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