GOOD-BYE ARAD!!

Favorite broken pen from last week
(maybe it is symbolic of my leaving Arad???!!)

Holy cow!  This week has just been a whirl wind!  We have been so busy and just running around everywhere I feel!  So as you know, transfers are happening this Wednesday!  I am headed down to Bucharest, not just to switch companions, but to serve there!!  The city of Buc is divided into 2 technically three parts.  You got the Panduri side (which I will be a part of) and the Mihi Bravu side.  And then of coarse, the office and AP's and what not.  Not only will I be living Arad after six months of being here, but president Hill has called me to be the District Leader over there! 

I have to say, I am more then a little nervous for this new assignment.  There are going to be 8 people in the district including myself.  So there is me and my companion, elder D, then a pair of sister, then the STL's (sister training leaders), and then the Zone leaders!  So it will be the biggest district I have ever had!  haha but It's going to be good.  That brings me to my next point in what is happening to Arad.  Me, elder DeGraw, Sora Bynum, and elder Poulsen are all leaving.             So Preece and O'brien staying here.

 They are "white washing" me and DeGraw out, so we have to do a little extra work to get the apartment ready for the new elders!  So like I said my new district is going to be good.  Elder Poulsen is following me down and going to be in my district as my zone leader!!  haha it's so crazy, and so fun!  So at least I know one person there! haha :)  So ya that is basically what is going to happen this next transfer! :)

Cooper and Poulsen taking on the world.

Okay so at the beginning of this week we had an awesome branch activity!  We had a cinco de maio party!  We had tacos, chips and salsa, and a piñata!  We also had some former sister missionaries come!  So naturally a good amount of members came to the activity, which was awesome!  We had to do a spiritual thought, so we decided to do it on putting on your armor of God to protect yourself from the fiery darts of the devil.  Elder Poulsen was super creative and made a full suit out of armor out of the packages mom and Grandma have sent! haha :)  I was designated to be the wearer of this said armor.  Elder Poulsen has a nerf gone and was gonna be "Satan" shooting the fiery darts at me.  So that was really fun to do! haha  There is actually a video of it, I will try to get to you guys! :)  

This past Wednesday we went and played soccer with he kids from the service place.  It was defiantly the funnest thing we have done with them.  We actually have a video of that to!  So again, I will try to get that over to ya!  But ya the kids are super great and funny.

 When picking teams they would always pick me first because I was the only name they knew/ could pronounce haha :)  Im gonna miss the kids here!

Also during this week we were able to have two lessons!!... what!! haha it was great.  We had one with an English student, which was focused on family history work.  She set up an account and is working on getting her information put in there!  The sister here should start teaching her pretty soon, so that will be awesome!  We then had another lesson this past Saturday with someone Elder DeGraw and Rodenberg talked to on there mini exchange at the very begining of the transfer.  It was pretty awesome.  It first started off with him comparing what we were saying to his religion and telling us we were doing stuff wrong.  After a while of this Elder DeGraw looks at him and says " look, I dont like it when you tell us what we are doing is wrong, we did not come here for you to convince us of your religion, but to share something wonderful we have"  This act of boldness really brought in the spirit and we were then able to have a very great lesson!  So ya had a busy week haha.

Alright to add on top of this week, I had a week of clothing... mishaps, we'll call them.  I was able to have a stain on every single white shirts I own except for two (one of which is long sleeve, and you cant wear it when it's as hot as it has been lately)  Also I somehow ripped a huge whole in the crouches of the two pairs of slacks I have. And to top it off, one of shoelaces has decided it was time to wear-out and to fray away and snap.... haha kinda ridiculous!  I was able to sew the hole of one of my pants, so it is wear able in public.  So when I go to Bucharest, I gotta get some new stuff, or see a tailor or something!  It's been crazy!  Also it is a good thing I still have that Shout from America!  I was able to get the stains out of some of the shirts :)

That is my week!  Sorry it is really all over the place!  I was so happy to see you guys!!  You all look so good and happy!  It is so weird to see every one changing and getting older and what not.  But it's like Mom said one time to me in a letter.  It's kinda like Harry Potter.  As they kept going and getting older and what not, it kept getting better, and they had even greater adventures with each other.  It's gonna be a marvelous and glorious day when we are all back together again, but for now, it just has to be like this, and that is okay :)  I love you all so much and that will never change!!  Thanks for being the best family ever and giving me all the support you have!  I hope you had a great mother's day mom!  You deserve it!  Until next week!! :)

Love, 

Elder Nightwing Cooper :)

Glad to have had a good companion in McGraw