September 10, 2012 Letter

Hello Family and Friends!

 

It's been a good week this week! We are moving closer and closer to Cubert and Becky's baptism, it's this Saturday!

 

I'll start out by answering a question that a few people have asked me in their letters. As you all know, Elder Kaupert and I actually cover two different areas, the Highland Home Branch (which is Crenshaw County) and the Greenville Branch (Butler County). Some of y'all've asked the ethnicity of the people I'm teaching (if I'm teaching black people or white people). In the Highland Home Branch the members are all white. When we tract in Luverne we find some black folks, but very few; Crenshaw is a very white area of Alabama. In the Greenville Branch the actives are all white (except one older lady) but there are a lot of black less actives. The majority of people we tract into in Greenville have been black, mainly because we have been tracting in black areas of Greenville. Sadly though, our tracting efforts and baptismal committments we've made in Greenville with these people haven't come to fruition. So, the ethnicities we interact with really just depend on where we are.

 

We survived "severe weather week". We had the hurricane/tornado warnings which I talked about last week, but that night the remnants of Isaac came back from the north - we got some pretty bad thunderstorms and 7 inches of rain! We had a Flash Flood Warning for the whole area, and there were a lot of roads closed. Within 1 week we had had 1 Tornado warning, 2 tornado watches, 1 severe thunderstorm warning, 2 flash flood warnings, and a flash flood watch.

 

I know I've mentioned the food in the past, but let me just say this - It's dang good! I love the fried okra! I don't know what people were saying that it was the most disgusting vegetable ever. I haven't tried it boiled or pickled though, which I hear is less good. We get to eat with people a lot; members, less actives and investigators. And it's all pretty good food (and lots of it).

 

The last week and a half or so I have been focused more on faith then I have in the past. I've been reading Ether Chapter 12 at the beginning of each daily personal study. There are so many things that can be applied to all of us - Faith really is the empowering principle of gospel lives.

 

The community was hit by tragedy last week. Two older ladies (members) are in the hospital, and one man ( an inactive member) drowned in a pool yesterday and some homes have burned down. I've never experienced a small town before, but its amazing how in a small town within an hour everyone has heard what is happening. People are a little distressed, hopefully this season of bad luck will end.

 

We had a zone meeting last week (and of course, I had to play the piano :/). We found out that our zone, which only had 4 baptisms in July, had 9 baptisms in August! We also heard that when Elder Koelliker came, he felt like our mission needs to attend the temple more often. Previous to now, missionaries generally get to attend the temple once every 7 to 8 months. We now have a temple trip scheduled for next Friday. I'm glad for the opportunity, its been a while since I've been.

 

The missionaries get to watch the CES firesides. Last night's CES fireside with Elder Holland was GREAT!! He is one of my favorite GAs and the message he gave is so applicable to everyone - I encourage y'all to watch it, I believe its on LDS.org.

 

We have no new investigators this last week, but we've recently got some referrals that I feel really good about. As we've gotten closer to Cubert and Becky's baptism weve been seeing them more and more. Hopefully will have more to report next week on that front. I'll send the pictures I've been taking next week as well.

 

Love y'all and miss y'all!

 

Elder Madsen

 

September 3, 2012 Letter

Hello Family and Friends!!

 

Well, I survived Hurricane Isaac! The Friday before the projections showed it heading straight towards central Alabama so it was kind of crazy here for a few days, but by Monday it was pretty obvious that it was gonna hit west of us. We got very little rain (for a hurricane), less than 1.5 inches from it. We had some exciting, suprising weather though! Hurricanes, as you know, often produce spinoff tornadoes (or, as they say in the south, "tornaders"). 4:00 Thursday Morning we were woken up by a suprise Tornado Warning, so we headed for shelter. We later found out that sirens went off in Highland Home, so I think they detected a funnel cloud, but no tornadoes touched down. We had a tornado watch the next day as well.

 

We had a really good lesson with Cubert and Becky this week on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything just seemed to fall into place. Becky has a sewing shop connected to her house that she runs with Wanda her daughter. Wanda is an inactive member who hasn't been to church for years, and is often in the shop when we teach her parents but she never comes and listens. This lesson she invited herself into the lesson, and was a very active participant. We talked about the importance of the sacrament with all of them, and I feel like it really sunk in. It was the perfect lesson for all of them.

 

Virginia is doing better, and she and Gary were both at church Sunday. Virginia actually got up and bore her testimony, it was a touching experience. The branch has been so good to both of them. They both love coming to church, they just need to be baptized.

 

I've not mentioned Sondra in the last few letters because we've not been able to contact her since that first lesson. She is in Mississippi right now helping family members who were hit by the Hurricane. Her husband should come back from Saudi Arabia in the next one or two weeks, and hopefully well be able to teach them and their children together.

 

Because of the holiday weekend, our Saturday in Greenville was really unproductive. We weren't able to get one lesson! Our investigators in Greenville are dropping like flies (pardon the expression). We've had amazing first lessons with people, even sometimes baptismal date commitments, but every one of them seems to fail. Its too bad really. But we'll keep trying there.

 

As missionaries we have the opportunity to teach the gospel essentials class in the Highland Home branch when we are there. Its a neat class and a neat program to help teach the adults who don't know as much, whether it's because they are recent converts or because they were once less actives. Its good to be able to refine my class-teaching skills since missionary lesson settings are very different. I had the opportunity to teach yesterday (this was my second time) about eternal families, and it went really well. I look forward to continuing being able to teach.

 

All to report now (or at least all the time to!)

Elder Madsen

 

August 27, 2012

Hello Family and Friends!

 

So its official - I will not be included in the transfer meeting on Wednesday - Elder K--and I will be staying in Highland Home. I can't believe its the end of my first of only 16 transfers! Time sure flies on the mission. Im really excited that Im staying here.  I've really grown to love everyone here, and I really wanted to stay for Cubert and Becky's baptism. My address will be good at least till Mid-October.

 

I hear that pictures from Elder Koelliker's visit are on the mission blog already - It was a wonderful experience! It was my first-ever zone conference, and I was able to see Elder F-- and Elder H-- from my MTC district. He taught and trained on a lot of different things, and I won't bore you with a whole lot of details. But he promised us if we can all successfully apply the principles we teach in our own lives so we can teach by example, that our baptismswill double, and I know its true. Something he talked about that really struck me is the importance of establishing standard patterns in our lives that enable us to maximize our potential; as people and, particularly, as missionaries. He talked a lot about a "sense of urgency" and getting excited about the work we do. President Holzapfel also trained us. Something I really like what he talked about is from Chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel about being a successful missionary. Often times we as missionaries are tempted to view numbers as an indication of our success, but If we are doing everything we are supposed to and have the spirit guiding our work, we are successful missionaries. There were so many things I learned, but not enough time to share them all here. I'll share some of them in later letters.

 

I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't excited about the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isaac. A hurricane is something I really want to see while I'm out, and this area is the southernmost area of the mission. Friday it was looking like Isaac was coming straight towards us, so a lot of people in the area were really worried, but as the storm has gotten closer projections have moved it towards Mississippi and maybe even New Orleans. People are still getting ready for it though. Sister M--'s sister from Orange Beach, Alabama is coming up today and staying with the M's for a few days - there have been ordered evacuations on the coast. This area was devastated by Hurricane Opal a long time ago, but that was a Category 4 and it came straight towards us. President Holzapfel has contacted us, is on the watch for potential weather issues, and will direct us via conference call Tuesday Night before the storm hits what we will do. Worst case scenario predicted for this area, according to Sister M--, is 45 mph winds and 8 inches of rain, so we should be fine. We're opening the church for people with mobile homes though, because a lot of the poorer people's homes aren't as stable.

 

Uncle John came a few days ago. Uncle John is Brother M--'s 92-year old uncle who lives in Tennessee, but spends a few months of the year with the M--s. Its amazing how so many of the really older people in their 90s are so full of energy (they've been working their whole lives) and the young people are just lazy (blunt, but true). Uncle John is 92 and he's out riding around the property on the gator doing chores and cleaning things. I hope I will be that way when Im old.

 

The work is going well too! When in Greenville on Saturday and Sunday we were able to recontact some previous investigators we had lost contact with. I think I have mentioned this in a previous letter, but Greenville is a pretty anti-mormon area. Its frustrating because most of the people we teach are very poor and in projects, and they don't stay in one area for long. But we are at least planting seeds, and we have a couple progressing investigators there. There's a man there that the missionaries have been friends with for a while. He's plays the piano and organ for a number of  churches. He took us out to dinner at Cracker Barrel Saturday night and we had some good conversation with him.

 

I'ts a blessing that we aren't being transferred this month, because we probably didn't have enough miles on our car to get us where we needed to be.

 

We had a nice dinner at Cubert and Becky's on Friday, where we left a spiritual thought with them. They are still coming to church and we are moving ahead with them. Yall are probably wondering why its taking a while with them, but remember Cubert and Becky are older, and, from what experience I've had, It often is harder for the older folks to have big changes in their lives, such as baptism. But we are so proud of them and are excited for their planned September 15th baptism.

 

Well, thats all here. Hope to hear from yall! Love ya!

 

Elder Madsen

 

August 20, 2012

Hello!

 

Hope yall are doin well. Things have been going well here.

 

Not a whole lot to report. We did companionship exchanges again this last week, this time with our district leader. Elder K---- and Elder C---(our DL) went up to Montgomery, and Elder D---(other DL) came down here with me. It was a big growing experience for me, as I had to pretty much run the show for a day. That day we were able to see Tiffany's children (I can't remember if I've mentioned Tiffany - shes a less active) and have a good lesson with them. We also biked up to Highland Home and saw Gary and Virginia. Virginia went to the hospital in Montgomery on Thursday for high blood pressure, and as far as I know shes still there. Please keep her in your prayers.

 

Its been kind of a weird week this week. We've pretty much been in the Highland area the whole week. Elder K--- front tire popped so we've been doing a lot of walking. Funny enough the day after our flat tire we got another flat tire - this one on the car. Evidently our luck was on vacation or something. Because of the exchange, we didn't have time to go to Luverne this week. We did a lot of service in Highland Saturday morning. We helped S----- put a tarp on her roof for leaks until J---- gets back and they can replace the roof. We spent late morning-early afternoon helping B---  and S---- put vinyl siding on their house. B---- and S---- are great people, and it was great to see them at church the next day. Because of the service in Highland, we weren't able to get to Greenville until after 3.

 

Church on Sunday we spent at the Highland Home branch. We had a great, really productive coordination meeting with L--- (the branch mission leader) and President H----. We had a high councilor speaker in Sacrament Meeting and a linger longer afterwords with sandwiches and treats. The linger longer ("Hat Day") was a success, but we only had 75 people (compared with 102 for the activity last month). We've had attendance at 69-71-75 the first three sundays of August. We need to have at least 65 people next week to get the 70+ monthly average for the new building.

 

As I said, not a whole lot to report this week. No new investigators. We weren't in Greenville very long, or in Luverne at all, so no tracting into new investigators this week. Danny, the newly called executive secretary in Highland, brought his grandkids to church yesterday though - we hope to teach them and their family in the upcoming weeks.

 

Haha, I just realized that I almost forgot to mention C--- and B---. They are moving ahead - we taught them the Plan of Salvation this last week, and are still set for the September baptism date. They've invited us to dinner for this Friday. They've been at church every Sunday, and are very much already a part of the branch.

 

I've been having to play the piano much more than I thought I would have to when I came out - for some reason there's a huge lack of piano players in the mission. Ive been having to play at our district meetings, and our zone meeting we had a few weeks ago. The mission conference we have on Wednesday this week I have to play for. Keep me in your prayers. Playing when there's a general authority is pretty intimidating. Ive been practicing but I need all the help I can get, and practice time on the mission of course is very limited. I have improved a lot with my playing since Ive come out though.

 

Weve gotten a lot of storms the past few weeks. Alabama rain is very different than im used to. It pours and pours and pours. And then it stops, just like that. But Ive never seen rain come down as fast before in my life.

 

I was able to catch most of President Monson's birthday fireside Saturday night. I hope yall were able to see that. It was very well done and they had amazing guest artists.

 

Well, I guess thats all for now. Yall are welcome to mail me letters, I love to read them! Its exciting to hear from all of you how things are back home. Hope all is well.

 

Love yall!

 

Elder Coleman Madsen

 

August 13, 2012

Hello Family and Friends!!

It is appropriate for everyone to email me at my residence address. I've gotten a few letters that people have sent to the mission, and while those letters get to me eventually, they are delayed about two weeks. (Why it takes them so long to forward them I don't know).

The last week started out well. Last Tuesday President and Sister Holzapfel came to our district meeting. It was a really good experience. I had another opportunity to interview with him. He's an amazing man. After the district meeting when we came back home, Elder K--and I did a practice baptism, so I'm officially trained and ready now to baptize people. So now we just need more people who are ready to be baptized! ;)

In my letter from Dad I realized that I haven't told you all a lot about Elder K--- besides what I put in my first letter. His family is from the Monterey Bay area of California. He's a fitness and health guru, and is the first person I've met (besides Mom) who reads the labels on my food more than I do. He's awesome though. He really likes listening to all different kinds of music. He's a great teacher and a great trainer. I'm blessed to have been able to get to know him.

We had branch conference in Greenville yesterday, so we actually spent two whole days there. Branch Conference was a good experience. It was funny because since so many stake people came down we had 40 people instead of the usual 15. I was able to meet the Montgomery Stake President. President Holzapfel and President B--- both went on a radio talk show about a month and a half ago and answered questions about the church. This was before I got here, but I tell you because it would be something interesting for you to look up and listen to. After Branch Conference we had a luncheon where we had an opportunity to interact with the Greenville members, which we needed.

I can't remember if I told you about Conrad last week. Awesome guy, awesome lesson. He flat out told us that he knew what we were teaching was true, then and there. We visited him again on Saturday and he's going out of town for about a month for family reasons, so we're gonna have to delay teaching him, which is a bummer but life is life I guess. We've been tracting a lot of government projects, which is good because often people are very receptive, but the bad thing is that people move out a lot.

  

J-- is in Saudi Arabia now and will be there for a month on an oil rig. S---(his wife) and the kids have committed to be baptized when he gets back, but definitely want to wait until then, which I understand. We went over and visited them again this week, and they are doing well. His mother and her "common-law husband" are also investigators and regularly attend church, but until they are married in an official ceremony they aren't eligible for baptism. I don't know if y'all know what common law is, I didn't until I got out here. Once a couple has lived together for six months, they can claim "common law" and receive the same benefits a married couple would without officially getting married. The difference between it and marriage is that a common law marriage ends when you stop living with that person, so you don't have to go through divorce. The church, understandably, doesn't recognize common-law marriages.

Wednesday we met the nicest 92-year old lady who promptly invited us in. Man, she was a talker. We sat there for an hour and fifteen minutes trying to start a lesson but every time we would start she would start talking about someone else. I feel like we normally do a good job with controlling the conversations we have with people, but we totally lost this one. We  plan to go back and teach her this next week though.

The food here is very similar to food back home. A lot of Buffet places, especially for an isolated place like Highland home. A couple from the ward took Elder K--- and I out to a buffet called "It Dont Matter" about a week and a half ago, and I must say it was pretty good. I tried fried ocra there for the first time. It was ok, but not something I would eat on a regular basis. Pretty much the only difference between food out west and food in the south is that in the south they fry everything and have about twice as many vegetables. Of course, all nutritional value that one could gain from these vegetables is negated by the copious amounts of oil, lard or batter that they are cooked in.

I think I mentioned this in a previous letter, but its kind of funny how up-to-date on current events we are from our conversations with people. We obviously aren't supposed to bring up subjects like that, but if they start talking about it we let them talk and just agree with what theyre saying.

One thing I have gained since I have gotten here is an appreciation for my gospel upbringing, and for the priesthood and temple blessings. There are a lot of people here who haven't received those temple blessings, even active members of the church, and its too bad, because the temple provides us with so much strength. As missionaries we try to help recent converts and less actives get to the temple, because its in the temple that the gospel blessings can be fully realized.

Let me know how yall are doing, I love you all!

Elder Madsen

Coleman and his companion

August 6, 2012

Ive had a really good last week!

 

Wednesday we had a zone meeting in Prattville. Montgomery Zone is the lowest baptizing zone in the mission, so the assistants came and basically told us to step it up. The south itself is a historically lower baptizing area than the rest of the world, but over the last 10 years all of the southern missions have seen dramatic increases in baptisms. Except the Alabama Birmingham Mission. But now we are experiencing that growth. The mission had a record of baptisms last month and we are definitley moving in the right direction. President Holzapfel is an amazing man, who I wouldn't be suprised to see on the General Authority chart in the next year or two, no joke. He is definitley leading our mission to success.

 

I went on my first companion exchange after the zone meeting on Wednesday. I spent the day in Prattville, a richer city northwest of Montgomery, with one of my zone leaders Elder H---. He's on his last transfer but is still focused on the work. We tracted out portions of the town and didn't have a whole lot of succes, but had a really good meeting with a former investigator and I wouldnt be suprised if it resulted in a baptism.

 

Friday we had the unique opportunity of having the C---s, a senior couples, come to Highland Home and spend part of the day with us. They coordinate a "Master Teacher program" in the mission, and they taught us how to teach. They were able to come to a few appointments with us. I feel like their instruction was super-informative, even more so than a lot of the stuff that I learned in the MTC. There are some things that you just can't learn until you are out in the field. Partly because of their instruction, Elder K-- and I have really mastered how to teach the first lesson together, and we got three new investigators in Greenville yesterday, one who is already committed to a baptismal date even though we only met him that once. We were on fire that day. Three investigators probably doesn't sound like a whole lot, but for Greenville it definitely is. The area has never held a lot of success.

 

There's a lot of interesting history to the area. To give you an idea of the climate back then, since there's been a mormon church in highland home (in the 20s or so) the church has been burned down by arson twice. This current building they are in the fourth that they've had, and its pretty old. They are scheduled to get a new one in the next few years. Theres some interesting histories that Ill have to send to you at some point.

 

Cubert and Becky are doing really well, and have been coming to church every week. Theres another family that we saw on Friday, that also has committed to be baptized, though they haven't put a date on it yet. That baptismal committment was a miracle! The mom was a devout baptist, but we had the C---s with us, and she slowly softened her heart. The gospel is true for everyone, people just have to lower the walls that they put up in their minds. Things are going really well here!

 

We have a multi-zone conference in two weeks with Elder Koelliker (i think thats how you spell it) of the Seventy in Birmingham.

 

Our mission has been used for pilot programs a lot. One that we are doing right now, although I think they are implementing it world-wide now, is ti-wi boxes in our cars, that track how fast we are going and where we are and sends the information to Salt Lake. A dinger goes off when you speed, and with so many violations your driving privileges can be suspended. Kind of annoying, but I see why they do it.

 

I haven't even told you about the dogs yet. The M--s, especially Sister M--, (family whose property they live on) love dogs and cats. They have 9 dogs and I don't even know how many cats. The inside dogs are Molly, George, Dutch and Pete, and the outside dogs are Heidi, Spike, Emma, and I can't remember the other two's names right now. But i'll send you pictures of Molly and Pete, my favorites, at some point.

 

Weve been blessed with rain lately. Alabamas had a drought along with the rest of the country, and its been nice to have the rain to cool everything off.

 Love you all!

 

Elder Madsen

 

 

July 30, 2012

Elder Madsen in Alabama

Hi Family and Friends!

This week has been a good week. No doubt you've seen the pictures on President's blog of our Pioneer day extravaganza in Highland Home.

Its been really hot! The heat index (which combines the temperature and the humidity) has been over 110.

Where he lives

The work here in Highland Home has been really successful. Cubert and his wife Becky accepted a commitment to be baptized on Friday. It was the first baptismal committment that I, personally, extended. In Highland weve been trying to motivate the less active to come out to church. Here in Alabama there are more (or at least it seems like there's more) less active than there are active, so we as missionaries spend a lot of time with them. This area isn't generally known for a lot of baptisms, but we have been making a lot of progress in the last couple weeks. We've had good sacrament meeting attendance in the branches too!

We had my first district meeting last Wednesday. There are only six of us: Elder and Sister B---, a senior military relations couple serving in Montgomery, and Elder C--- (my district leader) and Elder D---, who serve in the Capitol ward, also in Montgomery. We normally have to drive up to Montgomery for district meeting, but because everyone is so short on miles the couple missionaries drove the Capitol elders down here since they drive their own car. We talked a lot about how to integrate service into our routines. We have a zone meeting in Montgomery this Wednesday, which I think will take most of the day.

Everyone down here is "kin". Its kinda different because, through marriage, the Highland Home branch is pretty much one giant extended family (literally!). The hardest thing is trying to memorize/internalize how everyone is related.

Our tendency, now, is to each week spend one day in Luverne, one or two days in Greenville, two days in Honoraville, and the rest of our time in Highland Home. Its really interesting that, although its not the largest town, 90% of the members in our area live in Highland Home, which is probably like 40% LDS (including inactive).

We cover a whole lot of area (two and a half counties), and still somehow manage to stay within our quota on miles. Weve gone on some pretty insane bike rides. Ill wager (and im not exaggerating) that Elder K and I ride our bikes more than any other companionship in the mission.

Saturdays we usually go over to Greenville and focus our efforts there. Every other weekend (this last weekend) we spend the night in the upstairs of the church to save miles, and then attend sacrament meeting with the Greenville Branch. The branch pretty much consists of President N and his family, his parents, one other couple and their son, and a few less actives. So we had 16 in branch yesterday, including us, which was above average. Elder K and I gave the sacrament meeting talks. Really nice people. 

I included a picture of our "poolhouse" where we live .  The people here have a lot of land. The M--- (family they live with) have a forest and a pond and more outbuildings than I can count. Brother M--- collects a whole lot of old items. He has covered wagons and handcarts and cotton gins and a whole lot of other things that I have no idea what they are. I have only seen a small portion of the property but what I've seen has been very impressive.

Alabama is the 2nd poorest state in the nation (or so I've been told), and this particular area of Alabama is one of the poorest. There are a lot of people, mainly older people, that work the land and have been here a long time, and they are some of the hardest working people I have ever met. Different areas have different problems. I stand by what I said last week though, that these are some of the nicest people that I have ever met.

I have to thank the Allens for the Subway card they gave me. It saved me when I was really hungry a couple of days this week.

They have these really pretty flowering bush/tree/plant things here called crepe myrtles. They are my favorite thing in the wildlife I've seen so far.

I feel like I am becoming a better missionary, and am enjoying my time here! Thanks for all the letters family and friends, its good to here from you all! I promise that, if Ive not responded to you yet, that I will soon!

Love you all!

Elder Coleman Madsen.

(Susan: The following are some photos off the mission blog.  Thanks to the Mission President for posting them.  You can see more at alabamamissionupdate.blogspot.com)

Some brethren from the Highland Home branch w/missionaries

Highland Home Missionaries (Elders Madsen and Kaupert)

Coleman and his companion at Pioneer Day Celebration