Week 34

Miracle this week!!! I made cookies and did not burn them!!! Woo!  We've been making some cookies and brownies for the ward members so they want to come out and teach with us!  Genius right?  This week was a really great week.  We are trying to change how we do missonary work and that is to work with members!  So we have really just gone through a lot of planning with our new ward mission leader and it is going to be sooo cool!!  I'm pumped!  So super funny story, but it's a missionary story so I'm warning you right now... So last preparation day after we had written we were so hungry, so we went to costco for pizza!  As we were driving home we couldn't wait to eat so we started eating in the car.  The windows are down and I have to call someone on the phone, so I am not paying attention.  My companion elder Tolley sticks his hand out the window while I start rolling it up.  He goes hey hey hey! but doesn't remove his hand from the window!!  I wind up rolling his hand up in the window as he yells HEY MY HAND IS CAUGHT right as the people on the other end pick up the phone!  We just about die laughing, the ppl on the other end are so confused, Elder Tolley says, that has been my worst fear ever since I was little and now it happened!  His reaction was priceless... Soo funny....... then I found 5 dollars.........

So spiritual out pouring of the week, Sacrament Meeting.  I am not going to tell you the story that he shared, but just know.  The Atonement is real.  Go to sacrament meeting next sunday, ask God to help you with whatever your struggle might be and He will.  After Sacrament we had the opportunity to watch 12 steps to change with a family that is addicted to alcohol.  We meet with a boy named Kevin.  He is 18 years old and he cannot go to sleep without drinking alcohol.  When he and his sister were little, their grandma would offer them alcohol.  He would drink.  She would not.  They have an older brother named Carlos.  He is about 24 and just got out of jail.  He asks Kevin, his little brother to drink with him.  Kevin wants to be a good example their youngest brother, but does not know where to start.  As we are talking, their step dad walks in drunk.  Kevin tells us that the thing that motivates him to make it though the work day is knowing that he can have a drink in the evening.  This problem with alcohol started when they were very young.  I look at my life and look how fortunate I am not to have to of delt with the problems that alcohol brought because my family set the example when we were young that Alcohol is dangerous.  It dulls senses, increases anger, and brings a number of health problems.  I feel so bad for my friend Kevin.  He is such a great kid.  Is there anyway out?  Yes and it is though the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  If one has the desire to change their life and ask him for help, I can promise, he can and will make all the difference.  I did not know how real addictions were until I came out here and meet so many great people that hide their addictions from whomever it may be.  But the thing that i told kevin is, you can lie to me, your family, your friends, even yourself, but there is one you cannot lie to and that is God.  He know us personally and he sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us.  I know this gospel is so true or else I would not give 2 years of college, of dating, of my family and of my life than to help these ppl, to let them know that God is real.  That He is there when we need him the most and even when we don't need him.  If any of you or anyone you know struggles from addiction, their are programs, and videos that are labeled 12 steps to change.  Watch em.  I have watched ppl struggle from smoking and the way that they gained their testimony of whether god was true is by reading the book of mormon everytime they had a craving.  This is the way that they knew this book was from God and not from a man.  It helped them stop, live free and clean!  The book of mormon works miracles!! I love you all and feel of the spirit every day!  Hope you have a great week!

Elder Cornejo