Hello my dear, sweet family,
Thank you all so much for your very much needed prayers. It has been a wonderful week. I've learned a lot about the atonement and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. It hasn't been easy, but it has been so enlightening and a lot of comfort has come from it. I am so grateful for my loving Heavenly Father. Before this wonderful mission of mine, I am not sure I fully grasped the relationship that can grow through prayer. It was always so abstract to me. But it has become more and more real as I've recognized who I am to my Heavenly Father and how important my relationship with Him really is. I know without a doubt He answers my prayers. Even though sometimes, they way He chooses to answer them isn't quite what I had in mind, I'm always so grateful and it's just another testimony to me that my prayers really are heard by my Father in Heaven through my Savior. What an amazing tool we have to pray. I hope I always us it the way Heavenly Father has intended me to and that I always recognize how important and how special it really is.
Zone conference this week was amazing. It was here in Arad. I love gathering and feeling the spirit of all the missionaries and of President and Sora Hill -who are absolutely incredible, by the way. Truly, I am so blessed to have such fantastic, beautiful leaders in my mission. I could write out all the things that I learned, but I don't think it would have much significance to you all, however, I'll do it anyway. The Arad zone leaders did a cool object lesson where they got two Milka Bars (the best chocolate ever) and asked one elder to eat the whole thing in 5 minutes and gave another elder a little piece and told him they'd give him more in a few minutes. After five minutes, the elder that had eaten the whole thing compared to the one who had eaten a few bites at a time felt super sick and the last bite of chocolate was not anywhere near as good as the first bite of the chocolate. They related it to our teaching and how we try to shove as much doctrine down their throat in such a short amount of time... which is true. We sometimes forget that talking about the entire restoration or plan of salvation from beginning to end is a lot to handle if you've never heard it before. Anyway, the challenged us to have shorter lessons with more simple and plain truths and recognizing that if we do it that way that we are more likely to be invited back to share more rather than having an hour lesson trying to get as much as possible taught... they probably won't be so thrilled to have us back. I hope that made sense the way I said it. The other zone leaders did an object lesson about baptism and how we need to establish an end goal from the very beginning. Otherwise, they're just running around the room without a finish line.
President Hill spoke and gave his wise words of encouragement. His words pierced my heart and inspired me to be so much better and work so much harder. There's so much I get to improve on. Unfortunately, I don't think this will never NOT be the case. He talked about not knowing the influence one bad or good choice can make and how we can't afford to be disobedient... the salvation of the people we've called to serve is not worth breaking that one rule or is not worth sleeping in. They seem like such simple rules sometimes and we think it's harmless but I know that as we keep all the rules and are always consciously obedient (I like that a lot better than exactly obedient) I know that we will be protected and the spirit will be with us to testify to those who have been prepared. We need to prepare ourselves through obedience and study to meet the people who are ready to receive the witness of the Holy Ghost.
As far as our investigators go, everyone is doing splendid. Madalina is progressing and her testimony is growing. Our goal this week is to get a lesson with her parents. We've always just done our lessons at the villa after english class... but we really want to get a lesson at her home with her parents. Hopefully that happens. It's so important that the gospel is taught to families and that they grow together.
Marcel... we're not really sure what's happened to him. He's in Bucaresti for a few weeks, unfortunately. Hopefully we get to meet with him when he returns. We'll see.
There are a few other potentials that we are working with that I'm pretty excited about. This week we start teaching Alexandra and Mihai (the 10&8 year olds) I'm so excited. It's like teaching primary again!
Transfers are next week!! Oh my goodness. I have been praying ever so intently to be at peace with where ever I go or whoever I'm put with. I've really been so spoiled with Sora Remsberg and the Elders here in Arad. I'm praying we all stay together again:) however, whatever happens, I know it is exactly what is supposed to happen. I trust in President Hill and know that he is guided by Heavenly Father to place us exactly where we need to be in order to grow into the kind of missionaries that Heavenly Father would have us be.
I do get to go down the Bucaresti for transfers though. I need to get my visa and whatnot. Which means I get to see Sora Ewell!! I'm so excited! She sent me a letter this last week and it was so good to hear from her.
Seriously, how have I been so spoiled to have such amazing companions? I feel like I have 2 new sisters. I feel so close to both of them. I can't wait to find out who will be my next companion. I know I will love her just as much!
Family, I love you all so much. I'm happy to hear about BYU. I called the senior couple first thing Friday morning to find out who won. Go Cougars. Sorry about Boise State Ryan... That's too bad. I'm sure they'll have a great year though! Not that any of this is important, but it's still fun to hear about in your emails.. and from the senior couple:)
Miss you all. Everyone give everyone hugs for me! And happy birthday Garrett and Isabel!!!! 16 and 6. What in the world? I must be getting old. Dang it...
All my love,
Sora Cook
Thank you all so much for your very much needed prayers. It has been a wonderful week. I've learned a lot about the atonement and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. It hasn't been easy, but it has been so enlightening and a lot of comfort has come from it. I am so grateful for my loving Heavenly Father. Before this wonderful mission of mine, I am not sure I fully grasped the relationship that can grow through prayer. It was always so abstract to me. But it has become more and more real as I've recognized who I am to my Heavenly Father and how important my relationship with Him really is. I know without a doubt He answers my prayers. Even though sometimes, they way He chooses to answer them isn't quite what I had in mind, I'm always so grateful and it's just another testimony to me that my prayers really are heard by my Father in Heaven through my Savior. What an amazing tool we have to pray. I hope I always us it the way Heavenly Father has intended me to and that I always recognize how important and how special it really is.
Zone conference this week was amazing. It was here in Arad. I love gathering and feeling the spirit of all the missionaries and of President and Sora Hill -who are absolutely incredible, by the way. Truly, I am so blessed to have such fantastic, beautiful leaders in my mission. I could write out all the things that I learned, but I don't think it would have much significance to you all, however, I'll do it anyway. The Arad zone leaders did a cool object lesson where they got two Milka Bars (the best chocolate ever) and asked one elder to eat the whole thing in 5 minutes and gave another elder a little piece and told him they'd give him more in a few minutes. After five minutes, the elder that had eaten the whole thing compared to the one who had eaten a few bites at a time felt super sick and the last bite of chocolate was not anywhere near as good as the first bite of the chocolate. They related it to our teaching and how we try to shove as much doctrine down their throat in such a short amount of time... which is true. We sometimes forget that talking about the entire restoration or plan of salvation from beginning to end is a lot to handle if you've never heard it before. Anyway, the challenged us to have shorter lessons with more simple and plain truths and recognizing that if we do it that way that we are more likely to be invited back to share more rather than having an hour lesson trying to get as much as possible taught... they probably won't be so thrilled to have us back. I hope that made sense the way I said it. The other zone leaders did an object lesson about baptism and how we need to establish an end goal from the very beginning. Otherwise, they're just running around the room without a finish line.
President Hill spoke and gave his wise words of encouragement. His words pierced my heart and inspired me to be so much better and work so much harder. There's so much I get to improve on. Unfortunately, I don't think this will never NOT be the case. He talked about not knowing the influence one bad or good choice can make and how we can't afford to be disobedient... the salvation of the people we've called to serve is not worth breaking that one rule or is not worth sleeping in. They seem like such simple rules sometimes and we think it's harmless but I know that as we keep all the rules and are always consciously obedient (I like that a lot better than exactly obedient) I know that we will be protected and the spirit will be with us to testify to those who have been prepared. We need to prepare ourselves through obedience and study to meet the people who are ready to receive the witness of the Holy Ghost.
As far as our investigators go, everyone is doing splendid. Madalina is progressing and her testimony is growing. Our goal this week is to get a lesson with her parents. We've always just done our lessons at the villa after english class... but we really want to get a lesson at her home with her parents. Hopefully that happens. It's so important that the gospel is taught to families and that they grow together.
Marcel... we're not really sure what's happened to him. He's in Bucaresti for a few weeks, unfortunately. Hopefully we get to meet with him when he returns. We'll see.
There are a few other potentials that we are working with that I'm pretty excited about. This week we start teaching Alexandra and Mihai (the 10&8 year olds) I'm so excited. It's like teaching primary again!
Transfers are next week!! Oh my goodness. I have been praying ever so intently to be at peace with where ever I go or whoever I'm put with. I've really been so spoiled with Sora Remsberg and the Elders here in Arad. I'm praying we all stay together again:) however, whatever happens, I know it is exactly what is supposed to happen. I trust in President Hill and know that he is guided by Heavenly Father to place us exactly where we need to be in order to grow into the kind of missionaries that Heavenly Father would have us be.
I do get to go down the Bucaresti for transfers though. I need to get my visa and whatnot. Which means I get to see Sora Ewell!! I'm so excited! She sent me a letter this last week and it was so good to hear from her.
Seriously, how have I been so spoiled to have such amazing companions? I feel like I have 2 new sisters. I feel so close to both of them. I can't wait to find out who will be my next companion. I know I will love her just as much!
Family, I love you all so much. I'm happy to hear about BYU. I called the senior couple first thing Friday morning to find out who won. Go Cougars. Sorry about Boise State Ryan... That's too bad. I'm sure they'll have a great year though! Not that any of this is important, but it's still fun to hear about in your emails.. and from the senior couple:)
Miss you all. Everyone give everyone hugs for me! And happy birthday Garrett and Isabel!!!! 16 and 6. What in the world? I must be getting old. Dang it...
All my love,
Sora Cook
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