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