12/24/2013. FELIZ NAVIDAD!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: 2013/12/24
Subject: Re: Felíz Navidad
To: Janel Coffman, Scott Coffman, Alexandra Lloyd, "aury H. Lopez", annelloyd, Elder Jordan Parkinson

feliz navidad desde la mision mexico merida. los amo mucho y espero que puedan siempre recordar al Senor  Jesucristo en cada momento de sus vidas

con amor, elder coffman, presidente garcia, y la hermana Garcia

El 20 de diciembre de 2013, 12:36, Mexico Merida Mission <2017083@ldschurch.org> escribió:

Aquí tiene la tarjeta de la navidad para su familia.

Por favor de enviarla en el e-mail para sus padres…

¡Feliz navidad!

Elder Maurer

Secretario de Materiales

Misión México Mérida

999 233 9887

Feliz Navidad!

We have 101 Book of Mormons in the house and now we are going to give them out like candy on Halloween. 12/17/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

Painting Carlos's house.  His family is coming in from df and they have nothing so we have been helping them get their house ready and my comp and I are going to give them some Christmas stuff because all of their money was spent on tickets to get their family out here.   12/18/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

We went caroling.  12/23/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

Another picture of us caroling.  12/23/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

All the missionaries eating.  12/23/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

Singing in the Christmas program for the mission.  12/23/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

Elder Coffman and his companion-Elder Jaussi & Elder Heinsworth.  12/23/2013.  Merida, MX Mission.

Some band that the members like, they wanted to take pictures of us in these shirts.  12/22/2013.  Elder Jaussi & Elder Coffman.  Merida, MX Mission.

Other Picture of the shirts.  12/22/2013.  Elder Jaussi & Elder Coffman.  Merida, MX Mission.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Tue, Dec 24, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: Christmas Packages
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>

yeah i got it. it came here safe. i will open it tomorrow

2013/12/22 Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>

Have you received any packages yet????

Christmas Package sent to Elder Coffman

 ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Tue, Dec 24, 2013 at 10:22 AM
Subject:
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>, Scott Coffman <scottcoffman84010@gmail.com>

buenos dias family. well things went pretty well for us this week. we found alot of good people and actually someone found us. it was pretty cool because we were just walking down the street and a ton of people had rejected us that day saying stuff like otro dia which translates to next day, but it really means never and also some other rejections that are just lies. Needless to say, it was kinda tough, not because everyone was rejecting us and so we felt bad for ourselves, l but because they need this and they don’t want it. but anyways, we were walking in the street and an old lady comes out.  She doesn’t have many teeth left, but she said she used to have a  Book of Mormon but she lost  it and she was actually willing to buy one from us. We told her we just charge a smile...she almost didn’t have enough for it because of her toothless situation hahah but we gave it to her anyways.  We set up an appointment to return because it’s not every day that someone come up to us to talk to us. so we get to her house the next day and she is not there but we got there a little early.  We are walking back and then we see them in the street. the old lady and her daughter are so excited to see us and we go back and they accept the baptism and everything. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met  their spirit is hermosa.

but these two hermans are just so sweet and especially the daughter because she is really patient with her mom.  Her mom has been abused her whole life and we feel like she suffers from those affects mentally.  Well she is really patient with her mom and really they have made me want to show more love. As we were teaching them last week, it was really interesting because as they were telling us their difficulties and things like that, all I could think of is when Jesus says mis entranas son llenas de misericordia which means my bowls are filled with mercy.  I want to have compassion for these people. I really do feel a love for them because their spirit is so sweet. We all have a spirit inside of us and if we pray, we can ask God how our spirit is. We need to have a strong one and then it doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside. I always believed that, but this week I got a spiritual confirmation of this doctrine. I am going to be more compassionate and more than anything, I am going to tell the world the story of the most compassionate man that has ever lived.  Joy to the world, the Lord has come.  I am committing myself to share this message through my actions more than anything. 

I am really excited to talk to you guys tomorrow.  I hope you have a great Christmas.  I downloaded the It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I will listen to it before opening up my package.  I love you guys a lot and thanks for sending it.   There are a lot of crazy things here, but my comp and I decided that to solve all the problems here where we live, we are going to baptize everyone so wish us luck. hasta manana mi cara familia. 

12/16/2013. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

Baptism of Carlos.  We will baptize his kids and wife pretty soon as well.  The guy next to Elder Jaussi is his brother.  He is our ward mission leader and is one of the best ones in all of Merida.   12/15/2013.  Elder Coffman & Elder Jaussi.  Caucel, Mexico.

"Another picture of the baptism."   12/15/2013.  Elder Coffman & Elder Jaussi.  Caucel, Mexico.

 

 

 

 

"The pictures of the Elders from 3 Zones.  It was Sister Garcias grandsons birthday so we all said happy birthday."  12/13/2013.  Caucel, MX.

"My friends from under the sea."  12/11/2013.  Caucel, MX

"Talking to a goat."  9/17/2013.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: 12/16/2013. Hola' Greetings from your family - We Love You!
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>

buenos dias my family.  That is some really good news about Rylees farewell.  Where is he going?  I am really proud of him. and that’s pretty sweet that you talked to JP as well.  I still can’t believe that he is home now. I’ll have to try and talk to him a little haha.  None of the pics came through so you’ll have to send them again because I want to see them. I’m still not sure on the time for skype but it will probably be around 5 or 6 our time. or 4 or 5 Utah time. 

Well as far as highlights of my week, things are going good. We baptized someone who just came here from df and they are a lot different there then they are here. we have kinda come up with the idea that people here in the Yucatan are like the Mexican equivalents of rednecks or hicks in the United States.  They are all really good people but some of the things they do and their way of thinking and learning are a little different than the rest of the country.   But I have really grown to love them. It’s funny because there are a lot of funny things they do and say but it is something that I am really gonna miss when I get done with the mission. 

Well anyways, the guy who we baptized has family in Mexico that will be coming here to live on the 20th so we should be able to baptize them as well.  Like I said before, I think the key to having success as a missionary is to focus on the families.  The converts are so much stronger when that happens, that makes me think of an example of one of Jesus’ parables, its the one about the seeds that fall in different ground.  It is found in Matt 13.  Well I kinda thought of a different example. We could say that a seed falls in a patch of grass, but good grass, such as Kentucky blue grass.  Well the grass is not something that will take all the soil and nutrients like the weeds because its roots are not too deep. instead, it makes the other plants harder to pull out because it keeps the soil intact. so you could say that a seed that falls where other good plants are will, when it starts to grow, be harder to pull out.  I know from experience because I was chopeanado in front of our house and the weeds in the grass were harder to pull out or take out with the coa than the rest. so we need to be the good plants for the other members of the church, act as a system of support for everyone else so that they can keep being active in the church.  So try and be friendly and worry about everyone else.  If someone doesn’t go to church one week visit them. and if you know of someone who hasn’t been for a long time, just be their friend and they will feel the love of God through you.  Well I am happy out here and I am glad that I have the Gospel in my life.  It is the best remedy for any problem in life.

oh and I was gonna send a letter for Christmas, but I think it will get there late because the secretaries didn’t send it so we have to send it today.  Well when you get it, I hope you like it.

Well I think that’s all I have to say this week, but I probably won’t be able to write for too long next week because we are having a Christmas activity next Monday as a mission.   So Merry Christmas and I love you guys a lot

elder coffman

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: Time of phone call
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>, Scott Coffman <scottcoffman84010@gmail.com>

you guys need to tell me asap what the password will be. or we wont be able to skype tell me a number we can call if skype doesnt work and make sure you are always checking your email on Christmas and on the 23 because I might need to send something quick to get info or to say stuff about skyping. it wont be around 2. it wlll have to be later becase they dont let us leave the house until like 4 in the afternoon which is 3 utah time. please get me that info or we wont be able to skype.

12-9-2013. ARE WE REALLY CONVERTED?

"Baptism we had.  Their dad is next!!"  Elder Coffman and Elder Jaussi.  Caucel, MX Mission.  12-7-2013.

"Baptisms"  Caucel, MX Mission.  12-7-2013

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Subject:
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>, Scott Coffman <scottcoffman84010@gmail.com>

Hola familia. well this week was really good. we had 4 baptisms. a lady and her 3 kids got baptized. i will send a picture.  they are awesome. she showed a lot of courage because her family told her that they are not going to talk with her for a long time maybe even forever if she gets baptized and she said thats fine with me because i know what we are doing is true. it was great. she is truly converted. hopefuly she can keep going. we are really close to opening up a house of prayer here in villas de oriente. it will be great. i am so glad i am here in my area. the ward is doing really well. 

as far as other updates go, this week was actually really good. we found a lot of new people which has always been a hard part for me but we found 11 people. it was great. i really think they will be baptized. its really cool because here in this ward, we have tried to find a lot of families. this gospel blesses families. the family that we baptized well all of them except their dad, have made great changes and even though the dad did not get baptized, he is making great changes. he stopped smoking and we are going to try and have a family night so that we can help him to get baptized. 

i am really excited to call you guys. it will be on Christmas day we will try and do it in that time frame. i will tell you what time, but you need to set up a skype account for me and have a emergency phone number we can call and also be alert for emails i might send if we have communication problems. i cant wait for it.

well another funny thing that happened is i talked with and American for the first time in a while. it was weird they are definitely different than latinas. well i guess other than that this week was pretty good. nada mas i am happy to be here.

Today I was reading in my Book of Mormon and I felt impressed to tell you guys about the people of Ammon.  Before they were called the anti Nephi Lehitas.  I am going to talk to you guys about being converted.  You can base your conversion on how you would act if you were in the same situation as they are and if you produce the same signs of conversion as they were.  first of all they were converted because they understood the Creation, the Fall of Adam, and the Atonement.   Do we understand these essential doctrines?  Are we converted?

(Alma 18 and 22) 

Are we willing to give all we have for the gospel, or just half?.  Are we converted?

Other signs of their conversions are found in the following scriptures ( Alma 20:13 and the difference of the king in Alma 22:15, 

What they did in Alma 24:17-19, 24 Alma 27 vs 23-29  Alma 26 vs. 32, this was a sign of their repentance.  Have we burried our sins very deeply in the earth?  or do we come back to them every once in a while?  Are we converted

These people feared the sin more than a very painful death as it explains in all of Alma 24. also in Helaman 15:9 or rather vs. 4-10 and it is another sign of there conversion. pay attention to the way they were working. do we work like that? are we truly converted?

Look at the way they feared sin.  Alma 24 vs. 13, Alma 27 vs. 23, Alma 28 vs. 29. do we fear sin more than death or severe pain? at what point would we give in? are we really converted?

Also they taught their children very well as in Alma 56 vs 45-47 and Alma 57 vs. 21-27.  Do we teach our children like they did? Are we converted? 

Do we trust in the Lord and in his servants like this people did as shown in Alma 27 vs. 5-8. they didn’t know what they were going to do or how the people were going to react and they were still willing to follow the Lord. are we converted?

Do we preach like they did in Helaman 15 vs 6? do we preach by example like they did in Alma 24 vs 23-26. pay attention to the affect it had on their enemies. 

Now for the blessings. they went to rest with God as they died Alma 24 vs 22and 26, thier children were protected Alma 57 vs. 25 Alma 26 vs. 56, they were blessed in other ways Alma 27 vs. 22-23 and Hel. 15 vs 4 and 10. and see how their children were affected by their conversion Alma 56 vs. 45-47 y Alma 57 vs 21-27. they had a great conversion and i know we wont be able to answer yes to all of these questions at once, but i pray that we can try to be converted a little more every day so that we can all see each other another time in the heavens

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "David Coffman" <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Dec 9, 2013 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: song
To: "Scott Coffman" <scottcoffman84010@gmail.com>
Cc:

also maybe you can get mother to send me some pictures of my ancestors of all the ancestors up to 4 generations for me. we have to do some stuff with that for family history. if you could get that by next time that would be great. also i sent a card. hopefully it gets there before christmas.

2013/12/9 David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>

can you send more as well. like some more of the ones you sent me like hymns that mormon choir sings and some more songs like that they have more contemporary singers

12/2/2013. IT'S GOOD TO KEEP READING GENERAL CONFERENCE TALKS

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Coffman <david.coffman@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Dec 2, 2013 at 1:18 PM
Subject: Re: 12/1/2013. Hola' Greetings from your family! We Love You!
To: Janel Coffman <janelscoffman@gmail.com>

hahah i like the pics you sent. well this week was good.  I’m glad you guys had a good Thanksgiving. Thats a bummer about the Raiders and i am glad i didnt have to hear mothers victory laugh haahha but our Thanksgiving was just a normal day except we played football again. we did it a couple of times this week and it was really good. i was going to buy some big burritos for dinner but everyone kept buying us pan dulce in the street because they always buy it when it is "cold" here. hah yeah it has been cold here for the natives. its funny to see them in coats and scarves and with gloves and all that. they always think we are crazy when we are just walking around in our normal clothes. especially in the morning when we go out to play we are in shorts and tee shirt and everyone must think we are crazy especially because we are playing football instead of futbol haha but yeah so no thanksgiving dinner but i took a moment to think of how you guys were and how the dinner was. i am glad you could go down with the Drews and Bowns as well.

well this week we had another big noche de hogar. they work out really well. i think you guys should try and invite people to your family nights you have. and also there are a lot of really cool videos the church has on lds.org. or at least i think they are cool because i dont see any other movies haha. its kinda like missionary goggles where you start thinking every girl is super cute haha so you start thinking every movie the church makes is way cool and funny as well and really they are just normal. 

the week went well and it was weird because every one of our investigators was going well for their baptisms and then all on the same day they started having problems.  fortunately, we were able to fix the problems but its a testimony builder that satan is real. he is trying just as hard as God is. he never sleeps and his goal is to ruin our lives. read and pray always. in Matt i think or maybe Luke, when Jesus is in Gethsemane, he says velad and pray, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. or something like that. so always remember to read the word of God.  Recently we have been listing to talks from old general conferences. i would highly suggest it.  there are so many good messages we have had in the last 30 years and its a lot more valuable than the music we listen to in the car. you should listen to one by Elder Holland called  safety for the soul. but you have to listen to it. his voice is so powerful.  i love it.  and one by Ezra Taft Benson called the Book of Mormon a Keystone to Our Religion.  There are so many good ones.  just look on lds.org and you can listen to them and download them well i guess you know how to do that but yeah do it. They are really good and the current prophets words are more important than what was said anciently.

well i love you guys a lot and thanks for the music and everything. i am still looking for the package and I’ll open it on Christmas......maybe hahahahaha adios