Sent on December 16, 2013
Hello my loved ones! What a great week it was here in Washington!
As I told you last week, Elder Corbridge from the 1st Quorum of the Seventy came to the mission! What an incredible experience. On Monday, just after I got done emailing you all, Elder Mckendrick called me and told me that I had been chosen as one of 8 missionaries in the mission that would get to be personally interviewed by Elder Corbridge! Son Wednesday morning I got to spend 20 minutes face to face with him. It was so glorious. We talked about my mission and what I have been doing on the Rez. It was very powerful when he shared D&C 64:33 with me. "Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work" He commended me for my patience and faith in the work. The Spirit was so strong in that room and I was just so grateful and humbled by the opportunity. So before I even got my mission call last year, and after I received it and as I prepared and entered the mission field, there was really only one main thing that I prayed for: to be a man that the Lord can trust, and for the Lord to trust me with everything He could. The most powerful part of my interview was when Elder Corbridge paused for a moment and said to me "The Lord has trusted you greatly." I felt the spirit confirm those words and it was an answer to my prayers.
Ever since the meeting on Wednesday I have been viewing the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, and my purpose so much differently. I feel like I understand so much more now. And I have been a part of some very powerful lessons as we have taught towards the most important thing. If the Most Important Thing could be summarized in one word it would be "atonement". If it was summarized in two words it would be "atonement and restoration." The Restoration provides us access to the blessings of the Atonement and gives us the ability to have the most important things in our lives.
If you are a non-member reading this. Please consider all the attempts that anyone has ever made to share the gospel with you. What was their motive? What did they want for you? I testify to you that they have desired for you to have the most important things in this life. They want you to experience the JOY of forgiveness of sins, which comes through being baptizedby one who has authority and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will bring power into your life in a way that will allow you to feel more joy, peace, and love than ever before. We desire for you to qualify for eternal life, a life of perfect happiness spent with our families and our loving Heavenly Father. I ask you to please, just give it a shot, see if the Lord will not show you that this is true if you will come to Him with a sincere heart. I promise you it is, and that more happiness lies behind it than you have ever experienced!
This week on the Rez was a great one! We taught more lessons than we have in a week in quite a while. Only one non-member came to church and none of the less-actives did this week, so that was rough, but boy did we have a glorious miracleon Sunday night!! We have been working with the Jerry family since I got here, and they have felt the Spirit many times. Kaylee and Dylan, two of the kids, almost got baptized but it got put on hold because of lack of permission from either their dad or their grandma, I am still not sure. But anyways, we have had two great lessons with them over the last two weeks where we showed the whole family the first and second animated book of mormon videos. They loved them and they really brought the Spirit into their home. Then on Saturday Night, Thea and Cameo came late to our ward party but we took them on a church tour and they were feeling the spirit so strongly. So last night there was a recent-convert fireside in Sumner. I was sitting in church and I just had the thought to text Thea and ask her if she wanted to take her family down there. I knew it was a long shot but I had to try. To my surprise, she said she would love to go! Now keep in mind that that does not mean yes, that strictly means, I would love to go and if everything works out perfectly then we will be there. Well guess what, everything worked out perfectly! We texted them about 45 mins before and asked if they wanted to go and she just texted back "yeah". We went up to their house and she had all of the kids ready. Then Frank, the dad, pulled up. Thea asked him if he wanted to go, which he doesn't ever want to, and he said yes!! Holy. The whole family got in the car and followed is to Sumner.... and we got there on time!! It might have all together been the greatest miracle of my mission haha. Thea got up at the meeting and bore a short testimony of the Spirit she has been feeling and at the end just said "I know this is true."!!! It was glorious. And right after the meeting, President Eaton bolted down to us and pulled Frank aside and had a 5 minute conversation with him. It was incredible. So please be praying for them! We need them! And I love them so much!
I don't know what is wrong with me. I ran through 3 stop signs this week. :/ not good. Haha
Also, we got to have a Christmas lunch at President Mile's (the Auburn stake President) house this week. It was so great! I love that man with all my heart. I sat by him and Elder Mckendrick and we all talked about the gospel and missionary work for a half hour and I could just feel his love for his stake and for us missionaries. Auburn truly is the greatest zone in the mission, and I have been so blessed to be here for 11 months!
Well everyone, I am loving my life! We are working hard and seeing great things here! The Lord's hand is in my life every single day. This is such a great work on the reservation. I love these people with all my heart! I am always praying for you! Have a great week!
Elder Cook
Elder Cook
The ward Christmas party nativity, I'm an angel
Elder Lynch and I with our Native necklaces
No comments:
Post a Comment