Dear Family!
Another week has come and gone, and it really has been a special one! So blessed to be out here on a mission. Everyday I have a moment when I just stop and think, how am I so lucky? I really have been so blessed to see so many miracles on my mission already, and I can't wait to see more. It is crazy to me to think that I really am here serving in Japan. There are so many things that are so overwhelming as a missionary, but there are so many more things that bring so much joy that the overwhelming times are not even a big deal. I have definitely had hard times..but I forget those times when I get to feel the joy of someone coming closer to Jesus Christ. It is the most incredible feeling ever.
So this week was a great week of work, just a really good week to be a missionary! One of the highlights of the week was going on exchanges with my old buddy Elder Hall. It was so much fun to work with him again! He was able to come back to Sanjo and we were able to see some people that he hasn't seen for a while like Brother Y___ and it was way fun! Elder Hall is such an incredible missionary and such a good example to me..I really have learned so much from him and it's so fun when we get the chance to work together! We really have become really close even from just one transfer being together! Love Elder Hall, such a good friend!
But, after exchanges we were able to have a party for my birthday! It was actually really awesome. Our recent convert Sister M_____ actually set it all up to happen after Eikaiwa, and so at around 8 we had a little party! They were all so nice to set it up and have it for me! Everyone pitched in and got me a really nice tie! It's a slim tie, they know me;)haha but it was so great! It was so incredible to me that they would have a party for me! So much fun we had such a great time. So it was the week of my birthday, and I was lucky enough to have the best birthday present ever and have General Conference on my birthday! It was seriously so amazing! Seriously, I have never been so spiritually uplifted as I was this weekend! We got to go to Niigata to watch it, and so we hopped on a train in the morning to head to Niigata, and watched it from 12:00-6:00. We had our recent convert Brother W_____ and our less active Brother Y____come and it was so fun to talk to them in between sessions. We were upstairs watching it with all the missionaries in English..and they had it downstairs in Japanese. They really thought that it was good and I just absolutely loved it. Such an amazing conference wasn't it? Just like President Monson said, one of the most amazing he has ever been to! I would have to agree..way good!
So as far as the first birthday in the mission field went..it was way good! Seriously..I don't know how it could have gone any better! It was so fun and everyone was so nice. I was so blessed to have so many people show so much love to me! The Japanese people are really so full of love..It amazes me everyday how blessed I am to get to serve such a loving people for to years. Really how lucky am I? I also have to say how lucky I am having such an amazing family for sending me an amazing package this week. Seriously? I am way to loved..way too lucky! Thank you so much for all the love that I have received! I can barely handle it. Thank you. It makes the work so much better when you know you have amazing people supporting you back home.
This week really was one of the best in the mission. I am really growing everyday as a missionary, in the language, and just as a person in general. That is one of the biggest things I pulled from General Conference. There were so many things and there are so many ways that I can improve in. I have all these goals I have set and all these things I want to do and become not only as a missionary but for my entire life. It has really helped me realize the person I want to be. I know that the most happiness we can ever feel in this life is following the teachings of our leaders and of Jesus Christ. As we do these things, and implement them in our lives, we will be so much happier. I know this. I have seen it! I am lucky to be on a mission so that I can really focus on these things for 2 years, strengthen them, and share them with these people! It is great. I hope that everyone loved conference, I know that I really did!
Well I am so blessed. Thank you all for everything! You have made my last week a very good one and I loved it. Thank you for all the support and love you send me every week, it inspires me! I love you all with all of my heart, and I will talk to you soon!
With all my love,
Elder Cottle
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