Elder Andrew D. Cook entered the MTC on January 15, 2014. I am excited to update as I know how he is doing, especially posting his mass emails.

Writing & Shipping information is found in the right hand column.

There is also a link to a few different translators to help us guess what Andrew said. :D Sometimes I get a better idea when I remove his ! from a word.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

7-13-2015

Note from mom: Sorry for not posting this last week. I went out of town that day and am just getting back to things.

well, as this week went, We have seen much improvement in the companionship. We went from 2-4 appointments a day, to 6-8 which is a reflection of how much time we spend fishing . :)

there is this WAY cool book-boat docked in San Fernando. they are just a floating book store. and they are a Born Again group, so almost every book is bible related. they also do service projects and stuff to help the community. they also offer lunch, so we went and bought lunch. over priced.

we have had more member work than usual. that is all that happened really. transfers are this week so we'll see who the new guy in the house is.

We were supposed to have a baptism last Saturday, but because of the MASSIVE typhoon, that was delayed till THIS Saturday!
Yesterday, his father recieved the Aaronic priesthood, so that he may baptise his son, but Bless has already passed the interview, so it is a sure thing! (knock on kahoy)

I will tell his whole story. (though I have shared much of this before)
My very first week, I asked Elder Anota to take me to the active members. He only knew where the relief society president lived. so we arrived, and I told her "we will be returning on Thursday to teach you about the Atonment. please have a new friend here waiting for us. dinner is not necessary."
then we left. I tried this with a few other families when I met them at church, but all of them said "I am happy to feed you, but I have no one to introduce to you" oh well...

when we returned Thursday, sister Gaa, (the R.S.P.) introduced us to Romel Ramos. "This is my brother in law. He stopped going to church when he was twelve and is now born again. He has two sons who are not baptized. His wife left him while he worked abroad in Saudi, and she found a new boyfriend, so he moved back in with us until he goes back to Saudi next month. both of his children will be living with us!"

After teaching them the first lesson, BlessmeLord (his son) wanted to be baptized! (Christend did as well, but he is only 7) Brother Ramos and his children came to church that week and told us "For the first time religion makes sense. I never understood when I was a child, but I know that this is true now!" and they have not missed a week since, EVEN IN THE TYPHOON! (only about 20 people showed up!)

After learning about eternal families, brother Romel told us, "It is important for me to stay for my family, and raise them to the Lord. I will NOT be going abroad next month, and I will find a job here." I wish I could describe how much of a sacrifice this is! Imagine working for an oil company, and then multiplying your income by 45 (due to the conversion rate) and then giving that up to work work at... no where! He still hasn't found a job yet! (Fortunately the Gaa family is supporting them until he finds something!)

We invited Romel to prepare to receive the Priesthood, and baptize his own son. the only problem was coffee. It took him a few weeks to give it up, but President himself came and suggested a better way to invite for commitment, and... as I mentioned earlier, HE RECEIVED, YO!

I guess that His wife may have dumped her other boyfriend, because I just met her last week. It turns out that they actually met in church, back when he was a child, so she is a less active member as well! She lives in Manila, but if she comes to San Fernando to stay, we will get her active, and they will be sealed together forever!

I am just so happy, because I have seen so much change in their lives :D

I would like to tell you about Nora Porawan as well. She began investigation with her daughter Precious. When Elder Anota and I first met them, he told me he felt like he already knew them. They "looked familiar". HOWEVER when Finished the Restoration lessons, and told us they do not want to continue investigation. we visited again last Saturday with Elder Jones. Precious is A LOT more open then her mother is. As I left, I had a happy feeling that we planted seeds, which would sprout for other missionaries. (probably after Precious moved out from her mother's house) Then, as we were walking out, Precious said "Hey, I have a friend from Tagudin. He is a Mormon. Actually, he is my BEST friend." It turns out it is Elmer, the member who called president and got Elder Jones in trouble in the first place, so that he was emergency transferred here! Elmer also moved to San Fernando, and I think (despite Elder Jones' history) He will open a door for Precious! Isn't it crazy how people are connected?

That's all I have today, other than I want to bare my testimony of the Sacrament. before my mission, or even honestly before last month, I felt the Spirit very powerfully SOMETIMES at church, just like any normal day (as in it's always there but just not strong). but now I feel it EVERY TIME, conistently for 3 or 4 weeks. It's just like the temple. I can not wait for church every week.

I also have begun a thorough study of the Book of Mormon. I am taking it one verse at a time, until I feel sufficiently involved with the verse, and I move on to the next. most days I only read one chapter in my allotted time of a half hour.  I get my reading time by going to bed a half hour early, and waking up a half hour early (So we have changed the schedule from '10:30 to 6:30' to '10:00 to 6:00') I study for a half hour before I get ready. then we have normal studies starting at 8. I feel awesome. I got about ten times happier. It might just be that the skies are more blues (all the rain storms stopped for a day) or maybe I just noticed the sky more :D

The gospel is really my strength.

have a great week, I love you all! If I don't get to emailing you, it's because I spent a long time writing this, and I have 27 messages still in my inbox! love you all! ingat!

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