Howdy,

Sounds like it's been pretty Hot in Arizona. Today I'm actually on an exchange and the other elder's bike is out of commission so we've been privileged to walk.

This past week was great! So Friday came and we drove to a chapel in downtown Houston and we were able to Hear from Elders Flukeager? (Seventy), Elder Neilson (Area Seventy), and Elder Holland.  First order of business was that he wanted to shake all of the missionaries’ hands, almost 500 from the 3 Houston Missions.  Elder Holland first talked about the fruits of missionary work and mentioned that his father was a convert.  Then he encouraged us to not waste a minute, he said his mission meant everything to him and he can't think of one day in the last 49 years that he's been back from his mission that he hasn't thought of his mission.  He spoke very powerfully and lovingly.  He said we are "engaged in the salvation of a human soul", the most important work that can be done.  His words definitely inspired me to not waste a moment and to get everything I possibly could from my mission seeing as how 2 years is a short period of time and it seems that every day goes by faster than the last.

As for the work, we should be having a baptism this Sunday for Joaquin.  He's 18 and the friend of a young man in the ward, he's legit.  It's amazing what the gospel can do to change people.  Moses is doing great and progressing towards baptism, just need to get his mom on board now.  Everything is going great and we are seeing more and more blessings each week as we strive for exact obedience.  I hope all is well at home and with the fam.  "I know the Book of Mormon and the Church that espouses it to be true"; there is a joy that comes from missionary work that doesn't come from anything else.

Love, Elder Cooley