Elder Spencer Cooper

Write to him at:

Elder Spencer Cooper

Georgia Atlanta North Mission

1150 Cole Dr. SW

Lilburn, GA 30047









Monday, March 31, 2014

You aren't going to believe this...

So... yesterday I said all my goodbyes to everyone in the ward. It was so great and I love this ward. I actually played a special musical number that I wrote of Come Come Ye Saints mixed with If You Could Hie to Kolob. It went pretty well. But I was talking with all these members saying goodbye and getting a ton of pictures... and then.... today, I found out I'm staying in Johns Creek again. I can't believe it. It's going to be SOOOOO awkward to go to church and be like hey... actually I'm staying. Man. But I guess it's what the Lord wants. I am excited to stay for some reasons and in other ways I'm gonna have a hard time staying here.

Other than that this week was alright. We had a lot of appointments fall through but had some sweet lessons and found some great new investigators. Today we're going to go play rugby and basketball at the Smith's house (a giant mansion home of some members in a neighboring ward).

I really don't have much else to say... I love this work and love the Gospel. And I love this ward, it's seriously becoming like my home ward.

Elder Cooper

Monday, March 24, 2014

Still hangin' in John's Creek

This week has been really up and down. Elder Zimmerman and I get along super well and I'm enjoying serving around the missionaries I'm with. We were able to find a couple of sweet new investigators. One, we went to go try a media referral that we had an appointment with and when she answered the door just said, "Oh I didn't realize you guys were Mormon and I don't want to meet," and walked past. It was kind of dumb because I told her last time, "some people call us Mormon."  But anyway we turned around and knocked the first door and the guy who opened it let us in right away. Turns out he had met with missionaries in Dacula, GA and we have and appointment with him tonight. Had another guy let us in right away from tracting this week too, which was weird cause that just doesn't happen too often here.  He was a really cool guy too, said he had a "good feeling" about us. He already had a couple copies of the Book of Mormon and said he'd actually pick it up and read it now.
Steve A.is doing really good. He missed church cause of work which was too bad since it was Ward Conference and our  Stake President spoke. It was a really powerful Sunday. But we did have a couple really good meetings with Steve and he's progressing really well.
We met with Asia last Monday and that was a great lesson. But then we had another appointment for Friday and she wasn't there. And we haven't been able to get a hold of her since. So, yeah, I’m  kind of worried about her again. Also had a hard time with a lot of our Recent Converts this week.   A few of them are slipping into old habits and a couple of others are starting to really distance themselves from the church. But I know this next week will be a lot better, we have some solid appointments set up this week.
Pollen season is beginning again here. Yay, but the weather has been perfect. We'll probably play some rugby again this week. Last week was really fun and a good work out.  Alright that's about all I got this week. Love you all
Elder Cooper

Monday, March 17, 2014

Strange Week

This week we had Elder Kopischke of the presidency of the quorum of 70 come speak. He did a zone conference first where he just did basically a question answer section. It was pretty cool, they never do that usually and he gave great answers to everything we asked. Then we had a leadership meeting with just the zone leaders and assistants and sister training leaders and Elder Kopischke. Well and Pres and Sis Wolfert.  It was crazy. Super powerful, but he helped us realize we’re not quite achieving our full potential in this mission.
Other than that we had a lot of appointments fall through. It was frustrating. But one lesson with Steve Archer was so amazing. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation but when we taught about the pre-existence he was blown away by it. Like just couldn't even grasp the concept fully. He's progressing steadily, it's still just his family that's holding him down. At church yesterday we sang Love at Home and it almost moved him to tears. He's so cool.
Asia had some opposition come up like we said last week, but it all got cleared up. She says she knows it is because of our blessing, too. But then she missed church and when we went by for an appointment yesterday she flaked out so were a little concerned for her.
The weather has been bipolar as usual. Super nice one day, really warm the next, pretty chilly the day after.  But that's just GA. Today for p-day we’re planning on doing some rugby (two hand touch) and ultimate frisbee in the rain. Should be a lot of fun.
We've been working with some really cool less active people recently,  too and our recent converts. Danny Mendez has been having some problems but he'll be okay I'm sure. The Witherspoons are mixed. The boys are doing pretty good and are at church almost every week, but the girls haven't been for awhile.
Our Ward Mission Leader had us over for breakfast yesterday and his wife gave me and my companion some sweet St. Patty's day socks. They're so cool that I felt obligated to mention them in this email.
Alright that's about it. Still a missionary. Still love the church and know it's true. Still wanna stay out here forever.
Elder Cooper

Monday, March 10, 2014

Great Week March 10, 2014

So Elder Cook came and visited our mission on Saturday. It was SICK. He had Elder Piper of the 1st quorum of 70 with him too. They both spoke about how we need to do more invitations. Committing people to read and pray to find their own answers will bless and strengthen them more than anything we could say. Really helped me realign my focus of how to teach and help people reach true conversion. Elder Cook talked about how missionaries are called to where they go too. It was interesting, he said a lot of the times the impression comes that a person needs to go to this specific mission President, rather than focusing on the area. I had never thought of that before it was cool. Also they had Elder Parker with them who is an area 70. He is a black guy and a convert and he gave the craziest mormon/baptist sermon I have ever heard. It was sweet he was straight preaching from the pulpit. Elder Piper got up after and said, "Elder Parker I bet there are a few churches around here that would love to hire you." It was pretty funny. It was also so great to see all my mission friends there. There are so many awesome people I've met on my mission it's ridiculous.

Other than that our ward had a chili cookoff competition that night after the Elder Cook meeting. It was a lot of fun and the ward put on a great show. There was a lip sync competition which was pretty funny and the food was bomb. We had our investigator Adam there and I think he had a good time. Asia is doing okay, had some opposition come up this week, but she's staying strong. Had a great lesson with her this week and she committed to baptism on the 29th of March. We were able to give her a priesthood blessing too it was amazing. Steve A. has been swamped with work and family things (as always) but we saw him last night and set up another appointment. I told him the more opposition he sees the more he can know this is true and of God and that Satan doesn't want him to have it. He said, "That's funny I was thinking that just earlier today, that very same thing."

The weather has been pretty good. A little rainy and cold at first but the last few days have been awesome and it is really nice outside right now.

Hope all is well with all of you.... Yeah that's all I got this week, no words of wisdom I'm too stinking tired. Cause we taught early morning seminary twice this week and then daylight savings made us lose an hour of sleep. Bleh. But yeah. I really love being a missionary.

Elder Cooper

Monday, March 3, 2014

Good Week

This week was pretty awesome. That lady Asia who we met a week ago was able to come to church yesterday and absolutely loved it. She's a single mom with 4 kids and we're really hopeful for her now. Steve A. wasn't able to come and I think he's going through a really hard time. We had an awesome experience on Saturday when we were tracting. We talked to this guy outside and he was Atheist. It was awkward because we never really know what to say to atheists because we hardly ever find any. So we were talking about it before we knocked on the next door and the person who answered was another atheist.  At first he didn't want to talk to us but we started asking him questions about the plan of salvation and he really opened up.  He actually ended up inviting us into his home where we had an hour and half conversation.  It was cool to teach someone without the christian background and we are going to be meeting him again in a week or two. Other than that, we're just getting ready for the Elder Cook meeting and then like 4 days later the Elder Kopischke meeting. Loveyoubye.

Elder Cooper