It's Nice

For those of you who don't know, I have actually been transferred. For those of you who do know, I've still been transferred! (Credit to my dad for that joke. Mormons will hopefully get it. Think about the beginnings of testimonies and talks in sacrament).

Yes, it's true that in my last post I was thoroughly deceived and mistaken. I'll tell y'all the whole story. After finding out about transfers and emailing home, we went out to Sonic, as we do every transfer P day. After that we went to Walmart and bought food and stuff. Then we got in line for Walmart gas. I checked the phone.

Missed Call-- ZL Foster/Evans

1 New Voicemail

Now, people you gotta understand, we have seen this on our phone many times, usually accompanying a voicemail that says something like "make sure to send in your numbers tonight" or something like that. Occasionally though, I would see something like that on the phone and be like "Sister Bennion, the zone leaders called. They said something about emergency transfers!" and of course she would never believe me, but I still thought it was funny lol.

But on this occasion we listened to the voicemail and the zone leaders were like "Uh, there has been a mistake on the transfer sheet. Call us back ASAP."

And you know that look when I thought I was going to get called up to the Baptist Church Judgment Bar? Maybe you don't; ask me to demonstrate it for you when I get home. But anyway that is the face I made when we heard that. Sister Bennion and I were SURE that it was gonna be her leaving but...

Here I am. Niceville, Florida with Sister Milne. Crazy. It's been another roller coaster getting this area reopened (yep, just like when we got to defuniak, we are whitewashing again). Things are very different, and it is hard to feel like I've left home again 9 days before Christmas. But that is just how missions go and me and sister milne and everyone in niceville, we are all going to work this out together. There is potential for success here, if we can only tap into it. :)

Love y'all! At least I got to saying y'all while I was in the real south.

Anyone who wants to write me real letters should ask my peeps for my new address. Email are great too though.

Love,

Sister Laura Cooper

Take Aways

It's been a roller coaster of a week. After some consideration, I have decided that I am mighty pleased to announce that Sister Bennion and I will continue to serve together in DeFuniak. We, the Elders, and the Senior Couple are our own district now! Biking to district meeting?? I think so.

We had a baptism set for this past saturday, but that fell through on the morning of. The entire part of the ward that came to the would-have-been baptism saw me and Sister Bennion cry. That would be a sad thing, but they decided to make us stop, by taking us out to a restaurant called That Pizza Place. That was nice. :D

I called this post take-aways because this week has been a learning experience. And that's what I want it to be. Not a depressing experience, an angering experience, a discouraging experience, but a learning experience. A few take-aways that we have gathered from the almost-baptism of Tommy Joe.

1) Baptisms are to no one's credit, and when they don't happen, it's no one's fault.

2) God is in control

3) People don't say what they mean, but you can sense it.

4) Treat everyone like family

5) People understand that life is imperfect. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.

6) God loves everyone no matter what

That's what I've learned. Challenges aren't so bad I guess hehe. We can overcome, but only with the help of The Savior, who overcame all. Sounds like an Easter Sympathy card. Oh well. It's solid doctrine. I really love y'all. Talk next week.

Peace,

Sister Laura Cooper

16 days until Christmas!!