Sister de la Cruz's Mission Adventures: Elder Cook

Cute little 89 yr old lady who had all the missionaries over for lunch after Stake Conference. Her, her mom, and her grandma all would sit in the foyer before church and invite everyone to their house after church for dinner, especially those people who were just visiting. They'd always have a bunch of food for everyone who wanted to come. Super Sweet Lady.

Hi Everyone!!!!

This weekend has by far been the best one of my Mission! Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came and visited Charleston and spoke to all of the Missionaries and Bishops/Ward Mission Leaders Saturday morning along with Elder S. Gifford Nielson of the Seventy and Elder Michael Dudley, the Area Seventy. Before the meeting started they asked to shake all of the missionaries hands and so one by one we got to greet them! The meeting was soo good! He emphasized the urgency of the work and how much he has felt that in the last few months especially. The most powerful moment of the entire weekend was at the very end of our meeting Saturday when Elder Cook bore his testimony of the Savior. He started out with telling us that there are spiritual experiences that you don't share with others because of the sacredness of them but that since he has been an apostle he has had sacred experiences that have given him a sure witness of Christ. He said, "I want you to listen very carefully to what I am about to say. I know the Savior lives. I know His voice and I know his face." As he was saying that the Spirit hit me like nothing I've ever felt before. I had tears coming down my face and there is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ lives. There is no way I could ever deny what I felt in that meeting. Right after that we ended with singing "I Know that my Redeemer Lives" and almost everyone was crying by that point. I loved having our entire mission together, about 170 missionaries, and being able to see Sister Maxfield again! There is no where I'd rather be than in the West Virginia mission <3

On Sunday we had a special stake conference with Elder Cook and Elder Dudley. We were so happy that one of our investigators, Eddie, was able to come with his 3 kids! They sat with us near the front and we had another amazing meeting. After Elder Cook finished speaking and the meeting ended we asked him how he felt. He said that he felt a power in his chest and we helped him recognize that as the Spirit and that was cool. Elder Cook was shaking member's hands and so we asked if he would like to go shake his hand too. He said okay and so we started walking over to him but Elder Cook was surrounded by people and almost out the door. We decided to meet Elder Dudley instead because he was nearby. I was the first to meet him and he asked how my mission was going and I said I was having a great time. Then he asked me to tell him about one of the people I was teaching and I was soo happy I could point to Eddie and say "Here's one of them!" He greeted him and his kids and asked if we had talked to Elder Cook yet. We said no and he said "When then let's go do that now!" We were then personally escorted by a Seventy to and Apostle of Jesus Christ!!!!! He had us wait outside a small room in the church and then ushered us in and waiting there was Elder Cook! He greeted us and then talked to Eddie and told him that he was exactly where he needed to be right now and to keep going. He told him that he was on the right path and that was great because that was a question Eddie had been having for a while. It was such an amazing experience and I will never forget this weekend.

I love you all.

Sister de la Cruz