Things are still going great down here! This past week we
had George's interview and he's all set to be baptized next Sunday. It’s been
really fun to teach him (he's the friend of a member named Elizabeth who’s home
from BYU-I) because in a lot of the lessons I've felt like I've been on the other
side from when Kelsey and some of my other friends met with the missionaries. It’s
been a joy to watch Elizabeth starting to share the gospel with more people as
well. George is a big sports fan so he gets along great with Elder Rodriguez
and I. As well we've been visiting a recent convert named America. She lives
with her sister and brother in law (who are not members...but we’re working
with them) and then we just found out that her parents are going to be moving
in to our area from Reynosa and have been delaying baptism because it’s been
hard for them to come to church because of how bad things are over there. It’s
great to work with and through families and it has a special feeling when you
work with a whole family versus an individual.
We've also spent a lot of time with the Castillo family, a
less active family. Living at home they have their kids Joe (27), Gerry (24),
Brenda (21), Oscar (17), Melody (12) and then Gerry's girlfriend Oneda is often
over there as well. Not all the family are members so we've been trying to get
them all to church so they can work towards heading to the temple. Hna Castillo
always tries (well does...we protest...but she always wins) to feed us. Last Saturday
I think I had the hottest salsa of my life. Even she was crying after she tried
it and she admitted she'd added "bastante chili". Oscar is a junior
in high school and both he Gerry and Joe all played high school ball...it’s
been fun to talk with them and its brought back a lot of memories from
Davidson! His games are even Tues/Friday and so our teaching schedule falls
usually on Mondays and Saturdays. They’re a great family but we still have a
lot of work to do with them. Please keep them in your prayers.
One lesson I've really learned better this week was that
happiness is always a decision. Our perspective on life has a big impact on our
thoughts, moods, and actions. It’s always a decision. When we make that small
simple decision from moment to moment to focus on Christ and to remember Him,
happiness is so much more readily made available and we just flat out enjoy
live a lot more! One of my favorite scriptures is still Ether 12: 27-28:
And if men come unto me I will
show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be
humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before
me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I
make weak things become strong unto them.
Behold, I will show unto the
Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity
bringeth unto me - the fountain of all righteousness.
This is such a hard process! A lot of times I can easily
recognize a weakness, but it takes so much trust and so much faith to apply the
promise that Christ's grace really is sufficient for all our needs and
shortages. I love the last line of verse 28 that promises us through our
humility then faith, hope and charity we can come unto Christ...and all our
weak things can become strong.
It’s such a blessing to see people change their lives
because they want to become closer to Heavenly Father. It’s even more of a
blessing to watch yourself change and improve as you help others make those
changes as well. I'm so grateful for all your love and support! I'm grateful to
be a Cook! Grateful to be from Hilliard, OH! Grateful to be a member of the
Church! And grateful to be a child of Heavenly Father.
Con amor,
Elder Cook
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