Email 11: A Transfer + A Precious Family Baptism + Easter as a Missionary

Sent April 1, 2013

Hello fam! Thanks for all of your emails! I appreciate it so much, I love reading them! I got Brynne's easter package with the basketball eggs and such. Awesome haha. And I got the picture book. Thanks so much! And I got a package from Aunt Patti with a bunch of cereal and goodies. Thanks so much Aunt Patti for that! And thanks to the Hills for the "peeps" those were pretty sweet. Well done Aunt Ern. And a shout out to Emma and Kierstin for the Honey and Jerky. Almost as good as Taylor Swift and chocolate cake combined! And also please tell my FHE fam thanks for the letters, they were the best! The mail really has been weird, I finally got all that stuff and then I got a letter on Saturday that was written the 17th of March, so I think it is a couple weeks behind? Oh well.

 

So. There is a lot to say! But it has been quite the week here in White River. As you know transfers were on Tuesday (it was only a five week transfer last transfer). So after a lot of mixing up and resituating the way things worked out was far from expected. Elder Mckendrick is now in the Olympic Branch with the Marshalleise and is one of my zone leaders. Elder Mackley and Elder Doerman are my new companions. The way things worked out is that we are now in a tri-panionship and we are covering both White River and White River Spanish (Elder Doerman speaks espanol). Crazy. We met with the zone leaders about it because there is a lot on our plate right now so they just gave us instruction. But it is a really unique situation. Elder Mackley only came out six weeks before me and knows nothing about the area, and Elder Doerman has been out for seven months but is new in White River and the previous Spanish Elders didn't keep an area book at all so we had no idea where to start. And according to the zone leaders this is the first time in the mission that an Elder has taken over an area after just his first transfer, let alone a five week transfer, and taking over both an English and a Spanish area. So there is a ton going on right now! I felt really overwhelmed the first couple of days but I have grown more comfortable in this role over the past week and I am super excited for this transfer! Elder Mackley and Elder Doerman are super committed and excited to work. We know we are young and inexperienced as far as mission time goes, but we know that as we are exactly obedient, do everything that is asked of us, stay hopeful and faithful, and LOVE everyone that miracles will happen here and we will see success in this transfer! I told the Lord before I left the MTC that I wanted to be the one that he could count on for whatever He needed, and I WILL do whatever He asks of me! I love this work :) it is hard, it is glorious. Oh, and the English area is now a bike area, so when we aren't doing Spanish work we are on bikes, I don't have to worry about getting fat! Haha

 

In the midst of all this, the miracles never ceased this past week. We met with Maleigha Porecca and her mom Ashley Mares on Wednesday night and at that time only Maleigha was going to be baptized on Friday. But we had a lesson with Ashley and had her say a kneeling prayer with a minute of silence after. The Spirit filled the room. She still didn't completely commit though. I went over with a split, Brother Rambert, the next night and just spoke with Ashley. We talked about the importance of baptism and read some scriptures and then I had the opportunity to give her a blessing. It was so powerful. One of her main concerns was that she has terrible ears and was terrified to get an ear infection. I told her I knew all about it. The blessing comforted her in this concern. The next day, Friday, I got a call from Ashley in the afternoon. I was worried she was going to say that she wasnt ready, but she just asked, "so what do I need to wear tonight for the baptism?" It was such a happy moment! Ashley and Maleigha were both baptized on Friday and confirmed on Easter Sunday! I was filled with happiness for them and gratitude for the Spirit which changes peoples hearts.

We have another baptism planned this weekend for Dayle Manatad! Hopefully everything works out! Her cousin Aaron is going to fly out to do the baptism. I told her that if he wants to lend me any BYU memorabilia that he is more than welcome to and she said she would hook me up with some stuff! Haha and I am praying that her husband will see the hope and happiness this message brings and will want to follow Dayle's example and work towards being baptized and eventually going to the temple with Dayle! What a glorious thing that would be. That is what motivates me every day.

 

Always remember, the temple is the purpose of life.

 

 

Dad I am so grateful to hear about your new position as a teacher at the middle school! Our family has truly been blessed. Brigham, I have heard a lot about your games! Keep playing hard and being a team leader, and always no matter what, have fun! Addie, those track pics are sweet I am glad you are doing so well! Keep working hard and loving that time you get to spend working and competing with your friends. It is a blast! Mom, I have missed march madness with you. I can't believe Wichita is in the final four? My guess is Michigan wins it all. Thanks for the picture too, that is insane. Goodness. Ouch. Brynne and Clark, thanks for autographing your pictures in my book of pictures. And ya clark when we go on exhange they are 24 hour exchanges, but we usually take our own towel haha.

 

 Easter was a beautiful day. It was different than most Easters. Once you get on your mission, Sundays are no longer your own haha. You are constantly thinking about investigators so ya. But I just thought, that is the way it is supposed to be. There is no better way that I could remember my Savior than to be tending to His flock. I love my Savior so much. I work every day to understand the Atonement even more which increases my desire to cry repentance to EVERYONE I SEE :) its just the best.

 

I love you all so much! Praying for you! Keep loving everyone! And my advice to you.. Have a day. Make it great. I wish I had time to say more! Love you. Til next week!

 

Elder Cook