Long car rides are a challenge for me

Part of a huge fire of a field. It was one of the biggest I've seen.

Wendy's!
Templo en Xela

Crazy animal at a hotel I stayed at.
Not sure what it is.
Moronga
I ate it and it was not that bad.

Happy St. Patrick's Day - March 17, 2012

Happy Patty's Day to you too! I was wearing green when I got your letter so no pinches here. It is very surprising to think that I have been in Guatemala for a year now. I'm so used to this country now. I remember getting off the plane and taking my first bus to the CCM. Everything seemed so new and different. I was so tired at the CCM and I remember just sleeping for a couple hours which was wonderful. It was crazy to think I am in another country and will be for about two years. The houses look different and there are people with guns everywhere. Now a lot of the things that were new and different to me are normal. I think it will be weird when I come back and see normal houses and stores. In the CCM I didn't think my Spanish was terrible but after we went out contacting I learned how much more Spanish I need to learn. I didn't know a lot. I feel I have come a long way since then, I still feel I need work on my Spanish and don't want to plateau. Wow Mom I didn't know you were such a menace to society. That would be a little alarming at first to have 4 cops surrounding you and wanting your id's not your papers. Scott is funny to say he drives you crazy. You two caused a bit of a commotion at the intersection at 5 in the evening. Bet lots of people were wanting to know what was going on. That is neat that Scott is in the paper and working on the health board. What exactly will he be doing? I can imagine he will get some more opportunities and meet new people he would not have without this position. Tino's son has never been on an airplane? Wow. That would be hard that his other son gets married while Dylan is gone. I know they will be very blessed though. That's sad the priests could not come. Sounds like you really enjoy and miss the lessons with them. That is cool. I hope they make it next week. You probably learn a lot. My week was pretty busy. Saturday my computer died again. Windows and Office stopped working again. Monday our computer guy came and re-installed everything for the second time. I have a program I use for the bank. The first time my computer died I copied the icon for the program and tried to open it but it said it was an illegal copy. I had to send a usb card to Guatemala City and wait three days to get the program back and re-install it. Now I have the program to re-install it. Monday I tried to use the installation program but it did not work. I had to send a usb to Guatemala City again and wait three days to get the program back. Thankfully this time I have a card so I was not completely out of money. Tuesday and Wedneseday we had a conference with district leaders. I went with Hermana Maravilla and the enfermeras to visit a sister missionary that is having some leg problems. I had to drive the five of them with my companion back to the church. It was very funny having 4 hermanas and Hermana Maravilla stuffed in the back seat sitting on each others laps. Then I was taking the 2 enfermeras and Hermana Maravilla back to Reu after the meeting. The roads are really bad with lots of potholes. I was going a little fast on one part of the road that had a turn and I saw potholes at the last minute so things got way bumpy and I started laughing cause the hermanas got a little tossed around. Hermana Maravilla fell asleep and I went over a big speed bump and it definitely woke her up. It was a car ride of lots of laughs. Guatemala is kinda crazy with their speed bumps. They put them all over and many times in the middle of nowhere. I found out basically anyone can build a speed bump in the road. Thursday and Friday we had training of missionaries that have only a few months in the mission. Lots of running around doing errands. Friday afternoon I went with one of the assistants to take a lawyer to Ocós Tecun Uman to do a wedding. The lawyer was talking to me and said that he knows me from somewhere. I couldn't think of it. He said were you in Samayac. Yes. He was the same lawyer that did my first wedding my first month in the mission. It was cool to talk to him. Ocós is a place I have never seen. It was cool. Very hot and not much there. Lots of banana fields for Dole. But they have something really close that is amazing. We drove 5 minutes away and I got to see for the first time in Guatemala the beach. It was so wonderful and really hard not to go in the water. We got there shortly before sundown and got to watch the sun set. It went down in less then two mins. So fast but I got some nice photos. Not a bad week. Next week is a 3 day conference for the sisters. I think we will help with that. Then there are more meetings and things and then in no time the month is about over and it is change meeting and then General Conference. Conference will be cool in the office. It's going to be a busy two weeks but that will be good. Sounds like Utah is still having crazy weather and just as crazy gas prices, $5 will be very ugly. I read all the Hunger Games books but the last one. The movie would be cool. I have a lot of movies to catch up on for two years when I get home. We might have to look into Netflix. I hope things are going wonderful for you. Hopefully the weather gets better so you can finish the yard. I can't wait to hear from you again. We get to talk about conference again with each other soon. That is very exciting for me. I love you mom and keep you in my prayers. May you be safe, happy, and healthy. Until next week. I love you mom!
Love your baby boy, Elder Cox

Week 55 - March 10, 2012

Mi Madre! I really can't believe how quickly time is passing. This week went by way fast and next week we have lots of trainings and things for the mission so I think that will go by very fast also then there is General Conference. Crazy where the time is going. That is awesome that the priests came and taught you. Sounds like they did very well and that they also enjoyed the brownies. They sound like they do a lot. Once again it is incredible to see the sacrifice for missionary work. The two young men have put aside sports, homework, food and everything to practice teaching the gospel. They are going to be great missionaries. Do they do challenges for reading the Book of Mormon and for getting baptized? I agree also that this will be great for you and Scott. So Saturday or Sunday you will be back to Guatemala time. Does it start to look like spring or still have the bad weather? To complete the backyard you have sprinklers, grass, landscaping and finish the pool right? I love girl scout cookies. At the store here there was a sale on Kiebler Elf rainbow chip cookies. They were two for one. I bought 2, so 4 packages total of cookies. I ate one complete pack by myself in two days. I kinda went crazy with snacks. But I am going to the gym a lot and feeling great. I weigh 162 lbs but I am in good shape and working on making my back and core stronger. Speaking of eating food, sometimes missionaries make some strange food. I made a taco concoction. It had a hot dog, spam, singles cheese slice, chilis, salsa, and mustard. Not my proudest food moment but it was not that bad. Spanish news is very fast but I believe you will pick more and more up very quickly. I'm very happy and proud you are learning Spanish. And I'm glad the Spanish Coach is helping a lot. We can have Spanish nights when I get back, that will be so fun. It will be very helpful when we visit Guatemala or other countries and you can actually understand people. I admit I do need to work on my Spanish more, I have gotten bad at studying right now. This week we went to President's house for dinner on Monday. I had written him a card the week before. I always go by his house to get a signature from him and he was joking around and said when I visit it is because I always want something from him. As he said that I tried not to tell him I actually have a visit to bring you a treat but I wanted it to be a surprise. Monday night I had some more papers for him to sign but after we ate some dinner with them and were ready to leave I went back into his office. I said President I have one more thing for you. I opened my folder and gave him the card I made and a Snickers, his favorite candy. I said in the card that I am grateful for all he does for me and all of the mission. He is very spiritual and hardworking and I want to develop a character like him. I told him before I never really knew how much he does and how much reports and pressure he gets from the area office and others. I said that from my short time in the office I have seen how much is on his mind and how much he has to do but he always is ready to help us and show his love for us. I told him to take a few minutes and relax while he enjoys the Snickers. He really liked it. I really liked giving it to him. Made me very happy. More and more I keep learning how much I enjoy giving to others. Tuesday we had a training with the zone leaders. President wanted something different so I found us a nice hotel with a conference room. It was way nice and the staff treated us excellently. The manager is a member and got us a deal. The place costs Q600 but we got it for Q250. Just had to pay for the super delicious food. In the conference President mentioned my letter to him and how grateful he was. He said he really does a lot and there are missionaries that think he does nothing and doesn't love them. But I know he does. In the conference I learned some things about church. One reason we go to church every Sunday is to prepare for the temple, and for the Santa Cena. Another interesting thing is why the worth of souls is great to God and why His work of bringing the eternal life of man is important. It is all important and the worth of souls is great because of the Atonement of Christ. He suffered everything for us, so if our souls and eternal life were not important then the Atonement was of no worth. Interesting things to think about. I am going to study more of the Atonement and life of Christ. They are powerful things. I think there is a wise purpose to all the changes and experiences in the mission. I am going to follow your advice about dad. Oh I wrote a letter to Nana, Grandpa and Grandma Davis. They should get it soon. I also wrote a really good letter to my brother David. So I'm excited to hear what he has to say. He should keep a look out this next week for it. I am going to write a few more letters today. It is kinda slow but I will get them complete and sent. Mom I also want to tell you how much I love Jessica's family. they are so nice and really care about me. I'm not going to focus on it for another year but there is a good possibility of a future there. This week has been good and I'm so excited for conference in a couple weeks. How are you going to prepare for conference? I like to write some questions and think about it as I watch. I hope you watch all the sessions again, that was very awesome to hear last time. How is your reading of the Book of Mormon? Are you using the chart I sent? One more question I want to ask. What are you doing to get a temple recommend and go to the temple this year? I really want you to go to the temple for two reasons. Number 1: I want you to receive the blessings that come from the temple. It truly is the house of the Lord and there is a peace there like nowhere else. We receive protection and knowledge that we desperately need in a world that gets more and more crazy. I want to go to the temple with you and make that a regular activity. Number 2: I could see myself getting married not long after I get home from my mission and Mom I need you to be there. It would be a great blessing and dream for me to have my family in the temple with me. I love you so much Mom. I love that you are the best missionary mom. I love how much you support me and write me and talk about me. You're the best Mom ever and I love you forever. Can't wait to get your next letter. Enjoy this novel I just wrote, haha. Te amo mucho. Espero que tengas una semana de felicidad y seguridad. Estás en mis oraciones y mi corazón.
Con mucho amor tu hijo Elder Cox

I love Wendy's! - March 3, 2012

I can't believe it's March already either. The time keeps going by very quickly. What an ugly spring you're having. Utah is acting crazy. No snow during winter and now almost spring and you get a furious blizzard. Don't want to make you jealous but I'm still enjoying no snow and warm weather sometimes too warm. That would be really hard if the crazy snow comes late and destroys the fruit and flowers. The ladder sounds way cool. Do you both love it and use it all the time? That is even better that by selling the old ladders and things that you paid for 1/2 the cost. I love hearing about your Spanish class and that you love it and are learning a lot. Way to go for translating. I have thought about what the Spanish game will be like for me when I return home. How were the Spanish cartoons? haha. But it is really true. Many shows talk really really fast I still have trouble when I hear some of the shows here. Before the mission sometimes in the morning I would find a kids show called Lazytown, it is crazy. You could also watch some Disney movies we have but in Spanish. Some songs are hard to translate when you hear them cause singing is different sometimes but that is cool you are understanding Il Divo. I was thinking about some music and I have a song on my Ipod back home that is Que será será. It just hit me this week when I started thinking of this song, wait a minute, that is in Spanish, what will be will be. How did I not think of that before. I like trying to translate talks in church or other videos I see into English or translate things from English to Spanish that I read or hear. I think it is a little easier to translate from Spanish to English. Wow they are not playing around with the house of our new neighbors. I did not think about it until you said it, but I'm going to miss doing dishes and staring out the window at the mountains or getting a drink of water, from the TAP how nice is that, and taking a few minutes to admire the mountains. Now there is a big house. I still am impressed at the deal you and Scott got on our house, it is a very nice house. Speaking of Wells Fargo. I tried to buy my new suitcase Friday for Q772.22 or about $99 and it said it was declined. I then tried Q400 or $51 and it still said I was declined. I don't know what happened with that. I used my mission card. So I did try to use my card but I was denied. The suitcase is just a little bit bigger then the red one I bought from Kohls. It is so nice to not have a suitcase with a big hole in it with part held together by stitching. I put my stuff in it and changed some things from my other bag and now I have so much room. I think the both bags will be much lighter now and weight distributed evenly. I love it and am pleased with the purchase. So I have some other purchases to talk about but I will in just a moment. This week President did interviews and before the interviews he gave a little fireside. I was not super busy one of the days and was able to be a part of it. He talked about agency. It was so amazing. We talked about the great gift of agency we have and how much of it was possible through Jesucristo y su Expiación. The blessings and scriptures that talk about agency. Why Lucifer wants to take away our agency and keep us from using it. He wants to have many of us in his control at the last day and say that the atonement did not work. We lose our agency because we have used our agency to do that which is against the commandments of God. Such a good lesson. A mom had sent two big boxes of shoes to do a project with the people here. The shoes came to Xela. I had the money to pick them up so I got to go to Xela yesterday. Xela is so awesome. We got there and it was nice and cool weather. We dropped two missionaries that will be leaving off at the temple because one does not have a temple in his country. I got to see the temple and take a picture. I truly love that place so much, I feel so much better and that is just from being outside of it. I can't imagine when I get to go inside this next month or two. We met some Elderly missionaries that were serving a mission in the temple. They are lucky. They live in the casa de hospedajes next to the temple which is like a 5 star hotel and they have a Walmart and Wendys and many amazing stores right there. What a great mission that would be, your spouse, the temple, Walmart, Wendys. They were nice and bought us some bread. That's right I went to Walmart. I spent about a third of my food budget for the month in one shopping trip and mostly on snack foods. But they have so many things there I can't get. I got Cheezits, almonds, jalapeno Cheetos, caffeine free Dr Pepper, and a Mt Dew, some other stuff too. It was amazing. My desk drawer is now packed with food from Walmart and Nana's package. After the amazing finds of Walmart we ate lunch at Wendys. That was my first time at Wendys in so so long and it was by far the best burger here. So delicious. So I got kinda spoiled yesterday. I got some great letters this week too. Lots of people I need to write so I will try to do my best. I got a great letter from Jefferey Davis. He is so nice to keep up with me and write me a few times. Sounds like JJ is experiencing some of the same struggles I had but is doing very well. I got a letter from my scuba buddy friend Brent Beus. He truly is a great friend and I'm glad I got to know him so much better before I left. I will not forget our scuba trip right before I left. We should plan a scuba trip with his family, our family, and Jessica's family. I got a letter from all the people at the Hospital. They all signed a card and said how much they miss me and are proud of me, that they can't wait for me to come visit them. What wonderful people I have had in my life. I got another letter that was unexpected. Dad wrote me. He said he really needs his son in his life. He wants to communicate with me. He said that he hopes God has not forsaken him. I'm not sure what to think. Oh, I got a really great letter too that made me jump for joy. It was a caring wonderful letter from Jessica Stevens. I have really made an impression on her and her family. Her mom loves me and misses me around the family. I'm glad the family is doing well and I really love them. I keep thinking lately how incredibly blessed I am. I have so many people in my life writing me, asking about me, praying for me. There are lots of work friends, friends, family all missing me and loving me. And YOU are my biggest supporter. Your love and letters are blessings in my life. Thank you Mom. I'm grateful for everyone that is in my life and sending their love. You are the greatest Mom and I pray for you and thank my Father for you. Last big thing that is happening is tomorrow we have a stake conference and Elder Falabella is going to be there. He is the area president of Central America. It will be very amazing and I will write you to let you know the amazing things I learned and felt. Can't explain how much I love you and am thankful for you. Continúe aprender Español. Tenga salud y gozo. ¿Cómo estas su estudio del Libro de Mormón? Te amo mucho Mamacita!
Elder Son