It's Transfers!!!

Oh my goodness, there is so much structured chaos in our mission!!! Saturday night was transfer calls. I had a very strong reason to believe I would be getting transfered. So when the call came telling me I was getting transfered it was no surprise. What did surprise me was that I am getting put into a BIKE area. I have reason to assume this is a new area because there are no english sister areas currently on bike. Unless they are taking a car away from an area. I guess we will see what happens tomorrow. This morning President Hall called and extended the call to Sister Dyreng and I both to Train! So there are a lot of changes. This week I have a done an extensive study on Faith. It has been amazing to me just how many ways there are to strengthen ones faith. The primary ways are to read scriptures, pray, attend church and follow the prophet. But as we do each one our faith and its influence in our lives becomes more complex. Its just an amazing principle to study. I am totally relying on my faith and testimony right now, that the Lord gives us trials he knows we can get through and grow from. as I prepare myself physically, mentally, and emotionally going into this new transfer. Its amazing to me just how comforting the Holy Ghost can be and how strengthening it is too. It was sad to leave the Chatsworth ward but I can feel in my heart that its time to move on and learn to love the people in my new area. I am excited for the new experience. Im sorry this is short. I love you all!!!! This week will be great!

Hoorah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Cottrell

 

Hey Ya'll,

No letter last week she forgot!

 

 

Well I have decided that I am terribly with subjects for my emails. Im just not creative like that I guess. ;D This week served to be an very interesting week. Our ward hosts a volleyball night each Saturday as a finding tool for the missionaries. Its been great because we have seen some really cool results. There are about 4 regular nonmembers that attend and there are always ward members who help fellowship these people. Unfortunately, through a series of events questions were asked and arguments started,. Our mission president called Sister Dyreng and I to tell him what was going on exactly. We explained the purpose of Volleyball nights and how everything had gone down. He kindly, and lovingly explained that volleyball night as much as it had great potential was not appropriate to be doing as a finding activity outside of preparation day. So, if we do attend it is to leave a short message say a prayer and leave. It was disappointing and President Hall asked us to explain why we felt that way. We explained that we felt we had the most success with the event and felt the disappointment in not being able to continue it. President Hall then said to us, "So what I hear Sisters is, 'President we need help learning how to find." He really was right on the dot and the spirit probably helped him get to the real issue, because to us we were doing just fine in knowing how to knock on doors, and thats what the problem is. Knocking on doors is the most ineffective way of doing missionary work!!!!! So Pres. Hall scheduled himself to come to OUR apartment with Sister Hall on Friday morning. GULP!!! My stomach was in knots for days! Luckly for us we live very clean like and only had to wipe down a few areas from breakfast to feel like he could come into our home. We waited outside Friday morning for them to show up. We felt the need to carry a Book of Mormon with us just incase an unforseen opportunity arose for us to work while waiting. Well, that opportunity came just as Pres. and Sister Hall were walking towards us from a cross walk. We talked to a lady about the Book of Mormon and explained the importance of having a Christ centered life. Just as we were in the middle of our contact with her Pres and Sister Hall reached us. They patiently waited as we finished the contact and then followed us into the apartment. They told us that it had appeared we had a paid contact waiting for them to watch. ;D The time they spent with us was very enlightening. They basically went over weekly planning. They had just attended a training on it and shared some new insights with us. We were informed that the time spent already on weekly planning should be even longer with only 4 out of 13 steps to cover (its already approx 3 hours long!) He also told us that after weekly planning is over our planners should be full 10 days out. That was also something new. So we knew we had some work ahead of us. It was so great!!!! At the end of our discussion over several points he asked Sister Dyreng and I if he could share 2 things at the Zone leader trainings, 1. the training we just had. 2. the experience of watching us at work. He started tearing up as he told us how proud he was to see us at work and talking with everyone. It was very touching and it felt great to hear the compliments from both of them.

Sister Dyreng and I started weekly planning over with all the new training and it took about 6 hours to finish. It may have been long but the results have been amazing. It is so rewarding to see a full day 10 days out. It is also rewarding to know we did everything asked of us. President Hall is very insightful and I am so grateful to have him as my President.

Transfers are next week!!!! on May 7th. The bets are these: I will stay and train or I will leave Chatsworth. There aren't very many options for what will happen. President Hall told us today that by the end of next transfer we will have 100 missionaries particpating in the 12 week training program! and between the next 2 transfers we will have 50 new missionaries not counting any visa waiters. So the Lord is hastening his work!!!! It is amazing to be apart of and I LOVE IT! Well thats been the week. Next week will be exciting to see what will happen. I love you all. Take Care!

Hoorah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Cottrell

Where should we Go?

Hello Everyone!!!!

I just saw some some pictures of a couple of the cousins and they have all grown up so much!!!!!! It warmed my heart though. How is everyone doing? I am doing well. It has been a hard week because we have been working so hard to find new investigators since our teaching pool has seemed to dry up. Its been sad but we are pushing on! We starting contacting a bunch of our Former Investigators. Some of them we get a hold of others aren't home. However we have gotten a hold of one. She is 21 years old and she has had some major difficulties in her life. Her dad just tried to commit suicide and she has extreme depression. She is super nice and we talked a lot about trusting our Heavenly Father during our trials besides everyday. She is very knowledgeable about the Bible. I sincerely pray that she will let us keep meeting with her. She is definitely being prepared. Our Bishop really wants us to continue focusing on Less Active Members. Its sometimes hard to do that because we cant always balance finding investigators. President Hall has asked us to spend 30 hours finding a week. However I am very aware that the Lord sees our efforts and the desire we have to meet both expectations.

We have been thinking a lot about the next transfer. Not because we are ready for it come but because we have been informed that because we have 11 English speaking Sisters coming in there is a 90% chance that ALL of us will be training and some of us will be training 2 at a time!!! Sister Dyreng likes to do transfer predictions and she is stumped because there is just no way to tell what will happen. The changes which have been taking place in missionary work is phenomenal. It makes me so happy to be apart of everything and that I will have everything recorded so that my posterity will be able to have a first hand account.

Sister Dyreng is a firecracker. She loves to be kind of crazy. She loves dance parties and anything to do with working out. She is a great missionary and really knows how to relate to the people out here. She has definitely taught me a lot about letting go and just talking with others about the gospel. Sometimes I get shy when we get into certain situations and I hate feeling like i'm "bugging" people when they are obviously busy. But the message we share is a good interruption, and it is worth listening to.

I am sorry that there hasn't been much to write about the last couple weeks. Its just been super slow here in Chatsworth. I love you all and hope that all of you enjoy the Spring weather that should hopefully be arriving soon.

Hoorah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Cottrell

Ups and Downs!

Wow wasn't General Conference amazing!!!!!! I have always had this strong love for conference and this weekend did not disappoint the excitment I felt being able to go and watch it. There were some themes which were talked about over and over again: families, teaching the gospel in the home, obedience, and missionary work. I loved it! I have felt this week an increase in feasting on the words of the prophets. Through my scripture study and preach my gospel studies I find comfort and peace. I often think about the Savior and His teachings and how they apply not only to me but to those I come into contact with.

We attended a funeral on Saturday afternoon between sessions. We went primarily to support the daughter who is a less active we have been working with. As I watched her family walk in I realized how grief stricken they looked. I realized there is a real difference in how we react to grief based off our knowledge of this life and the life to come. This family is about 50-50. Some are members others are either inactive or not members. I started crying as I always do in funerals but not for grief over a loved one. I cried in grief of realizing these people don't have the knowledge I do of the Plan of Salvation.

I had another interesting experience in knocking on a door of another less active member. When the door was opened there was a young woman and she looked terrified when she realized who we were. She started yelling, "Shut the door, shut the door! We dont believe in cults!!!!" She backed away from us and out of our sight. 30 seconds later she came back while we were talking to the member and hid behind the door saying, "you burned my Sister!!! Please get rid of them!" Well we soon left feeling totally unsettled and weirded out. I am not really sure what she thinks we do but we wont be going back again.

There is so much evil in this world. If only the whole world was required to watch General Conference to learn and take heed to the counsel given...but that would take away their agency. Darn!!! ;D

This week has been hard as we have been working so hard to identify potential investigators and try to contact the current ones we have. Unfortunately I have a feeling our current investigators are soon to be no more. This work is hard and stressful but when the Lord sees fit to send someone that is just slightly interested it makes everything worth it! I love this work and I love sharing the gospel with those who have not had the chance to hear it. I know the Lord is hastening his work. If nothing else provided evidence of this, the words of the Prophets do. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the Spring weather that is here.

Hoorah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Cottrell

Happy Easter!

Hello Everyone!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed your Easter Sunday. I know I did. I had the opportunity to read about the Resurrection in Jesus the Christ before church and it hit me so powerfully just how perfect his sacrifice was for us. There is a talk that I have been sharing a lot with others this week and its Elder Hollands April Conference Address "None were with Him." I found it so profound how Elder Holland literally addresses the talk so that it feels as if its for you. He explains so simply that we are not alone as Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane. We are blessed with family, teachers, friends, scriptures, temples etc. We are surrounded with things to remind us that we are NOT alone. I love this talk and would suggest to everyone!!!!!

Transfers came and went. It was fun to sing Called to Serve while the 24 new missionaries filed in. We had 12 sisters who are 19 years old come into our mission and 3 turned 19 either the day before they entered the MTC or while they were in the MTC. I got goosebumps when I heard that!!!!! Another Elder also informed us that the MTC is expecting 7000 missionaries this summer. Since the campus can only house approx. 3000, the Elders coming in will be sleeping in tents across the street on the field. Also all English speaking State side missionaries will be in the MTC for 5 days. CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited to see all the work and changes being made so that the Lords work can hasten on.

My new companion is Sister Dyreng. She is fun and kind of crazy. When I heard who my companion was it caused me to sit and reflect over last weekend. I was so nervous about transfers I wouldn't let myself ponder on it. However the one time I did think about it and who could possibly be my companion I received and answer in disguise. The first person that popped into my head was Sister Dyreng and I remember thinking "Oh no." And the only reason why I say that is because she is exactly opposite of me. Tall, skinny, fashionable, loud, everyone knows her, and beautiful. I feel like a pumpkin next to her. ;D But she is amazing. Its no wonder she is who she is. She is helping me learn even more just by observance. I simply am learning to love her more each day and we have fun together.

We are making some major changes in the work we do in Chatsworth. Its going to be a week filled with a lot of hard work and concentration.

I love you all very much and hope to hear how you are all doing. We can take sufficent time each Monday to email friends and family. So if you get a moment I would love to hear from you all and see how you are doing! Remember you are not alone!!!!

Hoorah for Israel!!!

Love,

Sister Cottrell

Training Has Ended- YIKES!

Well by the subject line my training has ended and I am now realizing the full impact of that fact. Transfer calls were issued Saturday night and training calls can come anytime on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning. I was a true hot mess when transfer calls came. Sister Haws is getting transferred out and I am staying in Chatsworth. I am really going to miss Sister Haws, she truly became like a sister to me and I love her very much. I have been extremely worried about some things that only I will be aware of this coming transfer that I get to relay to my new companion. I am worried about teaching a few people because I dont feel like I communicate well with them and if I have to drive then I have to know the area (which I think I do but it will be different behind the wheel, right?) They really are just simple little things but they are taking their toll on me and I have felt very overwhelmed. In sacrament meeting I pulled out my scriptures seeking comfort and found out that my reading lead me right into Ether. Of course verse 27 popped out at me and I started crying. Enough where I actually walked out and went in search of some tissues. The part of verse 27 which stood out at me was about being humble. Sister Haws told me a saying the other day which is stuck in my head, "Inadequacy is saying, I cant to do this. Humility is saying, I cant do this without the Lord." I feel like I got the message LOUD AND CLEAR. So I am now faced with dealing with change but Im not facing it alone. I have the Lord on my side and he will guide me with his Spirit. I know I can do this and that its time the training wheels come off. Oh, I dont think I am training since I haven't gotten a call yet. Which is totally fine by me. I would love to wait another transfer so I can get my feet under me just a little bit better. 

Sister Haws and I have had an interesting experience this week. We became a trio on Wednesday night! Our mission receives Temple Square Sisters in every now and then so, Sister Ince came and joined us. She is from Canada and is a firecracker. In fact she reminds me of Rocio in a way. I love her already and will miss her but look forward to seeing how she does proselyting. She knows a lot and is very bold in her teaching. Yesterday she and I went on splits and we got 2 doors in a row of Bible Bashers. It was very trying but we both handled the situations well and were able to help each other through the experience. Our current room looks extremely familiar. The lay out goes something like this: wall, bed, bed, bed, wall.....I think the Lord knew that I needed some experiences before I came out on my mission.... ;D

There is a lot of work going on in Chatsworth and there is so much potential! I am excited I get to stay and see what happens in the next 6 weeks. I am hoping that I will get to see at least 3 of our investigators be baptized. They are so close!!!!! Anyway this week has been good and there have been alot of new experiences packed into it. Probably my favorite was trying a new food....magots. I hope to never try them again ha ha ha. We aren't really sure where they came from. We think they came from some old lemons someone gave us. We jumped right into getting all the food thrown away in our cupboards and calling our medical advisor. We have been super grossed out!!!!! Sister Haws and I are wondering if our friends have been contributing to stomach aches. However we are on the mend and we hope we killed our friends with handy dandy Raid. I think we are getting our apartment sprayed just in case.
Well if that didn't gross you out I don't know what would. I think that raps up Chatsworth this week! Tell Irina congrats for me and give her a big hug!!!!!! Love you all!
Hoorah for Israel!!!!
Love,
Sister Cottrell

Hello everyone!

It has definitely been a week. Some days were slower than others but it was all good. We met a guy whose father referred him to the missionaries last week. We went back this week to try him again since he stopped answering his phone. We found him outside the apartment and talked to him and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon. We testified of the healing power of the book and told him that when he was struggling with urges to pick up bad habits to read and to pray. He came to church and I about cried when I saw him!!! He is amazing and is ready for the gospel to be a part of his life.
We met another man who knows a lot about the scriptures (ALL of them). We were also told that he had received revelation and visions of celestial beings. We were informed of their characteristics: they walk through walls, drive living space crafts, can walk on ceilings, they are childlike but intelligent etc. It was a very interesting conversation, however we have made it a point of avoiding his side of the street at all costs. Nice man, just a strange conversation.
We had another experience of finding. We went to a referrals home to check in with them. After our contact I felt we still really needed to be in the area. As I was getting into the car I saw some ladies walking their dogs and thought I should go talk to them. By the time I grabbed my bag and got out of the car they were really far away. So I looked at the houses around us and decided to knock on one. They didn't answer so I looked around again and saw another lady walking her dog. We talked to her but she wasn't interested. Just then I saw a couple walking our way with their arms very full of empty water bottles in bags. We stopped them and talked. They didn't speak very much English but told us to follow them to their home where the owner speaks very good English. So we followed them and met the owner. She is a very sweet older lady. She is Jewish and cannot get around very easy. She first assumed we were Jehovah's Witnesses but we quickly corrected her. Come to find out she knows a lot about The Mormons. We asked her if she has read the Book of Mormon. She hasn't, so we asked her if she would like to. She told us she is just too stressed out with things to do and doesn't have time. We offered to come and help her with some things and she saw and told us she felt we were sincere and honest in our offer. Because of that she said that if we helped her with some paper work she would read some the Book of Mormon. So tomorrow we are going to help her. She is a marvelous woman and super funny. I am excited to go back and visit with her. Its amazing to me just how quickly people turn us down without giving us 30 seconds. But this Lady was willing to listen and willing to be kind. Which is great for us! If people would just be more kind to others everyone's lives would be happier.
This week I have discovered something about missions and I hope I can relay it without losing anyone. On a mission we see success, but the more success we see the more we see the need to improve, and sometimes the worse we feel about ourselves knowing we can be better. Thus a vicious cycle of always trying to improve and become better happens. ITS GREAT!!!
Well that's it for this week. I love you all and hope you are finding ways to help the missionaries in your areas!
HOORAH FOR ISRAEL!
Love,
Sister Cottrell