WITH MORE VISION COMES MORE MOTIVATION

Hey guys!

Can't believe it has been another week.  What I said way long ago in the MTC is still true though.  Days feel like weeks and weeks feel like day!

  

So our week basically started with an exchange with president Ivory.  Kinda intimidating going out and working with him to be honest, but it was super good and we did a ton!  First we went to visit a former Branch President, now inactive, member family.  We went there and only the wife was there.  We still talked with her for a bit.  She was so impressed that the mission president came to her house.  She kept saying she saw a picture of Ivory's family, and she felt the spirit so strong.  She got very emotional and said " I know my family needs the gospel in our lives"  It was an amazing experience.  It is just complicated. We tried meeting with them again today... but to no avail.  I am scared her husband won't let her talk with us any more!  We will just wait and pray for the time being. They are wonderful people, please keep them in your prayers.

Elder Cooper is still in love with the Clouds (even
if there is only one)

Guess where else we went this week... I bet you guessed it right... to the hospital again!  This time it wasn't any missionaries. ;) We went and gave a member a blessing.  We actually went twice this week.  What's another week without the hospital?!  We gave her a blessing the first time, then went on our exchange with president Ivory and visited her again.  I feel so sorry for anyone who has to stay at a hospital here.  We just walked right in and went up an elevator without talking to a single person.  No one was around.  We get to the tiny room and there are three elderly women crammed in a single room!  There was enough room for three beds, one bathroom, and a couple of steps in between.  It was not a place I ever want to stay.

To kinda explain why I am so late on getting this email out this week is because we kinda had a surprise exchange with Ivory again.  We were only supposed to meet with that family again and then go separate ways, but that didn't happen.  They weren't there, so Ivory was like "well what can we do here and now?"  Super cool to see him be so gun-ho about doing missionary work and all that good stuff, sincerely was...we had to switch some things around, but it all worked out.  We had some really cool experiences and really it is something special not a ton of missionaries will be able to do on their missions.  He knows Romanian really really well for being here a transfer.  Seriously... kinda scary sometimes haha.  He knows Italian so that helps him a lot, but he really knows and can speak as well as a missionary who has been out 6 months to a year.

This week has defiantly been one of growing and learning.  There has been a lot of mistakes made and some good lessons learned from them.  I was also blessed enough to be able to see the real progress I have made with the language.  I want to try to prepare as much as I can no matter what the circumstance.  We have had to teach some classes and give some spiritual thoughts this week that we didn't really plan to heavily for.  I found myself keeping up with it though.  I also have found words coming out of my mouth more easily then ever before.  To say the least I have been blessed to be able to see and recognize this progress.  I am able to understand and speak things that need to be spoken.  I am starting to feel like things are working together to benefit those that need it.   Ya I have learned lots about patience and not comparing myself to others.  I want you all to know that all your prayers and fasts in my behalf have been answered and will continue.  Make sure you give some thanks to our Father in Heaven.  Selfishly, I need you to give thanks so that He will continue to bless me with the language and the other things! :)  Seriously though, thank you all so much for all your support and help.  It's been bumpy, there are some scars and bruises, there are more to come, but my vision has increased.  I am  trying to strive harder and trying to be better then I have been because "with more vision, comes greater motivation"  Love you all!  Hope you can have a great next week!!

Love,

James :)

“Elders say hi from Panduri Bucharest. We are visiting Romania with the Bridge of Love Foundation as volunteers and met your sons.”  (texted to mom) 

Elder Poulsen and Elder Cooper - Elder Cooper is serving as District Leader and Elder Poulsen is the Zone Leader. They have also been companions, and are great friends.