THE OTHER SIDE

Hey guys :)

This letter's probably going to be a bit shorter, I only have 30 mins :/. One of the downsides of change I guess. Not gonna lie I miss Elder Bishop a TON!

Saying good-bye to Elder Bishop was tough. Companions and
Zone Leaders together for 12 weeks.

Not that Elder Chantry isn't great, he's a super good guy and we get along well, it's just the other side of adjusting to something new again. 

See you get something so perfect that flows so well and both of you are Always on the same page, to go to literally anything else is an adjustment. 

Nothing is wrong, we just have have some different priorities, but change is good right? I'm grateful however for the common ground we have been able to find which makes it SO much easier than it could have been. The strangest part is there's nothing wrong, I literally just think it's because of what I had and change can be a challenge for me.

Luckily this place is still as amazing as ever. District Leaders stayed the same and the families aren't leaving anytime soon so I'm set. I'm hoping and praying I get to stay here for another two or three, that would make my entire life :).

The fabulous four also know as the "Four Musketeers"! Great friends and great Elders. 

Only missed one session of conference, but the way things are looking it's going to stay missed :/ we Always miss the Sunday Afternoon Session, so any thoughts on it would be very welcome :). The best part of conference though? The D Bs had us over for dinner and the Sunday Morning Session of Conference with Chicken Foot after :). I really needed that so I'm grateful for them.

Family! :)  Last picture together before transfers happened. 

They literally are family to me now. They care and love us just like a family would and should. We've started referring to R and K as our brother and sister and sister D B basically considers us her sons (at very least me and Elder P). I wish words could express how deep a love I have for them all. It really heals my soul sometimes. 

Well I'm pushing through and will just try to do what I've Always done; pray, scriptures and do missionary work. Oma and Opa D B are taking us on a small tour of the tulips today, which are starting to bloom, so that will be good and I'll get a few good pictures with whatever space is left on my SD Card (no time to buy a new one, daarom) so that'll be fun.

Hope you all enjoyed Conference and that you learned a lot. Truly was an awesome conference and I learned a lot. Scott's as Always was FANTASTIC! Basically laid out the way I think into a talk so I'm excited to get it.

Keep moving forward :) and keep trusting in the Lord. He's got it all under control cause quite honestly His plan is perfect, why should we think we know any better? He truly is the best Father anyone could ask for :).

LOVE YOU!!!

Elder Cooper

OVER-REACTIONS (written 7 hours later)

 So I had a bad morning but I'm ok now :). I just kind of had to vent a little bit cause I simply was missing Elder Bishop. However thanks to a conversation I had (and visiting some Tulip fields SO pretty!)

I realized something: It's ok to miss Elder Bishop, it's OK to miss the times we had, and miss how well we worked together. Now I can look forward and I'm excited to be working with Elder Chantry. We have a great work to do.  

Now it's simply time for something different, time to learn a different lesson. Just got to keep my heart open to the Teacher that's all :). I love feeling the Lord soften my heart. It brings such healing and understanding. Like when you look for revelation- when the answer is yes your head is clear and you know what to do. Wrong answers give us stupors of thought and we just get confused and unsure. Best way to recognize and answer.

Thus this morning= stupor of thought. Confused, sad, stressed and upset me. Now everything is clear, time to learn something new. Clear, ready to go, recharged and hopeful for the outcome. 

Life is seriously SO good here and I am SO blessed to be serving in Alkmaar with people around me who love and care for me. I love this gospel, I love this church, I love my Savior and my God. I would be nothing without Him. This church is true and know it now and I pray that I'll know it forever!

Thank you SO much for your love and support and for always being there for me during the ups and the downs. It made all the difference. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Elder Cooper 

Culture Note: 

As you drive around the Netherlands you see one of two things: lots of buildings or lots of country. It's really different that way. Turns out the country stuff are mostly tulip fields because they are all blooming!!! They are SO pretty! and I'm taking as many pictures as I can. Got some really good ones today. They're planted in rows of all different colors. The brightest reds, the deepest purples and the cleanest whites you've every seen all combined into one tiny plant! It's fantastic. Especially here in Alkmaar, it's the BEST place to be during the Spring.

As if this place needed another reason to be amazing haha!