Hola mi familia!
This was a pretty great week! It was full of lots of
learning and my checklist of things to do and put into practice seems longer
than it’s ever been! It’s great though! Recently we’ve received a lot of great
training on the importance of goals and planning and how a good goal only comes
from good plans! Lots of desires means lots of plans which translates into lots
of changes to make!
Things are going great with my new companion elder Munoz! He
is great! I learn something new about Colombia just about every single day and
it’s fun to compare the differences between his culture and the Mexicana
cultura! Saturday we had a little lunch in between conference and he taught us
how to make plantains (those banana like things that are really popular in
South America). One of my goals for this month is to improve my culinary
skills!
General Conference was a great experience! It was such a
blessing to hear from the prophets and apostles and to learn directly the will
of the Lord. In between the Saturday sessions Elder Munoz made the comment that
he couldn’t believe that so much of the world could miss such a big event! I
think the messages that left the biggest impression on me (aside from all of
the apostolic testimonies) were the talks by Elder Bednar on the
"loads" we carry and spiritual traction, and then Elder Zwick’s talk
on communication! Being a better listener and listening with the intent of
understanding is an area where I can definitely improve. In our area this week
we had lots of cool experiences meeting people that I had talked with before.
We made contact again with three families that I had met when I first came into
this area back in December but with whom we hadn’t had contact for a few
months! One of them, a man named Noe came to institute, 4 sessions of
conference, and stayed for a baptism! Seeing him with his friend (who is a
member) at conference reminded me of when Kelsey Sicker came over for
conference and that led to her learning from the missionaries! That was such a
fun experience!
This week I’m focusing on being a more patient Elder
Cook. In Romans 8, Paul teaches about
the power of patience and the great need to develop more of this Christ like
attribute:
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with
patience wait for it.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I have a testimony
of the redeeming and renewing power of His Atonement. Through him we can become
better people and our efforts to make permanent changes in our natures and
characters of being occur according to the faith and trust we place in Him. His
example of Patient suffering and labor should motivate each of us to be kinder
and more willing to sacrifice for others! I hope we can all be a little more
patient this week!
Con amor,
Elder Cook!
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