Molo Family,
Well I bet Friday night at roughly 11:50am you didn't think hmm I bet Colton (Elder Balmforth) is getting MUGGED right now?? Oh, but I WAS. Fetchin guy. I was on exchanges in the other elders area and didn't have my car. So we were walking down the street in the safe part of our area and I looked back to see a guy running after us...........great......I knew what was coming. I was just hoping he wasn't gonna beat me up or shank me. I'm sure you all think at this point I was freaking out and possibly started booking it in a funny motion. But I was actually pretty calm. So when he finally gets to us he says "hey give me your phone" so we hand over the cheap little phone, no big deal, then he says and "where is your phone" and I say we share that phone (this was when I thought I might die) but instead he said, "well ugh give me your ring............................................" you, you, you want my ring? So I sadly slide my ChooseTheRight ring off my warm bony finger and handed it over!!!! Then........he left....running!!! So yeah, I was sad he stole my ring but I had my nice pack on my back with my camera and scriptures and my wallet in my pocket, (but I didn't have my cards, which was smart) so I consider myself blessed!!!!! I'm so thankful I have my scriptures and pictures still! But Katee, I'm sorry the whole ctr ring deal thing is off for the time being. It had sentimental value because my dad bought it for me and the deal with Katee. ANYWAYS, then yesterday some guy hit our car with his and drove off while we were in a lesson! Hahhahha, oh my week. But it wasn't a bad week!!! It was actually very successful. We had 4 very solid investigators at church on sunday and I'm really excited for them. We have a baptism this coming Sunday and we will have more at the end of the month. We also found a great family and have been sharing more with them. I love the spirit of missionary work! Its the best!
CALEE, I did not forget your birthday I just forgot to type it!!!!!! I love you and hope you had a great day! And Tiff and Kathy happy birthday to you too! I guess the newlyweds are too busy for me seems I didn't have an email from Mrs. Woods??? Sorry this is short and a little boring but thanks for the letters. I love you all and have a great week.
Love,
Colton
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Get this beam out of my Eye 09/19/11
Hello All,
Well its been a pretty good week! We had zone conference with Elder Renlund and his wife. That was really good. I love zone conferences I get a ton of great in sights! I also LOVE the Wood's. They are so great! I have had the two best presidents and there wives. They are both very different from the Probst's but they are GREAT! Sister Wood spoke at stake conference and she is so funny and so is president but they are able to teach you SOOOO much as they speak. I LOVE it! It hasn't been the most productive week in the area which is pretty sad and it gets really discouraging but I know that our efforts will eventually pay off and we have lessons to learn. I have been studying so much in the scriptures and trying to memorize where things are! My testimony of scriptures has grown sooooo much! I love them! I learn so much from them and enjoy it!!!!! Which is a new factor. I was studying in different places about humility and how the savior was very humble (obviously) and I realized I'm not very humble in a lot of different ways so it has been fun to try and correct myself, its not easy mostly because of pride haha but I'm working on it. Our Zone conference was about companion relationships. The whole time I almost just felt guilty! I have an amazing companion. All of them have been great. I have never looked at myself. When it says in 3 Nephi (I can't remember exactly where) we try to pull the sliver out of a mans eye but we our selves have a beam in our eye. So first pull the beam out of our eye so we can see clear.!!! How did I always miss that???? When you live with some one 24/7 you can always find little frustration nothing major just some pet peeves, and I always think why do they,,? or why would they...? but I never think what could I.....? or should I be better at.....? it was a great lesson to learn and I'm so thankful for that conference and my great companion. They also told some pretty rough companion fighting stories and I have been blessed to have good companions for the most part haha. I'm really working on being more Christ like but its really hard. Sorry I didn't mean to make this a testimony or anything its just the biggest thing that I have learned this week. Haha, anyways the church is true and I would be lost with out it! I got some letters this week from Amanda, Brooke, Jodi and Terry! So thank you and I will write back really fast. Love you all and have a Great week.
Love,
Colton
Well its been a pretty good week! We had zone conference with Elder Renlund and his wife. That was really good. I love zone conferences I get a ton of great in sights! I also LOVE the Wood's. They are so great! I have had the two best presidents and there wives. They are both very different from the Probst's but they are GREAT! Sister Wood spoke at stake conference and she is so funny and so is president but they are able to teach you SOOOO much as they speak. I LOVE it! It hasn't been the most productive week in the area which is pretty sad and it gets really discouraging but I know that our efforts will eventually pay off and we have lessons to learn. I have been studying so much in the scriptures and trying to memorize where things are! My testimony of scriptures has grown sooooo much! I love them! I learn so much from them and enjoy it!!!!! Which is a new factor. I was studying in different places about humility and how the savior was very humble (obviously) and I realized I'm not very humble in a lot of different ways so it has been fun to try and correct myself, its not easy mostly because of pride haha but I'm working on it. Our Zone conference was about companion relationships. The whole time I almost just felt guilty! I have an amazing companion. All of them have been great. I have never looked at myself. When it says in 3 Nephi (I can't remember exactly where) we try to pull the sliver out of a mans eye but we our selves have a beam in our eye. So first pull the beam out of our eye so we can see clear.!!! How did I always miss that???? When you live with some one 24/7 you can always find little frustration nothing major just some pet peeves, and I always think why do they,,? or why would they...? but I never think what could I.....? or should I be better at.....? it was a great lesson to learn and I'm so thankful for that conference and my great companion. They also told some pretty rough companion fighting stories and I have been blessed to have good companions for the most part haha. I'm really working on being more Christ like but its really hard. Sorry I didn't mean to make this a testimony or anything its just the biggest thing that I have learned this week. Haha, anyways the church is true and I would be lost with out it! I got some letters this week from Amanda, Brooke, Jodi and Terry! So thank you and I will write back really fast. Love you all and have a Great week.
Love,
Colton
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Are You Alive? 09/12/11
Hello Family and Friends,
Oh Katee's emails just make me so dang mad!!!!!!! TOMATOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! African tomatoes are not good! I want some home grown tomatoes!!!! UGH oh well I won't be such a baby! I'm glad Katee was able to get some! Also I hope every one is getting my letters? Not that I'm not getting any letters(which I'm not) but I just want to make sure you are all getting them. I have honestly written to EVERYONE some even twice within the last 3 weeks? So I guess we will see. But mom is our zip code 84129? And is that Brooke's too? Also Jodi I didn't forget about your birthday I'm sorry! I can't remember if i put it on the email or not last week, but I hope you had a good day. But happy birthday! Also Grandma and Calee!! Calee will you be 26? Ya OLD fart! mmmmm I just had some tooth paste on lip and it tasted good. Well you can tell life on p day is pretty boring! We use A LOT of Kilometers in our area so we don't do ANYTHING on P day. So my week was so weird. We were supposed to have two baptisms on Sunday but only 1 went through! Raymond was baptized and it was great! He was SOOO excited! His wife was here from Tanzania. So it was a good day. We also had another investigator who is amazing but they had a little incident this week and made it prolong the baptism. I'll tell you the short version of the story. We went to their house and I knocked on there door. No answer? Again. No answer? So one more time and the little kids finally answered. So we walk in and the house is a wreck. So my mind automatically goes to the worst. I ask the kids where their mom is and they say, "sleeping". So Ii go upstairs while Elder Zarbock and our fellowshipper stay with the kids and I see our investigator laying on the bed. I am finally able to get her to wake up and I ask what happened. I finally find out that she overdosed on some medications. Man, it was a little scary but we really care alot about our investigator and that's what was scary. So I call an ambulance (not an easy task) and they say they will be a half an hour!!!!!! What! Never mind. So the Bishop came and helped us to the hospital. Our investigator is doing better now and we are working with her and just doing some stuff that President Wwood suggested. I have learned a lot about the importance of this life. Its a sacred mission in its self. Its hard but we need to fulfill Gods plan in faith. We love our investigator and we know they can do anything to over come this. So this threw off our week a little. But it has been a great week. I love baptisms. They help motivate you. And we will have more on the 2nd! I've had a cold this week ha, I hate being sick! But its not too bad. Its been a great week! I can't believe Katee is almost half way done! That's crazy! I have still been thinking a lot about my grandma and my mom and aunts Ii hope your all okay. I love you all. Well I'm glad you had a great week. Thanks for the letters! Laura I hope you had your mail forwarded to your new address haha but I got your new address now. Its crazy how much we relate in your letters. We are a lot alike, its a good thing for me haha well I love you all have a great week.
Love,
Colton
Oh Katee's emails just make me so dang mad!!!!!!! TOMATOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! African tomatoes are not good! I want some home grown tomatoes!!!! UGH oh well I won't be such a baby! I'm glad Katee was able to get some! Also I hope every one is getting my letters? Not that I'm not getting any letters(which I'm not) but I just want to make sure you are all getting them. I have honestly written to EVERYONE some even twice within the last 3 weeks? So I guess we will see. But mom is our zip code 84129? And is that Brooke's too? Also Jodi I didn't forget about your birthday I'm sorry! I can't remember if i put it on the email or not last week, but I hope you had a good day. But happy birthday! Also Grandma and Calee!! Calee will you be 26? Ya OLD fart! mmmmm I just had some tooth paste on lip and it tasted good. Well you can tell life on p day is pretty boring! We use A LOT of Kilometers in our area so we don't do ANYTHING on P day. So my week was so weird. We were supposed to have two baptisms on Sunday but only 1 went through! Raymond was baptized and it was great! He was SOOO excited! His wife was here from Tanzania. So it was a good day. We also had another investigator who is amazing but they had a little incident this week and made it prolong the baptism. I'll tell you the short version of the story. We went to their house and I knocked on there door. No answer? Again. No answer? So one more time and the little kids finally answered. So we walk in and the house is a wreck. So my mind automatically goes to the worst. I ask the kids where their mom is and they say, "sleeping". So Ii go upstairs while Elder Zarbock and our fellowshipper stay with the kids and I see our investigator laying on the bed. I am finally able to get her to wake up and I ask what happened. I finally find out that she overdosed on some medications. Man, it was a little scary but we really care alot about our investigator and that's what was scary. So I call an ambulance (not an easy task) and they say they will be a half an hour!!!!!! What! Never mind. So the Bishop came and helped us to the hospital. Our investigator is doing better now and we are working with her and just doing some stuff that President Wwood suggested. I have learned a lot about the importance of this life. Its a sacred mission in its self. Its hard but we need to fulfill Gods plan in faith. We love our investigator and we know they can do anything to over come this. So this threw off our week a little. But it has been a great week. I love baptisms. They help motivate you. And we will have more on the 2nd! I've had a cold this week ha, I hate being sick! But its not too bad. Its been a great week! I can't believe Katee is almost half way done! That's crazy! I have still been thinking a lot about my grandma and my mom and aunts Ii hope your all okay. I love you all. Well I'm glad you had a great week. Thanks for the letters! Laura I hope you had your mail forwarded to your new address haha but I got your new address now. Its crazy how much we relate in your letters. We are a lot alike, its a good thing for me haha well I love you all have a great week.
Love,
Colton
Monday, September 5, 2011
09/05/11
Hello Family and Friends,
This will be way short because I had stuff to do for mom. So sorry. FIRST, Brooke and Deann happy birthday on the 1st and 4th and Jodi, happy birthday on the 7th. I'm really bad with birthdays but I'm trying to be better. So yes Elder Andriamanenten left Wednesday, its way sad I miss the kid he was great! Hopefully we will serve together again! But I still have Elder Zarbock and he is great. We were supposed to have three baptisms on the 11th but two fell through but its okay I'm sure it will happen soon! And then hopefully Raymond will still be baptized! I'm so excited for that! He is amazing! Everyone thinks he is a member. We have an investigator named Ellen and she is sooooo nice. She makes dog clothes for a living and she made our dogs clothes. Man she is so nice! I bet Gus will just eat them but hey it's worth a try I guess. We have never put clothes on him before but I guess we can try! She is really good at what she does. It's been a really good week one full of blessings! I'm excited for the wedding I can't remember if its Thursday or Friday haha oh well. I hope it all goes well. Then my parents will be empty nesters! Crazy!!!!! I hope every one keeps an eye on them until June when Katee gets home! So things are going good. There is not alot to say. I could really use some tapes. I was almost done recording and dads second hand tape fell apart!!!! I was so mad haha but its okay. There is not alot to say! We have FHE with Tania and Malcom tonight and that will be great! Tania is doing so good and should be baptized very very soon! Well I love you all and I'm so thankful for everyone. I hope every one is doing okay I have been thinking about my mom and grandma and my aunts alot! I know its still probably pretty hard but it will be okay your in my prayers and I love you all. Also thanks for the letters. I haven't gotten any this week but I'm sure its just the slow post. Mer and Oma I got you letters last week and they were great thank you. Well have fun at the wedding. Take lots of pictures and send them. Love ya, Colton
This will be way short because I had stuff to do for mom. So sorry. FIRST, Brooke and Deann happy birthday on the 1st and 4th and Jodi, happy birthday on the 7th. I'm really bad with birthdays but I'm trying to be better. So yes Elder Andriamanenten left Wednesday, its way sad I miss the kid he was great! Hopefully we will serve together again! But I still have Elder Zarbock and he is great. We were supposed to have three baptisms on the 11th but two fell through but its okay I'm sure it will happen soon! And then hopefully Raymond will still be baptized! I'm so excited for that! He is amazing! Everyone thinks he is a member. We have an investigator named Ellen and she is sooooo nice. She makes dog clothes for a living and she made our dogs clothes. Man she is so nice! I bet Gus will just eat them but hey it's worth a try I guess. We have never put clothes on him before but I guess we can try! She is really good at what she does. It's been a really good week one full of blessings! I'm excited for the wedding I can't remember if its Thursday or Friday haha oh well. I hope it all goes well. Then my parents will be empty nesters! Crazy!!!!! I hope every one keeps an eye on them until June when Katee gets home! So things are going good. There is not alot to say. I could really use some tapes. I was almost done recording and dads second hand tape fell apart!!!! I was so mad haha but its okay. There is not alot to say! We have FHE with Tania and Malcom tonight and that will be great! Tania is doing so good and should be baptized very very soon! Well I love you all and I'm so thankful for everyone. I hope every one is doing okay I have been thinking about my mom and grandma and my aunts alot! I know its still probably pretty hard but it will be okay your in my prayers and I love you all. Also thanks for the letters. I haven't gotten any this week but I'm sure its just the slow post. Mer and Oma I got you letters last week and they were great thank you. Well have fun at the wedding. Take lots of pictures and send them. Love ya, Colton
Monday, August 29, 2011
Hello 08/29/11
Hello Family and Friends,
Well this will be pretty short sorry! This week has been pretty good! In church on Sunday in our very small rented out chapel we walked in and I thought whats with all the white people??? So the whole stake leadership was there and Elder Hill from the seventy. They announced that Khayletsha is now a WARD!!!!!! Its soooo cool to see the growth of the church. They have big plans to split the Cape Town Stake. Its great to be here while all this is happening! We have been teaching a lot and have some great investigators! We will hopefully have 4 baptisms on 11 September, but we will see. We are not allowed to mention names of people in our emails anymore probably because blogs cause problems.....like yours hahahaha. We are helping one of our investigators quit smoking and it was so funny in church she leaned over and said......Elder Balmforth, and I said yeah? She said I have one smoke left in the car and I want to smoke it......will you take it away? Haha and so I took it. She is doing so well! All of our investigators are mistaken as strong members in church haha the lord really does prepare people! Its amazing. I know that he has blessed us with finding these people who he has prepared. I keep praying for Katee to find some and I hope she does! I know grandpa is with her a lot. And I'm happy about that.
This week is transfer week! I HATE change so dang bad. I know we will both stay but I think Elder Antriamanantena will leave which is way sad I love the kid! But it will be nice to just have two again. I'm so excited for Kelsee to go to the temple. Kelsee, don't let the stress of everything take away from the sacredness of your experience. Every one just leave her alone and let her have a good experience haha. It is the best thing aver! I can't believe that after you go to the temple our whole family will have gone through! I think that is awesome and I cant wait to come home and go to the temple wit my family!!!!!!! Its been a great week and we have another great week ahead.
Love ya!
Colton
Well this will be pretty short sorry! This week has been pretty good! In church on Sunday in our very small rented out chapel we walked in and I thought whats with all the white people??? So the whole stake leadership was there and Elder Hill from the seventy. They announced that Khayletsha is now a WARD!!!!!! Its soooo cool to see the growth of the church. They have big plans to split the Cape Town Stake. Its great to be here while all this is happening! We have been teaching a lot and have some great investigators! We will hopefully have 4 baptisms on 11 September, but we will see. We are not allowed to mention names of people in our emails anymore probably because blogs cause problems.....like yours hahahaha. We are helping one of our investigators quit smoking and it was so funny in church she leaned over and said......Elder Balmforth, and I said yeah? She said I have one smoke left in the car and I want to smoke it......will you take it away? Haha and so I took it. She is doing so well! All of our investigators are mistaken as strong members in church haha the lord really does prepare people! Its amazing. I know that he has blessed us with finding these people who he has prepared. I keep praying for Katee to find some and I hope she does! I know grandpa is with her a lot. And I'm happy about that.
This week is transfer week! I HATE change so dang bad. I know we will both stay but I think Elder Antriamanantena will leave which is way sad I love the kid! But it will be nice to just have two again. I'm so excited for Kelsee to go to the temple. Kelsee, don't let the stress of everything take away from the sacredness of your experience. Every one just leave her alone and let her have a good experience haha. It is the best thing aver! I can't believe that after you go to the temple our whole family will have gone through! I think that is awesome and I cant wait to come home and go to the temple wit my family!!!!!!! Its been a great week and we have another great week ahead.
Love ya!
Colton
Monday, August 22, 2011
OH MAN................08/22/11
Dear Family,
Love,
Colton
What a week! It's so up and down. I feel so guilty for feeling bad about my family and the funeral and everything! Missionaries loose there parents or a sibling or Grandparents and they are fine. I mean I;m fine its just hard to be away when this is going on, but I'm glad I am where I am. We hiked Table Mountain today and it was GREAT!!!!! I loved it. I will probably be sooooooo sore tomorrow but it was well worth it! I will send pictures home soon. Well, I hope everything went well! Katee's email was sad I'm so glad I just got a phone call to save me from the embarrassment of crying in front of my mission president.hahahaha.
Our area is still on fire! We have some great investigators! We are having FHE with the Brook family and our investigator Tania! I'm excited! Oh and I have ANOTHER companion..........yeah he is waiting to go to Namibia, his name is Elder Andriamanentena, yeah say that 10 times fast. I can haha. He's GREAT! We love him. Wen they told me I as worried about training with a three sum but its really fun and he is a great missionary. H is probably the funniest person I have ever met, without driving me CRAZY! So Elder Zarbock and I like him. We have an amazing investigator I think I have mentioned him. His name is Raymond, he is AWESOME! He is so excited for baptism and so are we. He should be baptized on the 11th. He participated in priesthood and everyone thought he was a member. I taught the plan of salvation to him the day after I found out about Grandpa and it was the best lesson I have ever taught. I know Grandpa is with me and watching over me. I am doing good, so please don't worry about me. Thanks for all the love and support. I love all of you. Have a great week.
Our area is still on fire! We have some great investigators! We are having FHE with the Brook family and our investigator Tania! I'm excited! Oh and I have ANOTHER companion..........yeah he is waiting to go to Namibia, his name is Elder Andriamanentena, yeah say that 10 times fast. I can haha. He's GREAT! We love him. Wen they told me I as worried about training with a three sum but its really fun and he is a great missionary. H is probably the funniest person I have ever met, without driving me CRAZY! So Elder Zarbock and I like him. We have an amazing investigator I think I have mentioned him. His name is Raymond, he is AWESOME! He is so excited for baptism and so are we. He should be baptized on the 11th. He participated in priesthood and everyone thought he was a member. I taught the plan of salvation to him the day after I found out about Grandpa and it was the best lesson I have ever taught. I know Grandpa is with me and watching over me. I am doing good, so please don't worry about me. Thanks for all the love and support. I love all of you. Have a great week.
Love,
Colton
Monday, August 15, 2011
Hard Week 08/15/11
Well what a week. I will start with Friday and then go back from there. Friday night after coming home we planned and we made dinner. While I was eating President Wood phoned and told me Grandpa Harward had passed away. It was really hard. I mostly thought about my mom and my grandma and my aunts and if they were okay! I wasn't able to phone then until the next afternoon. So I didn't get a lot of sleep. I called my grandma first and talked to her and Jodi. I feel better I know that they are doing okay! Those two are so strong. They took care of grandpa so well better than anyone I have ever seen. They were so determined to keep Grandpa at home and make him comfortable. I know that my mom and sisters are so grateful for that. I know that they both have a special place lined up for them in the next life. It was hard to talk to them but it really helped. Then I called my mom and dad and talked to the family for a little bit. It was nice to talk to them and let it all out. I ha vent talked about it since then so it was a good time to talk about it. I know that my grandpa has started his next mission. I know that he has been with me. It was comforting to feel him here. I will never forget my grandpa he always did a lot for us. I think we always forgot that he did so much because grandma was always the one who picked everything out and wrapped it way to perfectly or she was the one who slaved every Sunday to make us dinner but grandpa worked really hard with grandma to support our Christmas and birthdays and Sunday dinners and all the other stuff. I went and bought some Werthers Originals and had food with lots of ketchup and I drank milk that i don't like here haha. Anyways it will be hard not to be there but know that I love you all and your in my thoughts and prayers. Especially grandma and mom and my aunts and cousins I love you all and miss you.
This week has been great. I haven't hit any kids. We have taught A LOT!!!! Its been so nice. Our area is dangerous but very fruitful and mom read (proverbs 1:33) I'm fine. Neliswa has read all the way to 2 Nephi 3!!!!!! She rocks. We just need her to come to church but she knows its true!!! We have also been teaching the Muhemedi Family! They also rock!!!!! The mom Ellen still doesn't want to be baptized but we are helping her. And Jack (the dad) and the two older kids (Maryann>haha and Guedlay) will be baptized 11 September. Ha good day right? We had a lot in church on Sunday and the members are really getting excited to work with us. The Khayletsha branch will soon be a Ward! They already submitted the papers so that's exciting!!!
I was writing my conversion story for Sister Wood because she asked for it and I thought a lot about what my story was. I have a lot! I decided that when I knew for sure is when I worked at Legacy and was able to be with a couple of people near there death. I watched them as they would reach for something in the air and ask questions like "who are they or where did they come from" I know that what they saw were spirits. They saw into the spirit world. The spirit was so strong in those rooms I then gained a huge testimony of the Plan of Salvation and how it is taught in the Book of Mormon. I know there is more out there and I know that my grandpa is teaching those lost spirits in prison. I know the Book of Mormon IS the word of god. I feel it every time I read it. I know that God calls a living day prophet for us to be led and guided in these last days! I know that my family will be together for ever. I hope I can help other families go to the temple and be sealed forever. I love you all. I got some letters and Courtney's tape and I am writing you all back. Thanks for everything. I appreciate the love and support of all of you.
This week has been great. I haven't hit any kids. We have taught A LOT!!!! Its been so nice. Our area is dangerous but very fruitful and mom read (proverbs 1:33) I'm fine. Neliswa has read all the way to 2 Nephi 3!!!!!! She rocks. We just need her to come to church but she knows its true!!! We have also been teaching the Muhemedi Family! They also rock!!!!! The mom Ellen still doesn't want to be baptized but we are helping her. And Jack (the dad) and the two older kids (Maryann>haha and Guedlay) will be baptized 11 September. Ha good day right? We had a lot in church on Sunday and the members are really getting excited to work with us. The Khayletsha branch will soon be a Ward! They already submitted the papers so that's exciting!!!
I was writing my conversion story for Sister Wood because she asked for it and I thought a lot about what my story was. I have a lot! I decided that when I knew for sure is when I worked at Legacy and was able to be with a couple of people near there death. I watched them as they would reach for something in the air and ask questions like "who are they or where did they come from" I know that what they saw were spirits. They saw into the spirit world. The spirit was so strong in those rooms I then gained a huge testimony of the Plan of Salvation and how it is taught in the Book of Mormon. I know there is more out there and I know that my grandpa is teaching those lost spirits in prison. I know the Book of Mormon IS the word of god. I feel it every time I read it. I know that God calls a living day prophet for us to be led and guided in these last days! I know that my family will be together for ever. I hope I can help other families go to the temple and be sealed forever. I love you all. I got some letters and Courtney's tape and I am writing you all back. Thanks for everything. I appreciate the love and support of all of you.
Love,
Colton
Colton
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