Beautiful family,
I finally have an IPad! Both a blessing and a curse in many ways. It's
so much slower for me to write on an iPad because I am built like an orangutan
and have the thumbs of a hippo.... Really it all comes down to time. I am
trying to stay relaxed and best message everyone I intend to but my time is
limited hahaha😊 sounds like I am
in the mafia…honestly, it could be possible considering Elder Benigni is
Italian and barely speaks English. Joking, joking... Well he is improving. To
me, he is a testament of the gift of tongues! I originally thought I would love
speaking another language and now just being a missionary is stressful enough.
Heavenly Father knows our limits and capabilities and wants the greatest growth
in the most compassionate way. All learning should be out of love and when you
are walking around with blisters those words, "forget yourself" trust
me they become real. The spirit is a powerful senior companion and I am humbled
to be learning so much. I have loved having the leadership of Elder Benigni, he
works very hard and though he is a foot shorter than me he is keeping in stride
if not light jogging beside me;) He sets
the pace actually and I love his passion for the Gospel. Attached are some
photos of the Bury Collaborate (Collabor8 😂 ) It was a
multi-culture, multi-faith event hosted by the bury police centered on reducing
hate crime and ensuring a level of love and respect amongst faiths. It was
quite the experience and I loved the diversity that surrounded us. Even when we
have what's called street display we have people from all walks of life seeking
for truth. (Or on the other hand telling
you that you are wasting your time.) I
honestly have prayed to love those Children of God who had the opportunity to
learn and continually rejected this glad message. So incredibly grateful for our family and to
have been converted in my own way to The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the passage of my mission letter below I love the power of the spirit
as we taught Noel! He has been with the missionaries for months now and I
cannot wait to see him get baptised:) Soon, very soon. I studied Samuel the
Lamanites example in the end of Helaman which reinforced the power of standing
alone and being firm in your beliefs. The spirit works miracles and I have felt
that burning in my bosom, never had I felt it like that.
*President made a Black list of words such as Awesome, Guys, Cool,
Wicked... Pretty much casual language . His goal is to help us be better
equipped to be messengers of the Lord and witnesses of the truth. I actually felt the spirit leave during a
lesson when a member helped us and he said the gospel is awesome dude. I for
once felt the discomfort of having the spirit leave so suddenly. It was very
real and I worked hard to invite the spirit again as we testified of
truth!
Enjoy.
"President Ulrich,
Another beautiful day in Bolton England! I am writing this letter on my iPad for the first time so forgive me :)
This week has proven to me the power of Heavenly Fathers plan and the timing of spiritual impressions. I have witnessed miracles every day and putting names to those miracles is such a tremendous blessing.
Elder Benigni and myself have inquired of the Lord to how to best improve out time management allowing the Lord’s work to progress. Such as it states in the standard of truth “nothing shall stop the work from progressing” even the plans of a young missionary. I have been learning every day, let the spirit guide. I do not want to miss an opportunity to share my testimony and I am working my hardest to put aside the minor inferiorities that I have and put this work in the Lord’s hands. Every day I can wake up and find purpose/motivation in talking to a stranger who needs the hope and happiness that the fullness of the gospel can bring. I have put into practice what we learned as missionaries the first five weeks with sharing the light of Christ physically. In many circumstances I have shaken hands with someone and born my testimony only for them to tell me they have a deeper need and didn't know who could help today. I can simply smile and say I know exactly who can help you every day, our Saviour and brother, Jesus Christ. I have loved street displays more and more since I have arrived and I am now striving to find the spiritual diamonds that Heavenly Father has prepared each display and of course every day. I have taken the focus of finding what my purpose and vision is with Father in Heaven and I have immense love for my patriarchal blessing. It truly is a testament of the power of the priesthood and the foundation of prayer.
I was able to give a blessing once this week to bring clarity to a friend and trying each day to best magnify the priesthood to which I am humbled to hold. Our friend, Noel is progressing to baptism, however he is still unsure of a date. He has declined the elders many times in the last months past and when I arrived he said yes and wanted to progress! Unfortunately, he has taken the same lax habits as before and his fear is a painful burden. He came with a goodbye letter in hand on Thursday and told me he had bad news letting us know he couldn't accept baptism. Confident in the spirit I told him we would not be parting ways as I knew he had a thirst for the spirit and a hunger to keep learning about the Book of Mormon. Elder Benigni, Bro. Tony Ryan and myself supportively discussed the gospel and boldly ushered him to keep on fighting. Just as you would not swim halfway across a lake and turn around you should not be committed to something only to quit halfway and leave. There is great purpose to this process and I love how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has shaped his character:) He is a changed young man and I love his intellect to progress, I just want him to understand that he will be burnt out if he keeps running around the track without a finish line. This makes us spiritually burnt out and will either lose motivation or be completely exhausted! This is far too important a blessing to simply walk away from. I loved this lesson and it was powerful to me in so many ways.
Elder Benigni and I have found some new friends and we look forward to meeting with Oliver, Collin and Dave, Anne, Amy, Jess, and David this week to inspire with the spirit the truths to be built upon in Christ.
Although the process is often difficult it has proved to me the worth of the reward. Sacrifice is crucial to Christ’s plan and I am ever so thankful to be here in Bolton, England! The members are lovely and we sure are being taken care of. The work will continue to progress and if it be the Lord’s will we can bring a lovely child of God to be baptized. Bold as a lion yet understanding in all things. Trying to focus and harvest the fruits of the vineyard, it shall be done.
Love you and your inspirational wife. Thank you for your example and prayers.
Elder Cooper
Bolton England "
Another beautiful day in Bolton England! I am writing this letter on my iPad for the first time so forgive me :)
This week has proven to me the power of Heavenly Fathers plan and the timing of spiritual impressions. I have witnessed miracles every day and putting names to those miracles is such a tremendous blessing.
Elder Benigni and myself have inquired of the Lord to how to best improve out time management allowing the Lord’s work to progress. Such as it states in the standard of truth “nothing shall stop the work from progressing” even the plans of a young missionary. I have been learning every day, let the spirit guide. I do not want to miss an opportunity to share my testimony and I am working my hardest to put aside the minor inferiorities that I have and put this work in the Lord’s hands. Every day I can wake up and find purpose/motivation in talking to a stranger who needs the hope and happiness that the fullness of the gospel can bring. I have put into practice what we learned as missionaries the first five weeks with sharing the light of Christ physically. In many circumstances I have shaken hands with someone and born my testimony only for them to tell me they have a deeper need and didn't know who could help today. I can simply smile and say I know exactly who can help you every day, our Saviour and brother, Jesus Christ. I have loved street displays more and more since I have arrived and I am now striving to find the spiritual diamonds that Heavenly Father has prepared each display and of course every day. I have taken the focus of finding what my purpose and vision is with Father in Heaven and I have immense love for my patriarchal blessing. It truly is a testament of the power of the priesthood and the foundation of prayer.
I was able to give a blessing once this week to bring clarity to a friend and trying each day to best magnify the priesthood to which I am humbled to hold. Our friend, Noel is progressing to baptism, however he is still unsure of a date. He has declined the elders many times in the last months past and when I arrived he said yes and wanted to progress! Unfortunately, he has taken the same lax habits as before and his fear is a painful burden. He came with a goodbye letter in hand on Thursday and told me he had bad news letting us know he couldn't accept baptism. Confident in the spirit I told him we would not be parting ways as I knew he had a thirst for the spirit and a hunger to keep learning about the Book of Mormon. Elder Benigni, Bro. Tony Ryan and myself supportively discussed the gospel and boldly ushered him to keep on fighting. Just as you would not swim halfway across a lake and turn around you should not be committed to something only to quit halfway and leave. There is great purpose to this process and I love how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has shaped his character:) He is a changed young man and I love his intellect to progress, I just want him to understand that he will be burnt out if he keeps running around the track without a finish line. This makes us spiritually burnt out and will either lose motivation or be completely exhausted! This is far too important a blessing to simply walk away from. I loved this lesson and it was powerful to me in so many ways.
Elder Benigni and I have found some new friends and we look forward to meeting with Oliver, Collin and Dave, Anne, Amy, Jess, and David this week to inspire with the spirit the truths to be built upon in Christ.
Although the process is often difficult it has proved to me the worth of the reward. Sacrifice is crucial to Christ’s plan and I am ever so thankful to be here in Bolton, England! The members are lovely and we sure are being taken care of. The work will continue to progress and if it be the Lord’s will we can bring a lovely child of God to be baptized. Bold as a lion yet understanding in all things. Trying to focus and harvest the fruits of the vineyard, it shall be done.
Love you and your inspirational wife. Thank you for your example and prayers.
Elder Cooper
Bolton England "
Still working very hard for a prepared child of God for baptism but I am
finding joy in the journey.
The members are taking care of us and I cannot wait to see if we get
more missionaries in Bolton next transfer (1 week and a bit) !!! Hope Elder
Benigni stays :/
Love you so very much and wish you a safe week.
The Mayor of Bury even graced us with his presence 😂 This was also on the bury website.
Mom we are famous!!!!
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