Life is well here in Galveston. It was good to hear of all the awesome things that are going on back home.  As for the storms we didn't experience any of it, it's been pretty calm, just getting a little warmer but the breeze from the Gulf helps cool things off. That's crazy that Kelson Rogers is already coming back.

This past week has been awesome though! We had some great lessons with Juan (an investigator that a member brought to church last week). He has already received a testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and then this past week he brought up the concern that he had already been baptized in the Catholic church and after we tried to explain the need of the authority a few different ways it still didn't seem to click.  Then all the sudden the thought of sharing D&C 22 came to mind.  I hesitated, but seeing as how he had received a testimony of Joseph Smith we shared it.  After reading it his eyes seemed to light up with understanding and it all clicked; he should be getting baptized the end of next week.  

Also while teaching German Guerra he told us about a dream he had where he was standing in the field and someone told him to take some seeds out of his pocket.  He (not knowing he had seeds in his pockets) reached in and pulled them out. He said that one seed was already beginning to grow with leaves and such but that is was getting dry.  He knew that if he planted them then they would grow, but all he could remember is just standing there with the seeds in his hands. It helped me understand his concerns a little bit and we tried to help him understand that it was revelation.  He had already read Alma 32 when we started teaching him but we left it with him to read again; and it was a testimony to me how God is involved in the lives of all our investigators even when we're not there.

Also this past week we finally went to the Temple!!  It was very much necessary and it was great to be in the temple after so long.  Those are pretty much the highlights, hope you have a great week and continue to see the Lord's hand in your life!

Con gran amor, Elder Cooley

Things in Galveston are going great.  This past week had a rough start; we ended our Thursday night having only taught 6 lessons and it was kind of discouraging,  but after kneeling down and praying I felt a peaceful feeling that we would be able to get all the lessons our leaders wanted us to.  I was way stoked for the weekend.  My faith definitely grew as we ended our week with 21 lessons.  

We got some free cheesecake this past week from a random lady on the street who we contacted; she was amazed that we were 19 and had "given our lives to Jesus".  She said some other interesting stuff, but the cheesecake was good.  Also this past week we found a less active member who was not on the records and we were able to get him to church. It'll be good to see him come back into the fold.

A member brought 2 of her friends to church and we were able to teach them after and they are way awesome.  The Familia Guerra is still doing good and basically everything is going great.  Elder Soutas has taught me a lot, especially the importance of focusing on our purpose and such like things.  We got a new sister in our district mid-transfer. She has been out for 6 months and was serving in Thailand, but was reassigned by Elder Nelson.  She has helped out a lot as she's brought her knowledge from Thailand to the little island of Galveston.  

So because Elder Soutas' bike broke, it was in the shop for a few days.  Luckily the shop let us use a substitute of theirs.  It was fun to see Elder Soutas ride around on the little girls’ bike that they gave us; now he's back in the saddle of his old bike though.  

Anywho, this past week was great and I hope you all have a great week!  Que Dios les bendigas!

Elder Cooley

Howdy!! Conference for sure was amazing!  All the talks were amazing and seemed to focus a lot on our duty as disciples of Christ to help, love, and serve.  It was definitely a needed message for me.  That is awesome news about how conference went back home. To answer your questions, since the temple is outside of our mission we can only go every 6 months for a zone conference, luckily the 6 months is finally up and we will be going here in April.  I have definitely missed the temple but I am really excited.  And as for needed things maybe just a talk, one by Christofferson in the June 2001 ensign I think entitled "Justification and Sanctification". I've recently grown to like Christofferson a lot, true story.  Maybe some ties, those are always nice.

So this past week has been eventful, we received a new training for giving church tours to members to get member referrals, we tried it this past week and it worked pretty well. Another day while we were riding, Elder Soutas' bike pedal completely broke off and he wrecked. Earlier in the week we talked to this lady, Angela King, a really less active member.  She told us how she hadn't been to church in about 7 years but we talked for awhile and parted ways. Then on Saturday, we stayed on the other side of the island, by the church, since we were at conference. As we were walking around and didn't know the area at all we decided to knock an apt complex to kill time between conference.  We saw an open door upstairs so we decided to go up there, it ended up being Angela King and we talked and invited her to church; she along with us thought it was a sign that God really wanted her to go back to church.  She also told us how she was going to a bible study at another church and the pastor was trying to get here baptized there but for some reason or another she didn't want to get baptized there.  Then later that day the other elders ran into her, the Lord really wants her back like the 1 lost sheep.

Sis. Saylin was submitted to the hospital and the doctors told her she was going to have her baby prematurely and that it probably wouldn’t survive if that happened, so Pres. Saylin asked all the missionaries to include her in their prayers, which we did, and we got a text this morning that she miraculously healed and she was sent home and all is well now.  We were able to get this awesome investigator family to conference also and they are progressing quite nicely.  Anyways, hope you all have a great week and seek to apply the words of the living prophets to your lives and receive the blessings!

Love, Elder Cooley

Hey! How's it going? That's good to hear that Sis. Anderson is doing better! And about Rylee's wedding, cool beans. It seems like everyone's getting married but I love being out here and not really having to deal with any of it.

So this past Wednesday I received my new companion, Elder Soutas. He's from South Jordan, Utah and is awesome. He's only 1 transfer ahead of me so it's been fun to go around as fairly new missionaries and talk to people and such. We also received 2 green sisters into the district and there are 2 missionaries who are going home the end of this transfer. Elder Jensen went to the Houston area and is now serving as a district leader.

We had a district meeting that reiterated a training we received about teaching Baptism through the Restoration and it was awesome to see that as we used the training that same night we were able to commit 3 new people to baptism. It amazes me how the Lord knows what he's doing and he'll guide his servants to do what he needs if we just implement what he has already given us. I hope to do the same this next week as I listen to conference that I'll be able to come away with things to improve on and plans to do so. I encourage you all to do so and I know the Lord will bless us for our faith to follow what he has given us. Sorry I don't have much to write but hope you all have a great week!

Love, Elder Cooley

Hey!  How's the life?  Sounds like a fun filled week!  This past week I received letters from Chase Petersen, Sean West, and Zach Carpenter.  It was good to hear from all them and to hear that they are having a great time.  So, concerning transfers.... I am staying in Galveston!  But sadly, Elder Jensen is leaving,  but has been called as a district leader so that will be a great opportunity for him.

Dijorkaef got baptized this past Friday, somewhat unorthodoxly seeing as how he was afraid of water, which we didn't find out til the baptism, but after about an hour it happened so that was awesome.

Just this morning we realized that we received Jesus (our recent convert) as a referral in December.  For some reason though we never contacted him (mostly because he lives in Texas City and we don't have transportation to get off the island much).  But in February was when he contacted us on the streets.  I realized that even though we could have taught him sooner, the Lord, as a tender mercy, allowed us to meet paths so that Jesus could receive the gospel.  Anyways, love y'all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Cooley

HEY! Hope all is going well with everyone, it sure seems like it. It's great to hear all the temple blessings that people are experiencing. Well this past week was awesome; we had the baptism of Jesus this past Saturday. After Elder Jensen performed the baptism Transito Trejo, a recent convert gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and then Jesus bore his testimony. Then at the end of the baptism we hugged and he reminded us of the day we met. We were biking around when he pulled up in a van behind us and jumped out of the passenger’s seat. This past Saturday he told us how they almost drove another way but he felt that they should drive that way. It was definitely a testimony to me how the Lord places his prepared servants in the way of those who are prepared. Other than that, we went to court this morning. We had to testify that a member was coming out with us for community service hours so that was fun. This past week we were able to teach a lot of lessons with members present which is definitely a blessing to both the members and the investigators. The work goes a lot better when the members are involved. Anyways, can't really remember much beside the baptism, oh yeah, I got to confirm Jesus, it was awesome being able to do it in Spanish. This past week we have set the goal to always speak Spanish, and if we're talking to other missionaries who don't, then we translate each other. Anyways, hope you all have a great week!

Love Elder Cooley

PS. New mission office address is:

Texas Houston South Mission

602 Eldridge Road

Sugar Land, TX 77478

(Please be sure to let family and friends know that our address is changing as mail arriving to the old address will be returned to sender. The post office has informed us that they will only forward mail addressed to the mission- not mail addressed to individual missionaries. You can likely remedy this problem by having the addressee be: Texas Houston South Mission, Attn: [your name]. However, friends and family should be careful not to send mail to the new address before March 25 as it will be undeliverable)

PPS. Happy birthday MOM! Hope you have a great week! LOVE YA!

Hey! That's awesome about Henry's wedding and Myrna's this upcoming week! Tell them both congratulations for me. Sounds like a lot of great things are happening in the ward and such.

So this last week has been awesome! Since we were only on the island Monday-Wednesday we worked as hard as we could and we were able to find a family to teach and hopefully they start progressing. Then Thursday we had our final day of mission conference, my favorite so far. Then Friday and Saturday we worked in Pasadena with Elders Cortez and Tidwell in an English area, we basically just knocked doors all day, and met some interesting people along the way. While there I really gained an appreciation for the area I'm in and how greatly we are blessed. So this Saturday, Jesus is getting baptized and that'll be awesome. Hopefully we can get Dijorkaef baptized this week too. While I was in Pasadena I realized the difference between an English ward party and a Spanish one... and I'm pretty sure when I get home I'm going to a Spanish ward/branch.

Also this week I met an interesting character. He introduced himself as TJ. As we talked he told us how he was Christ in his former life and how he was back as TJ Evans this time. He also told us how Galveston will be the New Jerusalem (I can see where he's coming from on that one because Galveston is pretty awesome) and how Bin Laden and Dick Cheney are the Antichrists. Along with all sorts of other interesting things, but the amazing part was that he honestly believes it. He then gave us 2 options, we could either go with him to Uruguay or stay here and finish our mission and possibly die. All in all I think I'll stay here.

Anywho, the work here is going great. This past week I realized the importance of home teaching and member missionary work from Acts 6 along with a talk by Bruce R. McConkie called "Let the Word Go Forth". Also I've noticed my sacrament meetings have been a lot more meaningful since I've been studying it a lot lately. Well, hope all is going well at home and with everyone, have a great week!

Elder Cooley