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