Zone Leader

We got this letter from President Ames in the mail. Our sweet Cole didn't even tell us about this. Love him!!

Hi From Hurst!

Hi Family, friends, and others! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a bunch of pictures. It was a good week. We're super busy all the time. This morning we got to go run with president Ames, it was cool. Love you!

Cole

And here is my address furr shurr this time. BOMBARDMENT!

131 Manchester Dr. #127

Euless, TX 76039

This is the Elder Long clan. The ones to my right are my hijos, the tall guy to my left is mi hermano, and his hijos.

Elder Cook and I, directing traffic at transfers.

Elder Munoz came back! woo!

 Bye Northside

Mijo #1 y mijo #2

​From right to left- Me, mijo (elder tulaga) y mi nieto (grandson) also elder Hagen is in the background.

Vale La Pena

Umm.... Hi guys. This week was super rough. Haha, last week, we went nutz and found like a trillion new people to teach, so we were hoping to have this super awesome week. And then this week, holy crap, nothing went the way it was supposed to. Haha, we probably had at least 25 appointments punch on us this week, at least. One day we had 7 appointments, and I called and confirmed four of them the night before, and they still punched. Haha, we got flat tires (17 this transfer now) and it is still super hot. We had crazy anti-mormons yell at us, and a whole lot of other stuff. Haha, somehow, the only thought that kept going through my head last night was, "vale la pena." (It's worth it). I don't know how, but somehow, it always works out. The crappy weeks disappear, the hot days fade, somehow it just all works out. The mission is good. Vale la pena.

In other news, I'm already leaving Fort Worth. And I'm going.... Drumroll please.... Back to Hurst! Haha, I'm going to be in a car area though. I am super stoked, my comp. is Elder Cook and he is a baller. I'm super sad to leave Fort Worth, because my district is easily the best in the whole mission, but an old friend from Denton is gonna replace me (Elder Hagen). New address (I think, don't count on it haha).

131 Manchester Dr. #127

Euless, Texas 76039

It's pretty weird I just did a little (skinny) dip into Fort Worth, but I'm expecting to drop a cannonball into Hurst. Look out, there's a new sheriff in town!

Love,

Cole

 Goodbye Ft.Worth District

Bike Elder Rehydration System, Version 1.0

I Love Lamp

So, I hit my year mark. It was a pretty cool day. We had interviews with President and he asked me how I was doing. I told him, "good." He just paused and waited, so I expounded, "I mean, I'm happy, I enjoy the work, but I am TIRED." Hahaha, he reminded me that I am on a bike in Texas, and that "you're going to be tired." Haha, that made me happy for some reason. 

Later that night, Pres came out with us and we taught 2 lessons. They went super well haha, it was a cool experience. 

A few weeks ago, we helped this guy move, and in return, he gave us a broken lava lamp. This week, we fixed it up, and now we have a groovy lava lamp to light the dark night. I love lamp. I feel like I am quite the handyman. Hahaha. (remember the video Nate and I made?)

Anyway, it was a good week. My district is awesome. The sisters here are young, but they are perfectly trying and are straight up beasts. It is great. 

Pictures!

A real life texas longhorn

Remember how I promised I would never wear a sweater?

Elder Tulaga, all tuckered out.

Doctor Elder, or Elder Doctor?

​A real life black cowboy.

Dallas Temple

Viva Mexico

Cheesin with my 6 shooters

Hump Day!!

September 17, 2013, at 4:00 A.M., I left the Hansen Home in Sandy, Utah, for the Salt Lake Airport. I Landed in Mexico City around 1ish local time, and proceeded to live like a mexican for 6 weeks. I flew into Texas October 29th, 2013, and met my first companion the next day. I've been through Denton, Haltom, and now Fort Worth. Apartment fires and Tornados. Bible Bashes and baptisms. The summer on a bike, and a winter in a car. I've eaten authentic Mexican, Texas barbecue, and everything in between. In short, it's been a good year. 

We just got back from the temple, my first time in English in over a year. It was AMAZING. Haha, wow, the temple is such a cool place haha. I took pictures, but they won't load. 

Tomorrow is my year mark, and also we have interviews with President Ames! It is such a sick week haha! We had a sweet day yesterday and I am so stoked! In other news, there is no other news.

I love y'all, and sometime around last week I think I started to miss y'all haha. A year is a long time. But then again, I can't believe how fast time flies. Or how much I've learned. Haha, it's funny to think, I only have 1 more of everything. One more Christmas, Halloween, Mother's day, shark week, Super bowl, and International talk like a pirate day (that one was pretty rough in spanish (arrrrrgg, mi compa). 

Pretty much, I am going downhill now. I feel like an old guy, especially when I see 18 year old elders that have no idea what they are doing haha. I had to explain to one elder where cotton came from. I knew 5th grade U.S. history would come in handy sometime haha (eli whitney and the cotton gin). Haha, I know I'm still a goober, but I can sit still now and be patient and wait for things haha. 

Anywhey, got to go, but I love y'all. Texas Roolz.

Love,

Cole

Eternal Perspective Goggles

Man, it is so hard to hear about death and whatnot from home. As a missionary, obviously the first thing that popped into my head was the Plan of Salvation. We are so blessed to know what is going on. We can put on our "eternal perspective goggles" and know that the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ, in hopes of glory, in the knowledge of the plan. My prayers are with the Coffey family. 

This week, we went nutz and worked up a storm. Hopefully when all the dust settles, there are some gold nuggets instead of rocks and dirt. It is pretty cool, from the library there is a super great view of downtown Ft. Worth, so I keep getting distracted and whatnot. Um... not a whole lot new. Pretty much I am used to everything about being a missionary (haha, after a year) and whatnot, but the only thing that is hard is we drive down the middle of TCU campus every p-day and see all of the banners for the football players and it is rough haha. I miss football. But it's all good. I'll only miss a few more games, and then I'll never have to miss a game again haha. 

In other news, there is no other news. Talk to y'all next week!

Love,

Cole

Spagetti-O's and Flat Tires

Hey guys I got your package this week and I forgot how delicious Spagetti-os are and so now I'm on the spagetti-o diet. Woo! Not a ton has happened this week. Elder Tulaga is brand-spankin' new, and whenever I ask him who they were teaching he says "I dunno." So, we are starting over! Woo! 

So fun story, this week Elder Tulaga had 7 flat tires, and I had one. Haha, after the first two, I offered to show him how to put a patch on, but he didn't accept because "he already knew how." 5 flats later I told him, "we're going to walk until you buy a new tube" haha. So, we've been on foot all week. 

On P-days we ball HARD here. Well, as hard as it gets as missionaries haha. But it is really fun. 

The two things I learned this week-

1. I used to be all rigid (like a breadstick) because I need to be perfect blah blah blah, but it's like basketball. If I'm all rigid, then it's cuz I don't got the funk. And if I don't got the funk, I can't ball. So the key is just to relax and play the game. Metaphorically speaking. 

2. I may not always know the answer, or be the perfect guy for the job, but I am supremely confident that I am going to be able to get the job done, and get it done right. 

We email from a library here in Ft. Worth. It's pretty close to the mansion.

Love,

Cole

P.S. The mansion is haunted.