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

Semana Dieciseis: Trickiest week yet

Hola One and All!  

You know... some weeks in the mission are just the best... and others are really hard.  Unfortunately, this week was one of the trickiest yet.  But no worries... there´s always a little sunshine to be found!  

TUESDAY

We had our district meeting and the district leader asked ME to give the capacitación next week!  Only him and the especialistas do that!  So ya know.  I´m pretty nervous.

WEDNESDAY

Yesterday and this morning I felt exhaaaausted.  I just felt a lot of stress and responsibility and this burden with things that are going on here.  This morning I prayed and prayed and praaaaayed that the Lord would take my burden... with complete faith in Alma 7:11-13... and literally right after the prayer my burden was made light.  I physically felt lighter and just a relief and paz.  I am so grateful for the power of the Atonement to be able to help us through whatever challenge we are facing!

Also today I bore a WAY powerful testimony of Missionary Work to Jefferson.. our Nine year old recent convert.  I LOVE to feel the spirit testify through me.  It is one of my favorite parts of being a missionary!

THURSDAY

I woke up this morning having dreamt of me and my companion in Los Dorados... we NEVER go to this part of our area.  But all day I couldn´t get it out of my head!  After a long unsuccessful day we went to the church to pray.  I felt strongly we should go to this part of our area.. but my comp thought we should visit a nearby Menos Activo... which is good... but we already have almost all our menos activos and not a single nuevo!!!  So off we went to find this person in Los Dorados that the Lord has prepared.  And we found him!!! Marcos!  He works on a ship or something so we really can´t teach him much... but we taught a whole lesson in the street and gave a book of mormon and it was great!  I know the Lord´s hand is in every part of this mission and He is truly guiding us to His children that need the gospel!

Also today I wore two different shoes.  How Silly Hermana Cook!

Okay unfortunately that´s about all the sunshine.  And I aint gonna share the blues.  In the words of Nephi..... It sufficeth me to say that my companion is unwell and we could not leave the house for three days.  She will be going home today...  And so my future is pretty unsure!  We have one week more before changes... one week more of my training... And I´m out of a comp :)  But I know my Father in Heaven knows exactly what is going on.  He is very away of the situation and will help me and my companion!! Please send prayers our way!!

The church is true.  It´s as simple as that.  The way isn´t always easy.... in fact it hardly ever is.  But it is worth it.  And I know it from experience :)  Thank you all for the love and support and the prayers.  I am incredibly grateful for all of you!!!  Love you all!

xoxo

Hermana Cook

Semana Quince: Viva Costa Rica Pura Vida

Hola Familia!!!  It´s me!  Hermana Cook!  Remember me?  

Well this week was just dandy.  Started with..

MONDAY

Today was super weird because it wasn´t PDAY!  We still got to write home.. but pday will be Wednesday due to the fact that we get to go to the TEMPLE!! Wahoo!  Today we had a lesson with a Menos Activo named Rasheed.  Then Noche de Hogar with Fernando with the Relief Society president and her family.  They live in the nicest house I´ve been in in Costa Rica.  Hey all of you!  These Family nights are the BEST!  IT´s just the greatest when a member can teach a lesson and show through example the blessings of the gospel for these investigators.  They can ask questions and learn from someone other than us!  I think yáll should call the missionaries and offer to have an investigator come over for Family Night or even just a lesson in our house.  I would loooove to have a family like ours in a home like ours filled with the spirit that is willing to help!

TUESDAY

Today we had Reunion de Distrito... President had us change district leaders so now we are with Elder Ballan.  Then we taught Julia, Josefina y Mario (all three of them are recen conversos)  Then we taught Joselin and John who are of the familia Arauz that we found last week.  Then we got permiso for the baptism of Melani!  The little girl that wrote "si" the church is true after she prayed!  Her mom still doesn´t want anything to do with us.  Then we had Correlacion... Oh also H.  Betancourt is sick with strep and we had to go to the doc :( 

WEDNESDAY

Today we woke up at three to go to the temple!  Hermana Julia came with us to do baptisms for the first time (the zone leaders told us we could bring recent converts) but when we got there... they told us that baptisms don´t open until 9!  Two hours later!  Poor Julia.  She is so patient.  So we went ahead to the session and just prayed she´d be able to do baptisms!  I did a whooooole session in SPANISH ladies and gents!  How great.  I love the temple so much.  The people here always say "we are so blessed to live so close to a temple and we don´t go as much as we should!"  Ya they live SO close to a temple.... only two or three hours on a bus.  You guys.  WE are so blessed to have A BAJILLION temples so close.  GO!!  Go often!  Then we had our real PDAY so I journaled and my comp slept :)  THen we had a lesson with a family of Menos Activos- Laura, Esteban, Dylan, and Andres.  They are great!  Their house is WAY nice and it´s like right in the middle of the crappy houses.  So weird.  Then we taught Valery with John Paul (Recen Converso 9 year old with her 10 year old cousin) and Fernando (her dad).

THURSDAY

Today we prayed and felt like we should push the baptism of Melani for this Sunday.  (Daughter of Arturo and Maritza... the couple that fought in front of us and now the mom doesn´t want anything to do with us..Melani is the one who wrote "Si" on the little sticky note saying she knows the church is true!)  IT doesn´t feel like she will have support from her parents and she is only 9... we don´t want to rush it and feel we should wait for more support and strength from her parents.  Then we taught Christian (hijo de Hermana Julia), Melani (little girl), David (recen converso) and Victor (Menos Activo) and then had Consejo de Barrio.

FRIDAY

Today we had cake with Grama Nuria!  Hermana Betancourt is way sick!  after lunch we got a call from Arturo... he said he was out buying shoes for Melani´s baptism on Sunday!! Woops... guess we are still having a baptism!!! So we scrambled to get things ready!  We taught him and Melani, Jendry (an investigator... the mom of Jeferson who was my first baptism... not married so no baptism date), Familia Arauz... but really just Rebecca and Daniel because apparently Dayana doesn´t want to listen anymore and has forbidden Joselin to talk to Daniel because of it :(  After the lesson Daniel said "So what do I have to do to serve a mission?"  Haha we were like wooooow okay!  Be baptized!  :)  He is almost 17.  

SATURDAY

Today we had lunch with Hermana Julia, had a mini interview with Melani, then her real interview while we taught Arturo, Then we had noooothin.  It was POURING rain again (ha. I live in Costa Rica).  And all our appointments fell.  So we visited members, menos activos, and contacted some referencias.  The sad thing is that this is our first week ever without a new investigator.... it´s pretty bad.  something is missing from our work and we´ve gotta fix it!!  

SUNDAY

Hermana B´s birthday!  I woke up at 5:30 to make her a card... then we went to 2 cercas to wake up all our investigators and take them to church.  We had 9 people in the capilla!  Then we had a baptism!!! MELANI!  It was beautiful!  She is so eager to learn more and come closer to Christ!  I pray that her family can too!  Then we had Kiosco in the park and I did 21 LPEs!  Since tomorrow is a holiday... NO ONE was in their house.  Everyone goes to the park or their schools to light lanterns!  But it was pouring rain so I don´t know how they did it.  At night Antonietta (hermana in the ward) texted us saying she made banana pancakes and hot chocolate for herm B :)  So nice.  I feel pretty awesome.  I´m participating equally in lessons and doing LPEs.. I can do this!  I´ve got the Lord on my side!

MONDAY

Happy fourth of July!!! EVERYTHING was closed.  Sorry no internet :)  It was tragic really.  This morning at 5 we were woken up to a parade in the streets and people yelling "VIVA COSTA RICA PURA VIDA!!!" Haha they´re loco.  But I sure am lucky to be living here and serving as a missionary!! I love it!

Notes:  Kate... in ward counsel they were talking about how phones are a problem with the youth and I was thinking... man my sister is awesome.

Dad.... I have a recent convert... Pamela mama de Valery... that was asking about a scripture she read in the bible that talks about Giants.  I remember before the mission in SUnday school you were talking about that... could you direct me to where I can study to learn more about the Giants? :)

Todos... Do FHE with the missionaries... go to the temple.... read the Book of Mormon from the BEGINNING with the first page... intro... and all.  IT´s awesome.  

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! I am so grateful to be a missionary!!

Love, 

Hermana Cook

With Hermana Julia at the Temple

Me and Hermana B

Melani's baptism

Sister B's birthday

Semana Catorce: Talking in my Sleep. . . in Spanish!!

Hola familia!!! Can I just say how much I love you and pray for you aaaalways!!!???  I hope you are all well.  I am so grateful to hear from you all everyweek and for all the love and prayers I can feel all the way in Costa Rica!!! I hope you all have the best week ever.

TUESDAY

BEST NEWS EVER!!  Last night I talked in my sleep!!!  Teaching a lesson!!  IN SPANISH!!  Wow.  Isn´t that seriously that greatest???  I am so happy.  Really though yáll I finally realized my progress this week.  I CAN UNDERSTAND PEOPLE!! And I can talk to them and have a conversation!!! I still don´t understand EVERYTHING and I´m still missing lots of vocab but man.  I am so grateful.  

We got Insanity from one of the elders and do it for exercise every morning.  I´m really sore...

Today we had ZERO lessons.  No one was home or they just didn´t want anything.  We used "Simi"  which is a list of all the members in the church and called every one that had a number.  It was tricky becaue we dont´know who is Menos Activo and who is actually a member.  But we are trying to get to know all the members and president says the best way to work is through the Recent Conversos and MEnos activos.  Por fin we found a menos activo that lived where we were so we visited them.  On the way... we bought ice cream... then in the lesson I had some sort of allergic reaction... :)  my lips swelled up and I couldn´t feel them and my whole face was itchy and swollen.  Haha it was hilarious.  So we ran to Gravilias to the farmacia and I took a pill and I´m all better.  I don´t have allergies so I don´t know what´s up.  

WEDNESDAY

Today for once we had all our appointments confirmed and set in stone!  First we taught Mario, a menos activo... and recen converso... in the street in POURING RAIN!  Ha it was fun.  

Then we taught Ana Munoz.... she has potential... but I can´t tell if she is really interested.  That´s how it is here.  Everyone loves to listen to "la palabra"  but not a ton are actually interested in the gospel.  

Then we went to visit a referencia named Menor who recently lost his father.  But he wasn´t there so we visited with his drunk brother and his sister was was sobbing the whole time.... during the lesson.. the rest of the family came home and said that the mom past away too.... it was SO sad.  They were all sobbing and yelling and we knew we couldn´t stay.  We left them with a pamphlet of the plan of salvation and promised to come back when things calmed down.  It was truly sad.  I am SO grateful to have the knoweldge we had of this great and glorious Plan of Salvation!  That we can all see our loved ones again!  

Then we taught Christian y Sharon... the son and girlfriend of the son of Hermana Julia.  He is 19 and she is 16 and they have a baby and won´t get married until she is 18 because of the pension she is getting from her dad :( He is really interested in the gospel... but she isn´t.  It´s a trick sitcheeayshun.

Then we visited a familia that is a referencia from the elders.  They came with us and we just visited with the family to get to know them and answered all their questions and doubts they already had.  They are GREAT!  There´s like 5 total that want to listen and they seem really interested!  ... awkward moment was when the mom started breast-feeding her baby (that is AT LEAST one... walks and talks a little...) right out in the open right next the the elders.  That was nice!! :)

Then we visited a Menos Activo familia that lives in these nice condos in dos cercas that´s like... Pepperword.  because it has a gate with security guards and all.  It is actually SO NICE!! Kinda like home!!!!  It was awesome.  I wish we lived there.

Then we taught Fernando.  He had read the WHOLE pamphlet and was studying the references in the back!  we answered all his questions and all was great until Pamela (pamela and fernando live together and fernando is the father of her children but now they don´t have any relations of any kind) who is a recen converso started telling all these things she found in the internet and Fernando got all caught up about the planet kolob... so... Anyway there´s some doubts that need to be cleared up and also Pamela needs to learn not to search the internet!

THURSDAY

Today we had Zone Conference and PRESIDENT came!  Oosh. We reported our numbers of baptisms we expect to have this month and ours are the lowest :(  As in zero :(  It´s sad.  But it´s not too late!!!  We are going to keep working!  We just have to improve our planning and our studying and our teaching and use our time more wisely.. :)  We can do it!

Then we had divisions.  It was great!  I learned a lot from Hermana Roundy- specialista/Sister Training Leader.  It was fun to visit another area for a day!

FRIDAY

Today we finished up divisions and when we were in the park.. Hermana Garner who is the nurse and served in our area like a month before I got there and who was on divisions with Hermana Betancourt... anyways this woman came running up to us and said "Hermana Garner I remember your name and your face and I need your help" and she started crying!  Hermana Garner didn´t recognize her at all, but turns out she lives in our area in Dos Cercas!  We set an appointment to visit her today!

Then we had a great comp inventory and went to work!  First we taught Hermana Julia because she is now our cocinera!! (probably just for the month because it´s really tricky with her living so far when sometimes we need to come back to other areas!) 

Then we taught a young lad who was playing with the son of Pamela- named Aaron.

Then we went to teach this woman from the park- Gabriella.  She is having many trials right now and says she knows the only way she can have peace is through God!  It is amazing how the Lord prepares people and puts us in their path! She said she was about to get on the bus but sprinted across the street in the park to talk to Hermana Garner!  We set a baptismal date and all is well!

Then we visited this familia.. the breast feeding one.  Their names are Rebecca (Mom) with children Daniel (16) and another child that we didn´t teach and the baby... and then her sister Dayana and her children Joselin (11) and John... I donl´t know how old he is.  9 10 or 11.  He is adopted.  But wow they are great!   We taught all of lesson one and they got it all and we set FIVE baptismal dates for THIS MONTH!! Wahoooo!!!!  

Later we taught David por telefono because the capilla is ocupied- some general authority is coming!  

Later that night we called Gabriella and also the Rebecca fam to see how it´s going with their reading and the familia was gathered together studying the pamphlets together!!! Aaaaah so great.  I pray that they will come to church and be able to be baptized on the 27 of Septiembre!

SATURDAY

We did service for a member in the ward this morning.  Then we taught Christian, Gabriella, and Melani.  Remember Melani?? The little girl with the parents who are having difficulties with their matrimonio??  Well the mom still won´t talk to us but she let us teach her daughter!! She is so cute and learns so fast!! She wants to be baptized so badly and if she comes to church tomorrow she can be baptized next saturday!!  We dropped of some chocolates and a note to her mom and we praaaay that she will let us teach her again!  She changed sooo much when she started the lessons.  Melani says she is back to her old ways and it´s really sad :(  

After that we visited a menos activo that lives right next to Hermana Julia.  Turns out they stopped coming to church because their missionaries went home and they LOOOOOOVED their missionaries.  The missionaries were two gringos entonces ustedes tienen tarea!!!!!  Talk to the brother that lives in our ward and also in the stake and see if any of them served in Dos Cercas and taught slash baptized an Isabel Jimenez and Raul!  And I think one of their children!  She seriously loved them and how great would it be if they could contact them!  

SUNDAY

We worked HARD to get our investigtors at church today.  Woke up at 5:30 and were in Dos Cercas by 7!  We hupe buenased practically every door to wake everyone up and then stopped by again to offer to walk with them to the church!  There were about 16 investigators that we talked to in the morming.  Familia de Rebecca came!  They walked with us!  But we were missing two- Dayana and John- which means those two can´t be baptized on the 27th of September because they need three times at least in the capilla :(  But Rebecca and Daniel and Joselin and the baby Raquel came!!!  Daniel and Joselin made us gifts and they are just the sweetest.  We ended up with 9 investigators in the Capilla!  Big improvement from last week!  It was actually a great fast and testimony meeting and I think they had a great spiritual experience!  ... Rebecca breast fed her baby throughout ALL of principios del evangelio and ALL of relief society... this time she had a little burp rag to cover up :)  Haha but it was a great day!  I am so grateful for the success we are having and know it is all in the hands of the Lord!!!

Everyone keep doing all you can to be closer to the Lord!  I read this this morning- Alma 17:2-3 and would LOVE to see this when I come home to my brothers and sister and mom and dad!  :)  I love you all more than words and like I say every week I am SO grateful for the love and prayers!  Can you believe how fast time is a flyin??? I love you and pray for yáll everyday!!!

Love Always,

Hermana Cook

Semana Trece: I Love Being a Missionary

TUESDAY

Yesterday in planning we both felt strongly that we were going to find a family of five... So that was our focus today!  First we had a lesson with the son of a Menos Activo- who is also Menos Activo, Juan.  Then with Hermana Julia... then Mario... then NADIE.  So Hermana B asked me where I felt we should go and I felt so strongly to go to this one place but I had no idea where it was.  So I said, "Where is La Esperanza?" and she said "I FELT we should go there too!!!" So off we went! We "Hupe! Buenas"ed every single door/gate and....... nadie.  So an hour or so later we went to this little corner to pray and felt we should hupe buenas the corner.  POR FIN we found this woman who said she reads the bible every day for an hour but doesn´t feel like she has found the right church yet!  We had a powerful lesson with her... then skipped around in the POURING rain (it has rained every day this week-hthe most since I got here!)  It feels so good to follow the spirit and teach the gospel!!

WEDNESDAY

Today we had a multi zone conference that was AMAZING with Presidente.  I have SO much to improve.... much work to be done!! Mostly it was on improving our teaching skills and working more effectively.  Then for the last part of it a health specialist came to teach us about... health.  My goodness he taught us about bugs I had NO idea existed and I WISH I didn´t know existed!! In my BED!  Aaaaaaaaaaaa so gross.  Also he gve us a list of things our cooks have to be feeding us and said we should make menus with our cooks and even go shopping with them!  We are considering dropping Mary Jane and changing cooks... We had a delicious lunch here that was like THANKSGIVING!! pumpkin pie and all!! Then we had a great lesson with a little girl name Melani who is SO smart.  We gave her a little sticky note with the question ¿Dios es la iglesia verdadera? with the commitment to pray.  She is so cute!!

THURSDAY

I was sick ALL night.  In the bathroom non stop.  Not fun.  Then after studies... Hermana B was sick too!!!!!  We were cracking up that both of us are sick.  We went to Grama´s to eat and tried to hint that we need a new cook... hoping she´d oblige.  Nope.  darn.  But she did give us chocolate cake!! Two slices that were HUGE!! Now remember that we are both quite ill.... so afterwards we sprinted to the chapel to use the bathroom haha... then we called the nurse and she cracked up when we told her because THE WHOLE MISSION is sick!! Including Presidente and the health specialists!!  Aparently that yummy thanksgiving dinner at the Conferencia wasn´t quite right haha.... How ironic that we were at a conference on our health and we all got sick!  ha.  Later we had a lesson with Maritza, the mom of Melani from yesterday.  She commited to live the palabra de sabiduria and is so prepared for her baptism!  Then her daughter Melani gave me the sticky note we had given her yesterday and on it she had written in big letters "SI".  Oh my goodness I wanted to die!  What an amazing experience!  She said she prayed and knows it´s true and feels so good!! How amazing! More lessons no time to tell about them!

FRIDAY

Today MAry Jane told us she is starting to work and can no longer be our cook!!!! Oh man!!! Haha... but now we actually have a problem because we don´t have a cook....... Today we had a lesson with MAritza!!  .... but it was actually really bad because we brought this member that´s a little psycho and Maritza and her husband started fighting about divorce in front of us and then left us to fight in their bedroom and the member walked right in to their room to yell with them.......... it was awful and now Maritza wants time to think before we teach her again :( :( Also today we started classes de Ingles!!!!  It was fun! Jesus teaches with me and he was WAY serious and kinda mean when the children didn´t say something right and so I got all super energetic and cheered and man I was fun.  haha.  

SATURDAY

We really need nuevos.  Today we taught FIVE MARC... menos activo y recen converso... y nada mas.  Enserio we need nuevos!!  Our numbers weren´t the best this week but I truly feel I progressed in my ways!! Always happy never satisfied!

SUNDAY

I made a "Sunday lunches with the Missionaries!" pass along thing and wrote out when our birthdays were and wrote a note to thank them for their service and that we love them and food too!  I feel hilarious.  Only had three lessons... wasted quite a bit of time... we have LOTS to improve on.  It is tricky to put all my ideas and solutions I have into practice!  But this week I´m gonna do it!!  Watch out Costa Rica!  The gospel is comin your way!!!

Well there you go.  A super brief update of the week.  I love you all and I LOVE being a missionary.  The church is seriously true.  Go serve!!!!  Go share your testimony!!! What are you guys doing to help the missionaries??? Feed them!  Go to visits with them!! Let them bring investigators to our house!! I would give anything to have a FAMILY that has a beautiful house that is filled with a spirit to teach investigators with!!!! Are you giving them referencias??? Go through your facebook friends and pray about someone to introduce the missionaries to!  You will be SO happy because there is NOTHING better than teaching the gospel!!! I love you all and I am so grateful for all your prayers and love!!! I feel like I had something important to say but I can´t remember.  So just know I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!  

xoxo

Hermana Cook

Semana Doce: Nobody's Perfect

Well Hooooola!! Are you all so happy because I replied to everyone that emailed me right away this week??????  Progress, verdad????  Next week I´ll reply to all that email me right away AND those that are still waiting patiently for a reply from years ago!!!! Ha. Man I´m sorry.  Okay let´s get down to business to defeat the huns shall we?

MONDAY

I think I talked a lot bout this day last week... Hmna Pizza left us.  So sad but it´s great to have to participate more!!!

We had to go to San Jose TWICE today so we didn´t have any time to buy food..... this is gonna be a good week!  :)

TUESDAY

We had a lesson today with Hermana Julia (Recent Convert) and her daughter was there with us.  We taught about faith and her daughter ws just SOBBING!  She has never been open to listening to us so it was pretty great.   Then we had a lesson with David and he said he wants to wait a YEAR to get baptized.  We promised him (quite boldly) that if he commits to stop everything and gives everything to the Lord, he can be prepared to be baptized this saturday.  Wow.  All day I was told we would be doing divisions so I was SO nervous because I would have to take one of the new sisters (oh ya.. all the new sisters arrived and are staying in our house and also all the sisters that are leaving are staying there so it is craaaaaazy) out on my own!!! SO SCARY!  But finally I was so ready and had so much faith and was depending on the Lord!  Then they said I didn´t have to anymore.  Haha oh well.

WEDNESDAY

Today we got to go to President´s house for the breakfast with the newbies.  We got there early to help with the food and I made AAAAALL the pancakes.  There were literally a bajillion.  She sent you a pick mama, did you get it????  Whilst flipping pancakes, we received a text from David which said he had prayed and decided he wanted to be baptized on Saturday!!!! What a miracle!!!!!!!!!!  After president´s house we were SO motivated.  He wants us to have 50 progressing investigators each this month!  Wowza.  So to work we went!  We started a fast and started completely working on faith... praying frequently to know where to go and what to do!  .... then we had ZERO lessons ha.  Finally we had one with Ana Munoz who is WONDERFUL and seems pretty golden.  Then no lessons again...... so we called every LPE H. Betancourt has ever done and FINALLY we got this woman to answer and she invited us over and turns out she lives right up the street from where we were!!  We taught her whole family and it was greeeat!  Then we did a mini interview with David and he is SO different!  He is super hyper active and is truly crazy, but tonight he was more serious than ever!!  There is seriously so much potential for change through the gospel!

THURSDAY

The olds left at 4 in the morning so we were up aaaaall night.  It´s awful.  But finally the house is ours!!  They left BAGS AND BAGS of stuff!  So that´s fun.  I got some new clothes!  But most of it is quite feo.  We were still fasting today and were EXHAUSTED but finally we got to eat lunch with Grama!  and guess what??? Her daughter was there visiting from SANDY, UT!! How loco, verdad???  She feels so bad that we eat with Mary Jane and I think she was offering that we eat with her every day..... :)  Today David had his REAL interview.  Elder Fisher said that at the beginning of the interview.. He thought that David needed more time.  But by the end the spirit confirmed to him that he needed to be baptized this Saturday!! Wow que chiva enserio.  When we got home the lock was backwards on our door.... which made us think some hermanas were there... but the lady that owns the house said no one came which is weird.  Then we heard our water turning on and off down stairs and got a little freaked out haha :) All is well no worries.  

FRIDAY

I was sooo ready to talk to everyone today and have a million LPES! ... I ended the day with five.  Grr I was so frustrated.  We had a lesson with Maritza and her daughter Melani... wow it was amazing!  We set firm baptismal dates and Melani asked if she could be baptized sooner!  Ha!  Lesson with David again... continuing to change!  There´s this woman on the street that we have seen like five times and today she cried to us saying she has been searching for God.  So we of course set an appt for that night.  We called her twice and she said she was on her way... but she never came.  It was sad.  Then we showed up at Jancy´s house and she was crying saying that her husband thinks she cheated so he is kicking her and the kids out and they have no whre to go!  It is so sad.  We were able to share a scripture and comfort her.  We had a pooowerful lesson with Paola.  I bore such testimony of the book of mormon it shocked me!  :)  I know that book is true!!!  Our numbers are SO off this week.  we are NINE lessons away from the mission standards and 60 LPES off... yikes.  

SATURDAY

I read my missionary vision today and decided to just start picking things to become.  I think it´s working!! Today I was aaaalways happy and didn´t complain ha :) We went to a YW activity at the church.  It was beautiful!  I thought you might like to see it mama.  All over the world the YW of the church are learning these values!   It´s great.  BAPTISM DAY!!!!  David was great.  He was so excited that he posted it to Facebook immediately.... hahaha.  Then we had a lesson with Jesus...  It was tragic.  He told us all our flaws and the things he hates about our teaching.  He pointed out quite a few of my weaknesses and finally I stopped him and tearfully said, "I am so sorry, Jesus.  I am not perfect!  I have many weakness and it is heartbreaking to me to see that my weaknesses can influence your faith.  I don´t have all the knowledge in the world but I DO have a testimony.  I know this church is true and I hope you can remember that witness you once received too!"  or something like that... then we went home and sobbed.  I feel so much blame for what happened with him and his family!  I have so many weaknesses.. and I can barely talk!  I know that overall, I this is HIS work and HE won´t let us fail.. but I do know that my teaching skills and speaking skills have an impact on the effectiveness of the work and the understanding of our investigators!  Also, our numbers were AWFUL this week which I didn´t get because we worked so hard and increased our dependance on the Lord tenfold!  But still, I am ready to DOUBLE my efforts and give all I´ve got to this work!!!

Two things... today is Leslie´s birthday!! Everyone send her an email!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATELIN this week!! I love you!!!!

Also. there is mold on my magic norwex deoderant.  It is truly magic!  Anyone know how to get rid of the mold?? 

I LOVE YOU ALL!  THE CHURCH IS SOOOOOO TRUE!!

xoxo

Hermana Cook

Stake YW Activity. Mary Jane is in the middle.

Stake YW Virtue Activity.

Decorated for lunch.

David's baptism. He's really never serious.

That's more like it!

Jesus' birthday party.

Love the kids! This is baby Ariel.

Jesus' birthday.

Making tons of pancakes at the mission home!