Meet the Cooks

Elder Val and Sister Marsha Cook, of LaVerkin, UT, bring a wealth of experience and energy to their calling as Humanitarian Service missionaries in the West Indies Mission, although “we don’t have a clue as to what we will actually be doing!” says Sister Cook. “We have wanted to serve a mission for many years. However, we wondered if we would be able to because of the expense so had pretty much decided we would just serve local missions. Then I lost my job and with so few opportunities for work available it seemed like the right time to go. We put in for Africa so the WIM was a big surprise!”

Elder Cook, who served a mission to Ohio as a young man, is a highly skilled woodworker who builds beautiful furniture and other heirlooms. He has been in a bishopric, served as an executive secretary, spent many years in the scouting program and most recently in the High Priest Group Leadership. Sister Cook loves to sew, quilt, garden and play with the grandkids. Both taught seminary for several years and Sister Cook has served as a YW president, RS president and Primary president. Most recently she served as the second counselor in her ward’s Young Women’s program and also team-taught the temple preparation class with her husband. Her favorite calling, however, was the time spent as a nursery leader alongside her eternal companion.

The couple met in Alaska – though he is from Idaho and she is from southern Utah – and together they have made a home and reared their family in such faraway places as Alaska, Texas, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Idaho before settling down in her hometown of LaVerkin, Utah.

“No question the hardest part about serving a mission is leaving behind our four children and five grandchildren between the ages of 2 months and 12 years,” states the grandmother. “But we have had numerous miracles which make it possible for us to serve so we are excited to come . . . for the blessings and the adventure.”