Updates from Cole

6/23/14 2 Elders, 3 Bowls, 2 Cups, 25 Plates

Yo's-
This week has been awesome. I feel like I have been learning a lot lately . A lot about how to ride the storm, and learning to love the struggle . Elder Petersen and I have been having a lot of trouble communicating, but I know it's going to get better. Last night, the Spanish Training Leaders were giving us a ride home and we set some goals and made some plans to improve. The talk we had went really well, and Elder Petersen really opened up for a little bit. We set some goals to communicate more. I have been writing questions that start conversation (who is your favorite superhero, what is your family like, favorite food, etc.) in the back of my planner, to whip out when times get rough or somesing.

Our investigators seem to have a lot of potential, but nobody came to church and nobody has a baptismal date right now. However, we have some plans to remedy both of those. We found a super cool investigator last week, she was a referral from Ft. Worth ward, and she seems really ready. The main problem we have right now, is that we cannot find any exchanges. We called probably around 15 members this week, and not one could come out with us. It has been a real struggle to get member present lessons in this area.

It has been pretty cool here lately. JK it is super hot and I am pure sweaty after like 30 seconds of being on the bike. Also, because it is humid or somesing it makes my whole body sweat from head to toe so my whole body is pure wet and it is awesome. It is really windy in Texas so it cools me off sometimes. I like it. But most of the time I am ridiculously hot. That's all for now!

Love,

Cole

P.S. I named this email in honor of the disproportionate amount of plates we have in our apartment.

6/16/14  God Squad, Reporting for Duty

Dear Family,

Haha, what's up guys? This was a pretty crazy week haha, it was awesome. This week we kept getting stopped by drunk/high old white guys who asked us to pray for/ with them. They were just going absolutely batpoop crazy the whole time haha, it was so funny. Also our apartment caught on fire and we had to call the fire department. On Monday (last week) there was a convert who was baptized, confirmed, and given the aaronic priesthood in like, 30 minutes. It was crazy! Haha, it was a good week.

So our apartment caught on fire haha. We came in for lunch on thursday, and smart cole had some leftovers so I ate in like 2 minutes then went upstairs to take my lunchnap. Haha, Elder Petersen decided to make enchiladas or something, so he turned on the oven (we have a gas oven/stove). Someone like called or something and he went away from the kitchen for a sec, and when he went back, there was tonz of smoke coming out. The fire alarm started going off, which woke me up, so I went downstairs and it was pure smokey. Haha, he was outside calling the fire department, so I tried to open up the back door and turn on the fan to get the smoke out. Then I went into the kitchen and saw the fire. I had to go back outside for a sec to catch my breath, but then I went back in and tried to put it out w/ water. I sprikled a little bit to see if it worked, then just started shveling water on the fire until it stopped haha. Yay me! Jk, but now our apartment smells like burnt plastic and there is a thin layer of soot everywhere. Haha, it is taking forever to clean up, but at least we got a new stove/oven haha.

Also, Happy Birthday Leena! And happy late fathers day Dad! Hope it was a good one haha!

Love,

Cole 

6/09/14 Biggest. Bike area. Ever.

Hey guys, what's up? Just to clarify, Haltom City is my area, Hurst Stake, Hurst Zone, and Hurst 3rd Ward is my ward. My area is pretty huge for a bike area, which is rough because there is people everywhere, and it takes like 30-45 minutes between appointments sometimes, so I am pure sweat and whatnot when I knock on peoples doors. Maybe that's why people don't listen haha (my excuse). Everything has been going good, we got to know the new area this week. I found out there are 30 members in my area, and 27 are inactive. The other 3 live in the opposite corner of my area (45 minutes each way at the fastest) haha, so I don't work with active members too much here. This area needs a ton of help. Hopefully Elder Petersen and I can do something here.

Elder Petersen is really... quiet. We don't talk a ton. He is a good guy and whatnot for sure though.
Anywhey, not a ton happened this week. There was another baptism on Saturday, and there will be one today and Saturday. This district is killing it, and it is awesome. Love You Guys!

Love,
Cole

6/02/14   Haltom City

Hi guys! Haltom City Roolz!

My new comp is Elder Petersen, he has been out for about 5 more months than me, and he's from Washington (state). The new apartment is pretty old. The last few missionaries haven't been super clean, it looked like Cole's room pre-surg. tech. Haha, but now it looks more like cole's room post- surg. tech. Also, it is so dang squeaky. Literaly everything squeaks. The floors, chairs, stairs, doors, like everything haha. My new area is pretty sweet. It is a HUGE bike area, which kinda stinks because the church is the complete opposite of all of our work, but other than that it is awesome. Like half of the map is pure saturated w/ Mexicans. The bike is alright, I can still ride pretty good and whatnot and I don't get that tired. Hopefully by the time this transfer ends I'm not so dang fat anymore. Our ward is super missionary focused and it is so sick! There are 5 sets of missionaries in this one ward. They are all in my district. They all had killer weeks too, there was 3 baptisms on saturday, it was an awesome week.

Elder Peterson and I were both new to the area, and whitewashing it was pretty rough. All of our appointments cancelled, and nobody was outside or nothing to teach. We have been outside tracting/ contacting for about 6 hours a day (minimum) with a teeny bit of luck haha. Until Sunday night, we didn't even get into a house, just teaching doorstep lessons. It was pretty rough, but it's looking up now.

Haha, this place is super sick though, on Saturday there was a party in the church, and some guy rented 2 bouncy houses that they blew up in the gym haha, it was so cool. Anywhey, Hurst is sick. Have a good week!

Love,

Cole