11-15-11 Tuesday
Sometimes I really really don't want to write in my journal - but I know that i'll be glad I did. Whenever I don't feel like it, I think of dad's counsel before I left... "write in your journal EVERY DAY.. " Guess i'll just keep doing it. We met with Aphrodite at the church and taught the plan of salvation - she got really excited when she learned that we believe in more than just heaven and hell - I really hope she will be baptized on Dec. 4th. - she's promised to work hard to meet that goal. We decided to do some fishing afterwards - we got rejected really unusually hard like 10 times in a row.. it was weird. But I thought back to every time things like that have happened before and realized that it's just the storm before the sunshine... about the 12th door we knocked on let us in - Rudolpho. We talked with him about the plan of salvation - he's a really good guy - fed us and everything. I'm so glad that when I have tough times I can recognize that it's usually a test from God to see if i'll keep working hard to get the blessing that He has for me. Things didn't run so smoothly the next lesson... We taught John the word of wisdom - he hated it. Bummer. BUT we DID teach Hua the law of chastity.. and he loved it. Really it was sort of odd. He asked us 'do you have anything else like this that you can teach me??' - nope... we saved that lesson for the very last. Darn it. Oh well, atleast we know he's going to keep all committments.
11-16-11
We had a good service today with the old folks. I helped push Erna around... she's a really funny lady. We met with the district leaders and talked about a zone goal for december - it was less than effective. Bummer. Hector said that he loved church and that we was going to buy church clothes for his son brian so that they could keep coming - bonus. We taught a couple less-active families - they both committed to come to church this sunday. I hope they do - they need the blessings no doubt.
11-17-11
Did I ever mention that I wake up early to go run every morning? I hate the mornings... and I don't like running that much.. it's not a good combination. But it's good for me. We watched Together Forever with Hector - he really liked it and wants to show it to his family. His mom is in town from Guatemala and is strick catholic - I don't think she likes us a ton. The guy is like 50 though - he can decide for himself i'm pretty sure. We met and taught a lady from india that nods her head from side - to -side instead of up and down.. it's different. She's really really nice and said she wants us to come back. Bonus. Hua invited us over to eat again tonight - we made some 'dim-sum' and some other chinese dishes - it was way good. Then we found out that he made some of the stuff with wine after we ate it... gettin tipsy on my mission... whoops. We're pretty sure it cooked out though. He's doing so so well - he had some more questions about the law of chastity - he really thinks it's the best thing since canned tuna.. no lie. Good for him.
11-18-11
Frustrating morning with appointments canceled. Oh well, we had some good district meetings. I trained on using members in the conversion of investigators - I used a candle to roast a marshmallow and made an analogy that marshmallows aren't any good unless they are heated.. you have to melt them to put them in rice crispy treats, roast them to make a smore, etc.. I said that investigators are no good unless they have a good member to help them out. It was pretty funny I think. We had a meeting with the bishop in the spanish ward - we shared with him our 'vision' for the ward and got his thoughts on how to work with him most effectively.
11-19-11
We went to a baptism this morning - Sheldon. After he got baptized, we all went into the chapel and watched he and his girlfriend get married. That's a pretty big day i'd say... get baptized then get married.. it was a really small wedding and just a few of the kids from the institute came, but they looked happy. Brenda Rodriguez was with the sisters.. she was on her mini-mission. I baptized her and her mother back in July - it was awesome to once again see that the work I did in the past, actually did something for someone. Does that make sense? I'm really glad she is still active - that's what I meant to say. We ate at a Lebanese restaurant with a member in the singles ward - it gave me a headache but was pretty good.
11-20-11
Well we had 4 investigators at church today - hector, brian, aphrodite and hua - it was ultimate - we torched our tommy... we won the competition for the 3rd week in a row. The zone needs to step it up! Nah they're doing great - we are just unstoppable or something. Anyway, it was a good day of church. I really got alot out of the lessons that were taught.
I'm so so grateful for all of my family, friends and loved ones. So many times I have realized that without all of them, I would be nothing - or atleast I would HAVE nothing. I really am so blessed. Sometimes it's hard to see that with the hard work that we do.. But even to have clothes on our backs and somewhere to sleep is SUCH an amazing blessing in itself. I'm so grateful that I have this gospel in my life - and that i'm actually doing something with it. I love you all and hope you have a great thanksgiving!
Love, Elder Cottrell
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