T1-W2 (Transfer 1–Week 2)

Hola! Happy Halloween!

Well, don't have a lot of time right now because my district went to China Town today, so it will be a short e-mail.

The work is still slow but we are pressing forward trying to find the elect, those who have been prepared to receive His gospel. We have contacted some people who may be interested, so we'll see! For my companionship, our vision for November is "As we sow, so shall we reap" so we gotta dig deep to reap :)

Saturday we had a fun activity with the youth. They had a mini mission, with some meetings and then they came out with us for a few hours. We had four of the young women with us. We did some contacting and had an appointment with a recent convert. It was great! I loved working with them. The street contacting was my favorite part.

Well, all the best!

love,

Hna. Cottam

P.S. I do have a winter coat now. It was left by one of the other sisters and fits well. I hope it will be warm.

 

I have a little more time to give you all this thought:

Today as I studied about the Book of Mormon and conversion, I thought about a doubt that we encountered this last week. We started talking to a man on the street and he threw at us Rev. 22: 18-19 that says to not add any words to the book (the Bible as a whole to his mind), and he said that prophets were only a thing of the past and we don't need them now because we have the Spirit to guide us. I tried to find some scriptures to counter it this morning, but I realized that someone like that, even if I found a scripture that said exactly what I needed it to in the Bible, they wouldn't beleive it, or would come up with something else to discount it. In D&C 20 the Lord says how the Book of Mormon is the evidence that we do have prophets today, that he is the same today, yesterday, and forever. So, the best way to counter such doubts is to invite them to read and ask for themselves. I know the Book of Mormon is a powerful tool in conversion. It helps us gain a testimony and learn of Christ.
I am so grateful to have the gospel in my life, to have the knowledge of my Savior and his gospel. I want others to know it too, to have the joy and clearness in their lives. Every door that doesn't open or door that closes, I ache a little because they are missing out on something much bigger than us all. I love the Lord. I love this Gospel. And I hope to share it with as many as I can. Have a great week everyone.

Oh, and we finally have one new investigator! a member referal. I hope it goes well :)

Transfer 1, week 1

Hola from Toronto!!!

I'm in an area just outside downtown Toronto called Black Creek. We get to ride the buses and I rode the subway for the first time the other day! We also do a fair amount of walking.

My first impression as we came in for landing was that this place looked like a mix of Seattle and Alaska--big city, but foreign land. They weren't kidding when they said it is a melting pot here! There are so many different cultures and we meet so many different cultures. Ukranians, Hungarians, Muslims, many Hispanics, Jamiacans, Philipinos :), and Koreans, Vietnamese, along with the Canadians. It was a bit of a culture shock but I'm getting used to it now.

We spent the first night in the Mission home. I loved it there. I felt comfortable right away. I love Pres. and Sis. Scott. They are awesome. And there is a senior couple who cooked our meals while there named the Rotos. They are from Argentina. :) Tuesday morning we went through some orientation, had lunch, and met our trainers. My companion is Hna Brown. She's from Payson, UT and this is her second to last transfer. She's been in this area for most of her mission so she knows it really well and knows the people really well. It's been nice to have that anchor. We get along really well and encourage eachother in improving.

As to the work, we are doing a ton of finding right now and trying to get the members aquainted with me. We have one official investigator right now--Juan. He is soft set for the 20th of Nov. He is golden (when we can get ahold of him...). He has stopped drinking alcohol and coffee (he stopped drinking coffee on the spot when we told him we don't drink it!). He even bought a suit for church. Hopefully we can get him there next week!

The weather is chilly here. There are some very rainy days and cloudy days and now and then we see some blue sky. I did get to see Lake Ontario the other day! We were down in a building near the lake trying to visit an in-active member and decided to knock some doors, so we went to the top floor. The view from the window was awesome. I didn't realize we were so close to the lake at that point. It's big :)

We also teach an English Class here. We don't have very many students at the moment so Hna Brown and I have been doing some blitzing (putting up flyers) to try to get more students. I loved going to church yesterday as well. I love the members here! and I learned the word for welcome: bienvenido. :) pretty much all of them have said it to me.

Anyway, thanks for the e-mails ya'll! I am only just beginning to see the potential here and in me for the work to progress. I love the Lord and I know that when we have faith in Him, all things are possible.

Keep in touch!

Yours,

Hna Cottam

Where Sister Cottam Lives

She lives in the house behind the tree and the dumpster…on the right-hand side of the picture.

Sister Cottam

Brother and Sister Russell Cottam

285 Hall Street

Blackfoot, ID  83221

20 October 2011

Dear Brother and Sister Cottam:

We are grateful to receive your daughter, Sister Rebekah Ruth Cottam, as a new missionary in the Canada Toronto Mission.  We are including a picture that we took with her at the mission home when she arrived.  Her testimony and enthusiasm for the work are evident.  As her mission president and wife, we thank you for the sacrifice that was made to prepare her to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As parents who have sent children on missions, we recognize the feelings involved in sending a son or daughter on a full-time mission for the Lord.

A dedicated service to the Lord brings many blessings to many people.  As a full-time servant of the Lord, Sister Cottam, will be blessed with a greater knowledge of the gospel, as well as a stronger testimony.  She will touch the hearts of many people, and those whom she will teach will be able to change their lives as they receive the peace and knowledge that comes through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.  King Mosiah related the comforting message from the Lord that he received when he inquired about sending his sons into the service of the Lord: “Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life.” (Mosiah 28:7).  The Lord relates in Doctrine and Covenants 84:80-85 that His Elders and Sisters will be taken care of well.  It requires a lot of faith, but we know that the Lord is watching over us all.

After prayerful consideration, Sister Aimee L. Brown, one of the outstanding missionaries in the mission, has been called to be your daughter’s first companion and trainer.  Sister Cottam’s current address is:

75 Upwood Ave.

North York, ON

M6L 3A4

Canada

We are sure that Sister Cottam, will love her mission as she stays dedicated and focused on the Lord’s work.  We promise to love and care for her.  We testify of the truthfulness of this marvellous work of bringing souls to a knowledge of the Savior.

Serving a full time mission can be the most significant and rewarding experience in a young person’s life.  It is rigorous and challenging and requires great spiritual focus.  Successful and happy missionaries abide by a strict code of conduct and obedience.  Enclosed herewith is a copy of some of the conduct expectations of our missionaries that may be helpful for you to have as you support and sustain your missionary in this great work.

Once again, we thank you for the faith you have shown to the Lord and the sacrifices that you are making.  We feel it a great privilege and responsibility to care for your missionary while she serves the Lord and pray daily for her happiness, well being, and success.

With love and gratitude,

  Brent L. Scott

President

week 8

¡Hola Familia!

¿Como Est´´an?

I have but one week left here in the MTC. It's crazy!!! I will be flying out on Monday, Oct 17th, fairly early in the morning. There will be 16 missionaries in my group, so that will be fun to travel with them all! 4 others in my district will also be leaving that day, one tuesday, and the other two wednesday. I'm going to miss them all! Only one of the elders will be coming with me to Toronto.

I am scared but excited. I can't wait to meet my mission president and his wife, Pres. and Sister Scott, and there's only so much I can do here without getting out there and do the real thing. I'm giong to strive to do all I can to be as prepared as I can this week. There's so much to do!

The weather has certainly taken a turn for the colder this week. I'm grateful for my raincoat with it's wool liner and my scarf! I'm a little aprehensive of Toronto because of it, though. It's going to be even colder! But I'll learn the ways to keep warm soon enough.

The fireside was wonderful last night. One thing the brethren want to do to help retain new members is be sure they commit to paying their tithing consistantly, so the Admin. person of the MTC spoke to us last night all about tithing. I really enjoyed it. There are great promises that come with paying it: spiritual strength especially, increased faith as we exercise it, and many other blessings that He will pour out that there be not room enough to receive it! (Mal 3:10--one of my favorites!)

There was another scripture I just loved as I read in the Book of Mormon this week. It's in Alma 32, verse 16. Alma is talking to the Zoramites about humility and the way he defined humility was just really clear to me in this verse. He said that humility is acting "without stubborness of heart." the example he gave was baptism but it's a lot more. It's when we do the Lord's will--what the spirit prompts or the handbook lays out. It's obeying the words of the prophets without saying "it's a hard thig you've required of us!" but willingly, quickly doing (as one of the 70 said during GC) the right thing at the right time. Don't sit and stew, go and do!

I have learned so much here at the MTC. My teachers have been wonderful and I've had many teaching opportunities. I loved getting to sing with the choir for devotionals. I love the Lord. I know He lives. I know we have a LOVING Heavenly Father. He prepared a way for us to return to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and Redeemer. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that through an unbroken line of Priesthood authority Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today on the earth. Jesus Christ leads His church through him. I love this work and can't wait to tell everyone in Toronto about it!!!

I hope you all have a great week and please keep in touch! I love letters! (use my mission home address starting next week)

I love you all!

Sincerely,

Hna. Cottam

week 7

Hola familia!

Only two weeks left here at the MTC. I'm excited and scared to be leaving this place of safety, but it will be so nice to get out into the real world: Toronto! I should know my flight plans at the end of this week. It's coming so fast! I need to speak more Spanish!

This week has been good. The only sad part was that Sis. Cottam left for South Carolina. I'm excited to read her E-mail!

Tuesday's devotional was inspirational as always. Elder Don R. Clarke of the 70 came and spoke to us. He helped us understand a little more what a mission will mean to us. You will be most successful, he said, if you follow the Spirit, Search the Scriptures, be obedient and keep the commandments, and apply what you learn. Near the end he read the well-known poem,  "Touch of the Master's hand." It had a new light that night. Eternity will be changed through you, he said, but only if you know how to work with the one with the master's hand.

I loved general conference! We certainly have living prophets and apostles today. I'm so excited for the temple in Provo, too! I think my two favorite talks were ELder Uchtdorf's from the Relief Society session (they showed it to the sisters here during the priesthood session) and Elder Carl B. Cook of the 70. It's better to look up! How true :) It was different watching all the sessions in the big gym. It was cold so I bundled up while watching, then it was warm outside.

Anyway, the weather in Provo has been staying pretty mild. We still have some hotter days that make me want to get to Toronto where it's cooler, but then we get the cooler days and I'm not quite so anxious. 

I love all the things I am learning here. The Lord has humbled and taught me in ways I didn't think He would. As I work with the sisters I am learning leadership skills I didn't have before and I am growing to love them more and more. I have experienced instances where the spirit has lead me to do a certain thing or share a certain scripture to uplift them. But I still have a long ways to go and much more work to do before I leave the MTC. The Spanish is coming slowly. I need to work harder at it this week. 

We are teaching 6 "progressive investigators" now. Both of our teachers are still investigators, but we've added teaching eachother. So we each have a pesona, we get taught and we teach the others. Each companionship is teaching two of the other companionships, so we're teaching at least one lesson a day now, sometimes two or three, and we may up it still before we leave.

Well, I hope you all are doing well. Don't forget to keep writing!

Love,

Hna. Cottam