Saying Goodbye

We met, it seems, such a short time ago

You looked at me - needing me so

Yet from your sadness

Our happiness grew

And I found out I needed you too

I remember how we used to play

I recall those rainy days

The fire's glow

That kept us warm

And now I find - we're both alone

Goodbye may seem forever

Farewell is like the end

But in my heart is a memory

And there you'll always be

:,-(

Yes, it is true. I have finally said goodbye to the memory that is facebook. We had a good long run, but it turns out we just weren't right for each other. I'm sure this decision is the best for the two of us. Let it be known that I have no possible way of logging back onto my facebook page. I locked myself out. It was actually a lot harder than it may seem. You see, I started with the basics of changing my password to some random combination of capital and lower case numbers with a few numbers mixed in there as well, but then I realized that I can easily recover this "forgotten" password by having it sent to my e-mail address. We wouldn't want that now, would we? No.

So, I was forced to set up another e-mail account with Google with a random address I can't remember and a random password which is another random combination of letters and numbers which is likewise not remembered by me. Now if I ask for the password to be sent to my e-mail address, it won't even recognize my e-mail. I'm gone! I'm invisible!...yeah. Now I can't get onto my facebook. It's impossible. So, send me some updates from the facebook world now and again. Seriously, comment on this post and let me know what people are saying about my absence. Or have they even noticed at all...?

...Wait a second, what do I do with all this time?...

Dance Baby Dace!!!

I'm a dancer!!! I've decided I'm fed up with stepping on toes and having the girl always take lead at stake dances. So, I'm taking a social dance class at BYU! Me...a dancer! Haha! I love it.

So, I've only been to class twice so far, but I already have a good deal of the fox trot down. I can do the basic, the left rock turn, the promenade walk, the swing step and the quarter turn. It's pretty intense, I know. Basically I'm a professional now, but I'll save my performance till the end of the semester. I'm a Dancer!!!

Thoughts on Easter

Easter is a wonderful time of year where we hard boil and color chicken eggs and send the kids out on a long scavenger hunt. It's a time for family to get together. It's a time for a large meal followed by an equally large nap. But most of all, Easter is a time to remember the savior and celebrate His atonement for us. This is my most favorite Easter talk of all time. Hope you enjoy this wonderful Easter message and may you have a Happy Easter season!

3-D Family Tree

So, I had this thought the other day as I was admiring all the beautiful trees here in Provo whose leaves are just beginning to bud. I thought how cool it'd be to have a family tree! I don't mean like the pedigree charts, but a real tree that has just as many branches on it as there are people in your family. I drew up a few sketches and then went to work, but I don't really have much to work with so I used post-it notes and tape. Here's a picture of my masterpiece. It's my family!

The trunk of the tree is my grandpa, Marvin Dale Coffey. Each one of the five main branches are one of his children. The third one from the bottom is my dad. It branches out to the left of the tree in this picture. Then there are nine branches on that branch and a few more branches on a few of those branches. It's four generations. Me, Grandpa, Dad, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. One big happy family. My roommates think I'm crazy. I won't ask for your opinion, although you can comment on this if you want.

On Rebecca Black's Friday

Rebecca Black implores, "Which seat can I take?" This inquiry into the human soul reveals Black's sentiments towards the sixth day of the week, commonly known as Friday. The plain nature of the question has millions of youtubers puzzled, but not I. I understand to what exactly Black is referring. It is a celebration of words heralding in the new weekend. Through these simple words she declares, "Of all the problems I may have today, the greatest is which seat I shall take. My problems have been reduced to a decision of location for my enjoyment of the day with my friends. Nothing else matters now. I am free!" It is an exclamation of freedom. It is a pronouncement of power over the world. It is a cry for understanding. It's art. It's more than art; It is poetry.

He Got Baptized!!!

Alejandro Garcia was walking through a park one day in the summer of 2009 in San Diego with his wife and kids when two elders, Elder Hanks and Elder Crapo, decided to Exercise their faith in contacting this family. Alejandro gladly accepted the invitation to be taught the gospel in his home by the young missionaries. The missionaries took down his information and passed it along to Elder Naylor and Elder Roney, the missionaries serving in City Heights where Alejandro lived.

These missionaries began teaching about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about the Book of Mormon. They extended an invitation to be baptized and he accepted, but they soon found that he had a problem with the Word of Wisdom. His baptism would have to wait. Despite the setback, the missionaries continued to teach and invite until Alejandro had faith enough to stop drinking. He was very proud of his progress and excited to be baptized, but the Sabbath day was another issue. Like many Hispanics in the area, Alejandro worked whatever hours he could get,

including Sundays.

The Garcia's home and chicken. I watched that rooster grow from a chick!

Other problems soon arose as well including family, finances, and friends. The adversary's grasp grew ever tighter.

Elder Crapo and I

During the last week of November of 2009, Elder Crapo and myself were both transfered into City Heights. Both of us being new to the area, we did a quick assessment of the records which the previous missionaries kept. We found Alejandro Garcia's name and record and saw that he had been close to baptism at one time. We decided to pass by. Elder Crapo and he recognized each other immediately. Elder Crapo was excited to be able to work with him in getting him to church and baptized. He was happy to hear that he was able to over come his addiction. We worked with him for a long time.

Elder Taylor and I

In January of 2010, Elder Crapo remained in the same ward, but was assigned a new area with a new companion. Elder Taylor and I continued working with Alejandro and he finally came to church! He was reading the Book of Mormon very well and basically knew it was true. The trick was to get over the few obstacles which remained. After many life altering events, including the loss of a child, and being forced to move out of their rented rooms, Alejandro began to disappear from the missionaries.

Elder Reagan and I (we don't proselyte with sunglasses)

A few months later and with a new companion, I felt like Alejandro should not be lost and forgotten. Elder Reagan and I taught him and his family in his trailer. He began to ask off work on Sundays and began reading the Book of Mormon again. His prayers were earnest and sincere. After a few more months of preparation we felt like he was ready. We had him interviewed for baptism by the Zone Leaders and he passed. We were very excited for the baptism.

The District: Elders Fisher, Andelin, Crapo, Butler, Coffey, Reagan, and Sisters Thomas, and Purziani

June 20, 2010 was the day which our district of 8 missionaries, all from the same ward, decided would be our goal by which we would have 20 baptisms for that month in the 20th ward. At one point we had 20 baptisms scheduled for the month; however, about half fell through for the month. Needless to say, the baptismal font was busy, and so it was on the 20th with a couple baptisms scheduled including that of Alejandro Garcia. We were so happy by our success that we invited our mission president and his wife.

The District Singing at a baptism

The service began right on time at 7:00, but Alejandro was nowhere to be found. We called him a million times on a million numbers. Finally just after the baptism of the investigator of another set of missionaries, we got a hold of Alejandro. Here's a rough translation of our conversation:

"Alejandro! Where've you been?" I asked.

"I'm here, with my family. We're on our way back right now." He replied. He thought the service began at 8:00.

"Where are you?"

"We're in Chula Vista." Chula Vista was about a half an hour's drive away. I quickly looked around. I found the Bishop and asked if there was any way we could have people stay for another service. He explained that the people had been at church all day already and need to get home to their families, including himself. I felt it would be unfair to have them wait as well. The bishop suggested that we hold a baptismal service on Wednesday just before activities night.

I explained to Alejandro that the service had already happened and asked if he would be willing to come on Wednesday. He sounded disappointed, but agreed to postpone the baptism. Now the stress really began. Wednesday, the 23rd of June, was transfers. One of us would be leaving for sure. I had been in the area for five transfers now and thought I would be the one to go. So, I began to prepare Elder Reagan for taking over the area.

We were both surprised to find on Tuesday morning that both of us would be transfered! We made every effort to contact Alejandro that evening, but he was nowhere to be found. We left a message on his phone saying we'd both be leaving, but that other missionaries would get a hold of him tomorrow for his baptism. We could not believe this.

The next morning, we went to transfer meeting with all of our belongings packed. As soon as I found out that Elder Little (ironic for his size) and Elder Avalos were the new missionaries, I handed over the keys, the phone, and told them all about their baptism for that night. I made sure they had the name, address, phone number, time, bishop's name, bishop's phone number...everything! I was just sad that I would not be there, but happy for Alejandro. Elder Reagan and I were both transfered to a different stake in the same ward again, but with different companions. We called the City Heights missionaries first thing that night after finishing our work. Elder Little sadly reported that Alejandro disappeared.

For the next several transfers and till the end of my mission, I continued to call the missionaries in that area and asked how Alejandro was doing. Most of the time they were unable to find him. My final area in the mission was close to City Heights and so I requested permission to see if I could find him, but I was unsuccessful as well. That transfer, Elder Reagan was transfered to City Heights once again and kept looking for Alejandro, but had just as much difficulty as other missionaries had, but he never gave up and neither would I.

At departure activities with the departing missionaries in December of 2010 and President Donaldson we were challenged by our president to stay in contact with one of our investigators that should have been baptized, but never was for one reason or another until they are baptized. I told myself I would do everything I could to find Alejandro again.

I returned home from my mission on the 28th of December 2010. I was sad when I realized that the only way I would be able to find and ensure that Alejandro was baptized would be to re-visit San Diego. Plans for a trip to San Diego would have to wait as school and other priorities crept in the way. I was shocked, however, when a member of the 20th ward added me on facebook and sent me a message saying that Alejandro Garcia had been baptized on the 10th of April 2011! I quickly e-mailed Elder Reagan who was still in the area and he sent me the good news along with this photo:

Elder Au, Alejandro Garcia, and Elder Reagan

My prayers go out to Alejandro, his family and all others who have been touched by the testimony and faith of the missionaries as they draw closer to their Savior and enter His fold.

Change of Heart

Are you happy? The question, offered by one of my friends, threw me off as we discussed our college life experience. I hadn’t given much thought to that important question. Am I really happy with what I am doing? Will I be happy with the end result? These are questions which have since opened my stubborn one-sided thought process and has given me the opportunity to challenge my belief that nursing is the route for me. This came as a shock as much to me as I’m sure it may to you, but…I’m not totally sure nursing is for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be dedicated to it, but I’m just not so sure I’d enjoy it. Not only has school life been fairly unenjoyable, but my life outside of that hasn’t been very fun either.

I had the opportunity to speak with the wife of an Anesthesiologist a few days ago at an awards banquet and was not convinced that I’d enjoy such labor. She described him as always busy, never having time, and completely consumed by his work. I was also reminded of the great repetitive conditions under which CRNAs often work. Don’t get me wrong here, CRNA is a great career path with excellent rewards. I’m just not sure it’s the path I need to take at this time in my life.

Well, now I’ve got a problem. Where will I go? Which path will I take instead? Knowing that I needed something that I’d enjoy, I thought back on all the college classes that I have taken thus far. By far, my most enjoyable class was Chemistry 285, a course designed specifically for the pre-nursing major. It was introduction to Organic Chemistry. I was a little nervous at first as I noted how difficult many had reported the class being. Many of the bright, straight-A students in the nursing program were horrified when they ended up with a B in this class or even a C! (Shutter). Even without all the rumors about the class I was intimidated by the large class size and heavy course material. That’s why I was very surprised when I aced the final exam at the end of the year and walked away with one of the highest grades in the class. To me it was easy, fun, and enjoyable. I don’t know if fun and enjoyable are too synonomically paired, but I couldn’t think of another word to describe it. Yes, I just coined the phrase synonomically.

So, I looked into chemistry. I talked to everyone I knew and their brother’s dog who had anything to do with chemistry. I even went back to that professor who taught Chem 285 and sat in on one of his classes. After discussing for hours with him, my uncle, my parent, and my friends I have finally decided…I might switch majors. Hey, nothing in life is certain, besides change that is.