Danielle Cook Chile Santiago South Mission July 31, 2013-January 27, 2015: The Lord Prepares Us in All Things!

So this week I've gained a huge testimony that the Lord prepares us for events that we have no idea are coming. Many of you may not know, but when I was in 8th grade I was teased almost every Sunday for many months because of my weight. I hated going to church, especially Sunday school. I actually ended up ditching for a solid 5 weeks or so, and somehow got the car keys from my mom and went and sat in the car and cried and read my scriptures. After a few weeks of doing this though, I realized I felt hollow inside and that I was breaking the commandment of attending all meetings, and I felt really guilty!! So I decided I needed to go back to that class, not for any other reason other than I just needed a clear conscience. I was not going to Sunday school for friends, or even really to learn anything. I just wanted to go back so that I could have a peace of mind. It took me along time to actually enjoy myself at church again. But I realized that going to church for myself and for Heavenly Father actually made the lessons more personal.

This is a super lame experience, but was actually a really hard time in my life, but looking back now, this experience turned out to be a great teaching tool here on my mission. We went to an inactive family´s house this week and she said that people in the church are really mean to her because people said some things to her and had called her fat as well. I was able to share my experience with her and she started to cry a bit and said she was really thankful I had shared what I had been through and how I over came it. Her and her husband are going to go to church next week and want to sit by us and she said she was very grateful I shared that because she felt she was the only one who has had to deal with harassment with in the church. I also shared my favorite scripture with her in Moroni 8:16 where it says perfect love casteth out all fear. ♥ I love this scripture because honestly if we have love for all and for the Savior specifically, we wouldn't fear what people thought or what would happen in the future, we would just love and trust in the Lord. Also, I shared this experience last week as well with a lady named Patricia and she has come to church twice since. :)

Other things in my life have also prepared me for where I'm at now, for example, the lack of desire to really date, the friends I had before (Who some are just like our investigators), the experiences I had in college and many more that I don't have too much time to be specific about. heehee. I'm just really grateful for every experience I've had and being on a mission has opened up my eyes to many things. I know that if we have trust in the Lord, there is a reason for ALL things we go thorough :) I just love my mission!!!!!

Waldo bought me sushi last Wednesday

and he made us a special lunch!! awe

OKAY SO WE TOTALLY FOUND WALDO!! :) He is doing great. So far he´s sold his wine company, read the entire book of Mormon, has fasted, received an answer to his prayers about the church, and is getting baptized on the 23rd!!!!! I'm seriously so excited for him. He loves learning about the Gospel. its so precious and hilarious to watch him interact with the members and in the classes we teach! He gets so excited when he figures things out and knows about the Lamanites and Nephites and how they were good and bad through out the whole book! He's just doing so well! I'm doing well too, but please keep praying for me !!

Anyways, this week was full of many really spiritual experiences. We found a new person to teach and He's progressing well already. His name is Gustavo and he loves to go to church which is way cool! The young women are doing great, we made American chocolate chip cookies and ALL THE GIRLS CAME!!! which was a first for them in a long time♥ They are so loving. I love this age of life!! Young women are my favorite. We had a good P-Day at Presidente Cooks house with all the Hermanas in the mission and I'll be sending pictures :)

Hermana Olsen from BYUI is here

on the same mission SO WAY COOL!!

Me and Hermana OLSEN at the Hermanas activity!

Stay safe and classy!!!

Landon, your muscles are big, but make sure your testimony is bigger.

Austin, your tractors attractive, but the ladies really dig a testimony of the Gospel.

Brooklyn, your taller than me, but make sure your testimony is growing faster.

Testimonies are the only thing people cant steal :) They are the best I tell you.

Well family I love you with all my heart :) The 11th of this month completed 2 months in the field and I have 3 and a half in total. AHH! pray for my Spanish, investigators and pray they will stop feeding us soo much!