Happy Halloween!!

My family!!!

(It's getting kinda cold...please, no comments from Russia :)haha)

Hey guess what, we had a tornado here this week. Apparently, homes were destroyed and I'm not sure if anyone was hurt( hopefully not)...anyhow it was in our area in a place called Irvington. Luckily we weren't over there that day:) Wanna here a cool thing that happened?....Well we were having our lunch break, and I decided I wanted to look up a word in the dictionary. Anyhow, it was an old dictionary of Sis. Jernigan's that I use every once in a while. Well, this time, it flipped back to the very back cover and I found an old blue envelope. I opened the envelope, and to my great surprise..their was money in it: not just a few dollars, I'm talking about a wad of cash! The first bill was a hundred dollar bill. I was thinking, " Holy Moses! Is this real?" I've never seen so many Benjamins in my life:) So we took it to Sis. Jernigan and she was pretty surprised...she had no idea that was in there. Well, she counted it, and the total came to two thousand eight hundred fifty dollars!! She said her late husband was always hiding money and would forget where he put it :) Anyways that was so cool. She deserved it for all the good that she does. She is a Saint...she helps everyone with anything. Haha just a few days before, she bought Sis. Mickelson new shoes because her old ones were breaking. ANyways, she said she would have given the money to me if she was allowed to... and I know she would have too ( for those who don't know we cannot accept money from people...against missionary rules.) Anyways, it was pretty cool.I love being a missionary. The Lord loves all of us so much. It has been really neat to see my prayers answered that I have been offering for quite some time. The Sanders family let us back in their home this week!!!! I love that family so much. The first lesson I ever taught as a missionary was to that sweet family. For a long time, I thought that they stopped investigating because they weren't ready. Well, that's only partly true. I have found that it was also because I wasn't yet that missionary they needed. I feel that I have been trained in the last few months to be the missionary that more of His children need. Isn't that wonderful? How merciful is our God? During Sacrament this week, I read the words of a hymn. Reverently and Meekly Now..i think that's the one-- the words are spoken as if coming from the Savior. When I read them, it felt as though He were truly speaking to me. I am one of the ransomed ones. Is that not most humbling? During our last zone conference, I had a sweet experience. All were gathered in the circle allowing for each to see one another. I noticed our name tags with the name of Christ written upon them. I was shown a different perspective. In that moment, I did not view everyone as missionaries but as those ransomed ones. Jesus Christ has ransomed all, and He has written his name over the hearts of each. As I sat reflecting upon it, I pictured in my mind, His others who know not of Him that we see walking by us on the streets or at their doors with His name also written upon their hearts signifying His payment for them by that great sacrifice. "Oh, ( I thought) if I could only see them this way always." What a great dependency we all have upon Him! This is where we are all united, we, each, have been ransomed by the Lamb of God, the One prophesied of from the beginning. Does not that, alone, make each one special and each one beloved?

Love Y'all,Bonnie ( sister Colvin)

Hola (in honor of Mom)

Ha ha I love you crazy ones.How are y'all? We had a great week. We met with Trey & Nga and it was awesome. Their uncle sat in on some of the lesson. Afterwards he was telling me how he was their uncle...pointing to the boys in the room saying they were his "nieces" & pointing to the girls calling them his "nephews" hehe that's so cute. I love that family! It is so fun how crazy it gets at their house: they've got a ton of people living there, lots of bantering in a language I do not know, 8 little kids running around screaming, there's always something being cooked in the kitchen, we-as is their custom-remove our shoes before coming in, a lot of smiling, a lot of love, one of their nephews is half asian/half white..so Trey& Nga call him "white boy" as a pet-name, all have a lot of responsibilities in the family, it is just great...they treat you like their own.Anyhow, Sis. Mickelson are getting along really well. I love how companions become like added, well, sisters.We are serving with some great people & have been able to see some wonderful things.Stake Conference was yesterday and Pres. Spencer(stake president) came down and walked out among the people. He had asked everyone who had been away from the church and recently come back ( as well as those who had just joined the church to stand up). He greeted each of them on bended knee putting a ring on their finger and then embraced them. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Many were in tears over the wonderful feelings of love and joy.Elder Kleinman( an outstanding person) who was sitting next to me is blind. He said, " What's happening Sister Colvin?" I tried my best to describe it to him. Afterwards I said, "I wish you could have seen it." He then told me that even though he is blind, he could still feel the spirit that was in the room during that time.Blindness, seemingly a hinderance, has not the ability to withold things communicated spiritually. The Holy Spirit speaks directly to the heart...even the broken I might add. How lucky that Elder is to be able to see the world through his spiritual eyes alone. I am grateful for my sight of course, but it was inspiring to behold the example of the wonderful love God shows in granting us our weaknesses.Love Bonnie...ps: I challenge you all to pay close attention this week to the content of you hearts. See that it is filled with Love and Hope. Ask the Father to help you strip away anger, pride, & negativity. See if it does not lead you to do good and to be ridiculously happy!

This weak I mean week, ha ha

hey ya'll,Yet again...we are in the library with the slowest computers in Mobile. Anyways, it has been another week filled with good. :) We had a great meeting with Trey (17 yrold Vietnamese Boy). He doesn't speak English very well...so there is a great adaptation needed in our lessons. Basically everything has to be taught as if you would teach a young child. It gets interesting at times. There's alot of improvisation required. For example, We were trying to teach him that through Jesus Christ we can be cleansed from sin. Well, he was having a hard time understanding....so... my hand (representing Trey) was trying to get to a picture of the Sun ( representing the Celestial Kingdom or Heaven),,,,however, he was being blocked by a baby sized shoe(representing sin). I pulled out a Finding Faith in Christ pass-along card. In the end, the card (representing Jesus Christ) picked up "Trey" carried him over "sin"( or the shoe) and took him to "heaven". It was really funny and we all laughed. He is so wonderful. We taught him how to pray and he's been practicing and doing really well. Him and his sister Nga ("Nyeh") are the only ones in their family who do not believe in Buddha but in Jesus Christ. The only explanation I can offer for why that is, is because they are choice spirits and must have been very valiant before this life.Many times I find myself, ( when i'm not being a prideful and ridiculous creature) that I am truly nothing before my Lord. I am absolutley and fully Nothing without His help. Many times I will meet a person or persons who I know, without a doubt, fought for His cause with greatness in the pre-existence. It is quite humbling. Sometimes I think, " well, who am I to tell them these things or even about Christ...for they truly knew it? Such people as these..so much worth, so much value... what an honor it is to present that to them here."I think these realizations have come much because I have been trying to work on NOT having pride rule my heart. Now that has been a hard thing. How many times does one have to check herself on that topic? Probably a million.... I am so frustrating at times. Pray that the Lord will mold me into what I am meant to be. I hope to be more of a reflection of Him....

My Mission Pres. is Awesome by the way

Family of Colvins,
This week was good. On Pday we played v-ball again...I played for like 3 hours straight and wow,,,I was sore the next day. It was fun...I got to (as the elders would say it) "pancake" Elder Jambon (simply meaning that I blocked him) which, is funny because I'm way shorter.Anyways, I LOVED conference! The best talk was given by Elder Wirthlin.What power he has! He gave everything he had to stay up there and deliver. Not only was that amazing, but the best thing to witness was the loving kindness the apostles have for one another. It was a blessing to see Elder Nelson up there with him, sustaining him.I'm not sure I have yet told you how privileged one is to be serving with Sis. Mickelson. I am utterly amazed by her. I am certainly glad that I've learned a long time ago not to compare. Otherwise, I fear that serving with her would be a very painful experience; she's so good! :) But anyways, I tried something different in my studies this week. As I was reading the Book of Mormon, I read aloud, speaking as if the words truly were being spoken by the prophets at that moment. Well, I have found something wonderful in it. As it came to life, the spirit was more easily conveyed, more easily felt. I was there. I think, that the Book of Mormon deserves to be read with passion. It should be read with as much care and as much power as it is powerful. When we casually read it, I feel we, in a way, harden our hearts to the reality, spirituality, and blessing of it....even that cheer in our hearts. I'm not saying that one needs to read it aloud, but with care. This is something I have learned this week.I'm sure you already know these things, but I guess I just wanted you to know that I'm growing. Mom & Dad, yes i did like conference. Haha I told my comp about Glen today, the cherry bomb, and Pres. Ford Sarah!! Hi. I just finished your tape...hopefully I don't sound crazy... I was a little tired when recording it. Thanks for the Vitamin C.I love this work.Rose & Tres, I miss ya. Trish & Robert, I think I'm getting better at my singing. I've been doing the things you both showed me and have been able to project much better.....although unfortunately, a bit too much. One elder said I was loud :) I guess I'll save that for the stage...haha Gab, there's a gabby in my ward here & I adopted her as my temporary Gabby until I'm home again :) Ben & Zack, keep doing funny& silly things you're only little once. Abby & Grant, I love you two crazy-heads.Jacob & Ammon I also want to encourage you both in your dedication to our Savior. Thank you both for striving to be obedient in all things. When I'm a little sad because of some who do "withhold their labor" from Him, I think of you both, knowing you're working hard, and I feel comforted.
Take Luck,
Sister Colvin
PS: I thought I'd be as awesome as other people and write a "book" this time.
Ps;; we were at the Odom's house & my comp was looking all around for a cat she thought she saw.......came to find out that it was a painting on the wall.....haha its funny that Brother Odom not sis. Odom is the one who owned the kitty painting

HI!!!!!

Hey Y'all,Tis' I again.

I"m trying to think...it's so hard to remember everything that happens in a week...Dad, thanks so much for the weather channel flashlight/radio...it's awesome. I was very happy to get it, and also the letter. It made my week :) So how's ere-body?Well things are continueing to go well here. I'm staying in Mobile another transfer much to my satisfaction. President Summerhays called me the other day asking me about how the area was going etc. He said that He would trust both myself and Sis. Mickelson to train the new sisters coming out, but he said he didn't want to break up a good thing. So, Sis. Mickelson and I are still together. I was really nervous when he called because I was worried he was going to ask me to train. Ha ha...Sister Jernigan was really happy I get to stay :) I am too. So, we met a strange man the other day. He said, " I'm a pirate...that's why I'm drinking beer". haha We actually ran into him the next day and he was saying, " Remember me? I'm a pirate" and then bent his finger into a hook shape and said, " ARRRRR!" ANyways,,, I've learned a long time ago that it is not usually worth the effort to try to teach an inebriated (did I spell that right?) person. Thought y'all would find some humor in it....that stuff happens all the time.We also met another interesting character. We were tracting ( which is awesome) and we met Curtis, a 70 year old man. He was utterly convinced that he was infact a smarter than...well, pretty much everybody. He talked and talked and talked...rather quickly too. He kept saying stuff like.."well you don't know this but.." "now you wouldn't know anything about this but..." " I know more than you do about Mormons" you've never heard of this I'm sure..." Wow, it was very interesting. There wasn't really anything we could say to him; he wasn't really a listener. However, the best part was...in the middle of his frantic rambling, Sister Mickelson looked Curtis in the eyes and said, " You know, God loves you." The strangest thing happened...it literally put a hitch in his preaching. He seemed quite taken aback and then quickly tried to recover by saying "uh,well Yes He does". Is it not the greatest of all? Love. Especially the love of God, it is what reminds us all of the bigger picture. It takes a step back from doctrinal disputes, and one can see what matters....and that is infact Love.Look it up, go in the topical guide in the scriptures and look up Love. There are so many places where that word is made mention. Let us all take a new view on the importance of that word. It is the answer to all and the solution to all. Let us all search for it and find it. Let us all have that in our hearts. As Latterday Saints we absolutely have to have enough Hope in our hearts, enough Love in our hearts to not only sustain ourselves but to freely give to others. THEY NEED IT. There isn't enough in this world and too many go far too long without it. So go out and Love with all your hearts!

Love Sister

Bonnie Colvin

Ps; I love my family