it is true. It was so amazing.
Also, we found a women from zimbabwe. her name is shupi. We have jsut taught her the restoration, but we have already committed her to be baptized as well . she said the same thing and came to stake conference with us this last sunday. President Bullock spoke as well as the area 70 president ford. As missionaries we sang the armies of helaman and sisters in zion duet. I was really nervous becuase they told us an hour before and we pracitised it twice and there were only 5 girls and none of them really sang so i had to sing loud and we all know i can't sing. but the spirit was with me and i somehow was able to sing. it sounded amazing. and when i sat down shupi was crying. She felt the spirit as well. WEll, that is what is going on. Things are really going good here. I love you mom so much and i want you to know that I know that this church is true with all my heart. I am and will continue to sacrifice everything to the lord for his tender mercies for me. And I have the best example to follow, you. I love you and i am so proud to be your daughter.
love, sister coleman
Thursday, November 6, 2008
I can receive emails now!
Wednesday November 5th 2008. Letter from Rachel to her Mother (family)
Dear Mother,
Hello, I can recieve emails now, hopefully. So if you have not been writing please write because it has been a month and a week now since I have recieved any email. And tell the whole family to write me as well, I want to hear from everyone. So what has been going on the last month? Anything exiciting? Exciting or not I want to know.
Well, things are going wonderful here. I am in Whitefield North. It is part of Manchester. I always wanted to go to Manchester and now that I am here I am not that impressed. It is completly run down and gross. Probably ten times worse than my last area. But I guess that is reality. It is never like what you see in the movies or read in a book. But other that it is going great. I love the people anyways. I would serve here forever if I could. So many people need help that only the gospel can bring.
Were going to be working with a huge council estate near our home where it is kind of a sketchy area, but it will be good to get a lot of the children off of the streets. A man named Tony Ward used to live their and joined the church so he has been working down their for awhile. And it's a good way to teach families and get their parents involved. A council estate is like a big ghetto area where people live off of the government. But that is mostly all this area is.
The first couple of days were really hard to find anyone to teach. But I have been praying a lot that the Lord would put prepared people in our path and the other day only 4 people would talk to us, but out of those 4 people we got 4 appointments. The ward also needs a lot of help so their is definatly a reason I came here. It is a lot of work, but it is worth it. I only wish I could do more. But I know the lord was preparing these people for one last chance. I was reading in Jacob 5 the other day and the Lord was saying that he would give his people one more chance to prosper before he came and destroyed it and how we as his servants need to go and do everything we can and our reward and the people's reward would be great. Obviously, I have likened that chapter to me, but that is how the Lord speaks to us, is through scriptures and prayers. The spirit was so strong that this is what needed to be done and President Bullock seems to be under the same impression. So I trust the Lord that he will make miracles happen. Good things are about to happen in what would seem to be a completly wicked and hopeless area. But never doubt the Lord. He was able to change Lancaster as well. And now it is going wonderful their.
Mom I love you so much and lately, I have just been thinking about how you raised us and just the little things that you did to stand up for the Lord and the things you know to be true. Like turning off the bad movies and throwing away my immodest clothing and picking me up from my bad friends homes and so much more. Just even making us go to church and listen to general conference. I know I have always made fun of you for those things and I am sorry. And I just want to thank you so much for doing those things and not just trying to be a cool mom, but only caring what the Lord thought. Thank you so much. I love you mom and everyone else. I hope to hear from you all next week.
Oh, by the way how is Michael and Spencer and Nathan doing. And also, the ward. I hope everyone is doing well. And would you tell Pam and Leslie that I love them and to write me a letter. Also, Mckenna would you find out how she is doing for me. Thanks.
Love, Sister Coleman
Dear Mother,
Hello, I can recieve emails now, hopefully. So if you have not been writing please write because it has been a month and a week now since I have recieved any email. And tell the whole family to write me as well, I want to hear from everyone. So what has been going on the last month? Anything exiciting? Exciting or not I want to know.
Well, things are going wonderful here. I am in Whitefield North. It is part of Manchester. I always wanted to go to Manchester and now that I am here I am not that impressed. It is completly run down and gross. Probably ten times worse than my last area. But I guess that is reality. It is never like what you see in the movies or read in a book. But other that it is going great. I love the people anyways. I would serve here forever if I could. So many people need help that only the gospel can bring.
Were going to be working with a huge council estate near our home where it is kind of a sketchy area, but it will be good to get a lot of the children off of the streets. A man named Tony Ward used to live their and joined the church so he has been working down their for awhile. And it's a good way to teach families and get their parents involved. A council estate is like a big ghetto area where people live off of the government. But that is mostly all this area is.
The first couple of days were really hard to find anyone to teach. But I have been praying a lot that the Lord would put prepared people in our path and the other day only 4 people would talk to us, but out of those 4 people we got 4 appointments. The ward also needs a lot of help so their is definatly a reason I came here. It is a lot of work, but it is worth it. I only wish I could do more. But I know the lord was preparing these people for one last chance. I was reading in Jacob 5 the other day and the Lord was saying that he would give his people one more chance to prosper before he came and destroyed it and how we as his servants need to go and do everything we can and our reward and the people's reward would be great. Obviously, I have likened that chapter to me, but that is how the Lord speaks to us, is through scriptures and prayers. The spirit was so strong that this is what needed to be done and President Bullock seems to be under the same impression. So I trust the Lord that he will make miracles happen. Good things are about to happen in what would seem to be a completly wicked and hopeless area. But never doubt the Lord. He was able to change Lancaster as well. And now it is going wonderful their.
Mom I love you so much and lately, I have just been thinking about how you raised us and just the little things that you did to stand up for the Lord and the things you know to be true. Like turning off the bad movies and throwing away my immodest clothing and picking me up from my bad friends homes and so much more. Just even making us go to church and listen to general conference. I know I have always made fun of you for those things and I am sorry. And I just want to thank you so much for doing those things and not just trying to be a cool mom, but only caring what the Lord thought. Thank you so much. I love you mom and everyone else. I hope to hear from you all next week.
Oh, by the way how is Michael and Spencer and Nathan doing. And also, the ward. I hope everyone is doing well. And would you tell Pam and Leslie that I love them and to write me a letter. Also, Mckenna would you find out how she is doing for me. Thanks.
Love, Sister Coleman
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Wednesday September 10th 2008
Letter from Rachel to her Mother (family)
Dear Mum,
Well, 2 wednesdays ago, the 2nd councilor in our ward, Brother Collins and his wife took us on a church history tour. He used to do this for awhile and would take the church leaders all around England. Mainly, preston and downham. He has met many prophets and apostles and has many wonderful stories to tell. Well, I didn't get much of a tour because when we reached Downham my heart and lungs really started to hurt the closer we got to the church history. I tried to hide it because I didn't want anyone to know. But as we got out of the car and was walking by the river where Heber C. Kimball baptized many people and where the road where many of the original 12 apostles and early missionaries have walked it started getting really bad. In fact, just a side note, it is believed that Jesus Christ himself came to this town when he was a boy with Joseph of Aramathea. There is a song called Jerusalem about it. I started feeling like my chest was going to explode and i just turned chalk white. when we got up the hill we stopped at a cafe for dinner and me and sister coffin went out to the barn toilet in back. It was really bad i started blacking out and hypervenhilating and i couldn't breath. There was no blood in my face and I was in the most excruciating pain i have ever felt. but as we left the cafe it sort of left. i still had the pains though. But as we got to preston where the river ribble is it came back but worse. as we were walking to the site where the people were baptized i had to stop and brother collins gave me a blessing. but it didn't seem to help. when i got to the bridge it got even worse. i started dry heaving and blacking out. I don't think i was very conscience at this point. i couldn't even walk and the pain was unbearable. i don't even know how to describe it. i honestly thought right then that i was going to die. everyone else did too and they rushed me to the hospital. of course when i got there i was fine and the doctor said i was in perfect health. she kept saying i was pregnant even though none of my symptons matched. the doctors are terrible here. our mission doctor thinks i might have blood clots in my lungs and if that happens again i have to go to the theatre. surgery. but the health program here won't do anything about it unless i am about to die. so i am stuck. but really i am fine now. i had another blessing and it said i would be perfectly healthy. in fact the only time i was like that was when i got close to a church histroy site. me and sister coffin both just think it was satan. i have terrible luck with him. last thursday we came home and it had been pouring rain all day and it turned out that all of our stuff had molded over. we were shocked and so tired. all of my suitcases and walls and shoes and everything was covered in thick green mold. it was so disgusting. it must have happened in the last week. so sister coffin got out the bleach and jsut started spraying everything. my stuff was the worst. it tooks us hours to clean everything off, by the time we were done our house was rank with the smell of bleach. our eyes were burning and we couldn't even go into our room. we jsut fell asleep on our study tabel. we got like 4 hours of sleep because the next morning we had to wake up really early and go to interviews with president bullock. we were shattered. but i am happy the work is progressing and we are finding a lot of new people to teach. Satan will do anything to destroy us and he seems to be working particularly hard on me. but it doestn't matter. each night i just pour out my heart to my heavenly father and he takes care of everything. one thing that i have really come to value on my mission is the relationship i have built with my heavenly father. i find myself talking to him all day and night and i can fell him right beside. i am happy. something that i can't describe to anyone. i am exactly where i need to be and i am thankful for all of my trials because i am growing stronger every day. i love this gosple and i love the lord and my God. They are there watching out for me and they are here with me as I do there work. This is the most amazing experience in the entire world. I wouldn't change it for anything. this work is true!
Dear Mum,
Well, 2 wednesdays ago, the 2nd councilor in our ward, Brother Collins and his wife took us on a church history tour. He used to do this for awhile and would take the church leaders all around England. Mainly, preston and downham. He has met many prophets and apostles and has many wonderful stories to tell. Well, I didn't get much of a tour because when we reached Downham my heart and lungs really started to hurt the closer we got to the church history. I tried to hide it because I didn't want anyone to know. But as we got out of the car and was walking by the river where Heber C. Kimball baptized many people and where the road where many of the original 12 apostles and early missionaries have walked it started getting really bad. In fact, just a side note, it is believed that Jesus Christ himself came to this town when he was a boy with Joseph of Aramathea. There is a song called Jerusalem about it. I started feeling like my chest was going to explode and i just turned chalk white. when we got up the hill we stopped at a cafe for dinner and me and sister coffin went out to the barn toilet in back. It was really bad i started blacking out and hypervenhilating and i couldn't breath. There was no blood in my face and I was in the most excruciating pain i have ever felt. but as we left the cafe it sort of left. i still had the pains though. But as we got to preston where the river ribble is it came back but worse. as we were walking to the site where the people were baptized i had to stop and brother collins gave me a blessing. but it didn't seem to help. when i got to the bridge it got even worse. i started dry heaving and blacking out. I don't think i was very conscience at this point. i couldn't even walk and the pain was unbearable. i don't even know how to describe it. i honestly thought right then that i was going to die. everyone else did too and they rushed me to the hospital. of course when i got there i was fine and the doctor said i was in perfect health. she kept saying i was pregnant even though none of my symptons matched. the doctors are terrible here. our mission doctor thinks i might have blood clots in my lungs and if that happens again i have to go to the theatre. surgery. but the health program here won't do anything about it unless i am about to die. so i am stuck. but really i am fine now. i had another blessing and it said i would be perfectly healthy. in fact the only time i was like that was when i got close to a church histroy site. me and sister coffin both just think it was satan. i have terrible luck with him. last thursday we came home and it had been pouring rain all day and it turned out that all of our stuff had molded over. we were shocked and so tired. all of my suitcases and walls and shoes and everything was covered in thick green mold. it was so disgusting. it must have happened in the last week. so sister coffin got out the bleach and jsut started spraying everything. my stuff was the worst. it tooks us hours to clean everything off, by the time we were done our house was rank with the smell of bleach. our eyes were burning and we couldn't even go into our room. we jsut fell asleep on our study tabel. we got like 4 hours of sleep because the next morning we had to wake up really early and go to interviews with president bullock. we were shattered. but i am happy the work is progressing and we are finding a lot of new people to teach. Satan will do anything to destroy us and he seems to be working particularly hard on me. but it doestn't matter. each night i just pour out my heart to my heavenly father and he takes care of everything. one thing that i have really come to value on my mission is the relationship i have built with my heavenly father. i find myself talking to him all day and night and i can fell him right beside. i am happy. something that i can't describe to anyone. i am exactly where i need to be and i am thankful for all of my trials because i am growing stronger every day. i love this gosple and i love the lord and my God. They are there watching out for me and they are here with me as I do there work. This is the most amazing experience in the entire world. I wouldn't change it for anything. this work is true!
Wednesday 12th August 2008
Letter form Rachel to Mother (family).
Laura's Birthday.
HELLO, MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER. I JUST SAW A PICTURE OF YOU THAT AMY SENT AND YOU LOOK AMAZING. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE DOING WELL AT YOUR JOB. THANKS FOR THE QUOTES I REALLY LIKE THEM. AND I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL RECIEVED MY CARDS. I HOPE THAT YOU SEND THE BOYS THERES. THAT WILL BE REALLY FUN IF THE RELAVTIVES CAME AND VISITED. YOU CAN HAVE THEM STAY AT THE HOUSE NOW THAT WERE ALL GONE. AS FOR ME I HAVE HAD AN AMAZING WEEK. TO START I WILL TELL YOU A FUNNY STORY. WELL LAST P DAY SOME MEMBERS CALLED US UP AND WANTED TO TAKE US TO GEORGE WASHINGTONS HOME IN WARTON. SO WE WENT AND SAW HIS HOUSE AND VILLAGE. IT WASN'T THAT IMPRESSIVE. BUT ON THE WAY HOME WE SIGNS FOR A MONASTARY. WHERE THE NUNS LIVE. LIKE IN THE SOUND OF MUSIC. AND JUST SOME BACKGROUND. THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK US USED TO BE BIG CATHOLICS AND KNOW SOME HIGH UP POEPLE. LEO, HE STILL BELIEVES IN THE TRINITY AND ATTENDS THERE CHURCH EVERY WEEK. BUT WE ARE TEACHING THEM AND ARE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. SO THEY ASKED IF WE COULD STOP BY AND SAY HELLO. WE WERE BOTH LIKE OK, BUT FELT REALLY WEIRD BECAUSE AS SISTER MISSIONARIES A NUNS MONASTARY IS THE LAST PLACE YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD EVER BE. BUT AS WE WERE DRIVING AROUND THE GROUNDS A NUN JUST POPPED UP OUT OF NOWHERE IN THE BUSHES. I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A ZOO OR SOMETHING. IT WAS EXCITING. SO WE GOT OUT AND RANG THE DOORBELL. AND THE DOOR WAS HUMOUNGOUS. AND THIS TINY 4 FOOT NUN ANSWERS THE DOOR. AND LET US IN. IT WASN'T THE IMPRESSIVE INSIDE. PRETTY PLAIN AND JUST CLUTTERED AND WEIRD REALLY. BUT THEY LET US TAKE A SELF GUIDED TOUR AROUND. THEN WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT SHE WENT AND FETCHED LIKE TEN MORE NUNS AND THEY WERE ALL CROWDING AROUND US. AND THEY WERE ALL TINY AND OLD. IT WAS PRETY FUNNY. THEY KEPT ASKING OUR FIRST NAMES BECAUSE THEY COULD READ OUR TAG AND WOULDN'T CALL US SISTER. I WANTED TO ASK THEM THERE FIRST NAME, BUT DIDN'T. WE JUST TOLD THEM OUR NAMES WERE SISTER COFFIN AND COLEMAN. BUT WE ALL TOOK A PICTURE TOGETHER. LEO FRAMED IT AND GAVE IT TO THEM AND A BOOK OF MORMON LATER ON. AFTER THEY ASKED WHAT WE DID AND WE TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROPHET AND WHAT WE DO. AT THAT POINT ONE GOT UPSET I THINK AND WENT INSIDE. BUT THE REST JUST KEPT ASKING US QUESTIONS. FINALLY, WE ASKED THEM WHAT THEY DID. NOW UP UNTIL THIS POOINT I HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHAT NUNS ACTUALLY DO AND HOW THEY GOT STARTED. WELL, THE ANSWER IS NOTHING. BIG SUPRISE. BASICALLY THEY ARE MORE OF A BURDEN TO THE CHURCH THEN A HELP. BUT WHATEVER I REALLY THINK NOW FROM WHAT I GATHERED IT WAS A WAY TO SUBJECT WOMEN INTO SEXIST ROLES. I AM NOT SAYING THAT TO BE MEAN BUT THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE KEEPS TELLING ME AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN. ALSO, SOME SCALLY'S WERE PLAYING FOOTBALL ON THE STREET THE OTHER DAY AND SISTER COFFIN WAS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO THE ASSISTANTS. AND WE WERE WALKING PAST THEM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THIS HUGE THING SMASH INTO THE BACK OF MY HEAD. THEY HAD THROWN THE FOOTBALL AT MY HEAD. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I TURNED AROUND IN SHOCK AND TWO WERE JUST LAUGHING AND ONE WAS LIKE SORRY ABOUT THAT LOVE. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS THERE WAY OF FLIRTING OR JSUT COMPLETE LACK OF DISCIPLINE. BUT I JSUT SAID THAT IT WAS OK. AND WALKED OFF. KIDS HERE ARE TERRIBLE. THE OTHER DAY SOME LADY TOLD SOME CHAVES TO STOP SMOKING AT THE TRAIN STATION SO THEY PUSHED HER ONTO THE TRACKS. SHE ALMOST DIED. BE THANKFUL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR KIDS HERE. ALSO, OUR MEETING WITH THE YW PRESIDENCY WENT WONDERFUL. WE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO PLAN AND CONDUCT YW'S AND WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO MAKE THE WARD INTO A REAL WARD. BISHOP MOUNT IS EXSTATIC. SO MUCH THAT HE RANG US THIS MORNIGN AND ASKED US TO TEACH AND TAKE THE MTC GROUP FINDING IN OUR AREA. WHICH THEY NEVER HAVE DONE BEFORE. SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING THIS. ANYWAYS THIS IS A LONG LETTER. BUT I LOVE YOU.
LOVE, SISTER COLEMAN
Laura's Birthday.
HELLO, MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER. I JUST SAW A PICTURE OF YOU THAT AMY SENT AND YOU LOOK AMAZING. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE DOING WELL AT YOUR JOB. THANKS FOR THE QUOTES I REALLY LIKE THEM. AND I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL RECIEVED MY CARDS. I HOPE THAT YOU SEND THE BOYS THERES. THAT WILL BE REALLY FUN IF THE RELAVTIVES CAME AND VISITED. YOU CAN HAVE THEM STAY AT THE HOUSE NOW THAT WERE ALL GONE. AS FOR ME I HAVE HAD AN AMAZING WEEK. TO START I WILL TELL YOU A FUNNY STORY. WELL LAST P DAY SOME MEMBERS CALLED US UP AND WANTED TO TAKE US TO GEORGE WASHINGTONS HOME IN WARTON. SO WE WENT AND SAW HIS HOUSE AND VILLAGE. IT WASN'T THAT IMPRESSIVE. BUT ON THE WAY HOME WE SIGNS FOR A MONASTARY. WHERE THE NUNS LIVE. LIKE IN THE SOUND OF MUSIC. AND JUST SOME BACKGROUND. THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK US USED TO BE BIG CATHOLICS AND KNOW SOME HIGH UP POEPLE. LEO, HE STILL BELIEVES IN THE TRINITY AND ATTENDS THERE CHURCH EVERY WEEK. BUT WE ARE TEACHING THEM AND ARE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. SO THEY ASKED IF WE COULD STOP BY AND SAY HELLO. WE WERE BOTH LIKE OK, BUT FELT REALLY WEIRD BECAUSE AS SISTER MISSIONARIES A NUNS MONASTARY IS THE LAST PLACE YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD EVER BE. BUT AS WE WERE DRIVING AROUND THE GROUNDS A NUN JUST POPPED UP OUT OF NOWHERE IN THE BUSHES. I FELT LIKE I WAS IN A ZOO OR SOMETHING. IT WAS EXCITING. SO WE GOT OUT AND RANG THE DOORBELL. AND THE DOOR WAS HUMOUNGOUS. AND THIS TINY 4 FOOT NUN ANSWERS THE DOOR. AND LET US IN. IT WASN'T THE IMPRESSIVE INSIDE. PRETTY PLAIN AND JUST CLUTTERED AND WEIRD REALLY. BUT THEY LET US TAKE A SELF GUIDED TOUR AROUND. THEN WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT SHE WENT AND FETCHED LIKE TEN MORE NUNS AND THEY WERE ALL CROWDING AROUND US. AND THEY WERE ALL TINY AND OLD. IT WAS PRETY FUNNY. THEY KEPT ASKING OUR FIRST NAMES BECAUSE THEY COULD READ OUR TAG AND WOULDN'T CALL US SISTER. I WANTED TO ASK THEM THERE FIRST NAME, BUT DIDN'T. WE JUST TOLD THEM OUR NAMES WERE SISTER COFFIN AND COLEMAN. BUT WE ALL TOOK A PICTURE TOGETHER. LEO FRAMED IT AND GAVE IT TO THEM AND A BOOK OF MORMON LATER ON. AFTER THEY ASKED WHAT WE DID AND WE TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROPHET AND WHAT WE DO. AT THAT POINT ONE GOT UPSET I THINK AND WENT INSIDE. BUT THE REST JUST KEPT ASKING US QUESTIONS. FINALLY, WE ASKED THEM WHAT THEY DID. NOW UP UNTIL THIS POOINT I HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHAT NUNS ACTUALLY DO AND HOW THEY GOT STARTED. WELL, THE ANSWER IS NOTHING. BIG SUPRISE. BASICALLY THEY ARE MORE OF A BURDEN TO THE CHURCH THEN A HELP. BUT WHATEVER I REALLY THINK NOW FROM WHAT I GATHERED IT WAS A WAY TO SUBJECT WOMEN INTO SEXIST ROLES. I AM NOT SAYING THAT TO BE MEAN BUT THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE KEEPS TELLING ME AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN. ALSO, SOME SCALLY'S WERE PLAYING FOOTBALL ON THE STREET THE OTHER DAY AND SISTER COFFIN WAS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO THE ASSISTANTS. AND WE WERE WALKING PAST THEM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THIS HUGE THING SMASH INTO THE BACK OF MY HEAD. THEY HAD THROWN THE FOOTBALL AT MY HEAD. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I TURNED AROUND IN SHOCK AND TWO WERE JUST LAUGHING AND ONE WAS LIKE SORRY ABOUT THAT LOVE. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS THERE WAY OF FLIRTING OR JSUT COMPLETE LACK OF DISCIPLINE. BUT I JSUT SAID THAT IT WAS OK. AND WALKED OFF. KIDS HERE ARE TERRIBLE. THE OTHER DAY SOME LADY TOLD SOME CHAVES TO STOP SMOKING AT THE TRAIN STATION SO THEY PUSHED HER ONTO THE TRACKS. SHE ALMOST DIED. BE THANKFUL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR KIDS HERE. ALSO, OUR MEETING WITH THE YW PRESIDENCY WENT WONDERFUL. WE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO PLAN AND CONDUCT YW'S AND WE ARE REALLY STARTING TO MAKE THE WARD INTO A REAL WARD. BISHOP MOUNT IS EXSTATIC. SO MUCH THAT HE RANG US THIS MORNIGN AND ASKED US TO TEACH AND TAKE THE MTC GROUP FINDING IN OUR AREA. WHICH THEY NEVER HAVE DONE BEFORE. SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING THIS. ANYWAYS THIS IS A LONG LETTER. BUT I LOVE YOU.
LOVE, SISTER COLEMAN
Saturday July 26th 2008
Letter to Rachel from friend McKenna.
Subject: It's me, your best friend, and guess what I'm writing you an e-mail.
Hey beautiful Sister Rachel
I've finally started receiving your e-letters forworded by Laura. I had forgotten to give her my e-mail a few weeks ago when she had asked in order to start sending them to me so I've had a lot of good reading to do and I've spent about an hour doing so. But now it's my turn to write you, and give you an update. I've been meaning to send you a post card or a letter but it's really hard to find stamps around here. But I'm greatful that Laura sent me your email address becuause frankly it's cheaper, faster, and more convenient... imagine that.
So let's see where I left off, the last time I wrote you...
I would say first and foremost. Josef and I are doing much better and our relationship is getting stronger. We are happier with our lives and stronger in the Gospel. We still have a lot of work to do and we definately can do better in our scripture studies, but we hardly ever miss a FHE and we never miss family and individul prayer and of course we are always paying our tithing even though we are really poor. I really have no idea how we have survived without the Lord and the blessings of tithing. I started a new job at the end of June and only contributed 200 eur to the whole month of July for food and all the expenses that there are, and no none of the expenses have included clothes, oh man. But occordingly the Lord has helped us. There is no physical possibliity that we have had enough money but for some reason it's there and we are fed. I've never been more worry free about money in our marriage than now, when we really should be worried. I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. Oh, yeah and we've started building our food storage. We don't have much but it's a good start. The week I got your last letter talking about food storage, our ward also had an adult combined lesson about food storage. So I took it as a sign and try to add bits here and there.
Alright now second: Kendall got married June 19th to Jamie Ellis and my parents payed for Josef and I to come to the wedding. It was fun and really nice to be un Utah with Josef this time. Exspecially since you were not there, I really felt a hole and kept telling Josef, man I miss Rachel. We were there for about 8 days since Josef sitll had the University and wasn't able to miss much more of school otherwise we would have stayed longer. But we got to spend some time with his family and mine so it was worth it.
And just before the wedding I chopped my hair off.....
"WHAT??"... I am sure you are screaming but it looks really good and it's so much healthier. I had been concidering it for a while now and you know me and how emotionaly attached I was to my hair. After much concideration I'd felt it was time for something new and I don't regret it one bit. I chose the style that Paris Hilton had in 2006 and it works really well with my face and hair typer. I attached some before and after pictures below. You can also watch my video here and see other pictures here
and here too.
So... anyways I don't want to take up too much of your time and I still want to have somthing to write for you next week. I'll write about my job and how much I like it, as well Josef and I are moving to Frankfurt on friday. Our apartment is SO cool and I will send pics of the changes that were made and the painting we will be dong this week. But I'll tell you all about next week.
I love you! I'm so proud of you and I am so greatful for your example to me. You are SO VERY AMAZING Rachel, and I know you can do what you are doing because that is what you are.
Love, McKenna
Subject: It's me, your best friend, and guess what I'm writing you an e-mail.
Hey beautiful Sister Rachel
I've finally started receiving your e-letters forworded by Laura. I had forgotten to give her my e-mail a few weeks ago when she had asked in order to start sending them to me so I've had a lot of good reading to do and I've spent about an hour doing so. But now it's my turn to write you, and give you an update. I've been meaning to send you a post card or a letter but it's really hard to find stamps around here. But I'm greatful that Laura sent me your email address becuause frankly it's cheaper, faster, and more convenient... imagine that.
So let's see where I left off, the last time I wrote you...
I would say first and foremost. Josef and I are doing much better and our relationship is getting stronger. We are happier with our lives and stronger in the Gospel. We still have a lot of work to do and we definately can do better in our scripture studies, but we hardly ever miss a FHE and we never miss family and individul prayer and of course we are always paying our tithing even though we are really poor. I really have no idea how we have survived without the Lord and the blessings of tithing. I started a new job at the end of June and only contributed 200 eur to the whole month of July for food and all the expenses that there are, and no none of the expenses have included clothes, oh man. But occordingly the Lord has helped us. There is no physical possibliity that we have had enough money but for some reason it's there and we are fed. I've never been more worry free about money in our marriage than now, when we really should be worried. I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. Oh, yeah and we've started building our food storage. We don't have much but it's a good start. The week I got your last letter talking about food storage, our ward also had an adult combined lesson about food storage. So I took it as a sign and try to add bits here and there.
Alright now second: Kendall got married June 19th to Jamie Ellis and my parents payed for Josef and I to come to the wedding. It was fun and really nice to be un Utah with Josef this time. Exspecially since you were not there, I really felt a hole and kept telling Josef, man I miss Rachel. We were there for about 8 days since Josef sitll had the University and wasn't able to miss much more of school otherwise we would have stayed longer. But we got to spend some time with his family and mine so it was worth it.
And just before the wedding I chopped my hair off.....
"WHAT??"... I am sure you are screaming but it looks really good and it's so much healthier. I had been concidering it for a while now and you know me and how emotionaly attached I was to my hair. After much concideration I'd felt it was time for something new and I don't regret it one bit. I chose the style that Paris Hilton had in 2006 and it works really well with my face and hair typer. I attached some before and after pictures below. You can also watch my video here and see other pictures here
and here too.
So... anyways I don't want to take up too much of your time and I still want to have somthing to write for you next week. I'll write about my job and how much I like it, as well Josef and I are moving to Frankfurt on friday. Our apartment is SO cool and I will send pics of the changes that were made and the painting we will be dong this week. But I'll tell you all about next week.
I love you! I'm so proud of you and I am so greatful for your example to me. You are SO VERY AMAZING Rachel, and I know you can do what you are doing because that is what you are.
Love, McKenna
Pioneer Week. Wednesday July 23rd 2008.
Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
hello, my wonderful mother. it is greatt o hear about all that you are reading and learnign. it jsut shows no matter how much we already know or how old we are we are all still learnign and progressign.not much has happened since my last email. but one thing did. well earlier of last week i was asked to give a talk on a pure heart and clean hands. well i had no idea what to talk about. but i prayed that i would be led in the direction i needed to go. and i just started reading the ensign and soaking in everything and it hit me that that topic has to do with repentance. now you have to know something about the lancaster ward. it is not like any ward in utah. peple dont accept callings they dont sustain the leaders and dont welcome new comeers and there is no unity. there are a lot of probelms in it. and we are constanly giong around to members and teaching and calling people to repentance. but it never gets through. well my dear mother i can honeslty say that this talk was inspired and i just started writing. but it wasnt' me it was the spirit entirley . it was a very powerful talk and i knew it wasnt' me who wrote it . it was a message the lord wanted the members of our ward to hear. when sunday came i was so terrified to talk and kept trying to reason myself out of it. but the spirit was jsut burnign inside of me and i knew i couldn't . well i most definatly did give my talk with the stake president there. and it wasn't even me speaking. i have never and probably never will talk with so much power and authority as i did then . everyone was listening. there wasnt a single person there who wasnt't called to repentance that day. afterward it was an amazing thing though. everyone started coming up to me and thanknig me for my talk. everyone knew that it wasn't me speaking but the spirit. they started calling me hot coleman. and one guy said i echoed like brigham young. i have to admit it really wasn't me. it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. the spirit literally just talked straight through me. i felt like i was on fire the entire time. and the message definatley got across. i think we will start seenign a change in our ward. anyways other than taht i don't have much to tell you except i know with all my heart that this church is true. the spirit has born witness to me that we are childern of god and that the savior is the redeemer of the world and all mankind. i love the lord with all my heart and i will serve him faithfully my entire life and throughout eternity. we are so blessed and are a chosen people. because of our righteuosness we have been chosen to come to the earth and recieve the gosple in our own lives that we migtht spread it throughout the world. mom i love you. you are so wonderful keep studying preach my gosple. it has all the things you ever need to know in its pages. and if you abide its teachings you will return and live with the savior after this life. love sister coleman
hello, my wonderful mother. it is greatt o hear about all that you are reading and learnign. it jsut shows no matter how much we already know or how old we are we are all still learnign and progressign.not much has happened since my last email. but one thing did. well earlier of last week i was asked to give a talk on a pure heart and clean hands. well i had no idea what to talk about. but i prayed that i would be led in the direction i needed to go. and i just started reading the ensign and soaking in everything and it hit me that that topic has to do with repentance. now you have to know something about the lancaster ward. it is not like any ward in utah. peple dont accept callings they dont sustain the leaders and dont welcome new comeers and there is no unity. there are a lot of probelms in it. and we are constanly giong around to members and teaching and calling people to repentance. but it never gets through. well my dear mother i can honeslty say that this talk was inspired and i just started writing. but it wasnt' me it was the spirit entirley . it was a very powerful talk and i knew it wasnt' me who wrote it . it was a message the lord wanted the members of our ward to hear. when sunday came i was so terrified to talk and kept trying to reason myself out of it. but the spirit was jsut burnign inside of me and i knew i couldn't . well i most definatly did give my talk with the stake president there. and it wasn't even me speaking. i have never and probably never will talk with so much power and authority as i did then . everyone was listening. there wasnt a single person there who wasnt't called to repentance that day. afterward it was an amazing thing though. everyone started coming up to me and thanknig me for my talk. everyone knew that it wasn't me speaking but the spirit. they started calling me hot coleman. and one guy said i echoed like brigham young. i have to admit it really wasn't me. it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. the spirit literally just talked straight through me. i felt like i was on fire the entire time. and the message definatley got across. i think we will start seenign a change in our ward. anyways other than taht i don't have much to tell you except i know with all my heart that this church is true. the spirit has born witness to me that we are childern of god and that the savior is the redeemer of the world and all mankind. i love the lord with all my heart and i will serve him faithfully my entire life and throughout eternity. we are so blessed and are a chosen people. because of our righteuosness we have been chosen to come to the earth and recieve the gosple in our own lives that we migtht spread it throughout the world. mom i love you. you are so wonderful keep studying preach my gosple. it has all the things you ever need to know in its pages. and if you abide its teachings you will return and live with the savior after this life. love sister coleman
Friday July 18th 2008
Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
hello, mother. thank you for the informative letter i loved it. thank you and it sounds like everyone is doing good. i am doing wonderful as well. the work is really progressing and i am learnign a lot. though i think i will look haggard when my mission is through. we work hard becuase people need this in there life. but i have a lot to tel you and the family. i hope you are still sending these emails to everyone. well to start the 4th of july was wonderful we had a chocolate fountain it was so delicous and all this fruit and shortbread. we stayed up late and even got all dressed up it was great. we were so sick afterward though. then last thursday we had zone confernece. it was a special one because we were welcoming and meeting our new mission president for the first time. his name is president bullock. his wife is the daughter of boyd k. packer. but they didn't even mention it the entire time. he is amazing. he reminds me mitt romney he is a ceo of all these companies and so intelligent but humble at the same time. and sister bullock is beautifula and abosolutley wonderful and the sweetest women in the world. they are wonderful examples of a true servant of god. but as missionaries and leaders or anyone it isn't like you look at them and feel bad baout yourself. we are doing the same work we are united and equal. our mission is special something great is about to come about in england. the lord has really sent his most faithful here. then on this last monday we had exchanges. i was the senior companiion for the day. and sister gueierrez from preston came down to be with me for the day and i had to do everyhting myself. i wasn#t worried though, the lord has really prepared me. in actuality she was learning from me. she kept saying she felt so amazed at how much i knew and how much she admired me. but i have to admit the lord really carried me that day we saw a lot of miracle s happen i felt like angles were beside me and the spirit was overpowering with every one we taught. it kind of scarded me because it wasn't me i was just literally a tool in the lords hands as hhe led me and spoke through me. i have been very blessed. also, we were switched to the south ribble district randomly and our new district leader is elder shull. i think he has a crush on me. btu nothing really. btu i miss my old district but this one is good too. it was my first real change since i have been here and really elder shull is amazing. he is a convert and came on a mision 2 years later without the support of his parents and his was in this really prestigios medical school before and he gave it all up to be on a mission. he has a strong testimony. oh and last wednesday we went to the lake district in lake grasmere. we hiked up to a man made cave weere they carve the slate ourt of to build the country english walls and houses. it was beauitful. and it was funny our ward mission leaders wife sister fawcett had to go to the bathroom so bad she just went behind a wall, it was veery funny. we dont have a lot of investigators right now jsut our main four chris, xing ma & linssy and nicole. we are very close to all of them . particularyl nicole. they all came to church for the first time last sunday. which was a huge step for nicole she has major trust issues. she is 23 and gorgeous and she is a single mom. her daughters name is chanaed. and she has jsut been used a lot. it is sad. but we became very close and she is a different person. she is so happy. but at church she had a terrible trime. she weas so uncomfortable. and she dropped ;us. the next day we went over and it was so sad i was crying because i love her so much. but she said she didn't feell worthy to be there or baptized. she was crying and just accepted misery. it was so hard for me and her. but she is still a close freind. she was going to be baptized on the 26th of july now not at all. bu;t i hope she will changer her mind. chris is amazing he just need s to get married he is a reliougious and philosophy major. very inteligent but i think he will be baptized soon. and xing ma and linssy are from china and we have to teach them like childeren they ddidn't even know what god was when we started teaching them. but they now know about god and joseph smith and the book of mormon and that trhere true. they hoopefully will be bapptezed too. i love you mom i am typing so fast because i have to go but i will talk to you again wednesday. love sister coleman
hello, mother. thank you for the informative letter i loved it. thank you and it sounds like everyone is doing good. i am doing wonderful as well. the work is really progressing and i am learnign a lot. though i think i will look haggard when my mission is through. we work hard becuase people need this in there life. but i have a lot to tel you and the family. i hope you are still sending these emails to everyone. well to start the 4th of july was wonderful we had a chocolate fountain it was so delicous and all this fruit and shortbread. we stayed up late and even got all dressed up it was great. we were so sick afterward though. then last thursday we had zone confernece. it was a special one because we were welcoming and meeting our new mission president for the first time. his name is president bullock. his wife is the daughter of boyd k. packer. but they didn't even mention it the entire time. he is amazing. he reminds me mitt romney he is a ceo of all these companies and so intelligent but humble at the same time. and sister bullock is beautifula and abosolutley wonderful and the sweetest women in the world. they are wonderful examples of a true servant of god. but as missionaries and leaders or anyone it isn't like you look at them and feel bad baout yourself. we are doing the same work we are united and equal. our mission is special something great is about to come about in england. the lord has really sent his most faithful here. then on this last monday we had exchanges. i was the senior companiion for the day. and sister gueierrez from preston came down to be with me for the day and i had to do everyhting myself. i wasn#t worried though, the lord has really prepared me. in actuality she was learning from me. she kept saying she felt so amazed at how much i knew and how much she admired me. but i have to admit the lord really carried me that day we saw a lot of miracle s happen i felt like angles were beside me and the spirit was overpowering with every one we taught. it kind of scarded me because it wasn't me i was just literally a tool in the lords hands as hhe led me and spoke through me. i have been very blessed. also, we were switched to the south ribble district randomly and our new district leader is elder shull. i think he has a crush on me. btu nothing really. btu i miss my old district but this one is good too. it was my first real change since i have been here and really elder shull is amazing. he is a convert and came on a mision 2 years later without the support of his parents and his was in this really prestigios medical school before and he gave it all up to be on a mission. he has a strong testimony. oh and last wednesday we went to the lake district in lake grasmere. we hiked up to a man made cave weere they carve the slate ourt of to build the country english walls and houses. it was beauitful. and it was funny our ward mission leaders wife sister fawcett had to go to the bathroom so bad she just went behind a wall, it was veery funny. we dont have a lot of investigators right now jsut our main four chris, xing ma & linssy and nicole. we are very close to all of them . particularyl nicole. they all came to church for the first time last sunday. which was a huge step for nicole she has major trust issues. she is 23 and gorgeous and she is a single mom. her daughters name is chanaed. and she has jsut been used a lot. it is sad. but we became very close and she is a different person. she is so happy. but at church she had a terrible trime. she weas so uncomfortable. and she dropped ;us. the next day we went over and it was so sad i was crying because i love her so much. but she said she didn't feell worthy to be there or baptized. she was crying and just accepted misery. it was so hard for me and her. but she is still a close freind. she was going to be baptized on the 26th of july now not at all. bu;t i hope she will changer her mind. chris is amazing he just need s to get married he is a reliougious and philosophy major. very inteligent but i think he will be baptized soon. and xing ma and linssy are from china and we have to teach them like childeren they ddidn't even know what god was when we started teaching them. but they now know about god and joseph smith and the book of mormon and that trhere true. they hoopefully will be bapptezed too. i love you mom i am typing so fast because i have to go but i will talk to you again wednesday. love sister coleman
Wednesday June 25th 2008
Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
Mom, thank you for being so diligent in writing me. I get like two or three emails every time. One from you and most of the time amy and sometimes from laura. I have to admit its pretty frustrating. I have written everyone at least 3 or 4 times with no reply and a lot of things i ask or say isn't even acknowledged. I'm not being rude, but if everyone is to busy then that is just absurd. I love you all very much, but you need to write back. I dont' just send you an email hoping for no reply I want you all to know what has happened and be involved. and I want to hear everything about what is going on in all of your lifes. But each time I do email I get less and less. I have only been out a couple of months. Write me. Especailly, Robert, David, Rebecca, James. I haven't recieved one email or letter from any of you and i have written and emailed like 5 times each. Write me, already. So thank you mother for writing me and actually replying to my emails. It means a lot to me. I am still apart of this family you know.
> On a brighter note I am doing wonderful. Like always the work is moving onward. And yes it is filled with opposition every step of the way. But the more opposition, the more I know something great is about to happen. which me and sister coffin exceeded the mission goal of 19 total numbers this last week. we had 22. this includes how many people we teach a week of either investigatiors, members, less actives and so forth. We have 4 new investigators. and our average retention for europe of people who stay active after baptism is 80% which the average in all of europe is 30%. We also have to hopefulls nicole and chris that will be baptized soon if everything keeps going as it is. This mission is specail and we are working really hard. We have been skipping lunch and tea mostly because we are so busy. At the end of the day we just are shattered. I fell asleep on chris's couch the other day while we were teaching him. and me and sister coffin fall asleep on the bus. But it is not our time its the Lords and he gives us the stregnth to keep going. We always fall asleep on the bus. But last monday my first transfer was finished. a transfer is every six weeks and our district leaders called our entire zone on a conference call. and all of our district is staying in the ssame places. so for the next six weeks i will be in lancaster. I love it here. me and sister coffin are leading our district in numbers. We have worked hard to get where we are. The other night we did have a tea appointment with a lady named freida she is from south africa. She was telling us all about it and she made us an african dish called papa. it is white cornmeal and they eat everything with there hands. So we ate chicken and papa with our hands it was really fun. also, i am making cds of all my pictures to send home to you guys so you can expect that in a couple of weeks. As for money you should be able to put money in my account. england is so expensive. everything is like 4 times as much. were really poor. so yes if you could spare that would be nice. my account number is # 317288986 and its at washington mutual. but i am doing wonderful. my eyes have really been opened and i my learning and understanding is accelerated here on a mission like 100 x's more. i dont think you would recognize me if i came right now even. the lord is using me as a tool to spread the gospel and molding me into someone that he wants me to become. i am different. it is weird to think of who i was before my mission. it all seems like a dream. mom, i love you. you are wonderful and your haircut is very stylish. i like it. i hope things are going well with you. remember to do geneology and go to the temple. also start building a food storage. hard times are coming these things are so important. there is nothing more important that your progression in the gospel. stick firm to your faith and your values you are the normal one. don't get caught up in the world stay firm unto the lord. that is what matters. you alwasy have and i know yoou wil continue too. i love you mom. if people ask about me you can tel them i am safe in the lord s hands and the work is moving forward and tell them also to find people for the missionaries. people forget that that is what we have covenanted with the lord that we will do at baptism. we are disciples of christ. and its the members that are to find and the missionaries to teach. but people forget that. remind them. i love you pleas e keep me updated adn tell the fammily to write me. i love you, mom. love siser coleman
Mom, thank you for being so diligent in writing me. I get like two or three emails every time. One from you and most of the time amy and sometimes from laura. I have to admit its pretty frustrating. I have written everyone at least 3 or 4 times with no reply and a lot of things i ask or say isn't even acknowledged. I'm not being rude, but if everyone is to busy then that is just absurd. I love you all very much, but you need to write back. I dont' just send you an email hoping for no reply I want you all to know what has happened and be involved. and I want to hear everything about what is going on in all of your lifes. But each time I do email I get less and less. I have only been out a couple of months. Write me. Especailly, Robert, David, Rebecca, James. I haven't recieved one email or letter from any of you and i have written and emailed like 5 times each. Write me, already. So thank you mother for writing me and actually replying to my emails. It means a lot to me. I am still apart of this family you know.
> On a brighter note I am doing wonderful. Like always the work is moving onward. And yes it is filled with opposition every step of the way. But the more opposition, the more I know something great is about to happen. which me and sister coffin exceeded the mission goal of 19 total numbers this last week. we had 22. this includes how many people we teach a week of either investigatiors, members, less actives and so forth. We have 4 new investigators. and our average retention for europe of people who stay active after baptism is 80% which the average in all of europe is 30%. We also have to hopefulls nicole and chris that will be baptized soon if everything keeps going as it is. This mission is specail and we are working really hard. We have been skipping lunch and tea mostly because we are so busy. At the end of the day we just are shattered. I fell asleep on chris's couch the other day while we were teaching him. and me and sister coffin fall asleep on the bus. But it is not our time its the Lords and he gives us the stregnth to keep going. We always fall asleep on the bus. But last monday my first transfer was finished. a transfer is every six weeks and our district leaders called our entire zone on a conference call. and all of our district is staying in the ssame places. so for the next six weeks i will be in lancaster. I love it here. me and sister coffin are leading our district in numbers. We have worked hard to get where we are. The other night we did have a tea appointment with a lady named freida she is from south africa. She was telling us all about it and she made us an african dish called papa. it is white cornmeal and they eat everything with there hands. So we ate chicken and papa with our hands it was really fun. also, i am making cds of all my pictures to send home to you guys so you can expect that in a couple of weeks. As for money you should be able to put money in my account. england is so expensive. everything is like 4 times as much. were really poor. so yes if you could spare that would be nice. my account number is # 317288986 and its at washington mutual. but i am doing wonderful. my eyes have really been opened and i my learning and understanding is accelerated here on a mission like 100 x's more. i dont think you would recognize me if i came right now even. the lord is using me as a tool to spread the gospel and molding me into someone that he wants me to become. i am different. it is weird to think of who i was before my mission. it all seems like a dream. mom, i love you. you are wonderful and your haircut is very stylish. i like it. i hope things are going well with you. remember to do geneology and go to the temple. also start building a food storage. hard times are coming these things are so important. there is nothing more important that your progression in the gospel. stick firm to your faith and your values you are the normal one. don't get caught up in the world stay firm unto the lord. that is what matters. you alwasy have and i know yoou wil continue too. i love you mom. if people ask about me you can tel them i am safe in the lord s hands and the work is moving forward and tell them also to find people for the missionaries. people forget that that is what we have covenanted with the lord that we will do at baptism. we are disciples of christ. and its the members that are to find and the missionaries to teach. but people forget that. remind them. i love you pleas e keep me updated adn tell the fammily to write me. i love you, mom. love siser coleman
Wednesday June 18th 2008
Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
what is all this that i hear. you are like a new person. which is wonderful. just dont forget that you are a daughter of god first and foremost and you need to follow the promptings of the holy ghost above anything else and you will be happy. it is so good to hear about robbie. he is so cute amy sent me a whole bunch of pictures of the scottish festival it looks like fun. and of robbies birthday. he is so cute. speaking of birthdays please dont forget in your next email to send me a list of everyoes b day and holidays. oh and if you could just send me your krinkle cookie recipe that would be great. everything here is different so the other recipes wouldnt be to much help. i am so excited for the family everyone sounds like they are doing wonderful. i am thankful the lord is blessing all of you. i have to say your probably not missing me to much because of all the blessings you have recieved. just kidding. but the other day i was reading in the church news about the 20 acres that the church bought in downtown salt lake. they had ripped out a big portion of buildings already. and i was shocked to hear that they are just building residential buildings and apartments. all 20 acres is for homes. and then it clicked the lord is preparing for a gathering. at least thats what me and sister coffin think. why else would they be building so many homes. the end is drawing near you can see that satan has a great hold on the hearts of men over here and everywhere. yet there is so much goodness as well. it just made me so thankful to be apart of the greatest organization this world has ever seen. for the lord is the head of this church and he knows all things. also elder huntsman of the 70 has built a very large cancer facility to cure cancer. and he is using family history to do. many other orgfanizations are try ing to copy there success but they dont realize we have the lord guiding us. but apparently they can trace back to the origanl peopel who had colon cancer. and because of the churchs large family history collection they are able to do so. family histroy is so important president hinkley said it has 2 designs. to save the living and the dead. it is literally going to save the living by curing diseases particullary cancer is what he said. it just strengthens your testimony knowing that none of this is possible unless it is by the wisdom of the lord who inspires men and gives revelation to the prophet. it is so amazing. also, i have been really praying to be completly free of the world becaue it is only then that we are free and able to serve to lord and progress. and by forgetting myself i am able to love the people here more and love the lord too. but one of our only progressing investigatiors named nicole has basically dropped us. we were at her house the other day and her sister and her friendsa came over and they werent to pleased to see us there. but we know that some things were said to persuade her not to talk to us again because she called this morning and told she cant see us anymore. and made up all these excuses. and i just started crying. not for myself but for her to see someone who had truley felt of gods mercy and love for them and really experienced true happiness was to much when you see the flip side and you see them give up that happiness for misery. she was so unhappy as she was talking to us. and i realized no matter how much i desire someone to be happy they have to desire it for themselves. i felt a little bit how heavenly father feels as he looks down on the wickedness of men. and just seeing what great hold satan has on people is so sad. he only wnats them to be miserable. but it only maks me love the people more knowing what they must feel and i only desire to bring them true happiness that is what this gospel is about. i know its true i know that god is all of our living and loving heavebly father. i know that. i love you mom. i love the family. i am so glad you and dad have made it possible to have that in our lives. thank you. love sister coleman
what is all this that i hear. you are like a new person. which is wonderful. just dont forget that you are a daughter of god first and foremost and you need to follow the promptings of the holy ghost above anything else and you will be happy. it is so good to hear about robbie. he is so cute amy sent me a whole bunch of pictures of the scottish festival it looks like fun. and of robbies birthday. he is so cute. speaking of birthdays please dont forget in your next email to send me a list of everyoes b day and holidays. oh and if you could just send me your krinkle cookie recipe that would be great. everything here is different so the other recipes wouldnt be to much help. i am so excited for the family everyone sounds like they are doing wonderful. i am thankful the lord is blessing all of you. i have to say your probably not missing me to much because of all the blessings you have recieved. just kidding. but the other day i was reading in the church news about the 20 acres that the church bought in downtown salt lake. they had ripped out a big portion of buildings already. and i was shocked to hear that they are just building residential buildings and apartments. all 20 acres is for homes. and then it clicked the lord is preparing for a gathering. at least thats what me and sister coffin think. why else would they be building so many homes. the end is drawing near you can see that satan has a great hold on the hearts of men over here and everywhere. yet there is so much goodness as well. it just made me so thankful to be apart of the greatest organization this world has ever seen. for the lord is the head of this church and he knows all things. also elder huntsman of the 70 has built a very large cancer facility to cure cancer. and he is using family history to do. many other orgfanizations are try ing to copy there success but they dont realize we have the lord guiding us. but apparently they can trace back to the origanl peopel who had colon cancer. and because of the churchs large family history collection they are able to do so. family histroy is so important president hinkley said it has 2 designs. to save the living and the dead. it is literally going to save the living by curing diseases particullary cancer is what he said. it just strengthens your testimony knowing that none of this is possible unless it is by the wisdom of the lord who inspires men and gives revelation to the prophet. it is so amazing. also, i have been really praying to be completly free of the world becaue it is only then that we are free and able to serve to lord and progress. and by forgetting myself i am able to love the people here more and love the lord too. but one of our only progressing investigatiors named nicole has basically dropped us. we were at her house the other day and her sister and her friendsa came over and they werent to pleased to see us there. but we know that some things were said to persuade her not to talk to us again because she called this morning and told she cant see us anymore. and made up all these excuses. and i just started crying. not for myself but for her to see someone who had truley felt of gods mercy and love for them and really experienced true happiness was to much when you see the flip side and you see them give up that happiness for misery. she was so unhappy as she was talking to us. and i realized no matter how much i desire someone to be happy they have to desire it for themselves. i felt a little bit how heavenly father feels as he looks down on the wickedness of men. and just seeing what great hold satan has on people is so sad. he only wnats them to be miserable. but it only maks me love the people more knowing what they must feel and i only desire to bring them true happiness that is what this gospel is about. i know its true i know that god is all of our living and loving heavebly father. i know that. i love you mom. i love the family. i am so glad you and dad have made it possible to have that in our lives. thank you. love sister coleman
Wednesday June 4th 2008.
Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
hello mum. thats what the english call there moms. i am glad you are doing good and thank you for all the updates. its nice to know what is going on. hey i have been trying to email rebecca but she never writes back and i need her full address and jennies because i made them birthday cards that i want to send them but cant. also when is fathers day? and all of you have your letters sent now. so they should arrive in a couple of days. oh could you please tell amy and laura to send rechargable batteries and a charger to please thats the last thing i promise. and you can call robbie he is on my acount and he should be able to tell you how to put money in it. and thats ok about brother asbell. i just really wanted to send some stuff home to you guys like pictures mostly. now i dont' know when that will happen sorry. i am poor.
> serena's baptism was on friday and it was perfect. her family came and that was a suprise because they didnt' want her to get baptized. but they came and were freindly enough. no really her mom would hardly talk to me and sister coffin. it was funny. her dad was really nice though. it was funny after her baptism it was her mom that was ok with it and not her dad. but anways, serena had to wear this humonguous tent because it ws the only dress we had and when she was being baptized it kept popping up so she had to do it three times. and i directed everything. the spirit was really guiding me because i had no idea what to do but somehow i did and was able to lead everything. it was weird everyone kept coming to me for everything and i was the youngest perosn there. but the spiret was strong and serena was glowing. she knew she made the right decision. earlier that day she was having a lot of doubnt because of her family. we spent the whole day with her just keeping her mind off it. and afterward she knew and didn't have one doubt. she was like a completly different person. she already wnats to go to the temple.
> it was so great to see someone actrually accept the gosple. most people hate us. its like they view us as not human and feel obligated to treat us badly. and guys are always picking up on us. i just think how wicked they are to flirt with servants of the lord. its disgusting. i would never dare do something like that. but they view us as demons literally. they always tell us that. it is reallly funny. but sad. we are really just focusing on those peole that are prepared to hear the gospel because there are a lot of them and we really have to rely on the lord to find them and it is hard. but i am used to the physical illnesses now. everynight when i get home i just crash. but i wake up and word my heels off again. p days seem like a wast to me i dont like them. but my body needs the rest. so its ok. anyways i love you mom. keep sending this to everyone and telll them to write me especailly those who haveent aand send this to pam and leslie to please and will you get there email adresses for me. i love you and this church ist true.
> oh before i forget this is the most important thing. i was studying family history because i know you feel like you should do it. yes is you answer and you should put it above anything else. it is so important. i was reading a quot e by joseph smith and he said the dead cannot be saved without the living. thats because they dont have bodies so physically they cant do it. thats why all the work has to be done on the earth before were judged. and then this ist he most important part. joseph smith continued to say that ....and we cannot be saved without our dead. what he is saying is that we literally have to be bound to christ and will be when we are saved. just like in the parable of the wheat and the tares. and that binding is literally the sealing power. in order for us to be bound or sealed to christ we all have to be sealed together and that means we have to have our temple work done. it doesnt' matter if they in the next life accept the gospel or not there work has to be done for our salvation as well. because if thereis even one link missing from adam and eve to to the last person to live the binding is broken. and none of us can enter the celestail kingdom. so family history work really is the most important thing we need to be doing in this life. for us and the dead so get on that. it will be done one way or another but as latter day saints with a true testimony i think we will be held accountable if we dont' do it. anyways i love you. love sister coleman
hello mum. thats what the english call there moms. i am glad you are doing good and thank you for all the updates. its nice to know what is going on. hey i have been trying to email rebecca but she never writes back and i need her full address and jennies because i made them birthday cards that i want to send them but cant. also when is fathers day? and all of you have your letters sent now. so they should arrive in a couple of days. oh could you please tell amy and laura to send rechargable batteries and a charger to please thats the last thing i promise. and you can call robbie he is on my acount and he should be able to tell you how to put money in it. and thats ok about brother asbell. i just really wanted to send some stuff home to you guys like pictures mostly. now i dont' know when that will happen sorry. i am poor.
> serena's baptism was on friday and it was perfect. her family came and that was a suprise because they didnt' want her to get baptized. but they came and were freindly enough. no really her mom would hardly talk to me and sister coffin. it was funny. her dad was really nice though. it was funny after her baptism it was her mom that was ok with it and not her dad. but anways, serena had to wear this humonguous tent because it ws the only dress we had and when she was being baptized it kept popping up so she had to do it three times. and i directed everything. the spirit was really guiding me because i had no idea what to do but somehow i did and was able to lead everything. it was weird everyone kept coming to me for everything and i was the youngest perosn there. but the spiret was strong and serena was glowing. she knew she made the right decision. earlier that day she was having a lot of doubnt because of her family. we spent the whole day with her just keeping her mind off it. and afterward she knew and didn't have one doubt. she was like a completly different person. she already wnats to go to the temple.
> it was so great to see someone actrually accept the gosple. most people hate us. its like they view us as not human and feel obligated to treat us badly. and guys are always picking up on us. i just think how wicked they are to flirt with servants of the lord. its disgusting. i would never dare do something like that. but they view us as demons literally. they always tell us that. it is reallly funny. but sad. we are really just focusing on those peole that are prepared to hear the gospel because there are a lot of them and we really have to rely on the lord to find them and it is hard. but i am used to the physical illnesses now. everynight when i get home i just crash. but i wake up and word my heels off again. p days seem like a wast to me i dont like them. but my body needs the rest. so its ok. anyways i love you mom. keep sending this to everyone and telll them to write me especailly those who haveent aand send this to pam and leslie to please and will you get there email adresses for me. i love you and this church ist true.
> oh before i forget this is the most important thing. i was studying family history because i know you feel like you should do it. yes is you answer and you should put it above anything else. it is so important. i was reading a quot e by joseph smith and he said the dead cannot be saved without the living. thats because they dont have bodies so physically they cant do it. thats why all the work has to be done on the earth before were judged. and then this ist he most important part. joseph smith continued to say that ....and we cannot be saved without our dead. what he is saying is that we literally have to be bound to christ and will be when we are saved. just like in the parable of the wheat and the tares. and that binding is literally the sealing power. in order for us to be bound or sealed to christ we all have to be sealed together and that means we have to have our temple work done. it doesnt' matter if they in the next life accept the gospel or not there work has to be done for our salvation as well. because if thereis even one link missing from adam and eve to to the last person to live the binding is broken. and none of us can enter the celestail kingdom. so family history work really is the most important thing we need to be doing in this life. for us and the dead so get on that. it will be done one way or another but as latter day saints with a true testimony i think we will be held accountable if we dont' do it. anyways i love you. love sister coleman
Starting From the Beginning.
Wednesday May 28th 2008. Letter from Rachel to her Mother.
hello, my beautiful mother. it is so nice to hear from you every week and especially about all the details about the family. keep it up please. i really have very little time to write anybody, but i will make sure to write you every week and if you could just send it to everybody in the family and tell them to write me back that would be great. and eventually i will take turns writing somone back. but tell them not to be offended. i just have such a short time and i am penniless, now me and my companion are broke, but well be fine im sure. so i cant send your letters yet because i cant even buy food let alone stamps. were going to work something out with the mission president im sure. the bad thing is we are not allowed to have tea appointments with members. only if they have an investigatior that we can come teach. they just made that rule of course.
anyways, yea i am ok. satan is really trying to keep my mouth shut. when we got home that night the spirit just kept warnign us to leave. so we placed knives around the apartment just in case. we were preparing for something thats for sure. we knew it was comeing and we knew we needed to be prepared. england is a terrible place by the way and is not safe at all in any way. every single person here does major drugs and drinks constantly. and yes there all unhygenic,and dirty and wicked in every way. its really sad. and we live in the ghetto. well actually everywhere you go is the ghetto, so it doesn't matter. england is a dump amy should be thankful she didn't get to come. and no it doesnt' rain a lot. more thatn in utah though. it was realy hard for me at first to love the people,because of there complete wickedness and there acceptance to be misereable. they all have the worst trial s ever just know were blessed in america. but through al ot of prayer i have developed a true love for these peopole and can now empathize with them. and i work harder because of it. because if i could bring the gospel to just one of these people and make them happy it would be a miracle. and we have. we have a baptism on friday. her name is serena and she is a university student and she has been prepared her whole life for this so as soon as she heard our message and felt the spirt testify of the truth of our words she wanted to be baptized and actually we have a couple more hopefully coming up. i feel blessed most people are lucky if trhey get one baptism there whole mission. but it didbn't come easy i work so hard. my body is completly broken but with the help aof the lord i get through every day somehow. and thats why i have had so much oppposition.
> on monday president uchtdorf came to speak to our mission. i have never met an apostle before. he jsut randaomly came because he was in the area and only came to our mission. i was the very firts missionary to meet him and shake his hand and then i go t to take a picture with him and sit right in front as he taught us. it was so strange here was this man of god here with us treating us as friends and he really did have a great love for all of us. he cried many times. when he entered the room there was a literal change you could feel the power of the spirit with him everywhere he went. and there were many times where i just had to stop my note taking and just listen. because the spirit was so strong. and as i listened he looked straight at me many times and held my gaze and i knew he was talking directly to me. and i felt equal to him because he is still a man and together with the apostles and the missionaries were are all there for a common cause to brings souls unto salavation. and you felt that kinship and equality with him as he spoke. i think i will never be the same. i was changed literally, and it happens every single day. the spirit changes you and feel the lord molding you to what he wants and needs you to become. i know why i was sent here i have been prepared my whole life to be here. the lord has lifted me up from many things and i have exercised the atonement in my life so strongly that i know that because of his mercy towards me i am now meant to serve him and show my gratitude towards him by being his servant the rest of my life. i am now here to do his work for the mercy he has shown me. i know this and it is confirmed to me every day. i jsut cant't understand why he picked me, why out of all my friends and people i know he picked me to truley understand the gospel. that i may bear testimony of him the rest of my life. i could have only learned the things i am learning here in england on my mission. despite the wickedness here this is a specail place there is something different about this particular mission thatn any other and many peopel and leaders have expressed this as well. i love you mom and family. but i have to go. there is a lot of work to do. but i will try and write to some of the boys next week and dad you better write me. this is ridiculous. love sister colemna
hello, my beautiful mother. it is so nice to hear from you every week and especially about all the details about the family. keep it up please. i really have very little time to write anybody, but i will make sure to write you every week and if you could just send it to everybody in the family and tell them to write me back that would be great. and eventually i will take turns writing somone back. but tell them not to be offended. i just have such a short time and i am penniless, now me and my companion are broke, but well be fine im sure. so i cant send your letters yet because i cant even buy food let alone stamps. were going to work something out with the mission president im sure. the bad thing is we are not allowed to have tea appointments with members. only if they have an investigatior that we can come teach. they just made that rule of course.
anyways, yea i am ok. satan is really trying to keep my mouth shut. when we got home that night the spirit just kept warnign us to leave. so we placed knives around the apartment just in case. we were preparing for something thats for sure. we knew it was comeing and we knew we needed to be prepared. england is a terrible place by the way and is not safe at all in any way. every single person here does major drugs and drinks constantly. and yes there all unhygenic,and dirty and wicked in every way. its really sad. and we live in the ghetto. well actually everywhere you go is the ghetto, so it doesn't matter. england is a dump amy should be thankful she didn't get to come. and no it doesnt' rain a lot. more thatn in utah though. it was realy hard for me at first to love the people,because of there complete wickedness and there acceptance to be misereable. they all have the worst trial s ever just know were blessed in america. but through al ot of prayer i have developed a true love for these peopole and can now empathize with them. and i work harder because of it. because if i could bring the gospel to just one of these people and make them happy it would be a miracle. and we have. we have a baptism on friday. her name is serena and she is a university student and she has been prepared her whole life for this so as soon as she heard our message and felt the spirt testify of the truth of our words she wanted to be baptized and actually we have a couple more hopefully coming up. i feel blessed most people are lucky if trhey get one baptism there whole mission. but it didbn't come easy i work so hard. my body is completly broken but with the help aof the lord i get through every day somehow. and thats why i have had so much oppposition.
> on monday president uchtdorf came to speak to our mission. i have never met an apostle before. he jsut randaomly came because he was in the area and only came to our mission. i was the very firts missionary to meet him and shake his hand and then i go t to take a picture with him and sit right in front as he taught us. it was so strange here was this man of god here with us treating us as friends and he really did have a great love for all of us. he cried many times. when he entered the room there was a literal change you could feel the power of the spirit with him everywhere he went. and there were many times where i just had to stop my note taking and just listen. because the spirit was so strong. and as i listened he looked straight at me many times and held my gaze and i knew he was talking directly to me. and i felt equal to him because he is still a man and together with the apostles and the missionaries were are all there for a common cause to brings souls unto salavation. and you felt that kinship and equality with him as he spoke. i think i will never be the same. i was changed literally, and it happens every single day. the spirit changes you and feel the lord molding you to what he wants and needs you to become. i know why i was sent here i have been prepared my whole life to be here. the lord has lifted me up from many things and i have exercised the atonement in my life so strongly that i know that because of his mercy towards me i am now meant to serve him and show my gratitude towards him by being his servant the rest of my life. i am now here to do his work for the mercy he has shown me. i know this and it is confirmed to me every day. i jsut cant't understand why he picked me, why out of all my friends and people i know he picked me to truley understand the gospel. that i may bear testimony of him the rest of my life. i could have only learned the things i am learning here in england on my mission. despite the wickedness here this is a specail place there is something different about this particular mission thatn any other and many peopel and leaders have expressed this as well. i love you mom and family. but i have to go. there is a lot of work to do. but i will try and write to some of the boys next week and dad you better write me. this is ridiculous. love sister colemna
From Us to Sister Coleman
Hey.
It's me, McKenna.
You're in Manchester, and I'm in Frankfurt, your family is scattered across the United States, and your friends scattered all over the world. And here we united with this one special connection, the internet. Of which you're not allowed to use, if only to write letters to your imidiate family. But if we may, we'll save this for you as a memior of your 18 month journey, serving the Lord in Manchester England on a misison for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We'll post to you our support, our love, and our prayers on your behalf.
I speak for all of us when I say, I Love You Rachel! And this is for you.
McKenna
It's me, McKenna.
You're in Manchester, and I'm in Frankfurt, your family is scattered across the United States, and your friends scattered all over the world. And here we united with this one special connection, the internet. Of which you're not allowed to use, if only to write letters to your imidiate family. But if we may, we'll save this for you as a memior of your 18 month journey, serving the Lord in Manchester England on a misison for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We'll post to you our support, our love, and our prayers on your behalf.
I speak for all of us when I say, I Love You Rachel! And this is for you.
McKenna
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