JANUARY 20, 2014
You never know what you have until
it's gone eh? Time and Missionary Work, those things are SO valuable, I just
never got it before, but now I do. The Leadership Conference thing (AKA Jedi
Council :D they seriously call it that!) was like you said every emotion rolled
into one. Exciting, uplifting, nerve racking, funny, never boring though,
everything. It really made the click for me too. These are elders I've seen as
leaders for a LONG time. So to be amongst them talking and counseling with
President switched something inside. First: We are SO YOUNG! We're super glad
the Lord has everything already planned cause we're just a couple of Zone
Leader Greenies here trying to make things work, and it's SO FUN! But more on
that later.
Second: This is a whole new ball
game. We miss the old missionary work a lot! We had a moment yesterday where we
were just SO down because we couldn't go out and contact people. We had to be
inside planning and arranging things . We miss the good old days where we'd go
out and find, get a potential investigator, teach them and try to help them.
You just can't do that as much on this level. Our zone members are now our
investigators, our exchanges are our missionary work. It just takes a little
getting used to is all. Looking back it's what I’ve been prepared for, but I
switched gears in Sint-Niklaas and now I got to switch back. The Lord will help
though and it'll all turn out great.
Boy do I wish you could all see me
now! I don't even remember how I used to be :) I just read the paragraph about
laughing through hard things and thought "Of course :) doing it any other
way is dumb" (No offense PLEASE!) Let me explain. Me and Elder
Bishop laugh at EVERYTHING now. Running on 10 Kilometers of gas, in the middle
of nowhere, with other elders in the car and an appointment we were late to- we
couldn't stop laughing. Thought it was the funniest thing ever and we just kept
making fun of it all. I feel really different :)
Remember the Color Code Test? Red,
Blue, White and Yellow? Well if you remember correctly I was and have always
been a solid Blue-White with one or two in Red and Yellow with Blue being
dominant. Because we are giving this test in our Zone Training tomorrow (AH!
:P) I had the chance to take it again. The result? Dominant White with lots of
Yellow and Red and Blue on the same level. Weird huh? Don't worry, I'm still
me. I've just been really refined out here I guess. I love it :) if it's who
the Lord wants me to be than so be it; I approve (not that He needs my
approval but still).
Then there's time. This week has been
the fastest week of my mission. We are so busy all the time and we still can't
get everything we wanted to done. Journal has been taking a big hit, but I
figured out a solution so no biggie. This will be the rest of our missions.
Excluding an unexpected change we will be Zone Leaders probably the rest of our
mission. This busyness and exhaustion is probably what is in store for me this
year. And there's not much of it left. Two Years seems like so much but One
Year is never enough. There's only 8 transfers left, how did that happen and
how did I miss the memo? Time just flies by in the blink of an eye and there's
nothing we can do to stop it. How grateful I am that we have an eternity to
work at it! One life time is not nearly enough.
Guess I'm at that annoying stage that
I hated as a younger missionary- "Two years go by SO fast, I can't believe
I'm here" phase. Sorry James :/ and every missionary who reads this, but
try not to be mad- use it as something to strive for, something to aim at, at
light at the end of your tunnel. Just make it one year trying your very best to
be the best missionary you can be and always trying to improve and receive
correction and you'll see. You'll be saying this too.
Glad you liked the package :) I've
got another one coming eventually. Gotta get rid of some things. I've got a
year left and no more room in my suitcases! Awful, so awful. And I feel guilty
throwing anything away cause I know there are people who could and want to use
it, I just don't know how to get it to them or who they are! Hate being a pack
rat haha :)
Life continues to be great over here
and the Lord's blessings abound. I'm so grateful for all of you and for your
support and your love. Thanks for being the best family ever and for raising me
how you did (brothers- for being my best friends!) it really has made such a
difference in all of our lives and I never realized it until I came out here.
And now I'll never forget it. Love you all and hope that life continues to move
forward. Never waste a second! Never hesitate! Just do those things that you
want/need and stay close to the Lord. Then if those two go together life
becomes amazing and you can never fail.
LOVE YOU!!!
Elder Jonathon Cooper
Cultural Note: Mondays. They day of
P-Day, the Day of Rest. And the day everything is closed! It's so frustrating
to do things like get a haircut and shop because here in Europe shops either
are closed on Monday or don't open till around 1 in the afternoon! So sometimes
you have to do things on other days, but you make it work. No idea why it's
like this, just is.
Just in case I already did that
cultural note- here in Europe they don't often buy cigarettes like the Camel
brand and pre-made cigarettes; they make their own. They have tabacco in a
little pouch and some sticky paper. They take some Tobacco, roll it up in this
paper, lick it like an envelope and it sticks together. Lasts aproximately 5 or
6 smokes and is apparently healthier, just kind of interesting fact is all.
P.S. Remember how I speak Dutch?
What?!?! Still trips me out, even though I have terrible Dutch haha it's more
like Neder-Engels (Dutch-English).
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