Navidad BBQ?

Hola familia,

Wow how crazy that it is already Christmas. Geez it just feels like yesterday when I was in the SLC airport saying the last goodbyes ha ha. But now six months in and wow things have changed for sure. Overall things are about 100 times better ha ha. My new companion is Elder Holden from Arizona in the mountains. He loves to hunt, play sports and loves to work. We have been able to get a ton of work done. Both of us have the same desire to serve the lord.

This week has been awesome we been focusing on working with members to strengthen them and to make them able to come to the church everyday. Overall everything is awesome. We rescued another person this week, our Pesionista’s husband. The whole family is just coming back to church and they are all awesome. So we had one of the most powerful lessons last night about the atonement with him, it was incredible. I love being able to see the joy of everyone. Then we have been working to find all the teenagers that are just lost and aren’t coming to church. Wow there are so many that just don’t come and it is so sad. We have been working with Ruben and he is preparing to receive more priesthood in order to go on a mission.

This week we went to Pedregal on Tuesday. Then we came back and I had to give a lesson to the entire zone ha ha. It turned out really good and I am so thankful for the help of the Lord in my life.

Home Sweet Home

Then we returned the next day and hung out and practiced our skit for the Christmas devotional. That night we slept over on top of the roof, which was awesome ha ha. On Thursday we traveled to Arequipa and had an awesome devotional with great food and games. We ate stuffing, marshmallow salad and broccoli salad. It was so good ha ha. 

Christmas Lunch

My Stocking

Zone

Christmas Party

Then we got home real late. It was so cool to have the Christmas activity with everyone. On Saturday we had an awesome day of service. We built a pig corral, carried grass, milked cows and cleaned the church. We got some sweet lessons in also. Then we finished the week with a BBQ ha ha.

Building a pig corral

Pigs

Milking Cows

Got Milk?

Sunday Lunch BBQ

Eating

Hermana Olga

BBQ Time

BBQ

Overall this week was awesome, I am so grateful for my companion and for the help the Lord gives to us every single day. I love this time of the year, just remember how important this time of the year is and enjoy the Christmas season with the family. I love you all so much. John 3:16. Remember the importance of the season.

I love you all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. Have you been able to see any other Christmas videos while you have been down there?  (Such as the one done by the Piano Guys with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Peter Hollens and David Archuleta video link)

I have not been able to but I do have some more music from other missionaries that I listen to.

2. What is the scripture of the week?

Romans 6 : the last verse in this chapter I think 23

3. How do you like your new companion?  

I love my new companion he is awesome. We get along really well and are working harder then ever.

Mac and Cheese

Donuts

Deer Jerky

Random Dude with a Machete

WHERE'S DYLAN?!?

FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARY!

Casi Navidad :) (Almost Christmas)

Hola Familia,

Como estan, porque no hay nieve en Utah, Que es esto?

(How are things because there is no snow in Utah? What’s this?)

Well I am getting a new companion today, his name is Elder Holden and he is from Arizona. He has been out one more month then me and so it should be really awesome. I am the new District Leader of all the six missionaries in this area. I am very nervous to have such a big load, but I am excited to be able to work hard and help the missionaries here. I will be praying a ton to the Lord for help and guidance that is for sure.

How are you all doing this week? How has your Christmas season been? Well my week was really good and then really not good ha ha. We had an awesome P-day last week and then we came back and my companion was less then excited to work ha ha. But we had a good family home evening.

On Tuesday I went on divisions with the Zone Leaders and it was so fun to be able to work hard and feel the spirit without contention. Then I got to go to a gym in the morning to work out. I think with my new companion we will end up going to the gym in Aplao.

Then on Wednesday I came back to Aplao and we build a house thing or so ha ha. Then we met a new family that is good friends with Raul and Valerie. They are awesome but not completely ready to progress really fast.

I made Tortillas on Thursday they were so good. We made fajita taco things with them ha ha.

My Homemade Tortillas

Fajita taco things

On Friday I made homemade peanut butter. It is so good and healthy. Then we were supposed to have a yoga night at the capilla (chapel) but there was no power so we cancelled it. Then I went with another Elder and had a good night of working.

Homemade Mantequilla de Mani (Peanut Butter)

Saturday we cleaned the church and then had probably the best day of work in our entire change with Elder Pinedo.

We have been working with Ruben really carefully and he is starting to want to go on a mission. That would be so cool to bring him back to church and then see him go on a mission. Raul and Valerie might be getting married in January and that would be so cool because they just started coming back to the church. One night with them we were like their marriage counselors ha ha. But they are doing really good. Then we have two investigators with a date to be baptized one in December and one in January. I am excited for them and we just need to work very carefully with them.

Overall I am doing great I am excited to be with a new companion and hopefully we can work harder then ever and make this branch a lot stronger. I love being able to learn Spanish and how to be a better leader in my life. I have learned so much and plan on working harder and harder each day to reach my full potential. I love you all, enjoy this wonderful time of the year and remember then real reason of Christmas. Thanks so much for all the support and for everything that you are all doing.

I love you all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. Have you seen the video the church put out titled share the gift?

We are using it a ton and the mission is putting a lot of pressure on us to share the message. It is called El es la dadiva (He is the gift) here. English version Spanish version

2. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Favorite Christmas song is I’ll be Home for Christmas, literally with my cutout ha ha.

(Where's Dylan?? Come back next week to see where he turns up!)

Home for Christmas (It's a cutout ha ha)

3. Favorite scripture?

Hmm that is hard Mosiah 4:11 I think talks about humility.

4. How much weight have you lost?

I have lost about . . . I will not tell you guys ha ha.

5. When are you going to open your gifts?

I will open the gifts on Christmas morning ha ha.

6. Have you tried any of the Paneton bread yet? Was it bitter?  We tried an Italian version and it wasn’t very good.

I have tried it too many times ha ha. It is so sweet and it is really good.

Paneton

7. What is the best thing you have eaten so far?

The best thing is Ricoto Relleno and Pastel de Papa.

Ricoto Relleno

8. What is something that is helping to keep you strong out there this Christmas season?

Just knowing the importance of sharing the message about our Savior’s birth to the people, and to remember my goals.

9. Are you doing anything special for you mission during the holiday season?

We have a multi-zone dinner talent show thing with the Mission President this Thursday.

10. Do you miss ice?  Don’t worry we still haven’t gotten any snow!

I miss ice but I have had it like 2 times I think ha ha. But oh, I love me some nice freezing cold showers ha ha.

11. Do you have a real toilet in your apartment? Do you have good toilet paper?

Yeah we have a real toilet but some days we don’t have water ha ha. And toilet paper is normal.

Watermelon anyone?

Eating Ducklets

Baby Duck

Ready to fish, my sweet purchase

Short and Sweet

Hola Familia,

Sorry today we went with the Zone to a Counselor in our Branch for an activity. It was all day and we got back really late ha ha. So I won’t get to give as much detail this week sorry.

This week wasn’t anything too special with my lazy companion ha ha. But I was able to talk with my Mission President for a little bit about the situation in Aplao and I am about 100 percent positive I will be getting a new companion this next exchange ha ha. 

We have on teenager that we are working with that is coming back to Church and now wants to leave on a mission. It has been cool to see him want to change his life around. His name is Ruben. He is a great example for his family and I am excited to see what will happen with him in the future. We have another family Valerie and Raul that we have been working with and they are doing great. The only thing they need is to do is get married. But overall they are awesome and so fun to share the gospel with. In our area there are members but pretty much everyone is on the verge of going inactive. We have to try and be perfect and not mess up at all. They take everything very seriously.

This week we did not have Church because of voting and so we just had a normal day. It is so weird not to have Church because I really enjoy Church and everything that it does to bring you closer to Him.

This time with my companion has taught me so much. It has been so hard but I have grown a ton to be able to deal with him and still be able to work. I know what a good Missionary needs to be now and I have learned how to better myself. I am grateful for all the opportunities that I have had on the mission and everything happens for a reason. After reading Matthew and Mark this past week I have really come to love the parables that Jesus used to teach his people. One I really love is the one he uses about where to plant the seeds. 

Sorry for the short email but I love you all and I hope you all are enjoying the Holiday season this year. Remember the purpose and everything that our Lord has done for us.

I love you all,

Elder Cooley

Questions:

1. How is your Spanish coming along? What are you struggling with?

The Spanish is coming along when I just talk with my companion and just play with all the verbs and stuff. Just the knowledge of changing all the verbs.

2. Are there any dogs in this area? Are the vicious?

The dogs are less vicious here than in arequipa but there are still a ton.

3. What is the most positive experience you have had so far in Aplao?

Positive experience is the successful Primary Program and just helping members be better and learning how to be an active member.

4. Have you learned any new life lessons?

Life lesson: I have learned that each and every person that you come in contact with can teach you something.

5. Write a sentence in Spanish to share.

La única manera a trabajar en este vida es a trabajar con toda de su corazon. (The only way to work in this life is to work with all of your heart.)

Zone Jersey

Eating

Gutting Camarones (Shrimp)

Zone P-Day