gratitude, love, happiness and all those good things...

Buna ziua familia mea

Thank you all for your emails. I know I say this every week, but I don't think you all understand how inspiring you are and how much you push me to be a better person. Thank you so much for that.

Another amazing week here in Arad. Heavenly Father continues to bless us way beyond what we are worthy. In small and simple ways, we see the hand of the Lord each and every day.

Update on our investigators:
We met with Ramona, the girl we knocked into a few weeks ago. She had read the pamphlet we gave her on the restoration and she really liked it. She told us, "I really love what I read, but I have no way of knowing whether or not it is true." Perfect segway into Moroni 10:3-5. We shared that with her and invited her to pray about Joseph Smith and gave her a Book of Mormon to start reading. She agreed to do that and we meet with her again next Wednesday. Please keep her in your prayers.

Tina. I love her so much. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to meet with her since last week. Each time we set up a lesson, she calls the morning of and tells us she can't meet. It's breaking my heart. However, the call is a good sign that she actually does care. This morning we went to her house anyway and she wasn't home, so we left a note with her neighbor. I know she is so ready but I think satan is just doing a good enough job right now convincing her she isn't. I'm doing my best to put all my hope and faith in Christ that he will take care of her.

Which is something I've been studying a lot lately. The question I had in the back of my mind all week is 'what is the difference between hope and naivete?'. I have hope each and every time we meet with someone that they will progress... but after we lose contact with each investigator that I previously had so much hope in, I'm left wondering if I was just being naive. I studied hope quite a bit this week and I came across a verse that has brought me the understanding I was seeking. Ether 12:4. Beautiful verse. It taught me that hope cometh of faith and that faith is an anchor to the soul, which makes us steadfast and always abounding in good works, which works allow us to glorify God. When we lack hope, we lack that anchor and desire to abound in good works because we feel that those good works are hopeless. If we don't have that hope in a better world, abounding in good works would seem pointless.

So, I choose to have hope. Hope in a better world, hope in the work, and hope in Christ.

We visited with a less active this week and shared Alma 37:40-41 with her. As I was reading about what we should share, I found these verses and I thought so much of how they relate to missionary work. Especially verse 40. When we are slothful and forget to exercise our faith and diligence, the marvelous works which come by small means, cease and we don't progress in our journey, adica (in other words)... our purpose. And then, like in verse 41, we travel an indirect course and are afflicted with "hunger" because of our transgressions.

Forgetting to exercise our faith and diligence is a transgression that removes the guidance of the spirit from our lives. So, I took that personal study and wrote down all the ways we exercise our faith and diligence so that I might always remember to do those things in order to be led by the spirit. It was a neat experience as I realized how much of what we do relies upon our application of faith.

This email is short, I'm sorry. But I'm doing well! I still love it here in Arad and all the work of which Heavenly Father is letting us be apart. It's amazing and beautiful.

My scripture of the week that brought me comfort in a moment of doubt is D&C 29:3-6 "Ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing... Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is His good will to give you the kingdom." So beautiful. And so comforting. I have been called of God to be here in Romania and to declare the beautiful message of His gospel. As inadequate as I feel, I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am striving to not idle away my time, knowing that I only have this short amount of time to serve my Heavenly Father to this capacity. 

I love you all so dearly and am so grateful for my eternal family. Be good and know you are loved.

va iubesc,
Sora Aly Cook

ps, happy birthday this week Maysen! I love you! A birthday card is coming to you. Sorry it won't be there by your birthday!

Good luck in the crazy weather you're getting!! Not fun!! Drive safe!!!!

a consecrated week

Family,

Sorry this is being sent later. We switched our preperation schedule around a bit today, with permission of course!

Reading all your emails filled my heart with joy and love and my eyes with tears. How am I so blessed? You are all so much more incredible than you could ever know. Truly.

This week has been such an incredible, amazing week. Words can't begin to describe to you the miracles we've been able to witness. Heavenly Father truly is watching over us and guiding us so tenderly.

Last week, we went block knocking and as we were deciding which blocks to go to, the thought came into my head "It doesn't matter where you go, you aren't trusted with prepared people." I said a prayer and asked God if that was a thought from Him, myself, or Satan so I could know how to respond to it. If it was a thought from Him, I wanted to know so I could fix what I needed to be trusted by Him. As we got on the tramvai I had the quietest feeling of "You are being led." We prayed about which block to go into and chose a section of blocks and started knocking. In the second block, the twenty-fourth door, we met Ramona. She let us in... happily. She listened to us... willingly. She set another appointment with us... excitedly. I felt in that short 20 minute lesson about Joseph Smith so guided and helped by the spirit to know exactly what to say. I truly felt the promise of D&C 100: 4-8. It was beautiful. I am so grateful for the power I felt as the Holy Ghost showed me that we are indeed led by Heavenly Father to prepared people. I just feel so grateful for prayer and the opportunity we have to pour out our hearts to our Father in Heaven who is listening so intently.

That night, we had a difficult experience with one of our investigators, Elena, who is a seventh day adventist. She is so nice and has a lot of really great questions. Questions that I had no idea what the answers were or why we do things the way we do them. She is wrapped up in all the times it talks about resting on the 7th day (saturday) and I explained what little I know about how that changed after Christ was resurrected and broke bread on the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7) I wish I knew more.. but I don't. And to be honest, I don't care when we worship as long as we do it and they've told us to worship on Sunday and because I have a testimony that they are prohets of God, I don't question it. I wish I could give her a testimony but all I could do that night was tell her mine. It took all my energy not to break down crying. Luckily, I held it together until we got out in the hall. I just want so badly for her to let go of all the "little" details and pray about the restoration, to pray about the Book of Mormon and gain a testimony for herself of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't explain why this lesson was so hard, but it was. My heart just hurt the whole time as I prayed to know what to say to help her. I hope that someday she opens her heart enough to feel the spirit telling her the truth and that she has the faith enough to act on it.

We had a lesson with a former investigator the other day. I mentioned her last week. Her name is Tina and when we called her to set up a lesson with her, we found out she still reads from the Book of Mormon and that she was in Alma 54. As we were talking about what to teach her during weekly planning last week, we felt prompted to teach her the lesson of the 5 steps of the gospel (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) and to invite her to commit to be baptized. We prayed about what date to extend and both felt right about February 9th. When we went last Tuesday for our lesson, she wasn't home, so we gave the pamphlet of what we wanted to talk to her about to her neighbor to give to her. When we arrived at her home Friday morning, we found out that not only had she read the pamphlet, but she studied it and marked it and even answered all the questions in the back. It was beautiful! I wish I could explain how inspired this lesson was with Tina. On both parts. Heavenly Father had inspired her to read the exact chapter in the Book of Mormon that we had prepared to talk to her about (2Nephi31) and He inspired us to go over the 5 steps of the gospel with her.

At the beginning of each lesson, we set expectations for our investigators so that we all start off on the same page of what our purpose is in meeting with them and how they can most be blessed through meeting with us (page 176 PmyG). She started our lesson giving us expectations. She told us "I want you to come two times a week to meet with me and teach me about your church and I would like you to give me homework and commitments so I can grow and gain a tesimony for myself." Her desire to learn just warmed my heart.

She told us that three days before day we called her, she had prayed to know which church to go to, whether it was the Mormon Church or some other, she didn't care, she just wanted to know what God wanted her to do. We had gone through the Area Book and felt prompted to call her. Between now and the last time she met with the missionaries, her desires have changed and her husband, who was opposed to her going to any church, not just ours, is now allowing her to meet with us. She told us that she knows that God sent us to her and an answer to her prayer.

She understood the 5 steps perfectly and how we endure to the end. She understood the importance of baptism (the sacrament after baptism) and receving the Holy Ghost only after baptism of proper authority, which comes after having faith unto repentance. We invited her to baptized on February 9th and she told us that if we come 2 times a week to help her feel prepared, she would be baptized on that day. She told us that before when she met with the missionaries she didn't want to be baptized, but now she does and she knows she needs to. Of course, we told her to pray about it and to continue to read in the Book of Mormon. She is so prepared. I've never been in a lesson as neat as that one. She already knew what we had to teach her, she just needed ot be shown the way in how to act upon what she knew.

Praying for her and her husband. I have hope and faith in Christ that she will continue on this path.

This week, I've felt very... consecrated. I know, this is a weird word to describe they way you are feeling, but it's the only word that somewhat does justice to what I feel in my heart. 2Nephi 32:9 describes it perfectly. As we have strived even more this week to turn to God for guidance on what we should do, He has consecrated our performance. The other day with Ramona and then with Tina. I just feel so blessed to be apart of this work. Even if it is the smallest of parts.

Happy half way mark! Where has my time gone? I feel like I am just starting to underatnd my purpose and how to apply it! Praying that my time slows down now and that I can be an even better representative of Christ in my last 9 months.

Mom, I know you asked for a departure date for me, but I'm really not sure. Everything has been so messed up with the transfers and what not (this transfer is only 4 weeks as well as next transfer instead of 6 weeks). I will let you know as soon as I know. As of right now, I think it is October 16th.... Don't hold me to that though.

Happy birthday to all who had birthdays last week! Including Grandpa Cook. I thought about him a lot on his birthday. I never met him, but I am so grateful for the legacy he left behind and for who I am because of the choices that he made in his life. It made me stop and think about what I want my legacy to be and what I want my children's children to say about me. I thought about what choices I need to make today in order to make my legacy something my children can be proud of. It was a cool personal study as I sat and wrote down the answers that came to me.

This week is Zone Training Meeting. As part of Elder Benson's and Elder Grober's presentation on "the teaching model" they are having me teach an efy line dance to the zone. It's actually a great idea. The teaching model is explaining, demonstrating, practicing, analyzing and then re-practicing... which is exactly what it takes to learn a dance. His presentation is on doing role plays and the teaching model. Should be awesome. Don't worry, I will record it and send it home:)

I wish I had more entertaining stories... but I don't. We found a puppy last Tuesday and contemplated taking it home, giving it a bath and taking it to a safer part of the city. But then we called President Hill for voie (permission) and he very nicely told us no. I knew the answer before I called him, but I just thought I would ask. He was really funny actually. He told us all about his dogs and how much he loves dogs too. I just love President Hill. I love how dearly he cares for all his missionaries. A phone call always turns into a story and a joke and a compliment. It's very uplifting. I should call him to get permission for ridiculous things more often!

Okay, family. I must leave now! My time is running up. It always does that. Way too quickly, too! I'm doing well! So happy and so blessed and so loving every second of my mission!!!! Sora Rivera is amazing and I continue to love her more and more every single day. Her desire to do missionary work and be obedient is exactly what I want in a companion. I love it! Please keep her in your prayers as she is not feeling so well. We think she might have a worm. Not sure yet, however. Hoping that isn't the case!

I love you all so dearly. More than you can even try to imagine. Hoping you have an amazing week!

numai bine va doresc,
Sora Cook

PS. Dad, Elder Poulson is in my Zone serving in Oradea. I will tell him hello when I see him on Wednesday. It will be fun to see someone from my home stomping grounds.

My quote for this week....

"If you want to talk to the Lord, get on your knees. If you want the Lord to talk to you, open your scriptures." -Gerald N. Lund

Transfers yet again...

Ceau!

Have I ever told you that I have the most amazing family in the world? Because I do. I just love reading your emails every week and hearing about what is going on in your lives and the way you are living the gospel. You are all incredible and you will never know how much you inspire me to be better.

So, transfers are here this week and I will be staying put in Arad:) I figured that would be the case considering the new training program is a 12 week (2 transfer) program. However, I was nervous my time in Arad was up. Glad to report that it's not. Sora Ewell was right when she told me that I wasn't called to serve in Romania... I was called to serve in Arad. It's a good thing I love this city with all my heart.

Speaking of Sora Ewell, she will be training this transfer as will Sora Modzelewska. I am so proud of both of them and know that they will give those two Sisters an amazing start to their mission. I know this because they both gave me an amazing start to my mission. I love them both so dearly.

So, this being the end of the transfer, I figured I would give a recap of all the crazy things that have happened this transfer. More crazy things this transfer than any other transfer. It has been a roller coaster ride! And quite a fun one. I always tell myself to remember to write home about them but then Monday comes and I completely forget to tell you. So, I'm taking this opportunity to tell you all the funny and crazy things Sora Rivera and I have experienced. Her first transfer has definitely been an adventure!

• Getting thrown up on while on the tramvai. That was fun. Okay... I didn't get thrown up on, but the lady sitting next to me on the tramvai, (after I contacted her and got her phone number, of course) just leans over and started throwing up a whole lot of alcohol. I had no idea she was drunk. She was acting a little funny, but I guess I didn't think anything of it. I might act funny if a stranger sat down next to me and started talking to me about Jesus, too. I wasn't really sure what to do... so I just asked her if she was okay. I didn't want to be rude and just get up and move. So I just sat there as she threw up all over the place. It smelt awful!!! And I learned that day that the smell I have been smelling all over the place is alcohol! I had no idea what it smelt like and that that was what I was smelling everywhere. Now that I know what that smell is, I realize how many people smell like beer. I don't like it. Anyway, this was a bizarre experience and Sora Rivera just sat back and watched the whole thing, laughing.
• Caroling with an opera singer. While caroling, we found ourselves an opera singer who started singing with us! He asked if we knew one of the Romanian carols and if we would sing it with him. Not knowing he was an opera singer, when he started singing, I had the hardest time holding in my laugh. Not because he was a bad singer, he was fantastic, I just wasn't expecting such a loud, bellowing voice to come out! It was awesome. 
• Getting yelled at for over an hour by one of my favorite members who has literally gone crazy. (I didn't know that at the time.) She has lost her mind a little bit and she just full on yelled at me for being a few minutes late to the appointment that wasn't really a set time. I just sat and cried as she yelled. Now, we just laugh at the experience. Mostly because if I don't laugh at it, I might start crying all over again. It was a weird experience. 
• I already told you about the lady who asked us to meditate with her and raised her hand to the square and meditated with us, right? Pretty sure I did. That was among one of the weird experiences.
• Getting "kidnapped" on Christmas eve by a secret agent and going caroling all over Arad. That was exciting. I am not sure that any explanation of this story would make sense, so I'll just leave it at that. 
• Remember how last week I told you we felt an extra amount of protection from the spirit. Well, I wasn't going to tell you the story, but maybe it will be a comfort to you to know that Heavenly Father really is watching out for us. So we were taking a texi across town because we were running a little late and as we were approaching the first taxi at the taxi stop, I had the slightest thought to just go to the next taxi. The thought wasn't anything more than just "Maybe let's choose a different taxi." And unfortunately, I brushed that thought off and we got in the taxi. As I got in after Sora Rivera and closed the door, I immediately felt that something wasn't right. I told the taxi driver where to take us and he just looked at us with such a confused face. He went to go start the car, hesitated, and then pulled back and looked at us again. (This isn't normal.) Sora Rivera and I looked at each other and we both knew we needed to get out of that taxi. I felt the spirit screaming at me to get out. I turn to open the door and the it wouldn't open. I check to see if it's unlocked. Yep, unlocked but the childlock must have been on. Surprisingly, I didn't start panicking. However, I didn't like that I could feel the Spirit yelling at me to get out and I feeling like that was impossible and that I was stuck. All the while, the taxi driver is fiddling with something in the front seat while looking back at us every few seconds. I can honestly say that as he looked at us, I have never seen so much evil in someone's eyes, but at the same time, felt so protected. I looked in the front seat to see what he was playing with and noticed that his radio was off. (Not like the music radio, like the receiver for the taxi service.) Almost without thinking, I turned to the door, unrolled the window, stuck my hand outside and opened the door from the outside handle and we got out. As we got into the next taxi, I felt so much peace realizing that we were safe. I turned to Sora Rivera and expressed exactly what I felt about the experience we had just had and that I knew that that taxi driver was planning something and the spirit stopped him from doing it and that is why he hesitated and that is why he looked so confused. He didn't understand what was stopping him and she felt the exact same way and told me she knew we weren't supposed to get in that taxi. We are both very grateful the spirit protected us and we are now very aware to every thought we have and are doing our best to not ignore them. Don't freak out. Mom... dad... I mean it. I promise we are safe. This experience made me even more grateful that we have Elders in our area.
  

So, there you have it. A transfer full of fun, exciting, once in a lifetime (hopefully) experiences. I love missions! Especially in Romania! Although, I don't have much to compare it to... but I'm sure anywhere else just wouldn't be quite as exciting! :)
This week has been a wonderful week of former hunting and finding! (In other words, Area Book contacting!) We have a few new investigators datorita (thanks to) our Area Book and the wonderful record-keeping missionaries who served here in the past! One of them being Elena. She is wonderful. Very well known in her Bible and all the doctrine within it. She agrees with everything about our church except for redeeming of the dead. She says she hasn't seen that anywhere in the Bible. Of course she has, she probably just didn't understand the meaning of it. We told her we would go over that in our next lesson. We are really working with her to gain a testimony of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. If she can gain a testimony of those two things, the rest (all the "little" details) should fall into place.
Another investigator is Tina. Tina is also wonderful. We found out she is still reading the Book of Mormon and is currently on Alma 54. She loves it. Her husband is very impotriva (meaning, he's against her meeting with us) so that is our roadblock with her. We're hoping that his heart will soften and that he will at the very least allow her to keep meeting with us, if not open his heart to the gospel all together. How wonderful that would be. We are meeting with Tina tomorrow. According to her record, she has a history of cancelling the day of. I hope and pray that doesn't happen.
Although we have met with several people this week, those two seem the most promising and where we will be putting our priorities. We're excited to start teaching English this transfer so we can hopefully get a few investigators from that. Please pray that we will have a good turn out for English this transfer. It is truly our best contacting and finding tool. I am praying that people who are prepared to hear and accept the gospel will come to our English class this transfer.
This week, as I was studying in 1Nephi 16, I learned something SO NEAT. Well, it was neat for me. It was the part where Nephi's bow breaks and Laman and Lemuel, whose bows also broke, are angry at him and once again start murmuring. It got me to thinking, how many of us are dependent upon other people's "bows" for "food" once our bow has broken. Does that make sense? I mean, are our testimonies based upon someone else's actions? Is our happiness dependent upon someone else? Or do we place the responsibility of making us feel love on someone's shoulders? Maybe like Nephi's bow, it will work for a little bit and that person does such a good job at making us feel love or at giving us a testimony or making us feel accepted or happy, but just like that bow isn't perfect, neither is that person you are relying on for any or all of those things. They might do something wrong or "break", like the bow did, and then what? However, unlike that bow and unlike everyone else around you that you might rely on for happiness, love, a testimony and so forth, Christ is perfect and we can always be dependent upon him for those things. He will never leave us feeling comfortless. We can place all of our faith, hope and trust in Him and He will never break. How comforting is that? We always have someone to rely on who we can know will never let us down. So it got me to thinking and I have made it a constant effort to make sure that I am not relying upon anyone else's "bow" for "food", unless that person is my Savior.
I got to speak in church yesterday! I love speaking in church. I love the process of preparing a talk and learning and being led by the spirit to know what to speak on. It is a little exciting for me. However, the not so exciting part is giving a talk in a language that I don't speak very well! But, the Spirit helped me through it and I was able to give the talk! I decided to speak on the process of receiving revelation. I've learned a lot about this process over the last few transfers. I think I've shared this already, but I'll share it again. The process I've found and as I've studied it I've realized it's ALL OVER in the scriptures is this:

1. being humbled and recognizing we must seek outside of ourselves for answers; that we don't have all the answers ourselves (JSH 1:8 "it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was ^bright and who was wrong." He realized he didn't or couldn't have all the answers himself.)
2. having a desire to know the truth. (1Nephi 11:1 "For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen" 1Nephi 2:16 "For I, Nephi...also having great desires to know of the ^amysteries of God") Our desires dictate our actions. If we want to lose weight, we exercise. If we want money, we find a job.
3. Seeking for an answer. In other words, doing something about our desire to know truth. This includes reading the scriptures, pondering, and, of course, praying. (1Nephi 11:1 "I sat ^apondering in mine heart" 1Nephi 2:16 "I did cry unto the Lord") Sometimes, this means that we have to come up with our own solutions and take them to the Lord. Just like with Ether when he asks God how to light their boats and God asks Ether what Ether would have Him do for there to be light in their boats. Sometimes (most of the time) we need to bring something to the drawing board. This is the step that we get to show our faith and hope that not only Heavenly Father is listening to us, but that He will answer our prayers.
4. This step is the only step that doesn't require action on our part and that is the actual receiving an answer and comes on God's time and will. He might respond and guide in a number of ways. It is this step that we get to figure out how Heavenly Father works in our lives.
5. Praying to know if the answer you received is correct and if there is anymore that you were supposed to receive. After Joseph Smith receive the revelation to go and pray after reading James 1:5, it says he reflected on it again and again. We should do the same with the answers we receive.
6. Expressing gratitude for our Heavenly Father's guidance and ACTING on the answer we received. This step is crucial in showing Heavenly Father that he can trust us with more revelation in the future and showing Him that we have faith in Him.
   

Anyway... this is the process I've found. Maybe what you've found is a lot more useful for you, but this really has helped me in knowing the steps I need to take in order to receive my Heavenly Father's guidance... (PS... go read Moroni 10:3-5 with this process in mind. It blew my mind!!) I love it.
Okay, this email is a novel. Apologies!!
I hope you have an amazing week and you know how loved you are. I pray for each of you and that God will bless you with exactly what you need and the strength to overcome any challenges you may face in your lives. I trust that He is blessing you in abundance and know He is watching over you.
I am safe, healthy and happy. I promise. So much gratitude for my time here; loving and soaking in every second I have to be a servant of the Lord in this way.

v-am pupat,
Sora Cook

Pictures... We went ice skating today! Sorry I don't take more pictures. I will start doing that this transfer considering it is probably my last here in Arad.

Ps... happy birthday this week Granty Goo Goo and Olivia!!!!! LA MULTI ANI! SA CRESTI MARE! MULTI INAINTE!

another ps Something that maybe I should clear up. When I talked about being out until 12:30 on New Years, we had permission from President Hill to do so. I'm sorry I lacked saying so in my email last week. I guess I just figured that you knew me well enough to know that if I was out past curfew, it was with permission to do so. But, I'm happy to clear it up, nonetheless.

Our district ice skating :)

"according to their language..."

Ceau my dear family.

I wish I could say why, but I'm a little emotional as I write this. Although I always miss you, sometimes that feeling is a lot stronger than others... this is one of those times. However, in those times, I just feel so much more gratitude for where I am and how supportive my family is. Thank you for that.

New Years in Romania was a fun experience. We didn't do much, but spending time with my district and getting to know each other even more while playing games at the church until 11:30pm was fun. At 11:30 we walked to centru (downtown) to watch the firework show. I love fireworks... they're beautiful.

I'm not going to lie, I'm really excited for the holidays to be over and to be able to get back into missionary work again and the missionary schedule. I love the structure of missionary life.

This week, because so many people were la tara (out of the city) for the holidays, (school doesn't start again here until the 15th) we decided to take some time to organize our Area Book and get it all in order. There's a section in the back of the Area Book that tells what you need to know about the apartment, the area and whatnot and I figured I should take advantage of the fact thave I've been in this city for 7 months and update all of that information to the best of my knowledge. It took a lot of work. It's still not finished. Lots of work to do. And I intend to do it.

My testimony of the Area Book just keeps growing. When Elder Kerr, area of the seventy, was here, he made an analogy to the Area Book that has just stuck with me. He told us the Area Book is comparable to the seeds that the pioneers planted along the way for the pioneers coming up behind them. As I've thought more about this analogy, I've realized just how much it relates and how true it is. There are so many seeds that have been planted by other missionaries before us. Some of those seeds have grown and need harvesting. That's where we come in. As we prayerfully go through our Area Book and the former investigators (adica *in other words*, seeds that have been planted) we will be led to those seeds who are ready to be harvested. We should use our Area Book as a form of contacting. This week, we have three or four appointments set up with former investigators. I cannot wait to see what has happened to those seeds that were planted in the past and how we can help them to grow even more.

On the other side of that analogy, every day we are planting seeds for future missionaries. It is our job to record those seeds that have been planted so they can, in the future, be harvested. One thing my mission has taught me, record keeping is so, so important. We are a record-keeping people.

I think I mentioned this in my email a few weeks ago... about how God responds to each of us personally according to our wants, desires, needs and personalities. I've learned even more this week how true this is. I love how tenderly and how personally Heavenly Father takes care of us. I was listening to Sora Rivera tell me about how she receives revelation and how God responds to her... It is so, very, completely different than how I receive revelation.

You know me... I like to think that Heavenly Father has a big, grand plan for me and everything that happens in life is "fate" or whatever you want to call it. That's what I choose to believe; that's what brings me comfort. And because that's what brings me comfort, Heavenly Father responds to me in a way that helps me feel that that is true. He tells me in my patriarchal blessing very specific things that I need. He guides me so specifically toward certain things. (ie moving to Austin, moving to Florida, coming on a mission.) When I ask for His guidance, I feel a specific answer. He answers me by helping me feel that one choice is right and one is not; I feel that there is one of those choices that Heavenly Father wants me to do over the other.

Sora Rivera is complete opposite (not a bad thing). She must feel like she is in control. She must feel that she gets to choose what happens to her and where she goes in life and that it isn't up to some "big plan" that Heavenly Father has set for her. She chooses to believe that rather than there being specific things that Heavenly Father wants her to accomplish, there is a specific person He wants her to become and He doesn't really care how she gets there, He just cares that she gets there. How she gets there is completely up to her. 

Like I said, it's not a bad thing she chooses to believe that way and that I choose to believe a different way. What is so neat is that because two totally different things bring us comfort, Heavenly Father responds to us in a way that allows us to feel that comfort and He blesses us according to our personalities and desires.

As I was reading in 2 Nephi 31 (my favorite chapter aside from Mosiah 4), I read in verse three and I've read it over and over and over.

"For my soul delighteth in ^aplainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the ^bunderstanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their ^clanguage, unto their understanding."

I love where it says that He speaks to us "according to [our] language, unto [our] understanding". When I first read this, I thought it meant that if we speak English, He speaks to us in English, or if we speak Romanian, He speaks to us in Romanian and so forth. And of course he does. But I feel like this verse isn't talking about the language we speak. He will speak to us according to our personalities, according to our desires, according to who we are. He knows us perfectly and will teach us accordingly.

I feel like a parent does the same thing with all of their children. One child might learn completely different from another child. So the parents must adjust the way they parent that child. Heavenly Father adjusts the way he "parents" us according to who we are and what our weaknesses and strengths are. Another verse I found that goes along with this is in Doctrine and Covenants 90:11. It says that "every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language". So beautiful.

This week, I was able to experience first hand the protection of the Holy Ghost. I've never felt so protected in my life. I will spare the details.... but I learned even more so just how important it is to have the companionship of the Spirit with us. I am so grateful that not only were Sora Rivera and I worthy of the spirit individually, but also as a companionship. My love for her just continues to grow. She is beautiful and is teaching me so much. Why does Heavenly Father continue to bless me with such wonderful people in my life? I am not worthy of all of these blessings.

I have a favor. Tomorrow, church leaders are meeting with government officials here in Romania to discuss digitizing all of the records of Romania in exchange for access to the records so that we can do family history work here in Romania. This would be so good, not only for the country of Romania to have all their records digitized, but even more importantly, for the church and thousands and thousands of souls who are waiting for their work to be done. Please, please pray that this meeting goes well and that we will be successful in obtaining these records that so badly need to be done. I get butterflies just thinking about it.

A few months ago when I was in Bucuresti for Zone Conference, I was talking to Brother Green, a member from Washington but living in Bucuresti doing family history work. He told me that they want 20,000 preisthood holders in the country by 2015 and because the work just is progressing that rapidly, they are recruiting from other side. I got goose bumps as he told me this. I regret not getting into family history work before my mission, but you better believe that will be on my list of things to do as soon as I get home. Dad, I need you to teach me everything you know:) Get ready for me to sit next to you on a computer and index as much as possible with you. Bonding time:) Can't wait.

Unfortunately, there isn't much to update on as far as investigators and lessons for this week goes. Hardly anyone was able to meet, sadly. But we have high hopes for this week! Lots of seeds from the Area Book to be harvested this week! (pray for us, please!)

Life is great, I'm healthy, sleeping really poorly, but living big:)

I love you all dearly. I wish so much that I had time to email you all individually! I just don't. But that doesn't mean that I love you any less. You are all amazing and wonderful examples.

toate dragostea mea,
Sora Cook

Happy birthday to Jerrica this week! I love you so much.

(sorry for the repeat that this email will be for some of you. Actually, just Nathan. I took peices out of my email to you from a few weeks ago and pasted it in this email. Sorry. Lack of time to type it all out again.)

So cool to hear about Porter's blessing. Thank you for the pictures. Can't wait to hold that little man.

ps... it looks like because of the changes of time at the MTC, my release date has been moved up 3 weeks. Just so you all know. That could change. But I thought maybe you would like to know.

We went paintballing today with the entire zone. It was a blast. More pictures will come later.