Charity Never Faileth

Lately I have been so frustrated because I felt that I was just stuck on a treadmill. We would go from appointment to appointment talking with everyone trying to help people to understand how important this gospel is and I seemed to be getting no where. This week I got answers to my prayers. 

A few weeks back I decided I was going to start praying for three of my investigators everyday and not as a repetitious thing but because I really wanted them to see that they are something so special to our Heavenly Father. It seemed that through worrying about commandments, marriage papers and every other little thing that stop people from keeping the commandments of God. These investigators where people that many people may think are less then prepared to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even at the beginning I had some doubts about if they would really gain a testimony and desire to fulfill the commandments that God has given to us.

As I started praying for these investigators everyday I started to think in them even more. They seemed to be some of the most important people in my life. Some days I just felt like I wanted to protect them from all of the ridiculous things that satan throws at them. 

As the weeks went by they were still not progressing as some people may say is necessary to gain a testimony, but I just could not let them go. We visited them the times that they where home and then things just started to click. Marriage papers are on their way and now one of my best friends is going to be baptized on april 6 at 4:00.

Normally I think we look around ourselves and at others as though they are impossible creatures that have no possibility of changing. We look in the mirror and all we see is the natural man, but when we start to look at others with charity in their hearts it is not that we see something different, but they become something better.

I know that this is the lord´s work and for all of you who are preparing for this conference weekend on april 5 and 6, look to find someone who needs the gospel. Find that person you love and share something with them that will prepare them for an eternal happiness. There is nothing better. I love you all and remember Charity NEVER faileth.

Eu amo vocês,

Elder Cooper 

Faith Changing our Lives

This week I was thinking so much of faith and the way it really just changes our lives. What does it really mean believe in something that we can not see, but we know is true. I often think of all the things that I believe and how many of them I have actually seen with my own eyes. The more I think about it the more clear it becomes, most of us believe on the words of others.

Even when it comes to science until we actually have a conversation with someone or study the discoveries they have found, we truly just believe on their words even if our understanding is only a small part of the big picture. This week it has just become more clear to me the blessings we recieve through the scriptures and how they are words we can believe. 

A scripture that hit hard was Ether 12:6. It talks about how the trial proceeds the testimony. It amazes me how true it is that we must show our faith before we recieve any knowledge. It inspires me to know that sometimes we must step forward, to really understand ourselves and God. I know this church is true and that we have the blessing to have the spirit with us every day.

Eu amo vocês,

Elder Cooper

Happy Missionaries

This week we had the opportunity to have zone conference and it was wonderful. Sister Wright, the president´s wife, gave a talk that really made an impression on me. She talked about the difference between three types of missionaries. Telestial, Terrestrial and Celestial. It made me really think what kind of missionary am I. The thing that was most interesting to me was that the difference between terrestrial and celestial was not much as far as works go, but the difference was their heart. 

We talked a lot about being happy missionaries because our mission has been having a difficult time sharing the plan of happiness with a smile. It came to my mind the scripture 2 Nephi 10:23

Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

It is so true that everyday we have the oppurtunity to chose to live the two plans presented before us in the pre mortal life. The plan of happiness or the plan of misery. Truly the option is up to us. How will you use your agency?

Eu amo vocês

Elder Cooper

Sign Language

So this week I had a very special experience. I spent a lot of time pondering about what my purpose is. In Preach My Gospel we have the missionary purpose and I was just thinking about myself and what I was really doing to fulfill it. I took a lot of time to ponder and I could not get it out of my mind. What bothered me most was I felt as though I was just another missionary, another person in the mission that really did not seem to make a difference. I just wanted to feel that I was really called to serve rather than serve because I was called. 

I went through the week trying to figure out why I was here and I just kept searching for things I could do to better myself, my area, my companion, techniques of teaching, but it just did not seem to be the answer. I then was just tired of being feeling so out of place that I just could not handle it. I started to pray more to really understand my purpose and I patience had start to run out. 

It was during the sacrament hymn while I was singing with and investigator the words ¨Jesus, the profound love that frees us from slavery¨ at that moment I felt overwhelmed by the love of Christ and the words came to my mind. ¨Just keep going, your not finished¨ 

I decided to just be happy and wait just a little longer. After that moment, all of our lessons seemed to go almost perfect and then we got done with the day satisfied with our work. I did not feel I had recieved a response still, but I was ready to wait. 

We got up this morning and got ready for P-day. Our ward mission leader was celebrating his birthday today so he invited us to his birthday barbecue. When we got there, we found out that he had invited some of his relatives as well. Amongst the few guests where two very special ones, his son and his son´s girlfriend. 

They were both deaf and when we walked in it almost seemed as though we as human beings had forgotten how to acknowledge one another because of our differences. I then remembered the little sign language I had learned during my two years of american sign language. I knew that there would be differences because portuguese and English are two different languages but I just started. 

After I started we seemed to not stop. I quickly learned the portuguese alphabet and from there the conversation started to go even better. The young couple started to open up with me and we started to talk and tell stories. We shared many moments of laughter and smiles. 

In the end our ward mission leader gave a Book of Mormon to his son´s girlfriend and I had the oppurtunity to explain to her the story. It truly was a calling that no other missionary that has served here could have accomplished. It was clear to me that truly God had prepared people for me, and me for people.

I ended with sharing my testimony about the Book of Mormon and the blessings it brings. When we left there was a new friendship made between two different worlds that the barriers have always been difficult to break down. The thing that I had learned though was that I truly had a purpose. 

I know that many times we as people would like to be the Nephi, Abinadi, Moses or many other heroes in the scriptures. The truth is sometiems we are called to be more like the heroes of Sam, Nephi´s younger brother where God is preparing us and saving our talents and knowledge for a specific time and purpose that we truly don´t know. 

Eu amo vocês,

Elder Cooper

P.S. Stay happy and keep smiling!