Elder Jason Cook Belgium/Netherlands Mission: GUYS IM LEAVING THE ZOO... Week 5!

Family,

DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you all give dad a couple birthday hugs for me, I wrote you a letter Pops and sent it off yesterday so im hoping you get it today. ps.. try not to fall on my dang road bike! I'm gonna have to kick your neck off!

Sooo let me first start out by saying I got your guys love this past week! Trav and Shaunna sent me an awesome package with some much needed love from my girlfriend (bugs) and some homemade pumpkin chocolate chip bread..ahhhh it was soo good!!!!! Mom and Candace I love your letters, I can always count on getting dear elders from you so thank you. Gosh I love getting mail... its like better then McDonalds breakfast after midnight!!! Jake and Brooke, lil jimmy is coming out soon! he is gonna be such a stud, I just know it! Candace and Nora I got tons of pics from mom and ahhhhhh I miss you guys! well I miss the whole family! but something about babies just get me! hahah

Well fam it was just another week here in the good'ol Zoo. As I wrote earlier this week I got my flight plans! I will be leaving from the Zoo at around 7:45 am to the SLC airport this Monday (July 22). I AM SO EXCITED! I'm really hoping I do have a layover for a bit so that way i'll be able to chat with ya'll MORE! Remember that Thursday is probably the last day you could send me a letter soo after that send them to the Nederlands!! Be ready for a phone call in the morning for sure! I will be hosting again this Wednesday so I'm gonna be looking for Nate and there is no doubt in my mind that I'm gonna host him. I'm so excited to see him!

So since this is mine and my districts last week here we have been having a lot of fun! There are times where I find myself acting like a 2 year old with them. For example: everytime we are walking to or from class I just randomly will yell "PAR CORE" and then jump/roll/climb/look like an idiot, over one of the picnic tables... yeah guys dont worry I'm still my weird awesome self! I can never tell if my district is laughing with me or at me... probably both but whatever!

Also the past week we had the opportunity to skype with people living in the Nederlands and also participating in TRC's with natives from Nederland. They are all such loving people and every time I talk/teach them my love for the Nederland people grows. Speaking of TRC though we had the opportunity to teach Sister Windmill again, she is the Lady that emailed you Mom the last time we taught her. Family I can tell you all that it was the most spiritual moment I have had while teaching someone thus far. We were teaching her about the BvM and I was bearing my testimony... next thing I know BAM tears were coming out of not only Her eyes, but mine as well. (yeah sometimes I cry guys) It was so amazing. The spirit was so strong. Oooh and did I mention that it was all in Dutch.... every lesson I teach, every time I talk with my teacher, and every hour I spend in my classroom I am speaking Dutch. Well attempting to speak it.... haha. So my confidence as a missionary and the language is growing, although I know that it will most likely slap me in the face next week... but its okay because "COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT". I am so excited to begin my mission.

On Sunday we got the amazing opportunity to watch the movie Testaments for the third time since being here...... amazing right? but actually it was amazing for me. Yeah I talk about the mtc being a "zoo" (which it is) and all.. but it really is a spritual place. The Testaments movie got me for the first time on Sunday. I know I'm sounding like a totally goon and you probably want to hear me talk about something else, but Christ is amazing. Seriously my testimony has grown so much since being here. Sure there are hard times or rough patches and yes I do know that the hardest part of my mission has yet to begin, but I really do have a strong testimony now family. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I know that he is blessing each one of you constantly everyday. Just last night I had an Elder ask me about my scars on my side (the ones from the Swenson's cabin like 5 years ago) and it just got me thinking about how the Lord not only saved the most beautiful girl in the world (chloe) that day, but also me. Like I said earlier the Lord works in mysterious ways. He has a plan for all of us individually and will always be there for us.

I love being a missionary fam and I love all of you so much! Remember that not an HOUR goes by in which I dont think about ya'll. You guys are my motivation when times get tough and I couldnt be more proud to have the "Cook" name on my nametag. I LOVE YOU ALL.

Sincerely,

Elder Cook