Semana Veintiuno: Up your game people

Bad news Folks... My computer in the internet cafe broke and now I have about five minutes to type up my weekly report for yáll.  :)  So this week... I´m not gonna write much..  Let´s just say it was another week of ups and downs... of goods and bads... but the one thing that is for sure is that it was another week where my testimony was strengthened.  I know I´ve said it a bajillion times but I don´t think yáll realize... Here in Costa Rica... I´m having the chance to see ¨the world¨.  And it's awful.  Satan is strong and working hard to tear down the children of God.  I am here to testify to you all that those little things we ALWAYS talk about... praying daily, reading the scriptures, keepin the commandments... are of the UTMOST importance.  I´d like to challenge you all once again to up your game.  Don´t just pray daily... develop a relationship with your Father in Heaven.  Don´t just read the scriptures... seek to understand them and why they are important.  Don´t just keep the commandments... understand God´s will.. His plan.. and obey them with all your heart might and mind.  When you fall short... utilize this great blessing of the Atonement and repent!  We have the opportunity to change... use it!  Teach your children these important principles... hold family home evening EVERY monday night... never miss it.  Pray and study the scriptures as a family EVERY day.  Never miss it!  The minute we start to be lazy or casual with even just one of these things... we are giving Satan the power to enter into our lives and into our homes.  Don´t let him!  I have seen what happens!  I have seen how he can destroy the family and confuse the hearts of the people.  I have seen the sadness and tragedies in peoples lives because they are so lost.  I have felt literal pain for the lives of these people and I pray with all the energy of my soul for them and for you... that you will realize the blessings we have to live where we do.. that you will truly live the gospel.. that you will become truly converted and continually fight in this battle with Satan that is more real than I ever knew.  You have a Father in Heaven who truly loves each and every one of you.  If I am aching for the sins of the world I cannot imagine how He feels.  Trust in Him and follow His plan... the blessings that await you are great.  Teach your families and share this glorious gospel... this way to find happiness.. with all that you see.  I love you all so much and every day am grateful for the family that I have... the leaders that I have... for all the experiences that I have had in this beautiful gospel!  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is TRUE!  Live it!!! 

P.S. I found a ¨Guide for the Family¨pamphlet this week... it´s like a book that describes everything we should do as members of the church to have a happy family... way to go mom and dad I think you must have studied that together every night because you nailed them all!  I am so grateful!  You new mothers out there (aka Kels and Kate... and you too Court) should find this pamphlet and study it with your husbands to be sure you are raising your families with these correct principles!

Also.  Grama Nuria and her daughter Isabel are going to give us lunch every day starting next week!  No more rice and beans every day!! What a blessing :)  Also today are changes and I am blessed to be able to finish the training of my sweet Hermana Garcia!  Six more weeks and then who knows!  

They don´t really celebrate Halloween here... all the Evangélicas love to tell me what a sin it is to celebrate Halloween... don´t celebrate anything dark and scary okay?? But I am looking forward to pictures!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EASTON!  Did you know I was baptized on your birthday many years before you were born??  It´s a special day!

If a baby is born this week you had better tell me!! I am praying for you all every day!

And I am out of time.  Sending ALL my love to the best family in the world... and to all the rest of you reading my blog in Poland and Turkey.... visit mormon.org or search for the local missionaries in your area.  Your life WILL be changed!  I promise that there is a way to find true happiness and peace in this life and Eternal Life in the next!  I leave this testimony with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, my beloved Savior and Friend, Amen.

Semana Veinte: The Carnal Desires of Men. . . and Fleas

Hello one and all!  I had another week of learning here in Costa Rica!  Days of discouragement and days of great joy!  

And a lot of you were asking about how it was to work in our big area!  Well...  I haven´t had much luck with that :)  Our ward directory (which I was using to make the area box JD) is AWFUL and says we only have about six active members... which is not correct.  And several people have already died... so... still workin on that :) 

Okay

TUESDAY

First of all I had a dream...  That I got this AWESOME reference of a family of 10 from Kennedi and Lettie.  So Dad and Mom and me went to contact them.  Haha.  Mom was taking notes on all the people and where they live and their challenges and why they are interested.. and Dad was prepping the crowd and telling me what to do. Then I said, "Dad.  

I´m a missionary.  I can do this."  Haha... I love it when missionary work is family work!  I hope you all at home are actually doing your part!  Haha I know you are.

After District meeting Elder Perez and his companion came to work with us for a while to help us learn.. but we had no appts... They all fell through.  So I walked and walked and then went to the only members house that I knew in the area.  The elders went to contact the street while we taught a lesson... The member opened the door and had guests over so could talk with us.. but then one of the guests said she would listen to our message!  Her name is Marie.  She is very Christian but said if she feels that it is true when she prays then she will be baptized!  

WEDNESDAY

Today was a blessed day!  We finally had appts that didn´t fall!  The highlight was teaching Jendry... we taught a beautiful lesson about eternal families and she cried and finally said she would get married and we set a date for December 6.  Then we found SEVEN nuevos!!!  Obviously not all will be baptized... but at least we had the chance to share the gospel!

THURSDAY

Once again all our appts fell.  So we were a little down.  I guess every day can´t be a good day right?  We prayed and prayed that the Lord would put someone in our path.  Suddenly this man came (that I´d taught once before and kind of scared me) and said that he really wants to quit smoking and asked if we would share something with him to help him.  We took this as our answer and said of course!  So we went to his house and he said his mom was in the bathroom and would accompany us... so we sat down... and after a little while the mom didn´t come out... and the man came and sat by me and kept moving closer... then started talking about his "carnal desires as a man because we were very pretty" and we were terrified.  Suddenly there was HUGELY loud thunder and in a matter of seconds the man insisted that we leave before the storm hit.  We didn´t find nuevos... but this storm was definitely a tender mercy from the Lord protecting us from the "carnal desires" of men!  

FRIDAY

I HAVE FLEAS!! I am so disgusted I might cry.  But it is okay because today was a MIRACLE!  First we had Kiosco in the park and we got in trouble with the police.  I was PRAYING that they wouldn´t ask to see my cedula because well.. I don´t have it!  I am still illegal here... hee hee..  

Later we visited Marie from the other day... we taught the Restoration and the spirit was SO STRONG!  Afterwards I asked, "Hermana... would you like to know for yourself if this is true?"  and she said,"Oh I already know it´s true!  And I´m going to be baptized... I just want to be really prepared first."  I just about died..  So we put a datefor November 22.  :) Then she told us the best thing ever...  She said,"  I never dream... but when I do it always happens in real life.  And I´ve dreamt everything that has happened until this moment with you sisters.  The other day I just felt so strongly that I needed to visit (the member.. the day we contacted her)  and now i know why."  What a miracle!! That day.. tuesday.. when we contacted her I was lost!  We had no appts and I didn´t know what to do and then there was that member´s house!  The Lord is truly guiding us to be exactly where he needs us!  The sad thing is that technically... Marie is from a different area :(  But what an experience!  I am so grateful for it!

SATURDAY

Today someone told me that they´re not fleas.. just teeny mosquitos.

Today when we left it was raining SO hard!  We had to walk through water up to our knees with our skirts hiked up!!! a Muchacha was filming us on her ipad so maybe I´m on youtube!

We started out not having much success today so we decided to head for 2 cercas.  I felt like we should call Evida... a nuevo that was a reference.. to confirm our appointment with her... but when we called it turned out we didn´t have an appt!  But she was crying... so I told her we would come over right away.  She isn´t interested right now in the gospel... but this daughter of God needed someone to share a message of peace with her.. And so we did!  Then we had nothing.  nothin.  So I said ok.  We are going to talk to the FIRST person we see!  So we did!  And she invited us into her house!  Her name is Mariella.. she is a 20 somethin year old that just so happens to be searching for the church with COMPLETE truth :)  She says she knows it isn´t a coincidence that we found her because she was walking one direction... then "something" told her to stop and turn around... so she started walking the opposite direction.  And there we were!  This is the Lord´s hand at work!  Also after that... there is this investigator that we only taught once and didn´t think she was very interested and weren´t going to return... but after the experience with Mariella she called us to offer us food and cake... of course we said yes!  She has a husband and a baby.... ETERNAL FAMILY POTENTIAL HERE!! We were overjoyed... right now they are not too interested in our message but are very polite and listen.  They did voice that they don´t agree with all things catholic so there is potential!  I am PRAYING to find a family to baptize before my six month mark so that in a year I can go through the temple with them for their sealing!

SUNDAY

Ah man.  Today was rough. Not much success.  We visited an alcoholic whose 20-yr-old son is in jail for killing someone while on drugs.  I just kept thinkin about my mom.. her great example for me.. and where I am right now with my twenty years... How great a difference!  I am forever grateful for the principles of the gospel... the teachings and examples of my parents.  This world is SO awful.  Every day here in Costa Rica I learn that more.  I have seen first hand the effects of Satan on the family... the way it impacts you when your don´t have the gospel... what happens to a recent convert or even a member when they stop reading the scriptures or praying or going to church... family and friends these things are of the MOST importance!  We may think it is little... but the minute we stop praying.. reading the scriptures.. and giong to church.. we give Satan the chance to enter in.  And beleive me... I am seeing the destruction he can cause!! Don´t let him in!  Do all you can to conquer him!  Never ever quit the little things and ESPECIALLY do all you can to strengthen your marriage and your family!  Please!  I love you all so much and am ETERNALLY grateful for this gospel.  I KNOW it is true and it is ONLY through these principles and we live in such happiness!  I love you all... thank you mom and dad for blessing me with this church!  

I hope you all have the best week ever.  I will too.  :)  PURA VIDA!

Love, Hermana Cook

This fruit is very stange but delicious!

Maika Walters is in a Mormon Message!!

I LOVE Hermana Bratt!!

Semana Diecinueve: Happy 20th to Me

What a great week!

MONDAY

Last monday we had interviews with president.  I am SO grateful!  First we talked about the incident with my old comp and he promised that it will bless my life in some way.  He said, "I want you to know that I have complete trust in you and the Lord has complete trust in you.  You aren´t training just because your companion left and we didn´t have anyone else.  Your companion leaving has nothing to do with the fact that you are trianing right now.  I had you pegged as a trainer for 5-6 weeks.  I´ve had your picutre next to different newbies for 5-6 weeks!"  I was seriously shocked.  I have kind of felt that I am only training for that reason... like a default.  I told him that I dont´feel like I have anything to teach my new comp (because she is amazing!) and he said "You have LOADS to teach her!  Start with the very basics of missionary work and teach her everything you know!"  Then he asked if I had any questions and I whipped out my map and my plans for the Area Box and said yes!  We talked about my ideas and he gave more solutions and now I am so ready to work!

TUESDAY

Man there are lots of struggles here in the mission.  I don´t know if I´m doing something wrong or if the Lord is still testing our faith... but we aren´t finding ANYONE to teach!  We are praying studying preparing planning organizing... and still nothing!  Not only that but every day all our lessons are falling.  All our progressing investigators are no longer progresing... We´ve just got a blank board.  Satan is telling me it is my fault and perhaps someone else should be training... but I sure hope this is just a trial of my faith!  I am constantly thinking of what more we can do... I go to sleep thinking about it... dream (and talk in my sleep) about it...and it´s the first thought that crosses my mind in the morning!  There has GOT to be something missing... I just can´t figure it out!

WEDNESDAY

Today started our the same as yesterday... we are fasting so all the rejection and rejection and rejection felt even worse.  We are giving it ALL we´ve got!  Why aren´t we having success??  

We had a lesson with Jendry.. her dad and two uncles and cousins are getting baptized on the 25th so we are trying to commit her to do so with them!  We are PRAYING that she decides to!

Then we tried and tried and tried to have lessons but we had nothing.  Finally the last appointment of the day was with a former investigator at Hermana Julia´s... but he didn´t show.  So she said "I have someone you can teach!" And left to get them.  It was a family of a mom and her two kids and they were so receptive and all three accepted baptimal dates!  It´s amazing to see the Lord´s hand... if the former investigator had come we wouldn´t have had this opportunity!

THURSDAY

Today was another blessed day of nuevos!  Today we found FIVE new investigators!  For weeks we had nothin and then in two days we found EIGHT!  What a miracle..  three were references from a member... one was an LPE... and the other was a young girl named Jesica that we just taught in the street!  Tomorrow is my birthday and today I realized that next month... the END of the month but still.. I hit my six month mark!! That means only a year left!  I can´t believe it.

FRIDAY

Feliz cumpleanos!  Wowee can yáll believe I am twenty years old??  I feel so wise and mature... ha.  I need to start acting my age :)  I have been thinking a LOT these week about how I want to truly CHANGE in the mission.  I don´t want to come home the same person... I truly want to change!  And I don´t have much time left to do so!  

My birthday was awesome... I didn´t complete the costa rican tradition where they break eggs on your head and throw flour at you... but I DID have a great day!  I ate pancakes that were really just a chocolate cake mix that I made on a stove... and I opened the BEAUTIFUL package from my family!  Everything was so perfect... ant traps... stickers and gifts for the kids... a watch and an outfit... I loved it!  I am SO grateful for my family that is so thoughtful and loving.  I love them!!! (and I was just a little homesick) :)  

Then we went to Grama Nuria´s for lunch and it was the best!  THey bought me a cake and a candle and sent pics to mom on FB.  Then we went to work in Los Dorados... how did we choose there?  Well.. we prayed together to know where to go then had some time to ponder and pray and we each wrote down where we felt then compared and Los Dorados was the answer!  So we went and searched and searched.. there were only three people in the street and no one was interested.  So we visited three Marc that we knew of and one said that it´s awesome that we caught him because today he randomly decided to not go to school!  Then we headed to gravilias to visit an LPE that said we could... but he wasn´t home.  His mom was and it turns out she is a former investigator!  We taught her that visited the member that lives next door.  Her granddaughter was there that is a menos activo and we helped her decide to come back to church!  Today our work didn´t really result in baptisms... but It is amazing how the Lord truly puts us in the places wehre His children need us most!  I am so grateful to be a missionary and see the Lord´s hand working every day!  

Also H.Garcia bought me ice cream and gave me a card and Lidilia who washes our clothes bought me chocolates and a pura vida bracelet!  What a beautiful birthday!

SATURDAY

Man.  In the mission we have lots of responsibilities.  I feel like I literally have the salvation of souls in my hands.  It is hard sometimes to really know how to be a good  missionary EVERYDAY.  It´s hard to know what to do every day and how to have success every day.  Today we didn´t have any really firm plans so we wrote "MILAGROS"  in the spaces.  And basically we just ended up walking around.  It was 7:30 and no one was in the street so we went to the park and had lessons on the pohone.  I feel SO bad.  I don´t like being a trainer for that reason...  So many times I have no idea what to do and I don´t feel the revelation coming from the Lord.  I need to depend more in him and learn to recognize his promptings!  

SUNDAY

Today we had such great plans... solid plans!! And they all fell.  And no investigators came to church... All of our miracles of the week?  Nothing has come of them... half won´t answer the phone or open the door and the other half says they don´t want to listen to us.  I don´t get it... where are all the people in the stories that are actually prepared and want to change and sacrifice to come to church and read the book of mormon!  I can´t figure out if it is my fault.. if I´m doing something wrong... or if it is just a trial of my faith.  We went to lunch with a sister that served a mission and she told us so many cool stories... I just about cried... I feel like if I were to go home now... I´d have no good stories to tell.  I have three baptisms... but not a single one is coming to church.  What am I doing wrong to not have these experiences?  

After lunch a man on the street started yelling "BE MORMON AND BE HAPPY" at us.. I was afraid.  THen he sang three verses of Jose´ph Smiths first prayer.  Ha at last he told us he is menos activo and so we went to his house to teach him outside.  He talked forEVER and introduced us to EVERY person that passed... saying he was giving us good contacts :)  When we FINALLY finished the lesson we started talking with a Jehovah´s witness in the street and asked if she knew anyone we could visit and she said "someone from your church lives right there"... so we visited him.. fernando.. and turns out he is a menos activo of like two years and he was SO happy to see us!  He made us food and asked if we had a Book of Mormon and just about cried when I said "CLARO!" and gave him one.  Once again... we didn´t find nuevos... but the Lord is guiding us to find the people that need us.

It is such a battle in the mind... President says the hardest work for a missionary is the fight in his own mind... and it is so true!  I am discouraged about not finding nuevos and not knowing what to do about our area... I´m frustrated because of all of these things yet I know the Lord is guiding us!  I know there ARE people prepared!  I know that we can find them... and any advice from returned missionaries and other wise people like my mother and sisters is more than welcome.

I am so grateful to be a missionary.  Thank you for your prayers.  Keep em comin ;)  I love you all so much and just LOVE you.  

xoxo

Hermana Cook

No words needed. . . 

Birthday Pancakes!  It's just a chocolate cake mix on a stove.

Sister Garcia loves her new scarf!

20 Years Old!  LOVED the package:)

Grama made me a cake.

This is Lucas.  He is adorable!!

This is the Hermana that cleans our clothes.  She gave me chocolate for my birthday.

Sporting the new outfit!

The scarf is from a Sister in the ward.  Yes my tag is upside-down.

This card was passed around Relief Society.  I didn't know who it was for so I signed it.  It was for me:)

Semana Dieciocho: I'm a Trainer

TUESDAY

Today we went to the office to pick up all the newbies for divisions!!! My heart was pounding because guess what... the sister I´m going to train was there! But I don´t know which one!!! There are TEN Latinas and ZERO Gringas... so I´m training a latina! :)  In the office... I got my PACKAGE!! Wow family THANK YOU!  What a blessing!!  You are seriously the best.  My birthday will be so special!!!

Then we went to work with two of the newbies... we visited Christian and Sharon and had a POWERFUL lesson.  They both committed to baptism on the 25th of this month and to be married before then!  Wahoo!!

The nuevos are great... they have so much energy and excitedment for the work and it helps me feel the same way I did right after the MTC!  I am so excited for MY nuevo and for the opportunity to train!

WEDNESDAY

Today we went to the office bright and early and President spoke to us.. then we went to his house for a delicious breakfast of gallo pinto.. At the house Hermana Wilkinson saw me and gave me the BIGGEST tightest hug of my life.  She said "You DID IT!  YOU MADE IT THROUGH AND YOU DID SO WELL!  AND NOW YOU ARE IN CONTROL!  YOU DID IT!"  I nearly cried.  :)  It was so fun at the house because all my best friends of the mission- sister Geiss and Davidson and Bratt are all training too.  We had a LOT of anxiety... por fin presidente announced the trainers and their trainees... he does it one by one and I was VERY LAST!  I almost died.  and my Trainee is.... Hermana Garcia!!!!  She is from Guatemala and is AMAZING!  I was so ready to teach her how to do everything... and be the leader for once... but before I could breath she was goin!  She is DEFINTELY  a leader personality and is not afraid of a thing.  Plus she already knows spanish so she´s got that goin for her... :)  She is truly great.  I love being with her and am so grateful for the opportunity to help her refine the skills she already has.  I think we will be a great team!

THURSDAY

With my comps before we only worked in Dos Cercas visiting the same people every day.  As a result... we now have barely any investigators and I don´t know the other areas.  So today we had to visit Christian and Sharon in Dos Cercas... (They said they now don´t want to get married until Sharon turns 18 in THREE years because she will lose the pension from her dad....) and then we spent the day working CLOSE to the church and with the members!  I think we will have success....

We had a reference from a member and were trying to contact them... but instead we found the CUTEST girls that accepted baptismal dates and everything!  Valery and Natalie.. We talked to the Young Women Pres and are going to visit them with her tomorrow!

FRIDAY

Today Mary Jane took us to teach us the limits of the ward... turns out there is EONS of area that I didn´t even know existed!  We have MUCH work to do... MANY menos activos that we haven´t ever visited... man.  There´s a lot.  No more just in dos cercas... vamos a trabajar en TODO el area!  We just have to find an effective way to do it!  

SATURDAY

CONFERENCE!! We worked so hard to get people to come to conference... the mission goal is to have 500 people there!  We had zero :(  It was so sad because we worked SO hard!  Conference was amazing though right??? Man I just love it!  I was going to give commentary on every talk... but i don´t have time... :)  Everyone study the talks for the months to come!

Then I felt we should visit Jendry.. so we did and WOW she had her WHOLE extended family there.  They invited us in for cake and we taught them ALL about prophets and invited them to conference the following day! The sad thing is they 

aren´t from our area... :)

SUNDAY

Conference again!!  we went to pick up all our investigators and they were all getting ready to come and we were so excited!  8 investigators fijas!  ... and then not a single one came.  Natalie and Valery told us they wanted to keep going to their normal church and didn´t want us to visit them more... Christian and Sharon had some excuse... there was too much traffic for Jendry... Fernando had another excuse... EVERYone had something.  SATAN!  Get thee hence!  It was a real bummer... we worked so hard to have people and then had no one.  But for the second session all six of the people from Jendry´s family came!!!!! They are from Asseri, but at least they came!!! :)  

I have been praying and praying to know how to organize our area and work better and more effectively and then I remembered Jd´s AREA BOX!  So Jd... we will be starting that this week :)

Thank you all for the birthday wishes and love!  Thank you for the packages and the prayers and the support.  Thank you for your examples.  I just love you all and pray always!!! Have an AMAZING week!  I hope you can all come a little closer to the Savior this week!!!  I love you all!  

Love, Hermana Cook

Meeting my nuevo Hermana Garcia from Guatemala

All the Trainers and Trainees

My baby, mama, and grama:)

Presidente Wilkinson

Semana Diecisiete: Changes and such

Well Hola familia!! I´m sure you are all just dying to know the latest in the saga de la misión..  Bueno.  Voy a decirles.  

MONDAY

Last Monday... President called me right after emails.  He called us into the office and my sweet comp cried the WHOLE way there that she didn´t want to go home.  She just laid on my shoulder and cried.  In the office she kept laying on my shoulder and just talked and talked about her whole experience in the mission.  And said defiantly that she will NOT go home.  And I prayed and prayed and PRAYED that she could just feel peace when President tells her and that she can know it is the right thing!  Por fin it was her turn for the interview and when she came out she just sobbed in my arms and said " I feel so much peace.  I know this is the right thing."  IT was a DIRECT answer to my prayers!  So we went home and we packed for her while she rested.. then Tuesday....

TUESDAY

Hermana Betancourt se fue a las 3 en la mañana.  After that Hermana Garner stayed with me for the day.  We visited a Menos activo Sandra... a Recen Converso Julia... Mas Recen Conversos Josefina y Mario... Investigador Fernando... y Investigadora Paola.  Then we got the call that manaña I will be alone with a MINI MISSIONARY!! This is a member that will be my comp until cambios.  So then on Wednesday...

WEDNESDAY

My FIRST day alone without a senior comp.  My mini mish is named Flor and she is 19 and just the cutest.  I barely know the area so today was a challenge but all is well!  EVERY plan I had made fell through and we only had one lesson.... then called three marc por teléfono para tener mas... not very successful day but Hey.  I´m learning.  

THURSDAY

Today was much better!  We ended up with EIGHT lessons today!  Two nuevos!  We taught Daniel just the first two principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ... we are feeling pretty bad because his baptismal date is this Saturday and he told us he doesn´t feel prepared... which is true because he is missing LOTS of lessons because he isn't home for us to teach him much...

FRIDAY

Today our lideres de zona called and said they´d come to a lesson with Daniel with us to help him make the decision to be baptized.  I felt so bad when I told them that he really isn´t prepared because we haven´t taught him everything!  With these days in the house it was tricky.  But no excuses.  So ALL day I was so worried and I studied and studied how to prepare investigators for baptism and there are LOTS of things that I´m going to be changing this time around!!!  We decided to call him and have a lesson por telefono and we taught him... almost everything haha.  Then gave a mini entrevista and he saw that actually he is ready and bam.  We had a baptism planned.  So the elders interviewed him and we scrambled to organize the baptism!

SATURDAY

BAPTISM!!!  Of Daniel!  He is 16 and wants to serve a mission :)  It was a beautiful baptism!! Then we taught Julia, Ana arauz (actually she said she was too busy so I asked if we could just have a prayer with her and I prayed aaaaaall about prophets and the apostasy and how we are so blessed to have prophets and their role and everything... very long.. then said amen and invited her to women´s conference... she didn´t come but hey... we had a lesson in a prayer!) and Jendry.. then had women´s conference!  I LOVED IT!  Well I think so... it was all in spanish but I think I understood the gist of it!!

SUNDAY

Today... man.  Melani STILL didn´t come for her confirmation.. Daniel si.  We decided to work in areas other than Dos Cercas but it was POURING rain and I didn´t know my way around and there was not a soul in the streets.  So we had little success..... like... none... Ha.  But that´s okay... still learning... Today I was supposed to receive a call about cambios but I didn´t get anything so I´m assuming a new senior comp is just coming to be with me.

MONDAY

PSYCH!  Nope.  No senior comp.  In fact.... bueno.  Today I officially finish my trianing.  And.... Ladies and gents.... this Wednesday.. I will become a TRAINER!!   Whaaaaaaaat.  It is shocking.  I am quite unqualified.  But as I said to Katelin... this morning I studied 1 nefi 17 which nefi is commanded to build a ship.  I feel like him.... like Satan is attacking me like Laman and Lemuel with comments like "HA!  You think you can train?' You barely know spanish!! You´re crazy!!"  But man... I´m responding powerfully like nephi in versículos 49-51... "The lord has called me to do this!  He has worked all kinds of miracles and has ALL power!  And if he has such great power... how is it that he can´t call me to do this thing??"  I know that I can do it through him!! I know that he (as it says in verse... I think...36?)  will be my light in the wilderness and prepare the way for me and if we keep the commandments he will lead us to the promised land!!!  How crazy.  but I know I can do it with the power of the Lord!  

Keep praying for me... thank you for all the prayers and love and support!! I love you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!  

Love always, Hermana Cook

Me and my Mini-Mish for the week - Flor

Daniel's Baptism