I left that lesson feeling so uplifted and so close to my Savior. Being able to teach so many great people, like Tony, just brings me so much joy. It's pretty incredible.

   

 I had an awesome week. Weeks just continue to go faster and faster out here. As usual we had some really cool lessons this week. One in particular stood out with a guy named Tony. Tony has had a crazy life. He has seen things that I hope I never have to see but I know that he had to go through those trials to make him into the person he is today and to prepare him for accepting Jesus Christ in his life. We talked a lot about a bunch of different things. We started off trying to teach about one thing and he kept asking questions about other things and honestly it was one of the coolest lessons I've ever gotten to teach. We talked a lot about prayer and about letting go of mistakes we have made in the past. We talked about overcoming addictions and how Christ can help us do that. I left that lesson feeling so uplifted and so close to my Savior. Being able to teach so many great people, like Tony, just brings me so much joy. It's pretty incredible. 

     We also had a meeting this week that's called Zone Conference. I love Zone Conference so much. We get to meet with our mission president and other missionaries for 5 hours and we get to receive some great trainings on how to become better teachers and better people in general. This time we had our meeting on obedience. It was a great Zone Conference and exactly what I needed. We talked a lot about apostles from the scriptures who obviously had faith, but didn't use their faith to be faithful and obedient. For example, the story of Peter. There are many examples of Peter falling short in the New Testament but he was Christ's "head apostle." When Judas betrayed Jesus and the Roman soldiers came to take Jesus to be crucified they asked Peter if he knew Christ three times and three times Peter denied knowing Him. This is right after Peter told Christ he would follow Christ to death or to prison. But as soon as adversity comes up Peter forgot his promise and only thought about himself. I realized that I do that too. Following the world and the natural man is so much easier than following Christ. I got some pretty cool inspiration for things I need to change and am looking forward to see how it changes me. I'll definitely be studying out of the scriptures more and praying more. I felt like I was doing it enough but realized there is no such thing as enough. All in all another great week. 

     The scripture I want to share this week is from Mark chapter 10 verses 17-21. They say, "17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." I love these scriptures. When we pray we need to ask for something to change or work on like this young ruler. But when we get our answer me must follow it. The next verse talks about how the young ruler walked away disappointed because he didn't want to sell all he has. We must sell all we have, take up the cross and follow Him. That's something I am not great at and want to be better at and am going to be focusing on for the next little while. But that's all I got. 

     I hope everyone is doing well back at home! Today is officially my 7 month mark which is pretty crazy. As always, thanks for all your prayers and support. Have a great week!

It really made me think about how I pray. Am I more counseling the Lord or am I letting Him counsel me?

Colton's address has been updated again.  The address listed on his page here is now correct. 

This picture was texted to me today with a simple note from a stranger that said "Hi Mom and Dad from your missionary."

    

 My week was awesome. Each week just seems to get better than the past one. I went on exchanges (just swapping companions for a day) with our zone leaders this week. Zone Leaders are two missionaries who are over about three districts. So in the chain of command they are one above me you could say. But I stayed with Elder Wilcox, who is from Mississippi. He is super cool and a chill dude. We had a great day and found quite a few new people to teach who seem pretty solid! I'm really excited to get to teach them this next week. 

     We also had interviews with our mission president this week and I love getting to just sit one on one with President Palmer and talk to him about how things are going. He is such an amazing servant of the Lord. I love getting to serve with him. 

     Some other exciting things that happened this week were with this guy named Tony. His story is incredible. It was awesome to get to know him a little bit better this past Friday and to testify to him about how Jesus Christ and His gospel will change his life and to see how that affected him. Just an amazing lesson. 

     Probably the highlight of my week though was on Saturday. After six months of meeting with and teaching Jose he finally got baptized. It was so incredible, words can't describe the feeling that I got during that. I had tears in my eyes and was just so happy for him. It was so cool to get to see his big smile as he came out of the water and just to see how happy he was. The rest of his family should be getting baptized pretty soon too which is so exciting. I love that family so much. 

     We also had some really fun/funny things happen this week. On Monday night we were headed home for dinner and saw a food truck that said on it "World's Greatest Corndog" so naturally we had to stop and get it and man that wasn't a lie. Easily the best corndog I've ever had. So good. And the guy gave it to us for free which was cool too. Our family loves the classic film Elf in which Buddy is excited to find the "World's Greatest Cup of Coffee" so this led to much laughter with Alex and Ella wanting to know if Colton congratulated the driver:)  We are a silly family sometimes but it is a nice way for him to continue to connect with his sisters when he shares those things!

     In one of our lessons with a kid named Tyler, he was telling us about an insult he used on one of his friends and about how he totally schooled him and we asked what the insult was and he said it was "your last week's sidewalk chalk on the sidewalk." It was sooooo funny. Dumbest insult ever but it made my laugh. 

     Also on Friday, we had a lesson with Andres and Ana and they forgot so we went to their house to see if they were coming and only Andres came out and so he took us to Ana's friend's house to get her and then over to his friend, Bico's house to get him to come and so we were just strolling through the neighborhood with the "squad." The oldest kid was 12 so that was pretty funny too. All in all a great week.    

"The Squad"

      For the scripture of the week I actually have two that really go together really well. They are both from the Book of Mormon and talking about prayer. The first says, "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." And the second says, "Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works." It really made me think about how I pray. Am I more counseling the Lord or am I letting Him counsel me? Just something to think about looking at your own prayers. I definitely am going to change how I pray. 

     But that's all I got for this week. As always, thanks for the prayers. They are much appreciated. Have a great week!

Mafia, Weddings, and Forgiving Yourself

Colton didn't take any photos to send this week but I was really missing him so I was looking at some pictures from past Februarys and found this favorite from when I took him to visit SuperBowl Village in Indianapolis in 2012.  I am proud of him, wouldn't want him to be anywhere else right now and am uplifted by his emails and stories of how he is blessing the lives of others every week. But as so many people ask me - Do I miss him?  Of course, like crazy! 

 This week was a crazy week. Crazy but also good. Elder Ledbetter was up most of the night throwing up and so Tuesday we were stuck inside all day again. He still didn't feel good at all on Wednesday but good enough we could get out and teach our lessons which was good. But by Thursday, everything was back to normal. So because of that it seemed like this week just flew by. 
     But I had some really cool experiences this week. On Friday, I got to run my first district meeting which went really well. My favorite role as a district leader is getting to do baptismal interviews. So when the missionaries in my district have finished teaching someone who desires to be baptized, as their district leader I get the opportunity to interview them to see if they are ready to make that commitment and it is really cool. On Friday I had my first chances to get to do that and I interviewed two completely different people. The first lady was 68 and her story is amazing. She was born into the mafia and has had to experience terrible things through that. And when she was younger her husband cheated on her so she hired a hitman to kill him and so she went to prison for 25 years but that is where she started to learn about Jesus Christ and his teachings and so she decided she wanted to change her life and turn it around. And so however many years later she was able to be baptized and it was such an amazing event to witness on Saturday. The other interview I got to do was with a 9 year old girl. She was literally the sweetest thing in the world. She was adorable. She was super intelligent and understood almost all the questions I asked her right away and the ones she didn't she understood once I gave her a hint. Her baptism was a beautiful event to witness as well. 
     Also on Friday, was Jennie and Jose's wedding and so it was really cool to be able to go to that as well. I love Jennie and Jose so much and it was awesome to be able to see them again. Jose has finally quit smoking and is going to be baptized this Saturday and I am so pumped for him and to be able to go that as well. That family is just amazing. 
     One last story. So Saturday night we were leaving a lesson and got a text from a guy we are teaching, who is trying to overcome alcoholism. We went over and visited with him and wow what an amazing experience. He was really struggling and feeling down. He isn't happy with who he has become and it was really sad to see him so upset because he is such a great guy. One of the things we talked to him about was how basically we are sometimes our biggest critic. We beat ourselves up so much about how we aren't perfect and all it does is make things worse. We should never just stop trying to become better but when we fail don't let that destroy us but inspire us to be better. It's definitely something I really struggle with and it was cool to share that with him and see how quickly his outlook changed. That goes along perfectly with a scripture that really jumped out at me this week. The scripture says, "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." I've read this scripture so many times but never thought about it in the way I did this week when I read it. I am pretty good about forgiving others. I always have been. I get over things pretty quickly most of the time. But I am terrible at forgiving myself. God has commanded us to forgive everyone and that includes ourselves. So let go of the pride that keeps us from getting over our shortcomings and ultimately becoming better and more like our Savior. When we learn how to do that, we will become so much happier in our lives. I hope you all have a great week this week! Thanks for all your prayers and support! Y'all are the best!

Elder Potter

"All we have to do is follow the example of Jesus Christ. If we do that, God will take care of the rest."

    

 My week had its ups and downs. I like the new area a lot. A big portion of the area is pretty low income and subsidized housing so we definitely meet some interesting people. We are teaching the S family, who are trying to get active in their church attendance again and she also wants to quit smoking. One day we were contacting some referrals in the same apartment complex she lives in and we were walking around outside and we saw her smoking a cigarette. Elder Ledbetter yelled at her, "Sister S, what the heck are you doing?" She tried to hide it and told us she "wasn't doing nothing." It was really funny and just perfect timing. 

     We put two kids, Andres and Ahna, on date for baptism. They are really sweet kids. Andres tries to act like a punk because he is 11 but he is far from one. We had an awesome lesson with them talking about what the Plan of Salvation. It is my favorite lesson because it explains God's plan for us so that we can be happy and it just makes so much sense to me. We also had an awesome lesson with a lady named Tammy. Her husband committed suicide in March but instead of letting that destroy her faith it has actually strengthened it so much. She has turned to God to help her overcome it, and it has strengthened her relationship with Him so much. She has been a great example to her family and to me as well. She is really an awesome lady. 

     As well as the beginning of the week went, it sorta ended on a sour note. I got the flu Friday night and was up a lot of the night throwing up so that wasn't fun. We had to stay inside all day Saturday which was extremely boring but it was also kind of nice to get to relax and catch up on sleep. But it was definitely really nice to get out of the house on Sunday. That's all I got for this week. 

     The scripture of the week this week is Moses 1:39 which says, "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." This scripture is one of my favorites and explains God's purpose. His purpose is to basically bring us happiness. Immortality means to live forever. Jesus dying on the cross, suffering for our sins, and being resurrected makes it possible for everyone, no matter who they are, to have immortality. But eternal life is living in the presence of God forever. I can't imagine anything that can be happier than that. All we have to do is follow the example of Jesus Christ. If we do that, God will take care of the rest. I hope everyone has a good week! 

I also included the happiest picture of Jesus I've ever found. It honestly made me laugh when I saw it but it definitely made my day. Can't wait to hear back from you!

My new companion's name is Elder Ledbetter and he is actually from Muncie!

   

 So we got transfer calls this week. After 6 great months of serving in the Hunter South Stake, I will be heading to the Granger Stake for at least the next six weeks. My new companion's name is Elder Ledbetter and he is actually from Muncie! I'm really excited for this new opportunity and chance to serve with him. 
     I also have been asked to be a district leader so that will be a new challenge. Basically I will be in charge of a small group of missionaries and will provide trainings for them and conduct interviews for people who are ready to be baptized. I'm excited for this chance to serve. 
    But it was a really good last week in Hunter South. We had some really good lessons with people. Elder Muse and I have been teaching the Cabadas family for the last six weeks. We had an awesome lesson with them this week. The mother, M, is the only member in the family and the rest have interest in being baptized like her. Especially the father, J. He has a lot of super different questions involving aliens and other weird stuff but I think we finally found the main concern that has been getting in the way of his faith progressing. We invited him to be baptized and he said he wants to pray about it a little more but he is super close. It was really exciting. 
     We had an amazing baptism in Saturday for Devin. There were so many people who came to support him we actually had to move rooms so we could all fit. It was pretty cool. The Spirit was so strong there and it was really cool. 
    Also, Jennie and Jose went and got their marriage license so they are going to be getting married here pretty soon which is awesome. I'm going to miss that family so much. It's been an exciting and eventful 6 months here and this place will always hold a special place in my heart. 
     The scripture of the week this week is from Proverbs 29:23. It says, "A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." We must humble ourselves and let go of our pride. We must turn our life over to the Lord. When we figure out how to do that, that is when we get the honor of God, which is so much better then honor or accolades of the world. We must not be afraid to stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and at all places. When we are afraid of doing that, that means we need to stop being prideful. That's something I'm not very good at right now but am really trying to work on. Have pride in the glory of our God and His plan, not in ourselves. It's easier said then done but our lives will be blessed if we live our lives this way. 
     Also, on Sunday night there was an amazing musical devotional put on by some missionaries and they actually asked me to sing a duet in it. It was a really cool experience and one of the most spiritual events I've been too. There was this Polynesian choir there and they sang a song about serving a mission and it was awesome. I got pretty emotional and teared up a little bit but it was a really cool event. Thanks again for all your prayers. Hope everyone has a great week! 

When we turn our focus towards offering a prayer of thanksgiving I really think God will pour out his blessings upon us.

I got this picture from my brother Zane who was able to stop in Utah and take Colton out for a quick dinner.  He reports he is looking well and loves being a missionary.

   

From Elder Potter:
As for my week, it went by so fast. Time is just flying by. We taught quite a few lessons this week which is always good. We got to go to the Bountiful temple on Wednesday and I just love going there and feeling of the peace in that sacred building and being able to take questions I have and get answers. It's truly amazing. 

     But probably the highlight of the week for me was on Saturday. We were lucky enough to have two baptisms, for Dallas and Tiffany. Dallas asked me to be the one to baptize him and it was one of the coolest things I've ever been able to do. Extremely special moment. Tiffany's baptism was beautiful as well and it was so cool to see all her friends there supporting her. It was a PACKED house. Very special day.    

     One last thought that I came across in my personal studies this week that I felt like I should share. In Luke 21:36 it says, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." I love this scripture. It says we should pray always but how is that possible? Sometimes I find myself praying only when something bad has happened. For example, someone loses their job so we tell them we will keep them in our prayers. But is that really praying always? God doesn't want us to only pray for people when things aren't going well for them. We should always pray for them. That goes for ourselves too. Sometimes we tend to only pray to ask for things and mainly to ask for help when something unexpected goes our way. In Colossians 4:2 it says, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." Something I've tried doing lately is just focusing on thanking the Lord in my prayers because we have been blessed with so much. I have been blessed with so much. When we turn our focus towards offering a prayer of thanksgiving I really think God will pour out his blessings upon us. He doesn't want to just hear from us when we need something but he wants to hear about everything. That's why he commands us to pray always. It is a commandment of God. I love that. That's something I'm trying to get better at and I would like to invite each of you to try it too. I promise you it will change your life. I'm really excited for this next week. We have another baptism this Saturday for Devin and it is the last week of the transfer so I'll be getting transfer calls again on Saturday! It will definitely be interesting to see what happens. I love serving here and love the people so much but I wouldn't be surprised if I get shipped out. Just have to see. But thanks for all the prayers. I can feel them lift me up so thank you again! I hope you all have a great week.

"Life's an open book test but sometimes we close the book and make it way harder than it needs to be."

This week has been a super long week. Especially since P day wasn't until Wednesday this week so it seemed extra long but it was a great week. A lot of good things have happened lately, especially the last couple of days. On Saturday, we got to go temple square again with the S Family. 

I have been teaching this family forever. I taught Dallas, their 9 year old son, my very first day in the mission field and it has been awesome just to see how far he has come the past six months. He is getting baptized this Saturday and he asked me to be the one to baptize him which is really cool. I'm super excited to be able to do that. On Sunday, I got to speak in one of the wards (or congregations) we cover. They asked me to speak on fasting and so it was really cool to prepare a talk on that. In our church, the first Sunday of every month we go 24 hours, or two meals, without eating or drinking anything. I never really got the concept until my mission. In the Bible, it talks about how Jesus fasted for 40 days before he started his ministry so that he could get closer to God. So if Jesus fasted to get closer to God, think about how much more we need to fast to get closer to God. It really put it in perspective for me and I was able to talk about that and I thought it went really well. More About Fasting   And then I got sick on Sunday and had to spend most of the day sleeping. I felt awful but luckily I woke up on Monday feeling way better. 

     Another thing that I kind of learned this week was about how important it is to read the scriptures. We teach a lesson that is called CPR and just like regular CPR brings you back to life physically, the CPR we teach is what brings you back to live spiritually. CPR stands for church, prayer, and read as in the scriptures. And what I realized is that just like signing up for a class in school, we signed for this class of Life on Earth. And just like any other class God has given us a textbook with all the answers to help us pass the class but sometimes I feel like I am waiting for Him to give me all the answers to my problems and He already has. All we have to do is turn to the scriptures and trust in His word. Life's an open book test but sometimes we close the book and make it way harder than it needs to be. It doesn't mean our problems will go away when we read the scriptures but that we can learn how to either deal with them or overcome them. I love the scriptures so much. The more I read them the more I learn about God and his plan for me and the more peace it brings into my life. 

     But the reason I had P day today is because we got to go to the temple. I love getting to go inside the temple and feel of the Spirit of the Lord. I'm super excited to go! I'll include pictures of it later. What are Temples?

The scripture of the week this week is from James chapter 2 verse 17-18. It says, 

"17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

The most important part of faith that is sometimes left out is action. Anyone can claim to believe in something but that doesn't really show God you believe in Him. Until we put our faith into action it doesn't mean a thing. So that's something I'm going to work on is having perfect faith. Acting on my faith no matter the consequences. I'd much rather be judged by the world and be accepted by God then judged by God and be accepted by the World. Just some food for thought. I hope everyone has a good week this week! Thanks for all your prayers!