Danielle Cook Chile Santiago South Mission July 31, 2013-January 27, 2015: I love my calling, and am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and for repentance and forgiveness.

This week was one of the hardest weeks for me. I felt very discouraged. We cannot find our investigators, my Spanish is going downhill, every service activity we had planned failed through last minute and I feel fat and depressed. But as always, after a hard week, you see the rainbow after the rain. Last night we were able to teach one of our investigators the restoration and she asked us how she could know what church was true and she told us at least three times that there is only one loving Dios (God) and that He doesn’t have 500 churches. We explained how she was just like the young prophet Joseph Smith, and read Santiago 1:5 with her. She said she really wanted to read and know if it was true. It was a really beautiful lesson and I think in this lesson, Hermana Taylor talked the most that I have ever heard her talk in a lesson. I was not super worried about Hermana Taylor not talking much in lessons, because I did the same thing in my training, but I was a little concerned that she had not taken all the opportunities she could have to share, but last night I could really see her progression and I teared up a little bit. It was a tender miracle from Heavenly Father :) She is doing great! ♥

This week has been a really good week of reflection and deep thinking. I read a lot about the Apostle Paul and I was blown away by his wisdom and strength. I have read it before, but it takes on a whole different meaning when you’re on a mission! He was a great tool in the hands of the Lord, so great that when he was killed the Lord revived him! I love the Bible and the Book of Mormon heroes (:

I also was taught a very important lesson from the Spirit this week. There is this man that works at a botelleria, Enrique, and he has been asking us for months to come teach the jóvenes (young), and I have always been open to teaching who ever these ¨jóvenes¨ (young) were, but my companions had not felt very comfortable around him, because sometimes he was drinking when we would say hi and talk to him, so usually we would just try and just pass him to the elders, but finally I decided to set up a cita (appointment) with him this week. We entered his house for the first time earlier this week and we met his children and asked what exactly he was looking for and in that moment, I saw my dad´s face in his eyes and he looked at me and said ¨Hermana Chikas, I just want peace back in my house.¨ It was a very powerful and humble request from this single father of 5 boys. So we taught him a little about what the gospel was. We asked his 9 year old son who he thinks God is and he told us that God made the trees and plants and sky and all of us. It was the cutest explanation of our Heavenly Father that I had ever heard! I love children; they are so simple and sincere. I saw a picture of his mommy on their wall and I commented on it and asked where his mom was. The dad changed the subject super quick and the little boy said, ¨no daddy, she asked where mommy was...¨and he again changed the subject. The second time we entered his house he did not have time for us to be there for more than 15 minutes because he was working. But he told us that his wife had hung herself and their 14 year old son had found her 6 years back, and they´ve had trouble ever since.. I cried all night. He had been asking us to come by and teach them for MONTHS.. And I was ignoring the spirit and the invitation to teach him. I felt so unworthy to be a missionary and thought that we had lost the opportunity to teach him and help. I repented and we have been trying to work with him and his family since then, but the only thing we can do now is gain his confidence and help him find what he had asked for... for peace to return to his house. Through the gospel we can surely help him if he is willing to keep commitments.

I am so grateful for the gospel. It really is the biggest source of peace and comfort in my life. I love sharing it and learning every day. Joseph Smith was a worthy and true prophet of the Lord and I know he translated the plates of Gold. Jesus loves us with a deep love that we cannot understand, and I know that Heavenly Father sent him here to save us from an eternal hell. I know that He has a lot of trust in His missionaries to share His message and find all His children. I love my calling, and am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and for repentance and forgiveness.

FUNN NOTES!!!! ♥

Talked with my family and BROOKIE DARLING, I didn’t talk to you much, people kept cutting you off. :( feel free to message me and we can talk. I love you! I had so much fun talking with you. I will be repenting for going over time talking; I literally did not notice the time. But good news, you got to meet our ward mission leader, Claudio Barra, who is the funniest thing ever! He showed you his two cats and did head, shoulders, knees and toes for you in Spanish! heehee. He is a great man, we are lucky to be working with him!

Cultural update: music here has the same bass line, 4 notes over and over and every car is playing it. It’s called regatona. Something like that. Also, booty shorts and tights are super popular here. And it’s getting super super cold! Hermana Taylor and I are funny and her family cracks me up. She is 1 of 9 children and we had fun talking to them. ♥

Well love you alllll!!!!

Hope you have a super sassy week (: Miss you all!

que esté bien

xoxoxoxoo

Hermana Cook