Ceau my lovely family,
I loved your emails. All so uplifting and inspiring. One of my goals this transfer is to remember my purpose in all I do by asking myself how that specific activity helps me be a better missionary or fulfill my purpose. This morning as I was on my way to our cute, little internet cafe, I thought to myself, "How does writing my family and reading their emails help me become a better missionary?" and you all answered that questions as I read your words. You truly inspire me to be better. While I was in the MTC one of the speakers said "Be the kind of missionary that your parents think you are." This has totally stuck with me and I love it because I know what my family and more importantly what my Heavenly Father expects of me and I want so badly to live up to those expectations. Thank you so much for inspiring me through your own lives and your spiritual experiences to be the best missionary I can be. I appreciate it and I am so grateful for your examples. You are all wonderful!!:) Truly. You are. I would love to hear from the rest of you if you get a second. Doesn't have to be long, but it's always good to hear how your lives are going.
TRANSFERS!!! Ohhh boy. I love my new companion. Sora Smith is wonderful. She is so very different from Sora Remsberg but just as amazing. She is from Lindon and only has 2 transfers left. She is definitely dedicated to her purpose as a missionary and so driven to do everything she can. She is more quiet, not shy, but quiet. I love her and I'm so excited for what this transfer will bring with her. Adjusting to change is never easy for me. Saying goodbye to people I love has always been hard for me and that was no different with Sora Remsberg and Elder Harrison. It was tough. I love and respect them both so much. They have taught me so much about what it means to be a missionary. I hope I get to serve around them both again. That being said, I am grateful that such amazing missionaries replaced them here in beautiful Arad. Elder Taylor is our new fabulous district leader and he's great.
It was so good to go to transfers and see some of my greatest friends. Sora Ewell. What an angel she is. I love her so much. She said it perfectly at transfers when she said that when we're back together, it's almost like I'm with my family. I truly feel like she is one of my sisters. I look up to her so much and I learn so much from her even just from being around her for a few hours. I hope and pray I get to serve with her. I also go to see so many other missionaries that I love and look up to! Sora Modzelewska... She cracks me up. Truly I look up to her so much. There aren't many people who have as much faith as she does. It's inspiring.
Okay, back to the missionary work. It has been a great week. Saturday night we had a talent show with the branch and we finally got some of the less actives that we've been working with (Rozi and Adela) to come. It took a few visits and we had to go right before the activity and drag them with us, but they came and they loved it:) They are so wonderful. I absolutely love them both.
We visited a less active family last night (we go every sunday) and last night we talked to them about families and temples and the role temples play in the family and they told us they talked to the branch president last week and they are planning on going through in May! Oh my goodness. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. They have been less active for the last few months and are now working really hard to be active and come to church every week and prepare to go to the temple. If only you could meet them. They are absolutely incredible. They have one daughter (9 years old) who was baptized last year and I may or may not steal her and bring her home with me:) Kidding. But she is adorable. Funny story actually, as we were talking about temples I told them our story of Jared and how much comfort it brought to our family that because we were sealed together, we would see him again. However, I said "pentru că părinții mei s-au câștigat în templu" instead of "pentru că părinții mei s-au căsătorit în templu". Basically I got the word "câștigat" and "căsătorit" mixed up. Dang it. Câștigat means 'won' and căsătorit means 'married'. The good news is, I don't think I'll ever forget the word "married" ever again. I'm sure that's only one of the many mistakes I made.
Something I've learned since being out here that there is a distinct difference between getting discouraged and being disappointed. It talks about this a bit in Preach my Gospel and I've been focusing my studies on these two words the last few weeks. It is so easy to get discouraged when something doesn't work out the way we would hope but I don't think getting discouraged is constructive. It's actually quite DEstructive. I've learned that the biggest difference between these two words is that 'disappointment' is not living up to certain expectations, whether it's myself or someone we're teaching and recognizing room for improvement... aka constructive; and 'discouragement' is doubting that those expectations can ever be met.. aka, destructive. One of the ways I've found to not get discouraged is to have my nightly companionship inventory with my Heavenly Father. I've said this in so many emails, but I love accounting to Him at night. Explaining where I did what I could and where I can improve and then asking for His help to do so. It's so inspiring and such an empowering process for me. I try to always start out these prayers with telling my Heavenly Father, "I know you're listening to me and I know that no matter what I tell you in this prayer, I will still be loved at the end of it." It helps me be completely open and honest with Him and with myself and helps me see where I can improve and where I truly did all I could.
I've also been studying a lot about revelation. As missionaries, we're expected to receive a lot of revelation and so I figured I should probably understand this concept a little better. As I've studied it, I've found a pattern or a process in receiving revelation. I started studying the greatest revelation of this dispensation in Joseph Smith History when Joseph read in James 1:5. As I've studied it and seen the patterns in that revelation, I've compared it with other revelations and found a similar process in each one.
I loved your emails. All so uplifting and inspiring. One of my goals this transfer is to remember my purpose in all I do by asking myself how that specific activity helps me be a better missionary or fulfill my purpose. This morning as I was on my way to our cute, little internet cafe, I thought to myself, "How does writing my family and reading their emails help me become a better missionary?" and you all answered that questions as I read your words. You truly inspire me to be better. While I was in the MTC one of the speakers said "Be the kind of missionary that your parents think you are." This has totally stuck with me and I love it because I know what my family and more importantly what my Heavenly Father expects of me and I want so badly to live up to those expectations. Thank you so much for inspiring me through your own lives and your spiritual experiences to be the best missionary I can be. I appreciate it and I am so grateful for your examples. You are all wonderful!!:) Truly. You are. I would love to hear from the rest of you if you get a second. Doesn't have to be long, but it's always good to hear how your lives are going.
TRANSFERS!!! Ohhh boy. I love my new companion. Sora Smith is wonderful. She is so very different from Sora Remsberg but just as amazing. She is from Lindon and only has 2 transfers left. She is definitely dedicated to her purpose as a missionary and so driven to do everything she can. She is more quiet, not shy, but quiet. I love her and I'm so excited for what this transfer will bring with her. Adjusting to change is never easy for me. Saying goodbye to people I love has always been hard for me and that was no different with Sora Remsberg and Elder Harrison. It was tough. I love and respect them both so much. They have taught me so much about what it means to be a missionary. I hope I get to serve around them both again. That being said, I am grateful that such amazing missionaries replaced them here in beautiful Arad. Elder Taylor is our new fabulous district leader and he's great.
It was so good to go to transfers and see some of my greatest friends. Sora Ewell. What an angel she is. I love her so much. She said it perfectly at transfers when she said that when we're back together, it's almost like I'm with my family. I truly feel like she is one of my sisters. I look up to her so much and I learn so much from her even just from being around her for a few hours. I hope and pray I get to serve with her. I also go to see so many other missionaries that I love and look up to! Sora Modzelewska... She cracks me up. Truly I look up to her so much. There aren't many people who have as much faith as she does. It's inspiring.
Okay, back to the missionary work. It has been a great week. Saturday night we had a talent show with the branch and we finally got some of the less actives that we've been working with (Rozi and Adela) to come. It took a few visits and we had to go right before the activity and drag them with us, but they came and they loved it:) They are so wonderful. I absolutely love them both.
We visited a less active family last night (we go every sunday) and last night we talked to them about families and temples and the role temples play in the family and they told us they talked to the branch president last week and they are planning on going through in May! Oh my goodness. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. They have been less active for the last few months and are now working really hard to be active and come to church every week and prepare to go to the temple. If only you could meet them. They are absolutely incredible. They have one daughter (9 years old) who was baptized last year and I may or may not steal her and bring her home with me:) Kidding. But she is adorable. Funny story actually, as we were talking about temples I told them our story of Jared and how much comfort it brought to our family that because we were sealed together, we would see him again. However, I said "pentru că părinții mei s-au câștigat în templu" instead of "pentru că părinții mei s-au căsătorit în templu". Basically I got the word "câștigat" and "căsătorit" mixed up. Dang it. Câștigat means 'won' and căsătorit means 'married'. The good news is, I don't think I'll ever forget the word "married" ever again. I'm sure that's only one of the many mistakes I made.
Something I've learned since being out here that there is a distinct difference between getting discouraged and being disappointed. It talks about this a bit in Preach my Gospel and I've been focusing my studies on these two words the last few weeks. It is so easy to get discouraged when something doesn't work out the way we would hope but I don't think getting discouraged is constructive. It's actually quite DEstructive. I've learned that the biggest difference between these two words is that 'disappointment' is not living up to certain expectations, whether it's myself or someone we're teaching and recognizing room for improvement... aka constructive; and 'discouragement' is doubting that those expectations can ever be met.. aka, destructive. One of the ways I've found to not get discouraged is to have my nightly companionship inventory with my Heavenly Father. I've said this in so many emails, but I love accounting to Him at night. Explaining where I did what I could and where I can improve and then asking for His help to do so. It's so inspiring and such an empowering process for me. I try to always start out these prayers with telling my Heavenly Father, "I know you're listening to me and I know that no matter what I tell you in this prayer, I will still be loved at the end of it." It helps me be completely open and honest with Him and with myself and helps me see where I can improve and where I truly did all I could.
I've also been studying a lot about revelation. As missionaries, we're expected to receive a lot of revelation and so I figured I should probably understand this concept a little better. As I've studied it, I've found a pattern or a process in receiving revelation. I started studying the greatest revelation of this dispensation in Joseph Smith History when Joseph read in James 1:5. As I've studied it and seen the patterns in that revelation, I've compared it with other revelations and found a similar process in each one.
First, comes being humbled. JSH 1:8. Joseph recognized that it was impossible for a person as young as he was to come up with the correct answer. He recognized he needed to look outside of himself for answers. (Nephi had a similar realization before his amazing vision.)
Second, is a desire to learn or to know something you don't currently know. JSH 1:10
Third, is studying and searching for an answer JSH 1:11
-whether through prayer, scriptures, fasting, words of prophets, giving options, and sometimes includes acting on one of the options given
(next comes the actual receiving an answer, but I don't count this as a step because it's not something that we actually do. It comes as a result of what we do.)
Fourth, after receiving an answer, pondering the answer you received JSH 1:12 and asking Heavenly Father if that was the answer you were supposed to receive or asking him if there is any more to receive.
Fifth, ACT and live out the answer you received. JSH 1:14 Express gratitude for the answer received and live according to the knowledge Heavenly Father has given you. Give Him a reason to trust you with more revelation.
Second, is a desire to learn or to know something you don't currently know. JSH 1:10
Third, is studying and searching for an answer JSH 1:11
-whether through prayer, scriptures, fasting, words of prophets, giving options, and sometimes includes acting on one of the options given
(next comes the actual receiving an answer, but I don't count this as a step because it's not something that we actually do. It comes as a result of what we do.)
Fourth, after receiving an answer, pondering the answer you received JSH 1:12 and asking Heavenly Father if that was the answer you were supposed to receive or asking him if there is any more to receive.
Fifth, ACT and live out the answer you received. JSH 1:14 Express gratitude for the answer received and live according to the knowledge Heavenly Father has given you. Give Him a reason to trust you with more revelation.
This realization and recognizing this process has helped me so much. I love it. I plan on studying it a lot more and paralleling it with other revelations we know of in the scriptures. I will keep you updated on any other thoughts I have. I would love to hear yours as well:)
Seems like it was an exciting week in the real world. BYU-UT, iPhone5, Al Queda... what in the.. Glad I'm missing it all. Minus the iPhone5. SOUNDS SO COOL! UGH. These little dinky phones are pathetic compared to that. Well, they're pathetic compared to just about anything.
Tomorrow is Zone Training meeting and sora smith and I have to give a presentation. I'm excited. I love giving presentations. And it's on goal setting. I LOVE GOAL SETTING!:) I'll let you know how it goes.
Pretty sure this is a novel. Apologies!
Love you all more than you know. Thank you again for your emails and for the pictures. Much appreciated. You are all incredible. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!! It was wonderful. It was so fun to hear from McCall and Libby and Alisha! They're so big. Tell them thank you and give them a hug for me. And Jenny Andrews, thank you so much. You are magnificent. I look up to you so much. Give Morgan a big hug for me in 19 days! Can't believe it. And make him write me. Also loved the mini animals, mom you're hilarious. Pens, pencils, postcards, cds, letters... it was all so very appreciated and I loved it all. Especially the hearts with the little secret message in the box. Thanks again. I love you all.
All my love,
Sora Cook
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| This is our first picture as a district on our first day as a district. It's going to be a fantastic transfer:) |
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Me and my lovely new companion. Can't you just see in her cute face how sweet she is?! It's true. She's a doll. |
This is a cool article on LDS.org. Read it and apply it. I dare you.
Seven Suggestions to share the gospel
http://www.lds.org/topics/missionary-work/seven-simple-suggestions-for-sharing-the-gospel?lang=eng
Seven Suggestions to share the gospel
http://www.lds.org/topics/missionary-work/seven-simple-suggestions-for-sharing-the-gospel?lang=eng
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