FINAL FORT WORTH THOUGHTS ...

Easter Morning Breakfast: 4 bowls of Menudo (intestine soup)!

The following are excerpts from a letter Elder C sent to Ali and her familia. Thought you would like reading some details about his Arlington/Fort Worth experience as Elder C leaves for Merida Mexico Monday morning.

Regarding Arlington where he served the longest (nearly 3 months), he explained that most of the people are Hispanic or African American and mainly live in apartments. He said it’s basically like Mexico with Mexican music always playing and people speaking Spanish. The area they covered on bikes is about 9 miles square. Although he wanted to visit Cowboy Stadium, no one else wanted to go, so he’ll have to visit later in life!

He had a powerful message about the importance of Seminary. He said that even though he listened, he didn’t take full advantage of the chance to really learn and study the scriptures and so he asked all teens to use the blessing of seminary (we’re lucky in Utah that it can be part of the regular school day rather than early morning) and really develop a love for the scriptures which he has now that he’s a missionary.

This is an example of him listening to and acting upon the Holy Spirit:  they had an opportunity visit a member’s home on a Sunday and they had a non-member relative visiting from Michigan (maybe Elder Rushton can follow up with him!) and although he had heard the missionaries before on previous visits, he hadn’t shown interest. This time, Elder C felt prompted to speak about a subject that he typically wouldn’t do and it touched the man’s heart to the point that he has committed to baptism. Elder C reminded us that it’s important to be WORTHY to receive promptings; it’s important to LISTEN to promptings and most important, it’s important to ACT on promptings. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we can receive in this life.

He said there is absolutely NOTHING that he doesn’t like about the mission. Members typically feed the missionaries Mexican food. However, his breakfast and lunch consisted of tuna, eggs, oatmeal, pickles, carrots and BBQ sauce so he welcomed the dinner offers!  He said that the food is INCREDIBLE and that there must be some SPECIAL ingredient because everything tastes so good. He thinks that the special ingredient is LOVE because many of the people have to sacrifice significantly to feed the missionaries.

When asked if he ever has “down” time he replied, “not really, I try to stay busy all of the time reading the Liahona, studying the scriptures, and practicing Spanish". He said that the mission is his passion and joy and that he left everything behind to give all that he has to the Lord and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

In his letter, you can sense his gratitude for having the blessing of serving in the Fort Worth area but also the excitement for now being able to serve in the Mexico Merida mission.

We look forward to hearing about his new experiences in Mexico!

TOZ-HOMBRE! (cough - man)

"I use this uhh ... pink shirt, formerly white, to wipe off my sweat AND to look cool!

I AM GOING TO MEXICO! JAJAJAJA

Nearly 3 mos. ago he left for TEX - now he leaves for MEX!!!

First off … I got my visa!!  I will be leaving 4-30-12.  I don’t know what time, but tomorrow (4-24) I am going to the consulate to do my paper work.  So, I don’t know if Anne has sent that package, but if she still wants to send it, she needs to hurry jaja Also, what happened with the package was that it weighed more than 13 oz. so I had to send it directly through the building, and for some reason, they took a long time to tell me jaja but that’s good that it … (email cut off here)

Sorry, I don’t know what happened, but here is the rest of my letter.  I am putting on sunblock every day Mother – don’t worry. jaja I am happy you liked the pictures.  I like that thing with the bikes also.  Whenever I finish riding the bike, I have to use a towel to get the sweat off because I always sweat a ton!!!!!!!!! jaja The camera does organize the pictures.  

Hi hermanita (little sister) – how are you?  That’s good with the old house and the missionaries.  
We’re always trying to give service.  You should do it as well.  “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”  Oh, and this is a question for you and the whole family… could you send me your testimonies of the Book of Mormon so I can share them with our investigators or put them in a copy of the BOM?  And what are your favorite scriptures?  Well, I love you hermanita!!  ¡¡Hasta la pasta!!

Daddy, I love the clarity of the Book of Mormon as well.  I love this book and I am very thankful we have it to help us.  Maybe Elder Rushton already has received his visa because the other Elders that were waiting also received them.  This map doesn’t have places from the Book of Mormon, but it is a really good map.  Especially because I’m going to Mexico!!! jaja I have eaten some good meats, but nothing special.  We have eaten fajitas and sudero and stomach lining and many good things.  The food is good and I hope you can learn how to make it.  You make really good foods as well.  Like the soup you would make a lot is almost the same as the one here.  And I sweat a ton!!!!  jaja But  I am going to sweat more in Mérida.  I love you Daddy(:

Hermanito (little brother), thank you for your testimony.  I liked it a lot.  What happened??  Why did you write it??  And why do you always talk to me in usted?  jaja We are brothers – talk to me in tú!!  We are having a lot of success now and it is going to be hard to leave this area because I have grown a sincere love for my brothers and sisters that live here.  I am sure you felt this during your mission as well.  Well, I love you a lot and thanks for the prayers.  I will pray for you as well.  Also, yesterday I had an experience with the Jehovah Witnesses again.  They always go to our apartment to teach us. jaja But we always try to give them a good example of the Book of Mormon and we testified of the truth of this book.  I remembered what you told me before my mission:  when people have doubts, give your testimony of the Restoration.  It is really powerful.  Thanks for everything and bye.

Well familia, I love you a lot.  Did you send that message to Sister Argullo last week?  And tell Anne that I never connected the shuffle to the computer so I don’t know how it got erased… and tell her thanks again for all the stuff.  Tell her that I am going to send a letter as well.  Oh, and what is the address of the mission office in Mexico?

See you later familia and I know this Gospel is true.  Remember to always be an example for our brothers and sisters that aren’t members.  There is always someone watching… whether it be a man, or God. jaja Nos vemos.

COME WHAT MAY COME, AND ENJOY IT (even if it's a bike crash)!

Current mission, waiting for ...

First I’ll answer your questions.  It was about two weeks ago when I sent the box of things.  I don’t know what happened.  I sent it by USPS flat rate…. I hope you can find it.  I still don’t know anything about my visa, but I am now with other missionaries who are waiting as well.  They arrived at the MTC the same day I did, so I guess when they receive it, I will as well.  Do you know if Elder Rushton is still in Michigan?  The next email, tell me Elder Parkinson’s address.  Tell Anne thanks for the stuff.  jaja  She and her whole family are very friendly.  Well, this week went well.  We are still getting a lot of new investigators.  It’s hard at times because we teach a really good lesson, and then the investigators drop us and don’t want to listen.  It is hard because I develop a love for our investigators and I get sad when I hear they don’t want to listen to this message.  Really, this message of the Gospel is the best way to overcome any challenge you have in life – whether they are with the family, individually, or in another way – the Atonement of Christ is real and it’s here to help us.

Mother, thanks for the mother alerts jaja and for the story from Aunt Carolyn.  It is really good.  And don’t worry about the confrontations.  They aren’t anything. jaja  Like one of the Apostles said:  come what may come, and enjoy it.  jaja  That’s good with the bikes.  I am riding a bike every day and I like it a lot.  But I crashed this week and almost got ran over but I didn’t get hurt so all is well(:

Michelle – you’re welcome for the teaching about football.  Maybe you will be able to throw better than me when I get back from my mission. jaja But keep praying.  

Stephen’s note:  I think his email got cut off here.  What follows is a separate email he also sent:

I love you familia and may you all have the Spirit and continue in faith and may God bless you. May you have a good week and enjoy each other jaja see ya’.

Merida!

... YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.

The following is translation from original Espanol:

JAJAJA! We’re OK as far as the tornado goes.  It was really weird because our zone leader told us that when there is a tornado, the sky looks green and that’s just what happened.  There were tornados all around us, but nothing in our area.  We were leaving our apartment and a black guy told us “Hey, you guys are crazy!!!  There’s a tornado!!”  But we just told him that we knew that this (Gospel) is true and we have to share it!

This week was really good.  We had a lot of appointments that planted us, but we still have 7 new investigators.  One of them is a woman who answered the door.  She was eating tortillas with butter jaja  - how weird!!  And she gave us her tortillas and I thought “Wow – Latinos are really nice.”  We are strangers, but even so, they always give us food.  These people are really nice.  I have never seen a Latino not respond when I say something like hola or buenas noches.  They always say hola in reply.  But people from the US, sometimes they don’t respond.  jaja Of course, there are bad Latinos and good people from the US, it’s just that I see more good Latinos.  (Stephen’s note:  he’s not kidding when he says they are super nice.)  But there were two missionaries from another religion that were really mad because of us.  One of them told me I’m going to Hell because I’m Mormon and many ugly things like that.  I realized we always need to have charity, but he didn’t have charity.  The hate he had for my companion and I really surprised me.  I hope another time he can hear our message.  I know we are disciples of Jesus Christ because it says in John 13:35 – “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” 

Well, for Easter, we ate menudo!!! (Definition: traditional Mexican dish, made with beef stomach in a clear broth or with a red chili base. Usually, lime, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro are added, as well as crushed oregano and crushed red chili peppers. Boiled tripe has a tough chewy texture very similar to calamari, but with a completely unique flavor and smell.  jaja  I ate like 4.5 cups of this soup and it made me remember the George Washington soup Daddy made.  jaja  but the rest of the day was normal.  We just worked.  The holidays aren’t so different for us, but rather sometimes people are more receptive to this message.  Did you get my package?  I sent a lot of photos and the iPod Shuffle for Anne and my pink clothes jaja but also I received the Easter package.  Thanks.  And I thought it was really funny with the pig skin basket jaja thanks a lot.  And Daddy, thanks for the information about the land of the Book of Mormon.  It’s really interesting.  And I want some of that nosotros soup (;

Hermanito, thanks for the advice.  It is very important we do it, especially when that’s what Jesus Christ would do.  Thanks for all the advice.  How did the Easter pachanga go?  jaja I don’t know if that’s the word, but my companion from Aguas Calientes told me that they use pachanga instead of fiesta sometimes jaja.  Well, what happened with the piano and USU?  Nos vemos(:

Michelle, every day is an adventure here.  Especially because we’re on bikes.  We had a contact with a Catholic man.  He told us it is impossible to convert him because he already knows everything.  He thinks he didn’t need the Spirit because he went to college and studied all the history of all the churches and through those studies, he realized the Catholic church is true.  He told us the Spirit only was in our minds.  He doesn’t believe in this gift.  But let me tell you that the Holy Ghost is real and we should pray to have this gift.  We should live in such a way to always have this gift with us.  We are very blessed to have this gift and we should use it always.  It is really important.  As missionaries, we can say anything, but nothing will happen without the Spirit.  Try to apply this to your life Michelle.  I didn’t know much about this gift before my mission, but now I know a little about its importance.  Bye.


Mother, thanks a lot for everything.  I am sorry I don’t have a lot of time to write, but I liked the information about Easter.  I hope everything is well with your work.  See you later(:


I love you a lot familia.

TORNADOES, MENUDO & BUTTERED TORTILLAS

One of the tornadoes that struck North Texas on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 had wind gusts ranging from 136 to 165 mph. As many as a dozen twisters touched down across Dallas-Fort Worth. Thousands remained without power Wednesday and hundreds of homes were severely damaged. Officials reported more than 20 injuries, but no deaths.

JUST FOLLOW OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE: THE LORD & SAVIOR

An actual photo of Elder C & his bike will be added soon!

Hola familia!!  This general conference was amazing!! jaja I never have realized its importance and the great opportunity we have every six months to listen to the prophets.  We are so blessed to have prophets.  I love Elder Nelson’s talk about the body…I think it was him jaja but it was really cool.  Also, I love the talk about challenges by President Eyring!  Many good things for the family too.  It was really cool because we made a list of questions before conference and every one of my questions about our investigators was answered(: how cool jaja  I am going to listen to and read every one of these talks again when I can.  They all have information that can help us a lot.  More than anything, what I learned was that we just need to follow our Perfect Example:  the Lord.  Something I know on which I can improve is making more sacrifices for others – whether they are my investigators, companions, or any other person.  And also, to sacrifice with charity.

Now I have another companion so we’re three.  He’s name is Elder Lazano.  He is from Aguas Calientes, Mexico.  He is teaching us a lot of things about the language and sayings like:  “El hombre se le conquista por la panza y la comida está como para chuparse los dedos.”  (Stephen’s note – this is not a direct translation, but basically this saying means:  the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach).  jajaja He is really good and always is so happy jaja I love my companions.

 Mother, good job with your job!!  I am very happy that you like your job.  I didn’t have time this past week to send my package, but I am going to send it today or tomorrow.  I also like the talk by President Uchtdorf.  jaja párate.  Also, it was really funny because during the first session, the Apostles were talking about how good we are as a Church and my companions and I were thinking that Elder Holland was going to tell us we weren´t doing enough and look what happened!  He told us, “Don’t delay.  It’s getting late.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”  jaja it’s funny, but also it’s true.  Even though no one knows when the end will be, we know that this is the day in which men should prepare to meet God.  I love you Mother and thanks for raising me so well(:  It was necessary for me to have calc another time in Weber because in order to be a doctor, I need more than AP calc.  Still, tell Anne that Trevor should take this class because if he takes it, he is going to be really prepared for college and also if he passes, he will receive college credit.  Also, calc is fun!!! jaja

 Daddy, yeah, this general conference was really good for me.  It was the first time I didn’t fall asleep jaja but I missed you during Priesthood meeting.  jaja But hopefully you find that talk.  I would like to read it.

Michelle, how cool that you had a chance to talk with Popy jaja He is good.  I am happy that you liked general conference.  Remember that we are very blessed in this life.  We can always find something that is good in life.  Don’t be afraid of challenges.  They are here just to help us and we can grow a lot through them.  Bye hermanita(: 

 ¡¡¡Hermanito!!!  jaja do you know what?  Before I thought it was really weird when you did biking while you listened to talks.  But now, I know their importance.  jaja I am going to do it as well.  Thanks for the example you have given me.  That’s really cool with Alma’s letters.  I know how important it is to remain calm.  I had another experience today at Wal-Marto.  I man spoke to me and was telling me a bunch of bad things, but I just smiled and told him “I’m sorry mister.  I don’t want to fight.  I just know this message is true and that it can help us a lot.”  He told me that I am really lucky that he had already changed his life; otherwise this conversation would have been very different…but I’m really grateful I didn’t use contention when I was talking with him.  In this package you all are going to send me, could you include what you told me last week about the language?  Because the printer doesn’t work here where we do email and I would like to use that advice during my whole mission.

I love you so much familia.  Also, I am sorry for the times when I was mad at home.  Always remember I love you a lot and always tell my investigators that one of the most important parts of this Gospel is the families and that families can be forever.  May we live in such a way that will permit us to live together forever.  ¡¡Hasta la pasta!!

Con cariño, élder Coffman

Also, I almost forgot, but we already have two missionaries who are waiting for their visas like me.  They got here the same day I arrived to the MTC, but they already arrived here in Arlington last Wednesday.  I am really thankful I had the opportunity to serve in Arlington instead of being stuck in the MTC for six weeks.  Bye.

STAYING IN SHAPE: EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL FITNESS

Hi family!!  I haven’t heard anything about my visa, but I think it’s going to arrive soon because I felt a prompting yesterday and also we are going to have a trio with Elder Smith and me.  So I think this means President Sagers thinks I am going to leave soon.  But I don’t know.  It doesn’t matter much to me where I serve because I know I am here in Texas for a reason.  I am here to serve God and my brothers and sisters that don’t have this great blessing which we already have as members of the only true Church upon the face of the Earth.  Well…my other companions have been Elder Driggs and Elder Collins (they were with me in Weatherford for just two weeks) and Elder Hansen (just three days in Mineralwells).  Generally, I only teach in Spanish, but sometimes we find English speaking people or parent’s kids who don’t speak Spanish well so we teach a little in English.  This week went really well.  We already have 10 new investigators who are families.  This Gospel is so important for families.  I have seen many blessings for families from others through this Gospel.  This last Saturday we had two baptisms.  One was for Leslie P.  Her parents were baptized 3/3/12, but she was afraid so she wasn’t baptized, but Saturday she was baptized.  The other baptism was actually from the sister missionaries, but I performed the baptism!!  It was really cool.  It reminded me of when we did baptisms for the dead jaja but it was really good.  I received the packages with the clothes. I am taking a lot of pictures and I am going to try to send a CD with the pictures.  And my bike is really good now.  Thanks.

Mother, congratulations on your new job. I love you a lot (: 


Stephen, thanks a lot for the talks and the music!  I was reading the Liahona while I was exercising but now I’m listening to the talks.  They are really good!!!  And thanks for the advice.  Nunca se dé por vencido (never give up).  I sent Alma a letter last week.  What you told me is going to help a lot.  I am studying the language every day…well, some days we don’t have time, but my companion and I are trying.  Also, we are going to have an Elder from Mexico so we are going to speak more.  We are trying to speak Spanish all the time, and it is really good.

Michelle!!  What a crazy week you had!  jaja I laughed when I read the part when you said the car crashed, that it was pretty cool jaja I hope all is well (:

Daddy, this is really cool with Abraham.  I wish I had paid more attention in seminary because I learned this, but I can’t remember it.  But I already knew about Isaac and Ishmael and this is why the Muslims don’t like the Jews.  But it is really good.  Thanks.  I hope everything is well.

Also, this week I realized that we are very different from other religions.  What happened was that Elder Smith and I were in companionship study and suddenly we had Jehovah Witnesses come up.  They really bug me because there are a lot of them and they always want to fight with us.  But I wanted a challenge, so I talked to them a little.  I realized that they weren’t there for love, for Christ, or for the benefit of my brothers and sisters.  They were there for pride and to deceive us.  I could feel a strange spirit.  At first, they didn’t know I was a missionary of Jesus Christ, but when they found out, they just wanted to fight with me.  Jaja it was really fun to talk with them and I remembered what Mother said: “I need to be more emotionally in shape” and “I kept my cool” and I used the Spirit to testify.  I love this work because I can teach with charity and with the Spirit.  It is really good…but the Jehovah Witnesses are really stubborn, but they are still my brothers and I love them. I love you family and may God bless you all!!!

Fort Worth Baptism 3-2012

Flat Tires, Punched Appointments and Pink Laundry: Everything has a Purpose

Dear Family & Friends -

Below is Elder Coffman's latest email.  If you didn't already hear, last week while doing his laundry David put a red towel in with his whites!  Needless to say, they all turned PINK!   The remedies we sent didn't work and Sister Sagers was working with him also - with no luck.   So a lesson was learned and looking back, it will be a good mission story.  Thanks so much to the Parkinson's and their generous help in replacing those items!   Thanks also to Anne and the suggestions and support.

Also, as you'll read below, Stephen jumped right on the request for hymns and talks in Spanish and we're mailing those out today.

Have a great week and take care.

Love,

The Coffman Family

Fort Worth Snow? Yep - 2/12/12

OK, I’m going to write in Spanish (: jaja I like Spanish more than English.  But thanks for the advice on the clothes.   I can send the shirts.  This week was hard because we had a lot of problems with our bikes.  We were riding on our bikes to our appointment and suddenly, my bike tire had a flat so we couldn’t get to some of the appointments and we had to walk.  It was really slow, but we stilled tried to work.  We bought new tires from Wal-Mart, but that one already had holes and we had to walk more and it was so slow.  Finally, a member helped us with the bikes but even so, our numbers weren’t very good.  It was very slow and many of our investigators “punched” in our appointments.  “Punched” means they weren’t there for our appointment.  But this made me realize that the numbers aren’t so important.  They are important, but we still had many good lessons and we had immeasurable success growing individually, just like our investigators.  I learned, like Stephen said, that everything has a purpose because we had some opportunities since we had problems with our bikes.  I was reading the talks from last general conference and there are a lot of good talks, but the one that especially called my attention was the talk about missionary work.  It was given in the Priesthood session.  It says that every returned missionary should look at his/her mission experience and realize how the mission helped him/her.  By doing this, we will use these things that helped us for our own wellbeing and also that of our families.  So, papá (Daddy) and Stephen, read this talk because I know that I can’t understand it completely, but look back over your missions and you are going to have many blessings from your mission.

Mother, thanks for the advice about my clothes.  Good job with your phlebotomy class.  I am always going to pray for you (: I liked it when I saw the words “pink shirts” in pink jaja it was really funny.  But I’m really grateful for our families and I always tell our investigators that this is one of the most important things to me, that I know without a doubt I can live with my family forever with my Heavenly Father.  God has given us all the things we need to return, but He doesn’t want us to do it alone.  That’s why we have a family.  I love you Mother.

Michelle!!!!  Little trickster!!!! jajaja jk but what is open mike night?  Is it during school or what?  But you can sing really well.  Don’t be afraid hermanita (little sister) (:  I know it is important not to judge others also.  This is the Work of Jesus Christ because He knows everything we do with a perfect knowledge.  I love you hermanita.  Do you still want to serve a mission? Bye.

Papá (Daddy), that’s really good for Parker.  And that is really funny about Russ also.  I never thought he would say something good about BYU, but he did it jaja and muchos nosotros!!!! wowow gluton jaja but we don’t do anything besides the Work on p-days.  We just write and clean and other such things.  I don’t like p-days a lot.  I just like working.  But I know they are necessary.  You can see these videos in lds.org also.  I like it a lot.  And good job with the Book of Mormon.  That’s a great blessing in our lives and we should delight in the scriptures like Nephi.  I love you.

¡Hermanito!  How are you doing?  I am going to send Alma a letter this week.  And I have a testimony that God has a plan for every one of His children because I have seen a lot of miracles that happen by means of things which are, seemingly, coincidences.  I love this work and thanks for your advice.  Maybe you could send me more music in Spanish, like Hymns, etc... and CDs with general conference talks in Spanish because I need to hear the language.  That’s that hardest part for me.  Sometimes I can’t understand what people are saying.  I am trying to watch movies about the Restoration, etc… in Spanish, but it’s hard.  Especially with women and children jaja but what helped you with this? Bye.

I'M ON THE LORD'S TIME

Well i'm just gonna write in english becuase i was hearing that it's taking a while to translate. jaja well i'm assuming you haven't received my letter about the clothes yet..well when you do,  tell me if there is anythiing i can do or if i just need to buy new ones. that's great that y'all have been reading those scriptures. they really are amazing. i have found new things in the scriptures everyday that can apply to my life, or to the lives of my investigators. and i love the
simplicity of the gospel as well. it's amazing how deep you can get into it if you want to. great job on doing these things as a family. i was reading a talk this week in language study about how satan is trying to work at destroying the family because he knows that the future of the church is going to be michelle, stephen, me, cameron, brock, and all the other youth. try doing everything possible to strengthen the family(: i always tell the investigators that one of my most favorite things about the gospel is the fact that it blesses families so much and that we can live together forever like the song we sang before i left. I really appreciate all the support i am getting from all of you. it's really nice to know that i've got people praying for me.


Mother: I don't think i'll be able to get on that website for the pictures because it's not authorized by the president.  and i'll get some pictures on the bike. i've only crashed 7 times(; jaja and i never wear my helmet!!!!! (sj mc) and thanks for sending those things for me. if they ever ask why they're getting emails from you, just tell them that i can't communicate via email with anyone besides my fam and mission president and that obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings milagros. te amo mucho mama (miracles.  I love you a lot Mother).

I'm on the Lords time now and from 6:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night, i'm a consecrated missionary. God's blessed me with so much that it's the least i can do. i've got enough to worry about with investigators, comp. less actives, etc. Once again thank you for being so great all the time. there's a scripture in nefi that talks about how Jesus loves us more than mothers, and it's hard to believe that after knowing all you have done for me. thankyou for having such a big impact on my life. i love you mother(:

(Stephen’s note – the above was in written mostly in English and copied and pasted; the following was in Spanish)

Michelle!!  Wow!!!!! Your Spanish is really good!!!  It sounds better than my Spanish!  That’s really good.  Did you write it or did you use Google to write it?  Well, good job on your dance.  It is really important that you have friends who share your standards.  I’ve seen a lot of problems here in Texas that result from part member homes.  But I know you already know this.  I just love you and I hope you’re happy and I know this gospel is the only way to be happy.  I love your advice.  Life is hard at times, but everything happens for a reason.  God knows everything.  We have to have patience with everything and have the wisdom to know we can grow from this experience.  I love you hermanita(: 

P.S. Did you see the thing in Mother’s part? ;)

Hermanito, thanks for your advice.  It’s true.  I need to gain the member’s confidence.  And the only way to do it is to work very hard.  That’s what I love about missionary work.  I love to work.  It is really good.  I love the fact that when I’m working, doing everything I can do, God is going to help me.  I know I need His help all the time.  Thanks a lot.

Papá, I don’t have much time to write you, but that was really funny!  Jaja I love the Beverly Hill Billies jajaja and I need to treat all people like my brothers and sisters.  Thanks for everything.(: And it’s really cool that we can relate anything in the world to the gospel.  Because God doesn’t give us anything that is temporal.  Everything is spiritual.  I love you papá.  

First Baptism in Ft. Worth in which Elder C participated

 

¡HOLA! FROM ARLINGTON TEXAS

Just when you think Elder C couldn't be more positive and enthusiastic, he tops his previous week's message with an even more exuberant proclamation of his love for missionary work and the Gospel!  He continues to write/speak in Spanish, so here's the translation:

His current direct address is:

Elder David Coffman

2106 Wilcrest Dr #227
Arlington, TX 76010

Study, Study, Study

¡Hola!  I received the package from the Lloyd family about three weeks ago  and I received everything.  I don’t have many pictures, but I took some at the baptismal services.  Don’t worry Mother jajaja I am going to use the CDs now and in Mexico, but I don’t have enough pictures to send them now.  I can attach pictures to the emails, but I always forget my camera when I write the email.  It is hard sometimes to take a lot of pictures because we are always on our bikes and there is not a lot to take pictures of.  But whenever something special happened, I always took a picture.  I hope Anne feels better.  Tell her to be careful!  And that sounds really fun that you two, Ali and Anne were able to get yogurt.  And where did Michelle get the Ravens jersey?  I like it jaja  The baptism we had was with Rasalio and Emilio Pérez.  I didn’t baptize them.  I man from Florida did it.  It was fun because he doesn’t speak Spanish so when he said the baptismal prayer, he said it in a heavy white boy (guero) accent jaja It was so funny!  But it was really good.  They are going to endure to the end!  I know it! jaja Do you know what it means to endure to the end?  I think this week all of you should learn more about the Doctrine of Christ.  It is really simple, but still very important.

Tell Elder Parkinson that in the field we can’t send emails to anyone except our families and to the mission president.  We don’t have a branch, but our stake is in Arlington.  And good job with your Spanish also.  Tell him the field is amazing and that I love to teach real people.  It’s a lot better than the MTC.

Mother, good job on your exam!   And tell Ali that she looks beautiful!  And that I love her muchisisisisisisisisísimo! jaja

Michelle, you can send the baby voice to Ali if you want. (: I don’t know when I am going to México, but I hope I go in about two or three weeks.  I like Texas, but México is better.  When I tell investigators I am waiting for a visa to Mérida they always tell me “¡Aaaaaahhhhhh el Yucatán!  How beautiful!  There is a beach and it’s not dangerous like the rest of México.”  I’m really excited to go there, but while I’m here in Texas, I am going to work very hard to save souls here! jaja

¡Hermanito!  I love your advice!  Thank you so much!  Actually, I was thinking in the saying no se dé por vencido (never give up) and I realized we can do it through the Atonement.  It’s really cool! jaja I decided that when I get back from my mission, I am always going to study the scriptures like I’m doing it now because they are so important.  It seems to me this week every scripture that I read talked about hope, charity and faith.  They are so important but charity is the most important.  I know this.  It is really cool.  I love reading Ether 12 and Alma 32 and Moroni 7.  They are really good.  And also Helaman 5.  Thank you so much for everything.  I still have not written Alma, but I’m going to do it maybe today.  Tell her I am sorry because I have been really busy.  But I want to speak Spanish with you always after my mission jaja Is that ok?  Bye.

 Also, little brother, how can I better utilize the members in the ward?  It’s hard here...what did you do in your mission?  See ya later and never give up!  Ever!!  May God bless you family!

(Stephen’s note – the following was mostly in English so I copied and pasted – the translated parts are italicized)

And now i'd like to share something i learned yesterday. We were learning about the plan of what we need to "put on the alter" when we go on a mission and one of those things was negative thoughts. negative thoughts are in the adversary's territory. we don't need to be negative about anything or  have a bad attitude about anything becuse no matter what happens, our lord, savior, y redentor jesucristo siempre esta aqui con nosotros. yo se eso. (and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is always there with us.  I know this.) alma 7 i think verse 11 says what he suffered for. read around and find it, but keep in mind that la expiacion es infinita (the Atonement is infinite). christ suffered everything for us so we wouldn't have to if we repent. but if we don't, then we will have to suffer like he did ( d&C 19 16-19 i think) then in juan (John) 16:33, it says something really good. read it as well. i don't have my scriptures with me right now, but when i read it i felt real good and i want to share that with you. also remember to always remember to have faith, hope, and charity. read in preach my gospel what it says about those 3 things in the chapter about developing christ like attributes. try and do these things for family night(: adios y les quiero (bye and I love you)!

Arlington - home of the Dallas Cowboys!

Elder C and Elder Rushton

The Heart of the MTC