My Acres of Diamonds

How has my family been? I have been good. This week went by pretty fast because we were pretty dang busy. We have formed an awesome relationship with our ward and especially with our bishop. We have worked well together and right now we are trying to get their ward roster all cleaned up. This gives us the chance to talk to a lot of people of all different back grounds.

This week we worked a lot with a guy that has gone through a lot of stuff in his life. He was living out of his car with his wife and baby. He was once a member and was very into it too. He told us how he did scouting and all that fun stuff. He got involved with some bad stuff and he is trying to get on his feet now. He broke down with us and said that he doesn't know what to do. We got in touch with bishop, got him some food every time we saw him, and now I think he is doing better, and was two weeks clean from drugs when we last saw him.

My companion and I speak Spanish a lot throughout our day. We get along well and he is a big help to my Spanish.

Before coming to email our washing machine broke half way through our cycle so I had to ring out bed sheets and get the water out with a plastic cup. I think they will be dropping off a used one or I am going to have to walk down to the laundromat. haha

I love it down here. The people are so humble and kind. Almost all of our ward is converts and have powerful testimonies and excitement about the gospel. I love to work with people and try my best to help them (not change them) but help and motivate so that they will desire it themselves.

I love my mission, It is my acres of diamonds and I'm going to discover and use it.

Love y'all fam and friends.

Elder Cooley

Attitude!

hey fam. 

This week was amazing to me. Nothing changed throughout my day but my attitude and how to progress my mind has improved, and that will make all the difference. Laman and Lemuel went on the same journey as Nephi but which one had a better experience all because of his attitude? I had a lot of things that led up to me deciding to change my attitude or mind-sight and this included a lot of opposition. There is only one way out of mediocrity.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others".

I only have control over that in which I do and how I act, No one is my keeper. It is our attitude towards life that will determine life's attitude towards us. Have you ever heard someone say that life is dull only to dull people? That is all because of attitude. Life is also interesting only to interesting people.

anyways... I will stop boring y'all. I don't think I can fit all of my thoughts in this email. 

Julian is back. haha it turns out that he had to go out of town to get checked up medically by the V.A. All is good. He called us and then showed up to church the next day. He is still strong in faith and confident in what he does. He is actually working at the VA now coordinating things and people come to him for help now. He is inspiring to me. 

I have been put into the Hammond ward and we still do all Spanish work around too. I love it. I am meeting even more new people and get to feel the great new feeling of having to start all over. I like this ward a lot and the people like always are awesome. 

I got the chance to talk to a little girl this week that had problems with stress and she was very shy. I thought about how thankful I have been for advocates in my life and those that took the time to stop and uplift or inspire me. The girl shyly told me that she liked my necklace that I bought the previous week and so I asked her if she wanted it. She shyly shook her head and so I told her she could have it only if she promises to do three things.

• To do something every day that scares her and gets her out of her comfort zone.
• To always have a good attitude and if you aren't then Change It.
• Find a passion and dream you have in life and stick with it, never give up.

I thought about my life and the Life of a sister of mine that powerfully got over an eating disorder and how BIG of an influence we have on other people. Our words and actions towards others can cause trans-formative moments in their lives, either for the best or worst. The greatest currency that we have in this life is the effect that we have on others. Everything else rots and withers away, all that will be left is what was in our hearts. I love to imagine that I made a difference in that little girls life that day and that she will always remember it. A few words can either tear or build a person... but over time one of the two will start to dominate and be hard to defeat whether for the good or bad. We Do make an impact, So make it a good one. Be the difference that you want to see.

Well I love y'all. Have and awesome week.

Elder Cooley ​

It rains like crazy here. Literally like a wall of water.

Turtle Guts

​hello fam.

I went fishing today and pulled this big turtle out. I got the opportunity to gut the sucker out too.

This week has felt like a long week. I dont really know why. We knocked a lot of doors and weren't successful. But I guess No effort is wasted huh?

We stopped by a less actives house the other day and it went great. I opened up randomly to the book of Ether and read him a verse. He said that it was exactly what he needed to hear. He said that Elders haven't come to his house in five years. He told us that he knew it was time for him to come back to church so he was there that Sunday.

note from mom: not much to say... I'm guessing Shane was all talked out after the mothers day call.

Hi Y'All!

I have had a good week this week. So turns out we are covering a huge area thats Spanish. We don't have a lot of Hispanics yet to fill our entire week so I think we will be teaching a lot of English too.

We are headed out fishing again today. I absolutely love it here. 

So I shared my testimony in sacrament for the first time on my mission this past fast Sunday. I usually don't feel the need to do so but this time while translating I felt inspired to go tell a certain story that I recently had on my mission.

I had my first craw fish boil the other day. I loved it. It is spicy and such a big part of their culture down here. Like you can see in the pictures you just peel them, suck their heads and then eat the meat in the tail. They give you huge plates to eat them too.

I have a new companion that is originally from Mexico. He is Hispanic and really nice. I feel like we get along just fine. I feel like he will help me a lot with my Spanish too. 

I am driving now, I feel so free! I have been so sick of being a back seat and passenger seat driver. 

I sent you a package mom! I know you will LOVE it.

So we found a Hispanic area this month. It is on a giant farm and they live in a hotel looking complex that the owner built. THERE ARE SO MANY! I said it looks like if you stepped on an ant hill and they are swarming everywhere haha. We go talk to them one at a time. 

We are helping three people quit smoking right now. With two of them They have such a strong desire to quite that its inspiring to me. 

I don't have much to say this week but As long as y'all know that I love ya. Have an awesome week and I will call you for mothers day.

Love,

Elder Cooley