Welcome, Elder Becker

Elder Becker, my German brother and fellow Shelley-ite!

So the new comp is Elder Becker from small town Shelley, Idaho--where they know how to bring boys up right!!! Ha-ha.

I was so stressed getting a new comp and then having to train him! We had meetings from like 8:30 until 11:30 so we would know how to train someone. (It really was more like "realize that this is important and don't screw them up!") So then the new guys walked in and there he was! He is so great! It hasn't been a week and we're already best friends. We like the same stuff and know all the same people--it's perfect! He is hard working and ready to go! Hopefully we can keep that fire alive and burning!  Elder Becker is German and so now everyone thinks I am too. We're the only two elders and the Nazi's of the district! ha-ha!

We got to meet up with Jodi this week. Her 18-year-old daughter was home and actually came out which was a surprise--most kids won't do that but she did! We taught about the Plan of Salvation and challenged them to pray to know they are daughters of God. I got to say the closing prayer and the Spirit was there and Jodi's daughter, Tessa, kind of turned after we said amen and said, "Wow! I'm kinda tearing up." She SO felt the Spirit! Too bad neither of us pointed it out! We didn't even think about it until we were driving home but there is always next time.

Grandma Lavely...she always takes care of me!

Another miracle that happened is that we got a referral. We called to see if we could set up a time and wow, this lady is so ready! She was telling us what has been happening in her life and how she is in an abusive relationship and all this stuff. She had a couple of questions for us and we answered them. She was like, "yes! come and see me please! I need to get back on track." It was so cool. We are meeting with her this next Monday the 27th and are both super excited. A great start to the transfer!

We get to go help clean the Detroit temple tomorrow--hopefully. I have to check with President to make sure. The ward needs some help with it. I sure hope we can go. That would be great!

Well, I love you so much. have a great time at the Summers' reunion and your concert--take some pictures for me. I would love to see it all!  I'll talk to you next week.

Cooper

Desire and Blessings

This week was a week full of blessings! I got to give an instruction at a zone meeting on desire. I was already working on it and had been thinking about it a lot the past couple of weeks anyway. It went so well! I couldn't think of how to do it. I had prayed and fasted so I could understand it for myself and the night before zone conference, it clicked and all made sense! Then I really didn't know what to say at zone meeting! So I took all of my notes and all of the talks I had read with me. Father in Heaven blessed me! The Spirit was so strong! I didn't use the outline that I had prepared at all. It just rolled and things came to my mind. It was a powerful experience!

We went through the week and taught and blessed more peoples' lives than I felt we have in the past three months! I would like you guys to pray for Jodi. She is a new investigator. She has absolutely zero religious background. She didn't even know who Jesus was! So we taught her that God is our Father and he loves us. This week we are going to teach her again and I'm so worried. It's like getting handed a blank sheet and knowing the picture that you have to draw but not knowing where to start. It's cool but so nerve racking!

So for transfers I'll be staying in Riverview and  Elder Puente will be going to a new place. He is really nervous but excited. I'm pumped for him. I feel like he and I have both grown a lot in this transfer together!

With all the stuff that has been going on and being stressed out, I think I am truly starting to get what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. It's so amazing!  President called yesterday night and asked me to train a brand new missionary. He told me I would have to be at the top of my game and teach the new guy obedience, diligence, and spirituality. That's a lot to have laid on you! He asked me if I was up to it. I thought: "God qualifys those he calls." But if you would say some more prayers for me, I would be so thankful! It's going to be a crazy transfer.

I love to hear about your week and what everyone is up to and I love the pictures you send. I miss you guys all so much! I'll be home before I know it! Until then, I just have to keep trucking along!

Yours Always,
     Cooper

This is Lake Erie. We were driving and I saw the ocean for a second--Ha.Ha. ! It's so crazy!

No Soliciting

This area has a lot of trains--like a lot! We got stuck
 for like 30 minutes by this train...it just stopped. Ugh!

This week was a great week. We saw so many miracles! We just put our heads down and started to teach people! We taught 5 other lessons which isn't a lot but we normally only have like 2 or maybe 3 on a normal week--if we are really lucky. It's been so great! We have some new investigators named Jenny and her daughter Haley. They are so solid! Jenny said that it was weird we showed up when we did because she had looked up the Book of Mormon two weeks before because she heard Mormons are the best people. It was so great! We have an appointment with them tomorrow. I'm thrilled!

This week we had a guy who came out to yell at us about no soliciting and he pointed to the glass next to the door and asked if we could read the sign. Well, there wasn't a sign there, so we told him that. He was so confused--the sign was above his head. We were like, "um, sir, it's right there." Needless to say, he looked pretty dumb. We laughed so hard about that for the rest of the week. I've been out for a year and this week was the first time that I have ever been called a cult on the door. I couldn't believe it. The lady said that right to our face. She really didn't like us--must have had a lesson about the Mormons from her pastor. ha-ha! All in all, a really good week.

It's a sad day! I bought this shampoo on July 1, 2014. It lasted
a whole year with me showering every day. Good-bye, Old Friend!

To celebrate the 4th of July all we did was knock doors, which was fine--we got a good tan from it! But, of course, everyone was either gone or busy. We couldn't see any fireworks but we heard the boom and stuff. It was not the same as last year that's for sure. This week is the last week of the transfer. This Saturday we'll see who leaves and who stays. I'm ready to be back on my bike but I'll let you know next week!

I know you are praying for me. Know that I love you guys.  Know that I'm doing well and I'm doing what's right.

Love,
  Cooper

Life Goes On

This week was good. We had a pretty slow week. We found a lot of potentials though on Thursday--like 5 new people! Hopefully some of them are prepared, ha-ha! You know you are having a good day when you get some jerk trying to tell you that you are doing a great work but for the wrong people! That the Book of Mormon is a load of trash and we shouldn't believe in it.

Life goes on! Hopefully we have some more great experiences this week!

Love,
  Cooper

Servant of the Lord

This week was good. We had to had a zone conference on Thursday. It was a weird one because we were combined with another zone. Normally it was just one zone at a time but this time a representative from Salt Lake was there to look at the cars. They put a black box in so they can "help" us drive safe. ha-ha  Because it was a two-zone conference, I got to see Elder Oviatt again. I miss that guy. I would be his comp again any day! Other than that, I just got to work this week--like actual manual labor! We mowed lawns almost all day on Tuesday. I was so happy! I miss working!

We got a new investigator. She was taught by elders before us and is so ready to get dunked. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith. She said she considers herself a Mormon. She has some health problems--that's why the elders stopped seeing her. It's so good to actually find some one who is ready and prepared! Her name is Falisha Angel. Keep her in your prayers! Other than that not to much has been happening.

I thank Dad for teaching me how to be. Yesterday we got a phone call this lady in our ward. Her name is Sister Lavely. She is my adopted grandmother. She is as sweet as Verla and has been tested more than Marva. She is a saint! She doesn't have grandchildren and wants them, so I told her I'll be hers...so it's official! She called yesterday. We had some heavy rains come in and had flash flood warnings. Her yard was flooded and the rain was starting to get into the house. She called us in tears asking for help. I ended the lesson and we went to help her. Thank you for teaching me how to work hard! We did our best. I dug a huge hole in the yard and got some of the water to go down. Finally she told us to stop and said, "we will say a prayer and leave it." So we did.  I got to give that prayer. What an honor! It was such a blessing! I have never been so proud of blisters before! That is what being a servant of the Lord is all about right there! She just kept telling us how sorry she was that we were working on a Sunday. Dad and I put tarps on Marva's roof on a Sunday because she was getting rained on. You taught me how to drop everything to help people and love them. Thank you for that!

I hope that you have a great day! Know that I wear our name with pride!

Love,
   Cooper

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine and also the fuel of missionary work. If you can't laugh, I suggest you get a sense of humor or go home. This week was one of those long ones but there was some good that came out of it.

In Michigan the girls haven't heard of the modesty commandment so they dress less.  ha-ha! We knocked on this lady's door--she was very attractive, wearing very short shorts and not much of a shirt. It was Elder Puente's turn to talk so I let him. He did super good--normally he falters on the door, especially if it's some one who's pretty but this time he didn't. He said, "Hey, can we talk to your parents?" What he didn't notice was that she was wearing a wedding ring and she had a small boy behind her. She smiled and told him that it was her home. He died! After I got control of myself (I was holding it in so well) I told her we were out talking about eternal families. She wasn't interested. ha-ha  It still kills me to think of the look on his face after she said that!

We got to walk through a car show on Saturday in New Boston. There were probably 80 cars or so. It was really cool. I felt like Moses parting the people though. I guess guys in shirts, ties and tags-- no matter how you smile--still scare people! A lady let me take a look at her brand new Chrysler 300. I decided that is the car for me!

This week we knocked a lot of doors and had almost zero lessons. Not a whole lot to report on the missionary work but hopefully next week is better!

Thank you for your letters. I hope you have a good week.

Love,
     Cooper

Detroit Temple Trip

My companion Elder Puente

 This week was busy--not too much missionary stuff, just other things. I'm staying with Elder Puente for another six weeks here. We got the call Saturday night after we went to the adult session of stake conference. I've decided that the Westland Michigan Stake is my home stake now. I love the stake president. I can feel how much he loves the people. He is funny and normal. His topic was ward council and he did a great job. He closed off the meeting and made it worth while! I want to stay in this stake until I end my mission. I don't want to move out! Hopefully God keeps me here!

This week I got to go to the temple for my year trip. It was good. There were nine missionaries plus President and Sister Gerber so it was great. The Detroit temple was so pretty but so small compared to the temples that I'm used to back in the holy land ha-ha. After the session we went to the mission home and ate lunch. Then President Gerber gave us some instruction and talked about what kind of impression we want to leave on the mission. It was really good. I could sit and talk to that man all day!

I just came from the hospital. Someone called for a blessing and we went. I prayed before so that I could have the spirit. I about broke down in the parking lot! I don't know why, I just felt all teary. I felt like something cool about to happen. Elder Puente anointed and I gave the man a blessing. I stood in the place of God today! I told that man he would be well because of the faith of his children. He was in ICU, on a ventilator, and covered in tubes. I felt like I said what I said  just because I've thought that it would be cool to say that with so much power, you know--just a cool thing to say. Well, the spirit let me know that I had said what I was suppose to say. Wow! Talk about awesome! That was the most spiritual experience that happened this week!

Thanks for keeping me in your prayers.  I hope that you have a good day!

Love, 

  Cooper