HELLO!!!!
Its been a great week! We have been so busy visiting every member on the ward list. This week we finally finished our area. It felt so nice to have it done! Now we are finishing a large map with stickers indicating Strong Priesthood, Aaronic priesthood, Less actives, Actives and in actives. We are giving the map to the Bishop and the Elders quorum Presidency. It will help with their home teaching and will help strengthen the ward by bringing back Less and in active members. We can already see the fruits of this work. When we got here they averaged 120 in sacrament meeting and now its any where from 170-200. Relief society was packed with chairs in the hall way and Priesthood was also incredibly full. Its just been so good to see this great change. The ward and the Van Sickles have worked so hard and it is paying off. We have also built our teaching pool by sharing this message with part members or friends of members. Automatic support! We have many investigators we are just trying to make their baptismal dates a little more solid and help them progress more. I have felt the spirit with us so strong as we have been in our area and I love the constant companionship of the holy ghost. It has been great to teach a mission prep class in the ward. We have 13 students and 10 already have their mission papers to start filling out. This last lesson was on personal worthiness and I tied it in to obedience to mission rules. I t was so easy to testify how important those things are because of how amazing the spirit is and how this work is impossible with out it. This week on Wednesday we went to PE to pick up the zone leaders so it was nice to get away for a couple hours. We went to McDonald's and when we walked in you will never guess who was there>>>>the Van Sickles! haha they had taken 4 young members to the doctors in PE for there mission papers and they were just getting them lunch after so they bought us lunch too. The lord new I was broke! Elder Ssemanda and I have been living off on chapatties and mince. They are filling and fattening, which is exactly what I need! I haven't gotten any post in 3 weeks because the office hasn't sent it! I don't know why. But its okay. I'm sure I will get a ton this week. Well, I love you all and miss you. Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Balmforth
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Hot in PE 02/20/12
Hello every one!
Its been a great week! I'm sure my emails are sooooooo much more boring then Katee's, but oh well! things here are going good. Its a hot mother today so I'm happy its p day so we don't have to walk around in the heat!. I have a new companion named Elder Ssemanda. He is really cool. He is from Uganda. We are having a blast. He can make chapattis. It is like tortillas but better so I think we will have that soon! We also get to drive to PE to pick up the zone leaders so we might get McDONALDS!!!! I hated mcds before but its a rare thing now! Our area is doing great. We have built a really strong relationship with the ward.
Things are going well. We have been working hard to re activate and also strengthen all the recent converts. Can you believe that over 40 people were baptized in ONE ward in ONE year! I can't! The sad thing is that they are not all active. So its been a lot of fun work to help strengthen them. Little do they know I am probably the one being strengthened. They are such amazing people. We are working with one right now who is struggling with some obedience issues. His story is really cool though it all started with one small step in the wrong direction. Satan is so clever to help us make one small mistake and then he leads us in the a huge pile of sin. That is why exact obedience is so important! Stupid Satan! Well our recent convert is so strong we have been focusing on the healing powers of the atonement and I will lovingly say anyone who doesn't believe that there is a savior has not done their research and has not prayed about it! I know that Heavenly Father sent his son to suffer and die for each of us. He has felt our pains and our temptations and our griefs. I know he has. Becasue of that atonement we are able to be made clean. I'm so thankful for the atonement! Thanks for all you do I love and miss you.
Love,
Colton
Its been a great week! I'm sure my emails are sooooooo much more boring then Katee's, but oh well! things here are going good. Its a hot mother today so I'm happy its p day so we don't have to walk around in the heat!. I have a new companion named Elder Ssemanda. He is really cool. He is from Uganda. We are having a blast. He can make chapattis. It is like tortillas but better so I think we will have that soon! We also get to drive to PE to pick up the zone leaders so we might get McDONALDS!!!! I hated mcds before but its a rare thing now! Our area is doing great. We have built a really strong relationship with the ward.
Things are going well. We have been working hard to re activate and also strengthen all the recent converts. Can you believe that over 40 people were baptized in ONE ward in ONE year! I can't! The sad thing is that they are not all active. So its been a lot of fun work to help strengthen them. Little do they know I am probably the one being strengthened. They are such amazing people. We are working with one right now who is struggling with some obedience issues. His story is really cool though it all started with one small step in the wrong direction. Satan is so clever to help us make one small mistake and then he leads us in the a huge pile of sin. That is why exact obedience is so important! Stupid Satan! Well our recent convert is so strong we have been focusing on the healing powers of the atonement and I will lovingly say anyone who doesn't believe that there is a savior has not done their research and has not prayed about it! I know that Heavenly Father sent his son to suffer and die for each of us. He has felt our pains and our temptations and our griefs. I know he has. Becasue of that atonement we are able to be made clean. I'm so thankful for the atonement! Thanks for all you do I love and miss you.
Love,
Colton
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sooooo Tired!!! 02/13/2012
Hello,
I know that if I don't write I will be in trouble. I am soooooo tired. We moved into a new apartment this week and it is HUGE! So empty but it's nice. It has just been exhausting moving plus I didn't sleep much last night so I'm sooooo tierd. Which is why this email will be short and if I don't respond to other personal emails I'm sorry. I really am. But we had the open house on Saturday and it was so much fun! It was a huge success. There were TONS of non members and while the youth washed their cars we gave them a chapel tour around to the different displays. Every one loved it and we have a lot of people to go visit! I'm so excited. it was alot of work but a very creative finding method. So I found out I will be staying and I'm so happy! I'm learning alot in this area. Elder Mooki is going to Cape Town so that's too bad and my new companion will be Elder Ssmanda from Uganda. I hear he is a good cook. I sure hope so. I am on the last belt loop on my belt I can't get any skinnier, none of my pants fit right any more. I could use more fat hah. So hopefully we will see that soon. Elder Pearson is going to the office so he can heal quicker. Poor guy, he will enjoy the office though. Elder Cowey is replacing him so that is sweet. I hope I can handle two English guys in the district haha, but I love them both they are awesome. They are two of my favorite elders. AGAIN I had so much to say and I left my planner at home!!!! But more about the open house. I loved seeing the ward come together and help all of the visitors. The spirit was so strong and I just knew that is where Heavenly Father wanted them to be. It was amazing. I'm sorry this is short I love you all. I got two letters this week from my grandmas! Oma and Grandma Harward. Everyone knows I have the best two grandmas because I usually get a letter from each every week! Today we are going to PE and the Van Sickle's are taking us out to eat. They are awesome! Well I love you all, have a great week.
Love,
Colton
I know that if I don't write I will be in trouble. I am soooooo tired. We moved into a new apartment this week and it is HUGE! So empty but it's nice. It has just been exhausting moving plus I didn't sleep much last night so I'm sooooo tierd. Which is why this email will be short and if I don't respond to other personal emails I'm sorry. I really am. But we had the open house on Saturday and it was so much fun! It was a huge success. There were TONS of non members and while the youth washed their cars we gave them a chapel tour around to the different displays. Every one loved it and we have a lot of people to go visit! I'm so excited. it was alot of work but a very creative finding method. So I found out I will be staying and I'm so happy! I'm learning alot in this area. Elder Mooki is going to Cape Town so that's too bad and my new companion will be Elder Ssmanda from Uganda. I hear he is a good cook. I sure hope so. I am on the last belt loop on my belt I can't get any skinnier, none of my pants fit right any more. I could use more fat hah. So hopefully we will see that soon. Elder Pearson is going to the office so he can heal quicker. Poor guy, he will enjoy the office though. Elder Cowey is replacing him so that is sweet. I hope I can handle two English guys in the district haha, but I love them both they are awesome. They are two of my favorite elders. AGAIN I had so much to say and I left my planner at home!!!! But more about the open house. I loved seeing the ward come together and help all of the visitors. The spirit was so strong and I just knew that is where Heavenly Father wanted them to be. It was amazing. I'm sorry this is short I love you all. I got two letters this week from my grandmas! Oma and Grandma Harward. Everyone knows I have the best two grandmas because I usually get a letter from each every week! Today we are going to PE and the Van Sickle's are taking us out to eat. They are awesome! Well I love you all, have a great week.
Love,
Colton
Monday, February 6, 2012
Hey, This Book really does work!! 02/06/2012
Hello,
I have so much to write about and I wrote it all in my planner and then, I left it at home!!! Before I forget Happy Birthday Liz and Grandpa. I know Grandpa is happy celebrating his birthday in heaven. This week was an answer to probably a lot of prayers. It was rainy and very cool all week long! I had all my energy back by Wednesday and it was awesome! I have been beating myself up about being so slow in the hot sun but this week was such a blessing. Now its super hot but if the Lord can work for me then I will work for him! Actually I would work for him anyways. But this week was good. For the past couple of weeks we have been planning a church open house for the community and it has been a lot of work for the whole district. Its going to be huge. It will have a free car in the parking lot and then in the building we will have different displays (Restoration, Book of Mormon, Temples,Baptism, Ect.) We are really excited and I hope people come. It has been announced on the radio and in the news paper. So things are looking good. There is an awsome couple here named the Van Sickles we LOVE them they have helped so much and elder Van Sickle is JUST like my dad so that's been cool! Also the Taylor's are amazing! The whole zone went to Ado Elephant Park today and that was a ton of fun. There are all kinds of animals like elephants, lions, zebra's, giraffes, except I didn't see the giraffe! It was a blast! We just drive around and get so close.
This week we met with Babalwa. She reminds me of my friend Mishon. Her brother in law is a recent convert and she is preparing to be baptized. I guess they decided to read the Book of Mormon when they didn't have much to do. They are both out of work and desperate to get jobs, so as they were reading, Vuyos (the brother in law) the phone rang and it was someone offering him a job. At the end of the phone call Babalwa put down her Book of Mormon and said, "#@!& that book really does work!!" hahaha I love Africans!!
I also know that that book, the Book of Mormon IS the word of God and it is true! Reading it will bring us closer to God and help us know how we can rreceive full salvation. I love you all and hope everyone is doing great! Oh and congrats on getting engaged Brad. That is so awesome!
Love ya!
Colton!
I have so much to write about and I wrote it all in my planner and then, I left it at home!!! Before I forget Happy Birthday Liz and Grandpa. I know Grandpa is happy celebrating his birthday in heaven. This week was an answer to probably a lot of prayers. It was rainy and very cool all week long! I had all my energy back by Wednesday and it was awesome! I have been beating myself up about being so slow in the hot sun but this week was such a blessing. Now its super hot but if the Lord can work for me then I will work for him! Actually I would work for him anyways. But this week was good. For the past couple of weeks we have been planning a church open house for the community and it has been a lot of work for the whole district. Its going to be huge. It will have a free car in the parking lot and then in the building we will have different displays (Restoration, Book of Mormon, Temples,Baptism, Ect.) We are really excited and I hope people come. It has been announced on the radio and in the news paper. So things are looking good. There is an awsome couple here named the Van Sickles we LOVE them they have helped so much and elder Van Sickle is JUST like my dad so that's been cool! Also the Taylor's are amazing! The whole zone went to Ado Elephant Park today and that was a ton of fun. There are all kinds of animals like elephants, lions, zebra's, giraffes, except I didn't see the giraffe! It was a blast! We just drive around and get so close.
This week we met with Babalwa. She reminds me of my friend Mishon. Her brother in law is a recent convert and she is preparing to be baptized. I guess they decided to read the Book of Mormon when they didn't have much to do. They are both out of work and desperate to get jobs, so as they were reading, Vuyos (the brother in law) the phone rang and it was someone offering him a job. At the end of the phone call Babalwa put down her Book of Mormon and said, "#@!& that book really does work!!" hahaha I love Africans!!
I also know that that book, the Book of Mormon IS the word of God and it is true! Reading it will bring us closer to God and help us know how we can rreceive full salvation. I love you all and hope everyone is doing great! Oh and congrats on getting engaged Brad. That is so awesome!
Love ya!
Colton!
Monday, January 30, 2012
01/30/2012
Well things here are okay. The heat is slowing me down so much and it irritates me so bad. My mind and heart want to go 1000 miles an hour but my body can't fight this heat. I'm just annoyed. I still go out every day I am just slow in speech slow when walking and always late and you know how I HATE that! I'm so mad at myself. Because of that the week has been frustrating, but other then that its all good. At the beginning of the week Elder Mooki and I felt prompted during a planning session to try again to visit a very young recent convert. We have tried before but she is never home. However, we listened to the prompting and we scheduled her in our day. So we go there and to our surprise she is home with her family. She is the only member. As we greeted them we were told that their grandmother had just passed away that morning. They were all pretty upset. People here expect visits from their church when there is a death in the family and as we have gone through the ward list we have found it is a common reason for people to go less active if there church doesn't visit after a death. Tvhe family was touched by our visit and we were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation. I know that is where Heavenly father wanted us at that time. It was perfect.
Dad asked what I fill my day with. Usually its an even amount of less active, recent converts and appointments with Investigators. The stake president wanted us to visit every person on the ward list which is about 700 or so. That's split into two areas. So we are working on that. This Sunday there was almost 200 people in church it was awesome. This ward will soon be split. Bishop Mahaluba and his wife fed us yesterday and he was excited about how may people were there. I heard Katee's companion got sent home that's really sad I hope she is alright. Well, its been a great week. I WROTE ONE LETTER!!!!!!!!!!! Its a huge accomplishment and I will write 5 more today....hopefully! Well I love you all thanks for everything!
Colton
Dad asked what I fill my day with. Usually its an even amount of less active, recent converts and appointments with Investigators. The stake president wanted us to visit every person on the ward list which is about 700 or so. That's split into two areas. So we are working on that. This Sunday there was almost 200 people in church it was awesome. This ward will soon be split. Bishop Mahaluba and his wife fed us yesterday and he was excited about how may people were there. I heard Katee's companion got sent home that's really sad I hope she is alright. Well, its been a great week. I WROTE ONE LETTER!!!!!!!!!!! Its a huge accomplishment and I will write 5 more today....hopefully! Well I love you all thanks for everything!
Colton
Monday, January 23, 2012
01/23/12
Hello,
This week has been a really good week. We had interviews and Zone training. We also had the area psychologist tour the mission with President and Sister Wood. He did a really cool presentation on personality colours. I am mostly blue with a lot of white and a little red. At least for now, my personality has changed a little on my mission. Probably a good thing.
I just had to walk all the way home from the drivers licence place. The zone leaders were supposed to come pick us up but they fell asleep and some one broke into their apartment. hahaha I have had bad p day luck the last two p days. Oh well its still fun.
We are working with this really cool inactive lady. She is 25 years old and was baptised when she was 12! She went to church for three weeks after her baptism and never went back and no one including missionaries went to see her. She is so smart and knows the bible very well. So we are basically teaching her like a non member. She is loving the lessons and is feeling that its true. They are some of the most powerful lessons I have been in. She came to church yesterday and in gospel principles class someone asked her if she was a member and she said yes I'm coming back!!!!!! Its been a lot of fun to she how much she has grown.
We have also been teaching these two younger girls. They cant be baptized because they are 17. So we have been praying that their family would join us. These girls are so smart and dedicated. They have not missed a Sunday in 3 months. They attend seminary and they are just way smart. They go home and teach their family everything. Everyone thinks they are members. So here is the miracle. We asked their dad if we could set an appointment with him and he said yes! So we taught him on Saturday and it went great! I hope he progresses well. Things this week have been good. We have these accountability's that we work on every week and last week was letting the Holy Ghost be the true teacher and it was really cool to work on. The spirit is so much stronger when you listen to what to say. I know Heavenly Father is aware of what we need and I have seen that as I'm able to share more about the gospel with people.
Well thanks for everything love you all. Sorry this is a way random email. I'm running out of time and I'm just rambling on haha.
I just had to walk all the way home from the drivers licence place. The zone leaders were supposed to come pick us up but they fell asleep and some one broke into their apartment. hahaha I have had bad p day luck the last two p days. Oh well its still fun.
We are working with this really cool inactive lady. She is 25 years old and was baptised when she was 12! She went to church for three weeks after her baptism and never went back and no one including missionaries went to see her. She is so smart and knows the bible very well. So we are basically teaching her like a non member. She is loving the lessons and is feeling that its true. They are some of the most powerful lessons I have been in. She came to church yesterday and in gospel principles class someone asked her if she was a member and she said yes I'm coming back!!!!!! Its been a lot of fun to she how much she has grown.
We have also been teaching these two younger girls. They cant be baptized because they are 17. So we have been praying that their family would join us. These girls are so smart and dedicated. They have not missed a Sunday in 3 months. They attend seminary and they are just way smart. They go home and teach their family everything. Everyone thinks they are members. So here is the miracle. We asked their dad if we could set an appointment with him and he said yes! So we taught him on Saturday and it went great! I hope he progresses well. Things this week have been good. We have these accountability's that we work on every week and last week was letting the Holy Ghost be the true teacher and it was really cool to work on. The spirit is so much stronger when you listen to what to say. I know Heavenly Father is aware of what we need and I have seen that as I'm able to share more about the gospel with people.
Well thanks for everything love you all. Sorry this is a way random email. I'm running out of time and I'm just rambling on haha.
Love,
Colton
Monday, January 16, 2012
Miracles do happen. 01/16/12
Hello Family and Friends,
Well its been a great week! We have been working really hard and doing our best to work with less actives as well as build our teaching pool. To be honest any one could have tons of baptisms in this area but they are just people who are not prepared and who will go less active. In 2 Nephi 31 it says, if you follow the gospel of Jesus Christ and then if you deny him it would be better if you never knew him. So that is what we have to avoid and its so hard. There was a group of 16 year old girls who came to church with their friends on Sunday and we worked hard and got appointments with their families, so hopefully they will all accept it so their kids can have good support structures. We have an investigator named Babalwa. It has been a great experience working with her. She has had a lot of miracles happen as she has tried to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. But she never told us about any of them until the other day we had a powerful lesson with her. A couple weeks ago I had an extra "Family Proclamation to the world" and was really prompted to give it to her. Then when we went back she tells us that she has been having alot of family problems and the Proclamation really helped her. She asked us to pray for her. So that night after we prayed with her we continued to pray for her. She told us that a couple days later she was sitting at home with no food for her or her baby and she didn't know what to do and right then her mom called her and asked if she needed food. She explained that her and her mom don't have a very good relationship and she has never just called to see if she was okay. She said she gained her testimony of the power of prayer and the blessings that come from obedience. It also strengthen my testimony of prayer and the blessings of obedience! It has been a great week with alot of success I love our area and the people in it.
Its been pretty hot here but nothing terrible. I cant believe how humid it is. I've never been in such a humid place but its cool. This week we have interviews and training so that will be good. I also got alot of post. Two packages from Mer and Courteney, THANK YOU! And Tons of Christmas cards from people in our amazing ward. THANK YOU SO MUCH! It was really really nice of you all to think of me! I love you! I also got some great letters! Oma, I think that package got stolen but I will let you know! Its the thought that counts yey!! Thank you! I have the BEST support ever! I love you all very much and hope everything back home is going great! enjoy the snow.
Well its been a great week! We have been working really hard and doing our best to work with less actives as well as build our teaching pool. To be honest any one could have tons of baptisms in this area but they are just people who are not prepared and who will go less active. In 2 Nephi 31 it says, if you follow the gospel of Jesus Christ and then if you deny him it would be better if you never knew him. So that is what we have to avoid and its so hard. There was a group of 16 year old girls who came to church with their friends on Sunday and we worked hard and got appointments with their families, so hopefully they will all accept it so their kids can have good support structures. We have an investigator named Babalwa. It has been a great experience working with her. She has had a lot of miracles happen as she has tried to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. But she never told us about any of them until the other day we had a powerful lesson with her. A couple weeks ago I had an extra "Family Proclamation to the world" and was really prompted to give it to her. Then when we went back she tells us that she has been having alot of family problems and the Proclamation really helped her. She asked us to pray for her. So that night after we prayed with her we continued to pray for her. She told us that a couple days later she was sitting at home with no food for her or her baby and she didn't know what to do and right then her mom called her and asked if she needed food. She explained that her and her mom don't have a very good relationship and she has never just called to see if she was okay. She said she gained her testimony of the power of prayer and the blessings that come from obedience. It also strengthen my testimony of prayer and the blessings of obedience! It has been a great week with alot of success I love our area and the people in it.
Its been pretty hot here but nothing terrible. I cant believe how humid it is. I've never been in such a humid place but its cool. This week we have interviews and training so that will be good. I also got alot of post. Two packages from Mer and Courteney, THANK YOU! And Tons of Christmas cards from people in our amazing ward. THANK YOU SO MUCH! It was really really nice of you all to think of me! I love you! I also got some great letters! Oma, I think that package got stolen but I will let you know! Its the thought that counts yey!! Thank you! I have the BEST support ever! I love you all very much and hope everything back home is going great! enjoy the snow.
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