Divine potential (from January 28, 2013)

This week has been an intense spiritual learning experience. As we've continued to work with Vince, I am amazing by the power of the gospel and the Holy Ghost to change people's lives. I've also come to realize how overwhelming life can be and how truly blessed I am to have the things I do, to have grown up in the home I did, to have the fulness of the gospel in my life. It struck me so plainly and so powerfully this week how blessed I am as we have seen Vince struggle with his living conditions, his emotional struggles because of it, and his spiritual growth. He is hungry for the peace that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring. He wants it so much and seeks every opportunity to have it. It's the hope he had lost. It's the peace he now needs. It's the motivation he desires. It's the hands to pull him out. It's the direction he has been looking for. What strikes me so much is how the Lord has prepared him, and prepared us to meet at this time. There are experiences that Sister Steimle and I have been through that are exactly what this son of God needs at this time in his life. Vince is excited to be baptized on Feb. 9th :) . He is really solid on preparing for that day. I love it!

This scripture keeps sticking out in my mind this week: "But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen. (1 Nephi 9:6)" I stand all amazed at God's power and plan for us. I see in Vince an amazing man with so much potential.

We have another missionary fireside this week. I'm excited for it. we have several people who have committed to come (part member families, less active families, and Vince) I'm excited for them to go and feel the Spirit there.

Hope y'all have a wonderful week! Touch someone's life this week :)

Love,

Sister Cottam

one good man (from January 21, 2013)

This week has been full of all kinds of ups and downs, but it has been an amazing growing experience. I am so grateful for the Lord's hand in my life and in this work. I feel like every single day the Lord is shaping me and shaping the people around me in ways that I don't even comprehend.

First I want to share a really cool analogy that Sister Steimle came up with today. She was studying about the Atonement, and in the 3rd article of faith, it says: "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." I never realized how poweful that really is. Many believe that we can't get to heaven by our works, but in the restored Gospel, we have learned differently. In this article of faith, Joseph Smith was describing pure and simply how the Atonement is essential to allowing us to be saved (because we can't accomplish anything on our own, anything without it). Without the Atonement we're helpless, but then Joseph adds another phrase "...by obedience...". In other words, we have to do certain things in order to access that saving power. Sister Steimle, being an art minor, compaired it to clay molding. The Atonement is like the clay and our hands are like our obedience. Without the clay, our hands have nothing to do, nothing to accomplish. Without our hands, the clay sits there, a blob, useless. The Atonement is neccissary for our progression. We have no hope without it and it's through this medium of the Atonement that our obedience can make a difference, that our actions can create something better. The Gospel is all about acting on our faith and using the Atonement to become better. Wow.

We've had a couple of opportunities to teach our new investigator Vince this week. He is an amazing son of God. He loves learning and is emmersing himself in the gospel, and he's doing it because he wants it. We taught him about our purpose (inviting others to come unto Christ by living the Gospel) the Restoration last Wednesday and the Spirit was strong. Vince has such a childlike faith, such a humble desire to follow Christ, to be baptized, and to have a better life. He called us last Tuesday and prayed with us and talked with us. He had asked his active brother in Washington to teach him how to pray! and then after our lesson with him, he called on Friday and asked about how to apply the Atonement to quitting smoking! When I think about this man's faith, about his diligent effort in applying the gospel in his life, about his sincere desire to be more and do better, I feel so humbled and I pray that we will be a help and not a hinderance to this sweet man's progression, that the Lord will use us as tools in his hands to bless this man's life now and forever. This work is so much bigger than we are. I love it so much.

It's at times like these that I wish it would never end, that my mission would last forever. And then I am reminded that it doesn't really end, that I'll be a missionary for the rest of my life, just without the name tag.

What a wonderful plan our Heavenly Father has. What an amazing Gospel. What an overwhelming opportunity it is to be a missionary.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Cottam

P.S. Hope you like the pics from the Sister's Training. The first is Sister Steimle and me. The second is the sisters from my MTC district :) Oh yah, and I was one of the ones who put up all those balloons ;) that was fun.

humble man+church=peace (from January 15, 2013)

Sorry this is a day late. The email site wouldn't work for us yesterday, so we received permission to do it today.

This has been a busy and wonderful week. I feel like I've learned so many important lessons this week. We had Specialized Sister's Training on Wednesday, and I loved it! There was such an amazing Spirit there, one that struck me deeply and has had a great affect on me throughout the week. I felt like the Spirit was truly the teacher that day. I learned a lot about humility and charity, the importance of divine worth, not comparing myself (good or bad) to others, an increased desire to be MY best, trusting in God, having faith in others, etc. The things I learned then have led me in a search to get to know myself better and know how to improve. The Spirit has continued to be my teacher each day. The lessons I am being taught have helped me improve my relationships with others and my efforts in this work. I know this work is so precious and this calling is so sacred. I am so grateful I get to be a missionary. I love it!
This weekend we've had some wonderful experiences. I feel that now that I am opening myself more to the Lord and striving to be truly humble, He is blessing us. We were able to finally sit down with an investigator, Willie, and a potential investigator family in Thomson this weekend. We had good lessons with both of them and are excited to continue working with them. We also had a wonderful opportunity to talk with an investigator, Hope, from North Augusta (she's meeting with the elders there). She is a good friend of a less active family who we've been working with. Sister Hilliard took the liberty of inviting her friend Hope to dinner with us this week. She sat in on part of our lesson with the Hilliards' son and then over dinner we were able to answer a lot of her questions and bear our testimonies of the gospel. It was a precious opportunity to share in her conversion process. I love working through members!

We had another miracle yesterday at church. In ward council they informed us of a man who would be visiting that day. His younger brother is an active member in Washington state and he called to ask the ward to help his struggling brother, for he knew the gospel could help. The man, Vince, came to church and enjoyed all of the services. We were then able to take time after church to answer any questions and set up a time to teach him more. Vince is so humble and ready to make changes in his life. I know the gospel will bless him so much. To add to that miracle, today he gave us a call because he was struggling again and needed someone to talk to. He prayed with us and talked to us about the reading he has been doing in the Book of Mormon and the new Teachings of the Prophets book. He told us that he had never thought about there being living prophets on the earth today, but that the idea becomes more and more real to him as he keeps reading. My heart is full of joy when I think about how the gospel is already affecting Vince's life.
I am grateful for the Lord's hand in this work. I know it is His work and I am so grateful I get to be a part of it! I love being a missionary. I love getting to learn and grow every day. We never stop learning.
Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Cottam

new year...bigger area (from January 7, 2013)

The other sisters left this week. It was a very quiet few days. I felt like an important part of me left as they drove away early Wednesday morning and both Sister Steimle and I had to go through the grieving process for a couple days. Gratefully, we've stayed very busy as we have worked on combining the areas back together. We both feel a little overwhelmed and worn out, but the Spirit continues to comfort us and we know God has a purpose in it all. There is someone(or many people) who we are meant to meet. Though tired, I find myself thanking God for this opportunity. I know it will be a time of streching. We're going to stay busy and will learn how to work more effectively as we expand our area.

We've met some wonderful people this past week. Sister Bell and Kloepfel took us to meet their investigators the day before they left and they have left us with a lot of good work to do in Thomson. I pray the Lord will use us as tools in His hands to bring souls to Christ this transfer. In Thomson we met a young man knocking. The amazing part about it is that Sister Steimle and Sister Roos knocked into him in a different neighborhood before the area was split. We talked to him for a few minutes on his door step and he expressed his desire to get back on track with God. After a miracle like that, we know God has a plan in store for him, and we were placed there to be a part of it. I'm full of anticipation to see how the gospel will bless his life.

We continue to work with a wonderful less active family, the Hilliards. We've been teaching their young son who turned 8 last month. My joy in working with this family has been full as we have seen Sister Hilliard slowly but surely progress again in the gospel. The lessons we've been teaching have been as much for her benefit as they have been for Eli. They've been to church 3 weeks in a row and Eli is becoming more and more solid in the gospel as we teach him.

I'm so grateful to be in the service of God. I love this gospel so much and each day I learn more and more about it and about God's plan for us. I am so grateful for the deeping faith with which the Lord has blessed me throughout my mission and know he will continue to teach me this coming year. I am so grateful to be a missionary and be in God's service. Have a Happy New Year!

Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister Cottam

 

Some pics from the holidays:

"I am a mormon" t-shirts from Sister Steimle's mom :)

Our living room on Christmas eve

(this one's for you Mom<3) An awesome street sign 

Our last district meeting with the other sisters

Me and Sister Steimle

Love all y'all!

Sister Cottam

Remember… (from December 31, 2012)

We had a wonderful Christmas. We went caroling with the other sisters to less active members and our most recent convert, (of several months) Ada and her family, on Christmas Eve. After we got in, we shared our Christmas traditions with each other and read through the Nativity in the dim glow of Christmas lights. It was wonderfully memorable. On Christmas day, we opened gifts, had breakfast with the young Heaton family around 9:30am, and then have "dinner" with the Bishop and his family around 1pm. I loved getting to talk with y'all. That evening we went and caroled some more. It was a holiday full of the Spirit.

We heard about transfers. Sister Steimle and I are staying together, but the other sisters are leaving, which means our ward is going back to one set of missionaries. I'm sure sometime in the near future they'll get a second set, but for now, we have the fun task of covering one of the biggest areas in the mission ;) . Sister Bell is finishing her mission this week. It's been a true testimony builder for me to watch her press forward to the end. Her example will help me do the same. I know better what to expect, etc. I'm sad to be losing Sister Kloepfel as well, but she is going to open a new area, so she is excited and nervous at the same time. The apartment will be very quiet come Wednesday.

This week has been one of pure growth for me. We've had disappointments and miracles. Looking back I am reminded of the scripture in Ether that says we don't receive a witness until after the trial of our faith. My faith was tested. And because it was, I have learned some important things.

We met a sweet sister last week, but on Friday when we went over for our return appointment, there was a note on the door informing us that they had decided to stay in their own church and asked that we not visit again. We walked away heart-broken. We had so much faith in that wonderful sister. We know she felt the Spirit, and yet, she chose another path for now. I pray that one day she'll be open to learning the fulness of the gospel, because I know how many more blessings it can bring to her and her family. A couple hours later though, we had an appointment with a less active family who want to help their 8 year old son Eli get baptized. We've been visiting them over the last couple of months and they've been slowly progressing. The whole family came to Sacrament meeting last week! and then again this week (except for the dad because he was reassigned to California and left the day after Christmas)! Slowly but surely, Eli and his mom are moving forward. It is amazing to watch. The Lord reminded me that there are people who do believe His gospel, who do want it in their lives, and who really do see the blessings that come from it. 

The next day, we visited another less active family where he is a member and she is not. She is so sweet and we always feel a good spirit around her, but we finally sat down with him too, and as we talked, he was very bitter and his heart was hardened by a line of difficult experiences in his life. All I could feel for him was love and pity. He accepted nothing we tried to say to comfort or help him. He verbally closed the door on the Spirit. We left another home depressed and down trodden, but this time all I felt was a helpless love for him and desire for him to have the Atonement work in his life...but I knew that he wouldn't let it in. Later that night, we went to try to catch a lead home named Heather. I met her several weeks ago while we were on exchanges, but we hadn't been able to catch her home. This night, her husband answered the door, invited us right in, and we got to sit and teach this wonderful family about Christ's church. The Spirit was simple, but strong and we answered their questions and bore testimony of the things we knew. They would have a big lifestyle change when they do join the church because they both work in the alcohol business, but as we spoke to them about the word of wisdom, Sister Steimle and I felt peace knowing that the Lord would work miracles in their lives.

There are hard times and amazing times. Some of God's children are ready for His gospel while others are not. He loves them all the same. His heart yearns for their welfare, but He also knows they have to make their own choices. This week I saw a taste of heaven through God's eyes. I witnessed through the Spirit how God views His children...it was amazing.

I love this work. The work of salvation is vital. We are called to move it forward...I love being a missionary now and for the rest of my life.

Happy New Year!

Love,

Sister Cottam

What shall we give...? (from December 24, 2012)

Family,

To whoever sent the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas CD to me via Amazon...Thank you!!!! I love it! It has really helped shape my perspective of the season. There's on song on it called "What Shall We Give to the Babe in the Manger?" and it has caused me so much reflection on the "why" not only of Christmas, but of being on a mission:

What shall we give to the Babe in the manger?

What shall we offer the Child in the stall?

Incense and spices and gold we've a-plenty.

Are these the gifts for the King of us all?

 

What shall we give to the Boy in the temple?

What shall we offer the Man by the sea?

Psalms at His feet and hosannas uprising,

Are these for Him who will carry the tree?

 

What shall we give to the Lamb who was offered,

Rising the third day and shedding His Love? 

Tears for His mercy we'll weep at the manger;

Bathing the Infant came down from above.

 

Tam, patan, tam.

That first line "What shall we give to the Babe in the manger?" has been ringing through my mind all week. What does He ask of me? What can I really give Him? And other such questions have followed. As my time comes to a close here, the desires of my heart yearn more and more to be able to give my whole heart to the work. That song combined with other sweet promptings throughout the past few weeks have answered the pleas of my heart. I have taken time each week during sacrament meeting to ask "What more can I do this week?" And each time the Spirit so sweetly whispers my answer clearly to my heart. At our Christmas Zone conference this past week, Pres. Holm bore a sweet fervent testimony on the importance of focusing our lives on the Savior. I have learned how important it is, especially in this work, to truly focus on the Savior. HE is the WHY of the gospel. HE is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. HE is the LIGHT of the world. 

In my gratitude to the Spirit's lessons, I have thanked my Heavenly Father over and over again for the chance I have to give Him everything this Christmas. Not just a good deed here or there, but myself, 24/7. What do I want to give the Savior of the World this year? My heart. I know HE has sent me here to South Carolina/Georgia for a reason. HE asked me to come on a mission. HE asked me to give 18 months of my life. Why? to help HIS brothers and sisters access HIS Atonement. It's not enough to just be here...to go through the motions... As I have striven to give ALL I can to my Savior, as I have sought to remember the whys, as I have taken a few more seconds to think of Him throughout my day, love has filled my heart. Each door seems a little more promising. Each soul seems more precious. Each day has become more worth living. Each moment more worth giving. I want to serve my Savior by serving His brothers and sisters with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I love it.  

The Lord has taught important lessons during this past transfer... and I am so grateful. Now He is blessing us. We found two new investigators this past week, Linda and Melody. As we talked with them, I could see how much God has prepared their hearts to receive the fulness of our Savior's gospel. This is not my work. The Lord is the one directing it. He is the one preparing His children to recognize Him when He comes knocking. The Spirit is the guide and teacher.

Have a very Merry Christ-mas!

Love ya! <3

Love,

Sister Cottam

a precious gift (from December 17, 2012)

This is Jesse, Rachel’s and Rebekah’s brother. I’m sorry to all of you who read these blog posts that I haven’t been posting them lately. I am catching up right now. I am really sorry.

 

Hello family!

This has been a humbling week for me as we had to stay in for several days after I caught the stomach flu. Yup, not fun... I wanted so much to go out and work, but knew my body couldn't handle it. It made me slow down, and even though I didn't like being sick, I think it was what I needed just now. As a got my health back and have gone back to work, everything is more important to me, and I have an increased desire give my whole heart and will to the Lord and his work. Because of the change in perspective, this weekend I've been trying to make our door contacts more personal and directed by the Spirit, and to let the Spirit direct me more often in planning, finding, and teaching. There are people who are prepared here. We just we have to find them. I know the Lord is molding me into the missionary he needs me to be.

I am so grateful that the Lord works miracles, great and small, in our lives (as he did in mine this week). I feel His loving watch looking over us in his work. These are his children here, and he wants them to have the gospel. I love serving the Lord through serving his children, and I love being a missionary. I love the gospel so much and know that it is true. Yesterday in sacrament, the theme was Helamen 5:12 and I had an amazing revelation as the second speaker was reading the scripture. Often I am sometimes shy about sharing the Book of Mormon because so many here have only known the Bible and aren't open to the idea of another book of scripture, but the Spirit whispered to me yestereday that we cannot be bold in testifying of the Book of Mormon. Why should we be shy that God has given us such an amazing gift? The doctrines taught in there are just as true and just as precious and any contained in the Bible. I love the Book of Mormon so much and know it is true.

I love all y'all!

have a good week!

Love,

Sister Cottam