Week #51 (May 30, 2016)

Quotes/Scenes of the week:

1) Totally biffed it doing service this week and cored this big chunk
outta my knee, had to get 5 or 6 stitches. I was pulling a wheelbarrow
full of soil up a grated ramp.

This week was a good one. I feel like we got rejected more this week
than any other in my mission, probably due to the fact that this is a
richer area than before, and white.

Here are some of the neat events that happened this week:

-  My companion went to the temple with some recent converts from his
old area, so I got to exchange for an afternoon with a companionship
in the Garland 6th Spanish branch (my first area in the mission). I
came close to getting emotional on a few separate occasions while I
was there - old sights, places, memories, etc.

-  We received a call randomly one day asking for a blessing at a
hospital in Rockwall. After giving this elderly sister a blessing she
wept thanking us, it was touching.

-  Held a zone meeting on Friday. A member of the mission presidency
came and gave a really heavy duty training about hard work. He talked
about meeting your wife after your mission and being able to tell her
you worked hard. It was intense.

-  Exchanged with the Assistants to President Taylor for a day. I went
with Elder Westover, who is a couple weeks away from finishing his
mission. He had some really great insights for me and advice I will
hold on to.




Spiritual thought:

While on exchanges with the assitants, all 4 of us grabbed some food
at a chicken place. In line for the drinks I introduced myself to this
random guy and told him I am a missionary.

I had to go pick up my food so our conversation ended, but as he left
the place with his wife he stopped and talked to us at our table for
10 or 15 minutes about the church and everything.

He was so impacted by my hello and everything that he had to ask who
we were and all that.

It taught me a neat lesson -- that every little action matters in this
world. The effects of small things ripple out and leave impressions on
others - Alma 37:6.

Love yall to Kolob and Back!
-Elder Cox

Slipped on this grate, took a good chunk outta my knee

5 stitches (later clipped em out with finger nail clippers, just like my finger stitches)

Our district leaders in the Rowlett District Leaders Elders Seipert and Palmer

Kicked a car

It called to me

AP's, Elders Hanson and Westover came on exchanges with us - I was very impressed with Elder Hanson, hard worker

Some additional gems sent by a member

Week #50 (May 23, 2016)

Memorable moments of the week: 

1) We approach the house of a part-member family, they haven't been to church in a while. 

The 3rd eldest son, 20 years old, opens the door in nothing but his boxers and socks, tells us he is atheist, and says we can come back Sunday if we want to meet the younger siblings - whoa. 

2) I walk out of a lesson on Sunday, we just finished teaching a Nigerian family of 7 in their countryside mansion, I say goodbye to the member who accompanied us (a corporate litigation lawyer from Harvard), climb into my Chevy Cruze with my companion, and then it hits me - This is actually happening right now, on my mission. I thought I would be tracting in the amazon and eating bugs for two years, trying to speak clicking language.....

This week has been something else. 

On Tuesday transfer calls come, Elder Fine leaves for Oak Cliff that afternoon. 

I meet my new companion - Elder Bunker - at President's church building in Dallas the same day. 

I find out that my trainee - Elder Brimhall - is in my zone now!

I find out we are no longer covering the Spanish ward (even though Elder Bunker and I are both assigned Spanish speaking - strange).

We move to a different apartment, unpack.

Two days ago, we get a call telling us we are moving - again. 

So, there you have it. Lots of excitement. Elder Bunker and I get along great. He is super chill, which balances out my intensity, and has a good sense of humor. And the coolest kawinkeedink ever, he had the same trainer as me - Elder Manning. 

This is gonna be a killer transfer! 

Love yall to Kolob and back! 

-Elder Cox 

Departing picture with Elder Fine, luckily we ended on good terms 

Mind bomb - my trainer, Elder Manning, and my new comp Bunker in background

Week #49 (May 16, 2016)

Quotes/scenes of the week:

1) Street contact a 50 or 60 year old black guy who has red hair, he
says: "I'm a hundred years old." I said no way man, he says: *dead
serious* "You don't believe me?!?"

After that interesting start to the conversation, he changed his name
to something else, then he spiraled into talking about how "Jesus is
an alien" and how we just need to accept the facts. It was a short
contact.

2) Just prior to meeting the completely insane red-headed, "100-year
old" black man above, we contacted his neighbor while he worked in his
garage.

He told us all about his extremely in depth study of the Bible in
different languages, really quite impressive - hebrew, greek, egyptian
- especially for a regular joe living in garland. Then he went into a
bunch of wacked out doctrines he believes from the bible, the last of
which was about how "Heaven is Uranus", and long story short, also a
short contact.

Other than those two funny contacts, I am not gonna lie, this has been
a really cruddy week, probably the worst of my mission.

It started off incredible where I got to go and take my first temple
trip since the mtc, but after that awesome trip - I have never felt
such strong opposition in my whole mission. Anything and everything
that could hurt the work came at me this week, it was nuts. This week
is proof to me of the "opposition in all things" Alma talks about.

Spiritual thought:

In the gospel essentials class we studied about tithing and Howard W
Hunter had a great quote:  "A testimony of tithing is gained by living it."

I want to expand that to just about any gospel principle. You will
learn of its truthfulness by living it! That's how it happened with me
and the mission rules.

I was just a total robot the first 6 months of the mission following
rules and having no idea why. But after doing that for a little while
(which was super hard) I have begun to gain a huge testimony of living
these rules.

Doesn't mean I live them all perfectly, I made plenty of mistakes this
week alone. But my understanding of and dedication to the rules is
increasing more and more as I strive to live them.

If you want a testimony of the gospel, just live it for a while and
see what happens!

Love this church, love this gospel, love my Savior!

Oh, and I love you all, too

-Elder Cox

(Candid at the temple - my photographer was getting too close)

And some pictures sent by members via text

Helped some members move their baby grand on P-day and they took us to In-N-Out for it

Week #48 (May 9, 2016)
Quotes/Scenes of the Week:

1) "You have 5 seconds to get off my porch." - Less Active member of the church

2) I went on an exchange this week out into the coutryside of East
Texas in Greenville. I go up to shake this guy's hand in his driveway
and he says: "Whoa sorry, just broke my hand..."
Turns his hand over, there is a golf-ball sized lump over his
forefinger knuckle - whoa.

3) "It was Kangaroo!" - Brother White (I think that's his name)
revealing the mystery meat our burgers were made out of at his
dinner/celebration.

That call yesterday lifted me up, it was awesome seeing the whole
family and hearing y'all's voices live. I am so grateful President
invited us to share our testimony with our families, that was really
special. That testimony has grown from a lot of tests and trials on
the mission.

Other than Daxton's man voice and Abbie's grown-up appearance, I
actually don't feel like much has changed.  The Lord has really looked
out for us.

I want to tell you about a new investigator family we just met a
couple days ago. We are teaching them for the 2nd time tonight.

The mother of this family is listening to us for 1 reason and 1 reason
alone. There was 1 cool mormon guy who moved into her high school when
she was sixteen.

He just treated her so kindly, and treated his siblings so kindly, and
held up the church's standards so well, that she decided now (30+
years later) to sit down and hear what the missionaries have to say.

Never underestimate how much people observe us mormons.

Before an investigator asks a question like "Was Joseph Smith
actually a prophet of God?" - months if not years of preparation take
place, bringing them to the point where they even trust you (the
present embodiment of a mormon) enough to ask.

Moral of the soapbox: Be good examples!

I know that this work is God's work. I have felt Him guiding me as I
do it. I have felt His pleasure when I do it the way he asks. He
lives, as well as His Son, Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon will bring
you closer to them than any other book on earth.  Read it!

Love yall to Kolob and Back!
-Elder Cox

Elders Powell and Manning (my Grandfather and Father in the mission) with Elders Bunker and I and our trainees or "sons" (their grand and great-grandkids)

A great view in Greenville, TX

Hermano Nelson Arévalo - our ward mission leader in Rowlett 3 Spanish ward

Elder Manning

Spencer Manning, (center) my trainer (back for a visit), and Elder Brimhall (far right), my trainee!

Mother's Day video shot

Week #47 (May 2, 2016)

Quotes/scenes of the week:

1) "Oh we just couldn't kick those last missionaries out, they would come over for 3 hours at a time those guys!" -One of our less-actives we just discovered in the area we white washed.

2) "We definitely have no interest in being baptized mormon, but we sure love having you guys over! Those last guys spent all kinds of time with us!" - One of the investigators we just discovered in our white-washed area.

3) "OHHH Elder __________ got moved?!?! He was my 'bro'!" - A young woman in the ward we just moved into.

We have a pretty long clean-up ahead of us that the last missionaries left behind (as the disconcerting quotes manifest). Kind of rough.

On top of that not-so-delightful introduction to the work in this area, we had a zone event that came out quasi disastrous, and overall I just feel like I could be doing way better than I am right now. 

Spiritual thought: 

After feeling that way all week and being pretty down-trodden, fast Sunday was a gift from Heaven. The clear answer that I received was simply this:

"You definitely have been coming up way short, but that is what the Plan is here for. That is what I sent my Son for."

I doubt many of you have goofed up as much as I have, but it doesn't matter, the Plan is here for us. The Savior lives. Turn to Him and find help!

Love you all to Kolob and Back!

- Elder Cox