Temple Trips, Exchanges,and Sister Reeves :)

February 22, 2016

Why hello there!

This is Sister Cozzens, and I am doing just fantastic! (I'm working on being more enthusiastic). I am doing pretty well, except we did crossfit with our mission president, and he whoops our butts every time. So we are all pretty dead and tired. I am for sure going to be sore tomorrow. #nolongeraswimmer

We went to the temple on Tuesday last week! The temple matron, after our session, told us to come back next week. We were like "we wish we could," because really, I would go as often as I want. The temple is AMAZING. 

Sister Cozzens and Sister Bedingfield at the 

Redlands Temple

Sister Bedingfield is doing sooo good! She is an awesome teacher, and it is so cool to see how much the Lord helps her improve every day. I love her :)

I went on exchanges this last week with Sister Moore! She is companions with my grand-daughter (Sister Roberts 2) and with Sister Garlitz! :) They are serving in the Valle Vista ward and it was so good to be back! I miss Hemet! :( But I am grateful for our amazing AP's who give us the best exchange assignments! S/o to them! Anyway, Sister Moore and I decided to surprise my recent convert Sister Stark! She was so excited to see me, and she is doing so well!! The church is true everyone, it changes lives! I also got to see the wonderful ghettoness of Hemet again. It is so humble and it is great! :) I also saw a great family-the Wuehlers. They fed us dinner. 

Sister Cozzens on exchange with Sister Moore

Sister Stark

Wuehler Family

Sister Reeves also paid us a visit! We had a multi-stake women's conference and it was so good! I saw a bunch of members from Eastvale, and it was awesome to meet Sister Reeves (hopefully my mom attaches the picture)! I love the leaders of the church! They are fantastic, and I know that they have all been called of God to lead and guide us back to our Heavenly Father's presence. Giving heed to their counsel will secure for us the blessings that the Lord has in store for us. SO LISTEN! 

Christ lives! 

Have a fantabulous week.

Love, Sister Cozzens

The sister missionaries with Sister Reeves, 

Second Councelor in the General Relief 

Society Presidency

Simone Bradford with Sisters Cozzens and 

Bendingfield, "Totally love having your daughter

in our ward."

NEW COMPANION

February 16, 2016

Hello there!

New transfer! New companion! Sister Bedingfield from Riverton, Utah! She is fresh from the MTC, and it is awesome to have the new missionary fire in the area! We need it! Can't get stuck in the trunk. ;)

 It has been really cool to see our investigator develop a relationship with our Father in Heaven. Last week, we followed up on his Book of Mormon reading, and he hadn't done it. His progress was stopped. When we don't do the things that the Lord asks us to do, the Spirit stops. I am looking forward to meeting with him this week to help resolve his concern of reading daily. It will bless his life!!!

Our investigators have a chameleon--it wanted to climb on my head. They also fed us crab, muscles, and shrimp! My first ever experience with muscles and crab! The mussels were super slimy..... but the crab was super good, and it was fun breaking it apart.  

We are having a hard time finding smartly. We work in a tough area. I know that there are people here that are prepared, but I don't know where to find them. The Lord knows where they are! I think that they are the friends of members.

We had a great week! Our mission president has been focusing on getting everyone's numbers to go up, and just a few weeks ago, we had 0's in a few categories, and now they are going up. President Mullen is so great. I am grateful for his council and revelation.

Two of our investigators came to church! We had a regional broadcast with all of Southern California on Sunday, including Oregon, Hawaii, British Columbia, and I think there might have been a few others. It was a broadcast from Salt Lake. It was so good. I am so grateful for the leaders of the church. Elder C. Scott Grow spoke on helping us stay true to the faith. Something he said that I really liked: "Not only are you commanded to READ, PRAY, AND ATTEND CHURCH, but you are commanded to FEAST UPON THE WORD OF CHRIST, PRAY WITH ALL THE ENERGY OF HEART, (and something about church and our renewal of our covenants at church)." The Spirit was so strong during the broadcast. There is a feeling that we need to prepare for the Second Coming. We need to be true to the faith. This gospel is not passive. Everything needs to be focused on putting the Lord's Kingdom first, completely, wholeheartedly. The Lord wants all of His children to remain in His presence. I know that living the gospel standards and being obedient are so important to our salvation. I am so grateful for this gospel. Start preparing now!!

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sister Cozzens

Sister Cozzens and Sister Bedingfield meet for the 1st time

A luncheon for the new arriving missionaries 

and their companions. Sister Cozzens is at the 

end of the line.

'New missionary' training session

Sister Cozzens received a sock monkey for 

Valentine's Day from her family

CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE!!!

It's That Time Again....

February 8, 2016

Transfers everybody!

I am staying in Canyon Crest! Thank goodness! Such a good ward! Sister Garlitz is going to my previous area, Hemet!!!! I love Hemet and she is going to be a companion to my grand-daughter!
Sister Turner is my daughter, because I trained her, and then she trained too! So the family got bigger! I am also training a new missionary! :) So it's getting even bigger! I am really excited, I love training. It'll be tough taking over the area and training, but the Lord will help me. My stripling warrior (new missionary) isn't the sister coming from Australia. She still hasn't gotten her visa yet... :/ My mission president told me that the earliest that she would get it would be the end of March. Pray for her to get her visa! :)

Something else amazing happened. When I got on the computer this morning, I saw that my recent convert, Matthew had emailed me! I haven't heard from him since June, last year! He is doing so good! Guys, the gospel changes people's lives! He loves the Book of Mormon, and he has been sharing it with his classmates too. I am so grateful for this gospel and the impact it has on people's lives. It's amazing to see the change. God is so good :)

We met with our investigator, Dakota, last Monday. He had told us that he had prayed everyday the week before and that he felt happier when he prayed. :) It is amazing to see how the impact of the small, simple, and sincere steps that we take lead us closer to God. Prayer is so simple, and yet it is such a blessing and a gift given to us to communicate with our Heavenly Father. It is actually a commandment. As we pray with sincerity of heart, we invite the Spirit into our lives. We are able to receive guidance, direction, and truth in our lives. I am so grateful for the gospel and the small and simple steps that we have been commanded to take. I know that prayer is a gift from our Heavenly Father. I know that we can receive answers to our prayers, if we pray with intent, meaning we are willing to act on the answer that we receive. Heavenly Father knows the intent of our heart. Strengthen your desire to receive guidance in your life by acting. Read God's word, pray everyday, and attend church every week. You will begin to develop a relationship with our Father and feel of His love for you daily. 

Love,
Sister Cozzens

A photo sent to us from Lisa Bell, Canyon Crest Ward

member. "We just had the pleasure of feeding your 

beautiful girls dinner. They are so sweet and such a

blessing to our ward. Thank you for sending them to us!"

Sister Springer (Sister Cozzens' mission sister) spent 

the day with her and Sister Garlitz 

The name of the ward Sister Cozzens  is 

serving in--Canyon Crest

The girl in between Sister Garlitz and Sister Cozzens 

is Sierra, a great ward member. Sister Cozzens says,

 "Go out with the missionaries!"

Sister Cozzens said: "We wanted to show off for all 

y'all in Utah who are being snowed on...It was 

85 degrees yesterday! (February 7) Heh, heh, heh."

Grace for Grace

February 1, 2016

Hi!

Another week has flown by! I love this ward! Transfers are next week, and I am nervous for what is going to happen. :( I just want to take these people with me! But I am excited to see what will happen! Change is always good! This transfer has been a great one, and the work doesn't stop at the end of a transfer!

Our investigator, Lake, is 9 years old. He is getting baptized on the 21st of February! We are super excited, and he and his mom are too. I love helping God's children find their way back to the path! 

I can't remember what happened this week.... But it is amazing how much you change on the mission. I've noticed the Lord's hand not only in my life, but in the missionaries around me. Revelation is real! Our mission president (whom I love!), the assistants, and the beloved MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) have been discussing, the last couple of meetings, what will help the missionaries improve. It is so amazing seeing us work together. The inspiration that we have received and then teach to the missionaries is making a difference. Missionaries all over the mission are improving, and I know that it is because of their hard work, diligence, and obedience. It is so cool to be a part of improving the work, and I am so grateful to watch the aftermath of it all. God is so good. :) 

Study D&C 93 about grace for grace, it's amazing! We can receive God's fullness grace for grace as we are obedient! :)

Have a great week! Every member is a missionary!

Love, 

Sister Cozzens

The Sisters ran out of car miles so #bikelife!

(Is it safe to take a selfie while riding a bike?!!)

Sister Cozzens with her sweet STL companion

A ward member found a dog that was pregnant. She has

ten puppies! Sister Cozzens almost sent one home... :)