This week I requested to have a meeting with President Hall. It was great!
He helped me work through some of my concerns with my companion. I wish I had a
lifetime to learn from him. He is such a shining example to me. Something he
taught me was about correction. Take for example someone who is on a no sugar
diet. When you go to lunch with them and they order dessert you might say "are
you sure you want to do that?" We think we are helping them but they already
know that they shouldn't be eating that. If it happens again and we question
them again we start to set an expectation that they will always break the diet
rules. So it is with obedience to missionary rules. When a person knows the
standard of the mission rules they have the choice to follow them. As a
companion if we constantly remind them they are breaking the rules we are
setting the expectation they will always break them. So you help them remember
the rules once and then let them choose. All we can do to help them with
correction is controlling the things that we can control and which effect
us.
We have had this investigator we have been teaching since we got here. We
just found out that he is leaving for the summer to do summer sales. When we
went to go meet with him one last time before he leaves he told us that he had a
dream where his questions of the book of mormon was answered. He said that in
his dream he was playing basketball in a church building with a figure. Suddenly
he stopped playing and asked this figure if the book of mormon was true. The
figure responded, "That is the most honest book I have ever read." Um what?!!!!
It was so cool when he told us! He also asked if he could get baptized before he
left which meant that we had 4 days to get a baptism ready for him and we still
had 2 lessons to teach him. Luckily we got everything ready to go on Saturday night. When it came time for is
baptismal interview he didn't pass. I felt so bad when I heard that. The reason
why he didn't pass was because he had smoked marijuana that week. Grrr.... we
thought he had given it up. Oh well... he is headed to one of the best places he
could go for work....UTAH! hahahaha I am confident that he will get baptized
eventually and that as he is in Utah he will solidify the knowledge he has of
the gospel. The rest of our investigators are struggling with coming to church
but we have this really awesome idea of making a calendar that the investigator
fills out so they know what days we are coming and what we are teaching. This is
a new idea from President Hall. I am super excited to try it out. I think it
should really help some of our people.
We taught a 13 year old at a bus stop one day this week. It was an awesome
lesson. When we were getting ready to get on our bikes this kid hugged us out of
no where. It was a little awkward but it said a lot about him. 1. he needed to
feel loved that day 2. he has an open heart. He is such a cute kid and we are
looking forward to continue to teach him.
Tomorrow is Temple Day and I
am so excited! President Hall sent some info and advice that President Packer
had given to people about receiving revelation while at the temple. I am so
excited because I have a lot of questions to take with me to the temple that I
am hoping to have answered.
This next week is crazy and it just happens to be the last week of this
transfer. CRAZY! Why does time keep flying by so fast? I know this is the Lords
work and that he is preparing His children to receive the gospel so that they
may return to live with Him for all eternity.
If you haven't heard yet on June
23 its the worldwide leadership broadcast titled "The work of Salvation."
Our mission President has required us to make plans to attend this training. We
have also been told that it will be a historic event. I am so excited!!!! Please
do all you can to attend this training from our wonderful First
Presidency.
I love you all and I miss you!
until next week....
Hurrah for Israel!
Love,
Sister Cottrell
