GOOD-BYE GOTHAM, HELLO HOORN

I'M GOING TO HOORN!!!!!! Now for those of you who don't know Hoorn isa city in North Holland and guess which branch it belongs to? ALKMAAR!!!!! I'M GOING BACK!! Obviously I'm stoked :). 
But before I just go crazy with excitement I want to also say I'm going to miss Rotterdam. Already there have been some pretty hard goodbyes.
There have been a few families that were especially difficult, and I had to do both of them yesterday! One has

been like surrogate grandparents while I've been here. They reminded me so much of Grandma and Grandpa Cooper that it was so comforting to be at their home. It really helped me gain closure with the fact that both Grandma and Grandpa have passed away while I've been gone and I don't get to see them again in this life. So I listened to all of their stories and learned SO much. I talked with her and she is one of the sweetest ladies I know, with the purest heart. I grew so much being around those two and am very grateful for them.

Then the Vs. We had to go later in the evening so my buddy was asleep (remember the 4 year old girl I am really good friends with?) but before she went to sleep she wanted to say bye, so they recorded a video. :( I'm gonna miss her SO

Buddies from the beginning

much! Afterwards when I was taking pictures with them Br.V gave me the most amazing compliment I've ever received in my life and it felt like a got hit by a train of gratitude, love and the past 6 months. I love that family! They've been SUCH good examples to me and I really want to keep in good contact with them. Help me be good at this ya?

I also had to say goodbye to so others, including the man me and Elder Corsini taught that got baptized in July. Well this Saturday was their wedding! They'll be sealed in the temple in July but here in Nederland you have to get married by the law anyway. So it was really cool to be there on their special day.

I hope I appreciated it enough. It's not everyday those you teach and love get married and start an amazing life together. We got to have a really nice moment alone with them, helping with their wedding fotos and then one more at the end of the night. They're so awesome :) I am very grateful I was able to be a part their story for those few chapters. It was really special for me and I love them a lot.
There are others, but these were the ones that have already happened. I sure am going to miss this place. I've just grown SO much here, I will be forever grateful for Rotterdam and the people here who made it worthwhile. Goodbye Gotham! I'll miss you!Now it's off to Hoorn and I couldn't be more excited! It's been closed for awhile now, so I'll be opening it back up with a brand new elder. Yup, I'm training again for the last transfer! :)  But this time I feel a lot more ready than I did before. Wouldn't trade my other training experiences for anything but I'm glad I have the opportunity to experience this at this point in my mission.

The exchange with Elder Bishop was so great. You all know

how much I love being around that kid. We had this really cool

These two

moment together at the end of the exchange where we were sitting in the car listening to a beautiful instrumental hymn (Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy) and we realized that that moment was the calm before the storm. Things were about to get crazy but it was really nice to be able to spend a whole day talking and walking around Amsterdam with him. 

Well I love you all! Thanks for always being there for me and for being my family! Couldn't be where I am without you guys. Next time I write it'll be from "other home" (if you know what I mean). 

LOVE YOU!!!

 Elder Cooper the Elder (instead of the Younger haha...missionary joke..haha....holla!)

Culture Note:  Weddings in Nederland. Pretty similar to those in America I'd assume but with a few differences. Haven't been to a lot of American weddings so I couldn't see all the differences but heres one I noticed.  In America we mainly congratulate the couple and the parents on the wedding. Here it's polite to congratulate any member of the family you come across whether it's a cousin, an uncle or a grandmother it is polite to congratulate them with "Gefeliciteerd". Now the only problem is, which ones are the family members?

Reunited for a minute before Elder Chantry heads home.
Great missionary, great friend, great family!