Welcome to California!

I made it to California! Woohoo! It is so great here! I love it! So, I'm giving you warning this email is going to be super random as I try to recount everything that's happened this week. So, here it goes.

We flew in on Tuesday morning on this teensy little plane. The Ontario airport is small, and I don't think they even get big planes. I sat by a missionary going to San Bernardino who wasn't in my district at the MTC. He was from the Philippines so that was pretty neat! I also go to take a little nap (which was nice. Haha) We got there and I met President and Sister Godwin! They are so, so great! Sister Godwin is pretty much the mother of the mission. They are the best! 

So we got there, and some of the luggage (including one of mine) had to come on a later flight, but not to worry, it came! :) We went straight from the airport to the mission office/church building. When we walked in all of the missionaries were singing "Called to Serve", and one at the front was waving our banner with our mission goal of 350 baptisms by the end of this transfer! From there, we got assigned to our companions! I was the last one assigned. Haha, it was super funny because I was sitting by myself on the front row after everyone had their companions and Sister Godwin kept mouthing to me "it's okay, we didn't forget you!" Bahaha! :)

My new companion is Sister Ott! She is so great! We get along very well! She's from St. George, and turns twenty this Sunday. We both have so much in common, and she's a great missionary. I'm learning a lot from her. She's only been out for three months! They pretty much have all of the sister missionaries training, because so many new ones are coming out and they don't have enough older missionaries to train them all. So in a lot of ways we're learning together. :) Which has been really good for both of us! After that we had some great activities during the day, and boy were we pooped. 

When we got back to the Mission Office, they let us take a nap on the pews. Hahaha it was much needed. :) There were so many missionaries that came this transfer that they didn't have room in the mission home for us to sleep. So we went back to our areas with our new trainers, and we also had some missionaries stay with us. By the way, my area is Ontario! I love it! it's warm, sunny, and slightly humid. :) This means I will probably be in the Rancho Cucamonga mission which I am very excited for! 

Anyways, the next day we had some training with our companions in the morning, which was awesome, and then it was out into the field for us! We were able to meet some members that night and they were great. The ward here is awesome! They're a small ward, but full of great, strong people. They take good care of us missionaries, we hardly ever don't have a dinner scheduled. That night we had a little miracle and one of our potential investigators, Ann, contacted us...which usually doesn't happen! We got to teach her the next day, and she's committed to be baptized! :) :) :) So awesome! We also have three other investigators, Edith, Leroy, and Jose. I haven't met Edith and Jose yet, but I'm so excited to! 

The rest of the week has been awesome too. I feel like I've learned so much, and I can see that there is so much more to learn and do. The Lord has definitely guided us this week. There were so many little miracles, and we've met some great people. A few days ago we were trying to visit a less-active member, and we remembered that there was a potential investigator on that street. So we walked over to her house, and knocked on her door. Someone else answered, but when she came to the door, she just started to cry. She told us to come back later that week, but we left a pamphlet about the Plan of Salvation with her, and told her that God loves her. There are little miracles like that everyday. I've never felt the spirit guide me so much as I have already in this week. It's amazing. This is His work! :)

I just want you guys to know that I'm happy. :) I miss you all so much, but I know that I'm supposed to be here. I know this is what's right. It's sometimes challenging, but it's truly is so rewarding. Thank you so much for the support that you give me. It truly means the world to me, and it's something that not every missionary has. So thank you. :) I love you so very much!!! Monday will be my P-day from now on, so I can't wait to hear from you all! Have a fantastic week! 

Love,

Sister Cook

Sister Cook's safe arrival in the California San Bernardino Mission

We met the arriving missionaries at the Ontario airport at 9:40 a.m. on May 14.   When Sister Cook, along with 11 Elders and 8 other sisters arrived, they looked amazing in their new clothes, white crisp shirts, new suits and shined shoes.  While we were waiting for their luggage, we had a quick visit with each of them.  They were excited and just a little uneasy, (maybe more than a little) wondering what was happening next.  We also had 5 other Elder’s and 3 other Sister’s arrive in a different terminal making a total of 28 new missionaries!

The assistants to the president (AP's) arrived in a pick-up truck and a van, and with the help of our senior couples and with our car, we were able to fit all 16 missionaries and their luggage in and we were on our way to the Woodruff building for our transfer meeting.  You could just feel the excitement in the air.  All of the new missionaries were assigned a very capable trainer.  After the meeting, President had a trainer and missionary meeting that explained the expectations of the missionaries for the 12 Week Training program.  Following the trainer meeting we enjoyed lunch and the missionaries all got acquainted.  Following lunch, we went to the mouth of the Cajon pass to Glen Helen Park where we met Sister Marilyn Mills.  Sister Mills is an accomplished historian and she explained to the missionaries how the area of San Bernardino had been settled. 

Briefly, for your information, the first settlement efforts were conducted by Spanish missionaries, and Spanish landowners starting about 1810.  During the U.S. Mexican war the Mormon Battalion (the only religiously based battalion in U.S. history) was organized in Iowa in 1847. Jefferson Hunt, a Captain in the Mormon Battalion was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as were all the members of the battalion.  Since many people call Church members Mormons, the Battalion was known as the Mormon Battalion. After a march through what would become the Southwestern part of the U.S. the battalion arrived in San Diego and was eventually stationed in what would become San Bernardino and the surrounding areas.  Among its’ many assignment’s, a portion of the Mormon Battalion was sent to guard the Cajon pass and protect it from possible marauding indians. After the members of the Mormon Battalion were mustered out of their service, they returned to Salt Lake City to join their families.  President Young saw that Southern California could be a valuable supply route for the Utah pioneers.  So to establish a mail route and a supply stop/route for immigrants coming through California, President Young used church funds to buy property in the desired area from Antonio Maria Lugo, a Mexican rancher who had obtained a 35,000 acre grant after Mexico won independence from Spain.  Twenty families were asked by President Young to colonize the area.  Fifteen former Battalion men and their families were among the Saints who settled in the area in 1851, including Captain Jefferson Hunt.  It was the third stake organized in the church. The story of the settling the area here in San Bernardino was told in a story written by Sister Marilyn Mills for the February, 2003 Ensign, if you are interested in reading more about it.   

Following Sister Mills presentation, we had a short orientation meeting.  Sister Snyder, the financial secretary for the mission explained how to use their MSF (Missionary Support Fund) cards and explained to them the proper use of the card and what to purchase with them.  Elder Houser and Elder Perez, our senior missionary elders explained briefly to them about the church-owned vehicles in the mission and about the gas cards that are associated with each vehicle.  Not all missionaries are assigned cars, about 1/3 of the missionaries at any given time, are on bicycles while the remaining 2/3 are in church-owned vehicles.  We showed them some entertaining DVD’s made by the church with some serious expectations explained in part on the DVD by some of the 12 apostles.  Sister Ball, our mission nurse, also arrived to meet the new missionaries and explained some very basic things each missionary needs to know.   (We will do a more detailed meeting on April 16.  After some experience in the mission, they will have more questions and be able to more fully understand what will be explained to them.  The office staff will be there at that meeting as well to explain how things work in their specific areas of responsibility. 

After they received their MSF and Missionary Medical cards, the housing coordinator, Elder Snyder, talked to them about some basic expectations in regard to housing and talked about the importance of CO2 detectors.  President started interviewing and I spent some time with the missionaries answering questions and explaining our expectations of them as missionaries.  We also let them just relax a bit.  I showed them around the mission office, which is right there in the building, so they could see where their mail comes and their pictures and areas on the transfer board.  That evening we had dinner with them at the church.  We laughed and enjoyed one another's company but they were all very tired.  The trainers returned at 7:00 and they went to their various areas to sleep.  They were asked to return Wednesday morning at 7:00 to have breakfast along with their trainers.  President finished interviewing each of them and also talked to them more about some of his expectations of them as missionaries and role played with them some different scenarios.  Those not being interviewed, did individual and companion study.  After all the interviews were completed we settled in the chapel and had a testimony meeting with the new missionaries and their trainers.  It is always inspiring to hear the new missionaries and their trainers bear testimony of the work they are involved in and their testimonies of the Savior and His Atonement.  Following testimony meeting we went back into the cultural hall for lunch.  About 2:00 we sent them off to their areas to begin, in earnest, their missionary efforts.  They were all happy and excited to get to their fields of labor to start their missionary experience of finding and preaching the restored gospel.

We are looking forward to working with your missionary in this most wonderful of experiences - preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in this area.  There is a lot of diversity in this mission.  The missionaries will learn a lot about other cultures. We know she will be a fine missionary.  She is a wonderful young woman. 

Warmest regards,

Sister Godwin

President Godwin

5/10/2013

How is everone? I loved reading all of your emails, and hearing what's going on. It's good to hear that you all are doing well, and doing exciting things! Thanks for the pictures! The trees look beautiful! 

Well wow, I've been a missionary for a week and a half basically. Crazy, crazy. I love it!!! It's been challenging, but so rewarding. I feel like a completely different person since when I arrived at the MTC. I've learned so much! I'm a lot more comfortable teaching, and I think that I'm getting used to the Missionary Schedule. :) I'll just give a little summary of what I've done each day since I last wrote.

Saturday- We had our lessons and We taught our first lesson to our "investigator", Marie. We asked her to be baptized!....she said no.:) It's ok though! It's good when they do that because then you know how you can help them! We also asked her to pray out loud with us!....she said no. :) but it's okay! We're learning together!

Sunday- One of the BEST DAYS EVER! We had Sacrament meeting, which as really good! We also had a wonderful mission conference, and guest speaker Chad Lewis! They were all so great, and I learned so so so much. The thing that really made my day was watching a devotional that Elder Bednar gave a few years ago called " Character of Christ" Oh my goodness. If you haven't seen it before, FIND IT! It is one of the most amazing talks I've ever heard, and it really inspired me to be the best missionary I can be. It was wonderful!

Monday- This was kind of a hard day for me, but I learned so much. I got a nasty little cold (don't worry, it's almost gone now) but it made it hard to concentrate. We taught Marie again ( She prayed

this time woot woot!), and we also taught our TRC investigator Gabby. We didn't have a lot of time to prepare for Gabby, and I guess I just felt like the lessons could have gone better. I look back now, and see how we've learned though so it's good!! We've learned this week to not be too hard on ourselves, and focus on depending on the Lord, and doing our best. :)

Tuesday- Was a great day! We had a fantastic devotional by a member of the seventy. He and his wife were so sincere and earnest. We met afterwards as a district and had a testimony meeting. The spirit was so strong. They had I felt like I heard things I needed to hear. We also had lessons and taught Marie again. It went well!

Wednesday- Was SO AWESOME! We taught Marie and Gabby again, and it went soo good! The lesson with Gabby was especially great! It was our last time meeting with her (sad day.) But we left really feeling like we had touched her! I was doing a happy dance when we got back to the classroom. A reverent happy dance, that is. :) In the lesson we taught about the Book of Mormon, shared parts of it that had influenced our lives, bore testimony, and challenged her to read 3 Nephi 11. It was so awesome! The spirit was so strong, and we learned that, that is what really makes the difference.In order to be a good missionary, it doesn't really matter what you say it matters on if the spirit is there, and if you're following it. I also personally learned how happy missionary work can make you, it was seriously one of the happiest moments of my life. :)

Thursday-We did a thing called In-Field Orientation. It's a bunch of workshops that you go to, to prepare you to go out into the field. It was really good! I learned a lot about my purpose as a missionary, and it made me more excited to leave next week!

Today-We went to the temple! Hooray! It was really good. :) That's pretty much what we've done so far. We'll do laundry and boring stuff like that later today. :) We also meet a new TRC investigator tonight! We pretty much know, nothing about them. So that will be a little different. We'll just have to rely on the spirit! :)

My district is good! It's a great bunch of Elders and Sisters. I'm glad that we all get to fly out  together. We have a lot of fun. I get along with my companion, Sister Woodward, really well! She's so nice, and we have similar personalities and teaching styles. So, as you can see I'm doing well! I know that this is where I'm suppose to be, and it's been absolutely amazing having all these experiences! I'll be leaving Tuesday morning! AHHH! :) Our plane takes off around 8:45. I've taken some pictures, but apparently you can't upload them to the MTC computers? If you can, I have no idea how and neither does anyone in my district. :) So I'll send them to you when I'm out in the field!

I love you all so much. Thank you for all of the support, love and prayers. It really means the world to me that you guys support me so much. Have a fantastic week! And let me know how everything is going! I love hearing from all of you so, so much! "I love you, I Love You, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!" Next time I write, it will be from California! :)

Love,

Sister Cook

P.S. Don't forget Scriptures! :)

P.P.S Don't forget to take those names to the temple! :)