California Dreamin': January 2014

And, finally, #3:

The Apple did not fall from the tree.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Hmmmm...what to write about this week. It was kinda an average week, in that we had some highs and some lows. The high was that we got the Spanish elders moved in next door so we basically have a four man apartment without all the drama of living in a four man. We also had Zone Conference where we talked a lot about setting goals with faith and planning with inspiration. You just need to put your whole trust in God and allow to work miracles in your life. And how? Just as the people of Alma did: "...they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him." With that in mind, President Wilson extended a challenge for the mission: to have 50 baptisms mission-wide for the month of March. So these next few weeks are going to be hopefully teaching and baptizing like crazy!!!

The lows in the week though, we didn't get our iPads like we were hoping during Zone Conference, and we haven't been able to get our investigators with a date to church, they are really struggling health-wise and haven't been able to make it at all. Satan is working overtime out here. But the Lord's work cannot be hindered and the missionaries will triumph, for the Lord has said, "...whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand."

This next week lots of things planned, as well as transfer calls this Saturday, so next week will be a longer email I promise.

Love you all and hope you have an awesome week,

Elder Cox

Update #2:

Elders -1, Ministers - 0

Monday, January 6, 2014

This week we had a "discussion" with a minister from a different religion. It was mainly him telling us that we are following a false God and that he need to repent and come unto the true Christ. He said many things that were very slanderous and clearly false, so I think he was just trying to get us angry. But I'm glad to report that Elder Carper and I kept our cool and testified when we could. Unfortunately, he ignored my companion's testimony and threw mine back in my face. Through it all though, I found myself very peaceful (well, for the most part) and I was amazed looking back on it why that was when I very easily could have torn him apart with words then beat him to a pulp. Then I remembered a verse that I had read that morning during studies in 1Nephi 15: "...and whoso would hearken unto the word of God," meaning the scriptures, "and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." That minister was throwing lots of darts at us, but none of them were penetrating the armor that I had put on that morning. I guess studies do more than give us knowledge, they literally protect us from the "shafts in the whirlwind." So ultimately we "won" the discussion, because our arguments didn't contradict themselves and we never told a lie.

I have also had a headache for the past few days because Elder Carper keeps asking me deep doctrinal questions, that force me to think about eternity. And whenever I do that and think about infinity my mind starts reeling and I feel so insignificant in comparison to the rest of God's creations. But through it all I remember what Nephi said when confronted with ideas and concepts beyond his comprehension: "I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." It's okay to not understand all aspects of the Gospel, or even of life in general. All we really need to concern ourselves with it our role in the plan and how to accomplish what our Father in Heaven has in store for us.

I love you all and hope that you have an awesome week!

Elder Cox

I got in trouble yesterday for not updating Ethan's blog. So here we go...

And A Happy New Year!

Monday, December 30, 2013

I hope you all had as merry a Christmas as I did! It was great to see my family again and to hear how much my younger brother's voice has dropped. And saying goodbye wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. In fact after I got off Skype with them, I felt invigorated and had a new determination to be better and try harder, instead of depressed and wishing I could go back to them.

We (Elder Carper and I) also had a chance to spend some time with some investigators on Christmas and make some German potatoes (which are basically funeral potatoes) and spread the Christmas cheer with them. They are really pressed for cash so that was our present to them.

On Friday we went on exchanges with Elder Angles and Gilles which was a blast! I got to go to the Spanish area and play the "dumb gringo" card a lot. What I found interesting was that when people learned that I didn't speak Spanish, they would use what little English they knew to try and include me. Unfortunately, I can't do the same for them: I know some Spanish words and I can pick up the gist of a conversation, but to try and speak it is above my pay grade at the moment. Though I am realizing more and more how convenient it would be to know Spanish out here, if nothing else to ask if they would want Spanish Elders to stop by. But there's still time to figure out the phrasing and I've been around Spanish Elders my whole mission and from the looks of things, I still will be at the rate the work is going.

In light of the New Year, I want to share President Uchtdorf's remarks last conference that I find very applicable to this time of year:

"If we see healthy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see these choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding."

So set goals that you want, not ones that you feel you are required to do. When you change and improve yourself with a willing heart, then that change lasts longer than if you are compelled to change.

I love you all and will talk to you in 2014!!!

Elder Cox