looking up

Dear family,

It's been a bit of a tough week for us. We have lost contact with Galo, our one progressing investigator and we've been having trouble finding new people to teach. We had a good long brainstorming session during companion study and have some goals and plans to help us focus more on the spirit and on working with the members.

This next week is looking up already. We have a member referral we hope to teach and we have two appoinments tonight with part-member families. As we put our trust wholy in the Lord and seek His spirit, His work will move forward.

I love you all!

Yours,

Hna. Cottam

Learning and Loving

Dear family,

It's been a good but in some ways hard week. We lost our progressing investigator Juan Carlos. We found out he actually lives in the neighboring Spanish ward so he will be going there. But it was such a wonderful week with him. We loved him so much and I will miss working with him. Hopefully I will soon see on our President's weekly e-mail that he was baptized over there :). But we did gain a new progressing investigator who was attending that other ward (so I guess we did a trade off :) ). His name is Galo. He is doing well. We've taught him twice and he came to church yesterday! He has a strong desire to find out more about the church since his sister joined 15 years ago. He's been a devote Catholic but wants to find out if all we say is true. His date is the 2nd of September.

It's been a pleasure to work with Hna. Sundblom! I feel so many times like she came "pre-trained". Right now we're focusing on our finding methods and how to change so that we can get more progressing investigators. There have got to be so many who are ready we just have to find them! With faith and the humility to listen to the Spirit, we will :) 

 I hope you enjoy the pics! in order: Sunrise in Toronto, The View from our Balcony, First Day with Hna. Sundblom, Lola's Baptism (July 15th)

Have a great week!
Love,
Hna. Cottam





a week of changes (from August 13, 2012)

Dear family,

The blessings we have seen this week have been incredible as we have striven to trust in the spirit to find the people who are ready.

I think I already told you about the family we met on Wednesday. Mario and Monica. unfortunately they are busy right now looking for an apartment so they haven't been able to meet with us nor were they able to come to church.

But Thursday night we received a member referral who is golden! His name is Juan Carlos. He has a big problem with smoking and drinking but really wants to change his life and accepted a baptismal date like that! (Sept 2) The member who referred him is heavily involved and is such a wonderful support to him. The member lives in the neighboring ward but has been seeing to it that his friend is meeting all sorts of members from Black Creek and is in almost every lesson with us. And Juan Carlos is doing so well. Right now we're focusing on helping him stop the drinking first because it leads him to smoke. Yesterday he told us about how he passed a friend who offered him a beer but as soon as he saw it he told him he had to go. he said no! probably for one of the first times. And he came to church and loved it. He is doing so well. :) He has a lot to overcome but he is going to do it!

Another miracle happened the other day when I left my wallet/planner on the bus. We called the information line and figured out which bus and where it was and tried to get to it on time, but just missed it. So we headed toward the apartment and I asked another bus driver about it. He figured out where that bus would be and we headed toward the place and caught it! Then right after we found a member who wanted to give us a referral to a less-active member. He didn't have our number and wasn't sure when he would be able to give it to us. God works in mysterious ways!

We also had a less-active member come to English class last Tuesday and he came to church on Sunday :)

Despite the rainy weather the last few days are hopes are high for this coming week and all the people we will find! We already have an appointment with another member referral tonight and we will be seeing a former investigator later this week.

Have a wonderful week! I love you all!

Yours and the Lord's,

Hna. Cottam

a big change (from August 8, 2012)

Dear family,

big changes have happened here. The Dynamic Duo has come to an end. Hna. Camejo was transferred to english work 2 hrs drive from here. It was very sad to leave her after all we've been through together. I love that sister! but good things are ahead.

I am training this transfer! My new companion is Sis. Sundbom from West Valley, UT. She just came from the MTC and has more Spanish than I did! We have been working hard the last day and a half and have seen many fruits!

We taught a golden family today! Some elders gave us their contact info and we set an appointment for today. It's Monica and Mario and their five children all under the age of 8. :) They are a bit of a handful but the lesson went so well! They committed to read and pray and are excited to come to church on Sunday. Mario even prayed at the end! and they have a date for the 26th. We are so excited for them.

Congratulations Jacob and Athena! Welcome to the family! I'm glad it went so well :) (with the car too ;) ) Can't wait for the pictures!

Love you all!

Hna. Cottam

quicky (from July 30, 2012)

Hello all!

a thousand apologies for not being able to e-mail last week!

This will be short. We always seem to run out of time!

We are keeping quite busy. The work is going well. We've seen many miracles. Lola was at church last sunday! and Jose Who we've taught before we found again! We hope he gets baptized very soon.

My favorite scripture from this past week is Mosiah 7:33. OUr thoughts have so much influence in how we do this work.

I love you all so much!

Sincerely,
Hna. Cottam