May 4, 2015

I was writing my e-mail and just read about Henry and it's hard to think of anything else but I know God is protecting you guys. Nothing is more important than our families and God's influence in them. The rest of this e-mail seems a bit silly now but I really do love you guys. I'm glad we've the family we have.

So I'm not a huge Packers fan, I just can't get over all the green. But I now love and teach enough Packer fans to realize that this tour was awesome. We met with about 8 other missionaries and had the best time with our tour guide. At one point you get to run through the tunnel the players go through on game day while they play music and recordings of fans cheering. You feel amazing and all of us missionaries were just having a grand old time. I really think if I could eat more pigeon gravy and put on enough weight, I should consider being a line backer as my back up career. It's fun the missionary work you do just by having a bunch of you around. People naturally ask questions and we were all happy to answer. Go Gospel Go!

In other exciting news, it's transfer week! I am getting to stay in Gresham and still covering Clintonville and Shawano and the surrounding areas. My new companion actually also came out with Sister Payne and is named Sister Dunlap. She seems very sweet and I know she'll love it here. I'll go to Green Bay and pick her up Wednesday morning so that should be really fun. It's also fun because I really am getting better at driving in that city. Fun fact, Green Bay has multiple roundabouts to prevent head on collisions in drunk driving accidents. This state really needs the Word of Wisdom. My mailing address will stay the same with

Box 25

Gresham, Wisconsin

54128

I also hit my half way mark next week! That went by fast. Scary fast in fact. Our investigators are doing well and we have been having some crazy warm weather. I again reserve the right to righteously complain about humidity. But this good weather is putting way more people outside and I am loving having so many people to talk to. We met with 19 less active families between our two wards last week which was awesome. I get to work with the best people. In talking about repentance, the comment was made, "A mistake is just information for future advantage." I liked that, we can always learn from every experience. I also love the talk from the April Ensign called Sin Isn't a Weakness. It's changed my mission. 

This morning we were talking about the battle field of the mission. I thoroughly enjoy thinking of us all as God's army and constantly sing the battle hymns. Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.

From Soldier Sister Cook

April 27, 2015

This week was pretty great with some interesting adventures one of which included discovering a Kraft factory in Wausa where Kraft Dinner aka the Mac and Cheese is made. I think I just found Weston's dream place. I took a picture for him with love from Wisconsin. 

As the title of this e-mail hints, sturgeon fish are massive! These suckers swim up to Shawano and spawn here for three days of the year and hundreds of people gather to see them. Our Ward Mission Leader gave us a call Sunday afternoon telling us we needed to drive to his home immediately to see some big fish. We knowing nothing about sturgeon assumed we were going to another Wisconsin fish fry. This was way cooler! We got to talk to a lot of people from all over and give out a few cards all whilst witnessing Wisconsin's version of the salmon run.  

If I did not have a testimony that God is so totally in charge, I do now. We were wandering into the gas station to grab some snacks as our dinner appointment had to cancel. While mulling over some cracker options I see this woman run over from the other side of the store and say " I can't beleive you got transfered here!" Turns out Sister Maas from the Brookfield ward (they met in the same building as my Milwaukee ward) has family in Gresham and was up visiting with her daughter who is the daughter in law of one of my favorite ladies in Milwaukee! They invited us to supper and we had a great time with them. Now this is where it gets cool. When we were out talking to people at the Sturgeon fish party, we end up chatting with a really nice family who say, wait, we saw you in a restaurant last night in Gresham. We ended up giving them our card and they said they had some friends who were LDS but didn't know too much about the religion. They said they would look into finding the missionaries where they are from. Woot woot! 

We got to do a lot of service opportunities this week. It's now God confirmed that I have zero luck in Bingo but I enjoyed working with the seniors at the home. I also witnessed an 80 lb stump take out a man's knee when it wouldn't split under the pressure of the hydrolic wood cutter I was helping him run. That was intense but the man is fine so that's a great relief. 

I am thoroughly enjoying the warmer weather and seeing all the lakes here with the trees turning green. It truly is a gorgeous place.

Now the best news for last...two of our investigators have baptismal dates! Keep them in your prayers because this is when the trials hit full force but we are excited for them. 

I love you I love you and am loving hearing all the good news from home! Love,

Your wood splitting, fish loving Kaytie

Ps- I'm struggling with loading pictures so I'll send some in a different email of the fish

April 13, 2015

I went into the MTC 8 months ago today. That went by fast eh? 

Now a lot of people ask, Sister Cook, what do you do on p-day? Today I had another first, fortunately it had nothing to do with eating but it was entertaining none the less. So Grandma Rekow has a wood burning stove that occasionally gets clogged. When said stove gets clogged, the house gets covered in this crazy cool blue haze. We had such a morning and while Grandma was at the chiropractor, we decided to take apart the pipes with the help of Dennis and Pat (Grandma's kids) and were banging and scraping those things til they were slightly less caked in coal and goo. We sounded like the worlds worst drum core but we had a blast. We also cleaned out all the ash in the stove and it was my job to go spread the ashes in the garden. I enjoyed this because it was gorgeous outside. But the Rekow's have this devil rooster named Rocko that occasionally attacks people. He was casually strolling through the garden so I started spreading faster and ran inside like a chicken. 

We went into Green Bay twice last week for training with the Zone and District. It's another miracle, haven't crashed yet and our Ford Fusion is in tact. Plus we had interviews with our President and I always love that. Something that made me laugh was in order to help us take the commitment of baptism more seriously, our Zone Leaders came up with a little skit. They came out dressed in all Green Bay Packer Gear and started saying, "Man I've always loved the Packers and they were always in my home growing up. I mean they were always in my home but it wasn't until I was 17 that I really knew. You know? I started reading the stats at least 10 minutes a day, started watching the games and even bought the gear. And now I know, that the Packers are right for me. I'm embarrassed to say I even dabbled in baseball. Sometimes I was in the wrong end zone, but you can change." It was pretty funny but at the end they pointed out, going into people's home and not telling them about baptism, is like telling people how much you love to watch football and never inviting them to a game. They then said baptism is like the super bowl which I'm half way on board with. It's more a super font. My favorite thing that was said though had to be, "That was a Corihor-ible decision." 

While sharing our notes and thoughts from conference I mentioned how I struggle using the word I too much and was glad to hear so many talks that help us turn outward and not inward. After our ZL came up and said, you know it's interesting Sister Cook. When Satan is tempting Christ it's cool to see how many times he uses the word I." My companion looks at me as he walks away and says, "I think he just called you Satan." I laughed pretty hard at that. Repentance is real.

We got to meet with a lot of people this week and we even had time to go to Bowler and see one of my favorite people to teach, Bonnie. She is a returning less active member and it's so cool to talk with her. Whenever I leave her home I feel so pumped about the gospel. We were able to connect with an investigators daughter in Shawano who also wants to investigate, so we are going to start teaching them together. I'm a big fan of this.

We are teaching a family with an 11 year old daughter who is so funny. Her dad really wants her to marry the Bishops son who is also 11 and in the same class. We wrote on our notes to Bishop that her dad said she could come to church if she went with Bishops son so lo and behold Bishop immediately texts his wife and has his son call up our investigator at 8:45 that morning and she came to primary and loved it. We have an awesome ward. 

It's been a great week and I'm excited that the weather is warming up. Gresham has a little ice cream and burger shop they open up in the spring that we have eaten way too many times considering it's only been open a week but those milk shakes bring all the missionaries to the yard. I love you I love you and am glad to hear everyone is doing well. 

From your chicken,

Kaytie

Ps- a quote I liked from mission conference "Humility is knowing who you are and who God is. Then recognizing your complete dependency on Him." also "Sometimes I tick off Satan and I'm alright with that."

April 6, 2015

This week was so good. As we got to testify to a random person on the street, this is the best holiday, it's Christ and chocolate. We were challenged to read John 14-17 to learn how Christ prepared his apostles for the first Easter. As I read those chapters I loved how often the word comfort is used. I realized that God never promised us the opportunity to live always comfortable, but he would always send the Comforter. I loved how they described Easter as the most sacred day of the year.

I love working with the members here! We had some powerful lessons that could not have happened without their help. One family even had us and our investigators over for an egg hunt, french toast and a session of conference with a few other ward members. Ha I think our investigators where happy to see that if they joined, they don't always have to wear skirts.

Speaking of chocolate, Larry, the recent convert whom gave me a bottle of smoked fish bought us chocolate bunnies for Easter and hand dyed some eggs. This is a tattooed 70 year old, tough veteran. It's humbling how kind people are to us and how fun it is to really see how the gospel changes us. I told Larry he's a softy now and he said yeah, but don't tell anyone. He is one of my favorite people to visit with and learn from. 

Speaking of learning...I got to attempt to use a chain saw attached to an extending pole to try to trim Grandma Rekow's apple trees. That was a hoot. I say attempt because my stubby arms had a hard time reaching the branches and Dennis (Grandma Rekow's son who lives next door) just laughed at me and helped me finish the branch. Ha it turns out its really hard to cut when you can't see the branch. You also really learn to appreciate Grandma who helps you know what branch to prune and why. I kept thinking of Jacob 5. All things really do denote there is a God.

Conference was great! It's hard to pick a favourite but the ones I needed most was Elder Bednar, Holland and the one about Shiblom. We had actually just been studying Alma's address to his sons and were wondering why Shiblom got gypped. I went back and read those 15 versus and thought, these are enough. Sometimes a lack of revelation isn't a lack of direction, it's that God has already given you what you need to be successful in what you are asking for. I left conference just happy and grateful I get to be apart of this family. I really do love you guys. 

Grandma made this crazy good chicken soup stuff. I did however find the feet of said chickens in the jars down stairs. I love Grandma Rekow's. Ha we are in Clintonville this week though and will be in Green Bay quite a bit for meetings and interviews with President. I now have mastered (ish) the round a bouts. Meaning Sister Payne is only slightly tense when I drive in the city. Ha we are lucky lucky sisters. 

From your chicken feet loving daughter, neice, grandaughter, cousin, friend Kaytie

1- We are visiting a lady at the hospital who requires we were masks during our visits. Good lookin eh?

2- Chicken feet!

March 30, 2015

Sorry we are emailing so late this week but we got to go out with the Rekow clan and gather some more sap for making syrup. It's quite the process and man that stuff tastes good once it is finished. Picture hundreds of trees with buckets hanging from hooks in them and then some good looking sisters swapping the buckets and putting them in the path for Brother Rekow to gather in the tractor pulling finishing tanks. Also picture a snake in one of those buckets that one of the cousins caught and it scarring our Bishop half to death. Oh what a good p-day. Grandma said we could send the family a bottle when we get it all cooked up. I am slightly terrified I now have wood ticks for punishment for breaking rules and riding a quad back to the house but all is well in Zion. I am also really thankful Mom sent me my rubbers because they have saved my life out here.

This week has been so good. We were good with conserving our mileage for the trek to Milwaukee so this week we got to go crazy and drive out to some of our surrounding areas like Wittenburg, Tigerton and Tillida. Another miracle, still haven't hit a deer! I just knocked on wood so we should be safe. We found these hilarious older women who both accepted Book of Mormons and like that we are girls of the Lord. They even tried to give us gas money which I appreciated. We also accidentally knocked on the music teacher's door while trying to contact a referral. He stood out on his porch for a half hour talking to us about the gospel and then apologized for needing to go in because it turns out he recently had heart surgery. No apology needed sir, you just had heart surgery. But when we did find John, the referral we were so excited! He really loves his church and is trying to come closer to Christ. We brought Grandma Rekow back for our second visit and she was perfect. She use to be Lutheran as John is now so that was neat. 

As for interesting foods eaten this week...we have pigeon gravy. Yup, not as bad as you'd think but also not as tasty as you would hope. I ate a lot of biscuits that meal. 

We are starting to get more work done in our Gresham ward which has been really great. The families are so willing to help and serve. It feels a lot like home. 

I'm so sorry this is so short but we need to head out to lessons. In a nut shell we love Joey and Kris, discovered you can make a neat toothbrush holder from a horse shoe, the gospel is really true and I love the Plan of Salvation. I love you I love you and hope you have the best Easter and Conference. 

Ps- Sister Payne had the camera when we did syrup so I'll send those when I get em. 

March 23

So the biggest let down of the week was that Elder Perry got reassigned last minute and was not able to attend our meeting. This was slightly awkward because the whole mission gathered anyway but we were able to hear from Elder Craig C Christensen from the Presidency of the Seventy and two other members of the quorum, Elder Ward and Elder Johnson. There was a heavy air of disappointment but then Elder Christensen explained that the health of the Prophet and Elder Packer made it so that Elder Perry was needed in Salt Lake to help organize conference. I don't want to read too much into it but he did say that this would be a monumental conference and to prepare ourselves for the messages that will be shared. Drop the mic right? 

I left that meeting feeling spiritually dumped upon. It was amazing and I am really excited to read over my notes and continue to learn from them. We spoke of families, the importance of priesthood, the Atonement and how to build stronger relationships with Christ. His answer for us was to strip ourselves of jealousies and fears, to trust Him. I've been thinking a lot about how I am fighting the wrong battles sometimes. Don't get me wrong, we are at war. There are things we are fighting for and need to be fighting for, but that battle shouldn't be against a companion, frustration at our own imperfections, or simply that the weather here is bipolar. During the Q and A question I got to ask how can we keep the eternal perspective we need to fight the right battles and not get caught up in the wrong ones. The answer was simple. Almost embarrassingly so. It was forget your doubts and fears about yourself. Trust God and do your best to turn outward and do as Christ would. If you will worry about others, God will take care of you. The problem comes when we worry about ourselves too much. I know you all have been teaching me that lesson by example forever and I'm just so glad it's starting to click. We got to discus some cool doctrine, but really everything falls back to the basics. Prayer is awesome. 

I got to be back in Milwaukee!!!!!! It felt like going home in a weird way. We drove past a lot of my old bus stops and I was thoroughly enjoying reminiscing all the crazy stories and people I met and how much my perspective has changed. It also is comical to me now to see how different they are. I don't have a lot of opportunity to compliment peoples golden grills (classy teeth) in Gresham as I did in Milwaukee. It was so fun to be with the entire mission. I really think that will be what heaven is like. Walking in, high-fiving each other and asking how areas are. I got to see Sister Pope and we laughed so hard as we both pulled out treats for each other. Let's just say we ate a lot of candy together....

We stayed the night in the Milwaukee area with the Worthington family...okay I don't know how to adequately describe their home but Brother Worthington is a general contractor and there home is sort of a show home. The shower....it had 5 heads. I haven't felt that clean in years. His mom is also from Fountain Green Utah! We talked about Lamb Days, climbing the grease pole and it turns out his mother is a Cook! We tried to figure out if it was Bishop Cook but their names are Kermit and Bessy Cook. Crazy right? The world is so small but awesome. 

This week was eventful to say the least, I mean no Grandma coming to town (can I hope for that?) but it was amazing. We had "souper" Sunday which was a soup potluck, found a new family to teach, didn't crash the car (always a worthy miracle to share) and I busted out some new birthday raps for members. My companion jokes I spent too much time in Milwaukee but we have a good time. Johnny sent me an Arizona t-shirt and a scorpion sucker that scared the living tar out of me. It was pretty funny but revenge will be sweet. I don't think he remembered I have access to have access to jars of chicken feet. We had to speak briefly in Sacrament which is always fun and we got to be in Tigerton and meet with some really cool potential investigators and Grandma had a plucked pigeon waiting for us on the table when we got into the kitchen. The only way to top it off was returning home to Grandma Rekows after staying in different areas and finding a package from Mom and Cori and Sam! You guys are the best. I love this gospel and heaven knows I love you.

PS- I'm trying to send some pictures but they won't load but I'll try in a separate e-mail. Don't worry, I basically look the same. Just look at Cori. 

God bless Wisconsin. The snow is starting to melt and the cool thing about here is that with all the trees and moisture from the heavy snow, it's already looking pretty green. I'm still not use to seeing all these trees but it sure is pretty. We've been spending most of our nights in Gresham with Grandma Rekow because it's more central to our two areas and it's saving us miles so we can go and see Elder Perry this Saturday in Milwaukee. I am so excited to return to my old area and possibly get to stay with some of the members. Different areas will be housing us so cross your fingers I get the Milwaukee ward. That means more Grandma Rekow meals! Ha the grandkids are shooting us pigeon and we hear it makes a mean soup. We had a pretty tastey asparagus soup concotion this afternoon but boy was I excited to get a package from Uncle Brad, Aunt Shannon and the Brames full of snacks! Really, that was heavenly timed. I love you guys! Thank you thank you. You'd be so proud of me. This morning when I went in for a shower, there was a massive spider crawling up the wall, (we're talking Argon's from Harry Potter grandchild) and it didn't even phase me. Grandma mentioned something about rats in the basement but I'm 90% sure she's kidding. At least I'm praying... Man I love that women. She's always got us laughing and is so humble and willing to serve the Lord.

 

This morning we decided it would be fun to walk around and check out the Rekow farm land and headed down to the "crick". It was so muddy but man I love being outside! I've missed that the most since being in a car area but with the weather warming up we'll get to ride bikes and be out more. Don't get me wrong, I love a car but this will be a fun switch up. Wisconsin really is beautiful.

 

This week had no tractor incidents and we can all be thankful for that but one of my favorite lessons we had was watching this video. It's a bit lengthy but if you have the time check it out. I had no idea it existed but it's great. 

 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-04-004-scriptures-legacy?lang=eng

 

We're finally getting our feet under us and figuring out the two areas. I took a lot of comfort in reading Alma 58 which is all about Helaman saying, what the heck how am I going to maintain all these lands with such a small army. I relate Helaman, I relate. But then "God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us, yea insomuch that he did speak peace to our soulds and did grant unto us great faith and did cause that we should hope for our deliverance in Him. And we did take courage with our small force with we had received and were fixed with a determination to conquer." Really makes you want to battle cry right? I like serving in this army. 

 

We got to teach the 18 year old Sunday School class on the Atonement which was so cool because we have an investigator Dru who was there and he had some really good questions. Also, our Bishop quoted Batman and combined the talk of "Which Way Do you Face?" from last conference with fighting Two Face. I am called to the right mission. 

 

Find your inner Batman! I love you I love you.

 

Sister Kaytie