August 10, 2012

Bueno!!!

Este semana pasado fue una semana diferente!!!! And in the MTC that's a big deal! We had a couple big things happen. First, our district received their travel plans yesterday! We got them during dinner and IT WAS Christmas in august (we even sang Angels We Have Heard on High later for the opening hymn in our class!). Small things bring joy in the MTC! So I will fly out on Monday August 20th at 830 (I have to be at the travel office here in the MTC at 500...woohoo!). I fly first to Dallas/Ft. Worth and then down to McAllen!!! I'll let you know for sure next week, but I should be able to give ya'll a call sometime between 7 and 730!!! (we get to call in the airport!!). So Ohio time that's 9 and 930...Since its the first day of school I guess things will be crazy but maybe I Claire and Ian can find a way to step out of class for a quick minute and I can talk to them real quick! There are 11 in my flight group (So 11 other missionaries in my transfer!) I've met about 5 of them by now...and so far I'm the only one who wasn't in beginner Espanol! The more I've studied Spanish the more i enjoy it and I'll be perfectly content if I go 2 years without speaking English!

TRC is really the best time of the week! This past week Elder Tarr and I taught a girl from BYU who'd lived in Spain for a semester! It was nice, because our Spanish was comparable to hers and it was a good way for us to see the progress we'd made! It was kind of strange teaching someone who was just about our age "as a missionary" and in Espanol! but it was so much fun and it went so well! At this point, I am so excited for Texas! The MTC is great, you really have so much time to study and learn..but the I can already tell that these two years are going to be awesome because of the people, not because of the time to study or learn! Speaking of people, I said adios to Elder Steele and Elder Smith this past week! It was so good to see them here and thanks to Elder Steele I think I now have one of the ugliest ties in the MTC! The second significant thing that occurred this week....was hosting!!!...Dad will remember this from when he dropped me off...but there are missionaries that pick up the new missionaries at the curb....take them to get their information,...show them their dorms...and then take them to their class. We got to do it on Wednesday and it was so much fun! It was strange being on the other side of the curb....and it was strange to realize how long we've been here. that's another thing...we're now the oldest district in our zone (sacrament meeting group) and we're also the next district to leave!!!! I hosted 3 missionaries and one of them was Elder Forbes (An Elder from my floor at BYU). It was kinda of strange though because we were so happy and excited for the missionaries....while they're having a tender final goodbye with the family. You feel a little guilty almost for being so excited. Every single elder was so nervous no matter how hard they tried to be cool about things. It was good though! The whole experience just got us more motivated to kill these next two weeks and be as best prepared for the field as possible! Thanks Mom and  Dad for the "Dear Elder" letters! I received a post card from Sis. Smith a week or so ago from Kirtland and that was so cool! Tell all the cousins aunts and uncles and mis abluos hola para mi!

Le Invitamos a leer Jacob 4!!!! Me gusta mucho! Yo tengo un testimonio que Dios nos ama, cada person y el es una persona perfecta y amorosa! Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta y su historia es verdadera. Me encanta la primera vision y es tan poderoso en espanol! En sus propios palabras: Vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol, dirrectament arriba de mi cabeza. Y esta luz gradualmente descendio hasta descansar sobre me. Al reposar sobre mi la luz, vi en el aire arriba de mi a dos personajes, cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripcion. Uno de ellos me hablo, llamandome por me nombre y dijo senalando al otro..."Jose...este es mi hijo amado...!Escuchalo!". Yo se que este ocurido y que Dios sabe el nombre de cada persona y El contestara nuestras oraciones.

Les amo!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Cook