The Hardest Thing. WEEK 53!

Lieve Familie en naasten,

                  This week I really want to take some time and just let you all know through email, of the love that I have for Heavenly Father.

             On the street, going along on the doors, pretty much anytime interacting with others who may not have the same beliefs as us; the question, that I think, that is most commonly asked by missionaries (missionaries in our mission) is "Do you believe in God?". Well family and peeps I would like to rephrase the question; personally for me I don’t really like using the word "God" to address the man upstairs, instead I use Heavenly Father. And I just want everyone to know that I truly do believe in Heavenly Father and because I truly believe this, I am convinced that I am a child of him. I firmly believe that I am a child of God. Now you tell me.. Isn't that just so amazing to think about?! And so JOYFUL! A loving Heavenly Father to watch over us and a loving Heavenly Father who knows you and listens to you if you search with a sincere heart to find Him. I am so grateful to believe "that I am a child of God and that He has sent me here" (sound familiar?) because through this little belief it has lead me to so much happiness and growth in prayer.

              Family I wanted to just share that with you because things here in Belgium and Europe and actually all through out the world are getting crazy. Mom I want to thank you for the quote this week of:

            "If material things are what you're talking about when you say that "I'm blessed" you have no idea what a blessing is."  

   

                This past week the World Cup began and let me just tell you it is getting crazy here! Last week we spent a day up in Nederland for meetings and it just so happened to be the same day that they were playing Spain and everyone was just so crazy and excited for it. Here in Belgium also! The Flags are everywhere, big huge screen TVs in the streets, and everyone talking about it. With all this going on it’s easy to forget what real blessings are. At this time, I am just saying..."GREAT.. Summer is just beginning, the world cup as now begun, my family is most likely in Lake Powell and here I am.. Walking the streets of Europe just trying to do my best to bring happiness to other peoples lives". Now... you tell me whatcha thinkin?? Hahah I love the summer, I am obsessed with soccer (especially the world cup!) and Lake Powell is just the best place in the world.. And here I am. In Kortrijk, Belgium doing my best to sacrifice my own desires for my Father in Heaven. Lets just say that I really am learning a lot right now about sacrifices and staying focused on real blessings such as eternal families and forgiveness instead of "material things" such as soccer and Lake Powell. Its definitely not easy, but I am extremely grateful for this privilege I have to learn and grow. I love the mission.

             As far as the work goes here. It’s Ok.. We had a slow week as far as teaching goes, but we did a ton of finding and now looking ahead to this week of teaching. I love teaching the plan of happiness. This week could be the last week for Elder Argueta and I here in Kortrijk as next Sunday we will hear news about transfers SO we will be working extremely hard and diligent to build up this holy kingdom in Kortrijk. We love it here.

               Family I love you guys and I really hope you all are making good decisions and doing your best to always party like it’s hot. Stay lekker and don’t forget to pray. It's so so important.

   Always remember what the real blessings are in life and even though the material things can bring us a lot of excitement and joy, let us all not forget that we have a Father in Heaven.

Have a great week:)

                

  I love you all.

         Liefs,

               Big Dude

Geen tijd, geen stress WEEK 52!

Lieve familie, 

   

           Well right now I am sitting in the house of the Leman family and let me just say... "Ik voel me een beetje thuis" hahaha I love this family and they are so amazing and caring for the missionaries. They are also true examples of Christ-like love. I am very grateful for them and very grateful for the privilege I have to be here on my mission. 

             I am going to keep this email a little short because the kids here want to play and I'm not gonna lie... So do I! Hahah so sorry!  About this last week-  Well it was just a great week! Seriously just soooo chill and super enjoyable, filled with awesome missionary work and just peace! I really cannot complain. Don't get me wrong; it hasn’t been a walk in the park. Life is simply just too short to not have a smile on your face. 

            So this week we met with Giselinde and James (the family with 7 kids) - it was awesome!!! We are now planning on going there every week to teach them. The Father is always busy traveling to other countries due to his work and business, but he decided to make time for us every Thursday because he is truly on a search. Peeps this Guy made time for the gospel... So I hope we can all learn like I have.. THERE IS ALWAYS TIME and if your "too busy" Well MAKE TIME:) time is short and we should always make time for the people we love. (By the Way.... I love you guys).  So that was awesome! 

          There was also a lot of other cool and amazing things that have happened especially with new investigators we’re teaching but yea... I just don't have much time to tell or "zin".. Geen tijd geen stress. 

     Fam.- I love you guys and I know that you all love me- I feel your love everyday. You guys are amazing and Lets all do our best to MAKE time for one another and for those that need a little more love and happiness in their life. Even a smile changes someone’s day. The gospel is the plan of happiness. 

Love you all. Be safe. Have fun this week. HAGS. Party like it’s hot and ENJOY TO THE END! 

Love, 

        Big dude

COOL. Week 51!

Lieve Familie,

                    I don’t know if I have ever told you guys this but I really do just love you guys. I hope that you all haven't got too used to the life without me because before you know it, I am gonna be back kickin all your necks off so just prepare for that:) Cool! Oh and by the way... I MISS YOU ALL ALSO!!

                  So I actually don’t even know where to begin this email- I feel kind of out of it today because we just spent the whole day in Antwerpen to play soccer as a Zone and lets just say.. Wow I really got to pick back up my soccer skills; it’s been toooo longggg! But yeah lets see, life here in Kortrijk and the life of Elder Cook... this last week was a good and humbling week. It started off awesome as we taught this businessman (yes dad I am teaching one) and his wife. They have 7 children and lets just say it is no coincidence that we found them and have been teaching them. The Father - James is so sincere and just so awesome to teach. He even takes notes sometimes. But we had an awesome lesson with him and I am so curious to see how everything will unfold. Keep him and his wife- Gisselinde in your prayers please:) We also had an awesome appointment with our kick boxer Steven and he went to church this last Sunday. He is a stud, but I think this is a journey for him to figure out and as much as I’d love to see him get baptized, I think it is going to take some more time- but that’s okay because everyone has their own time and everyone still has time.

                 We are also working with that Russian Family and this Sunday one of the 3 daughters came to church! It was her first time back to church in a very long time and she even gave her testimony during the service! It was also awesome to be able to teach her during church. We did actually quite a lot of work with the actives and less actives this last week.

  

                  I really am not the best at this typing thing to explain experiences or tell stories, but each person we are working with and also the members here in Kortrijk are simply amazing and this time here in Kortrijk is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. It pretty much has been a "You had to be there" experience. Hahah

                Family I love you guys. This past week I have been thinking a lot about just how blessed I have been in my life. Blessed with a beautiful family, blessed with the gospel, blessed with good circumstances during my life, blessed with Finding Nemo, etc. There are so many blessing we ALL have received in our life and so many that we see every.single.day. My testimony has grown that we really do all have a Father in Heaven that loves us and we are ALL, each one of us, His children. "...For all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." (D&C 101:16) He loves us and gosh do I love you guys!

                  Have a great week and know that I will be praying for you all.. (Even you Bella)! Love you guysss. BE SAFE, make wise decisions, party like its hot, and..... ENJOY TO THE END!

LOVES,

        Big Dude

NOG èèn JAAR Week 50

Lieve Familie,

              Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and the birthday shout outs that I received this last week. You really have no idea how much they all meant. I am so grateful for the continual support that I receive from you guys and am amazed from the love I feel for you all. I cannot describe it. SOOO THANK YOU!

              My birthday week was awesome! It was definitely a whole lot different from any other birthday but, nevertheless, I definitely cannot complain. Monday we spent the day with Marnix at the Gym and then spent the rest of the day in Brugge and then on the Beach in Oostende. Tuesday, the Leman Family had us over to celebrate my birthday and gosh I was just speechless the whole time because of the love that I felt. Following that, we took a train up to the Nederlands for our zone training the following day and had a great zone training about "Raising your expectations". It was very inspiring. Then it was back to Kortrijk where Elder Argueta and I truly just love the members here and ended up having a great week of missionary work.

           The work here is definitely increasing. I wish I could tell you all the details about our investigators that we have found and the amazing spirit that I have felt bearing my testimony, but I truly cannot put it down on paper. I really love the work here in Kortrijk. This place will always be special to me.

           Steven the Kick boxer is doing good. He seriously is just a boss and I'm excited to keep teaching him. Benno came to church yesterday which was soooo awesome and he is making some super progress. Froni en Pedro (the family we’re teaching) are making some serious progress and I have to say that they have been my favorite people to teach through out my whole mission. And we are now teaching this women named Beatrice. Last but not least we are also now working with this awesome Russian family who are less active, but we are going to do our best to just bring them friendship and joy! They are sooo chill! Hahah but YA- all these people have amazing stories and I am grateful for the privilege I have to help them receive more happiness in this life. After all, you cannot turn down happiness:) SOOOO YEAH WE STAY POSTIVE AND THE WORK IS GOOD LEKKKKKERR!

 Anyways,

             Today just so happens to mark the day where I can officially say, "hey I only have one more year left of this adventure." This will get me really "chuncky" saying, but yes in exactly one year from today I will be seeing Mom and Dad. CRAZZZZY! Time really does fly. Soo peeps.... coming back to my sports... ITS HALFTIME! Its halftime of the biggest championship game yet and let’s just say, I am looking forward to this upcoming second half. Its going to be a tough second half with ups and downs, but when it’s all said and done... I know that I will just be saying the same thing I said last time I was in a championship game- "man I am so grateful and thankful to have had that opportunity". Gratefulness and always having a smile on your face is the KEY!

I Love you all so much. More than life itself. Thank you for the love and support. I am eternally grateful. Have a great week and please be safe. Party like its hot and YOLO it up. L.O.V.E.S.

Love,

     Big Dude

Birthday WEEEEEK!! Week 49!

Lieve Familie,

               Family thank you all so much for the constant love and support that I receive from you all. Whether it is letters, a package, pictures, your prayers, etc- I just feel so much love for each and every one of you all and it is absolutely something that I cannot describe. It really is just true love-John 15:13.  I love you all so much and just thinking about you all and testifying of the love that I have for each one of you brings tears to my eyes. So thank you. Thank you for the support and love. Thank you for always being there for me and thank you for just being who you are. Gosh I am so grateful!

              So this last week was actually one to remember here on the mish! As many of you know Elder Argueta and I are staying for another 6 weeks here in Kortrijk (that'll make it almost 6 months serving together) and we are pumped and definitely motivated. Our love for Kortrijk has seriously just been growing and growing. The tears, the struggles, the excitement, the miracles, etc... Gosh- it has been so humbling and so necessary for me and my growth, as a missionary. My testimony here has been trialed and all I can honestly say about this whole experience is- Thank you, thank you for giving me this experience to grow, to learn, to become better, and to change. I am very grateful for the man upstairs and his knowledge over everything. So yes we are both pumped to do another 6 more weeks together in this holy place.

             As far as the missionary work goes.. FANTASTISCH en LEKKER! This week we dropped another baptismal date on a new investigator named Benno. Benno is someone who we found our first week here in Kortrijk and could never set up a time to meet with him so he was eventually dropped, But this last week I just had the "feeling" to give him a call. Well we called him and made an appointment for 2 days later. We went there, taught him the Restoration and well lets just say that he is prepared! It was so awesome and I just love testifying with the spirit. The spirit was strong and he accepted. Super humbling and a grateful moment to be a missionary.

             Steven (the world champion kick boxer) is doing solid. We went and trained with him last Thursday and lets just say we got our butts kicked! Haha but watch out because I think I'm going to become a professional kick boxer;)

             We are also teaching this family and the parent’s names are Froni and Pedro. We have been teaching them for a while, but Saturday was the first time we taught them the restoration and they just ate it up! It was awesome. The spirit was strong and yeaaaah.. It’s just hard to describe. But it was amazing.

              I really don’t know what else to say or I think I have already said too much.. Hahha but peeps I just want you all to know that Jason Rich Cook is doing good. Life is not easy, but there aint nobody who is going to take the smile off my face. I gave a talk in church again yesterday and I pretty much just talked about being happy and smiling. I don’t know why, but seriously if you’re not smiling and enjoying life.. You’re just not looking at it with the right perspective. Smile peeps! Be happy! That is what life is all about and that is definitely what the Gospel Of Jesus Christ is all about. It is the plan of happiness.

 I LOVE YOU ALL and know that I will definitely be thinking and praying for you guys. You are always in my heart. Love one another and PARTY LIKE ITS HOT!!

Love,

    Big Dude;)

THE AFTER MATH! Week 48!

Lieve Familie,

            Wow it was so good to see you all yesterday and to hear from you all! You all look so great and just sooo soooo happy! It definitely was one of the best days I have had on my mission of just feeling so loved and cared for. So thank you.

            I would say however the hardest times always come right after the best times.. It’s just how the Lord always seems to work. So this morning was just one of those.. Wow I really really miss my family this morning. hahah but getting back into the missionary life and missionary mode shouldn’t be that hard for me.

            Well no call last night, which means no getting transferred! I am actually extremely happy and grateful for that because I just love the members here and just wasn’t ready to leave. My work here in Kortrijk definitely is not done. So Elder Argueta and I will be pounding out another good 6 weeks here together! As for the members... I think they were more excited than we were.. After getting dropped off at our apartment by Marnix- he is SO SO SO HAPPY that we are staying- we found another Member sitting on our doorstep waiting for us to get home to give us cake! Haha she knew also that we had the chance of getting transferred and well lets just say that we had a good little party right outside of our apartment at like 10 a clock at night because of the great transfer news! The love here in Kortrijk is just growing and growing between the members and us. It is crazzzy. They all told us that we are no longer missionaries to them.. We are like family. So awesome and just so amazing!

  

           In other news... Last week we just had a good'ol week with the members- going to Brussels and performing the HAKA with them in front of the Stake and ended up getting first prize! Haha yea it was awesome! - I think a member is going to put the video up on Facebook soon...

About the mission work here- things are going great. Elder Argueta and I are really gonna work our butts off to build this little Branch up here in Kortrijk. Now that we have full trust and love from the members we are just that much more motivated to get some miracles and bring some more love into the Branch Kortrijk. We have found a new stud of an investigator named Steven. He is a world champion kick boxer and lets just say he is exactly like the guy in the movie Never Back Down. He has his own Kick boxing gym and lives in the back of it! So LEGIT; We taught the first lesson to him and gave him a baptismal date for the 21 of June. He accepted and this week we plan on going back to go train with him and teach him. In other words I am super stoked to work out with this guy! And teach him of course:)

          I love you all like crazy and it was just so great to see you all yesterday. You all know that I miss you like crazy and have so much love for each one of you. Make good choices please and do the right thing! Support one another and never let anything negative or not positive come out of your mouth. Positivity kills all negativity... DUH! So just be happy, Smile, Live life, Laugh, do something dumb, I don’t know.... just never stop smiling people and don’t worry  "Everything will be okay in the end; And If everything is not okay, then it is not the end." I love you all.

ENJOY TO THE END 

Much Love,

     - Your son, brother, friend, and lekker ding... Elder Cook:)

HOWDY Week 47!

Lieve Familie,

               This past week was once again a big old roller coaster ride! Holy cow. Big highlights of the week were the fact that I got to go back and spend a whole day in good'ol Den Haag with Elder Thomas and visit many people who are really close to us. People such as: Barry, Albert, Familie Muntinga, and more. It was definitely the highlight of the week because I still have so much love for the people in Den Haag and it was so needed to be there once again with one of my best friends Elder Thomas. I loved it and began to miss it from the second I left.

               The Temple was super nice to visit and well I just love being there. I wish I could go back every week or at least once a month, but I am still nevertheless grateful that we have a temple here in our mission where I can visit it once every 6 months. After the Temple we got to go visit Keukenhof which was soooooo beautiful!! (check out the pictures below).  The travel back to Kortrijk was awful as we had to sit on trains forever and then ended up missing the last train back to Kortrijk at 11 30 pm.. So we ended up walking very far and sleeping over in the city Antwerpen with the elders there. After the 3 full day trip Elder Argueta and I finally got back to work in Kortrijk with only getting a totally of 10 or so hours of sleep in 3 days. I was dying. haha Following our long day of work and interviews with President we finally had the chance to get some much needed sleep.

               As far as the work goes here in Kortrijk we had a rough week emotionally still trying to figure out a solution for Patrick and Mimi. It has been heartbreaking for elder Argueta and I, but we both don’t just give up that easy. I am grateful to have Elder Argueta as my companion. It is hard sometimes, but he really is a good elder and he helps me a ton with the many weakness’s I have.

              Yesterday at church was a very awesome Sunday I thought. We didn’t have any investigators, but it was Fast and Testimony meeting and several of the members of the church got up and bore there own personal testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they all gave a special shout out to Elder Argueta and I for the work that we do. It so comforting to hear these words from the members here and I already know that Kortrijk will be a very special place in my heart. Following their testimonies I was also able to give my own personal testimony. I bore my testimony on time. Sounds weird right? But I felt like time is something really important to me in my life and something that I have really learned about since being on my mission. Having patience, being grateful, and loving one another, etc- all exist because we have time. Time to learn these things and time to experience them. Every body has there own time. I am grateful for my "time" on my mission and the "time" that I still have left to learn many more things and to become a stronger person. But I am also grateful that the gospel of Jesus Christ has no "time"- and when I say no time I mean it has no ending; no ending because it is forever.

  

   I love you all like crazy and miss you guys. Do your best to make the best use of your "time" this week and focus on what’s really important. LOVE YOU ALL. Stay Lekker in everything that you do and never stop smiling:)

Love,

      Your brother, your son, and your lekker missionary... Elder Cook!

  

Ps: cant wait to Skype! I will be skyping sometime between 6-7 pm here in Belgium and I think I will have more time this time then I had on Christmas;... so figure out when that would be for you guys!