July 2015-July 2018

July 2015-July 2018

Monday, August 24, 2015

Good is not good enough and Tiematch Tue.

Elder Coletti's Letter Aug. 24, 2015:
 
Monday Aug. 17, 2015:
We went to the temple in morning and that was pretty amazing!  We did an endowment session and it just honestly gets better every time I go.  This was my second time at the Provo Temple doing an endowment session while at the MTC. I have been blessed enough to attend once a week while I have been here!  I get more out of each session every time I am able to attend. I heard something this time that I hadn't heard before and it hit me really hard!  It made gave me a completely different perspective and honestly made me reflect and ponder.

Tuesday Aug. 18, 2015:
The Tuesday Devotional today was from President Echo Hawk of the 70s.  He gave a talk about how being good is not good enough.  I can totally relate to this because that was our motto for Bingham football last year: "Good is not good enough."  I can be good and that it is alright if I don't sacrifice that little bit extra in order to gain  just a little more. However, if I am willing to sacrifice a little bit extra and give every ounce of effort I have, then it will just help me that much more.  I really took to heart what Echo Hawk said and I am trying to apply it in everything I do.  When I am preparing a lesson for an investigator, I don't just want to make it a good lesson.  I want to make it a great lesson that will help invite the Spirit. God doesn't want us to be half converted or to give half of our effort.  He wants us to give our whole soul to him.  He wants us to serve him with all of our might, mind and strength.  He wants us to completely rely on him. We cannot do it without him.
 
Wednesday Aug 19, 2015:
We played basketball for the first time in about 2 weeks.  I loved it!  I was getting a little overwhelmed and stressed out and playing basketball was absolutely perfect to help me to relax!  4-square just wasn't cutting it: ) We taught Tony today which was a little tough.  It wasn't a bad lesson at all, but we just haven't had any progress with him.  He either asks questions that take 10 minutes to explain or we only have 15 minutes to teach the entire lesson and it doesn't seem to be working.  However, I do see his jianzhang (testimony) growing more and more every time Elder Miller and I teach him. It helps me to realize that every investigator is different.  For example: Holly is progressing miraculously and quickly!  We've almost taught her all the lessons!  Tony, on the other hand, has just started the second lesson about the Plan of Salvation.  The contrast between the two investigators has taught me that we need to take our time with the investigator's needs and treat them as individuals.  Tony doesn't understand as much as Holly, but that's alright!  If he wants to be truly converted then he needs to understand and find out for himself. He needs to develop his own testimony.  From the first lesson to the most recent one, I have seen so much conversion with him.  Although it is slow, he is starting to believe, and in the long run that is the objective.  It doesn't matter how fast or slow the lessons are being taught. It just matters that we are teaching the lessons according to each individual investigators needs and pace.

Thursday Aug 20, 2015:
Today we taught Holly. We had one of the Elders in our district come with us to the lesson and pretend to be a member.  It truly was an amazing lesson.  The Spirit was felt in the room and she was absorbing everything!  She asked some really good questions and we were able to give her answers that were of comfort to her.  Elder Chia, the Elder we brought that was pretending to being a member, did BANG (AMAZING)!  His testimony was powerful and absolutely helped Holly understand the importance of our lesson. We learned how effective having members come to help teach investigators is. In the MTC, I have learned to try to have a member in all of your lessons with investigators.  They help so much because they are a second witness testifying of the truth of the gospel and they completely relate to the mudaoyou (investigator).  I love members and appreciate members more than ever now!

Friday Aug. 21, 2015:
The end of today was lehai (above awesome)!!  So a couple weeks ago, my wonderful mother sent me a package that contained water guns.  My district and another district used those water guns and had a crazy water gun fight!  It was at night and so everyone was a little rowdy and it was soooo fun!  I got someone in the back who was peeing in a urinal (don't worry I did a double tap;))!  SO FUNNY!!!  It ended up being me vs. the entire other district because my district didn't really participate!  I was running, diving, dipping all over the place!!  I felt like I was James Bond or some secret agent man!  Today we taught Tony which went great!  We had Elder Butler, another Elder from our district, come as a member and he was the spark we needed with Tony!  Tony asked Elder Butler a bunch of questions such as "What do you think of this" and "How do you believe that?".  It gave Tony a different perspective on everything and helped him so much.  I am so grateful for members.

Saturday Aug. 22, 2015:
Did I mention how much I love TRCs?  We taught this member by the name of Simon. Simon had to be the nicest individual I have met in the MTC.  He is an old Asian man who served his  mission in California back in 1972.  For TRCs, the missionaries are supposed to teach.  However, that was not at all how it turned out.  He taught us!!  The majority of his speaking was in English too!  He taught us about how God knows our challenges in life and that he knows of the sacrifices we have made in our decision to serve a mission.  He was saying how God watches us from heaven and helps us along the way.  He referred to missionaries as agents of God.  We may not be 007 or James Bond, but we are greater agents.  We are the agents of God.  He also gave us an analogy about lemons.  He said that Satan is going to tempt us and tell us to do "sour" things by throwing lemons at us.  We, as missionaries, need to learn what to do with these lemons.  We need to learn to make lemonade with them. It was a really cool analogy and it left quite an impression on us. He also gave us tips about the people of Taiwan and how they are really shy.  We need to ask them engaging questions that will get them thinking and talking.  We need to ask questions that will start conversations.  I absolutely loved Simon.  Today was hump day!!!!  We are half way through the MTC.  I can't believe how fast the first month has gone by. Sept. 22 will be here before we know it and we will be on a plane headed for Taiwan!
 
Sunday Aug. 23, 2015:
Today we watched a talk by Bednar called the "Character of Christ".  It honestly gave me so many revelations!  I learned to just get over myself.  I was feeling a little down and discouraged about the language (its hard!) and trying to figure out just how am I going to be an effective missionary if I am struggling with Chinese. Elder Bednar said that the doubts and concerns I am having are of the natural man.  The natural man would turn inward.  The natural man would say help me and feel bad for me when they are facing adversity. When Christ would face adversity he would turn outward.  He would help others when everything wasn't going right for him. This is the true Character of Christ.  The Character of Christ that I desperately need to work on and want to try and emulate in all that I do.  I have to get over my own wants and needs. I need to put others before myself.  Christ was honestly incredible.  My love for him is ineffable.  However, Bednar also said that a testimony of Christ is not enough.  You have to be truly converted to Jesus Christ.  I have to change towards him and make a "turn" in his direction.  It is only then that I will be truly converted to Christ and his incredible Atonement.
 
Love you all,
Elder Coletti
 
Tiematch Tuesday!!!
District 39d and our  laoshi (teacher) Sister Hsuing
 

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