Hola mi familia!

This has been a great week in my mission and I definitely enjoyed each day! Here are some of the highlights of things that happened:

-Valley conference- the 3 or 4 zones in the McAllen area got together for a Christmas conference and it was great! We had special musical numbers, talks from the assistants and the Maluendas, watched the mission DVD with photos from the year, and had some skits. Our zone did a rewritten rendition of 12 days of Christmas!

- Spent a day in Donna, Texas! I got to go on an exchange with Elder Merica (doesn’t he have a cool name!??). And it was great to spend the day on bike! We talked to some awesome families and he really taught me the importance of listening (doing it with our heart, might, and mind!).

- Spanish Ward Christmas party! I got to play Feliz Navidad on the guitar while all the primary children sang along...it was such a happy moment! They were the cutest kids ever and sang so loud! I also got to see a lot of friends from Las Milpas (3 of the main families i visited their now come to the Pharr Ward with us!). We ate tons of tamales as well!

- We're teaching an investigator named Tacos! He's 15 and is super cool! He showed up to church in a white shirt and pants (that’s a miracle in and of itself) and a dinosaur tie! He loves the Book of Mormon and invites friends to meet with us as well!

And a short spiritual Christmas thought:

In Luke we read:

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

This Christmas time is such a perfect time for those seeking Christ! I love how the shepherds come with such vigor and such great desire to see the Savior! But my favorite part is Mary’s attitude toward all of the amazing and miraculous events. It says:

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned on my mission is how quickly the Spirit will teach us if we are willing to ponder the miracles and blessings we receive from our Heavenly Father! I know that this Christmas as we ponder the Savior's birth, life and eternal sacrifice for our sins, sorrows, and shortcomings the Spirit will enter into our hearts and tell us what we can do to bless the lives of others and feel more strongly the Savior's love!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Una Buena semana!

Hola mi familia!

Not too much time again this week but I’ll do the best i can! This week we had a visit from Elder Tad R. Calister of the presidency of the 70! We had big zone conference on Friday and he taught us for 3 or so hours with his wife and the Maluendas teaching the other hour....and then on Saturday Elder Barth and I got to attend a small group meeting with Elder Calister and his wife that lasted another 2 hours.

The teachings and trainings were great and I'm especially grateful for the personal stories and scriptures that we got to hear! At one point Elder Calister was talking about how the Atonement of Jesus Christ will make right all of the wrongs in this life and he shared a verse in Revelations that I love a lot!

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Another thought that he shared with us was the idea of rules and principles. Principles are simple, allow for greater agency which means greater opportunity for learning and growth while rules restrict and are put in place to help out the weaker or those of bad judgment. In the mission field I have learned so much about the importance and blessings of obedience, especially pertaining to the obedience of Gods commandments! Another scripture I read this morning that helped reinforce that lesson was D&C 105:5-6, 11. 13.

5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.

10 That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands.

12 For behold, I have prepared a great endowment and blessing to be poured out upon them, inasmuch as they are faithful and continue in humility before me.

14 For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will fight your battles.

It helped me see that many times when I’ve struggled on my mission it was because the Lord was helping me to learn to obey, to do things His way and not mine and now I can see how much better off I am because of it!

Lastly...a fun story from the week! Each week we go by and visit the Polendo family! Last week sister Polendo made some of the spiciest salsa I’ve had on my mission! This week she was making it when we got there and their kids were coughing and we started to as well because the chili was so strong! She’s one of the primary teachers this week and we found out that the primary kids are singing Feliz Navidad for the ward party on Friday. Feliz Navidad is our favorite track from the Michael Buble Christmas CD we got from the APs to listen to on P-Day and so we were excited and volunteered our help! As well....when Elder Calister came we got together as Zones in the Valley so I got to see all the other missionaries I served with in Brownsville! I’m grateful for good friends in the mission!

Have a great week!

Con amor

Elder Cook

Recent Photos (12/16/2013)

Feliz Navidad!

Hola mi familia!!!

This was another great week and a lot happened! First off it’s been a lot of fun to get to know the Alamo-San Juan areas and I’m starting to know my way around! Elder Barth and I are becoming better friends every day (he's a great missionary) and the other two elders we live with (Elder Knighton & Elder Garcia from Maine & Mexico) are doing great too! We have fun playing basketball in the mornings and on P-days and it’s getting me into real good shape! I also got to go back to work in Mercedes on a bike and got to talk to a lot of recent converts there! It was great to talk to Vanessa Herrera (she was baptized my first Sunday in the field) and she’s gone to the temple and been sealed to her husband and even has a baby boy now, as well as the Gonzalez family (Dalia &her 6 kids) Alma Arcaute, and then a less active family named the Perales who we visited often. The elders I worked with (Elder Child from Brownsville) and Elder Casteel (my nephew in the mission (ask Scott!) are super awesome elders and doing a great job! Oh how the memories flooded back.

A few announcements...this week we will be having a mission conference with Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the 70!!! We are really excited for him to come and I really enjoy the talks that he's given (especially some of the ones he gave in the MTC...they've changed my mission!) As an addition to my Christmas list I’ll put his book The Infinite Atonement (we’re allowed to read it here in the field)! Last year’s conference with Elder Schweitzer was so special and helped me out a lot and I know this year will only be better! As well, President told us this week that next year (at some point) we will be getting iPads and a lot of training on family history! I’m excited!

This week my testimony grew a lot on the power of the scriptures and just how powerful of an influence the words of The Book of Mormon, Bible, and other standard works and words of modern prophets can have on us! I’ve seen the difference in the Spirit in my own life connected with the amount of time I spend in the scriptures and that a principle isn't really taught until you've added the authority of the scriptures to it!  I’ve gain a greater knowledge of why the daily scriptures are such a must and how big of a plus it can be in our lives. The ways the words stick with us and come to us in key times of remembrance or decision really show just how necessary they are! Here’s a verse that helped me out a lot this week (John 14):

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 ¶If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I know that Christ loves us! That He does what we ask him to do if it is right, so we must do what He asks if we truly love Him! I’m grateful for the gift of the Spirit that comes as we lose ourselves in the scriptures and for the knowledge of God we gain as we study His words!

Don't forget to say your prayers!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Dia de Pavo!

Hola mi familia!

Wow! It was a fast week! There were times where I could literally feel the minutes just running away! But it was a great week! We had a super awesome Thanksgiving (the members were really nice and fed us well!) and at night we had a group of 12 missionaries together and got to sing Christmas hymns! It was great! As well, the oldest two girls in the family of 4 we're working with (the Jams family) Samantha (22) and Alicia (17) got baptized on Sunday! Everything went perfect and the Spirit was strong! Their younger brother Juan (14) and sister Maggie (17) got stranded in Mexico for the weekend with the Mom (Samantha has custody of all of her siblings though...the mom hasn't lived with them for years) but they'll be following soon! We have a lot of fun with them! They’re a very outspoken family but they have a lot of fun and they fit in great at church! Not much time today but I'll share a tender mercy or two from the week!

First, on Wednesday we were asked to go give a blessing for a man in the ICU. He was pretty badly injured and it was a little difficult to do so, but afterwards we talked with the Mom and his brother. They were so grateful and we could see the Spirit had touched them. After talking for a little bit longer we found out that I had met their nephew in the MTC (he was from the Valley and I asked him questions about South Texas!) it was a super cool miracle and a strong testimony to me that the Lord knows exactly where we need to be! I was pretty amazed that of all the missionaries in the Texas McAllen Mission...the Lord sent the ones who had even the slightest connection to that family!

Second (on a more humorous note), Saturday the Jams family invited us over for a second Thanksgiving since they were in Mexico on Thursday. They called us in the afternoon though as we were about to take our lunch and told us they needed the oven bags to cook the turkey! We stopped by Wal-Mart to get the bags and as we were in line to pay I looked up and saw Braxton Miller score the TD to tie the OSU Michigan game at 21-21. Haha Elder Barth and I had a good laugh about it. I had completely forgotten about The Game...but it was fun to see how Heavenly Father altered our plans just to tell me He loved me! He knows us perfectly! I'm grateful that my sacrifice for serving a mission has seemed to be so small and that even for those few things I give up and leave behind the Lord has blessed me bountifully! I know when we recognize those blessings we gain a greater ability to recognize our answered prayers! I'm grateful for all of you and your love and support and prayers! It is felt! I know that one day we will all appear before the Savior to be judged and that if we are faithful we can enter into His kingdom and oh what gratitude will fill our hearts at that day!

Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Cook

McAllen Again

(Last week, Andrew let us know that he was being transferred back to McAllen).

Hola mi familia!

Wow it’s been a great week! The memories of my time in Mercedes have flooded back and it has helped me see and realize how far I’ve come! Sunday afternoon we actually had to run an errand over to Weslaco and we were there for the last hour of the Mercedes Spanish Ward! It again felt the same way it did to go back and see Southmost. The faces and places don't seem to have changed but boy do I feel so much different! My new companion is Elder Barth...he’s from the great State of (take a guess...CALIFORNIA!). That's # 3 in a row ...haha I’ll have plenty of people to visit there now! It’s fun. He's a super boss missionary and I’m taking the spot of Elder Barrionuevo *(the short Argentine I sent you the picture of the other week who was my comp with Elder Marble in Corpus). We've had a great week and spent a lot of time getting to know the area and visiting the members! We're teaching the Jams family of 4 (a sister who is 24 with custody of her 2 sisters -17/16 and brother who is 14) who are a lot of fun! We've also met a lot of awesome members here and I know I’m going to love it a lot here! I also looked in the area book and besides Elder Stevens; I saw that an Elder Neil Ralph served here a while back! Pretty cool we'll have served in the same area! Ask him if there’s anyone he wants me to say hi to!

As well...winter has come to the valley. It’s in the 40s and rained a whole bunch last week! Man...my body has adjusted to the 90 degree weather. I love the cold but man...it’s SO cold! We are wearing sweaters and sometimes hats and putting on as many layers as we can. The work goes differently as well since everyone goes inside to get out of the cold! it’s a nice change though but the whole valley feels different! It’s been interesting moving from Brownsville to McAllen. there’s a lot more Tex Mex and English and it just has a lot stronger American feel here. Our zones a little more spread out too so we don't see our missionaries as often. Today I thought I’d share a poem I wrote on the last night I spent in Brownsville!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow draws closer as we start to end today
It cannot stop it still must come, there is no other way
And time it slips and bends into, the quiet night abyss
So bid farewell to sunny skies with a silent bedtime kiss

Fresh courage take for the plans we’ve made
Past performance view and humbly grade
Lessons learned and friends now found it all fits in together
The stormy skies, the rain the heat, yields now to better weather

I’ll live today in such a way that tomorrow will be better
Apologize, appreciate, and be a good trend setter
And when it comes, the final day and all tomorrows die
I’ll live it like my first day here and on the Lord rely

I’ll teach myself a lesson true of how and what and why
And let my faith and love and hope lead all to smile and cry
For great have passed, but I’ll live on
my life begun this mission gone

To home ill go or heaven above
Filled to the heart with God's own love.
Serve today!

I'm starting to realize the value of each day in the mission and I’m so grateful to the Lord for all He has given me up to this point and for all he will give me! I know this is His work and the miracles never stop! Have a great week and go serve someone else today!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Recent Photos (November 2013)

 

Kimberly's baptism.

 

Elder Barrionuevo

 

Back at Southmost.

 

(A little bit of Green Day humor from pre-Mission days.)

A Short Thought

Hola mi familia!

This week I’ll just share a miracle and a thought. First the miracle...

Friday we received a media referral (from Salt Lake) giving us the name and address of Johanna (it was fun to see that name too!)...we called some Elders who were in cars (we were on bikes that day ) to look up on their GPS where the street was because we didn’t recognize it!Turns out it was the next street over. The Elder who told us the location was Elder Clark! We went by and no one was home....the next day we were actually having an exchange and Elder Clark came to work with me in my area! Our plans fell through at one point and we went back to contact the referral. As we pulled up on our bikes 3 people came out! We met Johanna (23) her cousin April (17) and sister Kaylee (17). They have had some very rough times and April’s dad passed away the week before (her mom’s in jail right now, too) and it was pretty apparent how much they need the gospel! As we sat down and talked the Spirit was so strong and it felt so great to be able to promise them the blessings that they lack right now in their life! The best part came at the end...when we were about to invite them to be baptized a car pulled up and their other sister and her daughter came out. We invited them to sit down with us as well and turns out the sister (Maribel) has never been baptized either and that is something they all feel a need to do. We invited them and all 5 accepted and committed to start making changes in their lives to prepare for baptism! It was so fun to see the Lord’s hand in every aspect of the miracle...the even better part...right before when our plans had fallen through Elder Clark and I had taken a moment to pray and ask the Lord to guide us to a family who needed us! It worked! I know the Lord leads His prepared servants to His prepared children and ALWAYS works according to our faith! I’ll keep you updated on them!

Lastly, I bore my testimony in church this week on the purpose of this life! To me its best summed up in this scripture!

ALMA 34:31-32

31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

I know as we seek to repent and understand better that this life is the time when we are preparing to get back to the presence of Heavenly Father, the Spirit will guide us so that we can most fully feel our Heavenly Fathers love. I know God loves each of us and that through His son Jesus Christ we can be cleansed of our sins , overcome our weaknesses and become eternally happy!

Con todo el amor que tengo,

Elder Andrew Cook

The Lord doesn't give hard challenges to the weak!

Hola mi familia!

This was a great week for us! We had a lot of fun and got a lot of things done as well! Elder Welker and I have so much fun and it’s been great to stay with a companion for a 2nd transfer again! Here were some of the highlights from the week!

1) Went on an exchange with Elder Jensen and Elder Andersen (they were working in a trio).. Elder Andersen has actually had some health issues and that night the APs called and told us he needed to be in McAllen the next day. He’ll finish out the transfer there and then head home. It was great to work with him on his last night in Brownsville. Elder Jensen played football at a small Junior College in California and is a really good missionary! They helped me to see how miracles never come until the 4th quarter when we've finally showed the Lord that our faith is worth the trial!

2) Drove down to McAllen to drop off Elder Andersen (it’s about an hour drive) and saw some Elders that were in our zone the transfer before (they were there at la vista for their interviews). It was fun to see them again and rewarding to hear about them reflect fondly on their time there and how much they loved serving in Brownsville! We also stopped in Harlingen on the way back to drop some stuff off for Elder Mulitalo (one of the elders who I lived with for the 1st two transfers here). It was good to see him!

3) Had another exchange in Southmost! We saw some great miracles! At one point we were walking down the street and passed a brown car with two people inside talking...we went over and approached them and I recognized the driver! It turned out to be a woman that Elder Paulsen and I had found on the other side of the area! Her name was Sonia and she recognized me too! when we found her the first time she had broke down crying within a few seconds after elder Paulsen had begun sharing with her our purpose and testifying of God’s love for her. After that night (we 'd had a lesson and shed committed to be baptized) we never saw or heard from her again! It was such a miracle that we were at that street at that moment and it was a cool experience for me and Elder Talley (the one who I was with). Im grateful that the Lord puts people in our path to show us His power! It grew my faith a lot!

4) Saturday we had a little zone meeting to practice our teaching skills! I got to do some role plays with some really good missionaries and I learned a lot! One group of missionaries helped me see that when we teach commandments to our investigators we can help identify their needs by listing out the commandments and blessings and have them go grocery shopping for blessings! WE also got to go by and teach each of the families who we're working with!  Right now that's the daughter of the Urbina family (her names Kat! The rest don't have time right now to come to church or read)...the Granado family (the 3 sisters and 2 husbands...plus the dad too now!) and then we also sat down a young lady named Ileana who really wants to get baptized! It’s exciting to meet so many people and become such good friends in such a short time! It’s one of my favorite parts of the mission!

5) Sunday I had to go back to Southmost to do a baptismal interview and got to see Juan Quiroz bless the sacrament and see Vivi and her baby (ill send the pictures next week). As well the Morales family (a LA family that elder Paulsen and I reactivated) had the baptism of their 8 year old son so I was able to stay for that as well! It was really special to see them all there! Vivi's going through a hard time (she's now a single mom with 2 kids) so please keep her in your prayers! I got to see a lot of the members again and it was so fun to see old faces and friends (man...Im so spoiled to be able to go back and visit Southmost! The Lord has blessed me a lot!).

This week my testimony has grown a lot about the plan of salvation! It’s one of my favorite things to teach and it really has such a strong effect! One way we like to teach people about their purpose here in life is to draw a picture of 2 rivers...representing physical death and spiritual death (sin). We draw a bridge over the first and write the Saviors name on it...showing that Christ's Atonement automatically covers the physical death....then we draw a second bridge and write "repentance" on it to show that on the 2nd bridge...we have to follow Christ’s example and build our own! It’s a great parallel! Satan tries to tell us that we can just swim through the river of sin, while Heavenly Father will always give us direction on how to build our bridge of repentance and gospel living! Alma 34: 31 teaches a good lesson about when we need to start building our own bridge:

31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

I am so grateful for Gods plan! I know that as we repent and come closer to God He will forgive us of our sins, give us strength to improve our faults, and help us build the bridge to return back to His presence someday!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

October Sky!!!

Hola mi familia!!!

Buennnnos dias!

Es un gran dia de estar aqui en Brownsville! We had a couple cold fronts this last week which made the work even more fun than usual! By cold fronts I mean it got down to 75 and so I wore my blue Livestrong hoodie in the mornings and didn’t take my suit jacket off in the car as we drove to and from church. ha-ha. I don't think my body will be able to handle cold weather ever again!

Ok! So lots of changes the past few weeks but we're settling into the routine for this transfer and things are going great! We have a lot of really great elders and sisters here in our zone! Last week for p-day we went and played flag football at the stadium where all the high schools played and then had a cookout at a house nearby. The following Wednesday President Maluenda came down and we had interviews with him! It was a really good experience! I’m grateful for the friendship that I’ve been able to develop with him and he always teaches me so much! One of the things he helped me focus on and raise my vision is enjoying my mission! A lot of times I’ll take things too seriously or be harder on myself when things don't go the way I intended. I’m grateful that this is the Lord's work and that He only expects us to give our best effort and that the results then rely entirely upon Him!

This week for our exchanges I got to go back to the Southmost apartment and work the bike area! I got to work with an Elder Hutchinson from West Valley Utah, we had a really fun day! My favorite part was when we went to one side of the area looking for a family we were supposed to be teaching (Dad-right over by the airport!) and couldn't seem to find the appt. complex. We called his companion and found out that the appt. complex was on the other side of the area where we had came from! Elder Hutchinson had been so sure that we had been going the right direction! I told him that I knew he hadn't just been mistaken and we were about to find out why he had been impressed to come this way! We walked over to the nearest appt. complex and started talking to a family outside! They were very interested and accepted an appointment to return! As we left them a car pulled up and a woman in super tall boots and sunglasses got out! She didn’t seem to appear to be very friendly but we went to talk to her anyway! After a few minutes of talking to her she opened up and talked about some trials in her life and how she felt like God had been "reaching out to her lately" and that she needed to make some changes! It was such a strong testimony to me that the way the Lord works is not the same way we work! He knows where His children are and all their needs and exactly when they need help! I know that He put us there at that exact spot and at that exact moment to help that lady!

Lately my testimony has also grown a lot about the Savior’s willingness to forgive us! Often times we carry burdens in our heart that make us irritable, impatient or just not able to be fully happy! The only way we can get rid of them is to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to take them off our shoulders...sometimes the burdens are bigger and require help from priesthood leaders. But when we are good about taking notice about the burdens that begin to accumulate in our hearts and quickly repent and ask the Lord to forgive and heal us, He will do it! He looks at our hearts, the light we’ve received, and our works and when we sincerely and honestly seek forgiveness, He forgives us!

I’m so grateful for this lesson! I’m so grateful for the joy my mission brings me! It makes me so happy to know that I can spend every minute of my day serving others and serving the Lord! I’m so grateful for all the companions I’ve had, for the great missionaries who surround me and teach me so much and for the righteous examples of the members who live here!

Right now we're working a lot of couples! There’s a family of 4 sisters (ages16-22) and 3 are married with husbands as well as a 16 year old couple with a baby (the husband’s a LA member) and then a couple in their 20's with a 22 year old nephew! Its great! The Lord is blessing us a lot! I love taking our 2 bike days a week (got another flat tire this week though)....I really do love doing missionary work on a bike! It’s so easy to talk and meet with people!

I hope all is well in Ohio and Utah! Enjoy the Fall colors (...here nothing changes! It’s still just one eternal summer!)

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Brrrrownsville!

Hola mi familia!

Wow! Each week I come to love this town more and more! It’s such a cool place and I’m grateful the Lord has allowed me to spend so much time here! This week we saw some huge miracles in our area! First off, we are now teaching the Urbina family (5 kids....ages 4-15) and they are so much fun! Sis. Urbina is a single mom who teaches but wants to switch careers. Marco is 15 (almost 16) and plays the trombone and he has hair down to his shoulders. Kat (Katherine) is 14, plays guitar and always has lots of questions. Briana is 12 kind of quiet but likes to learn. Armando is 9 and is really good at tic-tac-toe (We played about 30 games during sacrament meeting...man I need to get more creative with my sacrament meeting reverent activities....I really wish I had those scripture books that Mom used for us back when we were little!) and then there’s Lupito (4). He's super active and speaks fluent Tex-Mex as a 4yr old. They’re a great family! They had a great time at church this week and came 10 minutes early and all dressed up (I told them that was a feat even for my family back home!). They are great! We also have a few other families that are starting to progress and it’s such a blessing to see the Lord putting them in our path!

I had two exchanges this week! One to Country Club, a bike area in the center of Brownsville. I worked with Elder Crimm and it was great! The best part was when we were walking down to a members apartment at about 8:45 p.m....and a car stopped us. A member from Corpus was down visiting and saw me and recognized me! Turns out he hadn’t been to church for a few weeks and he said seeing us was a sign to him that he needed to get back in the habit of going! It was one of those "too cool to be a coincidence" moments!

One of the biggest lessons I learned this week was the importance of making sure the changes we make during trials become permanent! As we exercise faith in the Atonement of Christ...we can take the changes in our behavior and make them changes of our nature! I know that Christ’s grace is sufficient for those that humble themselves and exercise faith in Him and that we receive weaknesses and trials so that we can be humble and come unto Him!

Have a great week! Get ready for conference! Write down some questions before hand so you can find some answers!

Con amor,

Elder cook

P.S Vivi Quiroz had a baby this week! (Juan’s sister! from Southmost) Her names Jordan! Keep her in your prayers! Thanks!

Mas Lluvia!

Hola mi familia!

Well it was a great week this week! We had a lot of fun and learned so much! We had a zone conference in Harlingen and we had some great training on how to work better with ward members on Sundays and throughout the week! Afterwards we had a really good evening spending some time with president at our stake missionary coordination meeting! There is always so much we can do to further the work of the Lord! It’s so exciting to be a missionary right now!

In Brownsville....it rains and rains! It reminds me of my senior year back in May when it rained like 38/43 days or something crazy! It just rains day after day! Its great and we have some fun experiences! The other day we dashed from the car through pouring rain to go knock on a less actives house and wound up in front of the wrong door and ended up talking to a man who was super interested in learning about the gospel! It was a lot of fun and wasn’t hard for us to see Heavenly Fathers guiding hand! Not much time today but here’s a scripture that I love so much! One of the things I’m working on right now is trusting more in God and letting Him have complete control of my mission! Time is going fast! (the blink year...wow...it feels like yesterday was January this morning was may and tomorrow is December! wahhh!)

D&C 123:17:

Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Vamos adelante!

Hola mi familia!

Another whirlwind week! The best part...it has rained everyday!!!! It’s been such a different feeling but it’s been a lot of fun! Thursday i actually got to be on a bike again and it was some of the most fun I’ve had since I’ve been back in Brownsville. I was working with Elder Bawden (an Elder I came out with) and we had incredible fun and success! At one point we got stuck in the mud and there was a group of teenagers who thought we looked funny...we went over and talked to them (they lost some bravery at that point) found one of them that was interested in learning more about the gospel and sat down for a lesson! The girl’s name was Brenda and she accepted the invitation to be baptized and is going to start coming to church with us! It was a fun learning moment for me! It felt so good to be out and riding and to see so many people to talk to!

We also had our monthly meeting in McAllen and so it was good to meet with all of my mission friends again! It’s been fun to work with Elder Welker and see him growing as well! He has more fun than any missionary I know and it’s been a real blessing to have him as my companion! I'm especially grateful as well for Elder Mulitalo and Elder Walker! They are two of my best friends and they do so much to help us out, whether its setting up something at the church before a meeting, helping keep the apartment clean, or making sure there’s always a song being sung (Elder Walker has Spencer-itis and sings regardless of the hour or setting!). We'll be doing another quartet this week at a meeting and we’ll be singing Abide With Me ‘tis Eventide! I get to sing alto and it’s been a lot of fun to sing a different part and make some cool harmony! Another fun thing we’ve started doing is going by a few minutes early to the Carrillo family and playing hymns on the guitar with their daughter Ivonne! Elder Welker sings and together it sounds great! I’m so grateful we can use instruments now...and I’m excited to use it with more of our members and investigators!

I know this work is true! I'm especially grateful for the peace and comfort I feel from reading the Book of Mormon! It truly changes hearts (including ours!) and gives us the exact counsel and advice we need!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Hola mi familia!

This was a great week! We had a lot of fun and saw a lot of miracles in our area as well! Elder Welker and I are already really good friends! He's from Los Angeles, plays sports (he's really good at baseball), and can sing as well (our apartment can still sing as a quartet!), speaks really good Spanish and works very hard! It was fun to hear about how things were in Corpus after I left and to watch him face the same adjustments that I made 6 weeks ago! Time is flying by faster and faster each day! It’s nice when we can find small moments to take a breather or just enjoy what’s going on around us!

We had one of those experiences on Sunday! One of the missionaries in our zone is named Elder Ferrell and we found out Friday that his sister and brother in law (who live just outside of Brownsville) were going to be baptized on Sunday and wanted him to baptize them! We got to drive over that Sunday to be with him and it was such a special baptismal service! He was so happy and it was fun to see their mini little reunion! Elder Ferrell was the first convert in his family and now all of his brothers and sisters and parents (except his oldest brother...the oldest of 6)  have been baptized! It’s so great to see families coming together through the gospel!

This week we're focusing on becoming more diligent! I was grateful for the words in Preach My Gospel in the Christ-like attributes section on diligence. Our diligence shows our love for God and His work and we can only be satisfied with our work if we do it diligently! It’s definitely one of the characteristics I want to have! Im grateful for the example of alma (Alma 43:1) and hope to be as hard of a worker!

We’re seeing so many miracles in our area with new families and I’ll tell you about them next week!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Just a short thought...

Hola mi familia!

Things are going great down here! Elder Welker (a missionary I knew in my last zone) is coming down from Corpus to be my new companion! He arrives on Tuesday and it will be a great week! I’m really excited! I'll share a small member work miracle that we saw this week!

So la Hna. Carillo is a member who lives in our area and we’ve grown really close to that family! We’ve been trying to find different ways to help involve them in missionary work and this week we saw a great miracle! We asked Hna. Carillo if there was anything we could do to help her after a meal appointment and she mentioned she was looking and trying to find a less active family that lived way out in the boonies of our area (it’s the boonies right about the Southmost boonies!)  She gave us an address and asked if we could go by because there were only mailboxes and unmarked houses! We went by and after stopping at a few of the houses (country farm houses)- we talked to a man named Robert! He was very friendly and invited us in (even though we just told him we were looking for his neighbor!) and we had a great lesson! The best part came after we talked with him about baptism and he accepted and then shared how he wants his family to be together forever! He opened the scriptures and shared Acts. 16:31 with us!

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

It was so obvious to see how the Lord had prepared this man and how by the Spirit and because of his humility and faith in Christ...Heavenly Father has helped him find a lot of truth (such as eternal families, baptism at accountable age, praying only to god) on his own! I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of each of His children and knows exactly where they are at spiritually!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

El Verano eterno!

Hola mi familia!

This week was a great week! Elder Stevens and I really had a fun week and a lot of the enjoyment came from talking to so many people! It’s so much fun to talk with such a variety of people but to see the common threads and needs that we all have! We witnessed a lot of miracles as well! Wednesday we had the chance to do a significant amount of service! It started when we went by to visit a family and they weren’t home but we saw their neighbor next door outside shirtless and sweaty dumping rocks into a bed in front of the house. He accepted our offer to help and so we spent the next hour or so helping him fill buckets with rocks from a pile in the backyard and bring it back around to the front! It was such a simple act of service but it was so enjoyable and we knew that we were where Heavenly Father wanted us to be! Right after we were finished we went to see Kevin and Belen ( a couple we taught for a week or so) and helped them do some yard work in their backyard for another hour and a half! Elder Stevens mowed the lawn while I helped pick up tiny foam pieces from old shredded couch cushions and other pieces of trash up in the yard! Their house was right on the resaca (a small river that runs through the town) and the best part was seeing the lightning bugs come out as it was getting dark! Man, It had been a long time since id seen lightning bugs! I’m grateful that Heavenly Father gives us opportunities to help those around us to be happy through small and simple things!

One scripture that has stayed in my mind a lot this week is Ether 12:6:

And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

On Sunday night we went out to work and I had felt a little disanimado about our lack of success in finding people to teach who were ready and willing to work! After another family turned us down the words of that scripture came to my mind...especially the part about not receiving the witness until after the trial of our faith! Our last appointment of the night was with the Martinez family...who we had talked to just once about a week before! As soon as we got to their home they welcomed us in and we were able to have a great lesson! As a family they accepted the invitation to be baptized and throughout the lesson we could see how happy they were to learn about the blessings the Lord has in store for their family! We were so excited and grateful after the lesson! Sometimes the trial of our faith seems long and endless, but I know that the Lord knows our limits and knows exactly how far He wants us to stretch in order to help us grow! I know that sometimes we can only learn some lessons through experience and that being humble means recognizing as did Job, that both the good and the difficult (sometimes what we may call bad) or the success and lack of success are controlled by our Heavenly Father! I know He lives and loves each of us!

Con amor,

Elder Cook!

McAllen Week

Hola mi familia!

This was a great week! Lots of travel and lots of seeing old friends! But it was great! So Tues-Thurs. we had 3 days of  training in McAllen...we had about 10 missionaries from Brownsville that went ...so we got up and left Brownsville around 6:30 each morning in time to start at 8:00 a.m. and got back around 6 or 7 each night! It was great! The drive is about an hour and a half at most...it was fun to pass Mercedes and Las Milpas twice a day! McAllen and the La Vista chapel there still feel like home each time I visit! The different mission leaders gave trainings and President Maluenda taught us a lot! He loves to use the old testament and D&C in addition to the Book of Mormon and he taught us using the story of Moses from Exodus 4 and Moses 1. There were a lot of differences from the 3 day trainings with the Trayners but it was all positive and all good! I also got to take part in an octet for a special musical number! We sang I Need Thee Every Hour ...Elders Curletti and Sanders (the ones from Mercedes) as well as Elder Stevens were all in it plus the sister missionaries I knew up in Corpus! It was great to go back each night and have an hour or two in our area to apply what we learn!

We're starting to work a lot with the Fernandez family! They’re a lot of fun and are quickly becoming some of our best friends! We’re helping them to start to come to church again and even though they aren’t fully active they always have family and friends over who they invite to listen or eat with us as well! Saturday we got a phone call from the AP’s telling us that President wanted the missionaries who sang to come sing in the Maluenda's ward since they would be giving talks! We drove up Saturday night and stayed the night in one of the mission homes so that we would have time in the morning! We stayed in the same house that I stayed in my very first night in the mission field....It brought back a lot of memories and was a good checkpoint for me! I'm so excited for these next few months of my mission! One thing President Maluenda has helped us focus on is how important it is to work towards and reach our potential as servants of the Lord! Each day is a building block! Sunday we got to sing and it went great! It was fun to hear the whole Maluenda family talk...they have 6 kids (one is on a mission to California) and their names and ages are Natalia (22), Fernando (20), Valeria (16), Catalina (14), Daniel (10) and Gabriela (8). The three daughters and then President and Sister Maluenda spoke!  It was strange to hear President in English and all the others except Valeria have pretty strong accents! Sister Maluendas English is coming along and it’ll be fun to see how much hers improves over the course of their mission! After singing at their ward at 9:00 a.m. we also stayed for the 11:00 a.m. ward as well. Then we went to the mission home for a lunch and we got to spend some time with them! It’s fun to see them as a family in the mission home! We sang a few more songs and President even had some of us play guitar and piano (I’m a little rusty on guitar! ah!). It’s definitely made me realize I want to devote some time to music after my mission! It makes life so much more enjoyable!

We're coming in on the homestretch of Elder Stevens mission and he really works harder than any missionary I know! He goes home next Friday! We have a lot of fun and I love being his companion!

This morning I read and studied a story in John 2! It’s the story of the Savior’s first miracle of turning water into wine! It made me grateful for the Joseph Smith translation! In verse the original version reads:

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

but the JST says JST John 2:4 … Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet come.

I noticed a huge difference in the first and the second! The second version (the correct one) shows how much more loving and willing to serve the Savior actually was! I’m grateful for modern revelation and for the work the prophet Joseph Smith did and that God loves us enough to make sure we have the truth! I know when we serve and do things for those we love we are happy! I know that Christ loves each of us and wants us to be as happy as we possibly can!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Brownsville

Hola mi familia!

Wow! This past week was one of the busiest weeks of my life! But definitely one of the most rewarding weeks of the mission! I’ll share a few of the highlights!

-Wed: had an exchange with Elder Hobbs! He's a great missionary and was a good friend of mine in Brownsville the first time I was here...he's been in the same area for 6 transfers now (you probably wouldn’t of thought that possible from how quickly I change...but for some it is!). He’s a really loving missionary and uses the scriptures really well! We were able to talk to a lady named Ruby who invited us back for a lesson on Friday and then found a LA from Utah who hadn’t had contact with the church since she’s lived in the valley! Both huge miracles. We went back Friday and had a wonderful lesson on the plan of salvation with Ruby and her husband. She lost her dad 13 years ago when he got hit by a truck as he was changing the tire! The last thing he did before he got hit was push his wife (who was standing nearby) out of the way and it saved her life! He truly lived the scripture in John 15:13....that the greatest love we can have is to lay down our life for our friends! She shared a lot with us and it was a huge testimony to me of the type of spouse I want to become! As we made plans for church she told us that she was going to be out of town...at the point we asked the inspired question- "where?"..turns out she was headed to Corpus just outside of my old area! I was able to give her directions from the house she would be staying at and she went and had a great experience there! It was so much fun to see how the Lord works!

-Thursday: We went to McAllen and had a training meeting with the Maluendas! I got to see Elder Handy, Elder Curletti & Sanders (my 1st next door neighbors in Mercedes) , Elder Stott (from my residence hall at BYU), Elder Machuca and Elder Barrionuevo (lived in my apartment in Corpus) and a lot of other great mission friends! It was so much fun but the Maluendas really taught us a lot about revelation! Pres. Maluenda always makes a point to ask for thoughts, impressions and ideas! He is a quieter mission president but always has a smile on his face and is 100% optimistic! Sister Maluenda knows the scriptures so well and teaches us really well!

-Saturday we had a zone meeting and it was a lot of fun! We got to see all the other Brownsville missionaries and the spirit was so strong in the meeting! The training helped me focus more on improving my prayers and receiving specific answers to the problems and challenges I’ve faced!

Never been so tired! Never worked harder! But never been happier!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

July 29, 2013

Hola mi familia!

Well it’s gotten to that point again where I feel like I’ve been here for a couple of months but it’s only been two weeks! Each day has been full of things to do and it’s been fun finding new people to teach and getting to meet the members! Our area is pretty interesting geographically because it covers maybe 5 or 6 neighborhoods off of a few main roads and then a rural section out by the coast! Elder Stevens is good about being patient as I get an orientation!

So...the highlights from the week!

-Southmost!!!! On Thursday we had exchanges and I got to go back and work in my old area! It was a really special experience full of lots of tender mercies! First we visited Siomara and it was great to see how she has kept her faith strong and to see how happy she was! Then we visited a recent convert that Elder Paulsen had baptized the month after I left! He really had a huge impact on the area and on the branch and I look forward to catching up with him whenever I serve with him next. After that we visited Bro. Boccanegra the ward mission leader! It was great to talk to him and to get the run down on the branch there in Southmost. They’ve lost a few families but a few of the part-member families and less actives are now coming! For our dinner appt. we went to Mama Isaguires and she slammed us with food (as usual!)! It was great to eat so much Mexican food again! Lastly we went by the Quiroz family! Juan looked way different! He's lost 50 lbs since April and has now read through the entire Spanish standard works! Keep him in your prayers as well as his sister Vivi! She's going to be giving birth in September (she hadn’t told us the whole time back in march or April that she was pregnant)..but it was fun to see the whole family excited about the baby! We shared a good lesson with them and the Spirit was so strong! Vivi was doing a really good job of trying to involve two of the other sisters as well!

-Friday night Elder Stevens felt impressed to go back and visit a woman he had taught earlier this summer...and we found out that she needed her lawn cut in 24 hours or she would face a $35 fine! we found her up to her neck in bills and that her husband had just left her! It was a miracle that we were able to pass by and the next day we found a mower and mowed the lawn for her! It felt so good to serve!

-Today we went downtown for a couple errands and as we were walking back to the truck we found the Garcia family! A family Elder Paulsen and I had helped reactivate in Southmost! They now live in a different ward and Heavenly Father definitely put them in our path today! It’s a big town and the chances of just happening to  run into them are way too small for it to be coincidence! I had a good talk with Sister Garcia and she told me their 8 year old (the one we had helped baptize) was up in Corpus now!

-Sunday night after church we went to teach a man named Luis! He is so humble and sensitive to the Spirit! He has been through a lot in his life and was so kind and respectful when he listened to our message! Tonight we have an FHE with him and we're excited to see him progress!

This week I had the chance to study on faith! I found a good quote from one of Pres. Trayners emails that said simply "If you believe,  you will receive!". I’m learning how necessary it is that we constantly strengthen, apply, and renew our faith! Miracles truly do follow!

Que tengan una gran semana y que hagan algo para servir!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Brownsville Pt. II

Hola mi familia!

This was a great week! Lots of craziness with transfers but it was a lot of fun! The drive down from Corpus was a lot of fun. First, because we drove with just missionaries leaving corpus so I got to talk with the ones I’d served with for the last month or so. It was a good time to reflect on how my mission has gone and really the ultimate halfway point! I’m so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the places I’ve been and the people I have met and especially the companions I served with! I could not be happier with how it has been!

I definitely will miss the missionaries I served with in Corpus! It was an isolated part of the mission where the missionaries in your Zone become a lot closer! I learned a lot there and made some great friends! I got the chance to say bye to the Perez family, Danny Tellez, and a few of the members by phone before we left...we found out Monday so there wasn’t much time! Monday night we had a really fun barbecue with the Perez family and their dad told me as I said goodbye how grateful he was for our help and the Spirit bore witness to me of how Heavenly Father had put us in their path to bring them the gospel! I know one day that family will go to the temple and be sealed together forever!

So my new companion is Elder Stevens! He is a great missionary! He finishes up his mission this month but has lots of great plans to make this an awesome month! He's from California (Sacramento) went to BYU before, swims, sings, plays guitar, and has awesome Spanish! We live with two other elders. Elder Mulitalo (he’s a BYU offensive lineman) and Elder Walker (from Alaska!). They’re both a lot of fun and it was fun to see Elder Mulitalo again after Corpus (he came back down in June though). Tuesday we had a couple tender mercies welcoming me to Brownsville! As we pulled into the parking lot at the church we ran into the Martinez family...a family I knew really well back in Southmost. Turns out they’ve moved and now live in the new ward boundaries. The first people I saw back in Brownsville were the kids David (18) and Dianna (16). It was great to see some familiar faces! Then we left for a meal appointment which turned out to be with another family who attended the Southmost branch but lives outside of the boundaries. I remember giving the address to Elder Stevens and his companion back when I was in Southmost so that they could go visit them! It was fun to see how paying it forward came back to me! We had some great Mexican food and it was a good easy adjustment back to Spanish! Woohoo! I love speaking so much Spanish again! It’s part of my soul as a missionary! Even when people don’t want to listen I can always find comfort that we’re doing everything in another language! It’s been so good to hear the same old familiar phrases and words again! I need to work way hard at it though! The battle with Spanish will never be over!
In the morning to exercise we actually go to a member’s house nearby and workout on a bench press and a bar...Elder Stevens wants to get in shape and eat healthy before he goes home so as his companion I get the same benefits! We're still sore though from Saturday!

We were able to do a lot of service this week and it really helped me remember how important that is in keeping our baptismal covenant! It’s amazing how much better your day goes and how much more sensitive you are to the Spirit when you are able to serve! We also had the chance to sing an acapella version of Nearer My God to Thee at a ward activity as an apartment! It was really fun and I'm so grateful for the hymns...or the "green scriptures"...as some from the MTC used to call it! Thursday we had to run an errand and I got to stop by the Southmost apartment again where I lived from Feb. to April. Just like the other times where I’ve passed through former areas...it always feels the exact same as when I left it ..maybe a few small changes..but the feelings the same...but I definitely feel a lot different and it helps me recognize the progress and change I’ve gone through on my mission! I'm so grateful for that progression! I heard a quote that I really liked this week! "Heavenly Father has already armed you for the trials that you will face!". I’m grateful that our Father in Heaven gives us specific capabilities and attributes and puts us in the situations where He can use us best! I’ve seen that in just a few miraculous ways this past week and my testimony has grown a lot on the Atonement and how it can bless us in our progress!

Great scriptures for the week!
Mark 5:36
D&C 84:88

Con amor,

Elder Cook

Brownsville Part II

Hola mi familia!

Transfers are here again! They were later this time and we just found out this morning! And tomorrow I’m going back down to the valley! Specifically Brownsville! WOOOHOOO! I'm really excited! It was a pretty big surprise! I’m happy for the time I’ve spent up North and it really has been a good test for me as a missionary! I’ll be in a car too so looks like the sunburn risk is going to be lower!

Last week we had a mini zone meeting with the Maluendas and it was incredible! They only speak Spanish to the missionaries and a lot of people were nervous to talk to them! I had a lot of fun and learned a lot from their trainings. They have 4 kids that are living here with them, a son on a mission in California, and a daughter from BYU who is coming to visit as well! Definitely different from the Trayners but differences are what makes us unique and individual! Presidente Maluenda spoke often about the importance of being obedient and diligent and enjoying our missions! He shared a really good story from 1 Nephi 16. I invite you to read it again this week and learn about how Nephi applied his faith and obedience! He made the good point as well that Nephi had to help Lehi fulfill his duty as a prophet when he asks him to pray for direction and that's a great lesson of humility for us!

This week Elder Graff and I grew a lot closer together as a companionship and we really had a lot of fun! It was great to see his improvement over the past few weeks and I know he’ll do great things with the area! I’ll miss being on the water so often but it’ll be a ton of fun to be preaching the gospel in Spanish again! I know the Lord hears and answers our prayers and that as we serve Him, He draws nearer to us!

Con amor,
 
Elder Cook

Uni Heights!

Hola mi familia!

Another great week up here in Corpus! This week was a pretty good transition week for us! The 4th of July went well, it felt a lot more like a Saturday but a lot of people went downtown for the parades and fireworks but we spent some good time with our members!

- Jessica and Marky had their confirmations this past Sunday! We visited them just about every day this week. We're working with them but also their younger siblings JJ (12) and Alyssa (14). They both came to church as well and had a great time! Marky and Jessica both got up in church and bore their testimonies! We felt so proud of them and the wards both loved them! They came to the YSA ward for the first time and everyone welcomed them with open arms! Before they left Jessica went around and gave everyone a hi five! She’s always happy and is probably the friendliest person I’ve met on my mission! Marky is a pretty mature guy who likes asking questions and is just as friendly! After Elders’ Quorum in the family ward he went over to a new member of the quorum in his 30’s and welcomed him and started a conversation about engineering! We felt like the world’s proudest parents!

-On Thursday as we were biking a man stopped us and told us his name and address and invited us to come by on Sunday in about 30 sec! We stood their shocked for a second and had a good laugh about it! Last night we went back to talk to him and he told us how he’d never been "evangelized" before in his life and wanted to know what we did and shared! He asked us a lot of great questions and we set up a lesson at the church on Wednesday! His name is Brian and he’s an Analyst for the army! (haha...he asks some GREAT questions...one of his first being: Do you know who Melquesidec is from the Bible?). He's way prepared and we can already see how he’s going to fit into the ward!

Lastly I thought this week a lot about how we always have to increase our faith! Serving is such a great way to instantly feel our faith growing and see it working in the lives of others!

Sorry its short this week! Hope all goes well for you!

Con amor,

Elder Cook!

Mas Photos - July 1

Julio ya!

Hola mi familia!

It’s been another great week up here in Corpus Christi! The end of the month is always really exciting and it’s nice to start a new one! Sat. we hit 106 degrees but managed to stay out of the sun for a good part of the time! It’s definitely summer now! Here are the highlights again from the week:

-The Trayners leaving and the Maluendas coming! We haven't heard from the Maluendas yet but we received a few goodbye letters and messages from the Trayners. The mission climate depends so much on the mission family and we’re excited to hear from them!

-Jessica (18) and Marky Perez (19) were baptized yesterday! We're always working with other members of the family as well! The service went really well and the spirit was so strong. Their dad, brother, cousin, sister, and grandma all came and it all went smoothly! They were both so prepared to receive the gospel and it was such a tender mercy! The first time we talked to them was back when Elder Peterson was my companion. We had walked past their house on our way to visit another person and we'd waved to Jessica and she waved back! After a few more steps we decided to walk back and talk to her! Both she and Marky gave up smoking and it was a lot similar to Juan Quiroz's situation back in Brownsville! They love attending the YSA events during the week (Family Home Evenings on Mondays, Institute on Tuesdays, Addiction recovery class & Volleyball on Wednesdays) and they're both thinking about serving missions some day (yaba-daba-dooo!). Their brother JJ (12) has been a lot of fun as well...he read the entire book of Mormon stories reader in a week and loves basketball shoes!

-We've continued to visit the Jaen family as well! The kids are doing really well and we helped them move their belongings back into their apartment after they had their floor replaced! We got to teach them on the beachside park across from their apartment! It was pretty cool...but the sand and wind were a bit of a hassle! haha. Eddie works out in the mornings and Kristina has tennis camp all day...sound familiar? We're going to try and play tennis with them soon too since we have courts at our apt complex (we play 1-2x a week, sometimes with the sisters, in the morning for exercise!).

-Grateful to have Elder Graff as a companion! He keeps things fun and upbeat and makes sure that I don't stress out too much! He's a missionary who is really good at keeping a strong vision of what we want to accomplish and he works really well with the members!

-Try and have the Elders over this week to help out in the yard or do some sort of service! They would appreciate it so much! Give them a chance to serve and get to know you! We treasure every opportunity we have to spend time with the members and a missionary schedule is always flexible!!!

I think that one of the biggest lessons I learned this week was on inviting miracles into our lives and depending on the Lord to let them happen! Alma 7:23 has taught me a lot about how that happens!

23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

1) We need to prepare ourselves and live in such a way that we can be blessed with those miracles!

2) We must be humble! being humble gives us spiritual power which is the power it takes for miracles to happen!

3) We have to ask!

4) We have to give thanks for all we receive!

I’ve been able to add a lot of entries to my tender mercies journal from Grandma and Grandpa Ralph! It’s been such a blessing to look over those miracles and feel of the strength and inspiration that comes from recognizing Gods hand in our lives!

I know that the Savior is personally involved in the work of Salvation and works in a personal and loving way with each of us! I know that this is Christ's church restored here again on the Earth today! The Scriptures are true and we have a living prophet on the Earth today!

Thanks so much for all your love, prayers, and support! Les quiero mucho! Casi tuvimos una leccion en espanol el sabado. Hablamos con 3 homres por unos minutos pero estaban tomando y querrian fijar una cita para un major tiempo. Regresaremos en unos dias para ensenarles!

Hay! Extrano mucho el espanol! la abuela de la familia Perez trabajo con maestros de ESL en Columbus cada ano hasta 1995 por 20 anos. Hablamos mucho y fue bien divertido!

Con amor y hasta la proxima semana!

Elder Cook

La Obra De Salvacion!

Hola mi familia!

This was a great week! The highlights were...

- Last Zone Meeting with President & Sister Trayner

We were taught so well and it was bittersweet to have them train us one more time. They have been such good stewards of this mission and they are always full of faith, helping us have a good sense of humor, and teaching us to connect everything to the Savior! We’re excited too for the Maluendas! Pray for them! and the Trayners. (they go home this Friday!!!!). Elder Marble and a few of my other good missionary friends gave their "dying " testimonies as well! It was such an interesting moment to realize that all the things I anticipated happening in the middle of my mission are actually happening now!

- Baptism of Danny Tellez (1 of the 2 Tellez brothers we’ve been teaching!). We had a lot of opposition this week from people outside the family! Acer had been exposed to some anti material and in the end decided he wasn't ready yet. We felt good about everything though because we had done our best! Danny has such a strong testimony and after his baptism stood up and bore it so strongly! He has taught me a lot and is so strong in defending what he believes! Pray for him this week!

- Baptism of Luz Jaen (an 8 year old from the Jaen family we’ve reactivated and we’re also teaching her older sister Kristina 16 and brother Eddie 14. Please keep them in your prayers!). The Jaen family is just an awesome family! Bro. Jaen is from Panama and he's the step dad of the oldest 3 kids (Alejandra & Kristina 16 , and Eddie 14) and the actual dad of Andy (10) and Luz (8). The Mom and 3 oldest kids were living in Laredo when they found the missionaries and then a few months later Bro. Jaen came into the picture! We speak Spanish with him and its great! He even did the baptism in Spanish and all the missionaries were excited to hear "habiendo sido comisionado..." once again!

-The broadcast on the Work of Salvation Sunday

There was a special spirit about it and it really did feel like a big zone meeting! It was great to see the members get excited about the work too! I know the Ohio missionaries are just as excited and there is so much our family can do to be missionaries! (here you go Scott! You’re in charge!).

-Getting to see our district a little more often (had an exchange too!) and getting to know and serve them more!

They are all great and I love them so much! Im so happy with where I am at this point in my mission!

It was a pretty busy week, but it was a lot of fun! We had small miracle moments and those helped grow my faith a lot! I loved the words of Elder Perry from the broadcast when he said that this is the Lords work and when we try our best He will not let us fail! I know that is true!

Con amor,
 
Elder Cook

La tierra de los Jueros!

Hola mi familia!

This was a really good week again! Elder Graff and I have gotten to know each other a lot better and we’re starting to hit our stride in teaching and doing the work. Elder Graff is a great missionary and it’s so much fun to have somebody the same "mission age" as me! We get along great! He and Elder Marble have a lot of fun as well. It’s great.

So last week Elder Graff and I drew up a picture of a family we wanted to find. We listed specific characteristics for a mother, a father and a daughter and prayed and fasted to be able to find them! We shared it with some of the members and invited them to pray for that family, as well. On Tuesday, we were going by a member to visit and stopped to talk to one of her neighbors outside. Her name was Natalie and she was a lady in her 50's. She was very friendly and told us how she had been to see the temple one time in Salt Lake and how much the importance of family in our church had left an effect on her! She wasn't able to sit down right then so we went by the member’s home (who wasn't home) and then came back to ask for some water. We talked for a little more and she told us she was a good friend of the member that lived on the street and so made plans to set up a time to meet with both of them! As we walked away we realized that as she talked about her daughter and her husband they fit the exact description that we had drawn up, fasted and prayed for! She was the first person we had talked to that week! It was an experience that really grew my faith in the power of having a vision, taking it to the Lord, and then praying and asking for His help. It helped the story of the Brother of Jared in Ether 2 and 3 where the Lord asks him to propose the solution to lighting the barges, become more real and definitely applicable!

This week Im as well especially grateful for the Holy Ghost. Each week in the Sacrament, as we partake of it worthily we receive the promise to be able to ALWAYS have the Spirit to be with us. I know this is true, and as I identify all the small and simple ways in which the Holy Ghost guides and communicates to me I better understand this principle. I’m grateful for the peace the "Comforter" provides and for all the little lessons He teaches us throughout the day. I know that as we seek to have the Spirit with us daily, He will show us "all things that we should do." 2Nephi 32:5.

This week we’re really excited for Acer and Danny’s baptism on Saturday and the Broadcast from the MTC to all the members and missionaries on Sunday (I hope our whole family can go!!!). This Wednesday we also have our last zone meeting with the Trayners (it’ll be the last time I see them) and Elder Marble gives his "dying" testimony!

Con amor,

Elder Cook!

Una transferencia mas en el Norte!

Hola mi familia!

So I get another wonderful 6 weeks up here in Corpus and I couldn't be happier! (still miss Spanish badly though!). My new companion will be Elder Graff (he's been out about the same amount of time as me!) and he'll come up here on Tuesday!

So this past week was one of the most fun weeks on my mission. I loved being with Elder Marble and Elder Barrionuevo and they are both such great missionaries who know how to love and serve others! We saw some big miracles as well! We began teaching the Perez family and then two brothers (Acer and Danny) who are friends of a member! They all came to church this week and Acer even got up to share his testimony! June is going to be a great month! We worked this week in both areas in the truck and we received about a gallon of water a day from people (in 16. oz water bottles...!). Thursday they had to go down to McAllen so I was on a bike with Elder Brewer (he’s from the Ralph's stake) and we had a lot of fun! Parts of his area (its more central in Corpus) look like the valley and we even taught a lesson and had a meal appointment in Spanish! Then we biked from his area to mine (about 45min...because Elders Marble and Barrionuevo weren't back yet) to go teach a lesson to James! It was a great day! The stake here has been fasting and praying for rain and Sunday during church there was a big thunderstorm! We've also been teaching a family with 6 kids in Elder Marble's area named the Cisneros family! They are so much fun and my whiteboard has really come in handy!

Tuesday we had our last district meeting of the transfer and then went and went out to eat afterwards (here’s the picture!). We're only losing one of the Hermanas and the rest are all staying! Sadly Elder Barrionuevo is heading back down to McAllen so Elder Marble will have a different comp. next transfer! Today we're going to the beach on North Padre Island to have a barbecue to say bye to all the transferring missionaries! ( I still can’t believe there’s a beach here in my mission or even the water!). Throughout the week we had to run errands to the Island and then up to Portland (the town across the bay from my area) and it was fun to see the whole city of Corpus! There’s a bridge that spans the bay that lights up at night that was really cool to drive over!

This morning I had a really good study about repentance and how often the Lord wants us to repent so that He can bless us. Im grateful for repentance and I know that being humble is always the first step. I know that the Atonement helps us to be cleansed from sin and enables us to overcome our weaknesses and as we repent in both aspects we feel our Saviors love and feel Hand in our life! A scripture we often share with investigators about repentance is Alma 5:33-34.

33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.

34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;

I know His arms are always extended because He loves us!

Con amor,

Elder Cook

 

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