2.27.17

Hello, everyone!

This week we had Zone Conference, and I felt that I was able to learn so much about just how important it is to be bold in inviting others to repent. One thing that was discussed was that we need to be constantly focusing on the doctrine of Christ! Okay, so one of the amazing miracles that I found out was that Brother Gout, who I taught in my last area, went to Church this past week! Sister Gout, who's fully active, was so excited that she even accidentally got ready and they went to church on Saturday. I love them both so dearly, and it's been amazing to see his growth and change! 

Anthony's interview went great! He told us that as he studied a talk from President Monson, he was able to feel the spirit and that, in his own words, "Monson is growing on me!" So, Anthony was baptized Saturday, and he just had so much support! He completely changed his life around, and it has been great to teach him over the past few weeks! He's quite the character, and he just reminds me so much of Nathan.

This week I went on exchanges with Sister Barber! She's fresh out of the MTC and she's just a great missionary, and it was neat to bring her to my area! She has a great love for the people, which is always a good indicator of a good missionary. :)

A highlight for the week was that we were able to meet with the guy we met last week! His name is David, and he ended up having a lot of good questions about the plan of salvation, and about second changes. He's had a rough life, but he liked the concept of the three degrees of glory. He even asked if we could come back and he set up a time and date before we even could bring it up, which was a neat change! Also, we were able to meet this one super sweet lady who admitted to us that she hasn't been active in awhile, but she agreed to go to Stake Conference with us! During the prayer we said after our message with her, she got a bit emotional. The Spirit was so strong, and it was great to be able to sit by her during conference! We also got to visit a few families and again invited them to church, and it always so wonderful to see members return to activity in the church. Often, they express just how much they have been able to see the difference in their lives. 

Yesterday, we were able to meet with three of the high councilmen over missionary work in a few of the Married Student Stakes. The church buildings for the Married Student Stakes are just incredibly huge! They each have two chapels inside of them! We also were able to give a training to the Ward Mission Leaders in one of the Married Student Stakes, and it was neat to see just how much they care about the work.

Spiritual thought: Mosiah 13:33-35- It just really meant a lot to me this week reading about Christ and all that He truly did for us. In the chapter heading for Isaiah 53, it talks about how Christ "makes His soul an offering for sin," and we know that a "soul" is both the body and the spirit. Christ suffered in both body and spirit during the Atonement, so just the working I found just so interesting!

Much love,

-Sister Cottrell

 

Anthony wanted to take pictures with us wearing his nice suit, instead of in his baptism attire :)

2.20.17

This week was pretty busy! We were honored to see Lupe make her first covenant this weekend! She was so thrilled, and her family came to her baptism as well. When I was talking to her husband afterwards, he explained that he would now sit in during the discussions! It's been great to see Lupe being a missionary herself and preparing her family through small things, such as reading the scriptures aloud to them. Again, it was just so amazing to her how ready she was.

Thursday I went on an exchange to the Henry's Fork Stake with Sister Chandler! It's extremely rural there, which was almost refreshing, and made me think a lot of my last area. One of the lessons we taught was to this young family, and both the husband and wife grew up in in-active homes, so they didn't really ever learn much about the gospel. They feel that they are at this point in their lives where something is missing, and they both were so receptive. I seriously love each time I'm able to see people who are just ready to have a change in their lives! 

We are of course still teaching Anthony, who's baptismal date is this Saturday! On exchanges, Anthony opened up and explained that he doesn't really believe in latter-day prophets, or that Joseph Smith was a prophet. That added to our stress just a bit! Yesterday we had another lesson with him and we really discussed it. I have such a testimony to how much personal study can help you in your teaching, because you really do find answers to investigator's concerns from things you came across in your studies. He mentioned how he believes that Joseph Smith had the first vision, but it's hard to compare him to prophets such as Moses, who parted the Red Sea. Just a couple of days ago I was reading in Mosiah chapter 8, and so we read with him these few verses.. 

 16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God.

 17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.

 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.

We explained that translating is a miracle in itself and is a gift given to prophets. Right after reading these few verses, it was neat because Anthony started talking about it, and now he thinks of Joseph Smith as better than a prophet (which is definitely an improvement to believing that he wasn't one before!) 

Okay, so here's one interesting story I thought I would add! We were trying to find this woman who we knew wasn't active, but at the address that was listed as hers, we discovered this mid-20s guy, who was pretty nice and explained that he's a Jew, even though he doesn't really practice it at all. At first he said he wasn't really interested, but after we started talking to him a bit and shared a scripture, he opened up about some of his beliefs. He doesn't believe in organized religion, but he loves the people here, and we had a really good, long conversation about God. We were able to set up a time we could come back, so we shall see what happens! 

I love you all!

-Sister Cottrell 

2.13.17

Hello everyone!

So many things happened this week! It was hard to say goodbye to the Sugar City Stake, but everything just felt really right. I'm so thankful for my service there, and all that I was able to experience.

My new companion is Sister Deuel, who has been out for about 11 months, and is from Jacksonville, Florida. She's nice, and we get along pretty well! Sister Deuel is 26 years-old, and is actually a convert because she was baptized when she was 9. She has a great testimony, and I'm excited to serve with her. We live with the BYU-I 1 sisters in an apartment, which has been really great to be so close to them!

Our first few days we were busy meeting/scheduling times to meet with all of the Ward Mission Leaders and Bishops. They are all just wonderful and are excited for the work to move forth! I'm getting to know Rexburg better than ever. I already love everyone here, and I feel that I have learned so much in just these few short days serving in Rexburg. We were able to meet Lupe, a perfectly wonderful lady who's getting baptized this weekend! We also were able to teach her 13-year-old grand-daughter, Savannah, a few lessons. It's been amazing to see how much she wants to learn! She told us that she feels that she can really relate to Joseph Smith because she's praying to know which church is true, like he did. Savannah even went to church with us!

We also had the privilege to teach Anthony, who's getting baptized in a few weeks, and even wishes that it could be sooner! He's in his mid 20s, and just reminds me a ton of my brother, Nathan! Yesterday we ended up teaching Gospel Principles in his ward, and he made a comment about how he almost didn't make it to church that day and that he's been struggling, but he was glad that he did, because it was what he needed. It just really has hit me over these past few days just how Heavenly Father truly does know exactly how to help us, even though it almost never is what we might think we need. I've seen that for myself this week, for even though it was so bittersweet transferring, I know that everything will work out the way it needs to! We also were able to find a new investigator who's 20 years-old, and even though he grew up in Rexburg, he never really took time to know about the gospel. The Lord's timing is everything, I swear! He moved back just a week ago, and is ready and open to learn.

Friday I went to the Mission Leadership Council for the first time and it just was amazing! I learned so much, and it wasn't at all what I expected it to be like. I am just blown away with the love that President Nelson has for each and every missionary in the field. It was such a neat experience to be given training, and to discuss the needs of the mission.

In regards to Valentines day, I thought I would share some verses in Mosiah, chapter 3!

 7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

 8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

 9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

 10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

 11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.

 12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

 13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

I can't believe how much love the Savior has for each one of us, and I have such the privilege of being able to see people change and feel of that love for themselves. I will be eternally gratefully for all that He has done for me and for all of us!

With Love,

-Sister Cottrell

02.06.17 Transfers!

I seriously can't believe that I have been out 6 months! It really is going by way too fast.
So first off, this has been an amazing week! There's this in-active guy and his girlfriend in Teton who we have been seeing and we found out that she is actually not a member, but she just feels peace whenever we come over, and she accepted the invitation to take the discussions. We are super happy for them and they are both open with meeting with missionaries!

We also had the opportunity to teach the couple from Michigan with one of our Bishops, and they were able to bring their 6-year-old boy with them this time, and he's just a sweetheart! As we taught the Plan of Salvation, it was a great discussion, the spirit was so strong and a lot of their questions were answered. They accepted the invitation to be baptized, and I'm just so happy for their familiy. Saturday they asked if they could go over to the church 40 minutes early so that we could give them a quick tour, and we were like "umm...yeah, of course!!" Which is funny, because we were planning on giving them a tour soon anyway. The wife started to tear up during sacrament meeting, and the whole ward just really reached out to them. Sunday was just a great day, as quite a few families and individuals who are not active and who we have been working with came to church!

Thursday morning we got a call from President Nelson, in which he informed me that I have been called to be a Sister Training Leader. He also mentioned that we could kind of figure that one of us was leaving, and so you can kind of guess who that is. So that leads into my other bit of news, which is about transfers...!

Yesterday we found out that I am white washing (they are taking both of the missionaries that were there before out, and are putting two new ones in) the area BYU-I 2 (they had to split the BYU-I area, since there's a lot of work there), which also covers the Rexburg Center Stake, and so tomorrow will be my last day in my "greenie" area, which is so bittersweet. I seriously have grown to love Sugar City, Teton, and Newdale so much, and we have really been able to build up the area. I honestly was not expecting being transferred to BYU-I at all, but I feel so peaceful about it that I really am not sure how to react. My STL companion is Sister Settle, who I just love and we are excited to be together, even though we are in a split companionship. We will be over the Sisters in both the Rexburg Zone and the St. Anthony zone! My companion who is going with me to BYU-I 2 I don't really know very well since she has been serving in Idaho Falls, but I know that things will be exactly how Heavenly Father wants it to be.

Jacob 4:7 "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."

In my time serving here, I have definitely seen Heavenly Father's work go forth so much. Since I know my weaknesses, it's been amazing to be able to see how I have been able to have the strength through Him in order to accomplish what I need to.

Love,

-Sister Cottrell

Pictures: The zone activity last week! The next one is of the girls of one of the families we are teaching. Jasmine (to the right of me) is getting baptized in a few weeks!

01.30.17

So there are some new changes in the missionary schedule! The biggest change is that instead of daily planning at night, we are now planning in the morning, which allows us to go to bed early if we want to after we get home. We also have only half and hour of both the 12 week program for new missionaries, and for lunch (instead of the hour for each). They also changed the "key Indicators," which are basically the numbers that we send in every week and make every day, to only four that we need to report. Those four are baptisms and confirmations, new investigators, investigators to sacrament, and investigators on date. That is a huge change from before, when we would report all of the different kinds of lessons we would teach. We also have two more hours on preparation day so we can have more time to clean and do laundry, which will be nice, but it wasn't a change that any of us were expecting!

This week we had some amazing things happen! At church, we had a whole less active family come to church this week (parents included!), in addition to three more individuals, one of them for the first time in years. One thing that me and my companion were talking about the other day was how hard it can be when those you grow to love and care about don't keep commitments and change their lives. We just have to remind ourselves in those moments the importance of doing all we can to teach with the spirit and teach repentance, but to remember that everyone has their own agency. Yet, it's so wonderful when we are able to witness others using their agency for good, and truly repenting and acting on their faith.

We have had to move both of our baptisms for next week back, but I feel just at peace with it, and we really want to make sure they are ready! It will just be pushed back a few weeks for one, just so the father who's baptizing her can be fully ready, and about a month back for our other investigator, who is a sweetie and is really excited, but his Grandparents want to make sure he is really ready. But it will happen, and so we are just thrilled for the both of them!

Yesterday was pretty busy! Spoke in one ward about fellow shipping and including others in the community, and in another ward we taught a combined adult and youth 5th Sunday lesson with our awesome Ward Mission Leader. We taught about how to use Preach My Gospel to strength families. I've been changing so much since I've been out, for even though I'm still learning (there's a lot I need to learn!), and I couldn't do anything without the Spirit, I've learned so much about teaching and it seems so natural when you do trust in Heavenly Father after you have done all you can to prepare. One thing that I would encourage everyone to do is find a way to incorporate Preach My Gospel in your daily scripture study. Even though it is centered on missionary work, there are some amazing chapters about developing Christ-like attributes, enhancing your personal study, and it hold the doctrine that every member needs to know! We really can all benefit from it, and even though I studied it a bit before coming out, I wish as a youth I dived into it more. 

I was thinking about how long I've been honored to serve in the Sugar City Stake, and I've meet so many wonderful people. I've been a bit nervous with transfer calls coming up next week, and I just have grown to deeply love everyone I've been able to meet.

With love,

-Sister Cottrell

01.16.17

This week we had our Zone Conference, and I feel that I just learned so much (as always)! One of the main things that they focused on is cleansing the "inner vessel", and making sure you yourself are converted, so that you can help convert others.

Thursday I was sick for the entire day, which is really hard as a missionary. One of the "tender mercies" I received is that I literally slept the entire day, which helped me not to be left to my thoughts of wishing things were different. I was able to even get back to work the next day without feeling too bad, which is a blessing in itself!

We were also able to schedule a dinner appointment with this family who has a foreign exchange student living with them, who is from Austria. He is just a sweetheart and super friendly! He's Catholic, but has been going to church with the family and has really loved it. He just loves it here, and even got an extension to stay for the rest of the school year. He even mentioned to us that even though he loves school, the people, and just Idaho in general, he feels that if he didn't get his extension, he would have been missing something that he expressed that he gets out of church. He agreed to meet with us and wants to learn more, and we are excited for him! So, the husband of the one couple we taught the other day at one of our Bishop's homes, actually was in a car accident just this past week, but luckily he will be alright. They actually still want to continue to meet with us, and want to bring along their 6-year-old boy with them next time as well! It will be such a neat experience teaching a whole family, and they really are just so great and very sweet people, who have been through a lot.

One neat experience I had this week was when we were teaching one of our less-actives, and before we started the conversation led to a certain gospel principle, and she asked if a future lesson we could focus on that, since she feels at this point in her life she really needs to hear it again. I thought about how often we focus on "teaching people, not lessons" and changing what we might have planned to whatever the Spirit directs. We could have changed our lesson to focusing on the topic she brought up right there, but I felt that we needed to stick with what we had planned, so I presented the topic, and she just started tearing up. She told us that actually what we were going to teach that day has been pressing on her mind that whole week, and that we must had been truly inspired. Later, when talking with my companion, she said that her first thought was also to change what we had planned, but that something felt right about not changing the lesson, and sticking to the topic prepared for her. It just really added to my testimony that the Holy Ghost really will direct us to exactly what we need to teach, and just how mindful Heavenly Father is of each and everyone of His children's needs.

So this week, I thought I would just share something that really stood out to me about missionary work, and I think it can be applied to everyone's "life mission"! So in Mosiah 8:7-8, King Limhi sends out a group to try and find the people in the land of Zarahemla, and they then discovered the remains of the Jaredites, and the records they left behind. They must have felt that they failed in their purpose, for the searched "for the space of many days, yet they were diligent," and yet, they thought that perhaps the people of the land of Zarahemla had been destroyed. Often I feel that we may think that we are failing in some way in our own lives, but we might just not realize what The Lord has in store for us. Because of this group's diligence, they were able to find the plates that contained the records of the Jaredites. We need to remember that through out our journey, even when we think that we are failing at one thing, we need to just continue to trust in what Heavenly Father has in store for us. As long as we are striving to follow our Savior, I know that He will lead us to fulfill our life missions.

Here are some scriptures on trust that I just love and thought I would share really quick: Proverbs 16:20, Nahum 1:7, Jacob 7:25, and Alma 38:5!

I have such a testimony of the gospel and I know that as we each strive to change for the better, even if it just is a little bit at a time, we can see amazing blessings.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

-Sister Cottrell

A picture that one of our Ward Mission Leaders sent to us, which I thought was ridiculous!

Saturday we helped this family we have been teaching move, which was really bittersweet! But they are just leaving to go to Rexberg, which is not too far away! A lot of the missionaries nearby came to help!

Sister Cottrell's photos from her mission

Sister Cottrell with her companion Sister Camarena