Halfway at the MTC!

I'm pretty sure I am allergic to one. Remember I took that one and broke out in hives so I had to get a different one that I'm on right now? Yeah I need to know what that was like ASAP. But anyway, this past week was pretty good. Nothing too exciting happens in here. I did not get to host yesterday so I did not see Hayden and I have not seen Mark yet. I'll see Hayden at devotionals though. The west campus comes over here for those. I'll probably see Mark today and I'm not too worried about it. I'll be able to see him pretty easily. I get to host next Wednesday though! And we may also be hosting the Wednesday after too! So I might be hosting for Kason and Taylor and will be for sure with Merrill. If you happen to see any of the Terrys find out for me what time they check in. Or not. It could always just be a surprise. 

The missionary mom float looked fun! That's awesome that you had so many moms turn up for it! We didn't do anything special for pioneer day. It was our P-day but the temple was closed so we didn't get to go to that. We got to see some fireworks though over the top of the buildings though. But other than that it was a normal P-day.

I'm good on hangers, shorts and socks. I don't need anything I don't think. Not yet anyway. I'm sure I'll find something after I'm done emailing. 

We had very good devotionals this week. The first one, on Sunday, was a guy in the missionary department and he was super funny. I can't remember his name though. On Tuesday we had John Groberg, the guy from The Other Side of Heaven. Like he is the guy the movie was made after. He played clips during the devotional from the movie and talked about remembering that exact situation. He told us other stories from it too. His subject was testimony. It was awesome. I have notes on it but I don't have them with me right now. I'm doing laundry right now so I didn't bring anything with me. I sang in the choir for that one though. I didn't get to last week. There is a rumor going around that next Tuesday is going to be a General Authority. They had Neil L Anderson the day before I came in and haven't had one since but they had like a general authority every week before that. They take a vacation in July I think so since next Tuesday will be August, there's a good chance. 

The language is coming along still. I can teach lessons so much better now that I can kind of talk to people. I'm already way better at Malagasy than I was at Spanish. And I took 2 years of Spanish. Just goes to show, the gift of tongues is a real thing. We have TRC tonight which is basically where we teach a home teaching lesson to a member that speaks Malagasy. We sit in this special room with a camera in it and our teachers record it and watch it while it's going on. After, we get to watch and evaluate how we did. We didn't get to do it last week so we'll see how it goes.

It's crazy that I'm already half way done. Our half way mark was on Tuesday. Three weeks from now I'll be in Madagascar. I think the phone will be the better option to call home with. I can buy phone cards here on campus but I still think the phone will be better. 

Fun story of the week: I scored another goal in soccer! Two of them actually. One on them and one on my own team. Yeah it was embarassing. It wasn't my fault though. It was really the goalies. I blocked a pass with my chest and the ball bounced/rolled into the goal very slowly. You could see it coming from a mile away. And, on saturday, we were playing soccer and I totally rocked this Australian elder. I felt really bad. My arm hit him in the nose when we were both going for the ball and I gave him a bloody nose. He said it was alright though and his Australian accent was awesome so I got over it pretty quick. Let McKenna  know too that I talked to this Elder from England the other day and he has a super cool accent. He's going to France which I thought was kind of weird. He came all the way over here to go all the way back over there. And we have a Sister in my zone that is from Australia and she has a pretty cool accent too. 

Sorry if I didn't answer all of your questions. I can never remember everything you tell me in the letters. It'll be better once you are forced to send me emails in Madagascar. Our teachers have told us some interesting stuff about Madagascar. I'll tell you about it next week though haha. Or I'll write a letter and send it I don't know haha. Just have Grandma email me. I don't get too many so I'd have plenty of time to answer her. Speaking of which, get after Arizona next time you see her. She hasn't wrote me yet and she promised. Tell her I'm mad at her haha.

Talk to you next week! Veloma!

Elder Coleman

Oh yeah another fun story. We were teaching one of our investigators about faith in Jesus Christ and we invited him to be baptized. No big deal right? He thought about it for a minute and said yes. Then it got super awkward and there was an awkward silence for like 15 seconds and then I just busted up. I have no idea why! It was the wierdest thing! Everyone started laughing haha it was bad. 

So i don't need a new garment top I think. The same thing happened to Elder Hammer and he just washed it again and it came out. But if you already bought it or sent it thats fine I can use it anyway. I could also use a little alarm clock and a shoe polishing kit. I don't know why I didn't think of those things before I came out but that's how it is I guess.

And I still haven't gained any weight! I weighed myself the other day and I was 138. If I can't gain weight in the MTC I don't think I ever will. It's stupid.

The other day we did exchanges for teaching a lesson and I ended up in a trio with Elder Koplin and Elder Ahlstrom. It actually went pretty well although it was really weird teaching in a trio. We managed though and our investigator/teacher said it was an awesome lesson. 

Fahendrena (Wisdom)

OK first, yes mom i did hear about the South Africa TV/Radio thing. Some guys came into our class the other day and talked to our teachers about so we might be on it but I don't know. Good to hear that Grandma and Grandpa made it back ok. I'm sure their trip waqs awesome! I still kinda wish i could've gone! 

SO about my companion, he is not a convert, his dad is the bishop in his ward and he is from Ermo? ( not sure if that's how it's spelled) South Carolina. He had two older brothers who served missions, one in Ogden and one in Idaho. I did get all your packages and they were awesome! The elders say thanks for the cookies. I dished them out yesterday and everybody loved them. The food is starting to get to me I think. like i said, Jeremiah 4:19... the struggle is real. So far I don't think there's anything else i need. I pretty well off so far. I saw the movie at the temple last week with the saratov approach guy in it. so that was neat. We didn't get to go this morning though because of Pioneer day so that's a bummer. how was your float today by the way? It's weird being at the MTC over a holiday that i'm used to being at, if that makes sense. 

Our lessons are going pretty good. We are doing way better with teaching with the spirit and it helps immensely. especially with the language. It's a good thing I have Elder Pinson too, because during our lesson on the Word of Wisdom i could not remember the word for wisdom worth my life! It's Fahendrena by the way haha. One lesson this week stood out particularly to me. We were teaching Rakoto (our teacher's alter ego) and we were just sharing our favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon. The whole time I've been here though I've been struggling with why I'm speaking Malagasy. I felt frustrated and that I could do a way better job with Englilsh. I had been praying for help to understand. Anyway, During this lesson, I shared my scripture, Alma 7:11-13 and tried my best to explain why it was important to me. I attempted to share the story of Uncle Wade with him and I could kind of do it but not really. Anyway, the Spirit was really strong and stuff and I finished and Elder Pinson started to do his and I just knew. It was like a voice spoke it into my head that this is where I was supposed to be and I was supposed to preach the gospel in Malagasy. I knew it without a doubt. After that lesson, the teachers let us teach in English and after that, they told us that they think we are way better teachers in Malagasy than in English. It's not that we suck or anything it's just that the spirit testifies of truth so strongly through our broken Malagasy, way better than what we could do in English.

Hadin left Tuesday morning, Putter left Wednesday and, Brooks Rigtrup came in yesterday! I didn't even know he was coming in! It was awesome to see him! I may be able to host next week. We think we can sign up so I'm trying to get our district leader to sign us up. The Spanish speajking missionaries go to the west campus but i think they report to this campus so I could get Hayden but it'll be hard. If not, I'll see him at devotionals and stuff. Fun story of the week, Elder Pinson and I got locked out of our room the other day. And I didn't have shoes or my nametag so that was fun.

Talk to you guys next week! Veloma fianakaviako! Tiako ianareo! (Goodbye Family. I love y'all)

Elder Coleman

P.S. Did you get my letter? I sent one on Monday and i don't know if you've gotten it or not.
Oh and I totally scored in MTC soccer the other day. I should just quit this mission stuff and go pro! Oh and I need to know like today what medication I was allergic to. No pressure or anything

Provo Temple and my distict L to R Front: Elder Pinson, Me, Elder Covey, Elder Koplin, Elder Reich, Elder Hammer. Back: Elder Morse, Elder Delbar, Elder Ahlstrom, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Johnson, Elder Schroedter, and Elder Tavo. Fun fact, Elder Tavo is from Vanuatu some islands in the South Pacific. He was supposed to come in with the last group. I don't know what happened there though. He's 21.

Missionary Plaque

The MTC is Great!

First P-day! Finally! The MTC is pretty great! The food isn't too bad but some others are experiencing the effects listed in Jeremiah 4:19-20 so feel free to read that to know. Classes are going well. We just learn Malagasy like all day. We literally have class right after breakfast until lunch and then after lunch until dinner and immediately after dinner till 9:30 which is when we have to be in our residence hall. Funny story about our residence hall. It is at the back of the campus and our room is on the top floor. Not a big deal right? But our class room is on the complete OTHER side of campus, about where I got dropped off on Wednesday. AND our class in on the top floor. We're on the 4th floor of residence and 5th floor of class. So. Many. Stairs. Everyday. I guess it's just preparing us for Madagascar. The second we walked into class the teachers were spurting Malagasy at us and I had no idea what was going on. But I've learned a lot in the past week so I can actually say simple sentences that aren't always grammatically correct. We had to teach a lesson in Malagasy on day 3. That was a challenge that's for sure but we got better the more lessons we taught. We taught this investigator named "Rakoto Jean" who spoke fluent Malagasy. We had our suspicions that he wasn't a real investigator from the get go but yesterday during mine and Elder Pinson's lesson he got a phone call. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and pulled his teacher nametag out with it! So we totally busted him. Then he came into our class and told us that he was one of our teachers! So we have 3 now. They are all returned missionaries and all served with each other (only with overlap, they weren't in the same group.). One of our teachers, Brother Aldous knows Garrett Madril! They were in a folk dancing class together or something. I have seen Hadin and Putter both almost everday. Putter wants me to say hi to Dad for him. I'm trying to get the pictures to work but they won't for some reason so I'm going to try a different computer here in a few minutes. Our district got to go to the temple this morning and do a session and that was cool. We had to be there at 7 so we had to miss breakfast. I'm starving right now but lunch is in a little bit. THanks for the popcorn, cookies, and eggs! My district and I sure enjoy them! They are getting jealous of all the letters and packages I keep receiving. Oh I need you to send me a letter that says what medication i'm allergic too and what medication i'm on right now for Malaria pills stuff. Also, If you could send me like three more pairs of black Nike Dri-Fit socks and another pair of shorts that would be fabulous. What in the World? McKenna VOLUNTEERED to speak in church? How long HAVE i been gone? I thought i'd only been gone like a week. And Happy Birthday Jarrin! Sorry I missed another one bud! Sounds like it was fun though!  OH yeah I forgot to mention that our district is the biggest in the MTC and the biggest district of Malagasys ever  so here we are setting records and stuff. I'll talk to you next thursday fianakaviako! Veloma! (goodbye)

Elder Coleman

Oh yeah and I was in the missionary choir on tuesday night for a devotional with L Edward Brown an ex-general authority. We have devotionals on sunday and tuesday and it looks like they are broadcasted so see if you can find them on BYU TV or something. We do them at like 7 I think. I forget everything you asked so ask any questions for next thursday and I'll try my best to answer. Put them in the email though cause I won't remember if they are in letters.

The first one is my nametag obviously. The second one is some of the Elders in my district. IN the first one the Elder standing up is Elder Rasmussen, Bottom left is Elder Pinson, Left to right from elder Rasmussen is Elder Hammer, Elder Johnson, Elder Tavo (kinda hard to see behind Elder Johnson) and Elder Schroeder. In the third picture same but you have Elder Ahlstrom standing on the right. He's our district leader. The single picture is of Elder Pinson and I right before I emailed earlier.

First Letter!

MTC

Boy was this a tough thing to do!  The night before we took Austin to the MTC we drove to downtown and tried to go to the Salt Lake temple, but it wasn't open!  So we walked through temple square and then over to Cheesecake Factory (that is where Austin really wanted to eat)! Then we drove back down to where we were staying and went to look at the American Fork temple.  The next morning we got up and drove around for a while.  We took a drive up the canyon to kill time and went to see Bridal Veil Falls.  We had lunch then went to the Provo Temple for some pictures.  Then at 12:45 we drove over for the drop off and that's pretty much what it is, unload luggage, quick hugs, and he was off!! Never looked back.  I hope it goes as fast as everyone says!!!!

Elder Coleman!

Austin was set apart as a missionary by Pres. Brown at the Stake Center.  Bishop Gant was also there to help.  Pres. Brown gave Austin some great advice and an awesome blessing after the setting apart. After we came home Bishop & Rhonda as well as the Southwick family came by to wish Austin well.