The Lord Loves All His Children

My first baptism when I arrived here in Reading was a girl whose name is Mah Louise Kanu: she is a lovely girl and a spiritual giant. Soon after Mah was baptized, she started bringing her niece, Martha to church.  After a few weeks, she approached the missionaries and said that Martha wanted to be baptized!  Little did we know, this was the key to a window of opportunity.

As she accepted a date, I went to work finding some more family members (I heard they all lived all over in the Reading area) and we found Abu Koroma!  We had a good caht (he is an uncle), and he gave us a few referrals, one of which was Balay Kanu (who is Mah's other auntie).  We called and found out she lived below us!  Well, Mah lives with her Nan (whose name is also Mah Kanu) and I taught her when I was in Reading ward before I moved to Woodley ward (both meet at the same chapel).  I'm going to attach some photos so you can see the miracle: 2 days before Martha was baptized, her auntie Balay Kanu accepted to be baptized on the 19th of March, on which day we also have Sean Palmer and Elijah Sasidiya-Taylor being baptized!

At the baptism, I had a opportunity to talk to Mah's Nan (Balay's Mum) and she said I'm ready to be baptized--what day can you baptize me? I answered, "The 26th of March--right before I leave for home," and she accepted for the 26th and is so happy!  At Martha's baptism, there were about 30 non-members who are all family, and we set up appointments for the whole week to teach this family!  I am going to see where it goes, but for right now 4 are either baptized or preparing, and about 10 more are attending church and the blessings are raining down upon us.

The Lord prepared young Mah's heart to accept the Gospel and now all the family is reaping the rewards from Heaven!  I know this happens for a reason, and I love it.  All of them asked me to bear testimony, so when I did, I explained that president had me moving areas but he felt I needed to stay for something--I told them it was to see their family accept the Gospel.  I felt strongly about this and I still do!

The Lord loves his children, I have seen so many enter the waters of baptism, and I am so happy!

I LOVE YOU ALL,
Elder Coon

One More Month!

This week has been bittersweet so far.  As we prepared for moves, I just had some reflection on all the people whose lives we get to effect, and how it really is not us but the Lord and His Spirit that makes a difference.

A few times, I found myself crying during a teach because I am realizing that I won't have this feeling and this comfort as strong for very much longer! The mission is coming to an end, and I have to move on: it's tough. 

This week as I stood in the water and baptized Nicole Palmer, I felt something very strong, and it just reminded me how important this church really is.  I think we let days pass and we forget about the importance of the Gospel because we let little things get in the way.

It's hard for me to focused lately.  I study harder, I work more effectively, and my habits are changing, yet it feels as though this happiness is being shot down from all sides! The pain that comes form leaving home is bittersweet . . . but the pain upon receiving a phone call to tell you that you're going home in a month is sad! It hurts.  It feels as though you're losing the Saviour holding you up! I am SCARED to come home, to be honest with you all, because I love this great work so much!  Just writing this makes me feel a tinge of pain in my heart. 

I know I will adjust, but I want to be someone new and someone who changed his life, just as Nicole and Andrea Palmer let the Gospel change their lives.  When we first met them, Nicole was shy and did not speak much.  Andrea could talk your ears off, yet she has completely changed to someone who recognizes the promptings of the Spirit immediately. Nicole loves the church and the Young Women program . . . I see her cry sometimes when she feels the Spirit.

Because of the Gospel, lives are changed and people are made happy! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO LIVE CLOSER TO OUR SAVIOUR?  It's sad to hear of some who can't be baptized, or those who struggle to go to church, or those who say they are too busy! The Lord is not too busy for us, and He is always there for you and I!  Please do all you can to feel His love.  The Lord's power can change our natures, our attitudes, and our behaviors, I know it.  I am grateful that I get to serve Him

I love this church, I love all of you, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN.


Love, Elder Coon

PS- On Sunday, after they were confirmed, their dad and husband, Sean Palmer, accepted to be baptized along with an eight-year-old named Eli that I get to baptize!  I love this work!  Again, it is bittersweet, and it's up to us to choose what we will partake of!

Happy Valentine's Day to Me!

Well, I know Valentine's Day is supposed to be grand and all about the love: lovers buying sweets and chocolates, people preparing dinners and elaborate meals, giving gifts to loved ones.  It's sad it only comes once in a year.

I want to explain a little of what happened this last week: I could feel Satan actually closing in on me from all angles: from home, to friends, to investigators, to my own health at risk.

We had a good week with loads of teaches (to be precise, we taught over 26 lessons with investigators and less-actives, so it was quite good!) We lost a few really good people, but the blessings came as the week ended well for others.

We had Zone Conference, in which I learned many important things.  I felt the Spirit helping me want to become a better and more effective person. My companion and I wanted to make some changes together, and afterward we talked and sang our mission song, "Jerusalem."  That is when disaster struck!  There was more at the beginning of the week: like people getting mad at me for things which I already understood and tried to correct . . . but after this meeting, my stomach started to hurt.  I mean, it hurt, like someone was stabbing me over and over in the stomach! We had teaches, so I decided to go to each one.  I turned up about 15 wrong roads and I felt lightheaded.  I could not think straight, and I was white and pale--I  was burning with a fever, but that did not explain my stomach pain at all.

When we were done, I had a blessing which promised I would heal, and the sickness would be healed.  That night, I did not sleep at all.  The pain was unbearable--I woke at about 4:30 with a splitting headache and went out on the couch had a drink.  Then I went back to the room where the battle of tossing to and fro continued.  When the alarm went off at 6:30, the headache and dizziness and fever had broken, but the pain in the stomach was still there!

We had to go to church, because four investigators were coming, and I could not miss out on that!  So I took the bite the bullet approach.  The whole day was pain on the right side of my stomach--I was afraid it was my appendix or something.

That night, as I prayed, I asked the Lord for help.  I said, "I was told I could be healed, and I believed 100%." I decided that if I did not feel better by the next morning, I would go to the doctor.  But I awoke the next morning and the pain was gone completely! I thanked the Lord as I stood on our balcony. The sun came up and it was one of those moments when you realize how great the priesthood is, how great this Gospel is, and how much Jesus Christ really does care about our well being.

I love you all, and I hope you have a very happy Valentine's Day!

LOVE,
Elder Coon

Sweet Ride

Finally!  Mexican food!  There is no Mexican food over here, so we were really excited to find this place called "The Mission" that serves burritos!

Me and Garder at the park

One Busy Week!

Well, let's start off with the week that made me so tired!

On P-day (last Monday), we ran all over the place, and that evening was full of teaches.

Then we had a wonderful Tuesday as we sat at the feet of our mission president and his counselors and learned how to become the best missionaries England has ever had. We were spiritually fed, and I loved every second of it!

Wednesday came and we had to do so much because it was like we had 2 P-days with the meeting at President's home, so we had to teach a lot. It was a full day and we reached five solid teaches for the day.

On Thursday, we had a driving lesson and we taught our other family who are preparing for the 19th of this month to be baptized!

Friday we had the baptism of Ana Fernandez. She is a lovely daughter of God--19 years old and full of energy, and just so happy to have this Gospel in her life! We had a Brazilian party at her house afterward with loads of food. It was great, I can't complain!

Then Saturday was a busy day--we supported a family and went to their son's football match. We also had loads of people to find and teach--we reached six solid teaches this day.

On Sunday, we had Ana get confirmed. (She was a little late, so the stress levels were high). Then we had accounting all night from about 8 o' clock to 10:30--so it really was such a busy night! We were on the phone back and forth with concerns for the zone how to help individual areas and how to really boost the morale of all the missionaries. We had some good chats and some wonderful talks, we made goals and plans that I feel will get everyone pumped up and moving!

We are loving the work right now. I am definitely loving it, and I can feel so much peace and happiness, and a stronger desire than ever! This last month came and went so fast, and I can tell February is looking equally as fast already. It's starting to dawn more and more how much we really have and how little others have . . . so why not share? It's been constantly in the back of my mind how soon it arrives.

I will be home on April 8th (I hope my dad got the email they sent out from here that gave all the details!) I am scared, and it seems crazy, but reality has not completely set in and I am still fighting a wonderful battle that I will never complain about!

I am happy, as all you should be who have the Gospel and who grip onto it tightly! I love you all and I want you to know I know this church is true!

Love,

Elder Coon