December 14, 2015 {Week 22}

If any of you have time, please send Elder Cook a letter or card to wish him a Merry Christmas!  HE WOULD LOVE IT!!!!!

Please send any mail to:

Elder Hunter Cook

Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission

C.C. No. 92

1702 Ciudadela

Buenos Aires

Argentina

This is all we got from him this week!

We had a multi-religious choir!! Catholics, Methodists, Evangelists and Mormons...
These are all the Mormons!!  The Mercedes Branch

-Elder Cook

FLASH!!!! {Week 21}

Last night with Elder Starr on the roof

Okay so this was the weirdest and hardest week of my mission probably!!! haha

So on Tuesday we got a call from President who said that he was going to open up Mercedes B (we are supposed to be in a pench of 4 but there is only 2 of us, so we are running the whole city by ourselves.)  So he said he was going to send 2 new elders out on Wednesday to open up the other half of the city.  We went home to start getting everything ready for them, and then 2 hours later we got another call from President and he said that he needed Elder Starr to go be a zone leader in Marcos Paz so I was going to get a new companion too!!  (This is called a flash because it's not in line with transfer meeting.)  So on Wednesday, Elder Starr left and 3 new elders came to Mercedes.  My new companion is Elder Rojas.  He is from Chile and he has 16 months on his mission.  This is good because now I really am going to learn Spanish haha!

My new comp. Elder Rojas from Chile

But then on Thursday, President called us again and took the 2 elders out of Mercedes B so he just left me and Elder Rojas!!!  SUPER WEIRD!!  So I just swapped companions basically!! haha 

Elder Dye and I on divisions!

Catholic Basilica in Lujan

But this has been super difficult for me because I don't really know the area very well or any of the people!!  But I'm expected to because I've been here for 2 weeks.  So it's been really difficult to know where to go, who to visit, and explain to my companion, who speaks Spanish, about all of our different investigators and menos activo familias that we are working with!!  Super FRUSTRATING!!!  Oh my goodness!! haha.  But yeah.  This has by far been the hardest challenge that I have had so far.  One of the hardest weeks of my life!!  I was sick on Saturday too throwing up, so that was a plus! haha 

Then on Sunday we had to go to Lujan for a training from the AP's.  But we didn't know how to get there by bus since we are both new!!  Finally after waiting at the bus stop for an hour we got on the right bus and got to Lujan, but then we didn't know where the church was in Lujan or where to get off!! hahaha So we got off like 40 blocks away... We went to call the elders of Lujan and we realized that we left the cell phone on the bus!!!!!  ahhhhhh!!! hahah so many problems!!  So we ended up taking a taxi... and luckily the taxi driver knew where the Capilla Mormon was! hahha  But yeah so the struggle has been REALLY REAL this week!  haha So I'm hoping that this week will be a lot better!  I know that after the trial and sacrifice comes the blessings, so I'm trying my hardest to hope for the best!!!  I know that Satan is trying really hard to discourage us, which means that we are close to finding "Nuestra Querida Familia"!!! 

River in Campo

So thanks so much for all of your prayers!! They really do help a ton!!

That's something that I have learned from this past week is the power of prayer!  We can pray at any time for anything!!  I don't know how many countless hours I've spent on my knees so far on my mission.  Especially this week!!  I love the song " Sweet Hour of Prayer."  "Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my Father's throne, make all my wants and wishes known.  In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found RELIEF"!! I love my Father in Heaven and I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to speak with him!  I know that he hears and answers every prayer that we offer!!  I know that he "matches with his own, the tears his children shed." 

We got caught in the biggest rainstorm ever and the roads all flooded

Rain haha

I testify that I know that trials really are what make us stronger.  They are HARD and HORRIBLE sometimes, but they really are for our good!  They are "The Lords mercies in disguise".  So to any of you who are going thru a tough trial, DONT GIVE UP!!  Christ is there.  Your Father in Heaven is there.  Just a prayer away!!

Love you all!! Thanks so much for all of your prayers in behalf of me, and all the other missionaries throughout the world!!

I love it here!

Elder Cook

Happy late Thanksgiving!!! {Week 20}

Okay, I dont know where to begin...  This week I had my first division with a Latino!  I was super nervous because I didn’t know how well I’d be able to communicate, but it was AWESOME!!  I was able to understand everything and speak everything that I wanted too!  I was with Elder Churasco from Chile.  He’s 26 and he’s awesome.  I’ll send photos!  

Elder Churasco

Also, I LOVE Mercedes!  It’s awesome here and the people are super nice!  It’s super weird though.  It's completely like a little Europe!  Everyone here is from a European descent.  Mostly Italians.  So I get a lot of good food!  They are nice too.  But they have their European pride haha. That’s a little difficult to work with, but we’re doing our best!  We have this awesome family in our branch who have a deep Italiano descent and they gave us lunch on Thanksgiving!  That was super awesome!  Hermana Cappacio made us a stuffed turkey with rolls and mashed potatoes, and we brought a gravy mix packet that we had!  It was super good and she made PUMPKIN PIE!   She is super awesome!   I love that family a ton!  So that was sweet...  

 

She dressed up like an Indian and has us be the cowboys haha

Thanksgiving dinner

Pumpkin pie!!!

Thanksgiving dinner--best meal from Argentina yet!

This week was a tough one though.  My comp, Elder Starr, was really sick.  We weren't able to teach as much as we would have liked to.  His body has problems with Argentina and the climate.  Right now it's getting better though because it’s getting A LOT warmer!  It seriously is like 100 degrees and a lot of the days feel like 100 percent humidity!  But I guess that’s just Argentina for ya.  I’m glad I’m not freezing in Utah right now!  

Today we went to the Lujan Zoo!!!  That was AWESOME!!  I got to get in the cage with Lions and Tigers and Bears and Elephants and a bunch of animals!!  It was sweet and I have a ton of pictures!

Something that I learned this week and put into practice because of Thanksgiving, is about how strong gratitude actually really is!  I have found that every time that I feel a little down, sad, or tired I offer a prayer just of thanks.  Thanking God for everything that I do have and everything that I really am grateful for!  It really changes my way of thought and my feelings EVERY TIME!!  I challenge you all to try it.  It seriously helps a ton!  I’m grateful for all of you and for everything that you guys have done for me in my life!  I’m grateful for the opportunity I have to serve my Savior and help my brothers and sisters.  I encourage anyone who is thinking about going on a mission to DO IT!!!  It seriously is the best thing ever!  Don’t get me wrong, it’s the hardest thing that I’ve ever done, but it definitely is the best!  I’m grateful for this opportunity and it’s already going TOO FAST!!  I’ve almost been out for 5 months!!  So crazy!!

Well, I love you all!!

Elder Cook