February 16, 2015

Hi family,

So this past week sounds fun for you guys, funny to hear you went to the dance cant imagine that hahaha. So this week was pretty good a few things happend that were kinda cool. On thursday night when we were coming home on the bus, and this dood im sitting next to thinks i dont speak malagasy, so he thinks “oh im going to make this only white guy on the bus feel dumb so im going to start to talk to him” so he did but he was very suprised that i was able to speak with him not only a little in french but in malagasy, but long story short after i started speaking to him in malagasy he started to say stuff like “wow im sorry i didnt know you were malagasy im going to make sure everyone calls you gasy” haha so that made me laugh. Then we gave him a invatation to come to church. He said he wants us to come teach him, so who knows will see if he calls. Second cool thing was on friday at lunch, me and te’e are eating at the hotely and just speaking half malagasy and english and this super big dood comes up and starts talking to me in english. He was like are you an American in perfect accent, like seriously it kinda freaked me out because i dont really hear black people here with such amazing english. He was supper sick he’s like “im from africa and i havent been able to speak english in a while can talk to you guys and get your contact to practice english” and were like “yea dood thats dope how great your accent is" and we gave hime the whole speal of the mission and stuff. Good things going on there. Last cool thing is elder hamelton came to our church with president random but it was good so yea thats all here life is good.

Elder Cooley

February 2, 2015

Hello family,
so I am super happy but also super bummed haha. Its no big deal really so bad news first I'm staying in my second area of Analmahitsy so really not all that bad. I'm just wanting a new place to explore and meet new people ya know. But  Fr Rafalimanana Degonzague Prosper did get baptized! And I was able to do it!! My first one, and we should be having another baptism in a few weeks so steez! The first picture is of me and fr faly right before the baptism and the second is the best thing i have eaten here. Its a burger from a vaza place it cost about 20,000 ARI so about 8 bucks hahahhaha. But really for a few short minutes I felt like I was eating at home again. Mayn I really miss chinese food haha like some wok or pf changs hahah. As for the superbowl thats super lame I don't like the sea hawks but I don't like New England more. O well I just keep telling my self the Olympics will be freaking rad right haha. The fire place looks so good wow I hope its still cool in a few years. And as for the mama bears eyes its good to hear all is going well and no problems happened. You guys are all in my prayers every morning and night :) This past month of January was a long one for me for sure. I think it was becasue it was the 6 month mark on the mission. Time sure does fly only 18 more fast sundays and only 13 more transfers ill be home and everything will be great. But whatever I'm just going with it for now love you guys :)
elder cooley

January 26, 2015

Hello Family

haha so ripping the house apart seems fun. haha wish i could help. oh well sorry, but yea life is good all is going well just going with the flow of things. So good news!!! but its not for sure yet...so this saturday we have a baptism and I get to do it if and only if he is done smoking. so if he doesnt relapse then I will have my first baptism!!!! right before i should leave my first area. super pumped. Best wishes for Fr Faly haha. Things are going great I'm happy and doing well. I was thinking i walk a freaking ton everyday and i was wondering if you guys could send me either like  some sort of pedometer. That's be cool. Things are swell and I'm feeling good. 

love you have a awesome day

elder cooley

January 19, 2015

Hello Family,
wow sounds like last week was pretty great. Loved to see the picture of everyone, so keep sending them. Also wow bronson and brilee are getting big. I've still never met bronson haha thats crazy. Tell Kelsey we got to set up a meeting when I get back. Haaha. This past week was good! In interviews I asked President about how in the bible or book of mormon it never once states gods name it only has it in the bible dictionary and I was like, why is this not written somewhere? how do we know that is his name? I also got this book called religions of the world its a byu text book about the religions of the the world duh haha I've being reading a lot about Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, and Judaism, so that keeps the studies fresh. Its really enlighting reading about other faiths i feel that we can learn a lot from looking at another persons views. The reason i wanted to start learning about other religions is because we were talking to this dood who was a protestant and he asked about whats diffrent from his church and ours. I had no idea so i felt the need to learn so now i can describe to them with out just saying well its not full beacuse thats not really enough to help someone learn. Things are going good a few days ago i met some kids playing with super sick sling shots, so being the rich vazaa that i am i asked, "hey how much for your toy?" and he was like "500 ari" and i was like "ok" and i handed him 1000ari. He quickly grabed the money and started to scream as him and his friends ran off. I got a super dope sling shot so im super happy haha im so grown up haha wow.
love you,
elder cooley

January 12, 2015

 Hello family,
so things here are good this week. I have a interview with president this Wednesday so that will be great to talk to him I have a few questions I really wanna ask him about some deep doctrine, so I'm excited for that. I met some new elders here today that I like a lot so I'm making more friends every day haha. Its kinda of funny all the things I'm starting to remember about like movies and music and people. Life is crazy. My favorite thing lately has been at the end of everyday I think of the les misérables song that they sing before they all die in my head.  Haha yea that goes though my head every night right before I get to bed. I'm just trying to serve the best I can. Life is what we make it and this is the Lords time I'm working with so I'm trying not to waste it. Its kinda weird how my thoughts have changed. I'm really surprised at how much I've learned so far and its only my 5th month here. We have a few new investigators i want to tell you about! George and his wife i found them and they are freaking awesome i love them. We teach them tuesday and thursday. We have Laza he's a little young about 20 and stills want to do what he wants. He know the gospel is true but doesnt want to change his life. I get why its a big change on how to live for sure, and he kinda has everything. He plays basketball for a kinda pro team, and has anything he wants really. Then we have Jean Revo i think he more or less want me to help him to get to america and then learn the gospel so that sucks, but he is very attentative when we teach. Then we have sr omega shes good wants to learn but is kinda interesting. We showed her a pic of Joseph seeing God and Christ, and she thought some one in 1820 took that picture. Super crazy haha but she belives it so were going to work with her on wednesday. Also I've started to take videos when i walk, i cant wait to show you them all when i get home :) Just keeping it going one day at a time and doing all I can to keep it going and help the people here the best I can. Glad to hear all is good at home.
love Elder Cooley

January 5, 2015

Hello family,

This week was alot better. I'm going to pic up my bag later today at the office so I'm super excited. The work is going a lot better I feel a 100 times better now, and me and elder te'e are doing great. I'm understanding so much more in the language, and we got 2 new doods to teach and both have families! I'm doing great though. I've been having some crazy dreams lately haha like super funky they all kinda have the same thing of me getting injured and sent home but only to return back to mada super weird. I'm being extra carefull around cars and anything that could maybe almost kill me hahah, but I think its just my crazy mind.  Still low on sleep I layed in bed last night till about 3:45 and woke up at 5 because I couldnt sleep maybe im not tired and I just need to read more? Who knows glad to hear yall are doing great super happy about that. I'm coming up on my 6 month mark in  the mission soon only about a month left, crazy, 1/4 the way done, dang. Feels like just yesterday I was eating at sunshine wow I guess thats just life it always is moving you just need to grab your opportunities. Sorry about spelling but im guessin you can figure it out haha.  thanks just going to work hard again this week will see how it goes love yall :)

Elder Cooley

December 29, 2014

Family we need to realize how things can always be worse, and to remeber the little things that we are so blessed to have every day. So the pic is of a taxi bay that we ride in every day its super packed haha and we take these everyday about 4 or 5 times and remember how big I am... I am really squished hahah but you learn to love them. Its still better then walking right :) Wow so I was feeling down in the dumps the past few weeks and l felt the weirdest feeling come over me last night, a feeling of shame and regret, but then about a hour later I said to myself why are you feeling like this? I realized its not because im out here and that I miss home, its because I'm not working as hard as I can be. Then I felt way better and as soon as I said that my spirit was lifted in a way I can't explain but I feel so much happier and I've got a new look on my goals. On what I want for the mission. I'm just going to try and loose my self in the work so here we go. This week should be rad :) always keep your head up or else you wont know where your going or what you need to do so stay positive love your work and dont think about what you could be doing, focus on what you are doing. Things are lookin up in in mada haha love you all Elder Cooley