Weekly Letter

Dear Friends and Family, this was a week of being taught and spiritually fed by two General Authorities.  On Monday afternoon we headed out to the Charleston, West Virginia area for a Tri-Zone Conference to be held Tuesday morning.  It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive and the conference started at 9:30 so we drove down on Monday so we didn't have to drive seven hours in one day. We would have had to leave about 5:30 am and that didn't sound good to either of us. Our main speaker was Elder W. Mark Bassett who is a General Authority Seventy and his wife.  Elder Bassett was entertaining, relatable, spiritual, knowledgeable, and he spoke for about an hour and a half in the morning session and another hour in the afternoon session with no notes, other than his scriptures.  His wife would get up and interrupt his talk when she wanted to add something she felt was important.  They were a cute couple. His message was, of course, directed to the young missionaries.  He urged them to use the Book of Mormon more, even at door approaches and first lessons.  After lunch Pres. and Sister Lindahl also spoke to us. We headed home at about 2:00 and stopped in Morgantown to feed the young single adults at the Institute. After dinner and clean up we headed home, we were tired!  The next day the other zones went for their conference and we joined in on a zoom meeting with them just for the morning session.  We were well taught.

We had our Stake Conference this weekend and were taught and spiritually fed by another General Authority Seventy, Elder Vai Sikahema.  You BYU fans will recognize that name.  For you non-BYU fans, he played football for BYU in 1980 when BYU beat SMU in what we call the Miracle Bowl. After his mission he played for BYU when they won the national championship in 1984. He then played in the NFL for several years and was an All-Pro punt returner two different years.  We were kind of star struck.  He taught us in the Saturday evening meeting and it may have been the best Saturday evening session we have been to since Elder Holland was at our Stake Conference in Idaho Falls several years ago. The sister that talked before him told about her conversion to the Church and how so many people at work and in the ward had such a big impact.  Her boss at work is also her Bishop. Elder Sikahema called people out of the congregation that had been involved in her conversion and had them share their thoughts.  This sister has had many life-threatening medical problems, and told how the Gospel had given her so much peace.

The Sunday session focused on the youth. They had two youth speakers and called a couple of Primary-aged kids out of the congregation to bear a one-minute testimony.  He taught that it is a priesthood duty for young men to serve a mission and said that if young women want to serve a mission, they can be a great asset and can reach people that elders can't. Elder Sikahema was also entertaining, relatable, spiritual and knowledgeable. And one heck of a football player.

We didn't have much time to do anything else this week other than drive to and attend conferences. It was a great week!

Mom's scripture is in Doctrine and Covenants 98:1-3. "Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks; waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament-the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name's glory, saith the Lord."

This testifies to her that the Lord hears and answers our prayers and he promises that even the hard things it will be for our good and will help us grow.

That's it for this week. Have a great week. We love you and pray for you daily.

Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandad

Jamee and Kerry

Sister and Elder Cooper