Gone

May 26,2015

Hey y'all!

Sister Anderson is gone.... :( It was a sad day. She is going to do great in Brazil, though! Sister Roberts, my MTC companion, is my companion for the week, since transfers are next week! I am almost done with my 3rd transfer! It is going by way too fast! It makes me just want to work harder!

We are working on getting members to come help us teach, and helping them come to church! We are also working on finding new investigators and potentials to visit. We need to keep talking with everyone, teaching and also testifying to the people that we talk to!

Missions are hard! So hard! It is on the "hardest things in my life" list. But missions are learning experiences. When it gets hard, I guess even when it is easy, Heavenly Father wants us to work harder.

This can relate to normal person life too. Life is hard in general, but you gotta keep doing what you need to do. Reading, praying, going to church, taking the sacrament, keeping the commandments, and everything that is listed in the scriptures and given to us from our prophets. Rely on the atonement. The atonement is something that I have been understanding a lot more since being on a mission. We need it to become better.

When life is easy (hopefully it's not, that's boring), hopefully that means that you are doing all those things listed above. But don't stop doing those things. If you aren't seeing blessings from doing those things, keep doing them. Ether 12:6. "ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." We are here on earth to prepare to meet God! We should not stop when we think that everything is great. There is no limit to how much knowledge, faith, repentance, strength, happiness, work, that we can do. Keep going!!! Rely on Jesus Christ's Atonement. It is not there just for our sins, it is for every little trial we go through.

Example: Our numbers haven't been matching up with our work efforts, and so we were talked to by our leaders. I know that we have been working hard, and I got a little prideful. I was saying that "it is annoying that they focus on the numbers." But the numbers are there for a reason. I read about humility in Preach My Gospel, and it was pointed out to me that I was being prideful. I need to work harder and keep working harder. My numbers may still not line up, but I know that I need to learn from this experience. It is hard to take everything on at once and focus on everything, but I know that I need to keep going. Again, Ether 12:6. Rely on the Atonement to become a better missionary.

Christ lives, and He loves us so much. I need His atonement. We all do. You can do it!!!!!

Love,

Sister Cozzens :)

 Our APs: My great leaders that help me work harder and

my adorable companion, Sister Anderson

 

 With my companion, Sister Anderson, and a rooster

given to us by the neighbors.

  

Sister Anderson, Sister Roberts with our STLs

 

We made a goal of one picture a day--we forgot

 until the last minute, before we went to bed.

VISA

May 18, 2015

Hi there!

I am learning Portuguese! I can start a prayer and end a prayer and say: "We are grateful for," and that is about it! Legal! ---- that is a Portuguese word. You wouldn't read it in an American way. More like half Spanish and half American. Laygal! Gal as in apple a.

So Sister Roberts (my companion in the MTC) is in a trio with the STL's. When the STL's go on exchanges, Sister Roberts comes and hangs out with us! She was with us twice for two whole days this week, and we'll have her on Wednesday as well.

We biked in the rain---saving miles. We cannot lose the car. It was tons of fun!!!

Sister Anderson got her visa!!! She is shipping out on May 25th at 6 a.m. I am really sad that she is leaving. She is a great componera and she will be missed! But she needs to serve the people of Brazil!

On Saturday, we were bike contacting, and we stopped this guy. His name is Junior! He lives in Paris, California. He told us that he had told his dad that he was turning his life over to God, and then we showed up! He said that we were a blessing. He started crying as he told us some of his background. He wants to change his life so badly. We told him: "This is the direction that you need to go. Our purpose is to help you come closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father." We got his information and gave it to the Elders in the Paris area. He went to church on Sunday, and he is now on date for June 14th!

He was a miracle. I know that God puts people in our paths, who are ready to hear the gospel, who are white and ready to harvest. Talking with him really showed me how important it is to talk to everyone we see (it's not weird! okay, sometimes it can be.), because we pray for Heavenly Father to put people in our path. We need to talk to everyone, so that we can find those that are ready! If they are not ready, planting seeds!

Heavenly Father loves all of his children. He needs us to share the gospel with everyone. #planfindteachbaptize. In our mission, we baptize. The way we get people into the waters of baptism is by being obedient, listening to our mission president, following his counsel, praying with intent, and so many other things. But if you do all that you can to get people baptized, you will be blessed.

I love serving a mission. It is going by way too fast. Missions are awesome. It was the best decision that I could have ever made in my life, especially at this point. Sometimes I think: "Holy cow, I am so young!" I have learned so much. It is worth it.

Have a great week!

-Sister Cozzens

Sister Cozzens with Sister Anderson and Sister Roberts

Cockroaches, Chinese & DUI checkpoints...Oh my!

Hi guys!

I never know what to title my emails.... I don't want to write like "Week 16" because then it looks like I am counting and wanting it to end. That is not the case at all! Missions are great!!! Yes, they are hard....mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and whatever ...all you can list. They are worth it in the long run! You work hard through the hard times and even harder during the harder times. I know that I am preparing myself for my future, whether it be here in this life or in the next. We'll see!

The Hermanas gave us 13 referrals this last week! And we picked up 3 new investigators from those 13! Tonight we are meeting with a family who have 6 kids!!! Thank you hermanas!

It was awesome to talk to my family. I love them so much! Families are forever! According to the choices you make here of course. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! You deserve that day! Kids are crazy, and you are amazing.

The church is true! Do all that you can to be obedient! If you don't see the blessings from obedient, keep being obedient! Obedience is a test of faith! Faith builds testimonies. Strengthen your faith by action! 1 Nephi 15:24.

Have a great week! God loves you! Jesus is our Savior! Don't forget it.

-Sister Cozzens

Cockroaches in our backyard and sometimes 

in our house............... they are disgusting.

Sister Anderson (Visa-waiter to Brazil) & Sister Cozzens

These are our Chinese students. We are teaching them to speak English,

along with my companion, and the mandrin speaking elders.

We teach on Wednesday's and Fridays!

There was a DUI checkpoint... good thing I passed!

A Letter From a Missionary in California....

Hey there!

It is so hot, by the way. It has been in the 100's all week, and it's not even summer yet! I love my new companion, Sister Anderson! She and I get along really well! She is teaching me a little Portuguese! Just random words though. She was in the Provo MTC for 6 weeks, and her whole district didn't get any of their Visas.

I love study time in the mornings! I get grumpy, when I don't get my full time.... because I love to study from the scriptures! There is so much knowledge to be gained, by studying the scriptures. I also want to be ready, when someone asks me a question, so I can answer it.

We had exchanges this week! My Sister Training Leaders are Spanish speaking! Hermana Nelson came to Eastvale Friday, and I learned a lot from her! She is so hard working! I need to practice talking to people and navigating normal conversations to church conversations.... She also taught me how to drop people... to their faces. It is an important thing to learn!

We helped paint Yvonne's house this week! Her husband loves Nascar, so we painted the wall black and white, like a checkerboard.

I know that this church is true! Christ lives! Rely on  his Atonement and repent everyday! Prepare to meet God. He wants all of us to stand blameless at the judgment seat. Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance!

-Sister Cozzens

Katy with her companion, Sister Anderson, at their adult

session of Stake Conference. 5/2/2015

 

Katy with her MTC companion, Sister Roberts, who:

"Literally is so amazing! I am so glad I get to see her often.

 She is an awesome example and missionary!"

Sister Roberts with her companions