March 27, 2017 Choose the Harder Right

Hey! 

It's been a smoother week for me and Elder Myers! We are getting to know the area a ton more and the people we are teaching and the branch! It's been good, I've been learning a lot! We have two investigators that are looking really solid for baptism! One of them is having a mom problem. She is completely against her decision of going to church and getting baptized. It's a really weird situation that could take hours of explaining lol but the mother is pretty much holding her back from being baptized and our investigator is afraid that it'll split up the family or the parents will disown her or something. The other one has been super busy and hasn't come out to church yet which is saddening but he has set a goal to quit smoking by the start of April  so that he can get baptized. He wants his good buddy who is a member to baptize him. He's overcome drinking coffee this week, he's a doing really good job. He's come a long long way! 

The branch is awesome! We have a ton of great people that are really nice and are bringing their friends to activities and church! It's fantastic! My favorite person I would say is my branch mission leader. He's come back from his mission two months ago and we have similar personalities. He's taking us out for wings tonight so i'm pumped about that. He has subs too... so that brought me back. haha you guys apparently told him my birthday is coming up too so I wonder what he has planned haha he's a nice guy. He told me to tell you guys that if need to tell me or ask me anything don't be afraid to text him. He's a nice guy. 

We had a fun activity the other day. Battle archery! Tons of YSA came and we played dodgeball pretty much but with bows and soft arrows. It was really fun! A guy in the branch gave me the best haircut i've ever gotten. He just learned by himself too, it was really good! I was quite impressed with him. 

Kitchener is great! There is a really ghetto part of town and a really nice part of town! It's a pretty big area and we cover the whole stake. We've been getting fed a lot actually. I was expecting it and I honestly don't want to get fed. I know that shocking lol but i got to get rid of this chubby chub. But its good food. ;)

I don't know if there is much to add honestly. Busy schedule this upcoming couple of weeks. General conference which i'm pumped for!!! Stake conference. Zone conference. Going to the temple! Zone council! Tons of exchanges! Man i'm always on the move!! 

We taught gospel principles last minute yesterday! It was on agency! The gospel principle books are all so simple but it's profound how much you can learn from them! I didn't really realize how special and how necessary Agency really is in this great plan of salvation. There is always a consequence to your decisions whether they be good or bad. Choose the harder right, than the easier wrong! You'll be blessed! Love you guys!!

Forever and Always,

Coco

March 20, 2017 It Seems to Always Work With Him in My Life

Well well well what a week!!! I'm gonna be honest one of the more stressful weeks on my mission. You know how I am about change, I don't know if I'll ever really get used to it haha but it's always good for me. Keeps me not comfortable lol. Apparently I'm the only Zone leader in this mission since President Shields came in that has white washed to a zone leader area.. and I've done it twice! haha so that was pretty crazy when Pres. told me that. I don't know why he and the Lord have so much trust in me.. especially training a new zone leader. It's been good though. The YSA area has been nice to us! Kitchener is pretty big. I think there is 4 or 5 companionships in just Kitchener. All speaking different languages! Big zone too! 11 companionships, so one of the biggest in the mission!! The apartment is pretty nice, not the best but it's good! The YSA are really nice. We are treated nicely! We have some really cool YSA that are really nice and it seems like they do a good job with bring their friends to church and activities. YSA is known for the 3 week baptisms and I believe that! Miracles happen! We are working with a couple of inv. right now that are pretty solid we just need to set baptismal dates with them!

There's about three colleges here so contacting galore! Our church building is the stake center so it's big and it's awesome. Reminds me of Utah! The branch presidency is pretty cool and our branch mission leader is awesome! He's the one that sent you our picture! I really like him! We have three districts in the zone so lots and lots of meetings to go to. I don't know any of the missionaries in the zone really... boy I'm getting old. I don't know anybody in this mission anymore lol.

We were able to find two new investigators! One was a media referell who we are meeting on Tuesday who apparently already knows the Book of Mormon is true... so that's sweet! Thank you Lord! The other was found outside the library just thought I would start talking to her before she got into her car and she turned out to be interested! So sweet! Our zone got like 17 new investigators so that's sweet! The Zone is killin it!

Elder Myers is a good guy. We don't have a lot a like. He reminds me of my first companion! Really nice guy though. He's really really smart. He's 24. He went to California College, it's like 3rd in the nation for partying. His story is pretty sweet, I respect him a ton and am so glad that he's out on a mission. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering!! He's a good guy. I'm teaching him a lot and he's teaching me a lot. :)  

Well I've learned a lot about trusting in God and really relying on him. Cause I honestly don't know what i'm doing lol but it seems to always work with Him in my life. I couldn't thank Him enough. He's taught me a lot this past week about loving, caring, and relating to his children. I've been takin out of my comfort zone a lot a lot a lot but I wouldn't exchange my experiences and things I've learned for anything. I hope I filled you guys in as much as you would have liked me too! If not ask me questions! I love you and peace!

Forever and Always,

Coltey boy  

NEW ADDRESS:

310 Queen #610

Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1K2

Canada

 

 

 Elder Myers

 

March 13, 2017 Transferring to Kitchener, Canada

Hey fam and friends! 

This week has been pretty wild! Transfer calls were yesterday... we pretty much knew that I was leaving and so we were pretty depressed all day Sunday telling people that I was more than likely leaving. It's honestly one of hardest things for me on my mission is transfers. I get so attached to the people here and to my companions that it's hard to change and start over! Especially when you white wash an area and you don't know anything! Yup.. i'm white washing once again! I'm going to Kitchener YSA and I'll be training a new Zone leader! So that's quite the load.... I don't know why God puts this much on me all of the time, I honestly don't even know what I'm doing lol! So it's always exciting and nerve racking not knowing what's in the future. I'll be serving with Elder Myers. Elder Bybee served around him and really liked him and says that I'll like him a lot so that's good. He apparently is 24 or 25 and has only been out for like 11 months or something like that! That's all I really know about him! So it should be a ride that's for sure and I'm always really nervous when it comes to this! Pray for me! 

We did a lot of walking this week! It was really good, we talked to a lot of nice people! Talked to some crazies as well, so that's always fun! Our less actives have been doing really well and i'm proud of them! Man I love this area so much. I'm going to miss it so much! It's been hard saying good bye to a lot of the people i've gotten really close with! It was pretty neat to see how I've impacted some of the people's lives here. Makes me feel special! I'm grateful that I was able to reactivate some less actives that I hope and pray will continue to go to church and make it to their next saving ordinance! Was able to baptized Bryn as well! Plant a lot of seeds and impact some of the members lives here! Regained the trust of the missionaries in the Branch!

I have received a lot of weird news this past week... it's scaring me. My trainer just got engaged... some of my other friends from the mission or engaged. A lot of my high school friends are married... I realized that I only have like 4 and half more months of my mission... Elder Vargus who is one of my favorite missionaries of all time is going home this week!! So sad and weird! One of my past companions is going home, Elder brand!  It doesn't feel real to me! I don't like it!

Well  i'm keeping it short today! It's going to be total chaos for me today and the next couple of days so please wish me luck! haha i'm pretty nervous! But I know i'll be alright!! 

Forever and Always,

Elder Beddes, Coco jo!    

Ebe and Elder Bybee

 

"We got to see your son again last Monday. Took them out for lunch as I knew transfers were this week... We will miss him while he is being transferred further away. Hopefully he will be transferred to a closer place that we can get to again someday. We all played basketball on Friday at the church as well to hang out before he left today. Your son was the one who helped my daughter open up more at church and choose to be baptized and take the right path. Have a great evening!" (Napanee family)

 

 

 

:"Hey Sister Beddes, this is Landen Ince. Your son just transferred into our Ward. I just wanted to let you know he got here safe!" Colten's knew companion- Elder Meyers.

"The Elders came over for dinner and to celebrate Elder Bybee's bday. I played a song on the guitar and Elder Beddes asked if I knee Pooh Corner, which coincidentally I do. I played it and he was kind of singing along then got a little teary eyed and said that was one of his favorite songs ever. He is such a great kid and he's got the same tender heart as my son," 

"I'm really grateful to have had the chance to have him and elder Bybee in our home and feel of their spirits. Elder Beddes shared his favorite things that you did as a family. He said you would give each of the kids a chance to go out on Special Saturdays and eat somewhere special and they got to ask anything they wanted and then you would take them out for ice cream after. He said those were some of his favorite memories. He also just loves being together with his family. And that heaven wouldn't be nearly the same if he wasn't able to be there with his family. He encouraged my kids to take care of each other and enjoy their time together as a family and to never take it for granted. I am grateful for his words and example to them!" - Sister Takahashi (Kingston)

 

"We are going to miss having your son around here! But I know he is going to move on and continue to work hard and he will really bless the people of Kitchener. I'm grateful our paths crossed and we were able to have him in our home! We feel like he has become family to us! I am also grateful that I was able to meet you, for all that I have learned from you and the ways you have lifted me even though we have never met. I hope we can stay in touch." -Sister Takahashi 

 

 "When I told my kids he was transferred they were all so sad especially that we didn't get a chance to do his birthday party and favorite doors/dessert. So we put together a birthday in a box for him. We didn't get a chance to get it to him before they had to get on the road so we will mail it to him." -Sister Takahashi

March 6, 2017 Acquainted With the Savior

Hey family and friends!! 

This week was pretty sweet! We drove down to Brampton for the MLC meeting and it took a good 3 hours to get there! All the zone leaders stay in one house so it gets pretty crazy. Every MLC night the zone leaders would do something crazy like drink gold fish and big sharks and stuff like that and so we decided to change up the traditions. Which is probably a good thing. And so the one before the last one we decided to write our testimonies on Books of Mormon and give it to one of the missionaries there. Then bare our testimonies afterward. Very powerful night!! Then this last one we were asked by the AP's to host it. So we decided to read 5 Atonement scriptures in a row and just have everybody listen to them and just ponder the message. Then everybody was given the chance to bare their testimonies of how the Atonement of Jesus Christ has changed them. It was one of the most powerful devotionals I've ever been to. If you only you guys were there, you could literally feel the spirit so powerfully that it brought almost everybody to tears. It was fantastic. We played ball in the morning before the meeting and that was really fun! Their are some good ball players! Then the 8 hour meeting was fantastic and exhausting!! Talked about how we as missionaries need to invite our investigators, and then follow up with that invitation the next meeting with them. Because sometimes as missionaries we forget what we had committed them to do and so we put more of an emphasis on remembering and taking it more seriously! Then talked about the white handbook and how we need to see it as something more than a bunch do's and don't but more of something that means something to you. It was great! 

We met a lot of really nice people on the streets!! People who you would assume would be interested in setting an appointment but just wanting a mormon.org card or a pamphlet. Which isn't bad but it's frustrating at times when you just want to teach them the gospel you know? But we handed out a lot of church material and had fun while doing it! Andrew (queen's student who is taking biomedical) just committed to baptism on April 15th! So that's exciting!!! He's come a long long way! I've never really taught an Atheist before and so it's really been a pleasure to help him come to know that there is a God. He's come to church 4 times now and is progressing really well! He even bore his testimony yesterday! SO PROUD!! :') Jordan who is a YSA brought a couple of her friends from India to church for Emerson Harvey's farewell! He's going to Mexico and leaves tomorrow! We were able to see him get set apart. Boy did it bring me back!! I forgotten how powerful setting apart blessings are!! The words from 18 months ago from my stake president, "I set you apart as a missionary in the Canada Toronto Mission", flooded my mind and it brought me to tears!! Being a missionary is amazing guys, it truly is. It's so hard to explain but it's great! Anyway, those friends of Jordan's were really cool. They are from India! Really nice people, and they want to come back!!! So that's exciting news! 

Zone council was really good!! Everybody participated really well so that's always great!! President Shields as well interviewed all of the Kingston Zone missionaries. It's always really nice to see him! He's really nice and really personal. I really related to him! It was a great time! 

I really learned a lot about the Atonement and really becoming acquainted with the Savior. I've never been so acquainted with him ever in my life until now! It's an amazing feeling. My testimony has grown so much. I know that he loves us all. He knows us and what we are going through. I've come to know that he's a lot closer then a lot of us think! There are so many promises in the scriptures and I love finding them and trying to receive them as I am obedient as a child of God and also as a missionary! 

Love,

Elder Sweet feet Beddes        

Someone I taught in Napanee got baptized!

From Sister Harvey: "Here's my newest missionary... 

with two of his biggest influences!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 27, 2017 Indescribable Joy

Hey family and friends! The week was mighty fine! It went by really quick. I am getting pretty scared about the time flying faster and faster each week. I learned a lot this week! We went on exchanges with the AP's the other day, that was really fun! I went to Brampton with Elder Taylor. He's really cool, he plays baseball and basketball so we got along really well. We worked really hard and we saw a bunch of miracles. We were able to meet with two recently found investigators. The lessons were really good. Very spiritual. We were able to set two baptismal dates with people and able to run into a person who is a member and she hasn't been to church for 3 years and she wanted to give it a try again! It was really sweet! He's a great elder, taught me a lot and we had a lot of fun talking to some people. The exchange in Kingston seemed to go well to, they found some potentials and were able to have some really good lessons! 

Some good news!! Some one that I was teaching in Napanee just got baptized!!! I was so excited to hear about it! Blessings! We were able have some really good lessons with some people! Had some less actives come to church. The members are reaching out to them and fellow shipping which always makes a missionary happy. The Less actives say that they are even more willing to come to church since they felt welcomed! 

We were able to do some service for some people! Some nonmembers were asking some questions about the church which was fantastic, not interested as of right now but planting seeds is great. The zone did really well this week! We were able to find many investigators and bring many to church. I think it was our record breaker. We had what's called Zone Olympics, where we had some challenges regarding missionary work. For example: How many cookies can you hand out to members. How many times can you bring up the word baptism in your contacts with people. Invitations to church. Etc. It was really good! Having a hard time with meeting with our investigators but hopefully this week will be better. We'll be going to mission leadership council this week in Brampton so long drives again! 

Me and Elder Bybee are doing really well. Getting along great. I've been blessed to serve with him for three transfers, but it's gone by to fast. 

Short email today, and I'm sorry! I think a lot of my pondering moments and studies were regarding the plan of salvation. Oh how the plan brings me indescribable joy. It makes so much since to me. I can't wait to do the same thing I've been doing these past 18 months in the spirit world. I think it would be pretty cool to teach some of the people I've come in contact with on my mission. Maybe I'll convert Michael Jordan or someone like that. That would be pretty cool! haha Anyway I love you guys and hope you have a good week! Thank you for your prayers and your thoughts. I can feel encouragement everyday from you guys. I've got the best team to fight the good fight! 

Forever and Always,

Elder coco swaggy Beddes    

One of my favorite families- The Hobb's

Throw back to where it all began

February 21, 2017 Be Grateful for What's Already Happened

Hey family and friends! And i'm glad you liked the ties dad, Happy late Birthday! Well I'll be honest the week wasn't as good as we thought it would be! Still lots of things to be grateful for though! I'm having a great time with Elder Bybee. I can't believe the transfer is windin down, the time flies by. We only have three more weeks of this transfer and my prediction is I'm leaving Kingston sadly. :( I really don't want too. We've been doing a lot of finding. We don't have a lot of people in our teaching pool, so we are out and about a ton contacting and tracting. honestly we've been getting a lot of cold shoulders lately! I don't know if it's the season or our luck of the draw but it's taught me a lot. It can be extremely frustrating when you are out trying your best talking to people and getting rejected over and over and over again. I want our area to be a good role model for the other areas in our zone but it's been hard. 

So I took it to our Father in Heaven in prayer and he told me I need to be grateful for what's already happened so far. So I had a take a step back moment the other day about what me and Elder Bybee have done so far. We've gained the branches trust. The difference the first day we arrived to now is huge! We baptized Bryn!! We helped change a couple of people's lives in the branch! We reactivated Al and Joe! I've gained two best friends while serving here, Elder Bybee and Ebe. Helped motivate other missionaries in the zone. And who knows what else but I guess moral of what I'm trying to say here is that I felt a ton better in a bummy time. There's power behind the words count your many blessings. 

We can relate this to my trek experience a couple of years ago since my momma and sisters want to hear about it! Gotta be obedient. ;) So I remember looking pretty good in my pioneer outfit since dad let me use some of his swag clothes. I also remember practicing for the big trek hike, we would walk from a specific church to another in preparation. I remember taking a bus to where we were going. Got there and they put us into families and we were off with our treking group. We would take turns pushing or pulling the hand cart, and honestly it wasn't the funnest thing but it was good to have a good group that wanted to work hard. But there were some people that either wasn't working as hard or others were trying but were really struggling physically. It's a long walk and it can be hard at times with the heat and with grabbing a hand cart all day but it was really good experience for me. That may have sounded really intimating and it really wasn't. You guys are going to do fine and it's going to be really fun for you guys. You'll see others struggle and others not care. But try and make the most of every moment. Think of the pioneers and what they had to do. Holy holy it wasn't even close to what we did those couple of days. I remember receiving a couple of letters from mom and dad telling me how much they loved me. It helped a ton and it was great motivation. I read those letters last week and I had forgotten what they had said to me. But it was perfect for that exact time. Their words are precious to me.

Worked at martha table the other day. It's a food kitchen! People have been asking a lot of questions about the church! We've been having some really good lessons with Rich and Andrew who are probably our most solid investigators! Rich is sweet. He's retired from the military at the age of 40. He's so sweet, I love him. He's got a great personality and we click really well. He's been asking a ton of sincere questions. I can see this guy getting baptized. He just needs to get over a couple of concerns. Andrew accepted baptism! He has a couple of things he needs to do before he sets a date but he's doing awesome!! Joe is doing really well! Been coming to church every week! 

I love you guys so much! Have a good week ey?

xoxoxo

Elder Beddes  

Our go to Thrift store! haha

Contacting at Queen's University

Elder Bybee

February 14, 2017 (Handwritten Note)

How are you guys? I haven't written a letter for awhile and I thought it would be good to write right now since I'm stuck in the apartment cause of Elder Bybee being sick! It's pretty boring sitting in here and I wish I would be out doing stuff right now! Kingston is pretty fun. You get a wide variety of different people here! Rich, poor middle class, crazy, homeless, etc. Can't forget all of the college students too! We live pretty much on campus so we see a lot of students and its crazy to think that I'll be one of them in 6 months! Not excited at all. I've done a lot of contacting over here and you'd be surprised how nice they are! It's pretty fun!
I love Elder Bybee so much. I can't tell you how excited we were when we found out we were staying another transfer together. We've become best friends. It's funny to think that some of my companions know more about me then Chase or Jake do just because I'm with the 24/7! Elder B has come along way in life too. He's such a great example. He got into drugs his junior and senior year. It's amazing to hear some of the changes people have made in their lives. So many cool stories I've been able to listen to about people's conversion stories! The mission truly is a blessing. Man a ton of my mission buddies are home now! It's so sad to see them leave. 4/8 of my companions are already home and 2 of them are going home in a couple of weeks! It's crazy! I went to a meeting with 3 different zones and I didn't even know anybody!! I'm the old missionary now! The Sisters that came out with me into the mission are going home in a couple of weeks. That's completely strange. Doesn't seem real, time blows by quickly!  I better give it my all these next 6 months!
It's truly amazing to see so many miracles on your mission. To be a part of so many lives and even play a part or have an effect on people.  It's such a nice feeling! It's amazing to see why you were sent to certain areas on your mission as well. I love it!
It's good to hear that everybody is staying busy with school, work and sports! Lots and lots of sports lol! We are a athletic family that's for sure! You guys are going to be better than me at all the sports! I often wonder what the home would be like with me not being there. Is it different? I feel bad that Dad is the only male in the house! What was it like for you guys the first couple of months of me being gone? Do you guys anxiously await my weekly emails every Monday or has it become just a normal thing?
Thank you fo your letters to me. I always love reading them. It's always a nice feeling coming home from a days work and being able to relax and read your families letter! I loved reading the one about how you guys met and the proposal! Thank you for sharing that with me! I never really knew. I really like the pictures of your two at Rick's, I look at them often. So many people have told me that I look a lot like you Dad!
Elder Moffat, well now it's Kyle, one of my mission buddies just got engaged. And get this, he is engaged to a sister missionary that served here at the same time, Sister Osman. She's the one that wanted her harmonica back haha! They got engaged 3 months of being home!! Too quick? I don't know, probably! But that's pretty crazy! The wedding is May 7th, so I won't be there sadly! There are like 3 or 4 different RM couple's that are engaged that served here!
Our zone is pretty good. It's not the same with Elder Vargus gone. I love that guy so much! We have a sister here that is from Farmington! Jill Hess. 3 Farmington missionaries! We have lots of young missionaries in the zone that are still adjusting to mission life! But it's a good zone! I think Kingston and Sudbury are the smallest zones in the mission.
Well, I'm running out of things to say lol. Or I just don't know what to talk about. Maybe you guys could ask me some questions next time and that would help a ton! I'm grateful for you all! Each one of you has taught me so much! I'm grateful for the family home evenings we would have. The random family trips we would take! Going to Costco, to the movies, going out for frosties! I always took these experiences for granted, now I'm more grateful than ever. Sisters, know how blessed you are to be in this family. The more and more I'm out here serving the more and more I realize how celestial our family is. I love you Maleah, Brooke, and Amber. Holy cow, I'm tearing up again writing this! Keep going to church, reading the scriptures, and praying~ It's so so, so important. Keep being examples to everybody and stay strong!  I'm your biggest fan. Mom and Dad, can't thank you enough for what you do for me and the fam! You two are my greatest inspirations! Love, Coco

February 13, 2017 Once You Shoot the Ball...

Hey family and friends!! How's it going? My week was pretty good! Sickness is spreading and I've had a pretty bad cold these past couple of days and now Elder Bybee has it and he's been out of it today! haha I'm doing really well though! Having fun and working hard! I gave two blessings this past week to those who are pretty sick! They are feeling better, gotta love the power of the Priesthood!! We received a media referral the other day of a guy who was wanting a Book of Mormon so we have an appointment with him tomorrow, so i'm excited to see what happens!! We had a sweet lesson with an investigator that was searching on Kijiji for a new church! Me and the AP taught him the Restoration about four weeks ago and then family sickness happened and they ended up going to the Hospital! It's pretty crazy! But we taught him the Plan of Salvation this time and he loved it! He had a lot of great questions and really wants to know if what we are talking about is true. So he said that he was going to pray about it! Didn't come to church sadly! :( But hopefully next time! 

Volunteered at Martha's table! That's always a good time talking to people that come in! Prepping food! We had zone conference the other day! Drove three hours to Oshawa to go to this meeting! We had to give an instruction! So of course we related it to basketball. IT was pretty fun though, there was like 50 missionaries and the mission president and we all went into the basketball gym. Elder Bybee started instructing and then i  came running in and shot a three pointer at the buzzer and missed... pretty embarrassing. Then we like six missionaries come up including President Shields and they all took turns shooting it. We related it to missionary work and how once we shoot the ball it's really out of our reach. Leave it up to God on what happens and the amount of success you have! You can be faithful and obedient and do all of the preparation to be a successful missionary but whether or not the person you talk to on the street accepts the message or not is completely up to them! It was really fun, President loved it and kept quoting it in his meeting! haha Lots and lots of snow is falling now! We had like 2 feet yesterday! And it's supposed to fall tomorrow too! It's pretty crazy! Well that's really all that I have right now! I love you guys so much!!!

Forever and Always,

Elder Beddes, Coco, Beds