Hey, Elders!

Transfer calls have come and gone, and me and Elder Moore are staying in the same area together. So my address is still 

4886 Choctaw Ave

Salt Lake City, UT 84120

But in these few weeks a lot of stuff happened! One of our investigators, Jake, got baptized!

Here's why Jake wanted to get baptized. Half his family is Baptist, and he would go to services at their church, and also a few others. But as he was driving to his grandparents house here in West Valley, he thought 'there has to be more, it just feels like something is missing' and he decided to try going with his grandparents to our ward. He ended up having a family member who taught Primary (the little kids classes) and he sat in just to listen. As he sat there, the kids were singing 'I Am a Child of God' and as he was just listening, he said something just whispered inside that "these kids are so young, but they know who they are. That's what I'm missing!" And then he started meeting with us to learn more!

On your mission, you will experience many trials and struggles with temptation. I will share with you one of these challenges I recently had. I've committed to making sure I become a better and more responsible person while I'm out here. Being more serious about my commitments and promises I make, as well as being the best possible person I can become as I serve the Lord. Immediately as I made some of these commitments I faced a challenge.

We leave the doorstep of a house, and we start walking down the street. A woman calls out to us, "Hey, Elders!"

She called us Elders and not just 'missionaries', which means she's a member. Maybe someone who's Less Active we could teach, or giving us a referral for someone who wants to be taught? I start getting excited, because I know I can help with whatever the situation is. We turn around, and recognize her as someone from the ward. She's retired, and she's usually a wonderful person!

But is time something is wrong. She's walking toward us with a purpose, and she has something behind her back.

"I've got something for you!" She says with a sneaky smile.

A flash of orange and yellow screams out from behind her, coming right toward us at breakneck speeds.

She thrusts a large box of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into our hands.

"Here you go! Have a good day!" She walks off, unaware of the potential cataclysm she has unleashed on my poor, barely begun diet. I stare at the box, thinking of my life before where I would tear through this delicious candy abomination with zero regret. Is this really how I want to start my healthier life?

No! I will be strong, and make my companion eat them instead!

And that's how I turned down some candy a nice lady gave us.

So I've set a goal for myself to drop 70 pounds! As part of this, I'm officially requesting that if anyone wants to send a care package, please do not send candy! Yes, it is delicious and I love it, but I'm trying to make sure I don't fit in any of my clothes I brought with me on my mission!

Here is a scripture i read in my studies that I really like. This is from 1 Corinthians 2:9

"9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

So, think of how beautiful the Earth is!

And the blessings God has prepared for us are so much better that we cannot even comprehend it!

All we have to do is love Him. But how do we do that? John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments"

So, all the amazing things God has for us are completely dependent on whether or not we choose to return the love God has for us!

Love you!

Elder Hunter Coleman, Utah SLCW Mission

Written Sept 7, 2015