Mi familia I love you. It is awesome here. I have two companions. Both are going with me to Retalhuleu. Elder Heaps is from St. George. He is 19 years old. Elder Menon is 24 and from Bountiful. Elder Meono's dad is from San Marco Guatemala, that's really cool. I wonder if Delores Jasmer, my Spanish teacher, knows his family? Mission president is great. Zone leaders are friendly and wonderful. I meet with Branch President tonight and I am excited about that. The food is wonderful. I get fruits, veggies, main dish, and all the juice and chocolate milk I want. I love it. The spirit is strong here and I have seen the importance of having it to teach and learn. I am working harder to have it. Want to hear my purpose as a missionary in Spanish? Here it is. Invitar a las personas a venir a Cristo al ayudarlas a que reciban el evangelio restaurado mediante la fe en Jesu Cristo y Su expiacion, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo la recepcion del don del Espiritu Santo y perseverar hasta el fin. Learned today how to testify in Spanish too. If you can't figure out what I said then I can tell you, but I want to see if you can figure it out. Things are going well here. I'm happy and I'm learning lots. Next time I write I might be able to do most of it in Spanish, we'll see. I want to tell you how much I love you and appreciate you. I want to say I know this work will bless our family and strengthen us. I love my district presidency. President Krueger called me as a senior companion for a week here at the MTC and on top of that he called me to be the district leader. He says he knows I will do great as a missionary and a leader. It's a little stressful cause there is lots of info and its very new but I'm excited and I pray for help. One of the wifes of the district presidency said she knows I'll do great. Learning lots of Spanish muy rapido but I like it. Love you all again, and I will write next Wednesday on P-day.
Love,
Elder Cox
Monday, February 28, 2011
First Companions
Companions
Elder Heaps from Saint George and Elder Meono from Bountiful.
They will be going to Retalhuleu also.
Elder Heaps from Saint George and Elder Meono from Bountiful.
They will be going to Retalhuleu also.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Farewell Talk
Come Unto Me
A scripture I recently read during my personal study comes to mind right now. It is from Mosiah chapter 2. “For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me…” I realize King Benjamin was saying this because he was real old, whereas I am only saying it because I am a little nervous and sweaty from speaking in front of so many people. The Lord does support me and I think this talk will go well. With that said, here we go.
I am privileged to have this opportunity to stand up here and be able to share my thoughts and feelings about the gospel. This has been a very exciting time in my life. Originally several years ago I did not have a desire to go on a mission, for some reason I could not see the blessings and growth I would experience from going on one. My life was in a place where I did not really know what I wanted. I did not know what I was doing and felt an emptiness. The temporary moments that I thought I had happiness were not really happiness. Something was missing. However, as the years passed I matured and things happened in my life that I will be forever grateful for. I began to notice that people who are very dear to me have something more; they have happiness, a glow. Some very close people started going back to church and their life was improving. I thought, “If they can do it I can too.” I accepted the personal invitation to “Come unto Christ.” Now my life is so blessed. I have purpose and real joy. I am able to enjoy the peace and strength of going to the temple. And I have been blessed to receive a call to serve a mission in Guatemala.
This has been a very special time for my family and I. Especially my grandparents and my mother. My grandpa and nana have five daughters. None of their daughters went on missions and my uncles had already returned from missions by the time they married my aunts. I am the first grandson in the family and the first one to go on a mission. I am so grateful I have been able to be ordained in the priesthood by my grandpa and I look forward to sharing our mission stories together. I can set the example for my family and loved ones to follow the Lord.
On the cover of Preach My Gospel it quotes from 3 Nephi 27:20 the overall purpose of missionary work, “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost.” In the Bible and the Book of Mormon there are many scriptures which say “Come unto Christ.”
Invitation
The entire purpose of the Church is to invite all to come unto Christ. Doctrine and Covenants 20:59 is an example of this, Church members should “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.” Elder V. Dallas Merrell explained that the invitation to all includes “prospective elders, all less-active members, and all un-baptized family members. All includes the unendowed, those who are not sealed, those young men not ordained at the appropriate age, those without current temple recommends. All includes families, adults, young men, young women, children, all members and nonmembers now living, and all who have lived or who will yet be born into mortality in this earth. All means all.” Countless people have been given this invitation. I’m sure they like myself cannot imagine what their life would be like had they not been given this invitation. It is something I am so grateful for. Even though I grew up in the Church the invitation did not truly mean something to me until I was older. For me it was not given with words. It was the example of others in my life and after looking more closely at the lives of those around me I did a close inspection of my life. For others the invitation needs to be a bit more direct.
Elder Merrell says that to invite with “Will you?” evokes a yes or no answer and causes a person to use their moral agency. Individual moral agency is at the heart of Heavenly Father’s plan. The War in Heaven was fought over the principle of agency, and a third part of the sons and daughters of Heavenly Father made a different decision than our Father would have preferred. Will you is not a challenge, it is not forceful, and it is not met with a condition. It is an invitation to all that causes a person to say yes or no. How can the people who answer yes come unto Christ?
How to come unto Christ
Every person that is baptized makes a covenant to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ in all things and in all places. The purpose of our witness is to invite others to come unto Christ. In Mosiah chapter 18 there are additional ways we come unto Christ besides being a witness. They include: bear one another’s burdens, being willing to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those in need of comfort. Can you imagine how much better this world would be if everyone was willing to do these things to others? These actions can also show our faith in Jesus Christ. This is the first principal of the gospel.
Preach my gospel states that having faith in Christ includes having a firm belief that He is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Faith in Christ is accepting and applying His Atonement and His teachings. Faith in Christ means that you trust in him to support you through your trials and that He will provide for you and bless you. During our trials it may not be easy to see the support, but if you have faith and ask for help you will not be alone and the Lord will find a way to help you. Like I mentioned earlier a few years ago I never really thought about going on a mission. When I finally made the decision I thought, is it possible? I had faith in Jesus Christ that I would have this opportunity. I made some changes in my life and did what I knew the Lord wanted me to do. I prayed for help and support. Because of my faith and my work I am now here before you leaving on a mission next week. At one point as I was preparing I was worried that I would not be able to come up with all the money. Once again I put my faith in Christ and I was blessed with a refund from my insurance for overpaying on some previous bills. Faith in Christ leads to action. It leads to sincere and lasting repentance.
Repentance causes us to change our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors so that we are in tune with God’s will. It is not an easy process. I don’t think I have met a single person who thought repentance is easy. It causes self reflection and work. That’s right work. But during this process we are not alone. The Lord will be with us every step of the way. We also have a wonderful bishopric to counsel us and love us very much, who can help us through our trials. By having a broken heart and contrite spirit and having faith in Christ we can become clean of our mistakes and feel the love of God. True repentance will cause us to be like Christ.
We gain Christlike attributes from being baptized and keeping the covenants and commandments we have made with the Lord. A person with Christlike attributes is patient, they have love for everyone and show charity to others, they have hope and faith, they are humble, they are thankful for what they have and they show a willingness to submit to the will of the Lord, and they are obedient. The best way to learn about being Christlike is to read about Jesus Christ himself. The scriptures are filled with stories of Christ; His compassion, love, and service to others. His obedience to doing what Heavenly Father would have him do. Now we may not be perfect like Christ, but Heavenly Father loves us and is happy if we are constantly striving to be like Christ. As we become more like Christ, we will be perfected in Him and our lives will be blessed.
Blessings from Coming to Christ
Jesus Christ wants us to be happy, He wants us to return to live with him and have eternal life. By following the savior we can receive eternal life, true joy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost, eternal relationships with our families. Weak things can be made strong; we can be cleansed from our sins and withstand temptations. All of these blessings and many more are found all over the scriptures. Christ knows what each of us are going through, He suffered afflictions so He could comfort us through ours and help us find peace.
I was struggling recently with feeling the weight of the world. My best friend referred me to an old talk she had from Jeffrey Holland. He said, Whether you are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or among the tens of thousands listening this morning who are not of our faith, I speak to those who are facing personal trials and family struggles, those who endure conflicts fought in the lonely foxholes of the heart, those trying to hold back floodwaters of despair that sometimes wash over us like a tsunami of the soul. I wish to speak particularly to you who feel your lives are broken, seemingly beyond repair.
To all such I offer the surest and sweetest remedy that I know. It is found in the clarion call the Savior of the world Himself gave. He said it in the beginning of His ministry, and He said it in the end. He said it to believers, and He said it to those who were not so sure. He said to everyone, whatever their personal problems might be:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Elder Holland is exactly right. Christ can help us through our problems and give rest to our souls. Jesus Christ has helped me through so many trials and will continue to do so. I am so grateful for my friend and how she was able to know just the words I needed to hear for support. I am grateful for my loving family and friends for all their support and faith in me. I am grateful for such a wonderful ward that has been so kind to me and made me feel welcome. I am greatly loved and that makes me a very lucky and happy man.
I want to end with some final words by Jeffrey Holland and my personal testimony. When Christ says to the poor in spirit, “Come unto me,” He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way.
I know that Jesus is the Christ. That through him I can be perfected and supported in my trials. Christ knows me and each one of us personally. He loves us and wants us to have eternal life. All of us can come unto Christ, it is not too late. I am blessed and will continue to be blessed for following Christ. I am eternally grateful for His sacrifice and love. I know that if we put our trust in God we shall be supported in our trials, our troubles, and our afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
A scripture I recently read during my personal study comes to mind right now. It is from Mosiah chapter 2. “For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me…” I realize King Benjamin was saying this because he was real old, whereas I am only saying it because I am a little nervous and sweaty from speaking in front of so many people. The Lord does support me and I think this talk will go well. With that said, here we go.
I am privileged to have this opportunity to stand up here and be able to share my thoughts and feelings about the gospel. This has been a very exciting time in my life. Originally several years ago I did not have a desire to go on a mission, for some reason I could not see the blessings and growth I would experience from going on one. My life was in a place where I did not really know what I wanted. I did not know what I was doing and felt an emptiness. The temporary moments that I thought I had happiness were not really happiness. Something was missing. However, as the years passed I matured and things happened in my life that I will be forever grateful for. I began to notice that people who are very dear to me have something more; they have happiness, a glow. Some very close people started going back to church and their life was improving. I thought, “If they can do it I can too.” I accepted the personal invitation to “Come unto Christ.” Now my life is so blessed. I have purpose and real joy. I am able to enjoy the peace and strength of going to the temple. And I have been blessed to receive a call to serve a mission in Guatemala.
This has been a very special time for my family and I. Especially my grandparents and my mother. My grandpa and nana have five daughters. None of their daughters went on missions and my uncles had already returned from missions by the time they married my aunts. I am the first grandson in the family and the first one to go on a mission. I am so grateful I have been able to be ordained in the priesthood by my grandpa and I look forward to sharing our mission stories together. I can set the example for my family and loved ones to follow the Lord.
On the cover of Preach My Gospel it quotes from 3 Nephi 27:20 the overall purpose of missionary work, “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost.” In the Bible and the Book of Mormon there are many scriptures which say “Come unto Christ.”
Invitation
The entire purpose of the Church is to invite all to come unto Christ. Doctrine and Covenants 20:59 is an example of this, Church members should “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.” Elder V. Dallas Merrell explained that the invitation to all includes “prospective elders, all less-active members, and all un-baptized family members. All includes the unendowed, those who are not sealed, those young men not ordained at the appropriate age, those without current temple recommends. All includes families, adults, young men, young women, children, all members and nonmembers now living, and all who have lived or who will yet be born into mortality in this earth. All means all.” Countless people have been given this invitation. I’m sure they like myself cannot imagine what their life would be like had they not been given this invitation. It is something I am so grateful for. Even though I grew up in the Church the invitation did not truly mean something to me until I was older. For me it was not given with words. It was the example of others in my life and after looking more closely at the lives of those around me I did a close inspection of my life. For others the invitation needs to be a bit more direct.
Elder Merrell says that to invite with “Will you?” evokes a yes or no answer and causes a person to use their moral agency. Individual moral agency is at the heart of Heavenly Father’s plan. The War in Heaven was fought over the principle of agency, and a third part of the sons and daughters of Heavenly Father made a different decision than our Father would have preferred. Will you is not a challenge, it is not forceful, and it is not met with a condition. It is an invitation to all that causes a person to say yes or no. How can the people who answer yes come unto Christ?
How to come unto Christ
Every person that is baptized makes a covenant to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ in all things and in all places. The purpose of our witness is to invite others to come unto Christ. In Mosiah chapter 18 there are additional ways we come unto Christ besides being a witness. They include: bear one another’s burdens, being willing to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those in need of comfort. Can you imagine how much better this world would be if everyone was willing to do these things to others? These actions can also show our faith in Jesus Christ. This is the first principal of the gospel.
Preach my gospel states that having faith in Christ includes having a firm belief that He is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Faith in Christ is accepting and applying His Atonement and His teachings. Faith in Christ means that you trust in him to support you through your trials and that He will provide for you and bless you. During our trials it may not be easy to see the support, but if you have faith and ask for help you will not be alone and the Lord will find a way to help you. Like I mentioned earlier a few years ago I never really thought about going on a mission. When I finally made the decision I thought, is it possible? I had faith in Jesus Christ that I would have this opportunity. I made some changes in my life and did what I knew the Lord wanted me to do. I prayed for help and support. Because of my faith and my work I am now here before you leaving on a mission next week. At one point as I was preparing I was worried that I would not be able to come up with all the money. Once again I put my faith in Christ and I was blessed with a refund from my insurance for overpaying on some previous bills. Faith in Christ leads to action. It leads to sincere and lasting repentance.
Repentance causes us to change our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors so that we are in tune with God’s will. It is not an easy process. I don’t think I have met a single person who thought repentance is easy. It causes self reflection and work. That’s right work. But during this process we are not alone. The Lord will be with us every step of the way. We also have a wonderful bishopric to counsel us and love us very much, who can help us through our trials. By having a broken heart and contrite spirit and having faith in Christ we can become clean of our mistakes and feel the love of God. True repentance will cause us to be like Christ.
We gain Christlike attributes from being baptized and keeping the covenants and commandments we have made with the Lord. A person with Christlike attributes is patient, they have love for everyone and show charity to others, they have hope and faith, they are humble, they are thankful for what they have and they show a willingness to submit to the will of the Lord, and they are obedient. The best way to learn about being Christlike is to read about Jesus Christ himself. The scriptures are filled with stories of Christ; His compassion, love, and service to others. His obedience to doing what Heavenly Father would have him do. Now we may not be perfect like Christ, but Heavenly Father loves us and is happy if we are constantly striving to be like Christ. As we become more like Christ, we will be perfected in Him and our lives will be blessed.
Blessings from Coming to Christ
Jesus Christ wants us to be happy, He wants us to return to live with him and have eternal life. By following the savior we can receive eternal life, true joy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost, eternal relationships with our families. Weak things can be made strong; we can be cleansed from our sins and withstand temptations. All of these blessings and many more are found all over the scriptures. Christ knows what each of us are going through, He suffered afflictions so He could comfort us through ours and help us find peace.
I was struggling recently with feeling the weight of the world. My best friend referred me to an old talk she had from Jeffrey Holland. He said, Whether you are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or among the tens of thousands listening this morning who are not of our faith, I speak to those who are facing personal trials and family struggles, those who endure conflicts fought in the lonely foxholes of the heart, those trying to hold back floodwaters of despair that sometimes wash over us like a tsunami of the soul. I wish to speak particularly to you who feel your lives are broken, seemingly beyond repair.
To all such I offer the surest and sweetest remedy that I know. It is found in the clarion call the Savior of the world Himself gave. He said it in the beginning of His ministry, and He said it in the end. He said it to believers, and He said it to those who were not so sure. He said to everyone, whatever their personal problems might be:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Elder Holland is exactly right. Christ can help us through our problems and give rest to our souls. Jesus Christ has helped me through so many trials and will continue to do so. I am so grateful for my friend and how she was able to know just the words I needed to hear for support. I am grateful for my loving family and friends for all their support and faith in me. I am grateful for such a wonderful ward that has been so kind to me and made me feel welcome. I am greatly loved and that makes me a very lucky and happy man.
I want to end with some final words by Jeffrey Holland and my personal testimony. When Christ says to the poor in spirit, “Come unto me,” He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way.
I know that Jesus is the Christ. That through him I can be perfected and supported in my trials. Christ knows me and each one of us personally. He loves us and wants us to have eternal life. All of us can come unto Christ, it is not too late. I am blessed and will continue to be blessed for following Christ. I am eternally grateful for His sacrifice and love. I know that if we put our trust in God we shall be supported in our trials, our troubles, and our afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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