Elder Spencer Cooper

Write to him at:

Elder Spencer Cooper

Georgia Atlanta North Mission

1150 Cole Dr. SW

Lilburn, GA 30047









Monday, December 31, 2012

Great Christmas Week Dec. 31, 2012

This week was pretty amazing. Christmas was a blast! Got a whole bunch of awesome presents thanks to all those who sent me something, especially my family and the Palmers. We went over to a member's house named the Shoham's. Their house is so awesome. They decorated the heck out of it. Like seriously so much Christmas decorations. Talking to my family was so great. So much fun to get to talk to them. The food there was unbelievable too. The cranberry sauce was unbelievable. Ate waaaaaay too much. And then we played foosball and some different games and it was great. That night we went to James house. He had some concerns about his baptism and wanted to make sure he was alright. It was one of the most spiritual moments of my mission to see how willing he was to change his life and really commit to follow Christ.

We had his baptism two days ago.  It was a little sad because his wife didn't come because they had gotten in an argument the night before. But everything else was fantastic. The spirit was so strong and I was so happy for him. We had to have two people in the water since he is pretty heavy but they got him down and up just fine.

Now we are preparing for the Rodger's baptism this coming Saturday. We're meeting with them the next two nights and I have no doubts they are ready. So yeah the work has been going great. We also had a great lesson with Tim last night. It was our second lesson with him and I think he's starting to recognize this to be true.

The weather has been cold. Besides today is nice but last week was pretty cold. But a member gave me a scarf and beanie for Christmas so I'll be good. Maybe.

Check out these pictures they're cool.

Love

Elder Cooper

Monday, December 24, 2012

Great week, December 24, 2012

This week was pretty great. The Christmas Party was awesome. I performed a song I wrote with a guy and we formed a little band. It was a rap about a Dear John letter and it turned out real funny and good. I also played "I hope they call me on a mission" as a jazz piece. Then I wrote an arrangement of The First Noel and had another Elder sing it. That was really good. The other acts were really good too and we had a good meal. It was lots of fun. Other than that we had a couple new investigators this week one of which came to church on Sunday so that was really cool. James is getting baptized on Saturday! Super excited for that. We had a couple good meetings with some less actives. Elder Packer and I went caroling one night too which was good but really cold. Yeah the heat left. It's pretty flippin' cold. Like when we were riding our bikes on Saturday night we were freezing. Humidity makes the hot hotter and the cold colder. The Christmas program went well and the spirit was really strong. I'm real excited for Christmas tomorrow and to the family on Skype. Hope everyone's Christmas is merry and thanks for all those who sent cards, letters, or packages. I love you all and I'm loving the missionary work.

Elder Spencer Cooper

Monday, December 17, 2012

Slow Week Dec. 17, 2012

This week was a rather slow one. We weren't able to teach as much as we have been. My companion is just going through some medical things and it has been a bit of a challenge. But we've been getting along pretty good. Other than that, the Rodgers came to church and that went really well. We also had a good ward Christmas party that I got to play at so that was fun. Everyone has been getting sick! It's crazy. Also a member gave us a lock picking set. Yeah it's pretty flipping cool I picked our dead bolt this morning made me feel like a crazy master thief. Anyways... we got to read the Book of Mormon with a member's grandchildren. That went pretty well. Our missionary Christmas party is this Wednesday. I'm playing two musical numbers. One is a song I wrote with some other missionaries it's a rap about a missionary Christmas. Pretty cool gonna be awesome. But I can't wait to call home on Christmas! Should be calling between 11 or 12 I think (my time). Which should be 9 or 10 your time, I think. Anyways... not much more to say. Hope you're doing well and your Christmas season goes awesome.

Elder Cooper

Monday, December 10, 2012

Good Week Dec. 10, 2012

This week was good, very up and down, but good. Christmas season is definitely here but you wouldn't know it by the weather. It has been really warm. Well, not AZ warm but warm for december.

We got some new investigators this week. Max and Pabell are freshman in highschool and they're really cool. We had a great lesson with them and they asked a lot of awesome questions. We also met this guy named Mario. Sounds hispanic but he's black. Super cool guy shared a brief message of Joseph Smith with him. We also had dinner with the Rodgers. They're so awesome and prepared. Really looking forward to their baptism. James is progressing like crazy. He is seriously like the golden investigator. We went to teach him tithing, well I didn't because we were on exchanges and I was home sick, but my companion said they went in and started explaining it and he said, "Oh yeah I already have it worked into my budget." He has progressed so much from when he didn't think prayer was important to where he is receiving personal revelation through his prayers. He will be baptized, along with the Rodgers, on Dec. 29th.

As mentioned above I was sick part of the week. Woke up Friday at like 1 in the morning and kept throwing up in my mouth. I held it in like a champ but I was up for like 2 hours just doing that. So we stayed in the next day. But I feel fine now so I have no idea what it was.

Sydney had her interview on Thursday night. It turns out the zone leaders had to do it because of some complications. But it was so cool. Elder Ball, our ZL, knew her aunt in another area. When he was there her aunt asked them to pray for her everyday so they did. But she gave him Sydney's maiden name so he didn't know it was her till the interview. We would have never found that out if he hadn't done the interview so it was really cool. Her baptism was yesterday and it went really well.

Hope everyone's having a great Christmas time!

Elder Spencer Cooper

Monday, December 3, 2012

Great Week December 3, 2012

This week was pretty awesome. We taught some great lessons and our investigators are progressing so well. Transfers came and went and I'll be staying in Woodstock for another 6 weeks which is great so I can participate in the baptisms.

James is getting really prepared. He has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy and asks awesome questions. Some other missionaries were having a baptism at our building and we invited him. Both James and his wife Rebekah came. She has started listening to the lessons too and we're excited for her to get going. He came to church and we had a really cool lesson about eternal families.

Sydney is progressing well also. Her baptism is next Sunday so we're trying to get everything ready for that. We were worried at first she might just be getting baptized because her husband is a member but recently she's been progressing really well and I think she's ready.

We met with the Rodgers again last night. Had a great lesson with them. This time Dawn's husband Joel was there. He recently went through some difficult stuff with his health and I think it has really opened his eyes and heart to the gospel. He committed to reading from the Book of Mormon and praying about it. Also Dawn quit her job so she won't have to work Sunday. So awesome and we're really excited for her and the kids to be baptized.

Other than that... the weather has been amazing here. Like low 70s. And we've just been having a good time. Cool to hear about your choir mom wish I could of heard it. Hope work and everything is going good for you all back home!

Elder Spencer Cooper