This week was a pretty great week! Things went very well in
Mercedes! General Conference was an amazing experience! I was so excited for it
and it still exceeded expectations! We were all so shocked but equally excited
about the missionary age announcement. I also loved Elder Nelson's advice to
"Ask the missionaries...they can help!". The most powerful talk to me
though was from Priesthood session about the missionary who took the view of
trying to bring the gospel to and baptize everyone he met. I am so grateful to
be in Mercedes now and serving as a missionary. Alright I'm seeing so many ways
I need to change and improve. With the age announcement I was so grateful that
it had happened AFTER I had left on a mission. Last year at BYU was such a big
growing experience for me and Im sure I would’ve left at 18 if they'd have let
me! I would’ve missed out on meeting some of my best friends and wouldn’t have
gone through the growth I had. Ian and Spencer (and Claire!!!!) start getting
ready now! Scott will be the first to tell you how fast it goes! We have Alma
and Angelina getting baptized this week! We always like to joke about Alma because
their whole family has religious names...the others in her family are Jesus
(pronounced Hey-zues)...Salvador and Adam. Angelina has been through a lot of
tough times in her life but the gospel has changed her so much! We've felt the
spirit as we've taught her and she has come so far!
The culture of the valley is so different. There are a lot
of people who need a lot and can't seem to find a way out. I'm so grateful the
gospel of Jesus Christ is a universal gospel. Im grateful the atonement covers
all sorrows and pain as well as sin. We had exchanges last Thursday and Elder
Marble went with Elder Curletti to the other Elder's area. It was a good
growing experience for me because that meant I was in charge of our area with
Elder Sanders. My Spanish was better than I thought and the day turned out to
go really well. Heavenly Father helped me a lot! I'm so grateful that He cares
about our individual specific daily needs. Quick story before I end: We were
biking to an appointment and had about 10 minutes to spare when we passed a
road that led to a less active's residence in a trailer that a member had told
us about. We didn’t have an address, name or phone number or anything to go on.
As we were about to pass the road we felt prompted to go stop by and try and
find it. We turned around and went over to see what we could do. As we locked
our bikes up across the street from the area we thought they lived...a bus
pulled up and dropped off a couple of kids. One of the kids was a girl of about
10 years. She saw us and waved and then ran towards a white trailer behind a
house! She was so excited to see us! We walked over to the trailer and heard
" ....para los elderes" and saw her come back out with Kool-Aid! It
was the family we were looking for! The
mom told us that they had been waiting for us to come since the missionaries
had not been by for a few months! I know we were answer to the whole family's
prayers and especially the young girl. Nothing brings more happiness than
finding out that the Lord used you to answer the prayers of another.
I'm so grateful for Mom and Dad teaching us to say our
prayers. I can remember climbing on dads back and catapulting myself into bed
after saying nightly prayers or saying them with Mom and singing primary songs
at night. Those experiences built my testimony and I am so grateful for parents
who taught me the importance of heavenly communication and then did it with me
as well. I'm also grateful for the countless hours of selfless sacrifice from
both Mom and Dad. All my life Dad has spent significant hours on a weekly basis
with church callings...Mom has done so much and I'll always look up to her
amazing organization skills. You’re both the best!
Con Amor,
Elder Cook
P.S. Yesterday and today it was in the 60's! It’s called a cold
front and it leaves tomorrow (it’ll be in the 90's again). I LOVE IT!!!! I miss
fall and winter..ha-ha...cold weather is a blessing!
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