#48 - Greetings from the lake view of my apartment in Culver, Indiana!

Last week was the last week of the transfer! President called us Saturday and told us that we are both staying for another 6 weeks!

Our teaching pool has blown up the last few weeks compared to when we got here. We are still preparing Maggie for her baptism on the 7th. she has accepted all the commandments and is going strong! Tiffany and her two daughters have been going through some rough times and want to turn to the Lord. She invited 3 friends to church on Sunday! She was so excited to finally come. We had a lesson at church Wednesday night with her and one of her friends. They were planning on coming to church but something came up and their ride couldn't make it to pick them up... so I pray next week they will make it! Charlene also came to church again. She is a FUNNY black lady!!! Oh my word she has me crying from laughing so hard. I called her up Saturday to make sure she was coming to church and she talked for at least 20 min to me on the phone about her spiritual experiences. She said the other night after she was read the Book of Mormon she night couldnt sleep. The spirit overcame her and she felt like shouting for joy! She said she almost called me right then at 3 am to tell me about it. Hahaha.

We also found 3 very solid people while tracting this week. Anthony is about 30 years old and has 2 kids and a wife. He is looking for a church and is interested to learn more. We also tracted into Dorthy. A few years back she lived by a set of sister missionaries who would come over and help her in her garden. She had never came to church with them, but lately she has felt the impressions of the Holy Ghost that she needs to start going. We had a very good lesson with her and she knows that it is time to come. Oscar is from Honduras and moved to America 15 years ago. He has a big heart and a few members of the church in his family back in Honduras. When we first met him and he found out we are missionaries he immediately invited us in to talk with him! 

In my studies this week I was learning about Applying the Atonement. That seems to have been the theme for this transfer. How to find strength through the Atoning Sacrifice of our Savior. I was studying about the people of Alma and how Amulon was persecuting them. They were to be put to death if they prayed! So great were their afflictions, but they held strong to God and prayed mightily for strength. The scriptures say that the Lord gave the strength to bear their burdens. They submitted cheerfully with patience. Mosiah 24: 10-16. I invite you to pray for strength to bear your burdens with a cheerful heart through your trials. 

Random Stuff

While tracting Tuesday, Elder Ahlstrom was stung by a wasp! We were waiting at the door when all of a sudden I hear him yell, "Ouch!" I turn around to see him holding his chin. I look up to see a huge nest! Haha! We ran for our life! It was a good memory :)

I have been inspired to buy a "tracting yoyo" and it makes tracting super fun hah! hopefully i get really good and when i come home have a few sweet moves:) 
Love,
Elder Coon

Dear  Dad

 That is a great talk! you are very active in the stake calling! i sure miss moms sunday dinners! and every dinner she has ever made! the only person who has been able to come close to moms cooking is sister griesemer from my last area haha. im glad grandpa came by for dinner. he is a character! adam is a good kid, i hope he will get the health problem figured out asap so he can get back out here! my comp has struggled a bit on his mission with his confidence. he doesn't talk very much and has been a bit of a challenge. door steps he stays very quiet, and during lessons i'm lucky to get 3 words out of him. BUT i do love him and he has improved so much this transfer. before he was with me he was a service missionary working in the office, so he didn't really teach much. We are working with learning the restoration lesson right now. i have understood why we are to go 2 by 2 to preach the gospel! It makes things so much easier!! we got transfer call Saturday and we will both be staying. i know it is the best thing for both of us, i have learned so much this last transfer!our teaching pool has blown up the last few weeks compared to when we got here. We are still preparing maggie for her baptism on the 7th. she has accepted all the commandments and is going strong! Tiffany and her two daughters have been going through some rough times and want to turn to the Lord. She invited 3 friends to church on sunday! She was so excited to finally come. We had a lesson at church wednesday night with one of the friends. They were planning on coming to church but something came up and their ride couldn't make it to pick them up... so i pray next week they will make it! charlene also came to church again. she is recovering from an alcohol addiction and an abusive husband. she is a FUNNY black lady!!! Oh my word she has me crying from laughing so hard. I called her up Saturday to make sure she was coming to church and she talked for at least 20 min to me on the phone about her spiritual experiences. She used to go to a baptist church, hallelujah! She said the other night she read the Book of Mormon and that night couldn't sleep. The spirit overcame her and she felt like shouting for joy! She said she almost called me right then at 3 am to tell me about it. Hahaha.