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