New Companion - July 25, 2011

My birthday was really good. Elder Card had gotten my planner the day before without me knowing and wrote Happy Birthday all around the page for my birthday and Happy Birthday Elder Cox. It was very nice and a sweet surprise. I got the email from Lois and will read it after I send this. You are first priority. Wednesday was changes. Every six weeks is changes in the mission and sometimes nothing happens but sometimes you get called to a different area. Elder Card got called to Reu to work in the office as Secretary of Finances. It is pretty cool. I miss Elder Card, he was a great friend to me. My new companion is Elder Paz from Honduras. He has 20 months in the mission so he will finish his mission here in Samayac. He only speaks Spanish so it is a little tough but my Spanish is improving more quickly and he said I am really good at speaking for the short time I have. For my birthday we had zone meeting in Mazate and they had bought cake for me and another elder with a birthday this month. It was good. Then for lunch at our cook's house she made a choc cake that was pretty good. We taught a lesson that day to an investigator and his family in the church. We first did a tour of the church and then talked about baptism and coming to church. It was really good. Tell Lois thank you for the birthday gift same with everyone else. Elder Paz is really smart and a great missionary. We are going to work really hard and baptise lots of people here. We taught an investigator that we have been teaching for a while and he has problems with the Word of Wisdom. We taught a very powerful lesson and he broke the last 3 cigarettes he had and committed to living the Word of Wisdom. I then gave him a really good blessing for strength in Spanish. He also said he will come to church and prepare for baptism July 30. It was so powerful and I could really feel the spirit, I have a real love for this man and for our other family. I gave a blessing to a members little baby too. It was in Spanish and I did really well with it. On Sunday our family and our other investigators came to church, that is 5 investigators in church, amazing! That night we talked with the family. The 2 kids want to be baptized and are excited and the 3rd kid that is only 7 wants to also. The parents said they felt really happy and good in church and will prepare for baptism too. So if all goes well we could have 5 baptisms this Saturday the 30th. I really hope it happens. I love these people and know they will have more blessings with this gospel. Today we had a BBQ with President Maravilla. It was good and if we reach our goal of 50 baptisms again this month we get to go to the amusement park here in Reu. My foot feels a lot better but some motions still hurt so I'm talking with the leaders again. Last time I checked I lost all the weight I put on in the CCM and am a little less then when I left for the mission. No foot fungus or any issues, just sweat all the time. Can I get a pic of Nana and Grandpa, maybe even one with me in it too and a pic of Corinne and her family. I'm glad things are going really well at your job and you like it. The concert sounded wonderful and I can't wait to come home and see Harry Potter. I have heard good things about it. I hope you enjoy the holiday and I think for birthdays we should get a call too, I missed not celebrating with my family. Thanks for the bday wishes and all you do for me. I think about you a lot and love you so much. I like that so many people are praying and supporting me. Oh I might need some shoe inserts. One of my shoes is worn out on the inside. Love you and can't wait to write and read your letters next week. I really look forward to it and it's all I think about Mondays. I love you mom and pray that you will have many blessings. Love your son Elder Cox

Jersey for 50 Baptisms and the Boy I Baptized

Happy Birthday - July 18, 2011

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Not sure what I will be doing yet. I'm glad Nana and Grandma got the letters, do you know if Corinne did? That is so cool that you got the job and that you can ride with Scott and actually have a lunch, with Scott too. That is cool you are by Michelle. I really like them. I can't believe you start Tuesday they must really need you. Great work for you I knew you could do it. People are crazy not to hire you. I hope you are excited for the job. What is your boss like? I am so grateful for all your prayers. So this last week I used my debit card to buy a new watch cause mine broke. It is a nice looking watch and it only cost about $25 US dollars, and I bought a really awesome backpack I love for about $45 dollars. I forgot how much different a backpack is. I like my missionary bag and it helps keep my back not so sweaty but with the backpack I have so much more room and the weight is off my shoulder, it feels better. On Thursday we had a visit from the President to our zone and he gave us some sweet soccer jersey with our mission logo, Guatemala flag on one sleeve, US flag on other sleeve, and my name on back with the number 50 because our zone baptized 50 people in a month. It was so cool. I will try to send a pic home soon. I had a difficult week this week. We taught very few lessons and failed with contacting people and getting new investigators. I was trying really hard to not get down but people aren't progressing and we have no new people. I am going to keep working hard and I'm really learning to be humble and rely on the Lord for help with the spirit, my Spanish, and teaching and finding. Also this Wednesday is changes. So I will no longer be with Elder Card. It is sad cause I get along with him really well and like him. Also I was told I'm most likely going to get a Latino companion. It will be good for my Spanish but hard when I can't say some things and can't understand all he says. On a better note. On Saturday I finished reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. It was so exciting and I was 10 or more days ahead of my goal. I planned to read it in 3 months. I started in March 28 and finished July 16. I learned a lot and it was so helpful for Spanish and spirit to read it all and read in 3 months. I loved it. Now I'm back to reading Jesus the Christ and will try to finish that. I love you so much and keep you in my prayers and thoughts too. I can't wait to write you next week about changes and how things are going. Love you a lot, Elder Cox your son.

Great Week - July 11, 2011

Yeah we have taught the guy that hit us with his car twice now. It has gone pretty well. He really wants to learn a lot and I think he will be serious about studying and learning. He works a lot though so it is hard to always get appointments with him. I really hope he finds an answer and progresses. Can you even imagine the conversion story? So God put the missionaries in my path, literally. haha. I will keep you posted. Foot is a lot better but there are some positions that still hurt when I move it and I don't know if it is just healing or if something is wrong. It's been two weeks.

Grease and Little Mermaid sound amazing. I'm glad you had fun and you two enjoyed yourselves. I would love to go to that. Next year the plays sound really good too. I wonder what plays they will have when I get home. I look forward to reading more in your dearelder. 50 baptisms for the month was pretty amazing. The 13 year old was baptized Saturday. I got to do it again. It was pretty cool. Now if we can just get families and adults to get baptized. One guy is getting closer but I'm finding out that people are really big on being patient and taking their time. Everyone says they need more time, but can't say what they feel they need to be more prepared in and think they need to be perfect before baptism. But I'm being patient and trying to help them find the answer and feel ready. Although some members say it takes a couple years. I like sending the pics for you and the family. Next time you send me something I would like some pics of the family if that is ok. I get the Liahona in English and Elder Card gets it in Spanish. I really like it. Some amazing stories. I'm glad you read it online.

Jessica is still working at the temple until January. But right now they are closed for two weeks. So she is on vacation. I'm so jealous of the trip to Aruba. I said she is taking me when I get back. I would love to go on a scuba trip with you when I get back too. That would be so much fun and amazing in clear beautiful water. It would be really cool to plan a trip with you and Scott, the Beus´, and Jessica. I bet you are loving time off. especially with your crazy job. Hope you are relaxing and enjoying the good weather finally. This last week we had a conference in Reu for new people and their trainers. We talked about using the Book of Mormon and asking inspired questions and helping overcome peoples doubts about baptism. It was so good. The inspired questions are the coolest thing ever. They really get to the soul of the person and make them think. They make all the difference. I want to get better at asking them so I keep trying. I believe at some point I will be really good at it. A couple times I have done it and I can't describe how different those questions are for the people. I learn so much from the mission president and want to study for a day with him. Oh also I am now in Mormon chapter 4. I am 4 days ahead of my reading schedule and almost done with the 3 month challenge. I am so close to finishing it is very exciting and I am learning a lot from reading in Spanish, both spiritually and language wise. Do you know how to prevent mold or get rid of it better? Because when things get a little wet because of the weather they don't really dry and I have a couple ties that I keep having to brush mold off of and my suit too.

I love you and I'm so glad you are my mom. You're amazing and I'm so proud of you. I hope you're reading the scriptures because there is great help and power in them and they are true. I love you with all of my heart and I'm glad I am helping bless our family. You're my biggest blessing! I love you Mom with all my heart! Love your son, Elder Cox

Sapo y Lagartos

Happy July 4th - July 4, 2011

Yeah prayers are really answered, I still can't get over the car accident. Crazy! I couldn't think about what I needed to learn about it. But something good we contacted the driver and have taught him the first lesson and are going to try and continue to work with him and prepare him for baptism so we will see how that goes. My foot is better but I still have some pain in areas. The zone leaders said to wait a little longer and see how it feels before we get it looked at. I can't believe it's Forth of July, time went by very fast. It's weird too not being in a place where they celebrate it. I'm glad you went to St. George. That sounds like lots of fun. Lots of people are there too from the sounds of it. Pool, dinners, movies, and plays. That sounds like a fantastic time. I still have not been to St. George but now I know two people that have become my really good friends from St. George. Elder Heaps and Elder Lechtenberg. Tell Scott Happy Birthday from me, I hope he had a good time. What movies and plays did you see? 100 to 112 that is way hot. Today it is 82 with thunderstorms tonight and tomorrow so not too hot but I still feel really hot and sweaty. The fort was really fun, haha. I love Elder Card. Saturday we went to an old folks home with the stake here and did service cutting grass and cleaning and yard work for this retirement home thing. It was pretty fun. Our zone is awesome. In the month of June we baptized 50 people. That is a huge accomplishment as a zone. we did really well. Yeah I have a couple more pics from our service saturday. I share the red vines with lots of people in our branch, it's fun cause none of them have ever tried it. I love the hot water so much, love it. Well we have a 13 year old boy getting baptized this weekend but the rest are not looking solid right now. People keep saying that they need to be perfect and completely prepared before and they won't listen to their answers from the spirit. They don't have to be perfect, it is a learning thing and they mainly need the desire and willingness to change. Things are starting to move quickly on the mission. I sent a letter to Corinne a week or so ago and today I sent one to Nana that also included one to Grandma Davis. So want to hear some news that is making me jealous and will you too. Jessica Stevens in a couple weeks is going to Aruba with two of her sisters and gets to go diving a lot. I can't believe it. I want to go diving somewhere actually good so bad. After the mission I will have to plan a trip. Anyway things are good. In this months copy of the Liahona there are so many amazing stories in it. Some are about Latin American members of the church and some of the people have crazy stories. One lady was only 17 when she was called to be primary president for the stake or branch I think. Lots of other good stories too. You should think about getting a copy, it is really good. I love you and think about you a lot. I'm so grateful for my family and for you. Glad you are enjoying yourself and I will stay safe and work hard. Anymore news about getting a temple recommend again? Love you and will tell you more of my adventures next week. Love your Favorite Elder Son.