Cole's Mission: Working Hard in Bata

This week was great as far as finding new investigators. We were able to find 15! I prayed so hard last weekend and asked to be blessed with the opportunity to find these people and we did! They are so prepared. One family we met came to church the very next day.

The Tosings are one of the families that we are beginning to teach. We met Sister Tessie Tosing while we were waiting for another investigator to show up. While we were waiting, we asked Sister Tosing if we could share a quick message with her. She said yes and the lesson went okay. As we were finishing up, Brother Tosing came home from work, He was a little shocked and on guard that there were two men talking to his wife outside his house and I thought for sure that he didn't want us there. Anyways, we asked if we could come back when he was there and he said sure. We went back on Saturday after his work ended. He is a champ! He was very receptive and asked if it was okay if he came to church on Sunday. It was a very tender moment when he thanked us yesterday for finding his family out of all the people in Bata. Then he thanked us for leaving our families to preach the gospel. That was one of those humbling moments when you really come to know that He is in charge and He is preparing them for us. You guys wouldn't believe it if you saw their house. It is just a square--maybe 10 ft. by 10 ft. I am thinking four of them could fit in our theater room. All they have is a makeshift bamboo bed. But they are unbelievably spiritual. Dad will love this--he seems kinda "familiar" to me. It might be because he looks like Tyson Littlewood!

For a long time this area hasn't been productive, but things here in Bata are on the way up.

So my rash is unreal! I'm usually not one to complain about pain, but this is on a whole new level. It literally feels like needles in my skin the moment I step outside. If you guys could add that to your prayers, I would really appreciate it.

On another note, I was cooking adobo and I tried adding my left pointer finger to it! I was chopping some onions and garlic and my finger got in the way and now I have a big gash. I am sending a picture, but the lighting isn't the best. It is closing up nicely, even though it was pretty deep.

I had some good studies this week that I want to share with you. One was when I was reading in D&C 101:16. Many times we have trials and struggles and everything just seems to build up to the point we want to explode. Jesus tells us what to do at that point. "be still . . . and know that I am God." We (myself very much included) need to remember who is truly in charge. He will take care of us, we just need to be still and let Him do what He does. Another was when I was studying in the New Testament in Mark 2:17. It just drove home again that the Atonement is for all the "broken people." So it is for all of us!!! Along those lines, I loved this quote from Boyd K. Packer in the leadership training, "Properly using the Atonement is where we go back to where we first messed up and try again until we get it right." I love that man!!!

Okay, one funny story before I go. Once a week we have a dinner appointment at the Wycoco's house. He is an amazing cook and always caters for the mission meetings. Anyways, we were finished with dinner and just sitting around his table talking (he speaks perfect English), and he started asking questions about my family and Melissa. I showed him the pictures of you guys that I carry in my scriptures. His first line was, "Wow elder, your mother is like an actress. She is more pretty than any actress I have ever seen and she looks like she is 25!" Then he looked at dad and said, "Goodness elder, your dad looks like an actor too! Is he Mexican?" Then he saw Melissa's picture and said, "Oh no elder, you better fast and pray a lot. She is too beautiful for the guys to not court her!" I was laughing so hard! He also said if we need a personal chef, he likes to be surrounded by beautiful people! This guy is great! He is teaching me how to cook lots of good food. Just wait, I will go top chef on you all as soon as I get home.

Anyways, that was this week! Love you all!