A Tender Mercy from the Lord

I´m excited for tomorrow, because we are going to have a Christmas conference with the President and His wife. They are coming to Chilpancingo and the Iguala zone. So that will be fun. Me and my comp are going to be in the talent show, we are going to be singing a Merry Christmas from the Home Alone sound track. It should be interesting.

I´ve included pictures from the baptism we had the last week and the pictures of the wedding. It was just a paper signing, nothing more. But we are way excited for them. Because they were able to get baptized then.

The work is going good. It´s way different working in a branch. But it´s way fun we get to know everyone very well. It´s also way different working in a small Pueblo. It takes another style of work, I don´t know how to describe it. It just has a small town feel to it, same with the people. Me and my comp are doing good. OH, so we went knocking on doors one morning and we found a family, we shared a quick message with them and they invited us to come back. So on Wednesday we went back helped them make piañatas, we had lunch, and shared a the Book of Mormon with them. We are going back this Wednesday again to do the same. A tender mercy from the Lord.
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There was an Earthquake, but ALL IS GOOD

So yea, there was an earthquake, but it wasn´t in my last area. It was centered or started were I am at now. ALL IS GOOD. There wasn´t any real damage. To my knowledge there weren´t any building falling or anything like that. We are okay, all the members are okay, and our firm house is still standing. When it happened we were up on a hill looking for a family of an investigator, when it hit. We were outside. That was the first time I have been in one were I have been outside. I heard it, and I was trying to think were I have heard that sound before, but then when the door started shaking and then the ground, then the power lines outside, I knew it was that good ol´ sound of an earthquake. The aftershocks were nothing after that. There was only one, aftershock. We checked on members, then we went back to our apartment to make sure all was well, and it was. We had a low power current but that came right back at night time- President Spannaus called us to check on us. We told him all was well. We was visiting another area by the coast and they felt it as well. So he called to make sure were all right. I love being on a mission, so many fun things happen.

So this week was good. We baptized a couple, Fernando and Maria Elena. That was exciting. They will make a good addition to our branch.

We also did a service project for the city of Chilpancingo. We cleaned up a park.

We didn´t find very many new people this week. We are having some difficulty with this. People just aren´t that interested. it´s a small town so word gets around fast. Plus we have heard that other preachers are telling everyone to not open their doors to us. But that´s life. We will get around it. With the Lord all is possible.

So you should send some pictures of your giant Christmas tree. We have Christmas tree too, maybe not as big, but it works.

Love your son,

Elder Cameron Coon

We are Going to Baptize Two People this Week.

All is good here. This last week was a little rough. All of our appointments fell through on Saturday, about 10 of them. That was a little heart breaking. Especially when I found out why. It turns out that my little, emphasis on little, town came in number one in the whole state of Guerrero for drinking alcohol. So, everybody  celebrated that day with a party. That was way sad. But that´s why we are here, to change that.

We are excited though, because we are going to baptize two people this week. We are going to marry them Tuesday morning and baptize them Saturday. They will strengthen our branch greatly.

We are going to be doing a service project this week as a zone. That will be fun. We always do a zone wide service project this time of year. I´m not sure what we will be doing, but I will be sure to send you pictures.

So you can tell Grandma thank you for me. She saved my life! All the food I got. I received 4 packages from her this week. I¨m not going to starve! and I have CaNdY! I´m a way Happy camper. I LOVE YOU GRANDMA! could you please tell here that for me?

WE HAVE A MIRACLE IN PROCESS NOW

-- All is good here in Mexico. Sounds like all is good on the home front as well. That´s weird to think that Michael is home now. Time is flying by. In no time I will hit my 18 month mark. Time flies when you are having fun. It always does. You´ve made me think about what I want to talk about in my homecoming talk. I have no idea what I would say. I´ll just have to share some good stories and doctrine, or something like that. I´ll worry about that when I get home. I´ll just worry about what I´ll be teaching this week.

These week we are really going to focus on getting people to church. What is really special about my area is that no one has faith, or very little; less than a mustard seed. So we are going to get their faith up and get them to church.

So we have a miracle in process now. We have been working with an investigator and my comp has worked with him a lot longer, and the investigator now has a baptismal date for this Saturday. We just need to help move out of his girlfriends house, get the interview, and he can be baptized. This is the same person who I did marriage counseling with. So we are praying all goes to plan.

Then the up coming week, we have two more people getting ready to be baptized. They are both really excited and everything is going great. We are going to do all we can to baptize every week this next week. Then we are going to do all we can to invoke the powers of heaven to bless our work to see miracles.

I´m thinking if I want anything special in my care package...... maybe powdered Gatorade or powerade, which ever is cheaper, snickers or candies, the add water stuff is perfect. I can´t think of anything else, oh if you don´t want people to open it, put pictures of the Savior on the outside, otherwise it´s not guaranteed. I know I spelt that wrong

Everything else is going good. This week was good, because we have found more people to teach and they look like they might progress. That´s the hard part, finding people that will progress. Because we can find people, but that doesn´t mean that they are the Lord´s chosen people or the people who have been prepared. Our lessons have been going good. The only down part is that we have searching for the in-active members and we are finding them and are finding out that they don´t have testimonies about anything. So we are trying to help them, but it´s like teaching investigators. But we are going forward with faith to perform miracles.

Thanks Mom, for everything you are the greatest. As a parent, I´m probably sure that I will worry. I love you Mom. Thank you for worrying about me. Tell everyone hi for me. Also can you tell Michael that I say hi. Please and thank you. Also, is there anything I can do for you?

Love you Mom,

Love your Son,

Elder Coon the first

P.S. I´ve included pictures of our Thanks giving dinner and a poster that we made. We set the poster up and contact people in the streets.
Our thanksgiving dinner consisted of a slice of ham(packaged), mashed potatoes(potato pearls), stuffing(sliced bread), Soda(soda), and cookies(packaged), and of coarse one tortilla( we´re in Mexico!). It was pretty cool. That´s a missionary thanksgiving. Love you all!

 

 

We had about 9 people come to church last Sunday

So the pictures are of me and Elder Woodcox in the new apartment, well new for me; the other is of me and another missionary in my last area, his name is Elder Hinton; as you can tell I cut my hair way short, I don´t want to cut it for another 2 months, I think I can make it that long; then another of me taking pictures of my beautiful self.

Let me think what happened this week. I got to know the branch, that was fun. This branch is full of gossip about other families. It´s bad and funny at the same time, because they all do it and they always start saying that it´s bad to gossip.

It was a rougher week with teaching. We are having some trouble finding some new people to teach. People are a lot more closed here. That sometimes happens in smaller areas. It´s all about tradition here and people really go after  you if you want to break tradition. So we are trying to attempt some new finding strategies. We are trying to get our branch more excited for one. I think it will take some time, because there are a lot of less actives as well, and we just about no Priesthood, so that is harder. We had about 9 people come to church last Sunday, way different from my expectations. But me and Elder Woodcox are ready to go at it.

Things may be a little rough, but that´s part of this work.The best part of it is that we both have experience and are hard workers. So we can really tear it up.

So we had a lot of appointments fall through, not the first time. But we did have a powerful lesson last night. We went to go see someone who is close to being baptized, he only need to get married. So we were there with Jorge and Miriam. Lets just say we had some couple therapy, focused on making things work or separating. The only cool part was that the Spirit guided me with exactly what I needed to say. I told them to focus on their three daughters and what will be best for them. There was a lot of anger between Jorge and Miriam. We will see them tomorrow. I have decided that I will not be a therapist. Sometimes, as a missionary I feel like a lot like one.

What else, that´s about it. Nothing really has happened this week. It was a really slow week. We pray that something good will happen this week.

Tell everyone hi for me and that I love them.

Thanks Mom, for everything. Also easier said than done, try not to worry too much about me. I have everything under control. There are few things that I can´t handle now.

Love you Mom,

Love your favorite Mexican missionary,

Elder Cameron Coon

--

My New area is in the City of Chilpancingo

As far as recipes go, all that I have to work with is a frying pan and a pot, like a pot to boil water. That´s about the extent of my kitchen and cooking. There´s not a whole lot that I can do, but I can get a little creative.

That´s cool that Sister Blunck came home for a bit. As mission President they will be out for three years, so that´s a little bit longer than me. They´ll love every minute of it. Cool fact, I will actual end the same time that my mission President ends. Well it´s a cool fact to me.

Another cool fact, I am now in another area! I am back in the state of Guerrero in the city of Chilpancingo. My area is called Zupango. It´s a little pueblo outside of Chilpancingo. My companion is Elder Woodcox. He´s from Colorado. He´s a pretty cool elder, he has just a little less time than me. I am also a normal missionary right now. Which is nice because I can focus a lot more in my area.

I´m excited to be here. This is the first time that I am working in a branch. I´ve always been in wards. So I´m excited to see how this will go.

Nothing really big happened this past week. We worked hard but we learned a lot from our mistakes. Since it has been getting darker earlier, we can´t really contact at night time, because no one has confidence with the person at the front door. So we always have to visit ppl that we know or who knows who we are.

I´m excited to bring all that I have learned to this area. Having 17 months means lots of experience. So I don´t feel lost when coming to a new area, I ask a few questions to the missionary who has been here, to get a feel for how things are going and then go to work. It´s such an awesome feeling.

Tell everyone hi for me and that I miss them, and that in no time I will see them again.

Thanks Mom. For everything. Keep going strong. The Lord will take care of you and the family.

Love your son,

Elder Cameron Coon

District Leader Elder Coon & His Awesome District

I Love this Work!

-- All is good in Mexico. We weren`t able to find 25 new investigators. We were really blown away or we were really surprised that we couldn`t. Last week we found 17 so we thought we could go for 25. But Since it was Dìa de Muertos nobody wanted to listen to what we had to say. It`s contacting doors on Christmas Day. It`s a good thought. But it just doesn`t work. But we are going to have at it again this week. This last week I was a little disappointed for not having so much success like last week. I started to get a little down. But, as the famous saying goes, you learn more through hard times than through the good. That`s what happened to me. I learned a lot and my relationship with my Father in Heaven grew dramatically. My testimony has grown a lot stronger. I love this work!
That`s weird thinking that Michael is home. That time went by fast. Tell him "hi" for me.
What else is new in the house, anything? Remember I haven`t seen it for over a year. Something has to have of changed without me knowing.
Also, I am doing very good health wise. Speaking of health. Could you send some easy cooking recipes? Cereal is starting to get old and I`m running out of ideas. Also could you send a recipe for no bake cookies. That would be awesome.
Love you Mexican son,
Elder Cameron Coon
This Saturday we are going to have changes, so we will see if I stay or go. It`s about a 50/50 chance if I stay or go.

 

¿Còmo estas? yo estoy bien. ¡La obra esta progresando buenisimo

Querrida Mamà,
¿Còmo estas? yo estoy bien. ¡La obra esta progresando buenisimo! Everything is going great. This past week we had zone conference, with president Spannaus. I learned a lot during that conference. One being that mission has some standards now in how we work. As missionaries we tools to help us measure how many lessons we have and if people are progressing, and what we need to do better. There are numbers and they are called key indicators. So our mission president has now established some goals to help us grow as a mission. One of them being finding 25 new investigators every week. I`m excited for this, because I know we will be finding a lot more people to teach and finding more people who are ready to baptize. This last week we found 17 new investigators. So it is possible. I`m excited to see what miracles will be happening.
I`m doing good. The Lord has helped me grow in ways that I could never have imagined. I don`t even know how to describe it. I am able to help my companion grow, my investigators grow, and my district grow. It has been a huge blessing. I am feeling great. My spirits are high and I`m ready to work even harder and baptize all! A little dramatic, but that`s how I feel.

I`m excited to see what will happen this week. Thank you Mom for everything. You are the Greatest!

 

Save some of that candy for me. Oh in the next care package if you could send M&M. That would be awesome or peanut butter cups. Something sweet. Thank you.

Mom, your boys are being protected. More than you can see. I know, sometimes hearing it helps a lot.
Love you Mom,
Love your Mexican son,
Elder Cameron Coon

One More Family Complete in the Gospel

Dear Mom,

I am feeling a lot better now. The medicines did everything that they were supposed to. I am now back to normal. I`m always honest, I`m a missionary. Thank you for all your prayers. Thank you Mom.

So not a whole lot has changed since my last letter things are still a little rough. But like you said it`s a refiner`s fire, it`s not something that`s supposed to be easy, but the end result is well worth it.  I know that I am doing all that I can and I know it is for a good reason why all this is happening. There is a master plan behind all this. I`m only excited to see what I will be like afterwards. Because something good always comes from times like these. It may not be what we want, but it is exactly what we need.

Right now we have about 23 people we are teaching, but only 5 are progressing, people aren`t progressing for lots of reasons. They don`t have a testimony, they don`t have faith in Christ, others because they aren`t fulfilling their commitments, but that`s the work. This past week Elder Romero and I have really focused on receiving answers to prayers and finding out if the Book of Mormon is true with our investigators. Because it all comes down to that. With that testimony people really start to progress and grow closer to God.

I had some really strong experiences this past week. It didn`t happen during lessons, but when I was praying. To receive an answer to a prayer in the moment is rare. I was blessed with the answers I needed two times this week. During both experiences the voice of the Lord came to me through the Holy Spirit and was able to receive exact revelation. One had to do with the work in my area and the other had to deal with my district and what I needed to do to help them. I know that He listens and answers, I do not doubt it.

Me and my comp. are getting along great. Sometimes he`s hard to be around, just because of the difference in personalities. He`s a really hyper guy and is a jump and then look type of person. Which Has it`s ups and downs. But all is good. He has taught me a lot in how I should be or act.

Oh I forgot. Miracle Baptism! One of our investigators we stopped teaching got baptized yesterday. We stopped teaching her because she wasn`t progressing. But the primary did their presentation in sacrament meeting and she came to see her two kids participate. We went to go see her that same day, two weeks ago, and told us she wanted to be baptized. The power of children. Now we have completed one more family. Yea!

I love this work.

Thank you Mom for all that you do for me. You're the greatest mom ever! You can do anything you can put your mind to. I got that trait from you and Grandpa. Tell everyone that I love them.

Love,

Elder Cameron Coon

It's Raining in Mexico

Dear Mom,

All is going good here in Mexico. It`s raining like crazy right now. All the streets are flooded, but that`s normal here. There aren`t any drain systems here. I+m sorry I didn't write a whole lot the last time. We lost track of time and we had to go to an appointment. So Caleb is off to Africa. That`s way exciting. How are you doing with the three younger ones? Are pulling their fair share? Thanks for sending me the letter from Manti. It sounds like he has changed a lot, okay maybe not a whole lot there is still a little bit of the Manti I still know in there.

Tell everyone hi for me and good luck to Judy and her marathon.
If you need more strength read in Mosiah about when King Mosiah sent his sons off to the Lamanite country and th promise the Lord made to King Mosiah.

Could you please keep forwarding my eamials to Brandi? Please and thank you.

So this past week has been very fun. Elder Romero and I are working like crazy! I love it when that happens. Also I have now performed every priesthood ordnance outside of the temple. I did the naming and blessing of a newborn in Sacrament meeting yesterday. I must admit that it is my favorite ordnance yet. His name is Edson and he is the first child of a couple we have been teaching for some time now. We are working one baptizing them, but we need to marry them first and the Father of doesn`t want to sign the papers so his daughter can maryy. She is under 18 so we need his signature with the Mom`s as well. I still believe in Miracles so we will see.

What else is new.... I had interviews with President Spannaus the other day or Thursday. It was a short one. He asked how I was doing in my book of mormon reading, explained to me that I have learned everything necessary to be a missionary or should have learned it, I think I have, and told me to keep working hard. He said I looked great and told me to keep working hard. Short interviews are nice, because it shows that you are doing what you need to be doing. At least I think so.

We are having some trouble baptizing, all of our investigators have to get married first, or all the ones who have baptismal dates. We found 13 More ppl to teach this past week. So we will see what happens to them and what we can do to help them keep progressing. It`s like escalator. we find ppl, we put them on, then we find More ppl, and send them on their way to baptism.

Tell CAity to just be happy she`s not going to CCC. BYUI  is changing and is starting to become a more high credential school. When I left the school was trying to make it a little harder to get into. plus it`s still college education.

Has Chad tried anything new yet ar still the same old same old? If not send him to Mexico and he`ll learn to eat. Beans, rice, and chicken soup. That`s what we normally eat here. but the chicken soup is way different here and I think a ton better.

I love you Mom, Thank you for everything that you have done for me. You are the greatest mom ever. I love reading the scripture about the 2000 stripling warriors, because that`s has a direct application to me and Caleb. I love you Mom.

Love your favorite Mexican missionary,

Cameron

Life is Good in Mexico

Always An Adventure

Dear Mom,
Tell Caleb that I am way proud of him. He looks awesome, well you all do. You all have changed soo much. It`s going to be wierd when I come back home and see you all. Tell Grandma that I love her. Tell Caity way to go on her musical piece. I didn`t get to hear it, but I know that it was amazing. I miss you all a ton. It`s funny last night I had a dream that I was home. Lets just say it was one of those wierd dreams, just because I was home again. I still feel like I`m going to be a missionary for the rest of my life.
I would have to agree, we do have a pretty amazing ward. Has the ward changed a lot or are there still a lot of the same people there?
Yea that would be really hard not to go on the beach, especialy if you were in Hawaii. You were next to the beach in your mission!? Way cool. Did it ever snow when you were on the beach over there?
Things still have been a little rough here. But when you have been on a mission for as long as have you have experienced just about everything. The rough times are hard, but you always know that there will be better times coming up. We just work hard, do all we can, and wait for the blessing. Something that I have learned is that baptisms are blessings to us as missionaries, we do all we can, but in the end they are blessings to us. The whole experience of the mission is to help us learn and sometimes that requires us to be patient while the Lord works with us.
So this past week I had a fun experience. On Friday morning I went to go donate blood. It is a long process here. We were at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. and I waited till 11:30 to donated, which took me 15 minutes to do. Then I went back to our apartment. Slept for a bit and then at 4:00 we went to a funeral service. Little did I know I was going to direct the service. So we got there a little late, because I was moving slowly, I asked a few members if the bishop had arrived they told me no, and that we were suppossed to guide the service. So on the spot, in front of everyone I came up with a program, guided the music, and offered the dedicatory prayer. Then to finish it all off, I filled half the grave. When you are the biggest person there you tend to do mush of the work. So did that and then went to a ward party, then went home. That whole day I only ate one sandwich, a taco, two apples, gatorade, and some cookies. Not the best idea, because the next day I slept half the day for being so tired. Then a Sister, at a food appointment gave me honey, and that cured me on the spot. I learned that when giving blood I should always eat well. I`m a lot better now. I`m back to normal.
The rest of week hasn`t been too exciting. We keep going hard to get those blessings.
I love you Mom. Thank you for everything.
Love your son,
Cameron

Elder Coon on his way to the Mission Training Center in Provo Utah

Pday shopping in Acapulco