Our family has had a pretty exciting week. It has been great to have parents/grandparents in the MTC. It brings back a flood of great memories. I definitely remember being worn out at night after all of the long days of language and spiritual training.

Saturday Jenny and I went to a Elder’s Quarom social and the Brother that spoke was great, Brother Richie. He was a great guy and has some fun stories. His mission President was Elder David B. Haight and he gave him three words of advice when he returned from his mission (I realize its a little late for Grandma and Grandpa, but I found these interesting):

1. Get an education.

2. Make a name for yourself…

3. …, so that you can be used (by the Lord).

Brother Richie combined those ideas with those of a successful businessman who said the key to his success was simple:

1. Get up early.

2. Work hard.

3. Find oil. meaning different things to different people, for example for Sandy “oil” might be the opportunity to buy Zions stock, for Humble it might be his new machine…

Anyway, Brother Richie combined those principles and applied them to his life and he was able to be “used” by the Lord through-out his life and at a relatively young age.

Sorry for the lecture but I thought those were principles worthy of passing along. I would also like to point out that when I attended the “Get Motivated” seminar nothing they said there was as powerful as what Brother Richie lectured, accompanied with the spirit on Saturday night.

Well I’ve rambled long enough, but real quick the girls are constantly praying for the missionaries and for Grandma and Grandpa Cook. We all love you and miss you and are so glad that you are serving the Lord, and are able to be “used”. Thanks for the wonderful examples and thanks for sharing your experiences from the mission field, we love to feel the missionary spirit that accompanies each experience.

Love, the Heber Cooks