Monday, September 27, 2010

September '10 Week 4

Hello Family!!
OH boy what a week, I have had some of the most interesting experiences this week.
On Monday I told you all that I was going to this Leadership training for a few days, and holy cow was it awesome, we learned from the mission president the "simplified curriculum" of Preach my Gospel. We worked on 8 things that we can do to improve our teaching, Listening, and the reception of the spirit in our lessons. It was so amazing to learn more and more about how to teach the gospel, and how to Help people Know that it is true. I had a blast. But it took four days of us being out of our area, so now its time to play catch up with our goals.
I did have a really cool experience on Saturday, My companion has been teaching a brother Named Suyash, he lived in Utah for a while, he went to Utah state University and met a ton of members there, and began to go to church, he made lots of return missionary friends, and then moved back to India, He met a sister that is teaching school here that is a member and has been coming to church here for a while, so he decided to come with her to church, so to make a long story short, the missionaries started teaching him here a few weeks ago, and then we went on Saturday which ended up turning out to be really great, he even came to church in a white shirt and a tie this Sunday it was pretty cool. As we sat down with him though it was really interesting to see and listen to him speak about what he had the desire to learn. I really enjoyed listening to him and thinking about how much he really knew, and how much he had the desire to learn about the gospel. As we taught him I was able to feel the spirit.
Anyway, Life is good here, Like I said we are trying to play catch up with our goals, and we are hoping to be able to make up for what happened last week.
I am glad to hear that your on the mend, I have been praying for you and your health. I hope that super bug gets out of there pretty fast, it sure doesn't sound good. NOT FUN.
Hey that's great about Klynton's Job, I am happy to hear that he knows how to do some pretty good business I know he will enjoy good Ice cream, and dishing it up is all kinds of fun.
Well I love you all, and am happy to hear that your on the mend, I hope that you get feeling good enough to get out and get back to your normal old schedule... If you even have one, by the sounds of the last two years there is always some thing new going on. at least that's just how I feel. You can never do the same thing twice, no matter what your doing.
I know that the church is true, I know the Book is blue, and I know that God is a Mormon too. " that came from one of our assistants to the president, I laughed pretty hard.
But on that Note, I do know that this is the lords true church, I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what brings us the greatest happiness, I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that it does contain the way to get back to our heavenly Father. I know that the Savior atoned for our sins, I know that because of his sacrifice that we can return and live with our Heavenly father again. I love you all and am so grateful to call you mine. I know that the lord is watching over you and is allowing us the oppurtunities to learn and become better people every day.
You are all in my prayers
With lots of love
Elder Colton Frederick

Monday, September 20, 2010

September '10 Week 3

MOM!! FAMILY!!!
Well Life is good, I am sorry about last week, I was pretty busy, we had to send a missionary home who was finishing his mission, pretty crazy to see him go. This week is pretty busy too, I am going to Bangalore for a leadership training meeting with all of the zone leaders and the district leaders in the south part of the mission. I am pretty excited to see what President Funk will be training about, I went on exchange with the assistants yesterday for a little while and they said that it was probably the best training they have ever seen, I am way excited( you all know how much I love Leadership trainings!! WOOO HOO!!!)
So about my Companion His name is John Boone Block, he is from the small town of Chicago, he is faster then a speeding bullet and can do 20 pull us with a missionary on his back, (not me, I havn't tried yet) He is about 6' 3" and about 180 pounds, he is about 26 years old and very cool, he ran track in high school, can play the guitar and the piano. He is really loving and way into the work. I really like him. We have been really working hard, my new area is really cool, we have a member that takes us all around one area and introduces us to families that love to hear about the gospel, and is able to get us into any house we want. Suguna has the coolest testimony ever and is a recent convert of about 4 months. So with the concoction of all three of us, we are able to put a huge dent in the week by about wednesday its so cool.
I really don't have too much news other then life is good, and I am headed to Bangalore, for the week, until Friday Morning, I am really excited to learn, but am bummed about the amount of time I spend out of my area. Oh well, Suguna is on it, and preparing our investigators for baptism.
I love you all and am so happy to have you all working hard, I know your all sick, but please be careful with what your doing... Weird, shouldent you be telling me that ? Just kidding
I am so grateful to the lord for allowing me to come here and see the people that I have change and learn the gospel, I know that I can never forget the things that I have learned here, and am so grateful that the lord has allowed me to grow. I can still remember my first day E-mailing you in Rajahmundry and how hot, weird, and strange it was to be experiencing all of this. I know that this is the lords work, and I know that is the only true and living gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the lord did send his son Jesus Christ for each of us. I know that the savior did atone for each person on this earth, and I know that by living the gospel we can accept the atonement, I know my savior lives, I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that it truly was translated by Joseph Smith. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet in these days. I am grateful that the lord has blessed me with such a great family and friends, both here in India, and in America. I know that it is the family of god, and that we can be able to live with each other in love an harmony as we develop the love that the savior has for us.
I love you all and am happy for you, I am praying for you.
Love
Elder Colton James Frederick

Monday, September 13, 2010

September '10 Week 2

MOM and Family !!
YOU ALL BE CAREFUL!!!! I dont like hearing about you all getting hurt!!
SO here is the deal, I have a little less time, but I have some news, I am transferred to the 3rd branch and am now a zone leader here, My new companion is way awesome, his name is Elder block and is from Chicago He is way cool I really like him so much.
So thank you all for the Happy birthday wishes and thanks for the love and wishes and prayers. I love you all and am so grateful for the gospel that we all live in our lives, I am grateful for the savior gospel of jesus christ in my life, I am glad that I have the oppertunity to live with god again. I love you so much and am praying for each of you.
Please remember that .
I promise that I will get you more of a real letter this next week.
I love you.
Elder Colton Frederick

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

September '10 Week 1

Wow You all had quite the busy week, and now your all camping with out me... HOW DARE YOU! Just kidding.
Life is good here in India, we are really working hard and trying to get people into the waters of baptism, when I started the week we only had two baptismal dates, now we have 5 with a date, and are planning to set about ten more... PRAY HARD.
I told you about Usha and Anto this last week, well there is more and more, this week Usha got really sick, so we ended up giving her a blessing, and helping her in her home a little, (she hated it, because men here don't help the women, but she couldn't do anything about it,) she later thanked us for it. The whole Family knows that they need to come to church, and are now making the correct steps to following the gospel. Sister Usha is such a funny women, she loves to ask questions, and it is so funny to watch her eyes get big as we explain about specific things. This last time we had to pull out the Pearl of Great price to help her overcome her concern, and then instead of attacking it she said this. " Frederick, I need one of those, I need to read the Doctrine and Covenants, and your Pearl of Great price.. I think that would be a good thing." I love her so much, she is just willing to really take a hold of the gospel and run with it, as well as drag her family along with her.
Well mom since you asked about the Mission, the news is that right now we have about 50 Missionaries in the mission, 2 are going home next week, 5 are coming from America, then in october on the 22nd 14 missionaries go home, three weeks after that 8 more.
With in the last year we have had 388 baptisms as of Sunday, our goal is 600 for the year (this is 100 more than our goal last year and with half of the missionaries) we are really hopeful for the next couple of months because we have planned to set more than the goal for the month, for one companionship. So hopefully... well pray hard, and work hard to get it done.
The mission is really working to get people active because that will lead to a stake, which will lead to wards which will lead to a temple. The lord is really blessing the mission because of the hard work ethic that the missionaries and the members are putting out there, the branches are really strong and working hard to get people to the temples. so basically the goal is the temple, and more and more converts to build up the church, these people are really Pioneering their way into history.
I guess this leads to my Testimony of how much I know that this really is the lords work, I have seen so many people make complete changes to their lives, I know missionaries who diddn't even know what a missionary does become the best missionaries in the mission, I have seen my self make the changes that I needed to be able to teach the gospel, and become the person that the lord would like me to be. I know that Because the lord loves his children he will pull Miracles out into peoples lives so that they can know the divinity of his truth. I know that the book of Mormon truly is the word of god and is his words, I have seen men who couldn't even say hello in English speak better English then I do. I know that the lord has truly Sacrificed his life for us so that we could be able to live with him if we just but exorcise a little faith in him. I know with out any shadow of a doubt that Joseph Smith was Visited by God our Father in heaven and his son Jesus Christ. I know that he was commanded to restore the gospel back on this earth, and I know that if we follow it with all of our heart might mind and strength that we can and will be blessed, that we can live in gods kingdom. I know that the plan of salvation is Real, and I look forward to being able to truly take more part of in in my life as I build a family that is based on the Savior Jesus Christ and his Doctrine . I know that the savior lives and that he loves us. I love you all
With all my love
Elder Colton Frederick