beautiful weather, beautiful conference, it's all beautiful!

My dear family,

Strastvuite! That's Russian for "buna ziua"... or at least my attempt at Russian. 

General conference. Oh, how I love general conference. Is it really already over? Why does it go by so quickly? We were able to watch the Saturday morning and afternoon sesssions as well as the Sunday morning session. The rest I will download off of lds.org and listen to while getting ready in the morning. Maybe it's because I've been putting an emphasis on family and how the gospel blesses the family in my studies recently, whatever the reason, the "theme" of conference for me was family and how the gospel blesses the family. After each session I watched, I came away with a full heart and a stronger desire to raise my family based on the principles of the Gospel. My mission has made me more excited than ever to have a family of my own and to be a mom. Maybe that's strange, but I crave the day that I get to be a mother. It is one of the things I most look forward to in this life. 

I could go on and on about the things I loved from each of the speakers. It was all beautiful and exactly what I needed to hear. All the missionaries here in Chisinau were able to watch a session of conference at Brother Alto's home. Brother Alto is a member from the United States, working at the embassy here. As I sat in his living room watching conference, I felt an overwhelming conviction that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's church and how blessed I am to be apart of it. It was neat to think as I sat watching the Saturday and Sunday morning sessions live, that my loved ones were watching and listening to the same words I was at the same time. How neat modern technology is that we can be miles and miles apart and hear  the words of our prophet and his apostles at the same time. I felt a strong connection to my family watching at home thanks to this modern technology. 

Our week was beautiful for more reasons than just being able to watch conference. I feel like so much more time has passed than just one week. I have so much to tell you and I don't even know where to begin. Have I shared about Angela? She has been one of our investigators since I got here in March, and we've been meeting with her about once a week, sometimes every other week. She's been meeting with the missionaries for months, but due to a few social anxieties, she has avoided coming to church. Two weeks ago, we went and visited her in her home (all of our lessons had been done at the church until this point) so we were very excited to visit her in her home. At the end of our lesson, we were both confused about whether or not we needed to keep meeting with her, but were open to doing whatever Heavenly Father told us was best for Angela. She had had all the lessons, hadn't yet come to church and had had several baptismal dates that came and went. Going off of all of this, we were unsure if we should continue to meet. I told her at the end of the lesson, that we would be there the next morning, being sunday, to pick her up for church and that she could come to church with us. Dropping an investigator is always so hard, and I wanted to make sure we did  everything we could on our part to give her the opportunity to progress. The next morning, we started on our journey to pick her up for church. We needed to leave about two hours before church started to get to her apartment, and then back to church on time. We got in the maxi taxi at 8am, however, by 9am, we were still no where near where I thought we should be. I asked the maxi taxi driver where we were and we were no where near where Angela lived. I called Angela and explained what had happened, apologized for the fact that we wouldn't have time to come to her apartment, and asked if she could meet us at the church. I think she appreciated our effort to come get her and saw that we really did want her at church and that it truly was important for her to be there. She left her apartment and met us at church. I spoke that day in sacrament meeting, so unfortunately, I didn't get to sit by her, but Sora Peterson sat by her as well as one of our members. She stayed for all three hours of church and even participated in Sunday School, which is quite a big deal considering her social anxiety. She loved church and asked that we come over during the week and asked if it was okay if she came and watched conference. We visited her throughout the week. It was a night and day difference from the lesson we had had the previous week. She had done her reading, she had a light and hope in her eyes and she expressed her desires to be baptized and felt, for the first time, that she was actually ready to make that step. We explained the covenant made at baptism and how important that step and that decision was and asked if she felt ready to make that commitment to God and to herself. She came to conference yesterday and will be baptized this Saturday, assuming we can get everything arranged in time. Please keep her in your prayers that she will continue to act upon the promptings of the spirit. From this experience, I've learned even more how important it is for investigators to come to church. I truly know that that was what made the difference for Angela. I'm so grateful she came and is now progressing toward baptism.

Veronica called us in the middle of the week and asked if we could meet up as soon as possible.We left our lunch and met her down the street and walked with her to the church to have a lesson. As we got to the church, we showed her around the building and explained our church services. She wasn't sure why she wanted to meet up and isn't sure why she likes meeting with us. I have no doubt in my mind that she feels the spirit when we meet with her and that is why she enjoys meeting with us. We talked to her about some of her questions and testified to her that what she feels is the Holy Ghost and that she should look inside, ask Heavenly Father, and figure out what it is that that feeling is telling her. She enjoys speaking in English with us, which I try to avoid at all costs. It is so much easier to teach in English, but at the same time, so much more difficult. I am a firm believer in our investigators learning the Gospel in their own language and that the spirit can speak to them in a much clearer way when they learn in a language they are familiar with. Plus, I'm selfish and I want to speak Romanian as much as possible :) (Sidenote: I just got a call from Veronica and she wants to meet up today with us and her 17 year old daughter who is in town from Bucuresti! I love getting those calls from our investigators.) 

Saturday, we were able to meet with "our girls" as well as a member, Sevghi (17yo), who I absolutely adore. Truly, of all the people I've meet in Moldova, she is on my list of favorites. We went to the park with our girls and had a lesson there. Sevghi talked to them about her baptism and how difficult it was because her parents weren't in agreeance with her meeting with the missionaries, but as she continued to pray for their hearts to open, they finally allowed her to be baptized. I think it was exactly what those girls needed. They were asking her all kinds of questions about how her baptism went, if she was nervous, if she thought when she was investigating whether her parents would ever let her get baptized. Still doing what we can to meet with their parents and still praying they will open their homes to us and the Gospel. 

The last few weeks, I've been studying from the hymn book. Each day, I study a different hymn; it's words and the scriptures it references. Why have I never done this before? Our hymns are so beautiful and full of so much meaning and power. For me personally, sometimes, I go through the hymns and forget to remember the meaning behind the words I'm singing. As I've done this and sought to understand the hymns, it's given a deeper meaning behind each of the words. As I listened to several of the hymns sung at conference that I had studied that week, my heart was filled with so much gratitude and the spirit that is always there when I hear music, was so much stronger. 

I sat thinking yesterday, and I realized that since being on my mission, my testimony hasn't grown, however, it has deepened. I haven't learned anything I didn't already know before my mission, but I understand all these principles that I have been taught my whole life on a much deeper level. Just as the roots of a tree dig down deeper to keep the tree rooted where it is. I feel like that is what my mission has done for me. It has strengthened the roots that were planted in me as a child. 

I know I say this every week, but I love being a missionary. I will miss the day when people all around me don't stare at my nametag and look at me like I'm crazy. I told Sora Peterson the other day that I know we are doing something right when the people are looking at us like we're crazy. We're supposed to stand out from the world. We are a pecular people. I'm not sure they understand fully why it is that we stand out to them. Maybe because we are two American girls trying to speak their language, attemtping to talk to everyone in our path; maybe it's because we're wearing skirts and tights and nametags, and although it is probably a combination all of these things, I am pretty sure the biggest reason we stand out to these people is because of the light that comes from those who are righteous members of Christ's church. The light of Christ is unfamiliarly pleasant to those who don't feel it on a consistant basis. I want so badly for these people to feel that light on a consistant basis. "I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know he will hear my cry." 2 Nephi 33:3. I've never understood this scripture more. 

I know I say every week how much I love being a missionary and how much I cherish my time here and that it hurts my heart that it will someday come to an end, but please don't take that to mean that I am not eccstatic to see all of your faces again. I cannot wait to be near you all again. I crave your presence and the love I feel when I am around you. Although leaving these countries will be harder than I would like it to be, I cannot complain when I am coming home to the people who mean the most to me. All that being said, I do love it here. I love it with all my heart. For now, this is my home and these are my people. 

I love you. 

Be good,
Sora Cook

This morning, we taught an english class at a high school and shared a message with them about the gospel. They asked us all kinds of questions about the gospel and what we believe and several came up afterwards and asked how they could learn more. It was a neat experience. I already love the entire class! 

"make the fountain pure and all will be pure"

Family,

Good morning, afternoon, evening! Whatever time of day it is on that side of the world. I hope you all had a wonderful, splendid Easter! It's such a beautiful time of the year. Rebirth. It's been on my mind a lot this week as I've watched the sun come out and give life to the trees and flowers. It's beautiful. Just like the Savior does for us. He gives us life and beauty in our lives, The Orthodox calander hasn't celebrated Easter yet and won't until May 5th, so the Easter traditions won't start happening here for another few weeks, but I've thought a lot this week about the resurrection of our Savior and the meaning that this event has given my life. It's been neat to sit and reflect on His resurrection and the days leading up to it. I appreciated all of your insights in your emails. You are all so humble. I love reading the words of your testimonies of Jesus Christ. It makes my heart so happy to know that my family has a testimony of Him and are living your lives in a such a way that would allow the light of Christ to shine through in your words and emails. Are you all getting sick of me expressing how grateful I am for each of you and your emails? Because that probably won't stop anytime soon :)

This week. It was beautiful. We were able to meet with all of our investigators and invite 8 of them to be baptized. We didn't get any "yes's" but we also didn't get any "no's". All of them said they wanted to know for themselves before taking a step that they knew was a big step in their lives. I am so grateful that none of them are taking it lightly and recognize the importance of taking that step toward baptism and want to be truly converted before taking that step. We are doing all we can to help them through that conversion process and praying that their hearts will receive and accept the spirit and it's promptings.

The other day we were on a maxi taxi.... wait, have I explained what maxi taxi's are yet? Oh goodness, I am going to take this time to explain a maxi taxi before going on with this story. So basically, a maxi taxi, which is the main mode of transportation here in Moldova, is a large van with about 12 seats in it that drives a route around the city and picks up and drops off passangers along that route. You stand at the side of the street, look for the route number that you need, wave your arm for them to stop, pay them 3 Moldovan Lei (about 30 cents) and tell them when to drop you off. You're lucky to get a seat, most of the time you're standing at the front of the maxi taxi.... face against the windshield and getting really close and comfortable with everyone around you, and holding on to any type of stable object so that you don't fall every time the maxi taxi stops and goes. Think of the Night Bus on Harry Potter. Remember in the third book? That is what a maxi taxi is like! It's so exciting! Don't worry, although crazy, the drivers here are very good and know what they're doing. I've never seen one accident, surprisingly.

Okay, on with the story.. We were on a maxi taxi and a lady asked me to sit down next to her (I usually just stand so that if someone comes in they can take the empty seat) so I sat down next to her and started talking to her. She asked what we were doing here and where we were from, the usual questions. She had her two beautiful children with her who were playing with Sora Peterson while I was talking to her. She was so excited to talk to us, it was almost shocking. Embarassing as it is to admit, it caught me off guard. Before I had the chance to ask for her number, she pulled out her phone and asks if we can exchange numbers. I told her probably not... Kidding. Of course, I said yes and received her number. As we exchanged numbers she explained that she felt like she needed to talk with us more. The light in her eyes as she said this made my heart happy. Unexplainably. Less than an hour later we got a call from Veronica, that is her name, and she wanted to meet up that day. Sadly, we had lessons that night and couldn't meet that soon, but set up for th next morning. We met her in the park with her children and walked and talked about families and the restoration. She loved our focus on families and admitted that she wasn't really active in the Orthodox religion as her mother was, because she felt there should be a bigger focus on the home and families. We extended a baptismal invitation and she told us she would like to learn more, but didn't say no. We hope to continue to meet with her. Whether it's planting a seed, harvesting, or both, good things will come from us talking to her that day on the maxi taxi.

A few weeks ago, I quoted the scripture Proverbs 23:7 "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" and Nathan suggested the most beautiful talk to read called "As a Man Thinketh". This essay is changing my life. The scripture itself is something I have strong testimony of. I know that the things we think on and focus on, expand. Our thoughts and the desires in our hearts truly do effect our outside world. Our outside world is a manifestation of our thoughts and desires.

"Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood so lang as they propogate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and corrupt body. Thought is the fountain of action, life, and manifestation; make the fountain pure and all will be pure."

So much truth and power in that. I decided to do a scripture study on "purity" and found some beautiful scriptures. It's been very enligtening. The first was in Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in spirit, for their's is the kingdom of Heaven." Philipians 4:8 "Whatsover things are pure... think on these things." Timothy 1:5 "Charity out of a pure heart." These all got my mind thinking about the purity of my heart. But the scripture that "hit me the hardest" for lack of a better term is Titus 1:15 "Unto the pure are all things pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Exactly what that essay had said. So, my goal is to figure out how I develope a pure heart, pure thoughts, pure intentions, pure desires as to create a pure life.

I am excited for what this transfer will bring. I am striving to be an example to those around me and hope that through that example they will see the joy that comes from obedience. It really does fill my heart with so much happiness at the end of each night reflecting on my day and knowing that I was who the Lord would have me be, even just that for one day. Not perfect, but always striving and resolving to be better tomorrow than I was today. It's a good feeling.

We're in the works of getting my visa here in Moldova so that I can stay longer than the 90 days, As far as I've heard, a Romanian sister has never gotten to stay in Moldova more than 2 transfers. I would be thrilled if I got to stay a little longer. I hope it all works out. However, all things according to God's will, of course. Whether I stay or go, I will be where He wants me to be. I can't lose!

Sora Peterson is an amazing missionary. I can already tell she will be such a force for good in missionary work. We have been busy this week with lessons and haven't had much time to contact, but I am excited to take her out contacting this week to meet the wonderful people of Moldova and to search for the people who are out there and ready to hear the gospel. I know they are there and I'm determined to do all I can to find them.

And this is one of the beautiful orthodox churches. So gorgeous. I love this country. 

Yes, another one of me and the girls, Mihaela, Katea, and Valeria. 

another amazing one...

Buna familia mea,

What a neat week I've had. Hopefully I can fully express the joy I've felt this week. Sadly, I don't think I will be able to, but I'll do my best.

I'll start with my trip to Bucuresi. After the fourteen-hour trip from Chisinau to Bucuresti, we made it there on Wednesday morning at 5:45am safe and sound. I love train rides. I get really giddy and excited and usually can't sleep because of my excitement that I am that I'm traveling through eastern Europe on a train. Who else gets experiences like these? Well... lots of people do actually, but I never in my life thought that I would. I love it! When we arrived in Romania, two of the Elders didn't get off of the train in time and the train left again with them still in it. It was a funny, dramatic experience that all ended well. I'm not sure they thought it was as funny as I did, but I was laughing pretty hard. Poor Elders.

My time in Bucuresti was wonderful. It makes my heart so happy to see and spend a sliver of time with missionaries that I love so dearly. I draw strength from them and their experiences. It's so neat to sit and talk with someone who is experiencing something so similar to what I'm experiencing. It's actually very comforting. I couldn't possibly begin to describe the amount of love I have for these missionaries that I serve with.

Wednesday afternoon I got to meet my new companion who just arrived from the MTC. Her name is Sora Peterson, she is from Moses Lake, Washington and I happen to love everything about her! She is absolutely darling. We have had very similar experiences in our lives and relate to each other very well. She is so sweet, so humble and so ready and willing to learn. It's funny to me how my relationship with each companion is so different. No two people are the same. We are all so good in our own different ways. I was talking to Sora Rivera in Bucuresti on Wednesday and we had a good conversation about how everyone has something within them that makes them good and makes them amazing. There is no recipe for a good person; there's not an outline or a check-list. We all have different things within us that make us wonderful. I'm so excited for this transfer and what will come of it. Sora Peterson and I already get along splendidly.

I have loved introducing Sora Peterson to our investigators and showing her around the beautiful city of Chisinau. I absolutely love this city. This country, these people, this branch... it's all so beautiful. I was so worried when I left Arad that I just wouldn't love the people of my next area as much as I loved the people in Arad, but Heavenly Father has opened my eyes to help me see the beauty of this city and the people here. I could stay here the rest of my mission. :)

Sora Peterson is going to be wonderful for our 14 year old girls. They love her already and, of course, she loves them. I don't know how you couldn't love these girls. We had a lesson with them yesterday about the steps we need to take in this life and why. I felt like I was having a young women's lesson with these four girls. They were reading the scriptures with us, writing the answers on the board, answering the questions. It was beautiful. Two of them came to church yesterday. It makes my heart so happy to see them progressing. Their desires to learn and grow and to be baptized are growing. We are working with them to talk to their parents still. Some are hesitant and afraid of what their parents will say if they tell them they want to be baptized, and a few of them promised they would talk to their parents this week. We are praying ever so intently for the hearts of their parents to be open enough for the spirit to enter. The quality of each of these girls' lives could be so much better through companionship of the Holy Ghost and through making that promise with Heavenly Father. I know that He is just waiting to pour out blessings upon them.

I wish I could go into detail with all of our investigators. I am pretty sure I have told you a little about Lilia and Vitali. They are progressing, slowly but surely. We extended the baptismal invitation on Saturday and they told us they would think about it. It wasn't a "yes", but it wasn't a "no". We will be meeting with them tomorrow. I'm praying that they have made room in their lives for the spirit to manifest to them of the steps they need to take.

Remember my cockroach story?! Not to worry! We have moved apartments!!! We have two less Elders in the city this transfer and so we took the apartment they left behind. Oh my. I cannot tell you how nice this apartment is in comparison to our last. I feel like I'm living in a palace. Okay, I'm being dramatic, but it is wonderful to have a cockroach-free place and that doesn't smell like an old lady. We got all of our things moved in and I quite like it.

I'm not sure whether I mentioned it last week, but Elder Groberg who served with me in Arad is now here in Chisinau. He is in a "zebra-ship", meaning his companion is a Russian-speaking missionary and Elder Grober is a Romanian-speaking missionary. Kind of a funny situation but also pretty neat.

Tomorrow is Zone Training meeting and I've been asked to give a 15 minute presentation on goals... please pray that it goes well!

I know I've said this before, but I love being a missionary. I don't every want to not be on a mission. Please, let me stay forever. I feel productive as a missionary and so consecrated as I fill each hour of my day with the work of the Lord. Who signed me up for this and why didn't they sign me up sooner? :)

I love you all. I miss you like you wouldn't believe, but I am happy. I am oh-so happy. Thank you so much for all of your support, love and prayers. I promise I feel them and am so grateful for them.

Like I thought, this email didn't even kind of contain the propper expression of joy that I have felt from this last week. Apologies. I guess I will try again next week.

Va pup,
Sora Cook 

PS, the other day, we get a call from a member in the branch asking us if we can come to the mall to help her with a service project. Not having done our service hours yet, we gladly went to the mall to help her out. She failed to tell us that the "service" we would be doing would be dressing up like princesses and walking around the mall and taking pictures with people in trade for a small donation to an orginization. I called up President Hill and got the "go ahead". It was really awkward and funny. The look on the Elders' faces as they walked in the mall and saw us dressed up like princesses was priceless. Little did they know, she also had prince costumes. Probably the weirdest service project I have ever done. hahah. We did get some pretty awesome pictures, though.

Lilia, Sora Heim, and me

Me and Sora Peterson right after we found out I would be training her

Sora Heim and I at the train station saying goodbye. 

Who signed me up for this?

Oh hey family! :)

Let's see, where to begin? I could start with the news of transfers or I could start with how I adore this branch here in Chisinau; I could start with the story of the cockroach that I found in my bed this morning or I could start with the beautiful lesson we had with our wonderful 14 year old girls yesterday. Yes, I think I'll start there.

We were able to meet with fetitele noastre (our little girls) yesterday. I love any chance I get to meet with these strong, beautiful girls. I wish they could see how strong and beautiful they truly are. During our lesson, I asked each one of them what they want from meeting with us, if they truly are interested in the gospel. I was surprised by their answers. I'm grateful for their honesty and now have a greater direction on how we can help them. Mihaiela and Valeria are much more interested than I had realized. I felt so much love for them as I sat with them. I'm usually pretty good about keeping my emotions together in lessons, but I couldn't stop the tears as I told them how much I love them and how much their Father in Heaven loves them, telling them that they truly are His daughters and He wants them to be apart of this church and experience the joy of the gospel in their lives. I saw in each of their eyes something I've never seen before as they listened to us bear testimony to them that they are daughters of God. As if they knew it, but didn't realize they knew it. I can't explain it. There was a certain glow in their eyes as they soaked in the fact that they are loved and that they are divine daughters of Heavenly Father. My heart hurt a little as they told us that they've never felt more love from anyone in their lives as they feel from us, but also so grateful that we can be that for them in their lives right now. My mind can't comprehend the love that I have for these girls. I so wish I didn't have to take three days out our week for traveling down to Bucuresti this week. I would meet with them every single day if I could. My goal is to get a lesson with their families. I want them to have this gospel in their homes so that they can feel that loved on a daily basis. 

Saturday we had a branch activity for the anniversary of the Relief Society. It was wonderful! The missionaries didn't plan one single thing. Members came early and decorated. Members brought neighbors. They prepared food. They came! This all probably seems pretty usual for you, but this is a big deal. I was able to see the strength of this branch and it's members. Although still building a foundation, our members are giving everything they can to build the church here in Moldova. They are dedicating and sacrificing their time. It's beautiful. No, they aren't perfect and there is still plenty of things we get to work on, they are truly magnificent! Please don't tell me that I have to leave in six weeks. I don't want to. Our branch president, President Covali, is wonderful. He and his wife both served missions and have two beautiful children. They only speak to their kids in English, which means their two children speak and understand English, Russian, and Romanian. So neat. Going over to their home was a beautiful experience. It warmed by heart to see a young family actively living the gospel and raising their children in a righteous home. I want so badly for every family in the world to have that love and that peace in their home that the gospel brings. One step at a time... 

Yes, it's true. I found a cockroach in my bed this morning!!! I was sitting on my bed, painting my nails, listening to Elder Holland's amazing talk from last General Conference (ps, who else is so excited that General Conference is only a few weeks away?! Oh my, I can't wait.) so there I was, minding my own business, when all of the sudden, I see this massive (no, I'm not exaggerating) cockroach crawling out from under my neatly made covers and it's heading right at me. So of course, I did what any human would do and I screamed at the top of my lungs. "SORA HEIM!!!! COME GET IT!!!!" My wonderful, brave companion comes running in to see what the fuss is about, assesses the situation and grabs the dustpan and broom and rescues me from the monster on my bed. All the while, I'm screaming at the fact that I almost got attacked by a beast of a cockroach and that it was in my bed!! Oh gawl. I am disgusted just thinking about it. I immediately put all my sheets and bedding in the washer and sprayed our entire appartment. Oh the life of a missionary in the Romania/Moldova mission! Bleh! 

There is a member here from the United States who works at the embassy. He is in the branch presidency and invited us and the Romanian Elders over for dinner last night. It was so surreal. Not only is his home is so american, but we ate all American food from all American brands. It was as if I had stepped back into the U.S. for an hour. Is that really what my life was like before this? Was the toilet paper really that soft before my mission? Brown sugar wasn't just a figment of my imagination? He took us upstairs to his food closet (he gets shipments from costco every month and has a TON of food) and he let us take whatever we wanted. Of course, I took the frosted mini wheats, barbeque sauce, some brown sugar and a lot of chrystal light packets. And some toilet paper. 

So, transfers are this week. Again. Why is it that I only got to have four weeks with Sora Heim. Definitely not fair!!!! She is wonderful and I will be so sad to say goodbye to her as she heads back to Timisoara to train the new missionary who is oh so lucky to have her as a trainer! I have learned so much from Sora Heim and have loved every bit of her personality. She is unlike any of my other companions. I loved it. I loved the ways we get to learn from people who are so different from us. I promised before my mission to love every single one of my companions and Heavenly Father has just made the promise so dang easy for me to keep. I'm not just being positive, they have all been amazing. Yes, italics and bold lettering were necessary. 

As hard as it is to say goodbye to Sora Heim, I am sure I will be saying the same thing in six weeks about my next companion, whoever she is. I will meet her on Wednesday after her long flight from the United States. I am excited to have a brand new missionary again as my companion. I love their faith and excitement!! 

I'm sorry this email was a little less than inspiring. I meant to share all the wonderful things I am learning from my studies, but I got distracted by writing about cockroaches and american food. I promise those aren't the priority over the spiritual enlightenment in my life, but those were definitely more out of the norm than my spiritual enlightenment. I felt like I had to share about it! (PS... I think I use italics way too much. It just does such a good job at showing emphasis.) :) 

I will share only a bit about what I've been studying due to lack of time. I've been studying the difference between wisdom and knowledge. It's still something I'm studying,so maybe I'll share more of my thoughts on it next week. I would love to hear any thoughts that you all have. You are all so insightful! :)

2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Any thoughts on how I can better understand and apply these verses?

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

President Hill's insights: "I think the answer may lie in Ether 12:27 (and other verses around that one). We are given weakness that we might rely upon the Lord. Hence, if Paul has weaknesses (including infirmities, reproaches, necessities, etc.) he must rely on God for help. And that is his strength. So, ironically, the more the weakness in physical things (like his "thorn in the flesh"), the more the strength in spiritual things. To me this explains the "enabling power" of the Atonement."

I agree with everything he said. This is something I plan to study more. I love the way that Paul wrote it in those verses. So beautiful and so powerful. 

Still loving missionary work and still marveling at the passing time and still praying for it to slow down. I miss you all dearly. I hope you have a beautiful week. 

all my love, 

Sora Cook 

PS. Just looked at the clock and realized it's the 18th. 11 months has really already gone by? 11 weeks maybe, but not 11 months. 

Sora Heim and I in front of the cathedral right accross the street from our appartment

Arc de Triumf. I can't get enough of this city. This is also right outside of our apartment in the middle of downtown. 

Us and two of my favorite young women in the branch, Victoria and Sevghi. 

Spring Fever!

Buna ziua!!!

Has the whether been as beautiful there as it has been here? I hope so. With the exception of today, it's been so beautiful here. I cannot wait for springtime and to see this beautiful city when it is all green and blossoming. There is something about this city... it's just so beautiful! The people here say that when God created the earth, He forgot to make Moldova, so He just grabbed a little piece of the Garden of Eden and placed it here. I smiled when I heard it because looking around this city, you would truly think that was the case. It's gorgeous.

Daylight savings hasn't hit us yet. For some reason daylight savings here isn't until March 31st. I don't understand why it would be different, but then again, I don't really understand daylight savings...

This week, we were able to meet with Katea a few different times. She is wonderful. Our first lesson of the week with her was on Tuesday and she told us that after our last lesson with her, she didn't feel good at all. She didn't like the way she felt inside and she had been avoiding us. She didn't come to church, she avoided our phone calls, she didn't even want to read from the Book of Mormon. You would think that hearing this would have made me feel disappointed, but the light in her eyes told me something had changed that negative feeling that she had had the previous week. I asked her why she decided to call and meet with us that day and she told me that she missed us and the way she felt around us and she just knew that she needed to call us. We testified to her how much her Heavenly Father loves her and how badly He desires her happiness and that Satan will do anything to keep her from that happiness. We're working to help her fully comprehend how much her Father in Heaven truly does love her. At that age, it's so important to understand God's love for you. At every age it is important, but I feel like those years are so delicate. I'm so grateful to be working with her. Her dad is still very much against her getting baptized. It breaks my heart because I know she so badly wants to. How neat it would be for her entire family to be blessed with the Gospel in their lives. We're still praying for her dad and hoping to get a lesson with her family this week. Cross your fingers!

We have a few new investigators this week. Two of them, Vitali and Lilia, are a young couple in their twenties who I absolutely adore! We found them from our English classes and set up lessons with them outside english and were able to meet with them three times this week. They both ask such amazing questions and are keeping all of their commitments. We talked to them about baptism and they told us they would pray about it. They are leaving for Maryland for the summer to do Work and Travel. I look forward to continuing working with them and watching them grow.

Another one of our new investigators, Vicotria, is one of my new favorite people. She is 22, has a 2 year old daughter and has accomplished so much in her life, but also experienced a lot of trials. In our last lesson she explained to us that she has a hard time understanding why Heavenly Father allows things to happen but that she so badly wants to have the kind of faith that we have, but she just isn't there quite yet. Our next lesson will be all about the plan of salvation and the purpose of this life. We plan on sharing with her D&C 121:1-4 when Joseph Smith cries out in prayer during his trials and then sharing how Heavenly Father responded to his prayer in D&C 122:7-9. Probably my favorite of sections in the Doctrine and Covenants are these chapters when Joseph Smith is in Liberty Jail. They have been the answer to many of my prayers and comforted me during many of my trials. I hope and pray Victoria, too, can understand God's love for her and how dear she is to Him.

I heard a scripture quoted the other day in district meeting that says that "there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart." (D&C 6:16) When this was quoted, I thought to myself if only God knows my thoughts and intents, than that means that Satan doesn't know my thoughts, which is something I have always wondered about. But then I thought, if Satan doesn't know the thoughts and intents of my heart, how does he know how to tempt me?? How does he know what thoughts to place in my mind? And instantly, I thought about a scripture that I came across and wrote in my journal last week. Proverbs 23:7 "as he thinketh in his heart, so is he". Meaning, I think, the thoughts we have, the desires of our hearts, drive our actions. Satan knows how to tempt us because of our actions which are determined by our thoughts. It all starts with the what the desires of our hearts. I love this, mostly because I've been studying righteous desires for the last 4 transfers and have come to realize how much truly does depend on our desires and our intentions. I hope this makes as much sense in words as it does in my head.

I found yet another scripture that inspires me to make and set goals. I love how so much of what I study all goes back to goals. D&C 133:15 says "But verily, thus saith the Lord, let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goeth, let him not look back lest sudden destruction shall come upon him." Doesn't that just scream goals?! "Let all things be prepared before you". In other words, set your goals. Have a direction. Press toward the mark. "Let him not look back". Don't let the failures of the past determine the plans of the future. Of course, learn from the past, but don't live in it, continuously looking back, but rather, look forward and set plans for the future. "A man is never more godlike than when he is planning." I love goals. I love the direction I receive when I make goals and the peace I feel as I "prepare the way before [me]".

Okay, family, I love you. I hope you are all doing well. I trust that Heavenly Father is watching over you and guiding your lives. I am grateful for my eternal family. I miss you all more than you know, but I am loving where I am with all my heart. I love missionary work and I love that I get to be apart of it. I can't believe we're at the end of another transfer. Granted, this transfer was a lot shorter than most, but I'm sad to have to say goodbye to Sora Heim. I love her so dearly and learn to appreciate her more and more every single day. She is such a great missionary and has so much to give these people.

Va pup. Ceau. Succes. Numai bine. O zi buna.

Va iubesc,
Sora Cook

The sunset from our church (ignore the construction below)

my new favorite contacting park (it reminds me of Austin)

Us and our gorgeous 14 year old girls. Me, Katea, Sora Heim, Valeria, and Mihaiela

Loaves and fishes

Draga mea familia,

My heart is quite full as I write this email. I love reading your testimonies and experiences through your emails. Thank you so much for taking the time to write them. They mean more than you know. You are all incredible. I love seeing your growth through your experiences and learing from your examples. I find myself asking far too often why I am so blessed.

Chisinau is lovely. I love this city. The architecture, the trees that will be blooming and beautiful within the next few weeks, the branch is wonderful, our investigators are amazing, the missionaries are great, and the people are so open. I'm still not used to the Russian, but the way they speak Romanian is quite adorable. They have a very different accent here than the western accent that I'm used to. Compare it to a person from California's accent to a person from New Jersey's accent. So different that it almost doesn't sound like the same language. But, thankfully, it is! I love that Romanian is becoming natural for me. It's always a relief when I hear someone speaking Romanian rather than Russian. I didn't realize how well I understood Romanian until I came here and started hearing Russian.

We were able to meet with Katia, one of our 14-year-old investigators, this last week. She is so wonderful. I wish I could somehow send a glimpse of her spirit and the light in her eyes as she is learning about the gospel. In the lesson previous to our lesson this week, we asked her to start the Book of Mormon and she didn't make time to do it, so we read 1Nephi 1 in our lesson with her. It was wonderful. Her understanding of the scriptures is incredible. She recapped the entire chapter perfectly. We asked her if she knew the Book of Mormon was true and if she had prayed about whether or not our message is true. She told us she hadn't but that she loved meeting with us and she feels as if all of her problems disappear as she walks into the church to meet with us. We invited her to kneel and pray with us and as she said the sweetest, most humble of prayers, I felt the spirit manifesting to me personally how much Heavenly Father loves Katia and that He is taking care of her. We asked her if she knew the church was true, if she would be baptized. She hesitated for a second. I know she knows it's true, so I looked her in the eyes and said "Katia, what is holding you back from being baptized?" She told us she wants to be baptized so badly because she knows it's all true, but that her parents will never allow her to be baptized, especially her dad. We read 1Nephi 3:7 with her and told her that Heavenly Father prepares a way for His commandments to be fullfilled. I promised to pray for her parents and that Heavenly Father is watching over her. I love her so dearly. I look forward to every chance I get to see her and feel her spirit.

We also got to meet with another 14 year old girl named Nastia, who happens to be agnostic. Adica, she believes that God probably exists, but that there is absolutely no way for anyone to know for sure whether or not He truly does exist. Our lesson with her was different than any other lesson I've ever had. I watched her as she sat on the couch, with her arms crossed, open up throughout the lesson as we talked to her about our purpose as missionaries is to share a message and invite others to come unto Christ and is never to "convince" anyone. We weren't really sure why we needed to talk to her about our purpose and our decisions to come on missions, but it was neat to watch her open up and get involved in the lesson as we told her our testimonies of the gospel. We invited her to pray at the end to ask God for herself whether or not he existed; that we could tell her all day that we know He exists, but that she needed to ask for herself. I was shocked when she agreed to pray with us. We all knelt down and she started her prayer. She started praying in Romanian but because Russian is her first language, she stopped half way through and asked if she could do it in Russian so that she could express herself more easily. I learned a few things in this prayer. 1. That Heavenly Father truly does listen to each of His children. Although I couldn't understand a word she said in her prayer, I know that Heavenly Father did. 2. That I have never really asked for myself whether or not God does exist. There has never been a doubt that He exists. I never felt it was something I needed to ask Him because I already knew the answer. But, we're told to ask for our testimonies to be strengthened, even in things we have already gained a testimony of. So that night and every night since, I have asked Heavenly Father to help me strengthen my testimony of His existance. As I've done so, it has been so neat to see the evidence all around me that we truly do have a loving Heavenly Father. Of course, this is something I already knew and never questioned, but as I have sought to deepen my understanding and testimony of this concept, my eyes have been opened to see so many wonderful evidences that God does exist and that He loves us and is our Father in Heaven. After our lesson with Nastia, we encouraged her to keep praying. After seeing her at english on Saturday, I asked if she had been praying. She told me she doesn't have time to pray and I told her that unless she makes that time for God, she'll never really know whether he exists. Whether or not her perspective ever changes, of course I hope it does, but if it doesn't, I will always be grateful for that lesson with her.

Some things I learned this week from studying the scriptures... First of all, D&C 67:3. I don't have time to go onto lds.org to paste the scripture so I will try to quote it as far as I remember it. Christ told them why they weren't receiving the answers they were looking for and told them "there were fears in your hearts, and this is the reason ye did not receive." I read that and stopped and thought about all the fears I have and how those fears are keeping me from receiving the answers that I so desprately desire. It made me analyze how I can better apply faith in my life and especially in missionary work. There are so many fears of not being the missionary I could be or not finding who Heavenly Father wants me to find or fears of my investigators not progressing the way they should. This is a work of faith and hope. There is no room for fear and as long as fear exists, the work won't progress and the answers will not be received. I'm doing my best to apply this in my life, but more importantly, in my misisonary work. Faith and hope, it's something I am striving for!

Oh my, time is passing. There's just not enough of it to share all the insights I have from this week! Oh gawl.

I love in 2 Nephi 4:35 (again, only quoting what I remember, sorry) but it says that "God will give liberally to him that asketh. My god will give me if I ask not amiss." I love this verse. I love, love, love it. The cross reference for this verse was Helaman 10:5 when God tells Nephi that all that he asks will be granted unto him because God knows that Nephi would never ask for anything contrary to God's will. I love the thought of completely handing my will over to the Lord and aligning my will with His. It's such a beautiful notion. Sometimes, so hard to apply and grasp, but a very beautiful notion. Along with faith and hope, I am truly, truly wanting to apply this in my life. I want more than anything to be the best instrament in God's hands but I can't do that unless my will is aligned with His. It's difficult, but not impossible.

I love the life of a missionary. I love waking up at 6:30, getting myself ready for the day while listening to a talk, studying the gospel, and then going out in a very unfamiliar place and talking to unfamiliar people about my Savior. I know that He is watching over all His missionaries. Is there really going to come a day when this won't be my life anymore? How come I only get a year and a half of this? It's not enough time! More often than not, I feel very inadequate to be sharing this perfect message. In those times, I say a quiet little prayer and can almost hear Heavenly Father telling me "Aly, breathe, you're doing okay. Just keep giving me everything you have and I will make it enough." I know that as we just give ourselves to the Lord, all of our hearts, holding nothing back He will make our efforts enough and He will make us enough. Without Him, we could never be enough. Ya know, like loaves and fishes. Without Christ, they were not enough to feed those thousands. We're like loaves and fishes.

Sora Heim and I are doing well. I find more ways to love her every single day. I'm grateful that I get to serve alongside her. She has a very strong testimony and I love the way she teaches the gospel and the way she teaches me.

I love you all so dearly. You are all in my prayers individually (it makes for a long prayer... there's lots of you!). I'm so grateful for you all. I hope you feel the sincerity in that last sentance. Unfortately, words don't describe it well, so I'm praying that Heavenly Fathre will allow you to feel my gratitude and love for you. Keep being amazing.

Va iubesc pe voi,
Sora Cook

parts of Chisinau. This first picture is just a glimpse of the architecture here. All the buildings are this beautiful.

Arcul de triumf

This is a "mortisor" (I might have just spelled that wrong, I'm not really even positive if that's the word for it.) but in March, they celebrate spring and women. March 8th is women's day! Everyone gives these pins to wear on your shirt. Usually the pins consist of red and white string tied together. It's fun and everyone is selling them everywhere, so of course, Sora Heim and I bought one for each other!

Looking forward with faith

 Ceau family!

I'm really not even sure where to start this email. If it seems a little disorganized and scattered, that is a pretty good indication of how my brain has been the last few days. I apologize in advance.

I guess I'll start with my last few days in Arad. It was difficult to leave. We were able to meet with Tina on Tuesday morning. My last lesson with her was beautiful. We talked about families and temples and I was able to share with her my testimony on eternal families and share pictures with her of my beautiful family. She loved seeing pictures of my nieces and nephews and told me how angelic they are and often kissed their pictures. As we talked about our families and the blessings of temples, she asked us what would happen to her parents who never got to hear the gospel in their lives, which was the perfect segway of redeeming the dead. She cried as we told her that after she gets baptized and goes to the temple for herself, she can go back and do that same work for her family who never got to haer and accept the gospel. It was beautiful and such a testimony builder for me of the importance of temple work and the blessings we receive from temples. Heavenly Father is such a kind and loving God. He has prepared a way for every single one of His beloved children to return home to Him. This is something I already knew, it has just been reaffirmed to me throughout my time here and my testimony grows deeper and deeper.

As I sat in my lesson with Tina, I felt a lot of peace about leaving Arad. Earlier that week, as I was packing, I was having a few break downs about leaving. It wasn't that I didn't trust Arad in the hands of my beautiful companion or that I didn't trust it in the hands of my Heavenly Father, but I felt like it was my city and I want so badly for it to be taken care of. But as I sat in that lesson with Tina, Heavenly Father told me through the spirit and through that peace in my heart that all will be well and Arad will be fine and I had nothing to worry about. Since then, I've drawn a lot of strength from that peace I felt in that moment. There's times where that peace leaves, but I go back to how I felt in that moment and remember that all is well and all will always be well as I continue to trust in my Father in Heaven and His plan.

So, Wednesday afternoon we had lunch with one of my favorite of people from Arad, Paula, who I told a little bit about last week, and then we caught our train to Bucuresti! It was a long train ride, but we found ways to make it fun. Card games, talking, laughing, taking pictures. It was fun, but I was so very excited to get off that train that seemed so much smaller at the end of the trip than it did at the beginning. (We did get to see the Danub and the Serbian border on the train ride, that was neat!)

Thursday was the mission conference. For the first time in a long time (and probably the last) our entire mission gathered together for mission conference. Most of the time, they split up the mission and do one conference for half the mission on one day and a conference for the other half the next day, but because of transfers and all the weird changes going on with the length of transfers, they arranged it for us all to go at the same time. Kent F. Richards from the Presidency of the Area of Seventy came and spoke to us. I learned a lot and am grateful he and his wife took the time to come and speak to us. The spirit taught me more than anyone at that conference. I spent most of my time writing down thoughts and impressions that came from the spirit than actually writing what was being said. Maybe I should have been a little more attent, but I feel like I learned exactly what I needed to.

It was so wonderful to get to see my dear friends in my mission and so difficult to say goodbye to them at the end of those two days in Bucuresti. We were supposed to leave Thursday night for Chisinau, but our Zone Leaders forgot to tell us that we still needed to buy tickets, and by the time we found out, it was too late. Unfortunately, there's only one train a day that goes to Chisinau, so we had to wait until Friday night to leave Bucuresti. But we made it. The train ride from Bucuresti to Chisinau was long! Real long. The twelve of us didn't even kind of sleep that night. It was way too hot and with the border control in the middle of the night coming to wake you up to check all your bags, sleeping would have been pointless. So, instead of sleep, we got some really good conversations in. We talked a lot about goals (they knew exactly what to talk about to keep me awake) and I shared a lot of my vision for my mission and my life and I was able to express my passion for goals and learn from them from their vision and goals that they have. It was very inspiring.

My district is quite a bit larger than my district was in Arad. I went from a four missionary district to a 10 missionary district. All but one companionship are Russian speaking missionaries. (Not including our companionship.) There is an Elder Koch in my district... Funny. My companion is Sora Heim. She is from Washington and I love her. We are very different, but we get along great! I'm learing lots from her!

Okay, time is running out and I still have so much to say.

Things are so different here. Chisinau is absolutely beautiful!! I know I will love it here. It is very difficult being in such an unfamiliar place. I keep expecting to see familiar faces, familiar scenery, and hear a familiar language, but it's just not happening. I feel incredibly alone being in such an unfamiliar place, but I am positive it will soon become familiar. No comfort in the growth zone, right? I'm definitely growing. I love any opportunity to rely completely on my Heavenly Father. Times like this allow me to rely on Him completely because I'm really not left with another choice. It is difficult, but so rewarding in the end.

We have a lot of investigators right now. A lot. It's wonderufl. 4 of them are cute, adorable 14 year old girls. I've only met with a few of them so far, but I'm excited to get to know the rest. One of them, whom I already love, is Katia. She is 14 and has the sweetest spirit. She has such a desire to learn and grow in the gospel. I am so excited to get to know her even better and to watch her progress even more. Please keep her in your prayers. She has a rough home situation and needs all the prayers she can get.

Yesterday, Sora Heim and I didn't go to the branch here in Chisinau, we were able to go to Orhei, a close-by city, to see how the relief society is doing there and while we were there, the branch president, who is a missionary, asked us to speak in sacrament meeting. It was wonderful. The branch there is quite small (10 members in sacrament meeting, 3 priesthood holders-2 of them were missionaries), but the relief society is wonderful. I talked to President Hill and we will be going there about once a month to help the relief society.

While in Orhei, I was able to meet one of the missionaries who served her mission in Romania and was the missionary who found Paula Dronca from Arad. It was a tender mercy to be able to meet her and thank her for the work she did in finding Paula and be able to talk to her about the progress Paula has made the last few weeks. I love little tender mercies like this.

I got my birthday package. Thank you so dang much!! It was so perfect!! The clothes, the make up, the candy, the peanut butter, the letters, the pictures! It was all wonderful! You are all incredible. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

So much more to say, but not enough time to say it!!! I love you all so much. I'm so excited for all the changes that are happening, both in my life and in yours. Daddy, I'm so excited for your new calling! You will do amazing things in that singles ward!! And so neat you get to serve with Bishop London. :)

You are all in my prayers. I love you with all my heart.

1-4-3,
Sora Cook

Pictures:

Paula came to say goodbye to us at the gara (train station) before leaving for Bucuresti

Valeria, Me and Katia

Sora Modzelewska, Sora Ewell and I at mission coference I love them both so dearly!