Three Month Mark

New letter from the hermana!

Hello family!

 

This past week was a good week!  Busy as always!  Its super hard to find time to read 11 chapters of the Book of Mormon every day because we don't have any personal time, so I'm super behind... Only in Omni and I'm supposed to be half way done by now.  So I have lots of reading to do today.  But I probably won't have any time because the sisters living in my apartment are moving into an apartment in their area so we are helping them move all day.  Plus I need to take the car to the dealership to fix the trunk so pdays still aren't really pdays haha.  I'm starting to think that I will never have a normal pday haha.  Training is going well, but I'm a little nervous because now that the other sisters won't be here I won't have anyone to help me train! haha so hopefully I will be ok.  My companion doesn't need much training so it should be fine.  I made it to my three month mark already!  The time really is going by so fast.  Things are changing already to prepare for the new president.  We can wake up at6:30 now! Yay!! I'm so excited for that haha.  Everything is going really well here.  We have a new investigator that came to church on Sunday!  I'm so excited for him.  He really has a desire to learn about the gospel.  And we still have our baptismal date for the little boy and girl in two weeks.  Yesterday was his birthday so we went over to his house and his mom cooked for us and we had cake and taught them a lesson.  Soo much food.  I didn't eat for another 24 hours haha.  We also visited with the family that had a baptismal date a few weeks ago and we had a little family home evening with them.  It went really well.  The dad is starting to have an interest in the church, which was what was holding the mom back.  So we are seeing some good progress with them again!  We have lots of potential investigators so this week will be full of working really hard to help them progress.  I sent a bunch of thank you cards the other week, I hope they didn't get lost in the mail.   Let me know if you got them. 

Sounds like everyone is busy with the park and getting all moved out of provo and stuff.  That will be fun to have Spencer and Lauren live in the house for a little bit!  Thank you to Jo Jo for the lovely song, I loved it!! I hope Allison will have fun a drill camp! Camps are always the best!  I saw a german shepherd and matlease this week and it made me miss my doggies.  Give them kissies for me!

I heard that Brenn and Logan went to the temple the other day, that's so exciting! Tell them congratulations for me.  Speaking of.. I did some temple work in the Dominican when I was there and so there are a few endowments that are ready if Michelle and Lauren wanted to do them.  They should because temple work is really important!  Well I don't have much time left but thank you for the emails and the package!! I haven't gotten it yet but I should soon.  Happy Father's day to dad again!  I hope you had a great day!  Sounds like the park is really coming along well.  My advice for the family this week is to try reading 5 verses of the Book of Mormon together each day.  Start with just 5, little by little, to just be together as a family!  Thanks again for the love and support!

Love Hermana Cole

Picture Time!

Hermana Cole sent lots of pictures!!!

Hi family,

so this past week was crazy.  first i got a black eye haha i was hiding behind a car with another sister just to pop out and scare the other girls and i hit my face on the car mirror haha.  So that was fun.  Then Monday we had a conference with Elder Cornish.  We couldn't really email because it was memorial day and every was closed.  I hope you guys had fun though.  Sounds like you had plans.  Anyways Wednesday we had our interviews with President and my companion was transferred to an island and I am going to be training a new sister.... But she is supposedly Latina so at least I will be able to communicate now! haha Im excited but a little nervous.. I still dont really know what im doing but im figuring it out now.  So until my new companion gets here I'm with on of the sisters in my apartment who's companion was also transferred before transfer day.  So we are working in her area and my area for the next few days.  Its a little crazy!  And I'm the driver.. haha don't worry.   I am learning how to back up.  Anyways.. I am teaching an 8 year old girl and 9 year old boy of a less active family and hopefully they will be baptized by the end of the month!  I'm really excited to teach them.  And the puzzles from the package will help a lot!  Thank you so much for the package!  I really appreciate all the snacks and clothes and stuff.  They were much needed!!  So our new president is coming next week i think so there will be a lot of changes going on.  He is pretty young,  probably in mid 30s i think becasue he has an 11 year old and a 7 year old.  He served his mission in Venezuela but that's all i know about him so far.  I'm going to try to send pictures so it might take me awhile to figrue that out so sorry this email isn't very long.  Know that I am thinking about all of you and love you!   My Book of Mormon challenge this week is to read Alma 50: 1-6 as a family and figure out the 4 things that Captain Moroni did to prepare his city against the enemies and think about what they symbolize for our families today.  We've been teaching this lesson a lot lately for different family home evenings and i really like it!  Anyways lots of love!  Hermana Cole 

PICTURE TIME!

Short Email

After waiting all day, Hermana Cole finally emailed us! Unfortunately she was pretty busy and didn't have much time to write, but seems she is doing well!

hi family

I don't have much time today.  since its memorial day everything is closed so we are using some computers in office max for a second until they kick us out haha but thank you for the emails.  I haven't gotten the package yet but hopefully will this week!  things have been really crazy here.  the 1st counselor of the area presidency spoke to us today Elder Cornish.  He was super awesome and we learned so much for him.  I wish I had more time to talk I just don't know how long I have until I have to go haha.  The reason I want peanut butter and raisins and cereal is because its too expensive for me to buy here!  everything is more expensive in the stores because they have to import it.  so if you can still put it in a flat rate box so the weight doesn't matter that would be cool. 

 

sorry no internet really today everything is fine love you guys! ttyl

5/20 Letter

New letter from Hermana Cole!

Hello again!  Thank you all for your emails.  This week went by fast.  We are working really hard to find new investigators but its hard!  We still have a baptism date for this Saturday with the family but we found out yesterday that the Mom might be getting surgrey this week and might have to postpone it.  But we are doing everything we can to make it happen Saturday. Everything always goes wrong right before a baptism gahh! haha I hope you guys got the pictures that I sent last week.  I'm not sure if you did or not.  I don't have much to report for this week. Everything is blending together so I don't really remember what I did... haha But thank you for sending me a package!  I can't wait to get it.  And thank you for finding recipes and stuff.  And thank you Chito for all the advice, I really needed it!  I can't believe its almost summer time for you all.  So exciting.  Sounds like you have some fun plans for the summer.  Its super humid and hot here right now.  But we are getting used to it.  Umm let me think... haha anything else?  I feel like so much happens but then when i come to write about it i can't think of anything haha sorry.  We are really learning a lot and improving.  Time is going by so fast.  Its already more than half way through our first transfer.  Oh i was going to ask so the next package you guys send could you send like cereal, peanut  butter, raisins, and boxed milk? haha those are our staples and they are so expensive here! Oh and maybe like a huge thing of oatmeal.  Just like the cooking kind not the instant?  Thanks!! And like recipes for like simple chicken in the oven or just easy simple things.  We have an hour for lunch so we have time to cook some stuff.  Also I need a recipe for chocolate cookies from a cake box.  I know its like the same i just dont want to make it wrong.  Ok thanks!! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their last few days of school! I love you all! Have a good week :)

Mother's Day

We got to skype with Hermana Cole yesterday for Mother's Day! It was so great to see her bubbly face and hear her voice. She is doing so great!

Hello family!  It was so great to talk to you guys yesterday!  Im so glad everything worked.  I was worried we weren't going to be able to skype because no one here has internet at their house, but we were able to go to a members house with the other sisters in their area.  I forgot to say Happy Mother's day.. haha oops.. Happy Mother's Day!! I sent a little card so you should be getting that soon.  I'm not sure how long the mail takes to get to you guys.  I still haven't gotten any mail for two weeks.. But I should be getting it tomorrow, so I hope there is something in the mail!! Send letters too!  

You all look great and it was fun to have everyone there.  I miss the little puppies so it was good to see them too!  The weeks are going by so much faster now.  But it feels like I've been here a little longer than two months.. OH today is my two month mark! yay we are going to coldstone to celebrate :) yay.  And don't worry about me.  I am safe! I promise the water is good here.  Everything is pretty clean.  I'm getting better at riding a bike.  There is a ton of rain though. Nothing like Utah rain.  The streets are literally like lakes and you step in the water and its moving so fast it shoots up at you.  I have to change my clothes like twice a day.  Maybe a rain jacket would be nice.  I don't really know what else I can do about it haha.  I made a list of some stuff that I could use.  You don't have to send it all at once. Ahh i left it in the car..  well i can remember a little.  So snacks would be nice.  We dont have enough money to really buy any.  So like maybe some of those green nature valley granola bars from costco and any other snacks from costco.  Just food! And like maybe some simple recipes we could make.  I can't look up anything so it drives me crazy!  But just like simple little meals.  Im sick of pb and js for dinner.  Plus i think its making me fat.  Umm lets see what else.. maybe some face wash, and some like shoe odor powder or something.  My shoes stink from getting all wet muddy and then drying.  And those costco shoes are the best so far! haha so maybe something like that a cute little durable water proof shoe.. preferably not black cause i already have black.  Or maybe some born flats they have some cute ones of those ive seen some girls have with like bows on the top.  Some comfy shirts too that will go with my skirts.  umm an sd card reader so i can sender pictures.  some light weight leggings i can wear under my skirts.  Super light weight cause its hot!  Some cds of church music or the cheesy efy type. We don't have any thing to listen to.  These a few songs i downloaded on my cmoputer but forgot to burn before i left michelle could burn for me.  Maybe like a little photo album with some pictures in it.  People like to see pictures of the family and stuff and pictures of us when we were younger. so just like lots of older pictures of memories and stuff.  I think thats all for now.  I know i was complaining a lot yesterday haha.  Its really not as bad as it sounds.  We are learning a lot and improving everyday.  Our teaching skills could use some improvement but we are working on that.  I think it will be nice to have some visuals or some creative ways to teach stuff.  We dont have any time to think or make anything up.  Maybe if you could find a little puzzle of a temple i could use that in my lessons too.  I don't know its utah im sure they have tons of lessons and stuff to buy.  or look on pinterest.  But we are doing really well.  The baptism is planned for the 25th now.  Its good it was postponed because the girls are old enough that they should have a testimony for themselves before the family is baptized, and they are progressing a lot now.  So hopefully the 25th will work!  If you can think of any creative teaching ideas or approaches let me know.  I get stressed sometimes because there isn't enough time to organize my thoughts and put myself into my teachings.  So if you could give me some starters that would put me at peace a little.  The way we teach now isn't the most effective for me or the investigators, thats why we are trying to work on that.  This week was better though.  We took a step back to try to figure out how things work and its been really helpful.  We should have done that up front but we were trying to do everything perfect.  We are learning that it will take time to get there.  I hope we can get some more sleep! haha but i don't think we ever will there is a bird that wakes us up every morning at 415 and its hard to go back to sleep for the next hour and a half.  Maybe send me some ear plugs haha.  Also could you put more money in my personal account? Anything we need to buy thats not food or supplies has to come from our personal account.. theres a lot more than you would think.  Anyways thanks again for everything!  Tell me what your plans are going to be for the summer!  And start planning our 2014 Christmas cause i need to come back and go to the beach!! Its so beautiful!  Love you all!! In honor of Mother's Day my spiritual thought is Proverbs 31 10-31.  The power of a virtuous woman.  Thanks for being such a great example of this Mom!  Love you guys

Con amor, 

Hermana Cole 

This chica had 10 cavities! 

Bicicleta

Hello family! 

So I made it through another week.  This week went by much faster, which is good cause sometimes I feel like a year and a half will take forever and the rate Im going haha.  Sounds like everyone is very busy still, I know I say that in every email but its true!  Its been raining a lot here and I got completely drenched.  We aren't very good missionaries I guess because no one would let us in even when it was pouring, so we just had to keep going in the rain for a few hours.  At least it wasn't cold rain.  I didn't mind it too much.  My companion and I are holding up haha.  Its hard with our lack of spanish.  Talking on the phone is the hardest I think, I can't understand a word they say! We are baptizing a mom and her two daughters and a friend this Saturday so I hope it pulls through! I am super excited!  I will send lots of pics.  Its still a little overwhelming but we are starting to get used to it.  We wake up at 5:50 every morning and go to bed at 10:30.  I feel like its not enough sleep! haha but my body is adjusting.  The bug bites are ok, I just need to make sure I always put spray on because there have been a few missionaries that have gotten dengue.  I still suck at riding a bike haha.  My skirt got caught in the tire two days ago and ripped it a little.  We do wear like leggings under the bike though and I tie it up.  Its just still hard!  The roads are ok, they are definitely better than the roads in the Dominican.  We ride our bike all day but everyone says they've still gained literally 20 pounds or more.  I've yet to have a Puerto Rican meal yet so I think im still ok.  Yes we are the only missionaries in our area.  Each companionship has their own area they cover.  But we live with two other girls.  One is from Mexico and the other is from Columbia.  I usually don't have any problems understanding their spanish, but the Puerto Ricans speak so fast!  

I don't have like any time to write but i will try my best to write back eventually to everyone. And Sunday is Mother's Day! Yayyy! Happy early Mothers day! Well thats about all I have time for today.  I love and miss you all.  Thanks for all the emails and support!  In the next package send snacks!  And maybe some shirts and anything else you want.  I will think of some stuff maybe and let you know.  Thanks! This week we've been studying a lot about the atonement of Christ and what exactly it means.  I really liked the scriptures in Mosiah 14: 1-7 that talks about it, so I encourage everyone to read it and ponder about what it means to you!  Lovessss!! Can't wait to talk to everyone on Sunday! 

Hermana Cole

Cute sister missionaries

Study time

Tying up the skirt to ride 

Cute biker 

Her companion

Popped tire 

They got lost and had to be picked up, and then had to take their bikes apart to fit in the car!

These hermanas look exhausted!

Puerto Rico

Hermana Cole is finally in Puerto Rico!

hola! 

so i made it my first week.. barely.  extremely tired and sore bruises and bug bites galore, and im always hungry! its been so crazy.  so i got to puerto rico and surprise! im the lucky one who gets to train herself haha... in a new area.. My companion's name is Hermana Howell. We were in the mtc together.  She was in the other district though, but we know each other.  She's been speaking spanish for 7 weeks.. so you can imagine how well we teach with our limited vocabulary and communication skills.  When I got here, I had to wait for a few hours to find out what was going on.  There were two flights to puerto rico, so some of us from the mtc were on the later one.  I was on the earlier one with the majority of people.  When i got here everyone met their companions but me.. they kept telling me mine was coming but didn't tell me what was going on.  So a few hours later when the next flight came in, I met my new companion.  We were both in shock.  They told us that we are opening a new area.  There hasn't been any sisters there for at least 6 years, so there is a ton of work to be done and not much help in our area book.  Even if there was neither of us know very much about how to use it yet.  But we are learning very fast!  The first day instead of going to the mission home for interviews and stuff we went out into the field.  My companion and I live with two native speaking sisters who have been out for about a year.  They helped us that first day and then we were on our own figuring out stuff.  President told them that they aren't our trainers, more like our moms.  On wednesday we went to the mission home for interviews and meetings and had a nice dinner with the President and his wife.  He is super nice and friendly and has a lot of trust in us.  He said that it is going to be really hard for us to learn everything on our own and not speak very much spanish, but that that's what the Lord wanted for us.  I thought that we had to train ourselves because there weren't enough sister missionaries but there are.  We just get to train ourselves because that's what we are supposed to do!  So you can imagine how difficult the first few days have been.. haha.  We've been pretty good at keeping a positive attitude and trying not to be too stressed and overwhelmed.  We are learning really fast on how to rely completely on the spirit.  We've been led to a few people already that are prepared for the gospel and we already have one baptismal date!  I am so excited!  I was really nervous to ask her to be baptized because I thought it was really soon, but she was really excited and really wants to be.  I have to remember that we are all baptized when we are 8 years old, and you don't need to have a ton of knowledge, just a desire to follow Christ.  So hopefully we can prepare her by the 11th!  She has a few kids and a husband and we are working with them too but I'm not sure they will be ready by the 11th.  Anyways.. that was a really good experience, but that night my bike tire popped and we got stuck at a shopping place and our "moms" had to pick us up.  I guess i ran over a tiny earring and it really put a big hole in it.  So the zone leader took it back to get fixed so i don't have a bike for a few days.  Speaking of bikes.. apparently i have no idea how to ride one.  It is so hard in a skirt.  Also there are more hills than imaginable here and we have to get off and walk them for a while.  I think that our area needs a car because we cover three cities and we can't even get out of the first one on a bike.  Its like 15 minutes away in a car! So we have some problems there haha but we are working on finding members to give us rides.  The problem is theres only one or two women near us in the ward.  So hopefully we will get a car in the next few weeks.. probably not though. So i need to learn how to ride a bike.  It really has been so crazy the last few days but we are trying our best.  Hopefully next week we will start getting a hang of things.. and maybe speak more spanish. If sending packages, tape the edges of the box and put a picture of Jesus on the box.  Supposedly people have a harder time opening packages when there is a picture of Jesus on it! hahaI got all the dental problems figured out and I sent you a few pictures of me and a girl from the mtc after the dentist cause the dentist took us to get wendys! Best food ever.  I will try to send a few more pictures if i can!  i don't have much time.  Keep sending letters and emails.  Sorry if it takes me forever to write back.. it takes me like 4 days to just read a letter becasue there is no time at all to even sit.  I hope you guys are all doing well.  And I love you all!  Thanks for all the support.  we get to talk on Mothers Day in 2 weeks!  yay1  ps michelle send this to the list because i am only allowed to email immediate family members now, but they can still email me!  And thanks Chito for telling me to read the sons of Mosiah story in the Book of Mormon, it has really helped this past week! I will keep you all in my prayers! Loves xoxo