Elder Jeffrey Holland at the MTC

Dear family and friends at home,

How are you all doing? I love all of you and I hope that this weeks e-mail finds you all happy healthy and strong! I have a few fun things to tell you about.

Everything as usual is going really well. True to rumors, Jeffery R. Holland did come and talk to us. His talk was fantastic! He talked about how lucky we are to be able to have the Gospel in our lives and to have the ability to bring hope and meaning to others through the Gospel to His children here on Earth. I really felt reassured that I am here for a purpose and that the Lord is with us.

Yesterday, Anziano MIller and I went to the Consulate in Salt Lake and got his visa papers finally submitted. According to the Church travel representative, Katie, his visa should be in next week so that will be nice. She is also insistent that we will be leaving the day after Christmas not the 18th. So we will see. I guess everyone else's visas are in the office too so there shouldn't be any hitches For which we are fortunate because I have seen from a lot of other missionaries that visas can be really hard to come by for some. And some consulates don't exactly love to be giving out visas. We are very fortunate.

Thanksgiving itself was pretty great. We had of course, Jeffery R Holland's address and actually something form his granddaughter who has been called to the Italy, Milan Mission. Can you believe that? Way cool. We had some programs including some skits that probably confused all of the missionaries who aren't American. Anziano Criscenti kept whispering "Is this America?" to himself. He had no idea what was going on. Our humanitarian project was fun too besides that it triggered memories of working at Papa Murphy's. We assembled medical and educational kits for people in Mali. That was really fun.

Also on Sunday, I was called to be a district leader which here at the MTC, doesn't mean so much except for that I fetch the mail and represent my district and attend meetings for zone leadership. That is really cool.

Every day I get more and more excited to go to Italy! We are learning more and more which is fantastic! I wish that we could learn more about the culture but right now we are trying to nail down the language. We are doing pretty well at SYL (speak your language). Immersion is definitely the way to go for learning a language. Some times I resist Italian, but other times it comes super naturally. All of my other languages have been absolutely ruined. I tried to talk to the French missionaries and found that for the most part, I was speaking Italian with a French accent. I don't know if I have dreamed in Italian quite yet. I will let you know though.

I love you all very much. I wish that I had more for you. We have pictures, but I have to find my camera charger.

Oh also, Hey Mom... The package that you sent me... I have a quick question, what happened with all of the contents of that box? Also, if you have the chance, can you send my consecrated oil? There is a silver vial and a glass vial and I had them in my window sill. Other than that, hoodies and T-shirts would be fantastic. It is starting to get cold here.

Love for everyone,

Anziano John Colin Cook

Thanksgiving at the MTC

To my dear beutiful family and friends back home,

 

Much love to you on this beautiful happy day! Everything here is going swimmingly! Thank you everyone so much for all of the letters I have recieved. Please know I am doing my best to chip away at them with the time that I have on my P (preperation) days which are on Thursdays probably until I get into the field in Italy.

 

Thank you mom and Dad for your many e-mails and the package. My favorite part of the entire thing was the family picture. I love to be able to see everyone's faces. I was so overjoyed to have that picture and I showed off my beautiful family to all of the other missionaries and my teachers. Please tell everyone at home that I love them. Especially Gideon and Adrainne and Puppy and everyone. Would it be possible to get some pictures of the rest of the Family (Papa, Grandma, The Crow's, The Hendry's)

 

Thank you Grandma and Papa for the card and gift! I love you so much and shouted with joy to have recieved something from le mei belli nonni (my beatiful grandparents). I hope that your time in Hawai'i is proving to be fun!

 

Dad, you asked for my testimony, here it is in English...

 

I know that my redeemer lives! I know that Heavenly loves us and that he speaks to us in our day. I know that by following the council of His inspired prophets both ancient and modern, we can come closer to Christ. I know that the scriptures can guide us when we have needs and stuggles and questions. I know the power and importance of prayer and that our loving Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. I know that we can feel of Heavenly Father's love for us through our families and that if we follow him, we can live forever with our families. I am greatful for my calling as a missionary and I know that God has chosen me to bless lives in Italy and I will do my very best to fulfill this calling. These things I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving here is a list of things I am SO EXTREMELY thankfukl for:

 

My Family

 

My freinds

 

My Calling as a missionary

 

The love that I feel from all of you

 

My companion

 

My district

 

My zone

 

All of the friends that I have made here

 

A roof over my head

 

Food in my belly

 

Clean and safe water to drink

 

The love that my Savior has for me

 

The Atonement

 

The temple

 

The ability to learn and to grow

 

I feel like I could list my family and friends several times over and over again. I am so thankful and so blessed to have you. I love you so very much.

 

To answer some of your questions...

 

The MTC has a lot of really cool plans today... We are going to hear from, rumor has it, Jeffery R. Holland, an apostle of the Lord. We then are going to eat a Thanksgiving dinner and then, We are doing back to back Humanitarian Aid Projects and Thanksgiving programs. I am so excitied!

 

We are trying to learn little bit of Italian culture while here they are planning a fewe cultural days towards the end of our stay here.

 

One more quick thing. We may be leaving the MTC the 18th of December instead of the 26th. Its confusing and our travel plans are up in the air. But I will let you know as the time approaches.

 

Love always,

Anziano John Colin Cook

 

PS: Some scriptures that I found that I want to share...

Ehter 12

WEEK 4 IN THE MTC!

 Hello Everyone!

Greeting from increasingly cold Provo, Utah! It is wonderful here! I love my district and my zone so much and we grow together every day. On Tuesday, our Older Districts left to report to their respective assignments in the Beautiful country of Italy. It was sad, but for those who are going to the Milan mission, I will see them again. It makes me want to be there SO bad!! I have heard a few reports from them and one of the sisters who reported to Milan helped to open a new ward in Gonoa! Isn't that cool?

I am making so many wonderful new friends! I've been talking to the Finnish missionaries a lot and the Lithuanian sisters I mentioned! As well as Anziano Criscenti who is from Italy and headed to Romania! We are all have fun together!

We have the chance to go to Devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday and my district has been super wonderful and come to choir with me! I love the chance to be able to sing hymns and just generally to be able to sing at all.The devotionals themselves are wonderful spiritual treats! The talks are wonderful and they speak directly to our spiritual needs. I always feel so enriched after that!

I feel so wonderful here and am always feeling refreshed here! We have had some snow here and it is nice to feel the chilling breeze! I am hoping for more because the last batch has almost all melted away!

During the temple walk last Sunday. I got a ton more pictures that I need to send later. I don't have a card reader, so I will have to borrow one and send them next time!

I love you all so much! Please tell me everything about what is happening back on the Home front! I am sending so much love your way! I loved receiving all of your e-mails!

One quick thing else... We found out that our motto wasn't gramattically incorrect, so I will take this moment to restate it. "Ce la facciamo con Dio!" (CHAY LAW FAW CHEE AMO CON DEE YO) We can do this with God!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Anziano Cook

Hello Everyone!

Much love from Provo! I am loving it here! I cannot believe that I am starting my third week already! Everything is going great here! My companion and I are getting along quite well. Generally, we are living the MTC routine life which consists of a lot of studying and praying and studying some more.

Our district does what is called "contacting" where we bear our testimonies in Italian to other missionaries. Anziano Miller and I have contacted 15 times already this week! The Italian is coming along pretty well. A couple of language mishap stories to tell you about... The other day, I testified that the Gospel is a Beautiful Woman "bella donna" instead of a Beautiful Gift "bello donno". My companion testified that Jesus can help us with everything, even when we have to prepare for our heads (testi, because he didn't know the word for test and he made one up). We also heard a story that an Anziano before us had said "I know God will kill you!" in the middle of his talk in Sacrament Meeting. I guess that he meant to say "I know Jesus died for you."

Everything else is doing well here. Today we are going to the Temple so that will be really great. I love the temple so I am excited for it.

We had a picnic the other day after gym and that was wonderful. I have been making friends not only in my zone but as well as some other people who are headed elsewhere like some like the sisters who are headed to Lithuania. Its way fun.

I am sending some pictures.

Mom, thank you so much for your e-mail! I am so glad that Hawaii went well! I am so glad that you have been relaxing. Hawaii sounds like it was wonderful. When you get home, from San Diego, can you please send my immunization records? They should be in my room. Also could you send my slip on shoes. I only have church shoes! Tell everyone at home that I love them thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much.

Kayla, I loved reading you e-mail. I am so glad that you are going to have the opportunity to go to the temple for Baptisms that is a wonderful experience! I am so proud of you! I have heard that you also have been called as a gospel principles instructor! Brilliant! Extend my love to the ward!

Anziano Cook is the best missionary in the world! You should be so proud of him! -Sister Clayton (Lithuanian Sister who hijacked the computer while I transfered laundry)

I love you so very much!!!!!!!!

Anziano John Colin Cook

Hello Everyone!

 

Much love from the Missionary Training center in Provo, Utah! I am loving it here! I have many new freinds and the food here is pretty decent too :)

 

Welll so much has happened in the week since my arrival here. Let's see what I can remember to tell you....

 

I'll start with our district motto: "C'è lo facciamo con Dio!" (We can do it with God ['s help] Chay-low-faw-chi-amo-cone-Dee-oh) I feel like my district and my zone are big happy families! We have had so much fun together and we have learned a lot from one another. I am so lucky to have them and they blass me so much. We have been through many trying times together, but we have each other and we have the Lord who is backing us at all times!

 

Language learning here at the MTC is intense! We learn how to speak a language in that language. I actually forget sometimes that my teacher speaks any English. It's shocking sometimes when he switches over to talk about something else. We taught lessons in Italian on the morning of the third day in the MTC! Like everything else, the Lord is backing us in everything! Our motto is really a lot like our mantra! We repeat it to one another when we seem discouraged or doubt our abilities to teach with power or to learn what we need to learn.

 

Today itself has been a fun day. We got up early and went to the Italian Consulate in Salt Lake City, to submit our visa papers. Due to a recent policy change, visa applicants are required to show up in person to a consulate That was a nice break from the routine of life here.

 

Just know that I am being well taken care of here. Everyone is so kind and loving, we are well fed (in fact I hear many Anziani e Sorrelle complaining that they have gained a bunch of weight (I myself have made good friends with an eliptical machine during gym time and also have a very fitness minded companion; Anziano Miller)). There is a certain kind of Spirit here at the MTC. We are always studying the Sciptures and praying together and singing Hyms (which are so much better in Italian than they already were in English. There are actually a few hyms that are written specifically for Italian found only in our Itlian Hymn Book).

 

My companion is Anziano Miller. We get along really well. We laugh together and pray together and do everything! Our district consists of us, Anziano Waters, Anziano Stuart and Sorella Ehorn. We are such a happy group! So much so that it is difficult to concentarte during study time. We arew getting better though.

 

I am looking forward to hearing some things from you and how things are back on the Homefront in Washington! I love you so vey much! Pictures later! Please forawrd this to everybody you can think of who would like to hear from me!

 

Love Always,

Anziano John Colin Cook

Elder Cook at the Provo, UT Mission Training Center (MTC)

Elder Cook with Missionaries preparing for the Milan, Italy Mission!