April 2, 2010

So I haven't been shot yet. Actually Pittsburg and Bay Point aren't as ghetto as everyone says. I think that Bay Point is probably worse than Pittsburg though. A few years back Bay Point was part of Pittsburg - they called it West Pittsburg. I guess it got so bad that they cleaned it up a bit and renamed it Bay Point to try and give it a "fresh start". It's still pretty scary today. Now they call it Gun Point instead of Bay Point! Well the work is going well. Things have been so busy this transfer that I haven't had time to write. We are teaching 6 investigators now. When we first go here there was 3, so we've done good. We are teaching the most awesome couple - Jerry and Martha Howe. Jerry is going to be baptized on April 17th. Martha is Catholic and doesn't see the need to be baptized again...yet. She is the cutest Nicaraguan lady. She believes the Book of Mormon is true (and reads it regularly), she knows Joseph Smith was a prophet, and she never misses a day at church! It is just really hard for her to let go of her Catholic roots. It is the way that she has lived her whole life. We are going to watch General Conference at their house with them tomorrow.

March 4, 2010

So the area is going good. Me and my cop. (Elder Watkins) got to the area last week, and both of us are brand new to this ward. The first thing that we did was we cleaned the apartment (it was pretty bad). We went to the store across the street and bought cleaning supplies and some food to survive on until next P-day. That night we met with our Ward Mission Leader - Bro. Conover. We had dinner at his house, and discussed what is going on in the ward. The ward here was so excited to see us come in. There have been problems with the missionaries in this ward in the past (they didn't do much) so everyone is super excited to have us. The ward members have been holding their referrals because they didn't trust the previous missionaries! So we have been getting to know the ward and the area for the past couple days. Pittsburg and Bay Point (we cover both) are really ghetto in some parts. It's quite a huge difference from Brentwood and Oakley. The ward is awesome and there are A LOT of old people here. There isn't a lot of kids, because no one wants their kids going to the Pittsburg schools because they are really rough.

February 24, 2010

Well it finally happened - I got transferred! I knew that the day would come. So now here I am in my apartment in Pittsburg. I'm serving in the Pittsburg 1st ward (the only white people ward in the whole city) so we cover all of Pittsburg and Bay Point. So it was pretty sad to leave my home in Marsh Creek. It almost feels like I've left home, and started my mission over again. When they announced that I had been transferred in Sacrament meeting everyone went "Awwwe!" then they all turned and looked at me with frowns on their faces. I really felt like part of the ward. I have had an amazing past 7 months. On my last day, Denise took us out to breakfast, Steve took us out to lunch (at a pizza buffet) and then Ron fed us second lunch, then Bishop and Sister Garrison took us out to dinner. Wow, I was full. But it was good. I was sad to say bye to everyone but it's exciting to move on. So now I'm in Pittsburg with Elder Watkins and we are shotgunning the area. This ward hasn't had missionaries that work in a long time so they are all SUPER excited that we are here. So we are trying to get to know the area. This area is pretty ghetto fabulous.

February 19, 2010

Well, today was actually kind of a slow day. But there, has to be the tough days to have the amazing days. But we pushed through it. I felt just kinda depressed a little, the whole day. Transfer calls are tomorrow and the chances of me staying in this area are next to none. I've been here for almost 7 months (holy crap) and if I stay again I'll be surprised. I'm excited to go to a new area, but this ward has become my family. I love it here! It will be sad to leave. Also the past 2 transfers we have had the BEST district ever - Me, Elder Malani, Lisonbee and Murphy (the ZL's). So we found out yesterday that E. Lisonbee is going to be AP! We are excited for him. So he already left and went to Oakland - to help out with transfers. It is like the first wave of change and it's sad. I've loved this area and I've loved this district for the past 7 months and it's just going to be hard to leave - but exciting at the same time (it's weird).

February 17, 2010

Today was a fun day. We took Mary Beth to the Visitor's Center. It was her first time up at Temple Hill, and she loved it! I am so excited for Mary Beth, she will definitely be baptized. Jennie has been such a great example to her. They are sisters but also they are like best friends. Mary Beth had a photography assignment to do so she took a lot of pictures of the temple grounds. After the VC trip Jennie and Nick took us to Fentons! It was my first time there and it was really good!! Tonight we had dinner with Bro. Stubbs - an inactive guy that has super nice non-member wife from Brazil. The first time I went over (like 3 months ago) he wouldn't even let us leave with a prayer, but tonight he asked if we could come over and teach him and his wife a discussion! Out of nowhere! Also Juan Gonzales and Anut Charlotte are doing really AMAZING! This area is doing really well, it's exciting. This could be my last few days in the Marsh Creek ward. It's kinda sad. I'm excited to move on - if I get transferred, but I will really miss this area when I leave.

February 3, 2010

Today was a neat experience. We went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead with Jennie Giotta (for her first time). Five of us went - Me, E. Malani, Jennie, Sis. Pope and Steve Wilson. We each did 20 baptisms so we baptized and confirmed 100 people as a gropu! It was a great experience to be in the temple with 2 recent converts. I love the spirit in the temple. After the temple Jennie and Sis. Pope took us to lunch at Panera. It was a great afternoon...Then that night we went back to Jennie's house and had a lesson with Jennie's mom Mimi and her sister Mary Beth. We taught the Plan of Salvation. It went pretty well. I felt like I was teaching the logic of the plan - stressing too much about if it all made sense to them - rather than focusing on the spirit and teaching to their needs. It was still a good night. We plan on taking them to the VC in a few weeks and Mary Beth is coming to church this week!

January 21, 2010

It has rained all day long! Seriously it hasn't stopped since it started this morning, but it was still a great day. This morning we went to Bro. Strake's - a very less active member, and had a great talk about the Atonement. Bro. Strake has been a member his whole life but I think he just became "spiritually lazy". I don't know. He is a great guy. We spent a few hours tracting in the rain and we found a less active guy named David. We don't have his membership records so he is one of those members that is "under the radar!" He was super nice, and told us that he wants to start coming back to church. Today we also had an awesome evening with Cecilia and Lou. They moved out of their houseboat and into a house (a trailer) on the Island. Cecilia made us my favorite meal - Anoz con poyo (pollo?) - chicken and rice! (Spanish style). Then we had an amazing lesson about the Plan of Salvation. Cecilia has learned and grown so much! She said the closing prayer and it was one of the most sincere prayers I've ever heard. I love Cecilia and Lou.

January 16, 2010

Today was a great day! Today Jennie Giotta (Taylor) was baptized! She really is a miracle, and I've never seen anyone so excited to be baptized. The ward is so amazing, and there were a ton of people there to support Jennie. She asked me and Elder Malani to give the talks. I gave the one on baptism, and he gave the one on the Holy Ghost. It was a really great night. Now we are praying that her husband, Nick, will recognize the Spirit and want to take the lessons.

January 14, 2010

Holy crap I'm still in the Marsh Creek ward! I think that I'll be here for the rest of my mission! That's okay though because I really do love it here. The members are amazing, and we have really seen a lot of miracles. One I forgot to write about is that Mark Esquivel was baptized on 12/29/09! We began teaching him in this ward, but then passed him off to the singles ward Elders because Mark was really making some good changes, and felt like he was losing his friends because they didn't support his righteous decisions. We taught him the first 2 lessons, and then Elder Lisonbee and Murphy taught him the last 2. It was hard to give him up and pass him on, but he's doing great in the singles ward. Also Sis. Rider is a huge miracle! She is doing so good! She is really making a lot of great changes and she loves us coming over for lessons. She told us that the day we tracted into her, and knocked on her door was not an accident. She said that we could have not showed up at a better time! She has come back to church and is being reactivated! Sis. Hansen, and Sis. Morris are doing great jobs at fellowshipping.

January 3, 2010

Wow, things have been great! We had an amazing Christmas. The members were so good to us and it felt great not to focus as much on myself this year, but strive to focus on others. On Christmas day we ate breakfast at the Alexanders' and dinner with Bishop Garrison and Sister Garrison. The Garrison's are the best! They gave us a stocking full of gifts like a Brentwood t-shirt, deodorant, shampoo...Then during the day we visited Cecilia in the hospital :( She has kidney stones, and it put her in the hospital on Christmas, but we had a great visit with her. We had a wonderful Christmas day! Then this weekend on 1/2/10 Denise Kuhre was baptized! I was so happy to see her make that step. The baptism went really well, but leading up to it was pretty stressful! First off, we weren't sure if the font was going to fill up fast enough, then while we were running around everywhere President Wade shows up! So then I got really nervous because Denise asked me and Elder Malani to sing and to speak! Then to top it all off - Denise was 30 minutes late! Oh boy it made me nervous. But once the baptism started, all went well. It was a great day!

December 24, 2009

Wow, it is Christmas Eve - the first one away from home. I miss my family, but it has been great! This morning we had a lesson with our investigator Joe Vellanueve - it went great! We were supposed to have it last night, but he wasn't there. We called him and he was at his buddy's house. He told me (and I quote) "Elder Cook, I'm not gonna lie - I'm drinkin' beer!" I was like lovely, that sucks. He felt really bad about forgetting our appointment and said "I can come back now, do you mind if we have a lesson while I'm a little drunk?" I said "Oh no Joe, how about we reschedule?!" So this morning we had a great meeting. Joe is so awesome and loves the gospel, but is sad because his family is not interested. During the lesson today, his daughter (10 yrs) was there and he asked his son to be there for a Christmas present to him. It means a lot to Joe. Then on P-day (12/21/09) Denise called us and told us that she had been praying about the baptism date that we extended to her and she got her answer! She is going to be baptized on Jan. 2, 2010!

December 18, 2009

I have never been more excited to be a missionary! I love it! I thought that around Christmas time it was going to be really hard, but I've enjoyed being a missionary at Christmas so far. Last transfer with E. Bolkeim really tested me, and I proved to myself that I want to be here and this transfer has been awesome. Elder Malani is great - most of the time I forget I'm training him! Today we had a miracle. We got a referral from Sis. Pope in the Oakley ward, to visit a lady named Jenny Taylor. I had stopped by her house TONS of times before but we decided to try again. So tonight we stopped by and said a prayer that we could contact her, before we rang the bell. So we walked up the steps and rang the doorbell...the door opened! We finally met Jenny and she's awesome! She told us that she loves the church and knows it's true and wants to be baptized any day! Wow, it's exciting! So we set up a time to meet with her and finish teaching her the lessons so she can get baptized! It is amazing that we have been seeing all these miracles!

December 13, 2009

Great things continue to happen. Tonight Sis. Irene Morris was baptized. It was a great baptism. She was a member, then got excommunicated, and was re-baptized tonight! Repentance and the Atonement work! She has been living in our ward boundary for years (in Knightson, on a yacht, on the Delta) but it was just about 4 months ago that she went on a trip to Louisiana to see her family, and needed somebody to watch her dog - Marie. She couldn't find anyone - so her son mentioned to contact the Bishop of the ward and see if anyone in the ward could watch her dog. So she called Bishop's home and Sis. Garrison talked to her, then sent out an email to the ward to see if anyone could babysit a shitzu. Sis. Hernandez said she could do it - then it all started from then. They became great friends, then Sis. Hernandez sent us over to teach her (even though she would have done fine without us), she started coming back to church, and tonight she was baptized! She is such a neat lady. She's like a grandma to me! She and I call each other Darlin'! I got to speak at her baptism tonight and I was honored to be a part of it.

December 9, 2009

Well things are good. My new comp. Elder Malani (fresh from the MTC) is a rockstar. He's a great guy. I picked him up at the mission home on Wednesday and we've been working hard ever since. E. Malani is from Fiji, and at first I was nervous to be companions with another islander, but he is awesome. He's probably training me more than I'm training him, because I've already learned a lot from E. Malani. He is a very Christ-like person, and very service minded. The second day he was here, we had a lesson with Jose Vela, and we set a baptismal date for Jan. 30th 2010! Great things are going on here in the Marsh Creek ward. I can't believe I'm still here, but I'm excited to spend Christmas here. The biggest concern that I'm dealing with right now is the onslaught of doubts that are continually bombarding me! I have hope that one day I won't have any doubts, and am going to constantly fight them off, but it is not a good feeling to not be "anchored down". I feel like I'm not stable and firm in my faith.

November 29, 2009

I have had some pretty crazy things happen the past few days. It all pretty much started on Wednesday of this week. We were doing our comp. study and planning for the day (because we didn't the night before). So I asked E. Bolkeim what he wanted to do for the day and he said visit less actives and members, so we started to compile some names together. After we had a few names I said "how about we tract from four to five?" He gave me a dirty look and said something like "This is MY day to plan. We are not tracting!" I told him that we need to tract at least 2 hours per day, and he knows that. He put up a hissy fit so I told him I couldn't handle it anymore. I am sick of doing all the work and when I try to do my best and be obedient, he drags me down and tells me I suck. I have not received much support from him. So he crawled under his bed and told me to go out and work by myself, and said he wasn't going. So I went downstairs for an hour and let him cool off (or so I thought...). After an hour I went up to try and talk with him. I asked if we could work something out, but he didn't wan to, and he wouldn't even come out from under his bed. So I spent the next few hours reading my scriptures, the Ensign, and updating/cleaning up the area book. Around 3:00 pm I was sick of doing nothing. I called the Zone Leaders to let them know what was oging on, and they came over immediately. They tried to get E. Bolkeim out, but he just stuck his headphones in and turned up his apostate music so he couldn't hear anyone. The ZL's told me to gie him some time to think, then they made a deal with E. Bolkeim that after he had 45 minutes to think, he would get out and read Alma 34 before going to our dinner appointment. So I left him alone for a while more, and when it was time to read scriptures together, he broke his promise he had just made and wouldn't read with me. So I started to read by myself. As I read, President Wade called me and asked what was going on. I told him that E. Bolkeim had wasted a whole day and didn't want to work. President told me to hang in there, and give him a call tomorrow to see if things to any better. So the next day was Thanksgiving (which was great!) and we spent the day at various members houses - eating food. It was a good day. Then that night we got home and I asked E. Bolkeim if he wanted to plan. And he said no. I asked why and he told me he hates me and I suck. Then I tried to encourage him to plan with me, but it turned into an argument - he was mad. So I went downstairs and called President. President said "let me talk to him". So I gave the phone to E. Bolkeim and he was so mad that I called President. He tossed the phone back at me. I picked it up and said "umm...President, I don't think he's going to talk to you." When I said that, E. Bolkeim seriously looked like he was going to kill me and yelled "why did you call President, you suck!" I took off his hat and threw it at me, then went into our room and picked up a hymn book and other things to chuck at me. He was so mad. Since I didn't want to get a random object thrown at my head, I ran downstairs into the bathroom and locked the door. I was still on the phone with President and he was saying "E. Cook, what is going on?!" I told him that my comp. was being violent and refused to talk to him. I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty scared. Here I am locked in a bathroom and my comp. wants to kill me! I felt like I shouldn't open the door and E. Bolkeim wanted me to. He kept saying "I'm leaving you, I'm going to go, open the door so I can give you a hug." I knew he was up to something when he said that because I had never in my life given him a hug. So I was still on the phone with President, and he wanted to know what E. B was saying, and I told him he wanted me to come out. President told me not to go out, and if he tried to come in, to call 911 immediately. So by now I was pretty freaked out. I could hear E. Bolkeim doing something out there, but I didn't know what. President called the Zone Leaders and told them to get over here as soon as possible. He told them to use caution because E. Bolkeim "might not be in his right mind." A few minutes later the ZL's showed up. We searched the house and couldn't find E. Bolkeim. We thought he ran away, then we found him in the backyard. The ZL's talked to him, and got him to talk on the phone to President. The ZL's stayed the night and the next morning E. Bolkeim packed his bags and we all drove up to Oakland to meet with President.
President had a long interview with E. Bolkeim, then called me in. He sat us both down and gave us some instructions. He told us that he wanted us to walk over to the temple and do some initiatories and then an endowment session. Then he reached into his wallet and pulled out a $20 and told us to eat lunch together after. So me, and my very upset companion, had a great afternoon in the temple. I think it helped us forgive each other a bit. After the temple we both had interviews with President Wade. During my interview he said "Well E. Cook, you've sure been through the fire!" He told me to always stand up for what is right and be a good missionary. Then he told me that he wants me to train next transfer and that kinda freaks me out, but I'm glad that President trusts me. Me and E. Bolkeim went back to our area, and that night I had a good talk with him. He wants to be a good missionary, but never really learned how to work. We talked about Christ and how He can help us become better. He also told me that the reason he wanted me to come out of the bathroom that night, is so he could take the car keys from me, steal the mission car, and meet his brother (who lives in the area) somewhere. So that would have been bad. He definitely would have gotten sent home if that happened. It would have been a shame if he got sent home with only have 3 months to go. So, it has really been a crazy week!

November 21, 2009

Today was a great day. Steve was baptized! It has been great to see Steve progress from the very beginning. It was a great baptism. Elder Ouellete baptized him, and he stood on the wrong side so he didn't have an arm to put behind him, so he just kind of pushed him under! It was a bit awkward, but he said the prayer right, and he went all the way under so it worked! After the baptism we went to the Wittes' house for a cookie social. There were a TON of cookies there! I ate so much that I got sick. Then after we went to the Wittman's for dinner and had pizza and cookies! Oh boy, I am sick! But it's been a good day. I'm a bit nervous to confirm Steven tomorrow. I'm honored but a bit nervous too. The transfer is coming to an end, and there is a really big chance that I could be leaving the Marsh Creek ward. It's about time to leave, but if I stay I'll be happy, because I love this ward, and there are good things happening here. But I'll go wherever I'm needed.

November 19, 2009

We had an amazing lesson with Cecilia today. She has really been having trouble understanding the Atonement and for the past three months we have been trying to help her. Well, just this past week while I was studying I read in Alma 42 and the law of justice and mercy and the Atonement just clicked! I understood it and the spirit taught me. So I organized a lesson on what I had just learned a few weeks ago, and she understood! The spirit was strong. She was so happy. At the end of the lesson she said she felt like jumping up and down. It was neat to feel the spirit as I taught and see Cecilia be taught by the spirit. There is a great joy in serving a mission and helping others receive the gospel and invite them to come unto Christ. It was a great feeling to see Cecilia understand and gain testimony.

November 12, 2009

Today was interesting. Things got bad today with my comp. and I think that President is going to have to get involved. I also bombed District meeting today - oh man, it was bad. The ZL's were on splits with the AP's so there was me giving a training to a Zone Leader, an Assistant and then E. Bolkeim, who probably wasn't listening anyway. Well after the horrible District Meeting we had a great lesson with Sister Morris - an excommunicated member that is working to be baptized again. She lives on the Delta in a yacht, but it is clear on the edge of our ward boundary (and mission!). So we had Bro. Baker (one of the ward missionaries) drive us out. We had a good lesson on the Tree of Life and holding on to the Iron Rod. It's crazy because last transfer E. CZ wouldn't let me talk during lessons because he just got so excited (and he was a great teacher so I just let him go ahead) and this transfer, I'm the one talking ALL the time because Elder Bolkeim won't say anything. I'm learning how to be a better teacher though, so that's good, but the companionship unity just isn't there at all. It's sad.

November 8, 2009

Today was a great day. At church, Steve was telling some members about his baptismal date. It's good to see him excited and to see the ward members support him. Tonight we had out first lesson with our newest investigator - Mark. He is living with the Fallow's (who moved into our ward from the Brentwood 2nd ward) because his parents stink and kicked him out I guess. Anyway Mark is an awesome guy. He's 18 years old and is super receptive/prepared. We had a good first lesson, and I felt the spirit. He has been going to church with the Fallow's for quite some time, and the first time they took him he loved it. After church he told Bro. Fallows that he wants to be baptized. We planned on setting a date with him, but during the lesson I felt that he needs a little more time, and that I didn't want him to feel rushed in gaining a testimony. So things are good. I'm still trying to love E. Bolkeim. When we go tracting he won't speak, and says "All doors are your doors". He just whines about everything. It's alright though, I'm learning to love and have patience.

November 6, 2009

Wow. Well things have been pretty good. Elder Bolkeim doesn't really want to work so this transfer has been different. A few weeks ago E. Johnson (an Elder that I came out with) went home. I guess he didn't want to be a missionary anymore or couldn't handle it. I'm not sure, but it shocked me that he went home. So for 4 days, his comp. Elder Wong came into our area. E. Wong is an awesome missionary. He is a great example of standing up for what is right, even if it's not the popular thing to do. He's from Hong Kong, so for a few days we were quite the international group! All together we spoke 5 languages. E. Wong speaks Cantonese and Mandarin, E. Bolkeim speaks Marshalese and a bit of Tongan, and I was the only one who speaks fluent English. It was fun. Well, we had a great lesson with Steve last Monday. He told us that he is not yet divorced, but is dating Jennalee. So he has already talked with Bishop, but if he is going to be baptized they just need to be friends until the divorce is final. He asked us what he should do and I don't really remember what I said but at the end Steve was crying and he is going to be baptized on Nov. 21. Steve is awesome and is the most sincere investigator that I have ever taught.

October 25, 2009

Well, I sent Elder Czerepinski home. I'm going to miss him. He was a great teacher and I learned a lot from him. Well this transfer I have to be patient. My comp. is Polynesian and doesn't really want to work - he would rather sleep all day. He tells me that he prays at night and asks Heavenly Father to take me away from him because I'm too obedient! So this transfer should be interesting. I'm also District Leader for the first time. The only ones in my district are me and my comp. and the ZL's so it shouldn't be bad at all. I'm just really grateful that we live with the Bishop because E. Bolkeim is afraid of him - so he is more obedient. This transfer will definitely be one to learn from. I hope that I can do all that the Lord has planned for me and reach my full potential as a missionary.

October 15, 2009

Wow 25% of my mission is over. It really feels like I just started - it's going faster than I thought it would.
We had a rough talk/lesson about the Trinity and the nature of God today with Robert Hurtado. He is pretty firm in his mind set. The whole trinitarian belief just doesn't make sense. After Rob, we had to take the car into Antioch to get it serviced. At wheel works, me and Elder CZ got into a bit of a feud over dinner arrangements. We had dinner and a lesson with Cecilia and Lou, but Denise also wanted to take us out to eat at a restaurant. I didn't want to have a double dinner, because I thought it was a little rude to show up to someone's house that made you dinner and already too full to eat it. Anyway I got mad, and prayed that everything would work out and that I wouldn't be angry. We decided to go to Wendy's for lunch while we waited for our car. At Wendy's E. CZ bought me lunch and I didn't want to eat it unless he let me pay for it (because I know that he needs all the money he can save) so I ate it and then he tried to give me his frosty and I didn't want it. Then we started to argue again about the dinner thing. After we talked Cecilia called and cancelled because she wasn't feeling well, then I turned around from dumping my tray and a member handed me a huge Frosty float. I got 2 huge signs! And everything worked out.

October 11, 2009

Things have been going good. I can't believe that there is only one week left of this transfer. Elder CZ is hangin' in there and is super focused for only having 1 week left. Well, yesterday was awesome. We met Steve Wilson and Jennalee at the VC and watched the Joseph Smith movie and looked at some of the exhibits. Dave and Cathy Mehta (from the ward) gave us a ride up. On the way there we kinda got lost and ended up going across the Benicia bridge into Benicia - out of our mission boundary! Ooops. It's a pretty big no no to leave the mission boundary, but there was nothing we could have done. Yeah, not even President can leave the mission boundary without Salt Lake's approval. It was naughty but exciting. So we finally got to the visitors center and had a great night. I feel that my testimony is growing and that I'm learning more and more. I want to be more Christ-like and love and serve. I want to serve out of love and be excited to share this message that I know to be true. I want to be the missionary the Lord wants me to be, and have confidence that I am a messenger of the truth.

October 3, 2009

Today was the first day of General Conference. It was so good! I have honestly never enoyed conference as much as I did today. I didn't even fall asleep at all. I really listened this time and learned and felt uplifted. It made me realize that I've been missing out on it all of these years when I took it for granted, but this time I actually listened and I got a lot out of it. I felt the spirit and that's the most important part. After each of the sessions we went tracting and while we were tracting we were able to use a lot of what the prophets and apostles just taught about as a door approach. It went well. Then tonight was a really good broadcast of the Priesthood session. We are blessed to have apostles and prophets on the earth today. They speak with power and authority and are led by God. This has been a great conference so far, and I haven't even fallen asleep once so far!