Crazy in the Cabeza!

Hey fam, 

Guess what... we had a baptism this week. He was so ready, It was the most powerful baptism I have ever been to! A retired marine bore his testimony and it was one of the most powerful I have ever heard. After his baptism he look at peace and high on life. I love that.

We have two other baptism dates in December but I'm not sure I will be around to see it go through.

So this week I went on exchanges with the DL's companion and we had a blast. We knocked on this old guys door and he let us in. He is an old member but he is kind of crazy in the cabeza now so he doesnt really go haha. So we went inside and at first I thought this guy was ON something haha! He told us that he had a surgery performed and that they implanted a small box in his heart and that Jesus literly lives in that little box inside his heart. After that conversation he all the sudden break out into song, it supprised the crap out of me. He would talk with us and then randomely just break out in song. What a cute little old man. He asked me if I could play the guitar and so I played his guitar (the stuff I learned with dad and Jesse) and then I asked him if he knew how to play. SI! SI! Claro que si! I handed the guitar and he started to try to play it with the strings towards his body and he was so confused haha. After we got that all situated he only plucked three strings over and over as he sang a song. He is awesome but I feel bad because I bet he used to be able to play but now he is just loosing it. I sang him a song and we sang together for probably and hour and then had a lesson with him and left. We also had a lesson with his son latter that day and that was awesome too. I love the people down here, they crack me up! haha

I had pig feet for my first time the other day... mom you would hate them. They arent bad tasting, its just a texture thing for some people I guess. I didnt mind them. We always see and eat garganta de pavo in the latino homes. I like the food down here a lot but its not going to make me fat. I still wake up at 5:00 and go to the gym and I bike everywhere. I feel great physically, spiritualy and mentally. We have great lessons with people every day and if I am feeling down I know that God will lift me higher. He has a plan for me and I know he won't lead me astray. So dont worry!

I love you guys- thank you for all you do and for the help and support.

luv ya,

Elder Cooley

Learning. Not losing.

Alright, alright, stop laughing. Yes. I was robbed. HAHA okay it is sort of funny. and ironic! So here is the story so I can get it out of the way and get to the good parts of the week!

We went to clean the church at 1pm. We left the car at 1:20 pm. I looked at my bag, looked at sister howard, and said Are you leaving your bag in the car? She said yes. so I said...ok...I will come back for my bag and my dress to change after we are done cleaning. (Haven't I been taught by my dad since I started to drive to NEVER leave my bag in the car?? yes...yes I have. this is seriously the FIRST time I have ever done that out here in Indiana...figures)

We went inside, cleaned for 35 minutes and then came out to the car to leave to do service somewhere else. I looked in the back seat and saw shattered class everywhere.. what the? then I noticed my bag was gone. I was like..

".crap... Elder Hodges is going to be so mad about the car!" 

then I went into crisis problem solving mode. Got on the phone with him to figure out what to do, and to get my credit cards cancelled. I was still doing fine and not even worried or sad that this had happened. I knew my money would be refunded... then he asked what else was in my bag besides my wallet....

my heart literally dropped.... my book of mormon! all my markings... a couple pictures tucked away in there... I started to cry. 

Then I remembered my new plan of salvation lessons was in there too! (we were su[posed to use it that evening for a lesson) (which btw, I love it! It is SOOOO awesome, Thank you!)

Then I remembered my drivers license... aw crap. oh well. replaceable...

Then my heart broke... In my wallet, the one I have had since I was 16...there is this little note tucked away. Its a note that dad wrote me on a little piece of scrap paper. He had tucked it away in my coat pocket when I was leaving on the airplane going to virginia 3 years ago. It talks about how proud he is of me and how he knows I can do hard things... I've carried that little note with me everywhere for 3 years. and now its gone. 

then I remembered my camera... dang. But I can have people who have been with me throughout my mission so far send me as many pictures as possible. I dont feel like asking for a new one because you all have already done so much. and they are expensive! So I think I will just go the rest of my mission having people send them to me each week. litereally every missionary has a camera, and every missionary has a companion, so it will work :) Make do or do without right???

Then I remembered my temple recommend. and I got sad again. But know I definitely can get another one of those. I have an interview with president to get another one on wednesday. 

Anway... thats the gist of what happened. We spent the next hour waiting for the police and vaccuming the inside of the car and then we got back to work. I only cried a little bit, because I decided to look for the lesson instead of the loss.

I knew that this was an opportunity to be taught by heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father didnt tell that person to steal my stuff, that is not how it works, but he allows things to happen to us, because he knows that they will refine us. I'm sure one of satans little angels was telling that person to steal my stuff, but thats ok. He ain't got nothin on me.

You all know I have never really been someone who holds on to things or really cares to much about material posessions, So it was easy for me to say... its ok...its replaceable. I think my lesson to be learned was a lesson of control, and a lesson of forgetting about myself.

1. my planner was in the purse... I LIVE OUT OF THAT THING! it seriously had so many tiny details, so many plans for the upcoming weeks... and now I can't hardly remember any of it.... haha. This is the Lord's work, and he is in control. Not sister Cooley. 

2. I was tempted to make a big deal out of this, and to cry a lot and talk about it to everyone. But I had a feeling, or a prompting, that this would not be a good example for Sister Howard. I literally felt the Holy Ghost, helping me change my thoughts, helping me stay positive, helping me let it roll off my back. I had been praying that morning about how I wanted to forget about myself and do this work  his way. How I needed help knowing that this work isnt about me. Well, haha I got my experience to humble me and teach me. We got to go to a baptism that night. I was able to ponder on the REAL purpose of this mission, and the REAL purpose of this life. Yes, I will miss the things I lost, but thats not what this mission is about. It's about what I got to witness.. a beautiful young woman making sacred covenants with Heavenly Father. Doing her best to make it back home. That is what each of us have promised to do... to do our best, to be like the savior, to give our all to him... to come home.

So, all in all, I am ok :) I got a new purse today and am waiting for my new credit card and license to come.. when that will be I dont know. Doesn't really matter. 

Before all of this happened, we had a super awesome week! 3 new investigators. With Heavenly Father's help, all 3 could be baptized in late October. Patricia, she is the lady I emailed about last week, and then Terryn and Sarah, they are twin 11 year old girls, daughters of a less active in our ward who is trying to come back. Its fun :) All 3 have expressed the desire to be baptized :) Heavenly Father is guiding us as we continue to turn our lives over to him. 

This week Elder Perkins is coming to our mission to train us! He is a member of the 70. We are super excited! He asked each companionship to come prepared to teach a 10 minute restoration lesson with a commitment to baptism at the end and an invitation to church, and for each missionary to come prepared with a 4 minute talk on how commitments strengthen our conversion through the power of the Holy Ghost. It has been so fun to study that topic and to learn more about my role as a missionary in extending commitments. :) super important. 

Well, I am sorry that I dont have a picture for you this week... I have no camera hahaha. Hopefully I will get some from elder baker and sister hunt this week and then I can send some next monday. 

Thank you for the packages and the GPS. You are AWESOME! I loved it. p.s. you must have been inspired when sending me a wallett for my birthday... cuz now I have one again :) haha

Thank you for your emails and your love and your support. I love being a missionary, and in being a part of these wonderful peoples journey back to Heavenly Father. I am so blessed to be a part of each of your lives. you have strengthened me in ways that I cannot even count. Thank you for constantly being there for me, but for allowing me to grow and experience hard things. ooo and thanks for spoiling me :)

I love you so much. 

Never give up. Never surrender.

Running hard at 212

4th missionary FOREVER (I reread that again this week. SO GOOD)

Love

Sister Megatron megs Cooley

just think in spanish

Hey fam,

I dont have much time but I can share what has gone on this week. So I never thought that I would be stopped from going out in the day because my companion might poop his pants, yeah I said it. He is taking meds for his shoulder (he might get sent home for shoulder surgery and I might be getting a new companion) But anyways he is taking meds and all that night he had to go to the bathroom every ten minutes... no lie. That went on for the entire day every ten to twenty minutes haha. That night I woke up  to the bathroom light on and him pacing back and forth in the room holding his chest. Turns out even though he was still eating and drinking a lot he was still dehydrated and was having crazy bad chest pains. We had to call the Mission medical and she just told him to drink more water (oh thanks for the help lady) So I gave him a blessing and a ton of water and told him to get some sleep. I stayed up and kept an eye on him until he was asleep and the next time he got up he told me I could go back to bed. I kept checking on him at like 5 and 6 but he ended up sleeping in until eleven (orders from the pres. to sleep in). I woke up at 6:30 and worked out but he was knocked out; he was running on so little of sleep. We ended up having to stay in that day also. Man do I feel useless and lame having to sit inside!!!

So one of our investigators read about fasting somewhere and said he wanted to try it haha... (it blesses you a lot) after we taught him how to fast he told us that he was having stressful times at work but he has strong faith that everything will work out and that he wont get dragged into sunday to work. This sunday we didnt expect him to show up at church because of work but all the sudden he walked into class! what a stud! He knows what is the right thing to do and he has a very strong testimony.

This week this mom was calling he child ugly, fat and stupid so I shared an experience of my sister with her and how she had an eating dissorder and how powerful the mind is and told her that everything you do has an effect on people especially your daughter. That much bad treatment verbally to that girl will have bad repercussions in the future, I hope it changes. We go and see them every week and I will check up on that situation. I will admit the daughter acts crazy but that doesnt mean she should be mistreated.

So I gave a talk in church yesterday. All spanish. I love spanish. I have realized that I am trying to translate spanish to english in my mind and that has been the wrong way to do it. It sounds wierd but I am working on connecting thoughts to certain spanish words so I dont have to translate it and just think in spanish; it is working a lot better that way and I can just think in spanish. You just have to let it all go and pay close attention and just let the spanish words flow haha. Jesse and Nate probably know what I am talking about... you too dad with AfriKaans. P.S. there is an elder here from africa and was very interested to hear that my dad served in africa and knew that language

 

Well... Love you fam and have a great week.

Love

Elder Cooley

Can I do this?

Hey :) 

This week has been so humbling. So hard. I don't feel qualified or adequate or smart or prepared enough to be a trainer. I literally have NO idea what I'm doing.

My new companion, my greenie, my daughter (lol) her name is Sister Shaylee Howard. She is from Sugar House Utah. She is 19. she went to BYU before this and was on their swim team. I wonder what god is trying to tell me by sending me all of these BYU collegiate athletes? Maybe I need to be more athletic or take up a sport or something. haha. Anyway, she is awesome. We are a lot alike in many ways... how we think mostly, how we feel about ourselves and how hard we are on ourselves hahaha. No wonder Heavenly Father put us as companions. Sister Hunt and I were the same way. She was able to help me through so much. I really have been changed by Heavenly Father and hard work since I came here. and now I have the opportunity/responsibility to guide sister  Howard through similar situations and emotions and changes. The work is still going ok. I feel like I am constantly on the verge of tears because I am so overwhelmed and a lot of anxiety. I am grateful the Heavenly Father and President Cleveland trust me with this assignment... but it is daunting. I need God's help more than ever right now. 

Last night, we were sitting at a fireside and I was feeling really overwhelmed. I said a quick prayer that someone would come talk to me, or that Heavenly Father would send me some help. Well, right after we finished planning last night, Sister Hunt called me to check on me.. It was just what I needed. She reassured me that I could do this, that I know how to do missionary work. It was an answer to my prayers. I know Heavenly Father is so aware of me. 

I felt really bad about Sister Howard's first day here though. We had appointments that fell through and 0 success tracting haha. and to top it off. The first door that she knocked on... the man came to the door and opened it...he was BUTT NAKED! hahahahahahahaha you should have seen his face, and our faces... she said ah, wrong door! and slammed the door. haha. I laughed so so hard. then I said..."well sister Howard...Welcome. Welcome to Indiana... the weirdest place on earth hahahaha" 

Elder Holland gave a talk at the Brazil MTC and He said that all we have to do is submit our will over to Heavenly Father and we willing to work hard. To lace up our shoes, to run hard, to touch 

every line. And God has promised us that he will guide us, he will work through us. When I pray I pledge to Heavenly Father that I will do it His way. Because any other way is failure. I pledge to listen to the spirit and teach by the spirit. 

I really am trying to do my best here. some days are so great. some days are so hard. but that is like regular life too ya know!? I found myself so uplifted by the spirit this morning. I was studying why commitments are so important. It is in PMG 195-200. I was just overcome with joy about the opportunity to be a missionary; about how much I love this work, and this calling. 

I know Heavenly Father is so aware of me and of each of his precious sons and daughters. He loves us all. No matter what. He wants us to keep our promises, our commitments, our COVENANTS!

I promise that as we do the things he asks us to do, the small and simple daily things, like scripture study and prayer, we will experience miracles in our lives. I see it every day here.

I love you all so much. I pray for all of you. I find comfort in my setting apart blessing, that promises me that all of you will be blessed and taken care of while I am away. I know Heavenly Father keeps his promises. So I will keep mine; to work hard, to give my all, to touch all the lines. I know that by doing so, both you and I will be blessed. Soak up the blessings and then GIVE GIVE GIVE to others in return. :))

D & C 15:6

I love you all so much. Be strong. 

There is some crazy stuff here

Hola familia,

I have had a good week. We did service all week at the special Olympics and had a blast!! I also went on exchanges with the district leader and had a lot of fun. We also almost got our mission leaders lesson goal which no one has ever done before... 1 lesson away. our lessons this week were 97% non members and the rest were less actives. We have never done that before.

I am getting better at the lessons in Spanish and can listen a little better every time. That is the hardest part for me though is understanding them. I can speak it and get my point across but ya... I need to practice more.

I have been workin out and will probably and hopefully be able to maintain my weight out here; if anything I will be dropping weight.... and yall thought I was going to get fat. I love waking up early though; I get up at 5 every morning except for Sundays to work out and get swol. Plus we bike everywhere, my bike is awesome and I love it. Thank you so much.

I swear we see a new miracle in one of our investigators life every time we visit. He has some awesome little stories. He was in a car full of people that wanted him fired from his new job because he was standing out from the crowd by following the rules and making them look bad and plus because of his faith. (the guilty take the truth to be hard.) anyways things started to get heated and he called a number in his phone that he got from some guy that was a marine in church the week before. He acted like it was the complaint personnel from the shell factory. The marine guy caught on and played along with it and sounded very official. they stopped messing with him and dropped him off. Also when he reads his BOM at work they don't mess with him either. haha

There have been times where a person told him how to do something wrong and before he did it on the job by himself he had a feeling to stop and think. he stopped himself from pulling a support out of a platform and falling to the ground. someone is watching over him.

There is some crazy stuff here. Definitely stuff that doesn't go on in Utah haha.

Well... There is so much to tell but I only have so much time. I could write a five page email on this one investigator alone.

Elder Cooley

Transfers

Heyyy!

What a crazy busy weird week. They go so fast that I really don't remember lots of it... I think I say that every week? It's cuz I sit here and try to think of what I should write about.... haha well. I am sure you are all curious about what is happening with transfers.

I'll be honest. I didn't sleep much last night. I couldnt get my mind to calm down or be quiet. So, how transfers work here in Indiana... On Sunday, those missionary companionship's who are both staying in their area usually receive a text around 7 or 7:30 telling them that they are both staying. Then the assistants start making phone calls to those who are being reassigned. Then President makes phone calls to those who are being moved to leadership positions. so basically the later you receive your call... you know that something big is coming. Well, we went to our "popcorn night," (which really was dinner with soup and fruit cuz it was fast sunday) at 8 pm. We still hadn't received a call. We knew that one of us was leaving, most likely sister hunt, and she was rumored to be assigned as an STL, but as the hours dragged on, we got more and more anxious. Eventually it was time to go home and plan. We were in our apartment and had just finished our planning for the night when our phone finally rang. It was president.

 He said sister hunt... it is time to leave the river (white river). 

She said okay president... 

and then he said... "and we are assigning you to be an STL." 

and she started half laughing.. half crying.

 President said... "are you still there..."

 I answered for her because she was crying and said "ya she is here!" hahaa he said 

"Sister Cooley, are you laughing at her?"

 I said.. "what haha no that is her laughing and crying!"

He  must not have heard me because he jokingly said... 

"Sister Cooley stop laughing because you are gonna be crying next... Sister Cooley, you are staying in White River and are going to be training a new sister missionary." 

I started sobbing. Immediately. me? gosh, even now writing this email, I am almost crying thinking about this responsibility that has come to me. I don't feel ready for this. I don't feel good enough or like I know enough. It's sort of the same feeling that I used to get when I would think about being a mom someday... I don't want to mess it up... this is a persons life!.... this is a persons mission. I have been so fortunate to have an amazing trainer. I have learned things that I want to do, and things that I won't continue to do but it has been an incredible learning experience, and we have grown so much together. 

Already I started praying for charity, and for a greater capacity to love this new sister. I KNOW heavenly father can expand my abilities - to remember, to love, to lead, to teach, to talk, to listen... He has done it before when I was called as relief society president, and I know he will do this for me now, and I SEEK His help daily. But still... I feel sick when I think about it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for me to be able o teach this new missionary how to work hard, how to be obedient, how to effectively teach... There is soo much to teach. I hope I can remember it all. Anyway. I will be here in White River, training, for another 3 months. :) sweet. I love this area, and I love the ward, so I am excited :) 

Dad remember how you felt like... 'streaming' coming when you were about to be called as bishop? I had that same experience for the past couple weeks. I just kept trying to ignore it because it scared me. But I sort of knew this was coming.

So, for the rest of my email...I wanted to share a video with you, and a really cool experience to go along with it. 

When we have weekly planning, we say a REALLY long prayer at the beginning. We pray specifically and seek inspiration and revelation for every investigator, less active and member that we work with regularly. It usually takes a good 30 minutes. The person who isn't praying keeps a notebook open and a pen and writes down inspiration that comes during the prayer. We started doing this a few weeks ago and it has been so amazing what has come of it, especially this week. 

We are teaching a family named the Alexanders. Scott is a 'recovering' less active (he's been coming consistently for a bit now) his son Zach is 18 and is not a member and isn't sure he believes in God, and his daughter Cynthia is 13 and was baptized in May, but has just barely started coming again regularly with Scott. We retaught the lessons to Cynthia, but her entire family sat in on the lessons, even zach. He used to sit in his room or on the computer with headphones is, but ever so slowly he has come and sat with us and listened. So we were praying for this family and we felt prompted to get on mormonchannel.org with them the next time we went over and to watch a video with them. I thought I remembered one about the reality of God from Elder Neilson, so I suggested that we share that one. So we went over there and talked for a bit and then got the computer set up and showed them mormonchannel.org. except.. I COULD NOT find the video that I was thinking of. nobody knew this though. I said a quick prayer and just typed in 'God' in the seearch bar. As I scrolled the video "The  Hope of God's Light" caught my eye. I felt like that was the one we needed to watch. We did... and it was amazing. I had never seen it before, but I think it was exactly what every person in the room needed to watch and hear and see. The spirit was so strong. So dense, so tangible. Afterwards, we bore short simple testimonies of how we knew that God loved us. I hope Zach's heart was touched. I hope he goes back on to mormon channel. we left it up for him when we left. I'm always amazed at how I am SUCH a audio/visual learner, especially with the spirit. I feel His love so much through music and video. 

Also during our weekly planning prayer, we felt inspired to re-teach our jehovah's witness investigator the restoration lesson but using the CUPS. Oh my goodness. It was such a good lesson. We watched her eyes light up. She asked good questions, we asked good questions. She said she believed that the Book of mormon could be true scripture. I know she felt the spirit. We invited her to be baptized and she said no, because she is JW and that would be apostasy. However, I know that is just a justification. I know she knows. It is going to take patience and faith, but I know she will come around. She told us she feels so much better about herself and her week when we meet with her weekly. I will keep you updated on her.

Yesterday Sister Hunt and I fasted for our investigators Bob and Jane Cunningham. Remember them? Old couple whose daughter is LDS and lives in Ogden..? Well they agreed, FINALLY, to come to church. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D MIRACLE! We fasted and prayed that the testimonies born would be something that would pierce their hearts and make them ponder. They are practically dry mormons, he just doesnt have a testimony of the book of mormon. Almost EVERY testimony was about the Book of Mormon. and they were short, simple, and powerful. I can't recall a better testimony meeting that I've ever been to. I prayed afterwward that they felt something. I felt during weekly planning that I needed to invite them to baptism again. So this week, I will do that with my new Greenie. I'll probably make her do it :) I will let you know how it goes. 

We are receiving such grace and so many miracles from Heavenly Father. Indiana is truly blessed. I know He loves each of us so much because he is involved in SO many small details. He cares. We all matter!!!

So please, watch this video, and then share it on your facebook with someone that you love.!!!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3701964025001

I love you all so much. You are amazing examples, and my bestest friends! ta ta for now

212

Sister Megan Cooley

"Below sea level in a giant fish bowl"

Hey fam, 

 My comp is from Hawaii and he is way chill. He had a basketball scholarship before coming out here. We have our differences but we get along well. We pull the highest numbers at the end of the week but its not about numbers... Its about people and loving and serving them.

I think we are going down to the shops in the center of New Orleans this p-day and then the bayou our next p-day. I am very excited. I love seeing gators here and I see way cool turtles every day.

I have had the chance to hear the stories of people that lived through Hurricane Katrina. I will tell you that it was a lot worse than people in other states know. I wont tell you about the stories though because mom would go into mommy mode but ya... it was bad and so sad to hear

about.

We have gotten quite a few new Investigators. We met this lady and her daughter and they were very nice. I know we can continue to have good lessons and progress with them. One of the families that committed to baptism is now not doing so good. The son said he heard some stuff about Mormons (I thing bad opinions from friends) and he said he no longer wanted to be baptized. We are going to talk to him about it next time, plus his wife is a little the same way. We met another guy that is from Cuba and he is doing great. I love the accents from Cuba and Dominican Republic even though they speak crap Spanish.

I love the thunder storms and rain here. They call it the wall of water. You are riding one minute and the next you are soaked to the bone. the water raises very fast here and floods very easy; its probably the fact that we are below sea level in a giant fish bowl haha.

Last night we had two old ladies tell us they couldn't hear our message about the gospel because one of their husbands were across the street and he would get jealous and beat us up if he saw them with younger men hahah. Ok... whatever, have a nice night.

Well I am having a great time and am doing great. Don't worry about me;)

Love you fam

212

Elder Cooley

It's all worth it

My testimony of Jesus Christ grew leaps and bounds this week. There is a lady here in my ward named *****. She is so sassy and bold and honest. I love her. I know she would never lie to me. (last week I stood up to leave and she said, Sister Cooley! Your purse is too big for you! haha it was funny.) Anyway. We were talking about temples with her, and how sacred they are. She looked me in the eye and said, I know, I saw the Savior there Sister Cooley. I was stunned... I didn't know what to say except...really? She said yes. She then told me about the experience she had. It was incredible. She said she doesnt tell that to people. But I was very grateful she told me. We drove to another appointment that night and talked about Jesus Christ again. About how his grace LITERALLY strengthens us each day. There is a song on a CD we have (Trek by Nashville Tribute) that talks about Jesus Christ...some of the lyrics...

"greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends...

he was with me on the cold ground, when I had just fallen down, by the hole where we layed my little man..." anyway it goes through experiences that the pioneers had like "he was with me when my husband signed on with the battalion."

as we drove I pondered about how I have seen Christ in my life. when has he been with me? I had image after image from my life come into my mind. When I literally had no spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical strength. He was there to pick me up. How else would I be here today? He was with me when I walked out of my door with my suitcases and headed to the mtc. He was with me when I ate chicken for the first time again. He was with me when I faced a friendless day at school again and again. I know he loves me. I feel so fortunate to know that there is something greater than me that is guiding me. My heart breaks for all I see around me, whose lives depth is their electronics and their jobs. People have a harder time believeing in the past because they are so caught up in the present, and in all the business or idleness that surrounds them. Its a crazy paradox. 

But I know, I KNOW, that Christ lives. We watched Faith in Christ DVD with an investigator this week. I cried through the whole thing. I am a Audio/Visual learner, and that is how I feel the spirit best. I watch those miracles that Jesus performed, I hear him teach, and the spirit burns in my heart that they are true.

there is still so much that I don't know, but what I do know, I hold on to. It brings me so much Joy. It pushes me to be better, to go longer, faster, stronger. To be bold. To be brave. 

You don't have to be a missionary to have this experience, to have this testimony grow inside you. All it takes is the small things daily. Read. Pray. Obey.

I love you all so much. I still can't believe that I am on a mission. whoosh. Some days I seriously wonder what I've gotten myself into. But then I see people changing, and I see people happy. and then its all worth it.

I love you. 123 Forever. 212 4th

Megs