LaTour, Cole PT

Well, this is it! My last and final email before I go home this week. I just want to preface that this email will be a little different, just because: A) I have a lot more motivation and energy to write a good one this week; B) It is my last one; C) My testimony must be shared! I just want to start by saying my mission has been one of the most difficult yet joyous experiences I have had in my life so far. I remember coming in so clueless about what God had in store for me in the next 2 years of my life. I lived somewhere I did not know, I was not with my parents, I was trying to learn a new language, no one knew who I was – it was all very big and changing for me. Luckily, I was able to survive it all, as you can see, but there was a quote that came from some of my loved ones that I have held onto for my entire mission. The first one was from my Mother, and she said, "You can do anything you put your mind to, don't forget that." What a powerful reminder that nothing that ...

Wow. 100? I can't believe it. How has the time passed by so fast? I'm now sitting here during the last week of my mission... never thought this day would come. This past week has been a great way to end it all. We had the baptism of our good friend, Crystal! She shone so bright after she was baptized that day. She is whole-hearted and really wants to be close to God, and I do admire that about her. I was fortunate enough to have confirmed her as a member of the church, and I'll tell you, that was special. The amount of time we spent praying and fasting so that she could take these steps has been worth it! I want to stay in contact with her so she can continue her path of discipleship. We will be going to the temple with her tomorrow, so we're super excited about the opportunity we have to go there. I'm able to say that I'm working until the very last minute. It has been a ton of fun being able to help others come unto Christ. I want to keep it going until I am h...

Hey everyone! What an eventful week I had, haha. I cannot believe the pace is moving this fast! I am so exhausted, but I guess there is no better way to go than this! We saw a good amount of success come from this past week, and I am excited to share with you guys some experiences. This Saturday, our friend Crystal will be baptized! I am so excited to have seen her progress towards the waters of baptism these past few months. She is super awesome, and her grandmother is also getting baptized on the same day, just in a different ward. We are so excited for their family and all the blessings that are ready for them! We were able to go to Elko this week, and man, that took a lot out of us. We drove up on Sunday night, and when we got there, we were so excited. Zone conference and then an exchange later, I find myself driving back to Reno, half awake. The next day, some of the Senior Missionaries saw me and said I have a case of the "Elko Hangover," haha. They always seem to keep...

Hey everyone! These past few weeks have been going by really fast, and it's not funny anymore. I have been trying to enjoy every little second I have out here. It's been working, because I've sure had a lot of fun! Our friend Crystal unfortunately had to take a break for a while, but just a few days ago, we committed her to be baptized again! She will be getting baptized on either the 21st or 23rd of July, and man, I am so excited. We have been working closely with her and her family to help them grow closer together and rely on one another more. Crystal's countenance has changed ever since we began to teach her. She is opening her heart to Jesus Christ and becoming more like Him. She is so cool and full of charity. I cannot wait to see her make that covenant right before I return home. I participated in a lot of exchanges this past week, which is always a blast. We had some cool experiences and a lot of success! One of my exchanges took us downtown for a little bit to ...

THE LAST RIDE This is the time. The sprint to the end of the finish line. I cannot believe that it is here. I ran track in high school, and I remember that last lap, putting all of my energy into it. I was at a dead sprint, trying to cross that finish line with all my effort put in. My mission isn't any different! I have been focusing my efforts on these people in Reno, NV for my last few weeks here on my mission, so that I can say that I sprinted to the end. It is not easy, let me tell you, but I know it will be just as rewarding. This week, we talked to our friend Austin who randomly texted us, saying he wanted to be baptized by our Bishop this Sunday. We, of course, said that is amazing and we will help him get there, but he has to learn more first. We went over and talked to him about the commandments and such, and he was totally on-board. Then, we talked about the Book of Mormon. He immediately denies that it is true and begins to ask us where we have evidence of the Book of M...

Hey y'all! Another week in the bag. This week was interesting, and it was honestly filled with some intriguing struggles. I think, as I have said before, the struggles we have are able to refine us into someone better, and I am faithful that is true. I have loved being here and serving my Heavenly Father, and I have seen SO much divine help—it is insane. My new mission president arrived this past week! He is a lot different than my last one, haha. He is very laid back, casual, and is focused on the conversion of the missionaries. I have loved getting to know him and working with him thus far. Something he mentioned to me is, "You look WAY more handsome than you do in the picture they give me." I sat there dying laughing, and trust me, you would know EXACTLY what he is talking about if you saw that picture they gave him too. I am excited to see the pace change of this mission and later on be able to check in and see the changes. This past week, as I said, we experienced so...