Week 76 - July 23, 2018

"I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (Alma 26:16)

That pretty much sums it up. There's no way to express what it is to be a missionary. When you try, it comes out sounding cliche and cheesy. But I'm going to try anyway: A lot of people seem to think that missionaries are very brave for making this great sacrifice, for leaving their family, home, friends, and everything they know to live in another part of the world and preach the gospel. They think that missionaries deserve some kind of "congratulations" for this great sacrifice. But I think the thing that all missionaries learn is that it is no sacrifice. It is the greatest and most incredible privilege that our Heavenly Father could give us. It is an enormous blessing, to represent our Savior, to serve Him in the most intimate way, to see the Spirit change the lives of those around us, to watch ourselves and our friends become more capable servant in the Lord's hands. I've never been so happy in my life than in this period of time- at the same time I don't think I've ever been so scared, stressed, or uncertain- but that's what makes it so great. Bringing people to the gospel path, being an instrument in the Lord's hands, feeling the Spirit work through you to help other people return to God's presence, is the greatest thing a human being could do. 

We have a Heavenly Father who is so merciful. The fact that He counted me- a flawed, imperfect, impatient, scared, timid little girl- to be worthy and capable of being a representative of His Son and His Church, is the greatest miracle. I am still so flawed and imperfect, sometimes I still lose my patience and get scared, but I am not that same little girl that I was. I can say that I feel that I've become a better disciple, teacher, leader, friend, daughter, sister, and will be a better mother in the future, because of the things I've been through here. My mission was, is, and always will be a reminder of the love that God has for me and all His children, and it's what gave me a testimony that will last me an eternity. As everyone says, not a day will go by that I won't think of my mission.

There's so much more I want to say, but I don't know how, so I'll use the words of some great missionaries who came before me: 

"I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance, that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Yea, and now behold...the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors." (Alma 36:24-25)

"And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work." (Alma 26:3)

"My joy is full, yeah, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God." (Alma 26:11)

"And behold, when I see many of my bretheren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayers, yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me." (Alma 29:10)

"[She] cast [her] eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld that they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon [her] as if they would ask [her] to tarry a little longer with them." (3 Nephi 17:5)

"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that recieveth understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50:22)

"Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For the light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry, which I have recieved of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as I child: but when I became a [missionary], I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11)

And finally, what I'll do when I get home:

"And it came to pass that [she] returned to [her] home at [North Carolina]; and [she] cast [herself] upon [her] bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which [she] had seen." (1 Nephi 1:7)

For one last time, I love you all. Thanks for everything.

Com muito amor,

Sister Coleman

Week 75 - July 9, 2018

"E ao terminar nossa grande missão, descanso teremos na bela Sião.... Adeus, ó Babilônia, nos vamos partir, sagrada missão precisamos cumprir."

English Translation:  And at the end of our great mission, we shall have rest in beautiful Zion .... Goodbye, O Babylon, we are going to leave, sacred mission we must fulfill

(Lyrics to Elders of Israel in Portuguese, makes me cry when I sing it, super beautiful, go look up what it means if you don't speak Portuguese.)

Sisters Amazonas and Coleman

Well, folks, the end is near, two more p-days after this one. I don't know how many more of these public updates I'll be able to send, because it seems that everyone who neglected to write me for my whole mission is now trying to make up for it, so I don't have as much time to write everyone. Therefore, I think this is the second to last update I'll be sending. I would like to thank all my faithful readers (even if you are just one of my cousins whose parents forced you read it every week) for sticking with me to the end. I've not been able to express even a portion of what I've learned and felt and experienced on my mission, but I hope you've been able to feel how much I love these people, this country, this mission, this gospel, and most of all, my Savior. I've come to know Him and love Him more than ever, and little by little, I'm learning to be more like Him, which is, after all, the purpose of all this.

With Pres. & Sister Souza, new mission president.

A quick update on what's happened the past few weeks: two of the daughters from that Native American family we're teaching got baptized, Natiele and Natiane (17 and 16 years old). We're still working with the parents and other two siblings, but it looks like the family will be moving to another part of Porto Alegre in a few weeks, so I hope the missionaries there will take good care of them, because I feel so strongly that the whole family will be baptized and one day sealed, because they truly deserve the blessings of an eternal family. 

Natiane's Baptism

The baptism of Natiele was an especially touching experience for me. She told me afterward that, as she entered the water, all of her sins and mistakes were running through her mind. And in the moment the bishop (who was baptizing her) started the prayer, she started saying a prayer in her mind, really asking God to forgive her of everything and let her be clean and free. As she prayed, she started crying, and as she was lifted from the water, she says she felt better than she'd ever felt in her life. Clean, pure, light, forgiven. 

Natiele's Baptism

This was a great reminder to me that what we do in the church- get baptized, take the sacrament, go to the temple- doesn't have any meaning or magic in and of itself. It all depends on us, on our attitude and understanding and obedience and how we act to fulfill those covenants we make. The baptismal waters aren't magical, it's just water. And the sacrament is just bread and water. And the church is just a building. Unless we choose to make it something more, unless we humble ourselves and make that baptism, sacrament, church meeting, etc., something life-changing and significant. Natiele became a new person, she was born again, because she was willing to take the necessary steps to abandon her sins and mistakes. Do we go through that same thought process every time we take the sacrament or perform another ordinance? That girl really is a great example to me.

Young Women at Ward Activity

Some other things that have happened: everyone's sad because Brazil lost the World Cup, but I'm low key happy about it because it means people won't use "watching the game" as an excuse for not letting us in their houses anymore. We had a conference with our new mission president last week. They're both very spiritual and excited to be here, I like them both a lot, even though I won't get to work with them for very long. 

View from the top of a hill near the
Native American Villiage is located.

Hope you all have an excellent week :)

Sister Coleman

Week 74 - July 2, 2018

No update from Sister Coleman this week.