Where do I even start to tell of the amazing-ness that was this last week? I will do my best to put into words just how incredible it was.
let me start by saying, I love with all my heart being a missionary. As Sora Ewell would say, "Who signed me up for this?". Who signed me up to experience more growth and more light than I could possibly imagine? I am so inexpressibly grateful and humbled. I am not worthy of the blessings of this mission.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Zone Conference (twice) and Zone Leader Council with all the leaders of this mission including Elder Kerr, of the seventy, and his beautiful, sweet wife. I am not going to lie, it was a hard week. Beautiful and so rewarding, but also very hard. My eyes were opened to things that need to be corrected, both within myself and within this mission. Although there was no time to do our presentation at Zone Leader Council, I was able to address my concerns for our mission and I'm so grateful I did. It was definitely something that needed to be addressed and is now something I am working with Sora Hill to help improve in our mission. We will see what comes from it. I am excited for the changes that will soon come to our mission as we implement all we discussed at Zone Leader Council.
Elder Kerr spoke to the Zone Leaders about goals - my most favorite of subjects of which I have a burning testimony. He opened up a whole new way of looking at goals -which is why it was discussed for 3 hours at Zone Leader Council. However, that 3 hours felt like 30 minutes. I was a little ball of energy throughout the entire meeting. I loved every second. What he taught us is a process of goal setting that will take a little while to fully implement in the entire mission. But it will come and when it does, it will be oh-so powerful. Basically, one of the biggest takeaways was that goals are so much more apart of God's plan than we could ever possibly grasp. That being said, I intend to spend the rest of my life attempting to grasp it and applying goals in my life. My testimony of goals was already very strong, but now, words cannot describe the testimony I have and the excitement I feel about goals.
My scripture for the week? One we all know and could probably recite, but probably have the hardest time actually applying. John 13:34-35.
"...Love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
It is if we love one another that we are his disciples. It's hard for me when i see people who are called to be representatives of the Lord not putting this scripture into practice, especially towards those of whom they have been called to serve alongside.
This mission will have sister leaders soon. Elder Kerr predicts that this mission will be 50% sisters in the next year. Heavenly Father is helping me figure out how we can have sister-leaders in our mission and what that would look like. In the MTC, we had coordinating sisters, which after mentioning to Sora Hill, she thinks would be a wonderful idea. We're drawing out an action plan together. Stay tuned.
Can I just tell you how much more respect I have for the Zone Leaders of our mission?? They are absolutely incredible. I came away from Zone Leader Council with so much respect and love for them. I'm so grateful for their dedicated service and for their examples of obedience. They are great.
Last week, being in a large city that neither Sora Smith nor I knew, we had the opportunity of spending an excessive amount of time with the Assistants to the President, Elder Newey and Elder Harrison. Just a little side note on Elder Newey, he is probably the most Christ-like of people. I've never met someone who reminds me so much of Jared. As you can imagine, I just love being around him for that reason. Anyway, as I was helping Elder Newey clean (he is always serving) I asked him at what points in his mission has he found that he is the happiest. He answered beautifully and asked me the same question. I responded that I just love watching things grow and witnessing how people exercise their faith in the gospel. I realized in that moment and even more so over the next few days just how much our branch here in Arad has grown and for that reason why they make my heart so happy. In my first transfer, we were sitting in Branch Council and it was a disaster. There was no unity within the branch, despite the leaders never ending efforts, there just was not a foundation of unity. I knew that it would be incredibly difficult to bring people into this branch when the foundation was so shaky. As I sat in our Thanksgiving activity on Saturday night, watching our branch sing, dance and laugh together, that question I asked Elder Newey flowed through my mind. This is when I am the happiest. Witnessing growth. (maybe this is why I love children so much, who knows...) It was in that moment on Saturday night, as I watched the faithful members of our branch befriend one another, that I realized this is what Heavenly Father has been working on in this branch. Now that there is a foundation of faith and love within the Arad branch, I know that the Lord will bless this branch with more members in the near future. It was such a neat realization and I'm so grateful I have been able to witness the growth of this branch and it's beautiful members.
Unfortunately, Mona could not meet last Monday night, but we are hoping to meet with her tonight. I have a really good feeling about her.
We are also working with the boyfriend of one of our members. He is older (early 50's) and is just loving the gospel. His name is Stefan and he comes to church even when Sora Chira (his girlfriend) doesn't. He comes to institute and all the activities. We plan to meet with him tomorrow and Wednesday. He is very open and is progressing. I love meeting with him. He has the most pure eyes. That sentence doesn't really make sense, but just looking into his eyes, you can see his pure soul. I don't know how else to describe it.
We have so many potentials that we are hoping to meet with this week. If our week goes the way we have planned, we could have a really successful week. Please please pray that our potentials will turn into investigators.
Natali still has not returned and it looks like she won't for a while. She will most likely need to be re-baptized when she returns. This is the most bizarre of situations and I'm really not sure what to do seeing that we don't really have communication with her. Maybe you could call Kenton's family and see what her plans are?? Please keep her in your prayers.
Overall, it was a wonderful week. I am amazed at the way the Lord works. And on top of all of this amazing-ness, I got to see Sora Ewell and Sora Modzelewska. Being around the two of them makes me feel closer to my Savior and is a little piece of heaven for me. It's the closest thing I've felt to being around family since leaving on my mission. I felt a hole in my heart as soon as they left. I miss them both dearly already. They are angels. Sora Ewell also sang at her Zone Conference, which I got to be at of because of our adventure of going a day early, and she sang beautifully. I love feeling her spirit as she sings and the light that shines from her as she bares her testimony through song. She is beautiful in every sense of the word.
It was so fun to see the pictures of ALL my beautiful nieces and nephews. So neat. Yes, I cried as I looked at each of their faces, wanting to kiss their little cheeks and give my love to them through biggest hug they could imagine. I love my nieces and nephews. All 16 of them.
I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving and felt my love for you. I prayed that you would.
atat de recunocatoare,
Sora Cook
This mission will have sister leaders soon. Elder Kerr predicts that this mission will be 50% sisters in the next year. Heavenly Father is helping me figure out how we can have sister-leaders in our mission and what that would look like. In the MTC, we had coordinating sisters, which after mentioning to Sora Hill, she thinks would be a wonderful idea. We're drawing out an action plan together. Stay tuned.
Can I just tell you how much more respect I have for the Zone Leaders of our mission?? They are absolutely incredible. I came away from Zone Leader Council with so much respect and love for them. I'm so grateful for their dedicated service and for their examples of obedience. They are great.
Last week, being in a large city that neither Sora Smith nor I knew, we had the opportunity of spending an excessive amount of time with the Assistants to the President, Elder Newey and Elder Harrison. Just a little side note on Elder Newey, he is probably the most Christ-like of people. I've never met someone who reminds me so much of Jared. As you can imagine, I just love being around him for that reason. Anyway, as I was helping Elder Newey clean (he is always serving) I asked him at what points in his mission has he found that he is the happiest. He answered beautifully and asked me the same question. I responded that I just love watching things grow and witnessing how people exercise their faith in the gospel. I realized in that moment and even more so over the next few days just how much our branch here in Arad has grown and for that reason why they make my heart so happy. In my first transfer, we were sitting in Branch Council and it was a disaster. There was no unity within the branch, despite the leaders never ending efforts, there just was not a foundation of unity. I knew that it would be incredibly difficult to bring people into this branch when the foundation was so shaky. As I sat in our Thanksgiving activity on Saturday night, watching our branch sing, dance and laugh together, that question I asked Elder Newey flowed through my mind. This is when I am the happiest. Witnessing growth. (maybe this is why I love children so much, who knows...) It was in that moment on Saturday night, as I watched the faithful members of our branch befriend one another, that I realized this is what Heavenly Father has been working on in this branch. Now that there is a foundation of faith and love within the Arad branch, I know that the Lord will bless this branch with more members in the near future. It was such a neat realization and I'm so grateful I have been able to witness the growth of this branch and it's beautiful members.
Unfortunately, Mona could not meet last Monday night, but we are hoping to meet with her tonight. I have a really good feeling about her.
We are also working with the boyfriend of one of our members. He is older (early 50's) and is just loving the gospel. His name is Stefan and he comes to church even when Sora Chira (his girlfriend) doesn't. He comes to institute and all the activities. We plan to meet with him tomorrow and Wednesday. He is very open and is progressing. I love meeting with him. He has the most pure eyes. That sentence doesn't really make sense, but just looking into his eyes, you can see his pure soul. I don't know how else to describe it.
We have so many potentials that we are hoping to meet with this week. If our week goes the way we have planned, we could have a really successful week. Please please pray that our potentials will turn into investigators.
Natali still has not returned and it looks like she won't for a while. She will most likely need to be re-baptized when she returns. This is the most bizarre of situations and I'm really not sure what to do seeing that we don't really have communication with her. Maybe you could call Kenton's family and see what her plans are?? Please keep her in your prayers.
Overall, it was a wonderful week. I am amazed at the way the Lord works. And on top of all of this amazing-ness, I got to see Sora Ewell and Sora Modzelewska. Being around the two of them makes me feel closer to my Savior and is a little piece of heaven for me. It's the closest thing I've felt to being around family since leaving on my mission. I felt a hole in my heart as soon as they left. I miss them both dearly already. They are angels. Sora Ewell also sang at her Zone Conference, which I got to be at of because of our adventure of going a day early, and she sang beautifully. I love feeling her spirit as she sings and the light that shines from her as she bares her testimony through song. She is beautiful in every sense of the word.
It was so fun to see the pictures of ALL my beautiful nieces and nephews. So neat. Yes, I cried as I looked at each of their faces, wanting to kiss their little cheeks and give my love to them through biggest hug they could imagine. I love my nieces and nephews. All 16 of them.
I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving and felt my love for you. I prayed that you would.
atat de recunocatoare,
Sora Cook
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| I'm not in this picture, but this is some of the wonderful members in our branch. Don't you just love their unity?? Please note that 3 of these wonderful members were less active 5 months ago. Brings tears to my eyes. (the one with the thumbs up is the one we have to thank for this new-found branch unity. He is incredible and his name is Edi. He is our ward mission leader.) |
Sora Ewell, don't kill me, but I attached the recording of you singing. It was too beautiful not to. Love you :) Ps, why did we not get any pictures together? We must be better at that. Next time.
Mother, in case your worried, I am no longer sick and 100% better. :)
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