last week of the first transfer!!!

I can't believe we are coming to the end of my first transfer in South Carolina already! Time has flown by!

The work has been a little slow, but we had an amazing experience this past Thursday, and I have faith that as we follow the coucil given us, the work will abound. We were invited to a leadership training on Thursday with Pres. Holm and two former mission presidents working with the missionary department, Pres. Littlefield and Donaldson. That was truely the shortest longest day I've ever had. We got up at 4:30am to get ready and then meet another set of sisters in Spartenburg to carpool to Columbia. The training started at 8:30am and ended around 4:30pm with Lunch and a couple of breaks in the middle. Then we stopped for dinner and didn't arrive back in Gaffney until 8:45pm. It almost felt like we never left, but I'm so glad we got to go. The theme of the training was understanding and living our purpose. It was full of messages about the importance of understanding our purpose as missionaries and what we can do to fulfill it. They spoke of how our mission is poised to succeed and help the missions around us rise too. It is prepared to go to a new level and to be able to reach our goal of 250 baptisms (currently only averaging around 75 a month).

Here's a few of my favorite thoughts:

Those who understand their purpose have a better understanding of who they can become. When they are on fire with purpose, they can accomplish great things. The purpose of missionaries is to invite and help others receive the cleansing power of the Atonement, but that can only be done through the ordinances of the gospel like baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. Covenants are the doorway to the Atonement. We were challenged to concentrate on the ordinances with everyone we visit and teach. When we talk of ordinances, the Spirit can witness of their importance. We were told to filter everything(study, teaching, planning, etc) through the gospel of Jesus Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end (or becoming more perfected in Christ). They discussed how we can't teach casually. This is their salvation. When they don't keep committments, be devastated (Elder Holland said that one). Give committments with power that they will see the importance and actually do it. And follow up every time. We all have great potential. Failure is not reaching our potential. Heavenly Father can see that potential and He wants us to reach it....and soooo much more. I would write it all, but I don't have time.

We had a mission wide conference call on Saturday and President Holm told us the theme to this month is a "November to Remember". It will be this month when everything starts pushing forward as we work with members and help investigators keep their commitments. Miracles are coming to South Carolina!

I learned soooo much from this training and am excited to apply everything we learned. Understanding my purpose has given me a better sense of direction in the work and helped me see the purpose of it all and the potential I have to bless lives, to help them receive the full blessings of the Atonement in their lives. Without the ordinances, it's just not possible. Without the Spirit directing my paths, there is no way I can succeed in reaching my own potential or helping others reach theirs. I know I have to trust the Lord in everything and He will give me the strength to do things I never thought I could do. 

I love you all so much! Have an amazing week and count your blessings! Miracles are happening everywhere around us. We just have to look for them.

Love,

Sister Cottam