Drained!

Hello!!!!

This week has been so busy!!! We went on exchanges twice this week. Both of them went so well and we learned a ton from our sisters but also saw a lot of miracles. When an exchange is finished we are normally pretty tired after one exchange but it was maginified by a lot with two. While on our exchange tuesday we learned that our sisters had been through a pretty rough time moving into the apartment. It has been an elders apartment for the last 12 years....We called the zone leaders and explained the situation a little bit. They got all fired up on the phone and told us that they would take care of it right away. That wasn't our intention in calling them but okay. We left it alone and then Pres. Hall called us to get clarification. We told him the same things and added "Its not necessary to move them right away. They can wait for another transfer." He agreed and that was that...until Thursday morning. We got a call from the Zone Leaders telling us that the Sisters were freaking out and crying and adament that they move ASAP because they thought they were getting mold poisioning. Needless to say we found ourselves in cleaning clothes and all plans cancelled for the day. We surprised them by showing up, took their house keys from them and banned them from the apartment with specific instructions to focus on working that day. We spent 6 HOURS cleaning just the living room, kitchen, and bath tub. We also emptied 2 closets full of 12 years worth of junk! There were so many illegal missionary items in that apartment...goodness. However we enjoyed the service project and found a great find. In one of the closets there was a beautiful frame with the first presidency's pictures in it. I showed it to Sister Scrinver. I decided to hang it up. As I went to hang it I saw the back side of the frame which actually was the front side of the frame. I couldn't believe my eyes! There were actually pictures of these darling young women behind the first Presidency!!!!! Someone totally took the idea from "The Best Two Years"! We laughed and laughed and laughed. We left sticky notes for the sisters with the hope they would laugh too. :D I included pictures so all of you could laugh too.

Okay for a miracle!!!!! When I was on the first exchange I found out some information that I am truly excited about. Remember Chatsworth area? Well when I was there my companions and I worked so hard to find investigators. They were few and far between for us. As a result we did a lot of less active work. I was always telling myself that I was planting seeds and that someday some lucky missionary was going to be able to harvest a majority of them. Well the day has come! Our dear sweet Chatsworth sisters received a phone call from a guy. He told them that Sister Dyreng and Sister Cottrell had left a pamphlet and Book of Mormon with him months ago. He asked some questions and agreed to meet with the missionaries. Well this dear fellow is getting baptized next Saturday!!!! and I am totally going to the baptism hahahaha I am so excited to see that the efforts I put into the work in Chatsworth are finally starting to be seen. Its wonderful and it has been the highlight of my week!

Last Monday the Sisters who live with us picked up a mini Missionary. We were all excited to have her join us. Unfortunately its not been such a pleasant experience. She has eaten all of us out of house and home. We explained what the organization was for all of our food in the cupboards and fridge but it didn't matter. All of us have either had to eat way less to make it through the week or go shopping again. We have even taken to hiding some food items from her. :( She eats all day long and we are beginning to wonder if she eats in her sleep too. The poor sisters have so many other problems they are dealing with because of her. Probably the most important and confusing one is that since she arrived the spirit is gone from our apartment. None of us have felt it there except for during study times in our own rooms...sometimes. She has been forced to serve a mini mission before her Bishop will pass off her papers to the Stake President. We were told by her to just deal with the problems because she was going to stick out the 2 weeks just so she can send her papers in. She refuses to try to learn how to study, work with companions let the trainer train and lead and its just a big snowball of a problem. We have called President Hall when it started to get bad but haven't talked to him since. We are going to call him again today because its horrible and none of us are having an easy time doing anything. We realized just how big of a motivator the spirit is to get us up and going and out the door and without it this week its been so hard to get moving or even have the desire to go out and work. Its been so hard and confusing to try to work everything out to the point that we have all agreed that things have started to go down hill since she came. Im sorry this all sounds so horrible and depressing and I feel bad because I have very little good things to say about the situation. As Sister Training Leaders we are very concerned about the situation. We are even going to take her for a day and do a specialized training to help her understand missionary life and the do's and don'ts of it while the other sisters just go and work as hard as they can. Whats even more sad is how their area has been affected by it this week.

On a happier note I have finally been getting some sleep! Our Elders Quorum Presidents mother suggested a tea to help relax me at night so that I can fall asleep and stay asleep. She in just a few question deducted that I dont relax at night because I am always thinking about the next day and the what if's. She said in a spanish accent, " You have to train yourself to think, 'Whatever happens tomorrow is gonna happen, and there is nothing I can do about it.' " She says her husband does the same thing. In thinking about it she is right. 1. I dont relax at night. 2. I always worry and think about the next day. So the remedy? Siete Azahares aka Seven Blossoms tea. It works so well! It doesn't taste great but it helps me relax enough that I fall asleep quickly and stay asleep till about 5:30/ 6:00. It has been wonderful. Although with exchanges I fell asleep one afternoon...oops. ;D

We also found a new investigator this week! HOORAY!!!!! She is so cute. We taught her the first lesson. I think she absorbed it but I don't think she is convinced of it yet. Thats okay! We will continue to work with her and everything will be awesome! She is receptive to us and thats important. The work is moving forward and I am excited to be apart of it.

I have been studying the war chapters and its amazing to me just how much you can relate them to misssionary work. I love Captain Moroni and the strength that he was not only to his armies but to us today. I love Alma 47 (or is it 48) where it describes the attributes of Captain Moroni. It makes me just want to be a better person. I also found a quote in Preach My Gospel from President Gordon B. Hinckley. He says, "Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause." It really touched me when I found it because I have had a really hard time focusing lately. So thank you President Hinckley you have helped me get my head back in the game! Overall its been a great week and I have learned a ton! I am excited for a new week. I hope you all have a postive week and that you see the Lords hands in your lives more fully. I love you all!!!!!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Cottrell