Progression is Hard but Worth It

-- I'm glad to hear things are going good for the most part back home.
Things have been good here. Elder Brey and I are getting along good but there is always
room for improvement. Its been kinda rough though these past few days
just because of the lack of work. We are trying really hard to get the
work moving along but its been hard for one reason or another. Also on
packages from now on only put missionary supplies on it and $20 as its
worth. Please tell everyone at home that who sends packages here.  Also
on the packages put Sentimental value as the price of the contents.   Time
flies by out here and I feel sometimes it goes too fast.
 There is so much to do and so many people we need to help that I feel to
rushed to do anything sometimes.

It sounds like Cameron is doing well though. He is writing
weekly now and that's nice. I love you mom and I hope you know that I
am happy and having a good time its just the Lord is teaching me a few
things and it is when we pass through trials and hard times that we
learn the most. I have decided and come to understand that the more we
endure and the more trials that befall us means the more our Father in
Heaven knows we can handle and wants us to learn that much more.
Progression is hard but it is worth it. Never has there been so much
promise and potential for greatness than the time we live in now. I
know the Gospel is true it burns within me and I cannot and I will not
deny it. This week we met with a less active family that we had never
seen before. They invited us in and right as we sat down we were
hammered with the most anti-mormon literature and doctrine that I had
ever heard in my life. My companion was so mad that he was almost
brought to tears but all I could feel was sadness. I looked upon these
choice sons and daughter of God and saw in them their own destruction
and fall because of their pride. I was in no way shaken nor confounded
but I felt a sadness I had never before felt in my life. It has been a
hard week but this new week is full of promise and joy. I love you
mom.

Love your son,
Elder Caleb Coon

THINGS ARE GOING GOOD HERE

Things are going good here. I am getting a new comp tomorrow so that will be nice. I am gonna miss Elder Larson a lot though. We got along really great and I will be staying in contact with him. He's from Spokane Washington so he's close by as well. My numbers have been good though and so has the rest of my health. I won't be able to send pictures today because I still haven't had a chance to go through them which is good because it means we have been busy.We finally got to watch General Conference this last weekend. We get it two weeks late because of the time difference and also because of Easter. I got a lot of my questions answered and have a lot to look forward to these next few months in the area's development and in my own development. I love and miss you all and hope things are going good for all of you.

Played with Baby Tigers

I am glad things are going good back home and that you got to have such a good time with
everyone. I will admit that I have been a little homesick lately but
that comes with the field of missionary work I guess. Things are going
good here. We just had some members take us to a wildlife preserve
today and we saw so many cool things and I even got to play with baby
tigers this time. I will be sending pictures in the near future. I
also sent a bunch of letters out to you guys so they should be there
either this week or beginning of next week.

This is also most likely my last week with my companion and he will be getting transferred.

I have really enjoyed being here in Randburg and hope I get to stay here in for another six
months. I love and miss everyone.
Love you MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All in All, Life is Good

Things have been going very well for us in Randburg this week. We have
had a lot to do and have found our new love for baking cookies and
sweets for members and our investigators so they love us even more. I
continue to lose weight though and I am happy for that :) Alright now
for the big news of the week and mom you are not gonna like this. I
have made the resolution to get a motorcycle when I get home. My
companion and the members have finally convinced me. But all in all
life is good. The work keeps progressing and we find the time to have
a little fun as well.
So before you put down my idea of getting a motorcycle please hear me
out. BYU Idaho would be the perfect place for one and I would save so
much in gas. But if you are absolutely against me getting one I will
not. In a sense would like your blessing before I get one haha.
Things are going good here and we are having fun and working hard.
I love and miss you mom. Have a great time in California!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lord Continues to shower His Tender Mercies Upon Us

Things are going good here in Randburg. We are working hard and the Lord continues to shower His tender mercies upon us. We have been having lots of fun as well. We see a lot of less active members so we love visiting them being fed and working on trying to come back. I feel a lot like Cameron right now when he sent that email about the only way to bring people back into the fold is to extend a hand of love. With all those we are seeing right now their concern that has driven them away is not feeling welcomed and loved. Its sad to see, but it happens more than we think. I have loved learning about the Atonement of Christ.  I feel that I truly understand the vastness of the Atonement now in all its power.

Thank you for sending the package. I look forward to getting it :) I love how you and Jordyn make those little figures that go on your emails. They are so cool haha. I'm so grateful for all that you do. Thank you for contacting President Omer, he let me know about the pump problem but mine was fine. It was my fault for not emailing you after I had checked to let you know everything is ok. Mom, I feel as though I am making leaps and bounds here in the mission field. My understanding is increasing so much in the knowledge of the Gospel. I know that the Lord is guiding me and preparing me for a great and marvelous work that he has revealed unto me. I love and miss you mom and know I am who I am because of you. Jesus is the Christ and I know it and I know that He knows I know it.

WORK IS STARTING TO BOOM!

Things are good here, time for the South Africa Update. Things here are going great! When I first got to this area, Randburg, our Zone leaders told us that President Omer was thinking of closing it down due to the lack of progress in the area but I am happy to say there is no reason to close this area down now for the work is starting to boom! Its hard even to schedule everyone because everyone want to meet in the evenings so from about 4-8 we're booked and then Saturdays and Sundays are packed. Its been a lot of fun building this area back up and am really enjoying my time with Elder Larson. Its been a quiet week though, not to much going on but we have been playing a lot of sports lately with the members and even today we're having a big Zone beach Volleyball game at the MTC where there is a sand pit and net.

THE WORK IS PROGRESSING RAPIDLY

I'm glad to hear everything is going well back home. Caity got the best tract in terms of weather to go to Rexburg haha.  I have a few things I can send Jordyn for her project so I'll send plenty of stuff next week.

Well things in Randburg have finally picked up and the work is progressing rapidly. We have truly been blessed this week in our efforts. The weather has been very good here as well except for one day. On Thursday my comp and I were out tracting about two miles from our flat and car because we have been instructed to cut back on our driving. So trying to do our best to follow the instruction we walked at least two miles everyday this week. On this day though we probably walked the farthest. Its hard to knock doors here in South Africa because everyone has gates and fences, so we ring intercoms and talk through them. We had been ringing intercoms for about and hour when we heard thunder. In Africa the Thunder and lightning storms and huge and can come at any time. So I talked with Elder Larson and we decided to start heading back to our apartment. All was ok and we thought the storm would go over next to us leaving us alone. Then the wind started to pick up and the clouds were being pushed towards us. Now in these storms there is normally so much rain that you can smell it before you see it and we started to smell the rain so we knew we were in trouble. The rain can as heavy as I had ever seen it (It was like when we were in the gorge coming back from Idaho). We started running as fast as we could. Normally you can find shelter under a tree or something but there was nothing and the Lightning was to much anyway for me to feel safe under a tree. We were SOAKED, if you saw us you would have thought we had gone swimming. It was so much fun though. Its one of those things I will never forget haha. We have been working with a less active member a lot lately. His name is Brother Willie and he is from Cameroon. He works a lot and is one of the most humble men I know. He supports his family back in Cameroon and has brought his younger brother to South Africa to have a better life. You can see that the Lord has truly blessed him in all that he has done. He is having us teach his younger brother and his two little children who are Mark (8) and Willie Jr. (6). I have never seen a man sacrifice so much for his family. He works about 12 hours a day sometimes seven days a week as a computer technician. His wife is very supportive of all that he does and is not interested in the church yet but it is only a matter of time. The last time we were there at the conclusion of the lesson we asked who would pray and he gave the most fervent and heartfelt prayers I had ever heard. It touched my heart in a way that I struggled not to cry. I know if he continues in this path that he and his family will enjoy the eternities together in Salvation and Exaltation. I have never felt the love of my Father in Heaven so close as I looked upon my fellow brother with a love I cannot explain. I cannot explain in an email what all I have learned here on my mission thus far but I can say that it is greater than anything I could have ever imagined.

I am doing good Mom. Please don't worry to much about me all is well. I have grown more than I knew was possible and have learned things that will change my life forever. What I can say is that I know the Lord is mindful of me and I have felt his love and assurance throughout my mission.  I love and miss you and please know that a great change has been wrought within me that will influence me for all my life and in the eternities to come. I love and miss you and hope you are well. You are always in my prayers and thoughts.