Busy Exchange

Dinner with the Lichtenbergers

This week I got to get out of my area and actually talk with some one other than Elder McCormick! It's such a small thing but it sure is nice to be able to get a breath of fresh air!

I went on exchanges with Elder Bennett. He's one of the zone leaders. He was super fun to be with. He's from Logan, so pretty close to home. We had a long drive to get to his area and then we were running all night! It's so good to be busy and rush from one place to another! We got to teach a lesson at a Family Home Evening at a member's home. The member had invited one of the elder's investigators. It was so cool! He and his wife are from Brazil and his wife doesn't speak any English!

We met this man in our area this week. He was on the "former investigator" list. We went to see him and he wants to be baptized! He just needs to overcome some Word of Wisdom problems first! The first time that we met him, we invited him to pray about October 24th--to see if he felt that he should be baptized on that date. He said he would! It was really good. This week we went for our appointment and he wasn't there. We called--no answer! We were like, "Dang! He's not solid." We got a call Saturday night. He said he had relapsed and done meth. That's why it had been days since we had heard from him. We went and saw him. It was pretty freaky--he was still coming down from his high and was all over the place. Please pray for him. His name is Michael. He can use all the prayers he can get.

We're so excited for Conference to see who the new apostles will be. We have some guesses but we're not sure. I'm just excited to hear what they have to say to us! Get me some revelation!! I hope that you have a good week! I'll tell you what happenes with transfers next Monday. Pray for me! Pray that I'll go where He wants me to go and know what I am to be doing!

Love,
   Cooper

Zone Conference & Elder Lawrence

This week was pretty good. The best part of the week was that we got to have a zone conference with Elder Lawrence of the Quorum of the Seventy!! It was really cool! We drove down to one of the stake centers and they walked in we all go to shake his hand and introduce ourselves to him and his wife. It was a day of learning that's for sure! Sister Lawrence spoke about what it means to be of the House of Israel. That we were the ones that were most likely to become like our Father in Heaven. We were born through special blood lines and how when we, as missionaries, are looking for the elect, we are actually looking for the children of Israel because they have the believing blood.  It was so in depth! I can't even tell you all about it. She talked, too, about how we covenanted, as Priesthood holders, to go on missions in exchange for being born into the Covenant. It was so cool!

Elder Lawrence got up and he said, "You know, this should make you feel better about your work. When people shut the doors on you just think, 'silly gentiles!'" ha-ha  It was funny! He then gave us some advise on becoming a better mission and better missionaries. It was really neat to get to spend time with them. I also love to get to see the other elders that I haven't seen in a while. It was cool--we got to have an interview, every companionship in our zone, with Elder Lawrence. It was short and fast but he told Elder McCormick and I that we had some good things ahead of us. That;s great a promise from a servant of the Lord.

Other than that, this week has been pretty slow.  We did get to talk with more people thankfully. There were a couple people that we hope actually check out the church's web site but none that were ready to take the lessons.

Thanks for your love and support!

Love,
     Cooper

Knocking on Doors

This week was alright, I guess. We did a little better this week than last week. We found a couple more people to teach but none we're really interested. They were just polite and let us talk with them before they continued doing whatever they were doing.

There was a really neat guy that we got to talk to though. His name was Gene. He just lost his job and is really having a hard time. It was really hard to see him. We met him while we were out knocking doors and he broke down in front of us. Then the door opened and his daughter came out. He straightened right up and pretended like there wasn't anything wrong. When she went back inside, the weight of life crushed him again. It was so hard to see that. He was trying to be so strong for his daughter. He told us to make sure that we have and make good friends. We told him that he is always welcome with us. We are his friends. I want to stop back by and check on him again this week. His family is all Protestant and leaders in the church but he needs some gospel light! I hope that he will let us give him some.

I wish that I had more to tell you guys but there really isn't much to tell. We're just trying to get things going and fix the way some things are run in our ward. Please keep praying for us and the people in our area and ward. I know and testify that God hears and answers the humble prayers of his children and we could use them! This next week will be better! Tomorrow we get to meet with Elder Lawrence who's a member of the seventy and President will be there. It's going to be a great start to the week!

I love you! I hope that you have a great week!

  Cooper

Welcome to Grand Blanc!

Wow! What a week. This week was absolutely nuts! So we went to transfer meeting and I got to see my sons (Elder Becker and Elder Oviatt) and my grandson (Elder Oviatt's son) it was pretty neat. My new companion is Elder McCormick. he's from Gilbert Arizona. He's so awesome. I actually feel really unprepared to be out here compared to him. His trainer was Elder Whetzle, one of my past zone leaders, who I loved! And McCormick's just like him! He's got the desire!

I'm in the Grand Blanc Ward--so almost the very farthest north of the mission. I went from the bottom to the top. It was like a 2-hour drive to get here! I am out of the stake I've been in my whole mission. I get to drive 55 again on my country roads. It just makes me want to speed! ha-ha. We got a car to drive up and a brand new phone and apartment. It was neat but it has its challenges--like we don't know anyone, no food in the apartment (I hate Ramen noodles), and we get lost really easy! ha-ha. We have already found some solid people that we have return appointments with this next week, so that's super awesome! We taught more people this week than I have in the longest time. It was so good. Besides the no food and a couple other minor things, I really have no complaints!

The Relief Society president in our ward, Sister Cole, is a return missionary. She reminds me a lot of Mom. She is my new go-to person. She doesn't take crap from anyone and she knows and loves the gospel and lives what she knows. I never wanted to marry a sister missionary but if they were all as consecrated and normal as Sister Cole, I would marry one!

I hope that you have a good week!

Love,
    Cooper