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

week 6

Hola familia!

It's been a great week. The highlight was making music with Elder Howell and Sis. Cottam (the trio!!!) We got together and worked on my favorite arrangement of O My Father--by Sally DeFord. We tried out for a musical number for one of the larger meetings, but with Sis. Cottam leaving today, they couldn't fit us in. But we did get to sing in my sacrament meeting. It was so wonderful. After we finished I was overcome for a moment with emotion: from the music, from the Spirit, and for the opportuntity to make music with my sister before she left for South Carolina

Well, we have been very blessed once again this week...we had another apostle come speak to us on Tuesday! It was Elder Russell M. Nelson. I loved it. His wife first spoke (and may I say that she reminded me a little of Mom in her simple, loving manner. Love you Mom :)) Then Elder Nelson spoke about the Book of Mormon. He had four missionaries come up and had each one tell him something they knew about the B of M. They did about 3 rounds of this. It was really cute because at the end of this he told us that one of the sisters was his grand daughter and gave her a big hug. I actually recognize her from BYU where she played flute. He also gave us some of the history about the printing and development of the book in accessability over the years and then discussed the October Ensign with us. About a week prior we all got a copy. It was an excited day for all of us in my district. It was like Christmas had come 3 and a half months early. I couldn't put it down for 30 minutes. Anyway, he went over some of the highlights with us. The best part about that devotional, though, was the overwhelming feeling I had. I realized that we have been sitting at the feet of prophets the last month. Oh, it's magnificent! I feel so blessed right now.

Well, days are still long here but the weeks short. Days are starting to blend a little, but that's okay. I'm learning much here and I love it. Oh, we recieved a new district in my branch this last wednesday. It was the first time I got to help train a district. The best part is that there are 4 hermanas in the district! We were so happy to hear that they would be coming since the other four hermanas left for the field last Monday. It's been great to get to know them. One is serving here in Provo, another in Arcadia, CA and the other two I can't remember at the moment. One of the elders is from Idaho Falls :).

Hey Mom, my companion and I were talking and I mentioned again how you are learning hebrew and an arabic language (which one?) and she said to tell you she likes you :). (If you didn't remember, she's studying those languages in school, so ya, she's a fan.)

A couple of items of business:

I don't think I ever had my recital dress dry-cleaned. Mom, could you make sure that happens. I don't think it would be good to have it sit there still stinky from my recital for another 17 months. It's the bronze one in my closet.

Also, I plan on sending my temple clothes home. I just don't think I'll have room with my extra books and the winter clothes I will buy once I get to Toronto (only 3 weeks left!!!).

There are two things I could use, though, if you wouldn't mind sending them. More of those Zinc tablets. I think I feel another cold coming on and they work better than the Halls defense drops. Also, I've been going through ink in my pens pretty quick so if you could send me some refill that'd be great. They're a Zebra F-301 pen fine point. I know they sell refills at Walmart--the F-Refill I think. Black ink, smooth writing, fine point.

Well, I love you all so much. Please keep in touch. I love letters! Though there's no saying how often I will be able to write back.

Yours,

Hermana Cottam <3

week 5

Hola ya'll!

Week 4 has come and gone! or is it counted as week 5? I get mixed up. anyway, i've been her 4 weeks and 5 days.

So I got to sit on the stand at the fireside last night. My companion and another elder in my district gave the prayers, so their companions had to stay with them :). It was an awesome sight to get to look out on all the missionaries.

The message of the fireside was wonderful as well. Sister and President Wilkins spoke to us. He's on of the district presidents. Sister Wilkins had an umbrella. She encouraged us to open our umbrella when it rains, or utilize the atonement, because it won't do much good at our sides. Pres. Wilkins spoke on a few things, but my favorite was that problems are really opportunities. Opportunities to serve, to work with others, etc. I love it because my mind is starting to take it to heart. I like being that optomistic!

I'm starting to get the grove of my calling as coordinating sister. I've held my first meeting with my zone and went to several meetings. This week I get to help the zone leaders train our incoming elders and....so exciting, 4 new sisters! The 4 that were in our zone left today for the field and we didn't expect to get new ones right away! It will be great. Now we are the experienced hermanas who will help them get adjusted to the MTC. I can't wait to meet them.

I love seeing people I know here. There are several from my freshman ward at BYU, a few from Blackfoot (Michon Christensen, Jacob Wheelright, etc.) and a couple other friends from school. Forest Howell, my friend and accompanist arrived on Wednesday. We might put a musical number together for one of the firesides/devotionals. It would be great fun to make music with him again. Last night I saw my Mission Prep teacher from BYU. I was happy to get the chance to tell him where I am headed. I also see Sister Cottam a lot at meals and the large meetings. We finally sat together during choir yesterday, which was a blast. We are singing "Consider the Lilies". I love it!

Saturday I got my first taste of a drunk/hungover investigator. That was fun. We tried to teach a little then just ended because he obviously wasn't in it. (he's our teacher) He talked to us after and helped us understand better how to deal with that situation--you gotta shame him. Just ask that they don't be drunk or high for your lessons or you won't teach them that time. It's a waste of time if you try to. You know, sometimes we all need a call to repentance, a wake up call.

I love the Book of Mormon. I wish I had more time to read it(in both languages :) because there's so much good stuff. Yesterday I was reading in Mosiah 26 when Alma asks the Lord about the people who are rejecting the church. The Lord tells him first that those who are a part of the church are blessed then teaches him that all who will hear His voice will be blessed. Any who repent and come unto Him are a part of His church, but if they do not, they are not a part of His church. But He also says, that "as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me." He is so merciful to His children, to us. The purpose of missionaries is to invite others to partake of His mercy and love and to come unto Him.

I love this work. Have a great week ya'll.

Sincerely,

Hna. Cottam

week 4

Hola familia!

The biggest news from this week is that I was called as the coordinating sister for my zone yesterday. So I'm kinda like a district leader for the sisters, dealing with residence hall stuff, etc. There are 8 sisters in my zone for now. 4 of them will leave in about a week and I don't know when or if we'll get more before I leave.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear Jacob passed his semenar. Way to go!

I got to see Rachel--Sister Cottam--the day she arrived. I had a break at the time she reported so me and my companion waited near the host sisters. We knew she'd have to come there at some point. Her reaction was priceless. We see eachother every day since her meal time is only 15 minutes before mine. It's been really nice, except that I can't speak in English much anymore...

One of my teachers, Hno. Sheide, is really into using competetive games to help my district use our Spanish. Last week was the tarjeta game (cards) where if you said something in Enlish someone else could take a card from you. The one with the most cards won. This week we are playing el Nativo escondido. It's kinda like mofia. There is one person who is the native speaker and two gringitos and the rest are gringos. At the next class period we vote on who we think was the nativo. When we fist played this game it was about speaking as much spanish as possible. Now it's about speaking only spanish but for a few exceptions (talking to staff, at gym, at times during class). If someone heard the nativo speak english though, the lose all their points. if you vote for a gringito you get hurt point-wise also. So, I'm speaking a lot of Spanish, which really helps me progress. He's an awesome teacher.

The cold that's been going around has caught up with me with a bit of a vengance. but i'm doing alright.

Here's a couple of thoughts from the devo's, etc. this week:

Jay E. Jensen spoke at our tuesday devotional this week. He spoke about how "decisions determine destiny." He also talked about the 6 m's of missionary work. Missionaries create an environment that allows the spirit to touch people's hearts.

This weekend I feel like the Spirit has been hit a lot. In Relief Society, Rebecca Thompson from the general relief society board spoke on it and in sacrament meeting and I studied it for a district lesson. It's interesting in light of my call to be coordinating sister, because it takes help from the spirit to address the sisters' needs, to correct in love when needed and so on. I'm grateful for it. I know the Holy Ghost is so important in our lives. he helps us stay on the right path and to build our spiritual strength and testimony. He provides comfort and guidance. it's amazing.

So my companion and I had a couple of great lessons with our 'investigators' this week. We finally broke through with one of them who has been pretty unresponsive lately and we had a powerful lesson on the restoration with the other. We felt the spirit strongly as we shared the Joseph Smith story (with the first vision memorized! Ha!) and testified of it. It was great. Role playing has been such a wonderful teacher for us. It's great.

In other news, the bookstore/mailroom/salon and more are moving to a newly-renovated building on campus this week. So no dear elders until thursday, but we'll recieve everything else.

I love you all!

Sincerely,

Hna. Cottam

P.S. thanks for the quick reponses earlier and for your support and prayers. I have needed it. Good luck with everything!

week 3

Hola!

Well I survived my third week. Yipee! The mission has been harder than I thought it would be but oh so worth it. We've had some awesome devos/conferences/firesides this week. It has been so nourishing.

Tues: ELDER HOLLAND!!!!

Oh, man it was awesome! He was a little emotional about a sister missionary who had died in NY earlier that day from a car crash, so his thoughts were so sincere and stirring. He first of all told us he loved us. He then urged us (think of how he sometimes gets in gen. conf. but more intense!) to not damage the image of missionaries. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT..." he said, and you will be accountable. Neither do we have the right to disapoint (sorry, my spelling is going haywire since learning spanish) the prophets who have seen us, the missionaries through the ages you have not succeeded but kept going because they saw our day and our success. "you have no right to turn your back and walk away as if the mission didn't matter." It matters. When we truly try to do our best, our mission will influence every part of our lives throughout the rest of our lives. Don't turn your back on the gospel and go inactive after you mission.

After that he chose several questions from a list Pres. Brown (MTC pres.) had gathered from missionaries. here´s a short version:

1.What is the most important thing Christ wants us to know right now? That what he said was true.

2. What are the best ways to invite the Spirit into our lives? Delve into the scriptures, Pray, Don't lose it! (don't go or do anything that would drive it away)

3. What's the best advice you've received? go on a mission, to marry as directly and honestly as he could, and to get as much education as he could.

4. What is the comparision between a general authority and a missionary? almost the same: both out being witnesses of Christ. (missionaries are basically an extention for the twelve to spread the word.) remember that this experience will never come again, it will never be the same.

5a. Whay is the greatest gift I can give to Christ? your heart (this one really touched me; JS-H 1:19 don't be like them)

5b. Why does God love us? "I'm imperfect," he said," but in one thing that I am almost nearly perfect is the love I have for my children." We are God's children. He will do anything within righteousness for our sakes.

Man it was awesome! and So powerful.

And Rachel, the musical number after was the one you kept singing before I left :Savior Redeemer of my Soul. and they signed with it. It was so touching.

Anyway, I'd describe the other meetings, but I'm short on time.

Monday night we had a fire drill. That was entertaining. It was just after we'd gotten to the residence. Someone had burned popcorn. Needless to say we didn't get to bed on time that night :).

Our new teachers are two very different people. Hno. Anderson is quiet and moves at a slow pace. Hno. Shiede is so energetic and has all these great activities for learning vocab. One is called the verb game. We learn 50 verbs and assign eachone an action then we pull them out of a box and the rest of the group says the verb by recognizing the action. It's a great way to remember them. And we will be trying to beat Hno. Sheide's previous district, who did it in 53 seconds, especially because they made a comment about us hermanas.

We have been spending part of our class time teaching our teachers who act like investigators. It's been tough figuring out how to teach it so they will desire to have faith and repent. But we're getting better. We peel back layer by layer.

A cold has been going around like wildfire. Two of our elders went to the hospital because our clinic was closed on Saturday to get some medicine for it and another elder also went to the emergency room for a minor concusion he got playing soccer that day. Our poor elders :)

So how was everyone's labor day? The temple was closed today, which was sad, but it was uber nice to have the extra time. We seriously have very little here!

Can't wait to see you Rachel!!!

Yours,

Hermana Cottam

week 2

Hola!

I have been in the MTC for 12 days! doce dias :)

Sorry my e-mails are kinda short and sporadic. I don't have a lot of time and don't know what to say.

Anyway, my spanish is getting a little better and my spirit a little stronger. Last Tuesday's devo was great, especially since the speakers natively speak Spanish and I could tell why they pronounce things the way they do. It was one of the 70, but i can't remember his name right now, sorry. I loved singing in the choir on Tuesday too. The choir directors are great. We sang Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer. The choir director on Sundays always tells stories and helps us get the flow and feeling of the music. Tues. night director helps us put it all together. 

At the fireside last night, all the missionaries sang Called to Serve together, but like a choir--starting soft and getting louder each verse. It was awesome when we repeated the last chorus at the top of our lungs.  

My district is great. We have 4 elders and 4 hermanas. Only one of the elders is coming to my same mission. We get new teachers today, actually. They are switching them all around because of the start of the semester. It's kinda sad because we loved our teacher. He had the Barcalona lisp, though he usually hid it well. We like to eat together as a district. The food's been pretty good. They had a sweet salad last night with cinnimon toasted almonds and blueberries. They had cheesecake one night but we're the last group to go through so I missed it. I was so bummed about that.

So I want to confirm the rumors of three earthquakes, one being in D.C. I also heard that there was a tidal wave warning on the east coast. How's it going?

By the way Dad, my companion lives near Rocky Flats. She told me about it when I told her were worked with nuclear waste. small world :)

Thanks Rachel for the letter. I love you!

and thanks for the backpack!

The Williams sent me a letter with some quotes and a cartoon early last week. It was great.

And thanks Mom for your notes :)

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Hna. Cottam