come unto Jesus

Dear family

Rene got baptized! He was nervous the whole day but afterwards he said he felt really good. He's had wonderful support from the members. I am so happy for him! We also had an old investigator come to church and he stayed for the baptism! Jose from Ecuador. I was so excited to see him. We were teaching him about a month ago until he got injured. Now he is mostly recupperated and after coming to the baptism he feels more ready to be baptized himself. (like within the next week!)

We are also working with two new investigators who are amazing! Leonor and Crystal are mother and daughter. We met them on the bus and they invited us over for dinner. We shared a short message and invited first Crystal, then Leonor to be baptized. Crystal started crying and was super excited. This was an answer to her prayers and she has known that she would be baptized soon :) Her mother, though a devote pentacostal, accepted to be baptized as well because of what she felt in the lesson. The Lord knows when people are ready. These two have had a miriad of missionaries over before when they lived in Montreal, but now is their time. Now they are ready :). They are set to be baptized the 15th of July. We are super excited for them!

Transfers are this week and we are staying another 6 weeks in Black Creek!!! WOOOOOOOT!!! I'm so happy to be able to stay and help these three souls come unto Christ and be baptized these coming weeks. And I'm so grateful to continue to work with Hna. Camejo. We have learned so much from eachother!

Have a wonderful week ya'll!

Sincerely,

Hna. Cottam

P.S. Welcome Jared to the family for me!!!! (good choice of name Jesse and Julie! it was my pick :)

P.P.S. I was able to get a chord for my camera so I'll send some pictures of our baptisms soon if not today! Love you all!

Ernesto's baptism

At a sister's conference over a month ago

 

Rene's baptism! (Jose is the man to the left of Rene, who is the young man with the fohawk) And Ernesto is the older gentleman in the front with me and sister camejo!

the heat is on

Dear family,

The work continues to move forward here in Toronto.

Rene is progressing wonderfully. He is keeping his commitments and is set to be baptized this next week. We're excited for him! Just as Sis. Cottam was saying last week about her investigator, I have felt a similar experience with Rene in that I have never prayed so hard for someone before nor felt the yearning and deep concern for his welfare that I have. He has had to change his life almost 180. It's been amazing to see his faith. He wants so much for this to be true and he's been putting the action in to prove his desire. We have complete faith that he will be baptized this Sunday!

Lately we've been studying a lot about the doctrine of Christ. I am amazed at the atonement. I am amazed at God's patience with me, with all of His children and for the insurmountable gift He offers us--that we can be pure and clean, free of guilt, free of the weight of sin, that we can enter into His presence one day, despite our imperfections, if we but trust in Christ and put His atonement into effect in our lives. I am so grateful for this and am utterly amazed by it. I want the whole world to know it. It's such a priceless gift. I want all to partake of it, of the peace. of the love. That's what this work is all about.

Make it a great week and I can't wait for my new nephew!!!

Love,

Hna. Cottam

Hermana Cottam’s most recent zone conference

(zones 3, 4, and 5)

June is the month of 65!

Dear Family,

One person we're working with is Rene. He is a friend of a member and he is wonderful. He is looking to change his life and the member told him he should contact us. He has a big challenge, but he feels peace as he reads/listens to the Book of Mormon and while at church. His date is this coming Sunday. We know he'll make it!

We found a new family through a referral from the neighboring Spanish ward. They told us about a less active that recently moved into our ward, and her husband is not a member (Olga and Juan). We have started to work with them and they are committed to come to church next week. A family in the ward also invited them over tonight for an FHE. We have set Juan for the 24th. We're super excited.

We had a wonderful zone conference this last week. We learned so much about focusing in on our investigators by focusing on what they need to do, not necissarily on what we need to teach. It's not a checklist but helping them gain faith and repent--to change their lives. We have to step out of the way. It's about them. It's about their salvation.

Have a wonderful week!

Yours,

Hna. Cottam

to build your faith…

Dear family,

We had a wonderful fireside last night. Sis. Padron (stake relief society pres.) and her husband came over and spoke on the Book of Mormon. Our most recent convert, Ernesto, bore his testimony along with two other members. There was a sweet spirit there, and although we ourselves didn't find anyone new through it, Some of the other missionaries did :). This next week we are looking forward to our movie in the park! We got word today that it has been approved by Salt Lake for this Saturday. We have a lot of work to do, but we are supper excited.

Jose we have not been able to contact, but we found 3 new people to teach this week. One is Rene. He's a member refferal (yay!) and is looking good for getting baptized this month :) We also started teaching a man named Hugo. We saw him at the bus stop and brought him with us to church. He stayed the whole 3 hours and we set a date with him! The other is Teresa. She's a cute little cat lady from Ecuador. She's going through some tough times right now, but as we left her with a prayer, she seemed more calm. She will get baptized this month :)

Maria and Ricardo still refuse to come to church, so we may be dropping them this week. It's really sad because Ricardo beleives that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ, the spirit was so strong as we showed them the video, but he just can't get over his previous experiences with church. He feels that the church is with him as he sits down to read from the Bible and pray.

The Diaz family have not come to church recently, but Sis. Diaz is reading and praying so we haven't given up hope on seeing them baptized in the near future.

I was reading the story of Ester today and realized that it has missionary applications. Ester had to have great faith. She knew the law and that she might lose her life to go before the king uncalled, but she fasted and asked others to join her in her fast, and then went. Even though she faced the possibility of rejection, she had the faith to ask, to go and do. She couldn't stand still. Too much was at stake. It is the same in this work. We must go forth with faith, faith that the Lord will soften their hearts to recieve the message you bring. And many times this faith comes with prayer and fasting. It was a priviledge yesterday to fast for our mission-wide goal for baptisms in June and more specifically for the people who are preparing within our district. It won't be easy and we may be rejected again and again, but I know that as we are obediant and faithful and diligent, we call down the blessing of the Lord. If we are not, we are left with out His help. We must be obediant and have faith. We must seek opportunities to grow and learn and serve and help others, to share God's love with them. There is nothing more important in this world than the Lord's work. I know this is the Lord's work and not mine, and I am grateful for the trust He has put in me. I hope I can live up to it.

Go forth with faith. Doubt not. Fear not. The Lord will be with you.

Sincerely,

Hna. Cottam