Como estamos?

So this past week was pretty much amazing.  I got all those pictures of the family and they blew my mind!  The kids are getting so big!  I'm excited to Skype and be able to see the family again.  

Last Monday for P-day, the elders in the district ate lunch with Joseph Matuk and he fed us some amazing chicken and of course, bobaganoosh.  Then later on in the week we went by and he wanted to feed us but all he had was sardines and 6 month old eggplant that had been fermenting in a jar with nuts and olive oil.  It was the first time I've tried either... Apparently the eggplant deal is what they do in the Middle East whenever they run out of food, like their year supply.  

We were able to teach a Muslim man who was very interested in the idea of a modern prophet and another book of scripture and he'll begin being taught by the English missionaries.  Also, as we were out contacting on the street I approached a man sitting down looking at his cell phone.  Without looking up he began to talk to us as if he knew us and he asked for our telephone number.  He said he was waiting for a call from his wife in Guatemala and then he stood up and presented himself to us.  His name is Gonzalo and he just got here a couple weeks ago.  His wife and all her family are members and he has been attending church with them as of late.  As we were talking with him his wife called and he almost immediately passed the phone to me.  She asked my name and thanked me for finding and talking to her husband and told us to get him baptized.  She started crying and saying that God is a God of miracles and I felt to promise that her family would be sealed in the temple someday.   I got a little teary-eyed as I thought of how the Lord knows His sheep and will do all he can to bring the lost ones to the fold.  I love this gospel and can't wait to talk to y'all in a couple weeks!

Love, Elder Cooley

My Dearly Beloved Family,

Como Estais?  Sounds like all the fun stuff of summer is coming up, who all is going to Philmont?  Who in the ward is graduating?  Tell Zeniff congrats on his mission call.

As for this past week it was full of good stuff.  On Friday Elder Tonn got his first dose of Houston rain and we got to bike around in it without jackets.  We also went to the temple on Thursday, it was AMAZING!  Also, yesterday at church we saw many tender mercies of the Lord as a few random people showed up who we weren't expecting.  One is a man who was being taught before he went out of town and has been attending church wherever he went and just recently returned so we'll start teaching him.  

I love the gospel and each and every one of you tambien.  Have a great week, sorry for the short email!

Love, Elder Cooley

P.S. Both pairs of my shoes are wearing through and I'm not sure they can endure to the end, if you could send me either the Propels or Dr. Martins that would be much appreciated :)

Also, how are all those primary kids doing like Nathaniel, Jared, Sam, etc. They are probably pretty closing to being deacons, right? Crazy!

Howdy!

How's it going?  Joseph's baptism was probably the smoothest baptism of my mission. He is the man.  When he came up out of the water he put his fist through a gap between the glass and the floor and 'fist bumped' 2 of the little girls kneeling down.  He then reached up and fist bumped Elder Tonn, he's a big fan of the fist bump.  And then after his confirmation he gave Elder Tonn and me a kiss; he says it's normal but, cada quien.

As for the rest of the week it was full of talking to people as always and an unusual amount of appointments fell through but things are going great, Elder Tonn is a champ. The gospel is true and it's the best.  We gotta share it with others.  I've noticed that when I'm feeling out of it (don't want to talk to people) the best thing to do is just go and get into it and then by doing so the Spirit comes.

Well, I hope you all remember this piece of sage advice, "Entre gustos y colores no discuten los doctores".

Love, Elder Cooley

Dear Family,

How is it going?! This past week was great!

I too was sick since Tuesday and I'm just getting over it. My new companion is Elder Devin Tonn from Queen Creek, AZ. We are in the 'Houston 1 Central' Area, and the 'Houston 1 South' District (there are 2 districts in the ward).  It's pretty much guaranteed that I'll be here another 2 transfers to finish training so feel free to send anything.

I bet the Easter pageant was great as always! Elder Tonn is just super excited for the work and his Spanish is getting better and better every day. I'll send y'all some pictures next week.

As for this week, Joseph Matuk will be getting baptized (he was going to get baptized this past week but he had to go out of town). He had his interview this past week and afterwards he fed us some homemade bobaganoosh (you'll have to try it). Well, the church is true and the gospel is perfect! I hope y'all have a great week!

Love, Elder Cooley

Howdy!

Wasn't conference the best?  I was able to write out all the questions/concerns I had before the conference and then as I listened I did so with an ear ready to receive council; without a doubt every question/concern was addressed.  

Joseph is continuing to prepare for his baptism this Saturday and is very excited.  We reviewed the baptismal questions with him yesterday and he is stoked.  He told us of how, the night before, him and his wife invited friends over for dinner (apparently a weekly thing) and how while everyone else was drinking wine 'til 1 o'clock am, he drank water the whole time.  He truly understands the blessings that come from obedience.

We have several other investigators which are continuing to read and progress in the gospel.  One of such is Edgar, from Uruguay.  He cooked us "pollo a la italiana" (they eat a lot of Italian food in Uruguay and Argentina) and afterwards we taught about the Plan of Salvation and how he'll be able to see his family members who have passed on. Another investigator is Jose, from El Salvador; we have been able to teach him a lot more recently and he started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning.  Jose's grandpa back in El Salvador is the only member of the church in their family and they've been talking a lot more because of it.  Jose told us about how his grandpa is excited that he's no longer going to be the only member in the family.

Yesterday, we were able to teach a less-active family and it was a very sweet lesson.  We expressed our love for them and encouraged them to start with something simple, family prayer.  The daughter who goes to church with her grandma had asked her that day, "Grandma, why don't mom and dad come to church?"  She was able to testify of how she felt at church and we gave the grandma a blessing of health before leaving.  Also, last night I received a very unexpected call from President Saylin.  He started off by saying how he had a couple assignments for me - the first of which is to train an incoming missionary, and the other to be a district leader.  So Elder Claunch is being transferred and on Wednesday I will meet my "son".  It will be nice to learn from him and help him get a good start to his mission.

Well, I love you all and hope that you have a great week!

Con gran amor, Elder Cooley