Zone conference- May

 

Another GREAT Week

Hello everyone!!

What a wonderful week. I just love being a missionary. Here's your rundown:)

☆ We started the week off with a dinner meeting at President and Sister Rodarte's house and all the leadership in Henderson. We discussed the "Henderson stigma" which is the idea that when you serve in Henderson, you only find about 2-3 people a week and no one gets baptized. Which is totally not true! But when missionaries have that mindset, their expectations lower and the work doesn't progress as fast. So we all counciled together about how to change this. President was like "it's up to you to change what I couldn't in 3 years. And do it today." Haha so this week we really focused on helping eachother grow our faith to find. And the outcome was amazing!! In one week, our zone doubled the amount of new people they found to teach. Killing the Henderson mindset!!! Miracles! The Lord really is preparing so many people to hear the message of the gospel.

☆ We had such a good exchange this week! The sisters we were with are POWERFUL missionaries! It was amazing!

During the morning, we were walking down the street about to go knock on someone's door and all of a sudden, Sister Klvacek goes, "252... that number just popped in my head so we need to go to 252." A little thrown off, we looked around and about 3 houses down, there's house 252! So we walked up to it and there were many very aggressive "No Soliciting" signs all over. Somewhat nervous, we knocked on the door and this YSA aged guy comes out. He was super nice and said he's actually been meaning to come back to church! It was so cool! So now we're going to start teaching him!!

☆ We had a lesson with this girl named Haylee this week that the elders referred to us. During the lesson, we asked her how she felt about baptism and she said it was something that she wants to do but not for a while. After teaching the importance of baptism, we asked her to look at the calendar and pick a day for when the Lord wants her to be baptized. She goes, "31st." We were all shocked. 8 days!! haha that's definitely not in a while. She had only been to church once so after talking about it a little more, she's now on date for June 4th, this Sunday!! Please pray for her!

☆ Last miracle, Lorenzo got baptized!! After his baptism, we asked how he felt and he said, "fresh." He was smiling from ear to ear and couldn't stop. It was so sweet. ♡

☆ 2 Nephi 33:6 "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell."

I glory in my Jesus! He is great! And we wouldn't be able to do any of this work without Him. I love Him. He is the way.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Coon

Pictures!

- Emil

- FHE: judging food

- moving project

- moving pt. 2

- exchanges!!

- exchanges pt. 2!

- temple trip w recent converts

- MLC

- Lorenzo got baptized!!

- Henderson meeting

Letter from Dad

Hello Annie Girl,

I just received your travel itinerary and it is making me trunky!  I know you will work until the very moment the release is made. The great blessing is that this small moment, in the grand scheme of eternity, will set you up with a firm foundation in this life and the life to come. You have had 18 months to do it and now a lifetime to reflect on our Heavenly Fathers' love for each of his children. I know you have experienced that feeling of love for the people that have been taught. It will be fun to visit your journal entries and feel the Spirit of all the random experiences. 

Forgive me if I have already told you about Bill and Freeda. But they were a very elderly couple we taught. The most kind, Christ-loving, people. Bill had stomach cancer and Freeda's health was declining. They had been taught before and LOVED the missionaries. They never were baptized, but I still have this sweet spot in my heart for Bill and Freeda. I know The Plan is just and merciful. Heavenly Father will provide the blessings. I did try to find them on FamilySearch, it would be so great if a relative was able to do their work. 

Katie's boys are so cute. You will love being with them. Little Wayne does not let Katie out of his eyesight. Ben is a car-loving, non-risk-taking real boy. James is in Cali selling solar until his real job starts in mid-July. His little Ivy is such a good-natured little baby with delicate, supple skin and very blue eyes. Hannah is having fun and is a valiant young woman. I will be ready for her steady friend to head out for the summer.  Mom is happy and I hope to always do what I can to keep her smile bright. I need her... 

I sure enjoy reading through the inspired Mission Plans you send. The Lord appreciates effort coupled with faith. I think you are the best, just a sweet and tender spot inside of my heart. What a blessing you are to our family. 

I love you forever and always,

Dad

Scoon Lives On

Hello everyone!

Hope you had a wonderful week! Today we got our transfer news and Sister Scott and I are staying in the ysa ward! I'm so grateful I get to finish my mission here I love this area and these people.

Highlights from this week:

☆ Kamrynn was baptized and confirmed! YAY! After her baptism, we asked her how it was and she said, "as soon as I went under the water, I felt so much peace. It was like the world stopped for a second. It was amazing." Love that response! Love her and love this gospel!

☆ Our friend, Lorenzo who is getting baptized at the end of this month, came to church for the first time! He said as soon as he walked into the chapel, he could feel the spirit so strong. We haven't even been able to have a second lesson with him but he is so elect. Earlier this week, he was talking to his friend who doesn't believe in God. He told them to "come to my church and you'll change your mind." Haha he's awesome and is so excited for his baptism! Please keep him in your prayers <3

☆ We stopped by our neighbor, Emil, for a second and was able to chat with his friend "Money Penny." She told us how she's met with missionaries in the past but got scared so stopped having them over. But that she actually REALLY wants to learn. Her husband past away a few years ago and then just last year, her boyfriend past away. We were able to have such a good conversation and then SHE asked US to take her number. We're going to be meeting with her tomorrow to talk more about the Plan of Salvation! And she has 3 ysa aged kids! The Lord is truly preparing so many people to learn about His gospel. 

"O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit" (2 Nephi 9:10). I read this scripture in my personal study this morning and loved it! Oh how great the goodness of our God. He has prepared the way for us and has a perfect plan. As we trust in Him, everything will work out.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Coon

Pictures!

- Kamrynn got baptized!

- lunch date with the sisters! A Vietnam vet came up to us and told us we were having too much fun haha

- Mission Leadership Council

- CUTIE girl + the sisters who found her

- the BEST neighbor making us some egg salad sandwiches

- IHOP with the district

- sitting in an 8 hour long MLC meeting

- exchanges with Sister Wrigley! We set their friend, Vincent, on date!

- district council

Your Missionary Release

01 May 2023

To the Family of Sister Coon,

I am pleased to inform you that Tuesday, June 20, 2023 will be the last day Sister Coon will serve as a missionary in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sister Coon should meet with her Stake President as soon as possible, at which time, she will be formally released from her missionary service in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission.

Please know that Sister Coon has been faithful and diligent in all the sacred responsibilities she was assigned.  She has also served honorably, representing your family, this Mission, the Church and, most importantly, our Heavenly Father in this sacred calling.

Sister Rodarte and I have grown to love and respect Sister Coon and are grateful for her increased love of our Savior.

I want to express my appreciation to you for sharing your daughter with us, and may the Lord continue to bless you and your family.

Kindest regards,

Miracles x 1000

Hello friends & family!

Okay, I have a lot to say because it's been a second since I've shared the WONDERFUL miracles that have been going on over here in Henderson! It has been SO GOOD!! I love serving my Lord! So here ya go:

☆ Kamrynn is getting baptized TONIGHT!!! YAY! I don't even think I've talked about her yet but she is amazing!! I love her!

Kamrynn's wanted to be baptized for a while and already seems like a member haha. But her parents weren't supportive so she had told us that she wanted to wait until their hearts were softened. A few days after that, we got a call from her saying, "I want to be baptized on May 1st!" She decided that this gospel was something that she loved and knew was true and nothing could stop her from it. Her parents still aren't excited about it but they support her. She's such an inspiration!

☆ If you remember, at the beginning of this transfer, we met this guy who said he wanted to change his whole lifestyle and learn more about the gospel. Well, he is getting baptized on May 21st! He's probably one of my favorite people I've taught on my mission. Just so funny!!!

This week he texted us at 5 in the morning saying, "Got any church stuff going on today? I spent like 2 grand on a church outfit and I'M HERE TO FLEX." HAHA so we decided to show him around the temple! and it was so good!! as we were sitting in the lobby, we asked him how he felt. He said, "it feels like the church, but different. I can feel it in my stomach."

SO basically, he's just the best and calls us "scoon" (Scott + Coon). He still has A LOT of things to overcome but is working on it! Please keep Patrick in your prayers!!

☆ Another story:) About 9 months ago, we felt like we should call this random number on our phone and ended up having a lesson with Lauquaua! We invited her to be baptized right there in that phone call and she said yes!!! But she was living in the West mission so we sent her information over. 3 weeks later, she was baptized! What a miracle!! A few weeks after that, she visited my ward so we could meet! It was so fun. But then we lost touch and I hadn't heard from her since.

This week however, I had the thought to check her profile on areabook and it turns out she moved back into this mission! AND into this ward!! What!!! So we knocked her door that day and had a good ol' reunion with lots of excited screaming and tight hugs haha.

☆ Then, we met Lauquaua's mom's fiancé, Rocky, who isn't a member. Sweet older guy. Seriously, just so much love for all these people. We had an amazing pass off lesson about the Restoration with them. As we stated the First Vision, he was glued. His eyes and ears were zoned into the message and the spirit was so palpable. We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!!! It was so funny, as we were extending the invitation, one of the elders jaw dropped because he was surprised that we were inviting him right there! But Rocky was ready and the spirit said go for it haha. Now he's working towards May 12th to be baptized.

These are all such amazing experiences that I'm so grateful to witness. This work is real and it is good! All glory to God! 

Love you all! Hope you're doing well and have a wonderful week!

xoxo sister coon

LOTS of Pictures

 Pictures from the last 3 weeks!

- our recent convert, Audrey 

- teaching mission prep

- exchanges with Sister Wrigley and Sister Jenks pt. 1

- lesson with Kamrynn, Jeremy, and Adi

- zone breakout room 

- hiked to the Hoover Dam 

- pass off lesson with the Elders, Rocky, Kalani, Lauquaua, and her daughter!

- temple walk with Patrick and Erik

- outreach!!

- reunion with Lauquauau after 9 months!

- exchanges with Sister Malmstrom

- exchanges pt. 2

- tired sisters 

- temple walk with Jhervon and Abby

- sportin' the new suit

- exchanges with Sister Eastman

- moutain biking

- that's pretty neat

- street contacting with my long lost cousins (@ Mangum's)

- lunch w Sister Stott and Sister Rigby

Letter from Katie

Hi Annie!

I hope you have had a fabulous week! Earlier this week, I was stalking your instagram account because I miss you and I was loving to look at all of your photos and videos. You are so happy and filled with so much love and joy and that is definitely evident in all of your pictures! All I could think was, "Annie is so pretty!" 

That thought, "Annie is so pretty!" made me think of a talk by Elaine S. Dalton (who was the General Young Women's President when I was in YW's) called, "Remember Who You Are." This talk made a huge impact in my life. She tells of how she learned as a young woman what true beauty is. She calls it "deep beauty"..."the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out. It is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically created, or purchased. It is the kind of beauty that doesn’t wash off. It is spiritual attractiveness. Deep beauty springs from virtue. It is the beauty of being chaste and morally clean. It is the kind of beauty that you see in the eyes of virtuous women like your mother and grandmother. It is a beauty that is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants." 

So that's what came to my mind when I saw all your cute and fun pictures this week. You have "deep beauty" sister!!! I know that there are so many people in your mission who have been touched by your love and testimony of the Savior. Keep enjoying every minute on your mission and serving with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength! There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about my mission, give gratitude to Heavenly Father for what I was able to experience, and the testimony I was able to develop on my mission. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about this sacred time to dedicate 100% to the Lord's work. I know you feel (and will feel) the same about the Las Vegas, Nevada mission. 

We love you!!! We think about you and pray for you often! Proud of you!!! 

Love,

Katie