PERIODICO DE LA MISION

Periódico El Origen Agosto 2011

5 Baptisms

Romilia

Carlota

Micaela, Rosendo, Herminio

5 More Baptisms - August 29, 2011

Hi Mama, it was pretty crazy to think I have been out 6 months now. I now am serving a female mission - 18 months haha. I love David and hope he enjoys the letter, I really enjoyed his. I got the package on the 23rd. It was a lot sooner then I thought. I love the cds and the photos. I like the photo of all the family and of Kimbree and me. I showed our house to many people and they love it, so pretty with all the flowers. The inserts are perfect and I needed them because my Rockport shoes are not doing as well as I hoped they would. The insert is worn out so I threw it away, the soles are very worn and the heel on the inside is coming apart also the material inside the shoe is falling apart. I'm a little disappointed with that brand right now. So my cd player I bought here stopped working. It only plays 31 seconds of the first song and pauses and it won't play any other song. It only worked for two months so I was a little mad that I paid 150 quets for 2 months. I tried to take it back but because it was past 8 days they couldn't do anything. I found a new one though that is more expensive then the first but it is a Panasonic and very nice so I trust it. I talked them down to 260 but to use my card there was a charge so it was 282 quets about $35. Not to bad and I'm very glad to have music again. Yeah I didn't think about the news letter being in Spanish, my bad. We have our pic in the news letter 3 months in a row because of our success here in our zone. The peaches and peach shakes with bacon sandwiches sound so amazing I really miss those. The party sounds like fun and that is so nice that everyone talked about me and sends their love. So Saturday we had some baptisms. We told people it started at 4 so people would be there on time cause people are always late. 2 of our investigators were there but we were missing a family so we went to get them. The mom was still gone selling food, the son was flying a kite somewhere but no one knew where and the daughter was washing clothes. We got a member to wait for them and bring them in a taxi. As we were leaving we met the mom and she said she will come unless it rains then she doesn't want to bring the kids. The rain is a big problem here and it ruins activities because people do not go out. We got to the church and were waiting. We called the member and the family was getting ready to leave to San Antonio. We talked her into coming to the baptism first. Then because of the rain the power went out. The family arrived but the little girl did not want to get baptised and would not say why. We started the service and Elder Paz and I had a special musical number. We sang "When I am Baptised", the primary song. I sang part in English and he sang part in Spanish. It was really good but I was nervous. I was a little mad too because a less active member that was there was laughing as I was singing in English and really loud so that annoyed me but other people sad it was really good. Right before I baptised the first person the power came back on so kinda a miracle there. I baptised a girl Carlota, Micaela, and her two sons Herminio and Rosendo, and Elder Paz baptised another woman Romilia. We had 5 baptisms. That makes my total 14 baptisms in 6 months, 4 months in the field. That is pretty cool. Sunday, the son Rosendo was in another city with his uncle to buy a white shirt so he wasn't confirmed which was disappointing but in church we had 11 of my 14 recent converts there, it was cool. It was a pretty good week. Changes are this Wednesday but I won't know til tonight or tomorrow if I have changes. I kinda hope I do. It will be hard to say goodbye to the wonderful people here but I want to see other places. I will let you know what happens. I am planning to write Nana a letter. I really enjoy her letters and pictures. They are wonderful and uplifting. Your letters are the most uplifting. I love hearing about your week and I know you love me and support me so much. That is why you're the best mom ever. I love you Mom and send my love and hugs and kisses. Have a wonderful week and I'm already excited to write you next week. Love you more. Love Son

PERIODICO DE LA MISION JULIO 2011

6 Month Mark - August 22, 2011

I'm glad you had a good birthday and liked the video. Dinner at Canyons and Javier's sounds so yummy. That is cool that the El Salvador temple was dedicated yesterday. I did not know it was that soon. I did not know that it's the 4th temple in Central America. Before I know it the Xela temple will be dedicated here. Can't believe school started again. Crazy that people think trees are comparable in price to air conditioning, especially for a whole school. Good luck with the calls, ha ha.
So we had a missionary activity in our area with some games. There was musical chairs, a foot race with a lime on a fork in your mouth, another game I call Spirit (someone is blindfolded and follows the other partner's voice as they navigate through obstacles of chairs and other objects and is to explain how we listen to the soft voice of the spirit and avoid dangers), pin the Moroni on the temple (I drew the temple and it looked pretty good). It started an hour late and at first had very little people cause when it rains everything stops here and people don't leave. However later people came and it turned out pretty good. They won cash for some games and spiritual games they won Spirit cash. These they used at the store to buy lolly pops and chips and other little things but the spirit cash is no good there. At the end people with the spirit cash can sit at the high level and people with less sit in the middle and with no the bottom, it is the 3 celestial kingdoms. We got 13 references. Not too bad. I feel bad though because I did not talk with the investigators that much. That is the whole point of the activity. So next time I am going to talk with everyone, that is my goal.
Tomorrow I will have 6 months in the mission that is so crazy, time is going by pretty fast. I now only 18 months left. For a little while I was kinda in a funk and not feeling like my normal positive happy self. But now I am more like myself. Happy, positive, more enthusiastic, loving, and looking for the good. That is my focus right now too - looking for the good in everything and having faith and more love. I'm normally a very loving person but it is important to be more loving especially with the differences of my companion and other things. People know me as a loving happy positive people person so I'm going to work on being more like that person again and be even better. I'm so grateful for your love and support and the love of all the family and friends. I love you so much and you're the best mom ever. Love you more forever. Love, Son.
PS - I sent a letter today to David so let him know to keep an eye out. Love you Mom. Until next week, which will come very fast.

Xetulul

Xetulul

Mayan temple

Me and Mayan temple

More Xetulul

The France area and water luge

On the train

Crazy ride that rocks and spins

Elder Torress and I

Backwards on the horse

Elder Paz and I

Happy Birthday Mama - August 15, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA! I hope you are having a wonderful day. Where did you go to eat and what did you do? Xetulul was way fun, I loved spending the day in normal clothes and being with Elder Meoño, Elder Heaps, and Elder Torress. My zone is so much fun. I love the people in it. We saw an incredible magic show and had lunch there with President. It was really yummy. The park has areas that are designed to look like different parts of the world so we had an area of Germany that made me think of David and our time in Germany together, an area of France and Spain and a sweet Mayan temple. There is not a lot of rides but they are pretty fun. However, the coolest ride, the giant white rollercoaster, we could not ride because President said it was kinda dangerous and we can't go. But everything else was fun and I loved the rock wall too. It was kinda hard to go back to work after that or not go home and take a nap. Sunday I taught the gospel principles class on repentance and did pretty good. My Spanish has really improved. President has even said that my Spanish is very good. You haven't seen me when I have shaved my head shorter then that? The Stevens spoiled me, but I'm really looking forward to your package as always. I'm glad you enjoy your job and the people you work with, that really does make a big difference. The party sounds way fun. I am excited to lay by our pool too. Pools are wonderful. That is a bummer about Saint George but the Philippines sound amazing. I miss the tomato and bacon sandwiches from the garden. So this week I am going to really work on increasing my faith in Christ, Faith in me, and my investigators. I think it will really help me in my life. Also on Sunday our cooks sisters son died and we went to the funeral. It was sad but made me very grateful for the plan of salvation and the blessing of being with my family for eternity. Best blessing ever. I'm so grateful for my family, for you my mom, and all that you have done for me and given me. You helped me to become the wonderful man that I am becoming. Thank you for everything, I love you so much. Have a wonderful birthday and give yourself a birthday hug and kiss from me. Love you Mama. Love, Son

B-day and Haircut

The boys that are leaving from my area

My birthday cake made by our cook

My new haircut

Family Maldonado & Alfredo - 5 baptisms

Alfredo (w/ mustache) baptized by his brother

Goodies from Steven Family & Elder Paz's Bday

Pillowtie - because everything that requires a tie deserves to be slept through.

Package from the Steven's - August 8, 2011

Things with Elder Paz are much better I think. Saturday we had a big fight and did not speak to each other for a little bit but then we sat down and talked about things and now we are working to listen and communicate with each other. I keep thinking I need to learn how to work this out because this is training in a way for married life, haha. Thanks for the congrats I'm pretty excited for Xetulu this Friday and for the success with our baptisms. The thought about missionaries was given to me by a mom in my ward that has a missionary out. I'm so excited for the Cd's and shoe inserts and the pics. I'm excited to see pics of Ivie and the family. I bet she is cute. I love our family and the support from them. I love their letters and really enjoy sending my stories and adventures to them. I'm so glad you have the new job. It sounds a lot better and stress free with lunches is just what you deserve. Glad you like it. That´s crazy nurses are turning down the job and making that much money in the hospital. I still think that is the career path I want for me, helping people but being able to support myself and my family. Also the opportunity to come to Guatemala with doctors to do medical work sounds awesome. So I asked about the story of the Church coming to Reu because I had never heard it. It is true. That is such a cool story. Amazing how the church gets established in all the world. I finished reading the book Our Heritage about the establishment of the church. It was very interesting and I learned so much. We had a conference with Pres. Maravilla Friday. I love those conferences so much. We learn lots of things and President has such a strong spirit. We learned about inviting others to be baptised, planning for the week better, and comp study. Many things I need to improve but if I work harder on these things we will have the spirit more, receive revelation for our area, and have much more success. I want to spend a couple hours studying with President, I could learn so many things. Mainly right now I am working on sharing my testimony with short powerful truths that I know and teaching more from the heart. After the conference we got mail and with my mail was a bday package from Jessica and the Stevens family. It was wonderful. I got Mike and Ikes candy, red vines, life saver mints, raisinets, rice krispy cereal with marshmallows and chocolate M&Ms to make my favorite treats. I got photos, a tie that you can blow up part of it and use it as a pillow, awesome, and some great letters. I love that family. They said they miss me and missed me at Lake Powell. I love my letters from you so much. They make me feel like home is so close to me, and the best part is how much I have seen your testimony grow. You're so amazing Mom, and I love the bits from articles and things you read and like. This last week we talked with a lot of people about temples and I can't express how excited I am to come home and visit the temple with you. You're the best mom I could hope for and because of you I am the great person I am becoming. I'm eternally blessed to be your son and know that we are together as a family always. Love you Mom and I seriously can't wait until I can write you next week and tell you Happy Birthday. Love Son

5 Baptisms - August 1, 2011

I know time is passing so quickly, my mission will be over before I know it. Elder Paz and I had a rough week this last week. We got frustrated with each other and a little mad. Part of it had to do with the fact that he had no money and no food, the other part is that we need to learn our way of communicating with each other. He doesn't tell me things and just makes some plans without me or has many different ways of doing things. I'm really learning how to show and have lots of love for my companion and others, how to have patience, and how to communicate. That is key. However in good news we did have our baptisms on Saturday, 5 people were baptized. I baptized the mom and the little boy, Elder Paz the father and the girl, the other had his brother baptise him. It was very exciting. I got 6 baptisms total for the month of July and I think as a zone we met our goal of 55 for the month and get to go to Xetulu, the amusement park here. Very exciting. That is so exciting about Corinne's baby, I really want to see her and hold her. Nana and Grandpa should have lots of fun with all the kids, haha. No fleas that I know of but a little problem with mosquitos last month, right now not too bad. I think you definitely made the right choice with your job. You deserve a lunch and to not feel stressed. That takes a lot out of you. This will be a lot better. I highly encourage the learning of Spanish, the game boy really helps. The food from Grandpa's garden sounds so good. I miss that a lot. This Sunday I had to give a talk in church but I only had a few minutes Saturday night and Sunday morning to prepare. It was on missionary work and how every member can help. I did pretty good for the time I had but I prefer to have a week to prepare. I was talking with a member here that has a son on a mission and she said something I thought about and want to share with you. Be nice to the missionaries in your ward and do what you can to help them or make them feel welcome, because that's what I want the people here to do for me, help me in any way and be really friendly, so do the same to the sons that are serving there, just a thought. Also I am looking but can't find any yet but one of my shoe inserts is worn out into a big hole in the back and I am trying to find a Dr. Scholls or Magellen size 10.5 shoe insert. I might need you to send me one. Also if you could do me a favor and in my backpack at home is my computer, on my computer is a music file of church music with the cd A Hymn Revival by Lower Lights, it is an amazing cd and if you could send it to me or even try emailing me the music that would be incredible. If not don't worry about it. I'm glad things are going well for you. Tell me how cute Corinne's baby is. I love you and want to work with all my heart here for you and my family. I'm so glad you are my mom and have done so much for me. Mondays are my favorite because I get to read your letters and write you. Can't wait til next week. Love you mom! Love, Son Elder Cox