Email 43: Winter Powwow + Where To Start + The Centurion

Sent on November 11, 2013

Hoi! :) How are you all!

We had Zone Conferences this week! The Auburn Zone went with the Federal Way Zone, so I got to see Elder Erekson! He is serving as a district leader in the Jovita Creek ward and is doing awesome. The Conference was great. There were a lot of different topics that were addressed, but what hit me the most was President Eaton's talk on Increasing our Faith and our Expectations. We talked about what God really expects of us and having expectations as high as heavens. It helped me out a lot because it has been getting harder for me to expect a lot. But I guess that has just been me not exercising as much faith as I should. This week has been great though. We have been going out every single day and no matter what happens, we expect to find people, we expect to teach, and we expect the people that we teach to keep their commitments. Along with this at times comes extra feeling of sorrow when you are let down by other people's agency, but one thing that I believe is that the more true sorrow you feel, the more true charity you will have! Si I am pumped for the upcoming weeks and months here on the Rez!

Sweet experience for ya! Saturday night there was a one-night, Winter Powwow that was held in the Tribal School gym. So Elder Lynch and I went at 8:00 to end the night. Right when we got there, our friend Tony came up to us and asked, "Do you have your book?" We told him we did in the car and he said, "can we read?" Holy. I have not yet had someone have such a desire to read the Book of Mormon! We ran out and got our books and brought them in. Now we have been committing Tony to read the Book of Mormon for a long time, but he hadn't yet to that point. We opened up to 2 Nephi 4 and we read Nephi's Psalm with him. His girlfriend had just broken up with him and he was struggling. After we got done with the chapter, he had awesome insights! He said that he felt so much better, so much lighter. And his desire to continue to read the book shot through the roof! It was an incredible experience. I know that the Lord has such a great desire to bless these people's lives and work miracles in them if they will just show a particle of faith and desire. That was evidence. I know that if we will just continue to provide these people with opportunities to exercise faith, that someone is going to follow through, and the Lord is going to change them.

We also found an awesome lady this last week! Her name is Suzanne. After we taught her about the Book of Mormon, she just said, "Where do you want me to start?" Then we taught her about the First Vision and the Restoration and she was just pumped. We are going back to teach here again on Tuesday so pray for her and her family!

For some reason, no one wants to come to church anymore????! We will get there though.

I love the story of the Savior healing the Centurion's servant in Luke 7:1-10. I love how the Centurion recognized that just as he had authority to command certaiin people to either "go" or "come", that the Savior had authority over everything, and by just one word, the Savior could perform any task. What incredible faith. I also love how everything that happens stems from the Centurion's love that he has for his servant. Because he loved him so much, he sought for something he could hope in, and when he heard of the Savior the Light of Christ within him must have illuminated and filled him with faith. All of us, and all of the people around us, are looking for something to hope in, to be able to trust. Not something fleeting or failing that will leave us when we need it the most. Whether they know it or not, all of the people here on the Rez are longing for faith in the Savior. This is why I know that it is worth every effort, every day. I know what the Lord has promised these people, and He does not break promises. And I also know that deep down they are searching, and over time, as we continue to labor amongst them, they will find what they are looking for. They will find the Savior! This is my greatest hope! And I love giving my life to that!

I will be praying for all of you. I am so grateful or you all! I love you all so much. Have a great week!

Rez style,

Elder Cook