Sent on January 21, 2014
Hola mi amigos!! What an incredible week it was here in Redondooooo! I am pumped to tell you all about it. I will do my best. But for starters, I have to get the non-mission related stuff out of the way. GO BRONCOS BABY!! I knew if I just went on a mission we would be blessed with an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. Hahaha. I was actually hoping for the Seahawks to lose a while ago because everyone in this area just shuts off on Gameday. I am going to MAKE SURE to plan some tracting during the middle of the Super Bowl and throw in a few "Go Broncos" as I leave the door ;) haha!
Next item! I got to baptize Veronica on Sunday night! (pictures coming) It was a great baptism. Rez-Style, meaning everyone was late and there had to be last-minute changes, and it just was a ball of stress. But nonetheless the Spirit was strong at the Baptism. Veronica's change is a true testament of the power of the Atonement. She has overcome so much and is a totally different person now. Amazing. And I forgot to tell you this before, but you will all think this is hilarious. Veronica actually used to live in my complex when I lived in "The Sundancer" in White River. She or her friends would never talk to us. And these are the same friends that put someone in a box in the back of a truck and drove off!! HAHAHA who would have thought that I would end up baptizing one of them! Gotta love it!
President Eaton came to Redondo and spent a few hours working with Elder Cannon and I on Thursday. It was incredible having three people that were doing everything thing they could to teach every breathing thing that we caught sight of. We were all over the place teaching and testifying. We taught like 10 lessons in 3 hours and found 4 new investigators. Lots of fun :) The greatest miracle of all was teaching Joyce Mad, a sweet woman from the island of Palau. The spanish elders talked to her a couple days before and told us to go and talk to her. We knocked on the door. No answer. About 30 minutes later we were walking outside and we see a lady sweeping her back patio-deal in a bout the same place as Joyce's door would be. President Eaton yelled "Are you Joyce?" Haha and she was so surprised and said "yes I am." When she recognized who we were she told us to go around and come in through the front door. We taught her the most powerful Restoration lesson EVER. She said "my whole body feels numb I am just so happy." She has been through a lot abuse in the past and she feels like this is her only way to get rid of it. President Eaton recorded her on his phone bearing testimony of what she was feeling. He asked her what she was going to do now, and amidst the tears she looked up and said "I am going to get baptized." I cannot even describe the moment! Just gives me chills! She still has a lot to overcome but we have a plan to help her!
My man, Isaac Adu from Ghana! Gosh I love him so much! We had a lesson with him on Wednesday and invited him to be baptized, he said he would think about it and pray about it. He came and watched a baptism on Saturday in our zone and he loved it! We made sure he had a front row seat. He came to church with Bro Edmiston and after Sacrament Bishop Ross asked him how he liked the baptism. He said it was really good. And then just out of no where he tells Bishop, "I want to get baptized!" Holy! So we will be setting that up this week and we will hopefully be baptizing a beautiful man from Ghana within the next two weeks! :) Plus his daughter and her kids will follow! Asari (10) has a birthday on the 25th and I told him that was the same as my cousin Shane's and he thought that was pretty cool. So happy birthday Shane!
Here is a great story: Elder Cannon and I were walking through a parking lot and we saw a lady sitting in her car talking on the phone. We went over to her window and showed her a "Jesus card". She actually got out of her car and said she had to go but asked if we could swap numbers. We called her a couple of days later and she answered and we set up a church tour and she wanted to do it! Then we had Sis. Boyd call her and introduce herself and tell her that she wanted to be her friend at the Church tour. Yesterday, Sis. Boyd picked up Vanessa, a African-American single mother, and her five year old son Elijah and brought them to the church. It was one of the best church tours I have ever been a part of. Vanessa was brought to tears as she looked at a painting of the Savior blessing the children and she felt "at home" in the chapel, and it is a place that she wants to be "every week." She is committed to be baptized on February 22nd! It was incredible!
SLIM MOMENT: It was Bishop Ross' birthday this past Saturday. SO sometimes when he shakes your hand he makes his hand just go limp and he calls it a "dead fish." I guess it means you don't have his full approval yet or something haha. BUt anyways, for his birthday the Spanish Elders (Elder Quackenbush and Elder Olivan) went and bought some little dead fish from the Korean store and put them in an old thin mints can and wrapped it hahah. He opened it and just had no expression. It was beautiful. Then a couple minutes after just laughing about in and looking at the fish. He all of the sudden just takes it and BITES THE HEAD OFF OF IT! So now he has a fish head in his mouth and fish guts hanging out and he just spits it out and looks at us like "You dont have anything on me." Hahaha Elder Olivan was gagging into a bush for like 5 minutes. It was just great all around.
All is well here in REDONDO! I didnt even tell you that my area is right on the Puget Sound. It is beautiful! I love it here. Elder Cannon and I are working our faces off and we love getting to lead the zone! Hope you all have the best week! Love you much!
Elder Cook
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