Week #52 (June 6, 2016)

I guess this is my year mark email. Friday my mission will be halfway done. 

Here is a short list of some of the most memorable things from my first year in Dallas: 

-Immediately feeling like Pres and Sister Taylor were my parents when I walked off the plane into Dallas

-Dripping sweat after 10 minutes outside the airport

-Elder Manning and Elder El-Bakri, my trainers, starting mission out right, setting great examples of obedience and hard work, they will forever be legends to me

-Face-planting with a 10 lb bible in a bike wreck my very first day

-Laying down on the sidewalk in front of the complex of our best investigator, Erika - waiting to die - while zone leaders were on their way to pick me up and take me to the hospital

-Elder Cluff (my first zone leader), getting me an ice cream sandwich on our exchange together in his area 

-Elder Manning face-planting in the algae that was growing in the storm drain (on the last day of his mission)

-Contacting the crazy dude from El Salvador who told us he was "A GORILLA" 

-Training Elder Stowe, the most humbling experience ever 

-Elder Riggs just in general, that guy totally changed my life

-Elders Baldwin, Riggs, and I experiencing a miracle that lead to finding Ana Perla (who was baptized after we all left)

-Training Elder Brimhall, he taught me more than I ever taught him (he is now a district leader in my zone, such a stud-muffin)

-The Garcia, Fuentes, Lopez, and Morales families - 4 families in the G6 Spanish branch who will forever hold a special place in my heart, they treated me like their son

-Wanting to cry when the assistants called and asked me to pack up and leave Garland

-Running door to door with Elder Maxwell in the most explosive transfer of my mission in Skyline and Rio-Trinidad, and just collapsing asleep while he said the closing prayer on planning at night time 

-Teaching and dropping Zita Morales our "golden street contact"

-Meeting and teaching Christy Taylor with Sister Rasmussen (an investigator and member from the Skyline ward)

-A real interesting transfer with Elder Fine where I learned some of the most valuable lessons of my life, wouldn't trade it for the world

-Eating squirrel at a zone meeting 

Well, there is more, a lot more, but of all these experiences, the biggest thing I will take home with me from the 1st year of my mission is my testimony, that is the one thing I will definitely not be able to forget, no matter how old I get. 

I know that Jesus Christ actually lives and loves us. He is not just a good influence or a good story to calm our fears, he is actually out there, resurrected, and actively participating in our earthly experiences,. I know that. 

I know that the same Jesus Christ I mentioned above and His Father (Our Father) in Heaven appeared to the 14 year old Joseph Smith in 1820.  I know that. 

My only fear is not living up to these great truths, and as I pondered on that fear this week in studies and thought about "leveling out" or "leaving regrets" in the 2nd half of my mission, I realized that the only way I could avoid it was through Christ. He is the only one who can carry me to the finish line of my mission. My energy ran out 4 months ago anyways. 

Love y'all to Kolob and Back! Keep me in your prayers, and I'll keep you in mine! 

-Elder Cox