Dear Everyone,

 

It seems like everyone is trunky for me! Well, I still have three more weeks and in missionary time that might as well be three more months with how much we pack in to a day. May I remind everyone that my mission hasn´t ended yet? In fact, I feel a little responsibility on my shoulders with such a young companion (Sister Lewis is only 19 and only has 2 transfers here in Portugal), so I can´t mentally end my mission early. Sister Lewis is really a doll. She could fit right in with the Hunter family, I swear. We get along well.

 

This week was really tiring, but really rewarding. First of all, we had a Mission Tour on Friday! Guess who came? Elder Cook! Yes, that Elder Cook from the quorom of the 12 apostles! It was truly a one in a lifetime experience to see him up close and personal-- and without a teleprompter! We had a question and answer session that was really neat. Did you know he was mission companions with Elder Holland in England? He talked about how Elder Holland taught very well and was somewhat a jokester! One thing he told us that I found interesting was that as missionaries we are really out here to build up wards and stakes. He said that obviously baptisms build up wards but they aren´t the only thing that constitutes success. He said that reactivation needed to be a bigger part as well as simply supporting the members. When he was in California and his son got a Spanish speaking mission call, they started attending the sacrament meetings in the Spanish branches as well as their own ward meetings. In one sacrament meeting the missionaries kept to themselves reading the scriptures and not really participating. In another the missionaries talked to everyone, laughed and talked with members and sat amongst the members. His son said, `Wow, I would want my friends to be taught by them, for sure!´ Then Elder Cook said, `Sometimes when I say that, missionaries respond by saying that they are naturally shy. They ask, `Are you really asking me to have a personality I don´t have? I´m not outgoing!´ Well, sisters and elders, YES. That is exactly what I am telling you to do!´ I was kind of shocked by that statement, but it was really good advice. The Sundays that we involve ourselves makes the ward a better place. Anyway, Elder Cook continued to say that helping and supporting wards in that manner is just as important as contacting people, etc. Interesting, isn´t it?

 

He also told us about when he was called to be an apostle. He said that President Hinckley´s secretary called him up and told him to come to the prophet´s office. Elder Cook walked into the office and President Hinckley had his sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, looking like he had had a long day. President Hinckley then asked if Elder Cook would accept the call to be an apostle. Elder Cook started crying, but said that he would do anything the Lord asked. He went home, told his wife and they cried together. He said, `They say that no one in their right mind would choose to be a bishop. Well, no one in their right mind would ever choose to be an apostle! I had seen their schedules before. They´re riduculous!´ He also explained that every time the 12 meet, Elder Packer always says, `I´ve been an apostle for so long and I am still wondering why the Lord called me to be one!´ We all got a hoot out of that.

 

Last of all he gave us his apostolic blessing. A mission is really a seminal moment in a person´s life. He blessed that we would be able to see that. That we would be able to see how the mission has not only been life-changing for us, but for our loved ones as well. What a great blessing I have to hear that in my last transfer!

 

Well, besides Elder Cook, we worked in a 3-some until Thursday because Sister Anderson is training in Setúbal. Her companion has a Portuguese last name, Pereira, but is actually from France. We had to help her with her travel plans and such, plus go to the Mission Tour, which was a lot of travel time and energy. But I think it was worth it. I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week.

 

Sister Derrick