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...

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