End of July Already? - July 30, 2012

I can’t believe it is already the end of the month. How quickly the time has passed. My comp goes home and I think he is thinking about it a lot. This week was not very productive. I can only do so much to motivate him and help him to work. So we did not get a lot done, but I hope that I get a great comp that is ready to work and do all that is necessary. We have some investigators that are not progressing. One kid is not reading and we keep explaining how important it is and keep reading with him. He came to church and has been several times and goes to seminary every night but will not read. We even have a reading group with him to read together so hopefully he will do it. Staying in the pool all day sounds so nice. We have had crazy heat here. It is so hot and right now I hate using my backpack because just putting it on and having it pressed against me causes lots of sweat. Sounds really nice reading lots of books by the pool. That does sound really hard that Scott’s kids don’t want to try a relationship with him. He is really trying and they refuse to try. Oh I love that I got bday greetings from my friends. There are some great people that really care about me. The pioneers were incredible and I am so grateful for all that they did for us. I can’t imagine doing all that they did with less than what we have. We had some good talks in church about humility and a great class about temples. So there is a style of clothes that is really big here and I want to know if it was big there or not. There are lots of shirts with the angry bird faces on them but right now the biggest thing that you see everywhere here is shirts with faces from the Muppets or Seasame street on them. I don’t understand why they are so popular here. Last Thursday we had an interesting experience. We had our meeting and we were waiting for a taxi to take us back to our area but nobody was coming so we decided to try our luck hitching. So some pickups passed but nothing. I held my thumb out and a semi truck happened to be passing and stopped right in the middle of the road that is a major road. The 4 of us hoped in the semi and got a ride to our house. I have never been in a semi. It was pretty cool. He was very nice to give us a ride. Yesterday it rained and it rained hard. We were going to go to an appointment but the street was completely flooded and we could not pass. It was crazy! There was just more and more rain and water. We finally got a ride in a truck just to cross the street. In our ward there is a mom that has a son that wants to go on a mission but the mom doesn’t want him to. We have talked with her a few times. I was wondering if you had any advice or words that would help her. I am excited and nervous for changes. I really really want a good comp. I need someone that can put in the effort also that we can have great unity and make lots of progress in this area. I am grateful for and miss Elder Card. He was the best. I don’t think I need anything. But I do need you to pay some tithing there for me. If you could pay $20 in tithing. I believe it is paid back home in the ward. Thank you for that. I can’t wait to tell you about changes. It is a large group of 30 missionaries so it will be in the stake center. Tomorrow before our district meeting we are cleaning the chapel. Well I'm super sweaty but I’m doing good and learning a lot. Still have a lot to learn but as long as I stay happy and keep learning all I can I will be even happier. I hope you are doing very well. Tell the family I love them. Oh I remember one other thing. A few months ago I sent some letters and some pics to Jessica and her family, well they just got there and I’m sure that was a little awkward. But they liked the pics and her sister and I will be Spanish pen pals. She is now in the mission field. I love you Mom and can’t wait to hear from you next week or read your dearelders. You are the greatest and I am very happy I’m your son. You still have not told me about your temple progress? Cómo está? I tried to send pics last week but there was a problem so I will try again. Be safe, be happy, be wonderful. I know you are. 

Love Son

17 Months Today - July 23, 2012

Thank you so much for the gifts and tell Lois I’m very grateful for that. I’m writing Grandma Davis today and will send the letter. That is so cool about the Edwards I will ask some people if by chance they know them. Sounds like you got some amazing things from the garden. I miss the garden so much. Right now is the season of elote, corn, so we have had some good corn on the cob several times from members. I want a bacon and tomato sandwich so bad, can’t wait to eat those. I heard Nana and Grandpa talk about cleaning their freezer and moving food but that is terrible that their freezer is now dead. Hope they got the food saved. I can’t imagine the sacrifice of the early saints either. To keep going as you are losing everything is incredible. So I had a good birthday. The work was slow but we had lunch and a good cake. The cook after I blew out the candles pushed my face in it. That's what they do here is push faces into cakes. For dinner with our member it was the best. We had a roast with gravy, an almost normal salad, rice, and a really good jello cake. They spoiled me and I thought of a normal meal from home with that cake. Can’t believe I’m 24 already. Also can’t believe that I have 17 months today. How fast has the time gone and these next 7 months are going to be extremely fast I feel. People here still are not keeping their commitments but we are searching for the people that are prepared. I met a guy a couple weeks ago from Kansas that has a wife from here and they moved here with their 3 kids. Only the wife can speak Spanish so that would be really hard. We are teaching him but he said they are not looking to change their religión. I told him I don’t think it was coincidence that I was in this área at this time to meet someone that can’t speak Spanish. He is very nice and I hope the Book of Mormon helps some of his doubts and helps him know where the truth is. We had a dinner with them Sunday and it was a seafood soup. It had fish, shrimp, crab, it was very good. I have one more week with my comp before changes and before he goes home. I really have to push him this week so we work the hardest we can. I think he is feeling the time to return home but we still have work and I want to have a lot for my new comp and I. I know it would be really hard when you only have one week left but I am going to do my best that when that time comes for me I am serving with all my might to the end. I want to swim in our pool so bad. I look forward to doing laps in it when I get home. I’m reading the New Testament right now to help teach better. I’m learning so many good things and I am in the book of Acts. I should complete it pretty quickly. I have been better at how I ask questions and being excited as I teach. Still have to find a better way to work with the members though. That is the key to success. I love you and can’t wait to hear about your concert and read your dearelders. They are so amazing to read. Well Mom I love you and can’t wait to talk to you again. Until next week, hugs and prayers and love from Guatemala. PS update me about your temple progress where you are at?

Love Elder J 

Happy Birthday - July 16, 2012

Thank you so much for the birthday wish. I can’t believe I’m 24 already. I think I’m going to have a fun bday and get several pieces of cake but I’m really sad because I want a baptism this Saturday and I’m not sure if we are going to be able to. But I will keep trying and hope for the best. You were crazy to walk 24 blocks in July while super pregnant. However, I’m glad you had me when you did and I’m very very glad that you are my Mom. Thank you for the present I will think of something good to do. Well this week was different then last week, don't know if I would say better. We did find a lot of new investigators but the problem is getting follow up visits and having them keep their commitments. I did have some interesting experiences this week. We were teaching someone about prayer and we were using Enos. As I read the part that said he went to hunt beasts a thought came to my mind. Why did he mention hunting? I thought about hunting. When you go hunting you are really quite and observative. When you pray you should also be quite and observative. That was really awesome for me to think about that. I was excited during the lesson and shared about hunting and prayer that I learned. I love how we can learn new things all the time from the scriptures. I got letters this week and a got a great letter from Allie. She is learning Spanish so quickly and is now in her CA misión. She said some great things and we are going to be Spanish pen pals. I got a wonderful card from Elder Card's mom. She is so wonderful and said amazing things. We will be planning a trip to go to Washington some time when I get back. The other really special card I got was from Grandma Davis. It was so special and included a picture of her. I love my card from Grandma Davis and think of it as a great treasure. I’m glad my missionary service makes her really happy. I loved hearing about the pool and can’t wait to swim. It made me think about when we lived in CA and I learned how to clean a pool, then I read in your letter that you remembered that too. I think I would be ok cleaning the pool often if it means I get to swim in it and enjoy it. My knees have hurt a couple days this week. I think when I get home I might have to get them looked at. We had an interesting experience one night. I was asleep when the other missionary that lives with us came in and turned on the lights. He said we have a problem. I thought it was 5 am and it was something with another missionary or our meeting. I looked at the clock and it was 1am. He said there is a woman outside our house crying. I went to the front gate and this woman that was completely wet from the rain and crying like a mad lady and drunk said she knows elders in the capital and she is in trouble right now and needs a place to stay. She said she doesn't want to stay inside just on our patio off the Street. We said you are a woman and we are guy missionaries you can’t stay here. She said she knows the rules that when there are 2 missionaries it is a problem but if there are 4 then there is no problem. We said it doesn't work like that. She kept crying and we didn’t know what to do. We called our neighbor that is a member and she talked with her. We heard the woman say that there are 4 of us and one of her so she will not violate us. Finally she left but it was a crazy night. Later in the week we taught an inactive woman and I shared my experiences with her and told her how much better it is to have the góspel she cried and the spirit was strong. I felt my experiences helped her because she said she would start to make the steps to change. Well Sunday was hard. We left to go get her and she said some excuses and she couldn't go. I told her about the blessings and she felt she could change and that if she didn't go I would be very sad. She didn't go. We went for an investigator and he said he could not go because he had to help his mom, but she was not there. I told him that if he wanted to be baptized he should show his family church is important and go. He didn't. We went by another investigator that had said he wants to go to church and follow Christ. When we went to get him he said he can’t because he is busy. We found out that he was going to play soccer with his friends. He said I have a commitment to them. I said do you feel you have a commitment to God? We said with soccer you get temporary fun but with church you get eternal life and true happiness. Which do you choose soccer or Christ? He said soccer. That was very disappointing. My faith was challenged but I kept thinking this is a trial how are you going to react. I learned something good that day. I learned that my sadness and frustration is how Christ feels every time someone doesn't go to church especially those who know. He feels that but it’s more intense because he suffered and died for us. Then I thought when I’m feeling challenges I can go to God in prayer and ask for his help. I also thought about I choose how things affect me. I choose to always be happy and look for the good of things so people will always see my happiness and want to share in that. That is so cool that Nana and Grandpa are temple workers I know they are so excited for that. I’m very happy for them. That concert will be fun and that is wonderful that Jeff will go too. You couldn't swim. That sounds lame. I was a sweaty mess today so the pool sounds wonderful. What is the name of Scott's family that both served missions here? When was their service? I remember seeing a picture of a park in Reu that he has. Will you ask him where it is at? I was talking to some members here and said they served here but I could not remember the names exactly. How was church yesterday? What did you learn? I really liked the talks and there was support of the missionary work. Well I can't believe how fast time is going by. I love you and hope all is well. I know you know I love you and am grateful to be your son. I will work hard to make you proud and bring the most blessings for our family. Can’t wait until next Momday. (I meant to say Monday but wrote Momday, I guess that works cause it’s the day I write mom) So until next Momday.

Love and hugs,

Your son

Happy Birthday to Scott - July 9, 2012

My week was pretty good. I feel bad though because last week after I left the internet cafe I looked at my planner and realized it was the 2nd of July and I didn´t tell Scott Happy Birthday. So tell him I’m sorry I didn’t say it last week and that I say Feliz Cumpleaños! I had a bad day this last week because we accomplished nothing. My comp is going home in less than 3 weeks and there was a day were we did not make any contacts and taught only a couple lessons and did not do anything, I blame myself also that I did not do more to motivate my comp and push us to work hard. So this week will be better and I will try harder at keeping us working effectively. The members are all really friendly and we are trying to motivate them more to come work with us. One family is really good and they have two sons that have served a mission and one of them can speak English. I like this family and the family of the bishop and told them both if they ever come to Utah they can stay a couple days with us. We have some investigators that we have some good lessons with that understand really well but they are not keeping their commitments and won’t come to church. It is frustrating because they are so close to knowing that this is true and being baptized but they won’t pray and won’t read. That keeps them from coming to church. But I have faith that things will improve and as long as we keep working hard we will be blessed. I am trying to think of creative ways we can do powerful one or two min contacts to be more effective. I meditated on DC 4 and I love the promise that the field is white for the harvest. The Lord is preparing them so I just have to follow the spirit and find them. We went to a member’s house Saturday for the homecoming of her son. That was really weird being there when he got home. Strange to be around someone who is just barely a normal member yet I myself am still a missionary. I was happy for him and his family. Today we went to Takalik Abja. They are some ruins that are pretty cool. They date some of the sites from 800 to 600 years before Christ. It was cool seeing the sites and talking with the guy there about the different things. It was interesting talking with him and all of us were talking about the Book of Mormon. I liked it. When we come back we should go to Lake Atiklan and some of the really cool sites in northern Guatemala. We didn’t have any fireworks for the 4th but the day before we heard some because there are always fireworks here. I bought a green rain poncho so no more silly outfits for a while. All of us tried to wear ties and clothes with red white and blue. That would be crazy having all the fireworks in 20 seconds, what a site to see. The party with the family sounds great. So does being in the pool all day. I’m getting more excited to swim everyday. You need to send me a pic of the pool. If Kembree starts reciting all the movies like me she is going to have even more of a special place in my heart. I really like that they liked the money. It is something that I can send easily and it is pretty cool to see. Ivy is walking! There are a couple really cute little kids here and they make me think of the Winns and I’m so excited to pick them up and hug them again in 8 months. I’m going to love them a lot. I love Grandpa’s garden and want him to teach me about gardening when I get home. I want you to teach me how to sew with the sewing machine. There are so many people that sew here. One hermana in my ward made me a laundry bag and I talked to her about sewing. She taught me for a min with her machine. I want to learn how to do lots of crafty stuff with that. I would love to go back with the Mortensens and you guys. Especially if we go back before July 2013 cause that is when President goes home. A trip in July for his farewell would be amazing. I need to double check but I think everyone in my district in Provo MTC went to NY NY south Spanish speaking. I will look up the names and see if it is the same mission. Maybe she will see them. I know Elder Lillywhite, he is funny. I met someone from his ward before I left that told me about him. That is crazy that it is hotter and hotter there. Really nice to have a pool I imagine. I bet the flowers look amazing again, they sound amazing. I have loved seeing the flowers here and all the green of some of the jungle areas. I’m excited to see it with you after the mission. I’m learning and growing. I know there are challenges but they are for my growth and I will learn so much. My faith and testimony of Christ is growing a lot. How is the temple progress? I love you so much and love your letters. I hope you are doing wonderfully and you are always in my prayers and my heart. Take care Mom and I will send some amazing news and stories next week, hopefully. 

Love your son 

July Already? - July 2,2012

Wow Mom way to go on being super healthy! That is amazing that you got 6.8%. What a blessing that damage was reversed. I’m so proud of you and how well you are doing with your health. I need you to help me because if I stay in this area there is a good chance I will come home fat haha. We have a cook that feeds us lunch everyday but we also get dinner from members every night. One day it was raining really hard. One member gave us a cup of café (but made from cereal so it is not the bad kind) then another gave us mush that is milk and a cereal type thing with cinnamon that is really good, then another member gave us a drink made of chocolate and rice that is yummy then we had dinner offered to us. Wow I was so full. We did service this week and cut weeds with machetes but we did not really plan to do it at that time so we were in our church clothes and my goodness I was a sweaty mess when we finished two hours later. I was completely wet. I kept thinking about our new pool at home and how nice that would feel. You’re so lucky. I’m going to take advantage of that when I get home. You and Scott have been married three years? Wow time does fly by. You both have done so much in that three years and I don’t think your adventures are done. I still remember that wedding dinner. David still laughs with me about Dr. Jensen Heart. We are going to use that name when we go for a night on the town in SLC. The food at Taggarts is so delicious. I should my pictures to some members here and all of them said the same thing about the pics of my family. My bishop here said he thought you were my sister, that you look very young. He saw the complete family pic and thought that Nana was my mom and you were my sister. So you and Nana should be very happy because you both look (and are) so young that everyone says good things about both of you. We have so much rain here lately and it is super powerful. I’m glad I have my boots to wear. One day we looked a little silly. I used my boots and then wrapped this blue plastic tarp around my hips to keep my legs dry and a green tarp around my torso to keep me dry. I was walking around in a skirt kinda, then to make it worse a member saw me and said I am getting my head wet so she insisted I use her umbrella. Well it is pink so then I looked absolutely ridiculous but I laughed good about it. We have found some positive people here but they don’t want to progress. They will not pray specifically to know if the Book of Mormon is true and we can’t get anyone to come to church. It is a struggle but I take it as a test of faith and my attitude. I’m going to keep working hard and smiling. I’m going to just enjoy myself and know that the Lord will bless me for my effort. I started reading the Book of Mormon again from the beginning and I am learning so much again. I love it and know it is true. I have gotten to know the members more and they really really love me. The little kids get along with me very easily and the bishop is super friendly. I hope I can now use their help more in receiving references and working with us in lessons. I can’t believe that time is going by so fast. My comp only has 4 weeks left. July is here and it is going to go by so quickly. I love the mission and will use the time I have to get the most personal conversion and make a difference here. Next week we are going to Taka lik, it is some Mayan ruins so that should be fun. I love you and am so happy that you are doing amazing with your health. I love your letters and love talking to you. Tell the family I love them so much. Enjoy the pool for me and have a wonderful week. I will write you again next week. Hopefully I will have more to say about the progress of the work here. Love you Mom with all my heart.

Love Elder Cox