#15 - Meatloaf All Day Every Day...

Wesley thinks he is an alpha wolf from teen wolf haha

The awesome district!

Usually we get fed pretty good here. Every few days we get something a bit strange but thats it.... Except this 

week.... We were fed nasty meatloaf 3 nights in a row this week! Ewwwww hahaha. The first night the meat was still raw!! I picked out as much as I could without them noticing and ate the rest but my poor companion Elder Clark didn't notice that it was still red from blood and went to town on it! Ate everything and then some! HAHAHA I was laughing all the way home! We all thought he was going to be sick from eating raw meat. Ah so funny:)

The next night we had it again! This family loves animals... you know that that means.... The meatloaf had cat hair in it!! Elder Clark pulled out 4 hairs from his plate hahaha! I was too scared to even look at my food. What is funny is all four missionaries noticed the hair plain as day but the members seemed blind to it. Saturday night we ate at a less actives house and guess what they had... meatloaf. I don't ever want it again after this week hahaha. 

But besides that this week has been great!! Vance was baptized!!! It was a wonderful weekend for us. I have seen him from day one not knowing if God loves him to now excited that he could be sealed to his wife for eternity in a year from now. This gospel changes lives. The commandments are here to bless us, they aren't restrictive. The work is still as busy as ever. We still have a challenge with getting our investigators to church. If anyone has ideas share! That seems to be my goal this transfer. People have a lifestyle of sleeping in and watching sports all day and it is hard to get them to change to going to church every Sunday at 9:30. 

Turkey bowl this Thursday! Pumped! Its crazy because no one out here even knows what that is. We have to explain to them what it is haha. 

Ah man Elder Quick is hilarious! On Tuesday the member we were supposed to go on exchanges with canceled and the other Elders didn't have anyone to go see so they went home and changed into regular clothes and came out with us! Hahaha we laughed so hard. We were able to get our member presents we needed thanks to them;) Last night we were sharing funny stories and he had us rolling. I don't think I have laughed that hard in years! Eternal friends:)

Yesterday was so cold when were out tracking! Funny story we knocked on this one house that smelled like straight up weed. This dude looked out the window and told us to get out of here (and some choice words) so I said ok and told him to have a nice day. He then said some more choice words as we walked away laughing at him. Not 5 minutes later six cop cars came flying around the corner and arrested him!! He should have listened to us. We want to go back and teach about repentance:) 

Have a good week everyone! Thanks for not forgetting about me too much. Love you all 

Email me james.coon@myldsmail.net

I would love letters too! 1441 S Marion St, Martinsville, Indiana 

pic 1 is of my district after we had an awesome district meeting:) we played basketball haha

pic 2 is of the martinsville mormon missionary mafia squad:) #mmmmsquad

 Vance is baptized!

The Fleener family where we cut off the chickens head!

The cold weather is coming!!!

thanks Grandma for the beanie!

This is at the farm. Here is sister banks. I love her! she calls me one of her "boys." She takes good care of us. If we ever need anything she tells us all the time to call her. Don't worry Sister Banks takes care of her "boys"

Elder Clark, me, Sister Banks, Elder Quick, and Elder Bornes

#14 - Week of Miracles!

This week was a week of miracles. On Tuesday we found a lady who just moved into her house and three weeks ago her husband passed away. She let us into her home and we taught her the Plan of Salvation. She knows that she will see her husband one day. I think it is so special when we meet those who are prepared for our message. She told us how she wants to be baptized! It is very rare for someone to let us in their home around here. It almost felt like she was expecting us! 

Funny story a lady told us this week she was baptized by God.... Cool! Hahaha don't know how true that is... We had a guy offer us a drink but I told him I was driving tonight and he asked Elder Clark and he didn't know what to say. hahaha I love throwing him into awkward situations:)

We are going to Bloomington for Pday to go play basketball with our zone!

Today when we were doing our laundry we talked with a man who wanted to know what football team we played for. Haha all four of us elders played in high school but we told him we were missionaries who helped people come closer to Jesus Christ. He was so appreciative of what we were doing. He told us that is much better than playing football. Right before he left he walked up to me and with tears in his eyes handed me $40! We don't accept money as missionaries but he literally wouldn't let me give it back to him. We knew he didn't have much money but he wanted us to go out to lunch with it. I think I share this every Monday but I have a testimony that people can see the light of Christ in us. We are different because we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I invite everyone to be an example to those around you by living it. 

We had a zone conference on Wednesday. President Cleveland is awesome! He is so inspired. I love how he teaches us with his coach voice! There is never a dull moment! 

Vance is getting baptized on Saturday! We have been teaching him for two months now. It is incredible how he has changed. Everyone is invited. It starts at 10 o'clock and don't be late;)

Nikki, Paula, Jared, Chuck, Jonie, and Mary also accepted invitations to be baptized. We have seen so many miracles this week. The Holy Ghost is so important as we teach people. The Holy Ghost is the teacher in the lessons. Tuesday night we were at Jared's house about to go to teach the Book of Mormon and I remember how as we knocked on the door I said a personal prayer to teach by the spirit. He was one on our investigators who was on the fence, boarder line to accept or reject what we had to say. As I testified to him of what I know to be true that night he knew it to be true. His attitude has changed so much since that night. He has the desire to be baptized. 

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It testifies that Jesus is the Christ. Without it we would not have the fulness of the Gospel. Our whole message relies on that book. I know it to be true. I challenge everyone to read and study it and then to ask God for themselves if it is. If that book is true then Joseph Smith was a prophet and the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored in these last days. 

Love ya! 

Peace Out

We bought CLEVELAND hats #represent

This guy is part of the Martinsville Mafia he says. We changed it to Mormon Mafia! Dude is a THUG and he calls us his brothas so its a G

This is Dennis we baptized. He is so old and looks scared out of his mind but he was really excited I swear haha

Dear Mom,

ah Jeff potter the dad is all into anti! he has been researching why Joseph smith isn't a true prophet and everything. he goes about trying to find fault in the church not why it is true. it has been so hard. Nancy and the girls like to go to church every once in a while but we haven't taught them the lessons because of Jeff. He doesn't know the basic principles of the church so when he looks up all this deep doctrine it makes him go crazy. last night at 11 he texted me telling me that he was a false prophet because a false prophet makes false prophecies and apparently he said Christ's second coming would be in the 1860s or something... its so stupid. we want to show them some mormon messages and gospel videos. maybe watch 17 miracles with them? any ideas?

clark is working hard and growing! lol one of the first days he was here we were teaching a man about the restoration. i gave the first vision and the spirit was super strong. usually as a greenie you don't know much so you don't talk a whole lot. this man told us he feels like that could happen but he wasn't sure that we were the only church of jesus christ, but all people could go to heaven. before i could answer clark starts talking about the 3 kingdoms of glory! haha!? what?? it was way off the topic and just made the dude look at us like we were dumb. he learned a lot from that lesson. we laughed about it as we walked away. but yesterday we put 3 more people on date for baptism! this work is on fire! we taught 61 lessons this week. top in the mission;)

hmm easy rules are like going to bed and getting out to work. but since I've been training i realize how exhausted i am haha so in the morning its hard to wake up at 630 but i still do it. so that is a bit of a challenge. another one is we are suppose to have someone back us up when we are driving but i usually just back up. i will work on that ha

Letter from President Cleveland

Your son, James Dallin Coon, has been assigned to train a new missionary. The position of trainer only comes to missionaries who have demonstrated the highest level of trust, obedience and diligence.  A new missionary's trainer sets the standard and establishes the framework for the entirety of the new missionary's mission experience. We have every confidence in Elder Coon and know that he will be a great blessing to his new companion.

We appreciate your love of and support for Elder Coon.  Those acts have helped prepare him for this new assignment.

Sincerely,

Steven C. Cleveland
Mission President

#13 - President threw a curveball...

What a week! I am staying in Martinsville for another 3 months so everyone can start sending me letters and packages now! If you forgot my address is 1441 S Marion St, Martinsville, Indiana 46151 :) This week was so fun! Many stories and memories! But first...

We had interviews with President Cleveland on Thursday! In the interview he told me that next transfer I would stay in Martinsville and get a great follow up trainer. I was relieved because people were telling me I would train ha. Friday night when we were out trick or treating with the Potter family President called us again. He said he feels that I should train a new greenie next transfer.... Oh shoot! Then he asked if I was willing to be the district leader as well. I could hear the APs in the background laughing because my mind went blank as I tried to talk and only spoke jibberish. hahahaha but I said yes. That is a lot of responsibility! I felt really stressed out that night laying in bed. It is crazy how the spirit works. As I was in my bed my mind went to what I was studying in the scriptures that morning. 2 Nephi 4:34-35

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

 35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

The spirit testified to me that I can do this. My whole life I have put my trust in my Lord, and He will be there with me to lead and guide me. When we build our faith in Christ, our redeemer, our rock, we can get through the toughest times of our lives. What is also so great is that this week my scripture I have been ponderizing is D&C 68:6

 6 Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.

Be of good cheer! As a missionary we go out every day and bear record of Jesus Christ. What is better than that? The Lord is with us as we do so. I love the promise in D&C 100 that says as we teach in the name of the Savior the Holy Ghost will give unto you all things whatsoever ye shall say in the very moment. This is the Lords work and we are his mouthpiece.

"One of the great lessons from what we know of Amulek is that once God knows we will obey, He will try to give us the greatest of all blessings: sanctification and hope of eternal life." (Henry B. Eyring)

Besides that... it has been a fun week! Dennis was baptized!!!! I will send pictures! We didn't realize how old that man was. I am pretty sure when I dunked him he broke his back lol. Not really, but the font was not filled all the way, it was about at my hip and Dennis can't bend his back apparently. The first time I put him under his feet went all over the place. We tried a second time, and I tried to hold his feet down but right before his head hit the water he kicked out his feet again!! I was trying not to laugh it was all I could do not to! The Bishop told us that was good and to get out and get him dry. I was so proud of Dennis!

We also hit up the zoo, stole little children's candy, and carved pumpkins. It has been fun! Everyone is so sad to see my companion Elder Redmond leave. He has been a big influence in the lives of these people. The ward is becoming like my family. It will be hard to leave this area when it is my time.  

Love you all

Elder Coon

 The Zoo...

 Elder Redmond loves superman so he got a superman onezie 

First day we had a frost was freezing!

 Halloween with the Potter's!

 Hatch it man... Bye Bye Chicken! 

 Quite the collection on wall decor.

 Wesley and I hanging out.

Fall is here...

They say this year is an Indian Summer.

Colder one week,

the next week warm.

Strange weather!