Soccer game against the other zone...
Hey everyone! So transfer calls came this week. Our entire zone is staying the same. Which is good. Our zone has had a lot of inspirational meetings and it's actually helping me to be more effective at missionary work.
So, this last Tuesday we had a Suriname-wide district meeting held by Elder Paulson, one of the counselors in the mission presidency. It was on obedience. One of the things that he talked about was how exact obedience brings miracles and how we need to have a willing heart and do what the Lord asks of us. One thing that he said though was somewhat interesting. He asked the group for examples of miracles that had happened on their mission and two missionaries that had served English-side shared an experience from when they served English side. They were amazing stories, and really inspiring. But Elder Paulson made it a point to emphasize that those stories happened on the English-side, and not in Suriname. Which I thought was kinda funny because I have experienced miracles on my mission and I've only been out a couple of months. There are several weeks that I've had to debate what stories I share with you guys because I only get 30-60 mins. to write a long email.
Still the Spirit chastised me a little. The part about a willing heart really got to me. I had been studying about conversion that whole week, and I realized that part of conversion is not only willing to do what the Lord asks of us, but being willing to do it and enjoying it. I realized that for as many of the blessings I have experienced up to this point on my mission, the Lord had to hold some of them back because I was not willing to be exactly obedient, and my attitude was not all the way there.
So after having that lesson we went to follow up on a contact we had made. Before this me and Elder Mercier were having problems teaching baptism by proper authority to our investigators. We had one investigator who said she was baptized by a woman apostle. We had to explain that to her, but it took a couple of lessons. It would have been so much easier had we explained right from the get go that we were there to help her come closer to Christ by baptism by proper authority. So with the goal in mind to make sure that never happened again we began to explain our purpose to this contact, "S." She then asked what was for us the golden question, "Why do I need to be baptized again?" With that we were able to teach the Restoration. Not just the Restoration of the organization of the church, but of the whole gospel. The Restoration of the gospel, authority, and organization. Everything in it's fulness. The Spirit was so strong. She wanted us to come back. We are having another appointment this week. It should be awesome.
That's awesome to hear that Landon is back. I miss that guy. I looked up to him growing up, just a funny, friendly, all around good guy. I know he's probably busy, but I'd like to email him if he gets the chance.
I am staying one more transfer in Wanica. It should be fun, there are a lot of good people here. I don't know if I'll stay after this one, so I want to do the best I can to leave the area better than I found it.
I love you guys! Thanks so much for your letters and emails! Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Cole Cooper
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