Good Week

Hey fam. How yall be makin out? I have had a good week. I would have to say that I feel like my eyes have been opened to a lot of my questions. Conference was a big help to that too. I can see a lot of my faults and what I need to work on. With me working on these I can now help others work on theirs. Get the beam out of my own eye before I try to get the mote out of my brothers right? I learned about cause and effect... There is always reasons behind why a person does something. Like if someone is being boastful or prideful then either they are convinced of it from success or haven't had success or have any hope for success therefore they have to talk themselves up. (fluff their feathers). I love studying this because it will help me a ton in life in looking past peoples differences. Take a hard look at yourself but don't be to hard on yourself... correct what you see so you can help others. Take a hard look at others so that you can go easier on them where they need it and also help them where they need it. It really does help pinpoint you becoming better and then helping others becoming better.

So I went on exchanges with my District Leader (Elder Haynie) and he is a very short stalky dude... so anyways we were biking to conference and I stopped because I saw that this lady was about to pull out in front of me... then all the sudden Elder Haynie flys past me and goes in front of this car and gets NAILED!!!! hahahahaha He flew up onto the car hood and windshield and then when she stomped on the breaks he slammed to the ground haha. Probably was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. He was fine so its ok to laugh... but you should have seen the look on that ladies face!! She got out of the car screaming "Oh Jesus!" "Oh Jesus!" "Oh Jesus!" hahaha. It was like an explosion of a pasty white short stalky missionary on this ladies car hood. Everything was fine and we just went our separate ways but, man!! what a night. I am laughing while typing this email... Car can do damage even at low speed. I feel like being on a bullet bike has helped be more cautious out here. ha... A bullet bike is a blessing in my life, how about dat!? 

I spent my time in the church for two days straight watching conference and I loved it. I was supposed to have two investigators come but some plans fell through... dang. They watched some at home though so that is good.

It is a very different mission down here. We go out teaching or contacting and not a lot of people want to hear our message. Yes, I know it is like that everywhere but it is crazy how non exceptive they are in the south (They all just say that it is the same god, that they are saved, or that god will accept them how they are and that they don't have to do anything... ). Sometimes all we can do to make sure we are still working and showing the lord that we aren't wasting his time is to go down to the levy and talk to people about the gospel and it is rare if we get a contact. People just don't want to hear it because they go to their Baptist church every other month and believe that is all they have to do (It is a different mind set down here). Plus the Latinos get off to work at 6 and so after our studies it is hard to find lessons for the next few hours. no one is home, Mexicans have 12 hour days at work. 

But I have learned that when the student is ready then the teacher will appear. That is how we are still filling our schedules and that is how we are pulling the highest numbers of lessons. I love to watch how our day lays out in front of us because God is with us and gives us people to teach. It is amazing.

So as missionaries we are able to go fishing as long as it is with an investigator haha. I go fishing at 5 in the morning anyways (or workout) but why not try to make people feel like friends and loved and not just another number. That is a huge part in missionary work down here... Service and just being their friend; that's because it is so religiously diverse that all people feel like to other churches is another number. Friendship, love, and service is the pure love of Christ and the best way to convert. BUT! if you do not teach the doctrine... even the things that people take to be hard.... and if you don't make sure that person is ready then they "WILL" go inactive. We all have a great role to play in converting people (our brothers and sisters) to the gospel.

There is so much to tell yall but not enough time,

Love ya!

212

4th missionary

 

Elder Cooley