Less Than A Month!

This is just crazy! It's less than one month away until I am in the MTC! I spent a few hours yesterday with Brother McLeerly in my Ward who actually went to that same mission back in 2001. He told me a lot about the food which is going to be great. BBQ is just down my alley and I'm going to have to be careful so that I don't gain a lot of weight. There is also just so much to explore literally out your back door. It's like a jungle down there and it will be a lot of fun to get some great pictures of the landscape and the area. He also had some great ideas on how to be organized and keep things together. I hope to remember all of them so it will make me more effective. It got me so excited to finally head down there and start the work. He showed me some of the people and what the area's are like and just how things work while you are out there in the mission. It really helped me a lot and I feel so much more confident about heading out there to serve the Lord.

Well I think it's now official that I have everything I need for my mission. Now I just have a few books that I would like to finish reading before I go, but with how things go at work and stuff I am not too sure how much of a possibility it will be. Mom seems to be taking things pretty well so far. I know it's hard for her and it's only going to be 2 years. Right now it just seems like such a short amount of time to go out and serve. I want to make every minute count and hope that I will have the spirit with me to find those that are ready to be taught.


So this is my last post for March, and I probably will only have time for one or two posts this next month since I need to keep preparing and try to finish a bunch of things before I leave. Love you guys and I'll cya next time!

Little Update to Blog

There really hasn't been anything too exciting to tell you about. We had an Easter party over at Papa's house yesterday. Here is a picture of Brynley finding the eggs along with our cousins. Easter was so early this year! We had a relaxing Easter Sunday today. One thing I added to the blog is a counter to let you know how much longer until I get into the MTC. I plan on changing that to days until I come home once this is finished counting down. Thanks everyone for your continued support and I'll let you know if anything exciting happens soon :)

Elder Colton

New Presidency Picture

I'm sure by now all of you have heard or seen who the new 1st presidency is. My mom just sent me the new picture of the presidency and I thought I might as well share it on here for those that would like it as a wallpaper or just to have. So here you go!

Small update

Just as a small update I have most of the stuff I need for my mission.

I have my suits, slacks, shoes, backpack,suitcase,ties,shirts,scriptures and other books, and a few other things that I can't think of right now. Papa (my grandpa) has offered to pay for my bike which I am extremely grateful for! So things are really coming together for me.

I've been spending a lot of time reading: Biography of Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling, which I highly recommend to anyone that would like to learn more about Church history and about Joseph the man.

Another thing that I've been doing is going to the Temple often. Ive been 3 times in the past week and I would like to go more this coming week. I got some names from my grandma to do and I have also been spending time working on my dad's side of the family. It's actually been a lot of fun making connections and learning about my ancestors. I know this will be a great thing for me to do because it'll increase my testimony of Genealogy work when I talk with investigators.

Here is a picture of the day Ryan was ordained a priest. It includes most of the men who have influenced my brothers and I as we have grown up. My dad, Papa and my uncles. We are so blessed to have had righteous men in our lives. This was an extra special day, Papa had been released from the hospital that morning, just so he could be there for Ryan. Papa has had some serious health issues this past year, we are so blessed to have him with us still.

That is about all for now. I'm still trucking away on reading the BOM. You can still see my progress on the side. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and love! Love you guys!

(Future) Elder Colton

Book of Mormon Challenge

My mom found this a few days ago and have decided to take up the challenge. It's to read the Book of Mormon within the years that President Hinckley was alive. If you want to join in the challenge click here

North Carolina

Perhaps some of you may want to know a little bit about the area that I will be serving.

North Carolina

A lot of the people that I have talked to have said that the people are very very friendly. The food is going to be great, and it isn't going to be that bad in the winter time. The part of North Carolina where my mission is is the middle section and west side of the state. I also have parts of South Carolina,Georgia,Tennessee, and Virginia. It's a big mission and i just can't wait to get myself out there to serve!

And as an added bonus here are a few Southern terms that I'm going to have to learn

Afar: In a state of combustion. "Call the far department. That house is afar."

Ahr: What we breathe, also a unit of time made up of 60 minutes. "They should've been here about an ahr ago."

Ar: Possessive pronoun. "That's AR dawg, not yours!"

Awfullest: The worst. "That's the awfullest lie you evr told me in your life."

Bad-mouth: To disparage or derogate. "All these candidates have bad-mouthed each other so much I've about decided not to vote for any of 'em."

Baws: Your employer. "The baws may not always be right, but he's always the baws."

Best: Another baffling Southernism that is usually couched in the negative. "You best not speak to Bob about his car. He just had to spend $300 on it."

Braht: Dazzing. "Venus is a braht planet."

Cawse: Cause, usually preceded in the South by the adjective "lawst" (lost). "The War Between the States was a lawst cawse."

Cayut: A furry animal much beloved by little girls but detested by adults when it engages in mating rituals in the middle of the night. "Be sure to put the cayut out-side before you go to bed."

Chunk: To throw. "Chunk it there, Leroy. Ole Leroy sure can chunk 'at ball, can't he? Best pitcher we ever had."

Clone: A type of scent women put on themselves. "what's that clone you got on, honey?"

Contrary: Obstinate, perverse. "Jim's a fine boy, but she won't have nothin' to do with him. She's just contrary, is all Ah can figure."

Daints: A more or less formal event in which members of the opposite sex hold each other and move rhythmically to the sound of music. "You wanna go to the daints with me Saturday night, Bobbie Sue?

Dreckly: Soon. "He'll be along dreckly."

Effuts: Exertions. "Lee made great effuts to defeat Grant."

Everthang: All-encompassing. "everthang's all messed up."

Everhoo: Another baffling Southernism - a reverse contraction of whoever."Everhoo one of you kids wants to go to the movie better clean up their room."

Fahn: Excellent. "That sure is a fahn-lookin' woman."

Farn: Anything that is not domestic. "Ah don't drink no farn liquor, specially Rooshin vodka."

Fixin' to: About to. "I'm fixin' to go to the store."

Fummeer: A place other than one's present location. "Where do we go fummeer?"

Gawn: Departed. "Bo's not here. He's gawn out with somebody else.

What I am leaving behind

There are a few things that I will miss. One of them being my DVD collection which has over 300 different titles. I won't put a list of that on there. Of course though I can put pictures of my family here and tell you a little bit about them:



First here is my littlest brother Nathan. I wouldn't call him little anymore though because he is now taller than me. He started Jr. High School this year and was just as nervous as I was about going there. I think that he is going to do great though because he is a very smart guy and loves to learn. He really enjoys hanging out with the rest of us brothers and is really into Computers (mostly video games). He is always willing to help out with whatever mom needs done around the house and has his own unique sense of humor.

Christian is the guy right underneath me. He has always been my right hand man in whatever project I've wanted to work on or the sound of reason when I've wanted to spend my money on things I shouldn't. He is a Junior this year at and is loving it a lot. He wants to finish up as much as he can this year and then take some summer online classes so he can work most of his Senior year and save up to go on a mission. If things go right, he will be out on his mission while I'm finishing up my own. He always knows how to make me laugh and to make me feel like I'm worth something. It'll be hard not to have his sarcastic comments to keep me going each day.

Here is my Mom and Dad. I'll tell you a little bit about them. My dad is one of my heroes. He served his mission in the Manila, Philippines, and has been a shining example of faith and trust in the Lord. He has taught me the meaning of family and how they will never give up on you and you cannot loose them like friends. I hope to be a lot like him once I finally start my own family. There isn't enough I can say about my mom. She has always been my best friend and someone that I can always go to when I just need to talk or have a concern about something. She really was there for me in all of the hard times in my life and there when I just needed someone to listen to me. I know me going on a mission will be most hard for her, but she has always shown strength and courage when things have been hard. I know that she will get through it and she knows how great it is that I have chosen to serve a mission. It will be hard to leave her.


Ryan is the middle child of the family, and he likes to let us know that. He is a Sophomore, he and Christian enjoy the TV/Video class they are taking together. They really have a lot of fun writing scripts and making movies. I help out where I can and love movies just as much as they do (you can tell by my movie collection) Right now he really is getting into 3D animation and would love to work at Pixar someday if he could. He is my roommate for the time being and both of us love to stay up late to read books.
Now we have little Brynley or B. She is my little cheerleader and is always happy to hear my voice when I come home from work or wherever I've been. She always asks if I've had a good day and what I'm doing. She has been such a blessing to our home. I've loved her little spirit a lot. She has taught me about love and compassion, and patience. Things haven't always been easy and its been great to know how much she just loves everyone and our family. I will miss her so much and hope she will be alright while I'm away. She loves to ask mom where everyone is,I just hope she will understand where I am and that I will be back.

And that is my family. I truly love them a lot and are so glad that they have been such a support for me to serve a mission and to help me out in whatever it is that I want to do.

Another thing that I will miss is my happy little truck:
Christian and I bought this from an old co-worker for $500. We have been spending time with dad working on her. This picture is from when we finally had finished all of the bondo work and replacing some parts of the body and we finally had gotten her painted. Isn't she a beauty? It is a great old 1986 Nissan Pickup that is a manual transmission. I got to finally learn how to drive a stick. I always wanted to learn and I think it has been a great first car. Christian gets claim of her once I leave. I just hope that she will still be in all one piece once I get back.