Ask & Receive; Seek & Find; Knock & It Will Be Opened

Hola Familia,

This week has been really great and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time. I love hearing about each and every one of your lives. It always makes me smile and remember all the good times that I have had with all of you. This week was awesome. 

We watched a movie on P-day and just hung out with the Zone. Then on Thursday we had a mission wide fast to bring more success. The mission is struggling right now and our numbers are really low. It is hard in this mission at this time. I liked this scripture about fasting, Alma 5:46. Just remember the power of fasting and what it can do for you in everyday life.

Investigator's Birthday

On Tuesday I had 7 pieces of cake it was awful ha ha. People always give you more and more, so I have learned to eat really slow ha ha. We had a birthday party for an investigator. She is really old and the family has no money, it was her first party with a cake ever. It breaks my heart; she has really bad arthritis so she can’t work. But she loves hearing about the gospel. We found the family this week just by knocking on doors. The mom is not active and the 5 kids are not baptized. They are awesome and I think they will be baptized at the beginning of next month. It is so amazing when you can see the change in the hearts of your investigators.

Another Birthday

I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with another Gringo in our zone. He doesn’t speak any Spanish. It was fun teaching people and being the person in charge but it was quite interesting. Some of the coolest experiences are when we can help members and others with their problems. The trust people have in us is so cool and people tell us everything. I love serving people to show the love that I have for them. It is so hard when people don’t want to change and stop progressing, but we just need to keep working with them.

It is pretty awesome in Peru. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I am in Peru but then WOW I realize I have been in Peru for 4 months. The time is just flying by; I want it to go slower. I have so much to do and I don’t know how in two years I can accomplish it all. Every night I think about how I can be a better person so the next day I can be that improved person. Every night when I write in my journal I am starting to write things down that I learned in the day and apply a scripture to it. Remember God always listens to your prayers. 3 Nephi 14:8.

I love you all thanks so much for all the support and everything that you all do. 

I love you all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

Cactus Fruit

1. What does the cactus fruit taste like?  What type of texture does it have?

The tuna fruit tasted like a form of watermelon and has the same texture.

2. Do you ever get to have iced drinks there?

I have had about 2 iced drinks down here ha ha. Everything is always hot to kill all the bugs.

3. Tell me a funny, exciting, or amazing story from last week.

This week we had a fast as a mission. We had a devotional before we ended it and wow it was such a powerful experience that is for sure.

Alf Alfa Drink

4. Where did you get the Alf Alfa drink from? Did you drink it?  What did it taste like?

The Alf Alfa drink was from this old grandma that has a garden. Yea I drank it, and it was really good ha ha.

5. What is your Pensionista’s name?  

Our Pensionista’s name is Hermana Gina, she is the best and her family is awesome.

6. Do they take siestas in Peru?

Some people do and others don’t but lunch is the biggest meal of the day.

7. Is there a story from the States (camping, baseball, life, etc.) that you share with the Peruvians that they find amazing or unbelievable?

Just everything about the States they find amazing ha ha and they really enjoy asking me questions.

8. What do you do on a typical p-day?

A typical P-day is writing everyone, eating and playing soccer with our zone ha ha.

9. How do you feel being so much taller than everyone around you?

I feel normal now ha ha. Nothing in Peru is meant for a white Gringo that is anything over 5’ 10” ha ha.

10.  How has your Jack Black lip balm been?

The lip balm is great. I use it a ton because the very dry climate here so it is quite handy. I haven’t even finished one yet.

Conference Trending Worldwide #ldsconf

Hola family,

This week has been pretty exciting. 

The beginning of this week was good, my companion was in Lima and so I had a member with me for two days. That meant that I was the head companion so I lead what and how we did things. It was really hard but I enjoyed it. It definitely tested my Spanish skills and I just really want to learn the language ha ha. We were able to teach some good lessons and be really productive. Our investigators are coming along really well; they are all progressing. We are getting more lessons each week. The numbers in our mission are really low; the work of the Lord is definitely changing this area. We focus a lot on less active members and bringing people back into the church. One of our families attended Conference at the Stake Center, they are doing really good and I know that they are going to be really strong members in the church. Our Pensionista's dog had six babies one morning. I was lucky enough to see the birth of one puppy ha ha. They are so cute. We had two birthdays this week. Birthdays are a big deal here ha ha they all dance and have so much cake. It was fun my companion and I are doing well and I enjoy him. We are getting along really well and starting to finally have success.

Investigator's Birthday

Conference:

Wow I really took Conference for granted when I was home. I don’t think I ever have taken notes this in depth before. Conference was only shown at the Stake Center in Spanish, but the Gringos of our Zone were blessed to be able to watch it in English. It was such a powerful experience to have all of us watching it together. I really loved all the talks so much. I think that my favorite was Dieter F Uchtdorf’s talk Saturday morning. Also I really liked when Elder Carlos A. Godoy said that you need to look and read your patriarchal blessing and see if we are really fulfilling it every day (The Lord Has A Plan For Us!). Families were a huge topic which is so important in this life.

Zone after Conference

I know that this church is true. I know that every single principal of this church is true. The importance of this life is insane, we need to take every possible step to progress to return with our Heavenly Father. That needs to be in our minds every single day. We need to never forget the ways of the Lord. Don’t walk the same way Jesus walked, but Walk As Jesus Walked. I love Conference and all the blessings that we receive from our Prophets.

Thank you all so much for the support and the prayers. God hears and answers every child’s prayers.

I love y´all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. For these Numbers 348792 steps 108.82 miles how long were you gathering data?

These steps are from the last time that I sent you numbers. I started counting when I got to Arequipa so the total is 353,858 steps and 109.739 miles first time and then 348,972 steps and 108.82 miles next. So the total steps while have been in Arequipa is 702,810 which is equal to 218.559 miles.

2. Did you hear conference yet (or read it)?  Favorite talk?

I did watch Conference and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave my favorite talk on the Saturday morning session. Receiving A Testimony Of Light And Truth

3. Favorite scripture this past week?

Favorite scripture is 1 Nephi 3:7. 

4. How are your conversations with investigators going?

Conversations are going really good, of course they are too in depth but I can understand most of them.

5. Do you have another funny story?  What happened?  (I love to hear your funny stories!)

Funny stories umm . . . not this week ha ha

6. How long has your companion been out in the mission?

He has been out for 14 months.

7. Do they celebrate Halloween in Peru?

I don’t know if we celebrate Halloween or not ha ha.

8. Are you close to the mountains?

I am close to rock hills ha ha, no mountains.

9. Is it hard to go back and forth between Spanish and English?

Not too much because, I speak Spanish the entire week and then write in Spanish.

10. Have you tried Inca Kola? How was it?  Did you like that or regular Coke better?

I love Inca Kola it is really good. But soda is annoying because we have it so much.

11. Have you tried Canchita? (Unpopped popcorn of Peru)

Yes I have and it is called Tostada here. Wow, it is awesome.

Sunset

Alf Alfa Drink Thing

My Companion and I

Epic Toilet

Cactus Fruit (tuna)

Cactus Cake

Another Sunset

Cow Hearts, Van Overheating, and Breast Feeding! Oh My!

Hola Familia,

Cow Heart

This week has been really busy but that is always very nice because it keeps my mind off of things that I miss. Monday we ate lunch at other missionaries’ house and had cow heart ha ha. It was quite good. 

Tuesday we had a multi zone conference in a town two hours away. It was awful because they don’t make vans in Peru for anyone over 6 feet tall ha ha. The longest two hours of my life. Then the van over heated and we were stuck in the middle of nowhere for 30 minutes ha ha. 

Van Overheated

Wednesday we were waiting for an investigator to arrive at the church and we were just sitting there and I prayed for help and for guidance just because it was a hard day and my heart just started pounding, it was unreal. I know that God hears and answers every prayer if you have enough faith. It was such an awesome experience. 

On Thursday we had a lesson with an investigator and her family. After teaching them we were all just talking. She was telling us how before we contacted them she was praying for guidance in her life and someone to help her. Then later that same day we came and knocked on her door. The spirit is crazy on how it guides us to find the people ready to hear the gospel. 

Friday we had two birthday parties for a new Elder in our zone and for our Pesionista, they were crazy and so much different then the parties in the states. It was really fun. 

Then on Saturday I locked the keys in the room again and so we had to build another contraption and got them out, I learned from these events and hid a key so that we could get in ha ha.

Lunch for Sunday

Companion

Overall this week has been really good. My companion and me are getting along well and working really hard. There are things that just bug me about him. But he is from Panama and I’m from the states. One thing annoying is that he reads out loud ha ha. I have learned to just tune everything out ha ha. 

Oh I kept on forgetting to tell the different culture things. Breast-feeding is ever more present here ha ha. We will be teaching a lesson and BAM they just start to breast-feed. I have learned to really look people in the eyes when talking to them ha ha.

Well that it all this week. I love every single one of you guys. Thank you so much for all the support.

I love you all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. What was your favorite conference talk?

We couldn’t watch conference because there were elections here. So next week I will let you know.

2. What has been the best mission advice you have received so far?

Best mission advice: Don’t worry about numbers. The mission is so different then what I expected.

3. What does the outside of your apartment look like? (We were able to find the street on Google maps and walked it via steer view lol)

Outside of the apartment is an orange color with a big door.

4. Have you learned any local sayings yet? What are they?

Local saying a couple but nothing really ha ha, just like that way to say cool it sounds like chevery.

5. Have you gotten sick yet?

I have not gotten sick. Just sick from eating so much stinking rice ha ha.

6. If you have worn out your shoes have you also worn out socks ha ha?

I have not worn out my shoes or any socks yet ha ha.

7. Do the seasons change down there like they do up here? What is it like?

The seasons change a little but they are all just hot ha ha. It’s like southern Utah no trees.

8. Do you wear sunscreen?

I wear sunscreen every single day, because there is a hole in the ozone or something here so the sun is really bad.

9. In your area are most of the streets paved or unpaved?

The streets are paved and then just dirt; it is a mixture of both.

10. Have you met the person you share a bathroom with yet?

I have met him briefly but nothing like talking or anything ha ha.

Numbers: 348,792 steps = 108.82 miles

Funny Picture

Traveling

Another Picture

Zone