Good, but tiring week June 24, 2013

This week was pretty awesome but we worked so hard and I've been super exhausted. And my year mark is coming up in a few days! I can't believe it, it's flown by for me. I mean I look back on certain events and they seem a long time ago, but overall it feels like I'm still a young missionary, not getting over the hump.

I can't believe how many people from home are going on missions now! It's crazy and awesome. I LOVED the broadcast last night it was so motivational and powerful. Got me really pumped to start working with the ward more, that's what this area really needs is ward involvement. They talked about how missionaries shouldn't have time to knock on doors and when we aren't teaching we knock doors. A lot. It's hard to do much else with our mile limitations and how spread out everyone is here. If we can get more help from the ward though we'll get this area rolling.

The work has been interesting, mostly good. We have found a lot of new people to teach this week and we had some amazing experiences. We were going to an appointment to leave a blessing in someones home and as we were walking, these two ladies pulled up and asked if we could pray with them on the side of the road (it was a dirt road in a neighborhood so there was no traffic). We prayed with them and were able to get a return appt. with the one that lived in our area and see her on Saturday. It was awesome. Yesterday we had some extra time too so we went knocking and started talking to this guy. He started asking questions about if we believed in Christ, baptism, moral values, Sabbath day, and a "waiting place after we die before judgement." It was so cool so we answered all his questions and gave him a Book of Mormon and are hoping to see him tomorrow. The bad part of this week is that we haven't been able to see Tori for 3 weeks now, and Caroline called and said she wants to wait to get some issues worked out before she quits smoking or even meeting with us. But we also started working with a part member young couple. We're teaching him tonight again and he's an awesome guy.

We knocked so many doors this week. On Saturday I thought I would die of heat stroke haha. But it has been great having Elder Kilmer as a companion because we both work really hard and get along really well.

Hope all is going well at home! I included some pictures of Amicolila falls. Also yeah I got some new pants and a belt. They're good.

Elder Cooper

Good Week in Dalonega, June 17, 2013

This week was great. I got my new companion his name is Elder Kilmer. He is a really hard worker and a cool guy. I'm really excited for this transfer, we are raising our vision higher than ever before. When Elder Ellis of the 70 came and spoke to us he talked about baptizing weekly. That's something Elder Kilmer and I have a goal for. We want to start baptizing every week here in Dahlonega by August. I know it's possible as we really apply ourselves to go outside our comfort zone and invite everyone to be baptized.

But this week was good like I said. I'm having a lot more fun with Elder Kilmer and the work is progressing. We had an amazing lesson with Caroline yesterday. She's so prepared she just needs to quit smoking. She has a real desire to and we are going to start a really cool program with her on Wednesday. I'm really excited for her we're preparing to baptize her on July 13th. Tori was unable to meet with us which was frustrating. But we've found a couple of new investigators this week who seem pretty promising.

The weather has gotten hot and muggy. This week it's supposed to rain a ton it sounds like. We were on our bikes a bunch last week. Got really tired of biking up hills. Seriously on Saturday we went to go try a couple of referrals and we were just climbing mountains the whole time. Bleh!

Oh yeah Amicolilla Falls was pretty cool. I got some great pictures of it, but don't have my camera right now... I'll send them next week if I remember. Today we're going to see if the college here has a racketball court. If so I'll be sooooo excited. We've been wanting to play racketball really bad.

Hmm... That's about it I think. Hope you all had a great Father's day. I've been staying crazy busy which is a good thing.

Elder Cooper

Sweet Week in Dalonega June 10, 2013

Hey everyone,

This week was another good one. Today was transfer day and I found out I'm staying and Elder Bonin is going somewhere else. That's really good cause I'm starting to really enjoy this area but... yeah we aren't the best of friends. Anyways I'm excited my new comp is named Elder Kilmer. I don't really know anything about him. The other two Elders who serve in this ward are both staying which is good cause they're awesome.

Got quite a bit of rain the end of this week. It was hot and humid all week too, but there was a couple times when it poured so hard. Like yesterday we were driving back from an appointment and it was like Noah status rain going on, I couldn't see anything. But we made it back safe.

There's a really awesome old guy named Ike Hayes who we have been visiting and just doing service for the last few weeks. Super nice guy. We asked if we could share a bit about the Book of Mormon. We went over and had a simple first lesson. He can't read so it might be a bit of a challenge. But it was so cool. He said he has heard a lot of bad things about our church but yet all the members are the nicest people he knows. Said, "There's got to be more to you Mormons, and I wanna find out what it is." We also found these twins who are in their 20s and left a blessing in their home. It was awesome and they're interested in meeting with us so we're going back tomorrow. Knocking doors DOES work!.... sometimes. Ha anyways we weren't able to see Tori cause she's out of town but we saw Caroline and she's progressing awesome.  I think she'll be ready for baptism on the 22nd.

Hope all you Dad's have a sweet Father's day; especially mine. Thanks Dad for all you do, keep being a stud.

That's about it! Take care everyone.

Elder Cooper

Great Week in Dalonega June 3, 2013

Hey everyone,

This week has been long, strange, but awesome. The weather has been cloudy all week looking like it's going to rain but it only did yesterday and a bit this morning. It's been nice though much cooler than AZ it sounds like. We did some service for a lady this week helping her set a chain link fence around her garden (to keep deer out) and it was perfect weather for it. And at the beginning of the week we were biking quite a bit since we were so low on miles for our car. It was fun but I'm glad I don't got to bike more this week because everything is so spaced out and far away from each other in Dahlonega. And hills! I hate 'em.

Anyways on Monday night last week we ate dinner with a family that moved into the ward not too long ago and they had their aunt there. Her name is Caroline and she's really nice. She was out in Texas for a couple weeks and started meeting with the missionaries out there. She's really prepared and we have taught her twice this last week. Pretty much all she needs to do is give up smoking, which she has a sincere desire to do, and she'll be ready to be baptized. She already knows Joseph Smith was a Prophet and the Book of Mormon is true so we're pretty confident in her.

We met with Tori again on Saturday. She's the 15 year old investigator. Had a great lesson with her and she really wants to be baptized. We taught her and her friend Damion the Plan of Salvation. She's awesome and asked all the right questions. I'm really confident she will be baptized on June 22. The best part was she came to church! And it was a great service I think she loved it, the spirit was so strong during testimony meeting.

We are teaching a couple other families and people right now too so the work is really picking up here in Dahlonega. I'm starting to enjoy it more here to as I get to know the people. The small town feel is pretty cool something I think everyone should experience. Not that I would live in a small town though haha. But the people here are really awesome and I'm really enjoying it.

Today for Pday we are going to Amacolila Falls. Not sure how to spell that... but apparently it's a really cool hike and some awesome scenery so I'll try to remember to send some pics next week of that.

Anyways I think that's about it for this week. I'm loving my mission and I love the Lord. Take care and hope you guys don't burn up too much in AZ.

Elder Spencer Cooper

Pretty Good Week May 27, 2013

This week was good. We did a lot of service. Like a ton. Our entire saturday was mowing lawns basically. But we had some amazing miracles, too. On Tuesday we were eating at our apartment because our dinner had been cancelled. So I ate and my companion was making his dinner but taking a while. He ended up not finishing till our hour for dinner was up. I told him it was all right if he ate but he said he'd just eat when we got back. So we went to go see a member but had some extra time so went to another street and knocked on a former investigator's door. He answered and said,  "Now isn't a good time." I explained we were just there to leave a blessing with him and his family. He came around the other door and we sat outside and talked for awhile. He shared how his life has been really difficult for his family right now with medical problems and different things. Said everything was just piling up at once. We went inside and left a blessing. The spirit was so strong and then he told us right before we came he was thinking he needed someone to talk to and had tried to call his Sunday School teacher but he hadn't answered. Two seconds later we rang his door bell. Then when we were about to leave it started to pour rain. It was crazy; we wouldn't have been there if dinner wasn't cancelled and if Elder Bonin had eaten his dinner it would have been pouring rain when we got there and probably would have just gone on to the members'  house. One of those things where everything just fell into place and the Lord really directed our path.

We also asked a long time investigator who hasn't really gone anywhere if we could teach his entire family. He said sure and so we had a lesson with them. I'm really excited for them some of the children who are in their late teens seem really interested.

E. Bonin and I have been struggling a bit lately relationship wise. But its all right we still get out and work hard everyday.

That's about it right now, I think. Hope all is going well for you back home!

Also thanks Roots for the package! And Mom sorry about pants I'll maybe grab some next Pday. And go ahead and just send the package to the mission office

Thanks,

Elder Cooper

Great Week May 20, 2013

We had a great week here in Dahlonega. Amazing things are starting to happen. The best is definitely that we met with one of our investigators named Tori. She's 15 and she and her mom have been learning about the church for a while. Tori said she came to believe the Book of Mormon to be true and she wants to be baptized. It was such an amazing meeting, the spirit was so strong. I haven't met her mom yet because she's been so busy with work, but we're hoping to help her towards baptism too. We also had some great meetings with some other investigators. One who's new is agnostic and we're helping her understand God is there and that He loves her. It's really cool I'm enjoying teaching someone who doesn't have the typical Christian background. We have also found a couple of new investigators who are really open about reading and learning more. So good stuff happening for sure.

We also had Zone Conference with Elder Ellis. It was awesome. My favorite thing he talked about is how God is a God of miracles and will provide miracles in our lives if we ask for them. He's a great speaker though and I really enjoyed that.

The weather has been really stormy lately. Most the week it was nice, but the last couple days lots of thunder storms and rain.

Happy Birthday mom! Sounds like it was great! Especially since you got some BBQ and some Firehouse Subs. MMMMMM so good.

I'll definitely include Papa and Steve Pearce in my prayers. Sorry to hear about that. I know the Lord will bless them though according to the faith which we pray with.

Something else Elder Ellis talked about was preparing to change. With the new mission coming there's a possibility of me switching missions. Crazy to think about, and I have no idea when we'll know who's staying and who's going.

Well that's about it. Love you all and hope you're all doing well.

Elder Spencer Cooper

Happy Mother's Day, May 13, 2013

So this week was pretty great. Very strange. Did a ton of service! Apparently there is a lot of service to do in this area. I'm getting better adjusted to the country; it's a beautiful place. We helped a lady mow her lawn. The grass was chin high in some places, no joke-- it was crazy. We've been meeting a lot of new people but getting in with them has been difficult. Same with pretty much all our investigators. Like all of our appointments have been falling through for one reason or another. But I'm hopeful for this coming week. Plus we have Zone Conference with a member of the 70 coming who spoke in General Conference, Stanley Ellis. Gonna be legit! Just found out today a couple of old investigators I was working with in my first area got baptized too. So awesome!  I love seeing how people can really change, one of them I wasn't sure if he'd ever get baptized. His wife has been a member for a long time and now they'll be preparing to go to the Temple to have their marriage sealed for time and all eternity. Pretty amazing. That's about it for me this week. Much love to all the mom's out there, especially mine! You're the best Mom! And Grandma love you so much! Alright stay classy till next time you all. (Not y'all, I haven't changed that much....)