When Verl and Gloria Cook arrived earlier this year as missionaries in Swaziland, a small kingdom in southeastern Africa, their testimonies had already preceded them.
In 1977, they had begun to send eight to 10 copies of the Book of Mormon each month with their written testimonies to Elder Cook's sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Kenneth Edwards, who were then serving as full-time missionaries in Swaziland.In 1988, when Elder and Sister Edwards were interviewed for missionary service, they did not mention they already had connections in Africa. They were delighted with their call to the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, where they initially served in the Benoni area.
Then came the eventful day when they were transferred to Swaziland. During the first sacrament meeting they attended, branch Pres. Larry Brown asked that all the members who had copies of the Book of Mormon sent by Verl and Gloria Cook to please stand up. The Cooks were amazed to see that half the congregation stood.
Then, to the surprise and delight of the congregation, Pres. Brown asked the Cooks to stand. Amid great excitement, the branch president announced that the Cooks, who had sent their testimonies to the branch for more than a year, were now full-time missionaries in Swaziland. After the meeting, members crowded around the missionary couple, thrilled to have the opportunity to meet the pair who had contributed so much to their own Church membership and testimonies.
Since arriving in Swaziland, Elder and Sister Cook have baptized two members and are teaching 10 more.