Week #12
 (August 31, 2015)

The weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks.

Quotes of the week:

#1) Slick-backed hair El Salvadorian man fixing his car:
Tells us about a group of kids who beat him up recently, then says
it's fine, Christ suffered worse (everything up to this point in
Spanish), THEN switches to English, gets a psychopathic look in his
eye, grits his teeth, and asks Elder El-Bakri--- "You know what's a
Gorilla?!"  Then one more time, with increased psychoness -- "YOU KNOW WHAT'S A GORILLA?!"
Calmly points to his heart, looks down ... And says: "I'm a gorilla."

#2) 82-year-old Black man with an amazing southern accent:
Sits on the stairs of the small apartment complex we're working in,
speaks in his low voice and asks me all too seriously:
"If Jesus could speak through a jack-a**, he'll speak through a
crack-head... YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?!?!"

Hope you all enjoy the quotes, there's plenty more, but I only wanna
give the Costco sample-size of just how crazy people really are.

That's half the fun of missionary work -- crazy people. The other half
is a great comp. Totally depressing that Elder El-Bakri is getting
transferred out of this area.  We are doing major work and having a
blast. Tomorrow I'll meet my new companion and say goodbye to Elder
Manning who is going home, the trio is no more.

The real beauty of the mission is that your joy doesn't rely on having
fun. Joy here is all about the big picture, how close people are
coming to Christ, how close you're coming to Him, and watching
miracles happen.

Here's one I can share:
We are biking on a bridge over a super shallow river (4 inches deep).
I just stop in the middle, feeling like we need to go see one family.
They live right by the river, but pretty far away. I tell my companions
what I feel, they say boom, let's get it (like any good companions
would), and so we set out to get there as quickly as possible, riding
along the river bank.  As we ride up to the house, I literally catch them at the perfect moment.
She sees us come from the river, I tell her why I turned to come here,
we teach her a lesson, discover that she is best friends with a
member...

It was perfect. We'll be teaching her this week, probably baptizing
her someday this transfer.

Guys, the Spirit is a very real force in my life. It shows me what to
do, it teaches me in hard times, and picks me up when I'm sad.

If you are not a member and don't have it, go get it.

If you are one and you're not worthy of it, go back and get it.

I am so grateful for my membership in this church. I know that it is
true. That it is truly God's church on the earth, with authority to
act in his name. My experiences now and in high school have shown me
that all too many times.

Be good people this week,
Elder Cox

**Address is the same because I'm staying in Garland--McKenzie wins
for sending that rica packaje**