Colton's mission

The following letter came with this picture. Thought you would all like to see it!

Leslie.

Hello

I couldn’t resist sending this fun picture of Elder Fredrick riding his bike in KGF. He & Elder Chagoya make a great companionship and are really enjoying their bikes as they teach throughout the city. In fact this day when we passed them in the car, they arrived at the church almost as soon as we did!! Doesn’t this picture remind you of that movie “Called to Serve”?

Elder Fredrick is always happy and upbeat, and always appreciative of any little thing we do for them. He is a hard working and devoted missionary, and has a special gift of kindness with children. He knows how to encourage and befriend them.

It is truly a privilege for Elder Linton & I to serve with such a fine young man.

Thank you for raising him.

Sincerely
Sister Linton
Mission Secretary

August Week 4

Well mom, I think that I got most of the letter that you sent to me, but it was a bit messed up, I only got part of it, and so then I went to reply and there was more to it, so if you could maybe send it again, but I am still going to write.
Wow, that sounds like you have been quite busy, I hope I am sorry to hear about work, I know that the lord will help you in your righteous endeavors, he loves you so much,
OH MAN you are so lucky, I wanted to see that session so badly, I really wanted to see it dedicated, oh well I know that I can go and see it when I get home, so no worries. I think that I want to go to every temple when I get home so that I can say that I have been there, I like that feeling (not to boast, but I do) just knowing that the lord has made it possible for so many people to be able to go and do all of the work for them selves, and so that we can do the work for the dead as well.
Oh man Family camp, Tell every one hi, and that I love them, tell aunt Kim Thanks for sending the E- mails, and the letters, and that I am sorry I haven’t been able to Wright back to her, I really am so thankful for it. Oh and tell every one to UPDATE THEIR BLOGS!!!!!!!! I would like to see what is going on with people, but No, no one will even say anything new… oh well that’s my complaint for the day.
Well life here in India is good, we are rocking out here in KGF, It is just a great place for the gospel to be accepted, epically now. I had a cool experience last week, one of the Assistants came on exchange with my companion and I, and we found some really neat family’s, one of which had some AMAZING questions about the Book of Mormon, and about A prophet. So we set a return appointment, which was canceled because it was raining, so finally we got to see them on Sunday, and so we shared the restoration again with the brother and the father, and then we taught it to the two sisters, and as we where teaching, and we got to the end, we asked her to read Moroni 10: 4-5, and she did, then she stopped… paused… and said “ brothers have you ever had the Holy Ghost Testify that this is true?” My companion and I just about fell off of our chairs. NO ONE has EVER asked that before, but we where so happy to explain that yes it has happened, and that it can happen to her to, and to their Entire family. It was just amazing.
Well time is less, but I love you, I too know that this is true, and if you have any doubts that, you can “ask God with a sincere heart and with real intent having faith in Christ” if the Book Of Mormon is true, and I promise Everything will be answered by the Holy ghost. I know that it Is the Word of God, and that though Faith, Repentance, Baptism by water, Baptism by Fire, and Enduring to the end, you will and can gain Eternal life.
I love you all.

Love,
Elder Colton Frederick

August week 3

HELLO HOME!!!
Wow, it sounds like every one has been as busy as I have this week, I have come to the conclusion that staying under the water of work is exactly how we get along in life. You know something funny? If you had asked me how much I would like to work before my mission I would have laughed in your face and told you to get a life, but now I’ll tell you to look at Alma 34: 32 this life is the time to prepare to meet God, this is the time for man to perform his LABORS!!! And I mean it, I love the work of the lord, and I can honestly say I hope that it never stops for me, I know that this is the way to truly be happy.

I have had a lot of really neat experiences with the spirit this week, I have really been worried for all of my investigators, and my finding Efforts, and as I was praying the other morning I felt that some of the things that I needed to pray for where a little different, but I still did that, and as I went about my day, I saw that my prayer was truly fulfilled, and I knew that I was doing exactly what I needed.
There is a quote in Preach my gospel that says talks about how work is what is going to help us as we go along, it helps us not worry about anything at home, and it will motivate us to want to be better, and I have found that is completely true, I just wish that I could keep doing this work for our lord.
One of my most favorite experiences this week was another time I was praying, and as I was doing so out loud for my self, I was just about to say something, and my mouth was shut… I tried again, and my mouth was sealed, I just started to laugh because I knew that that is not what I was supposed to pray for. I thought it was really funny because now I know how the book of Mormon prophets must have felt when they where righting some thing about the savior, “ well he was a very …. A very…. Dang it I cant tell you what I want to, but I will tell you that he was the son of god” wow what a great blessing the spirit is when we try to live our lives like our lord wants us to.
Well it is great to hear that every thing is going well, I have been thinking that things are just about to start up again, I just hope that you all know that you really don’t need to go at it on your own, if you ask ye shall receive. I know that by the power of the Priesthood that you can have the things and the help that you need as you go about your daily lives. Just pray, I know that the lord really does answer your prayers. Don’t belive me just look in Moroni 10: 4-5 it tells you all kinds of wonderfull stuff, and also the good old classic James 1: 5.
I love you all and I bear testimony that this is true, I have no doubt of it. The lord is there watching over you.
Love,
Elder Colton Frederick

August Week 2

Hello family!!! And Friends!!!
Well Life here in India Is AWSOME!! I love it, I have been having a lot of really cool experiences, espically lately. I have been really working with an awesome family of 7 who are just so great, my companion and I have been visiting with them on almost a daily basis, they are so awesome. We have decided to set them with baptisem when we get home from zone conference.
Well I really don’t have to much time today, because I have been traviling today and I also had my interview with President Nichols. I love that man, he really is inspired by the spirit.
So I have some sad news, You remember Tanveer? Well I just got information that her parents where okay with her getting baptized, but her Grandparents have absulutly said NO, but she is going to Hyderabad, and going to Continue meeting with the missionaries there. I am just so glad that she knows that its true, I just wish that I could help her grandparents understand that this is true.
Like I said, I am running out of time, but I love you very much, and I know that this is true. I know that this is the work that I am supposed to be doing and I know that when you pray and ask god for any thing He will give it too you.

I love you all one last time this week.
Elder Colton Frederick

Colton also requested recordings from everyone telling him they loved him. His birthday is coming up and so if you have a moment, send him a letter by tape or cd.

August Week 1

Wow,
That sounds like just too much fun, I miss camp, REAL, FRESH, fruit, that I dont have to wash, and wont make me sick. Ugh.
Well mom, I havent been able to see pigs on the bus yet, but I did see a couple of chickens, and I the other thing I have seen is an old man peeing out of the bus as we where going down the road, I was really glad he was standing in the back.
Yes I got the two Emails last week, thats why I said what I said, my regellia pants are in a box... somewhare... I dont really remember what my room even looks like any more... kind of funny, not knowing those things... Yes I got the punn of KFC, But its more like Karnatica Fried Curry... sorry thats kind of funny. Well actually Kolar Gold Fields is more south east of Bangalore, its actually pretty famous, look it up on wickipidia, youll be supprised.
okay so here is the low down on my companion, His name is Elder Chagoya, he is from Chicago. Tall Dark and handsome for any of you ladies that will be looking for a husband, he is a cycelist, like lance Armstrong, and is planning on comming to utah when he gets home. ( 15 months) We actually where in the same district for some time while I was in rajahmundry, and then he was transfered here.
So about the missionaries that are supposed to be comming, I am not sure, all I have heard is that they are still trying to bring them in here, but we will see. I really hope that all of the visa's come soon.
Wow, I am so excited for Heather, I hope she has a good time in the temple, I miss it so much. Heather if you read this, I hope that you go with your husband at least once a week, and talk to him and also your partents about it, that is my most favorite place, and since there is'nt one here in India, I hope to hear that you are doing all of the work that you can. I know that that is the House of the lord, and that is also whear you can recive all of the insperation that you need. (For Everyone) I know that the temple is the place that explains our purpose in life, as Alma 34: 32 says " this life is the time for man to prepare to meat god, this is the time for man to preform his labors." I know that the labors that we are supposed to preforem are those in the temple, I also know that when we go to the temple and we do all of those things, and we keep our covenents that we will be blessed in all of our Rightous Endevers.
I love you all, I know that the lord is watching over all of you, and that he is answering your prayers. I am amayzed at how fast time fly's when you really do what the lord wants, and when you are doing the things that he has asked. I know that this is the saviors true chruch, and that he has restored it through a Modern day prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of god, and that when we read it, and we concentrate on making it part of our daily lives, that we will be blessed. I know that the Present prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and his twelve apostals are PROPHETS, SEERS, and REVELATORS. I sustain them in their calling. and I know that I am doing the lords Marvoulous work, because I am too weak to do this On my own. It is the lords work.

I love you,
Elder Colton James Frederick

July Week 5

Well Hello Family,
Boy what a week, I have had, it was an interesting one for sure, I have gotten to KGF not KFC!!!! So KGF is near Bangalore only…sorry that’s Indian English, it is about 3 and half hours from Bangalore by bus, or should I say by the craziest driver I have ever seen, and there are about 13 million of them in India. Yah, its that bad.
Well it is good to hear that you have had such a great time on the 24th, I was missing it badly, I hope you people got pictures… GRRR no one updates their FREAKING BLOG… I am talking to you aunt Kim, and Molly your not out of trouble either, you should be taking pictures every day and updating weekly… just kidding, but I would like to see pictures of you people on a regular basis, I mean come on I am half way around the world here. [smiley face]
Well so my days here in India are good, I have had a couple of … Interesting stories lately one of which I would like to share now.
So my first day here in KGF I was with my companion and we went to see this awesome family who I had been told a ton about, and when we got there, we started to teach the Plan of Salvation and all of a sudden the wife looks horrified and runs out the door and her husband follows suit, we are then left in the room with their two sons, who are just staring at us, I then look at my companion and we both just shrug our shoulders and are wondering what is going on when all of a sudden this 250 lbs Indian (he was huge) walk in wearing a white robe. He then sits down and starts to talk to the children in Tamil (another Language) and the parents are just staring. The pastor then takes their prayer book and is looking at it. So then I take my Plan of salvation pamphlet and put it face down on my Knee just in time for him to look at it. He then turns to me and says “ ware are you from?” I then look at him and say “ the church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints.” Then he just started to rip into us and tell us that we should go and teach those who are Hindu and Muslim, and that we should not disturb the faith of the catholic families. So Then I started to say some thing, about how we are teaching those who want to hear, but then he just tells me that I am Evil and that my gospel is false because I am a latter- day saint and I have only had the gospel for some time where as he has had the gospel for the last 2000 years, so I asked him how he could know if what he had was true when he didn’t have Apostels , and he told me that he didn’t need one, and he started to just talk and talk and he wouldn’t shut up. So I yelled at him (I felt bad for doing it, but I did) and said “ But whare is your prophet? Oh ya, you don’t have one do you?!” but he didn’t hear me. Any way so to make this story short, he left and I started to cry because Of how bad I felt for his soul, I knew instantly that he had a special place marked for him in hell. Well any way we ended up getting the whole family to come to church because they liked what we had to say, and they knew he was wrong.
That just goes to show how much the adversary doesn’t want us here, especially because we just continue to have awesome stories like that, and of course there is more to it, but that is for when I need it.
I really am so glad that we have and know that we have the truth from the beginning of time, and before, I know with out any doubt that this is the true church of Jesus Christ, and that I am doing our heavenly fathers great work, I hope that I have one of these experiences a day, just to prove to me and the adversairy that as Nehemia once said “We have a great work and can not come down” I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of god, and that Thomas S Monson is the Prophet Seer and Revelator of this day, He does receive revelation today and that he does Know what is best for our families. I sustain my Leaders and I know that each and every one of them have been called of god to help us in our daily struggles. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of god and that it does contain certain truths that have been able to restore the true church back onto the earth. I know that it is written for us so that we can know and watch for that great and Dreadfull day. I love you all and I know that The lord is watching over all of you. He has his angels watching over you.
Love
Elder Colton Frederick

July Week 4

Well hello Home!!!!
so guess what... IM LEAVING RAJAHMUNDRY!! I am getting transferred on Friday to KGF which is even smaller that Raj, but I am way excited, because one of my Elder friends that had earlier been here is now my companion, his name is Elder Chagoya.
So not too much is going on here, I am just getting ready to go to KGF, its really hard, all of my Converts and my investigators are here, and I am leaving, I just am glad that I can be with them in the celestial Kingdom, if they do whats right. I love them so much, I wish that I could come back and see them all before I leave, even if I where only to be here for a couple of days... Oh well
so Life here is awsome, I am just loving India more and more.
it would be nice to have an Email at least twice in a month though. and then I woudnt have to guess what week it is, (I dont want to count the time because if I do, then I know how much time I have left)
well I love you all, and I know that so does the lord, he continues to bless you and I all of the time, I see his blessings every day when I go and teach all of these wonderfull people. I know that he does love us enough to send his son for all of us, and that he did restore his church for our families. so that we could become one Eternial family and be with him. I have seen the problems that happen in every day life, and I promise that as you keep that gospel in your lives that you will be able to see the things that you need to do. he will guide you in all of your lives. I can see it in my investigators lives, the musulim sister Tanveer she has been really sick the last couple of days, but I know that she is so happy because she is reading the book of mormon every day, and she knows that it is true, and I too know that it is true. I love you and I know that no matter what happens the lord is with all of you
Your Elder
Elder colton James Frederick

ps, sorry so short.