7-8-2012
A few things I want to talk to you about. This week was the
American celebration of July 4th. Elder Keers and I both had pride
in our hearts since we happened to both be American. That’s convenient. We
opened our companionship study with the Star Spangled Banner representing those
50 stars on our flag. I had the biggest pride in my heart for it.
There are some things that I studied this week that I
figured the Lord doesn’t need to keep re-teaching me and that is humility. I’m
studying Christ-like attributes and found some mean scriptures and I believe
I’m going to be a more humble man. I’ve put my past transgressions behind me
and I’m moving forward. “Yearn after salvation” was the next note that I made.
To “yearn after salvation”… what I meant when I put that is that I didn’t
realize or at least I didn’t have it until about two weeks ago. I wasn’t
yearning after the salvation of souls. It’s amazing when you start to look at
each person you pass on the street as another potential person that you can
better their life by the message you can share with them. That made it all the better because when you
look in someone’s eyes and tell them how they can feel happiness they can feel
it from the bottom of their hearts. Ahh it’s amazing and so sensible. I’m just
so grateful that I have finally grown to the point where I am yearning after
people’s salvations where I almost want it more than my own. But that’s a whole
other step entirely.
We started teaching a Tongan this week. He has a dad that
lives in Newzeland that’s a preacher for a different church. He is so tall and
huge. I’m huge here and he could squash me. This guy has the most kind heart that I’ve
ever met. We were able to teach him at his relative’s house. He moved into his relative’s
home and they are members. It’s called cousie bros here. Really it doesn’t
matter how it happened but he’s here and we are able to teach him. We got to
teach him the first lesson and you should have seen this guy. We showed him the
Book of Mormon and the restoration and he was flipping through the book and
asking all these questions. I loved it. He was a spiritual bomb! But his
concern is that if he were to find out that this is the true church he would be
hesitant to join because family is important and he doesn’t know how his dad
would take it. I found that interesting.
So down the street there is a circus this week. It’s an old
school circus with the tents and everything. We are probably going to be
playing touch-football tomorrow though so we most likely won’t be going to the
circus. I like touch though.
So something interesting here: at Petrol stations, or gas
stations, they fill up their car before they pay for their gas. I think it’s
kind of weird because people could just steal it.
So there is this family that fed us dinner the other night.
I’ve told you about this family before. The food was so good. The mom owns a
floral shop and she reminds me of Mom so badly. Her roast was so good it reminded
me of home. I got a little teary eyed. NO, I was not home sick.
It got me thinking though, conversions have to be up to
date. How is definitely by testifying of what you know to be true. I don’t like
to use the word testify when I tell people what I know but when you look
someone in the eye and tell them exactly what you know and how Christ has impacted
your life they can feel the change in you and they can almost see the person
you’ve become. I don’t know how to explain it. Conversions always have to be up
to date although it is always good to remember that witness and how you got
that witness of the truthfulness of this church but that can easily be
forgotten. IF you’re not always trying to “up-to-date” your testimony you’ll
soon forget how much Christ has done for you. I’m ashamed how easily I’ve
forgotten even being out here on my mission. I don’t know what I was thinking
or what I really meaning when I wrote this I wrote “Testimonies should always
testify of Christ.” I think it does speak for itself but I believe there is
some deeper meaning to that. I’m not quite sure what it is but hopefully
someone out there is listening or reading this with real intent and that
statement will give them an answer and influence their lives for the better. Real
intent is being willing to act on the answer you get.
Anyways, I’m always talking about fishing. At least a couple
days a week I’m talking about fishing with an Australian out here. They love
fishing out here and its good to be able to make that connection with them. I’ve heard somewhere that fishing is God’s
sport. Applying it to missionary work it truly is. I’ve found that you truly
can slack off if you want to. You can be in your flat and not out there doing the
work. Even when fishing is tough and it’s not going well, it’s your time in the
water that counts. If you don’t have your fly isn’t in the water and you’re not
looking for that fish, your chances of catching it decrease. That’s how I
relate it to missionary work and how I’m constantly trying to inspire myself to
have my fly in the water. I haven’t caught my fish yet but I will. The Lord
will guide.
So something exciting, we got a little mini missionary from
up north in Armadale. He came down to experience missionary life with Elder
kears and me. His name is Zachery Scott. I’ll have him talk to you a little
bit.
“Hi, this is Brother Scott from Perth with Your son,
grandson, brother… him and his companion. I’ve been here five days or so in the
mission field. So far it’s been interesting. It’s very interesting on bikes and
with members and non-members. Maybe he’ll tell you about some experiences he
had with some lady in my ward. So far he hasn’t been out very long but has
taught me very much. Talk to you laters.”
He’s a stud. Yes we did have a very interesting experience
that I’m not going to share at this time but I hope you all are doing well
there and know that we are doing well here.
Know that we are striving to have our fly in the water as
much as possible. Please keep us in your prayers. The search for souls is
great. Keep the faith –
Elder Cook
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