MERRYYY CHRISTMASSS

FAMILY!!!! MERRYYY CHRISTMASSS♥ So I miss you guys a lot but as much as I miss you guys, this Christmas will definitely be one of the most memorable in my life. (: My mission family here helps keep me from getting too home sick. We've been picking up on our lessons and finding new people to teach which is so great. People are always a little more willing to listen to two gringas who are far from their families this time of year (: Christmas is a great teaching tool, I would love to use it all year round but I feel like after the holiday it wouldn't be as effective :(

The story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in Luchas 2 is a miraculous one.  President was telling us at our Christmas Party that in some ways, the nativity of Christ has been sanitized to the point that we do not even consider the reality of the circumstances.  From birth, Christ’s life was a rugged one. Born in a stable shared with some farm animals and laid to rest in a feeding trough.  His birth was without the conveniences of even the average home back then.  He was an unwelcome guest.  There was no room for him in the inn.  While still young, he was whisked away to a far country to save his life, a perilous journey in great haste and fear, a trip which was undoubtedly hard for the new infant and his caring mother.  He had a most unusual life as a child.  He was visited by special visitors of other religious traditions who understood the prophesies of his birth and sought him out.  There is nothing in the Bible that says that the visitors from the East were kings, or that there were three, or that they were all men, or that one of them was black.  It is clear that they were teachers and spiritual leaders.  It wasn’t until much later when Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire that they were cast as royalty.  The Magi sought the future King of the Jews by inquiring of Herod.  Herod then uses this information to order the killing of innocent children.  It is a bloody story that is never depicted in our Christmas pageants, yet it gives us important insights.  It is remarkable that Jesus gave his life for all of us, including those children that gave their lives for Him.  Clearly, as a young Jewish boy, Jesus would have been aware of this slaughter.  It may have been a contributing factor to his unlimited capacity for sympathizing with the suffering of others.  We never really go past the cute story of Jesus, which I absolutely love, but we do need to remember Jesus never had an easy life.  It was not easy for him.  That is why Elder Holland always says he thinks that it is never easy for us, especially as missionaries.  I love Christmas and being on a mission has opened up windows of questions and answers about our Savior :) I love it...

But on an upbeat, we did have your mission Christmas party and it was CRAZY!  I was one of the team captains for all the sports!!! bahaah!!! Funny cause sports is not my thing but it was a BLAST. We enjoyed playing soccer, football, frisbee, basketball, and volleyball and finished up with watching Remember the Titans.  This was the first time I have seen this movie and I LOVED IT.  Can't wait to watch it in English. haha.  We also had a devotional from presidente and Hermana Cook and exchanged gifts.  I decided to regift my pink Christmas Tree and OF COURSE and elder got it HAAHHAHA.  I have pics ;) I ended up with and AWESOME authentic Chilean bag that was like hand knitted.  It looks way cool.  We had such a fun time.

This week we found 2 nuevos and taught them some lessons and have 2 baptismal dates for the 19th. Juan Carlos, who is reading the Book of Mormon and says prayers like a member. I love love love his prayers!  We're hoping to start teaching his wife as well!! And Also Marco and his family, the ones we found that one day after contacting for 7 hours straight!  They came to the Ward Christmas party and their little girl, Antonia lovessss us. it's so cute.  She is 5 and she loves Dora so I was able to give her the stickers Debbie Williams gave me before I left and she loves them!!  Thank you Debbie ❤️

Yes, We are continuing to see miracles in this sector.  Hermana Castleton is doing great and we are striving to be diligent in all that we do.  We were still a little sick this week but we got through it! We made cute matching shirts for the Christmas Party and I'll send pics of those in a bit :))  Hope everyone is enjoying their week!  It's so hot down here and I'm loving it!!  It's like 100 degrees this week and I have a really attractive shoe tan ! woohoooo!! Pics are on the way

Teeny your tractor is lovely and attractive! 

Miss you family!  The 1st if the next month marks 5 months here!!  So crazy.  Well I love you all have a great Christmas see you in 2 daysss!!! 

Hermana Cook :)

This week has been a struggle..sickness is no fun

FAMILYYYY!!! 

 

Tracking in the subway!  Way cool pic!

This week was very difficult.  We tracked door to door at least 4 to 5 hours every day and I feel like this sector is struggling a bit, so we have planned a fast with the elders in our ward this week, which brings me a lot of peace.  Hermana Castleton and I were sick for like 3 days but we persevered through it somehow!, and I am sure we will start to see miracles based on our diligence and patience :)  We have been blessed by finding a new family who seem to be very receptive and I am so grateful for the diligence of my companion and how well we support each other.

 

But this sector has been harder to find people to teach than I thought it was going to be, but we are grateful for the things that we have learned in the finding process.  Answers from my personal study sessions have come to me in door contacts, and I feel as we contact my testimony is growing A LOT. This I am very grateful for.  I love feeling the Holy Ghost teach us things as we testify to others.  I just hope we will find people that are prepared to be taught and baptized.  This letter is kind of short because all that really happened was contacting and teaching menos activos (less active members), who are all sweethearts, they just don't want to come to church!!  Blessings come from going to church and every one needs blessings.. SO JUST GO TO CHURCH!!  lol that's my advice to you all this week.  Go to church.  Learn something new.  Touch lives and share comments in church.  Reflect on the savior. Listen to the sacrament prayer♥ ENJOY YOURSELF THERE  :)  Oh and my Hermana Castleton is so sweet.  I just am loving being her companion♥

DAY 1 together! Making a ghetto box for Christmas presents!

 

That's all. I love you.

I love the Gospel

I love Chile

I love being fat

I love Christmas lights

I love church :)

Stay classy and have a super sassy week ♥ xoxoxo

Found this awesome bush so I took a picture with it!

Another cool bush!



GHOSTS LIVE HERE. NOT A JOKE...
its like super fer reals!

GHOSTS LIVE HERE.

Hermana Castleton and dog laying in weird position

Hermana Castleton dropped her toast
out the window and the bush caught it!
We thought it was funny so I took a pic!!




Hermana Castleton and I on our first day
and we were up the night before so we look tired!!! yay!!



We Love to See the Temple! ♥

yyeah buddy! Elder Stewart and Elder Alcaras riding in the Limo of Chile




Our attractive shoe tans!
Mine is the bottom one with pink toe nails, whoopee!!

PAINTING FIGHT.. I mean SERVICE for a 91 year old lady!

PAINTING SERVICE for a 91 year old lady!

WE FOUND PUPPIES WHILE WE WERE TRACKING! so so cute

 

Hermana Castleton with the cute puppies!

Change brings hard work and blessings

THIS IS FROM HER MOTHER:   Danielle is serving with a new companion and I have befriended her new companions mother!  So fun!  I am able to read her companion, Whitney Castleton's weekly email.  This is such a fun tender mercy from the Lord.  Here is a few things Whiney has said about Danielle.  So proud of my girl and so blessed!

From Whitney Castleton:  Great, wonderful, blessed week.  We've truly seen miracles in this sector. Largely it has to do with Hermana Cook.  She is quite incredible.  She is a blessing and miracle in my life.  I am really enjoying the time I have with her and need to learn all I can.

This week we've really discovered the necessity for specific prayers. God has a very funny sense of humor. He will bless us with exactly what we ask for, but maybe not exactly what we need. For example, Hermana Cook was tired of feeling the heat during the day, and as she was saying the nightly companionship prayer, she asked Him if He could make it a little colder. Well, Sunday morning we woke up and it felt like winter. We had to wear long sleeves and sweaters and long skirts. 

She also wrote:    We met with the Familia Garrido and they took really well to Hermana Cook as nearly everybody does. She is truly wonderful.

BELOW IS DANIELLE'S EMAIL:

So far for our first week in this sector things are moving along, very slowly, but they are moving. :) We had one full day of strictly door contacting, we tracked for over 6 hours and when we thought our efforts were in vain, at the end of the night, we were blessed with a miracle.  The VERY LAST door we knocked on, and which we almost didn't, a man answered the door and the second after we told him we were missionaries, he invited us in.  We were shocked and did not know exactly how to react right away.  We asked if there was a women in the house and he pointed to his wife sitting on the couch and said she would like us to come in as well.  In a very short story, we found out that she had been baptized at 10 years old, and never went to church after.  Her and her husband have been wondering if they should ``find Jesus again`` and was very excited to hear that our church was centered around families and Jesus Christ, and that we have a meeting in the church every week to worship him and learn more about His Gospel.  They said they would be there this Sunday.  We have an appointment with them tonight and are planning on teaching them The Restoration.  We feel very blessed to have found them and we hope Marco and his wife accept the church into their lives. This sector is full of old people and it's hard to find people who can hear us.  Its really funny!  Surprisingly we are understood very well despite our lack of Spanish skills. 

Oh, also this week we did a fast this last Tuesday and fasted very very specifically to find someone that would just let us in and allow us to teach and for them to have a desire to be baptized.  And the day after we knocked on this door and a car pulled up behind us, which is usually really an awkward situation... But this man got out of his car, opened the gate to his house and said to go on in and teach him.... this is not common here at all! lol   We taught him the restoration, and how to pray and about the Book of Mormon this week,  his name is Juahn and he is really receptive so far.  He has a family of 6 and they are all catholic and most of the kids live out of the house.  Were hoping to get him and his wife to church this week.  My testimony of prayer and fasting has really grown and has been answered on several different accounts this week.  I can't even believe it.  This change has been so hard because we have to tract so much, and references are pretty rare because everyone here is kind of like over 70.   Also, We had lunch with the Relief Society president, Hermana Rybak, and Hermana Castleton told me she could be a little hard to work with so I just really tried to get to know her and show her we were here to help so she could trust us. WELLLL, Turns out she trusts us now, because She wants me to take Hermana Moody´s place and be first councilor in the relief Society...... Sounds like a joke but I am not joking. I have to give a lesson this week and we have lots of meetings!! I feel very incapable right now, but the Lord has shown me he wont ever leave me by myself so I know it will turn out to all be just fine! 

I´m loving my mission and this ward is great. I wish I could write more detailed and better but I cant exactly!!  I feel like Moroni who can only write 1/100th of the things that have happened!! but I love you all lots :)  OH YEAHH, ALSO WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!

It was so so great.  We got to watch the new video and I absolutely loved it.  The temple was just what we needed to start this sector off with.  I received two things of revaluation while I was in there for this sector.  It was an emotional and humbling experience.  And Christmas is coming up and I can't wait.  Lights are on all the houses and Christmas music is everywhere. 

This is all I have time to write right now!  Love you!!

xoxoxo

Hermana Cook

CAMBIOS (changes)

Yep we got changes this week! I´m here with the Lovely Hermana Castleton and we just brought all of our things to our new room. we share with 2 other hermanas and its going to be really great. I know our companionship was inspired! I'm ready to get to work here :) 

 











So this week was Thanksgiving and we celebrated it at the bishop´s house, even though Chileans don't celebrate Thanksgiving... But the bishop and his wife lived in The US for 12 years and there are 2 other families that lived in America so we did our own thing with permission from presidente to have Thanks Giving with them and it was the BEST!!

Ward Activity

The youth in the ward!

This last week was so amazing in the Las Avenidas ward! We ended the week with a ward party and it was a blast. We played musical chairs... Which I told Hermana Leavitt Something bad was going to happen, like i was going to sit on the bishop on accident or something, and she said that wouldn't happen so we proceeded with the game... AND WOW GUESS WHAT. I totally sat on the bishops lap on accident, like he was Santa Clause or something. We all laughed so hard and his wife fell on the floor cracking up and Bishop pretended to get out his cell phone and call presidente and tell him we need transfers  because I was a little crazy! It was so funny. I have a lot of pictures from this activity ill have to send to you next week! But yeah, there is my "embarrassing/sister Cook is always right" moment heehee!!!! 

So we taught so so many lessons and found tons of new people to teach. Waldo bought me a ton of things to remember him and he made me cry.  He's just so darn precious. I was feeling a little nervous to get a new companion on Saturday so I asked Bishop to give me a blessing.  He gave the most beautiful blessing to me ever. He told me that now that I had found Waldo, who needed me, I need to find the person that needs me here and that my smile will bless many people in this sector. He blessed me with comfort and obedience and many other things that tugged on my heart. He is such an inspired man. One of the best people I have ever met. This week is going to be different but there's no doubt that I will be taken care of. I learned a lot this week about patience and that things come only on the Lords time, but they do come no doubt. Hermana Leavitt and I were walking and knocked on a door and I said like a 30 second prayer that someone would come out of their house and let us in to teach and want to learn more, and right after a lady came to the gate and let us in but made us wait a second so she could open the front door for us, and i leaned over to Hermana Leavitt and said that prayers were like wishes but there always guaranteed to be answered. And its so true. Usually its not in a way that we expect them to be answered. I don't have a ton of time to write today but I know this sector and change will be a great learning experience for me! 

♥ Hermana Leavitt taught me all she could and now its time for a new experience! I'm so excited :)   Love you all, sorry for the shortness. hope you all have a super sassy week. 

xoxoxox 
Hermana Cook

Rosario, Cesar, Amparo y Roberto

                 Saying good by to Hermana Leavitt                                                                          Camilla

 

Letter from Santiago South Mission President Cook

ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN HISTORY  ​     EL MENSAJERO #22,  25 Nov. 2013

In June of this year, as we began our mission, we attended the New Mission Presidents Seminar in Provo, Utah.  A record 173 new presidents and their wives received final instructions before beginning their service all over the world. All 15 members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed the group.  Elder L. Tom Perry concluded the seminar with these comments:

“This is a most remarkable era in the history of the Church. This is something that ranks with the great events that have happened in past history, like the First Vision, like the gift of the Book of Mormon, like the Restoration of the gospel, like all of the things that built the foundation for us to go forward and teach in our Father in Heaven’s kingdom.”

During the seminar the historical broadcast entitled ¨Hastening the Work of Salvation¨ was transmitted by satellite to the entire church.  President Thomas S. Monson spoke at that time and said:

¨Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work.¨

Do you sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be participants in the great events of Church History? Do you wonder what it would have been like to attend the first meeting of the organization of the Church in the Peter Whitmer cabin?Do you wonder what it would have been like to hear Joseph preach at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and to be there during the celestial manifestations that took place that day?  Do you wonder if you could have remained faithful during the horrific persecutions of Missouri?  Could you have made the journey across the Great Plains to the Salt Lake Valley? Well if we truly believe what the prophets are saying, future generations may also look behind and wish that they might have participated in the events that will occur during our lifetimes.  This is indeed an historical time in which the Lord is hastening his work.  

What is our role?  Sometimes I fear that we just sit back as observers and say ¨OK Lord, let it roll.¨ Then we wait for the hastening to begin.  I am convinced that now more than any other time in the history of missionary work we need to do all that we can do to hasten ourselves.  We must be participants in the hastening not just observers.  We simply cannot continue to do what we have always done and expect different results.  So how can we hasten our work?

1.

Evaluate Yourself - Take a long hard look at yourself and honestly assess what you can do better.

2.

Your Time is the Lord´s - Recognize that you are on the Lord´s errand.  You are his agent.  Literally your time is not your own and every minute you waste is not yours to waste.

3.

Remember your purpose - Anything you do that does notinvolve your purpose of bringing souls unto Christ should be revised or eliminated.  

4.

Work with the Members - The only way you can find more hours in the day is to work with the members on divisions and team-ups.  We can find, fellowship, retain and teach more when we are in partnership with the members.  These are the things that will fill the chapels of Santiago.

May we all resolve to be active participants in this historical time.  We love you and know you will find incredible fulfillment as you serve the Lord as an active partner in the hastening of his work ¨to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.¨

President & Sister Cook