Week #28 (December 21, 2015)

Quotes/funnies of the week:

#1) Some of the funniest black investigators you will ever meet:
*Young daughter just tooted during the lesson*
Mom: "You leave a tootsie roll?!?!?!"

#2) Two girls our age answered the door when we were knocking one day,
and after they rejected us (gigglyingly), they reopened the door and
came after us and asked (gigglyingly): "Do you guys have phone
numbers?!?!"
My companion *without thinking* says: "YAH WE DO!!"
Good thing I lied us outta that one.

#3) Super old Bible basher-
"Did you know that Mormons don't believe in Jesus Christ?"
Me: Actually we do.
Her: "Actually I have studied this church quite a bit, they don't."
Me: *showing her my really official looking ministerial certificate
from the church*                         Actually, we do.

#4) Older lady in the Spanish ward tells a story, where the two
biggest answers to the biggest questions were "a tongue"...
Right when she finishes telling the story her very old mother (who is
pretty hard of hearing) blurts out *super loud*:
"WHAT WAS THE FIRST ONE?"
"It was a tongue!"
"WHAT WAS THE SECOND ONE?"
"It was a tongue!"

This week has been great. Lots of success teaching and finding, so
that is exciting. Definitely been receiving the answers to prayers out
here in Mesquite.

BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grandma Karen!

Spiritual thought:

My Old Testament study out here has had me thinking a lot.

In the mission field and even the church in general, there are a lot
of "outward observances" a lot like the Law of Moses.

The Outward Religious observances of our lives are important, like as
a missionary, you always wear a nametag for everyone to see, with the
church's name on it.

But President Taylor has been teaching a lot about PRO, which stands for

-Personal
-Religious
-Observances

and (fittingly) it also stands for Pray.Read.Obey.

So be PRO's this week, and be just as dedicated to the Lord in your
room alone as you are in Sunday School. That is wear testimonies are
built.

-Elder Cox

Week #27 (December 14, 2015)

Quotes of the week:

#1) Roy - one of our investigators (and just a real interesting dude
all around) with a great, slow southern drawl:
"I read that part of the Book of Mormon in Nephi chapter 2... It was a
lot of 'loins' man... loins, loins, loins..., but the next chapter
was really good."

#2) Darryl Thompson - investigator who was playing college football,
about 320 lbs and my height, and who now does roadside assistance
(describing a house):
"I walk up into this house, look around, and I think.. 'Man, y'all
GOT YA OWN ZIP CODE up in hur?!?!'"

Another funny story came to my mind:
Darryl was telling me about a roadside assistance call he got, and
some lady locked herself in the car and wouldn't unlock it, and his
crazy little brother David says:

"I thought man, let's call the PO-lease, this ladee got a MEN-tull PROB-lum."

#3) Bill Nivons - a super humble guy we found tracting. He's a little
baptist guy, with super simple faith in God, talking to us about his
church:
"My Sundee School teacher says that y'all Mormons aren't going to
heaven, but I think ya are."


Christmas party week was awesome in our English ward, lots of good
food and a stellar primary Nativity performance at the end of the
night.

Then the next day we had 5 investigators at church, blessins' on blessins'.

Word to the wise, missions are really tiring, but they are super
awesome, so they're worth it.

The biggest battle on the mission is really against yourself. Just
trying to tell the "natural man" to be quiet and discipline yourself
into being diligent, loving, patient, and most of all - obedient.

Spiritual thought:

I've been thinking a lot about my own testimony the last couple of
weeks and months, where it's at, how I got it, how it's grown, etc.

I realize that my own experiences with personal revelation defy
the rest of the experiences in my life.

At the end of the day, the things I "know'" through personal revelation
are the only things I actually "know"  for sure. Everything else that I
"know" is based on some pretty solid assumptions, but doesn't compare
in value to the things I know through revelation.

The things I know through revelation are: the truth of the church, the
reality of the calling of Joseph Smith, and that Jesus Christ lives
and loves us.

Past that, the other parts of my testimony, my other worldly
knowledge, etc. is strong, but it's not the whole package deal.

-Elder Cox

early Christmas present from self-interested parents who like easily written letters

taken at new convert's house

Week #26 (December 7, 2015)

Quotes of the week:

#1) Totally crazy dude on his porch *accompanied by dramatic hand motions*
"You know when you got your intellectual over here, and your soldier
over here, and your spiritual in the middle?!"

#2) Baptist convert giving her testimony this Sunday:
"I'm gonna be honest, I'm having a culture crisis in the church, I
just wanna shout 'Halelujah!' and (pointing behind her) CAN I GET
SOME DRUMS?!"

#3) Another Baptist convert during Sunday school:
"Mmmmm I luh me sum Jesus!"

This week was a long one, every now and then you get a little sad in
the mission. But I know this next one will be a bit brighter, there's
always hope and happiness ahead, just like Holland says.

We have some great people really progressing towards baptism, I'll
send pictures of there services here in a few weeks, but until then,
just keep praying for Roy, Hazel, Jackie, Shaqueeta, Oscar, José, and
The Aldrege family- they are so close!

Miracle of the week:
One of our investigators who is preparing for baptism shared an
amazing experience.

She said she came home one day and her mom was watching an anti-Mormon
documentary, she started yelling at her and berating the church.

She said she just started praying that her mom would calm down, and
then, her mom just chilled out. Like completely calmed down right in
front of her. She said it literally was like an instantaneous thing,
really dramatic.

I can honestly say I've seen and been a part of miracles in the
mission field. I've said things in blessings and made promises in
lessons I can't support logically, but they happen.

Truly my witness of this gospel doesn't come from those, though. My
witness of the gospel is the same it was when I was a 14 year old who
prayed about it for the first time.

I know that our Savior lives, I know Joseph Smith was another one of
his prophets.

Be good this week!

-Elder Cox

With new companion, Elder Maxwell

**an additional experience he shared in his family email

I can honestly say that we experienced a miracle this last week.

I was driving home and approaching the freeway when I felt that we shouldn't get onto the freeway. So I kinda swerved out of our lane going to the on ramp and kept going towards a part of the area I've never seen. Felt prompted to turn onto another random street.

I stopped and pointed to a random house and said' "we are gonna knock this door."

Some random guy named Jeremy we'd never met came out. He knew quite a bit about the church, had been before, and told us he was just thinking about coming back recently, and committed to come to church. As he told us all of that info my jaw literally dropped. Amazing.

With the way the work is, I've had a lot of those prompting experiences having to do with knocking or teaching a specific principal.  The Spirit is a real thing.

I know that this week he will work with me to get me more energy and more happiness in the work.

I know that this work is God's, the sacred truths of the Gospel are so special and unique. Enjoy them and study them daily!

-much love
Elder Cox 

Week #25 (November 30, 2015)

Quotes of the week:
"Elder Riggs will be replacing Elder Langford as Assistant."
(I teased him saying that would happen for 3 months while I lived in
the same apartment).  Elder Riggs in fact being made Assistant.  I'm clairvoyant.

One of our part-member families we're working with - her husband tells us
this when we ask him what's keeping him from baptizing his wife:
"I need to lose this weight first. I can't go into the font looking like this."

Happy thanksgiving everyone, I hope it was great, mine was awesome with two dinners,
both from my new Spanish Ward (I'm covering an English one as well).
First we ate American food, then we ate El Salvadorean turkey. Both were delicious.

This new area is huge.  I'm in Mesquite, TX. We cover parts of Dallas,
Mesquite, and Balch Springs. We are in a car- which is the most
depressing thing ever. Nothing beats the bike life.

Elder Maxwell, my new comp, is awesome. Hilarious little dude who is
strong on obedience and wants to work hard with me!

Here's me and the Cuban maintenance man from my last apartment- hardest goodbye there was.


Spiritual thought:  our restored knowledge of the Plan of Salvation makes the Savior and his role so much larger in our lives.  The Plan of Salvation answers questions like - why did Jesus come? What would happen without him? Why would that happen? 
Be good this week!

New address is:
913 W Cartwright #102
Mesquite, TX 75149

Awesome Cuban Maintenance Guy at our Garland Apt.