Friday, November 25, 2016

3rd down

3 months here on the mission, 15 to go.

This week:

1. We went to members homes for Thanksgiving and we went with the Robb family for a few hours. They were wonderful and it was nice to be with a family at a home for the holiday. Temple Square mission isn't with a ward so we don't get much interaction in member homes. It made me excited to go outbound (where we go serve in another state in the US for a few months).
The Robb Family

2. Sister Gomes saw her first real snow on Wednesday. It was seriously so beautiful walking around in it at night. God has blessed us with
such a beautiful world I will never get over it. Sorry for no pictures, I'm really not very good at taking pictures of everything.

Their home & my companion for the next 4 days.
3. We have a few investigators that are doing so well. I love them to death. But it's so hard for people to understand that even in the busy times in their life, it is the best time for them to follow Christ completely, to be baptized and to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. But I have had a few humbling wake up calls where Heavenly Father has had to remind me that people are ready to be baptized when they are ready, when the Lord has prepared them, not when we as missionaries are ready. But it's important for us also to recognize when people aren't ready. That we sometimes need to move on and find those that are ready right now to accept the Gospel rather than spending our time with someone who isn't going to accept this gospel now, or even in this life because we might miss out on those opportune people.

4. Christmas schedule starts tonight, when the lights turn on in about 15 minutes. President Risenmay told us this week that there are an
estimated 1 million people coming to the square this Christmas season. The part of me that hates crowds is honestly intimidated by that fact, the part of me that loves human beings is excited to experience the Christmas spirit here on Temple Square with all of those incredible people. I will also have a new p-day and assignment next week because transfers are next week. OFFICIALLY ALMOST DONE WITH TRAINING.

5. We went to welfare square and the humanitarian center this week, which are part of our mission and I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE THERE. The welfare program of the church is so wonderful, I have gained a newfound testimony for fast offerings.

Serving at welfare square for the day. About to head home. Recieved free bread. Grateful.

This week, friends, I have a favor to ask of you. Will you send me pictures that we have taken together? I didn't bring pictures with me and have been regretting that the past few weeks and would love to see your familiar faces.

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. One of my favourite examples of the Savior and gratitude is the story of the 10 lepers (Luke17:11–18.) Sometimes I wonder, especially lately, if I would be one of the 9 who didn't return to say thank you. Or on the night Jesus
has the sacrament with the 12 disciples and tells them that one of them would betray Him. This is from one of my favourite talks where Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminds us to ask "Lord is it I?" I want to share the very beginning with you:

"It was our beloved Savior’s final night in mortality, the evening before He would offer Himself a ransom for all mankind. As He broke
bread with His disciples, He said something that must have filled their hearts with great alarm and deep sadness. “One of you shall betray me,” He told them.

The disciples didn’t question the truth of what He said. Nor did they look around, point to someone else, and ask, “Is it him?”

Instead, “they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?”

If the savior came to the square disguised as a homeless man, or a clean shaven someone in a suit, would I recognize Him? I would like to think I would. Just something I have been thinking about lately.

I love Him. I love you all. And I love this Christmas season.

xoxo,
Sister Cox

I laughed so hard when I saw this very Sister Oeser with "vodka" sauce. Because it's the closest we will ever come to even seeing anything related to alcohol. BTW this mission has the silliest girls handpicked from all over the world, and I suppose I'm one of them. Haha this sauce is actually seriously yum.



Friday, November 18, 2016

Remember November

The first snowfall, Sister Gomes was THRILLED, she hasn't really seen snow in her lifetime. I think I've seen enough for the both of us in my lifetime haha.
Hello Friends and family,

Just a short note to all of you today. Watch the new "Light the World" initiative on LDS.org. You'll feel light bulbs in your heart. And take the challenge, I will be too!

Our zone made a really really high goal for the month of November and our zone has been working so hard and trying to be exactly obedient. We pray every morning at 8 in the morning and 10 at night for our investigators. And I have been studying a few verses every day to help to remind myself of our goals. 3 Nephi 19:12, Helaman 3:35 and 2 Nephi 1:21. My companion and I also refer to the hashtag often, Remember November that we made up. Nosomos gatas.

Here are some pictures for the week all with my companion. We only have about 1 week left together, wowwww.
xoxo

Sister Cox

Companions who wear beanies together stay together. 

Bumped into my favourite human last week. Sorry I am not supposed to go out to eat with friends and family usually but this was with special permission and the timing of it all was sent from Heavenly Father. This mission is crazy, I would never be able to go out to eat with my sister in any other mission.
The first day of having Christmas decorations up. We're pumped.

All of the Sisters attended Savior of the World this week. It was SO GOOD, I recommend 10/10.


Friday, November 11, 2016

Sweet Dreams are Made of These

So those of you who know me at all know that I have a hardcore habit of sleep talking. I have now entered the realm of sleep teaching. In the middle of the night, multiple times, I have woken up sitting up in bed, sharing the first vision (btw there is a new depiction of the first vision in the Church History Museum come see). I have also woken up bringing a Book of Mormon and a restoration pamphlet to my bed. When I asked Heavenly Father to help me become a more consecrated missionary, I don't think I understood the depth of how much He would actually help me hahahah. My companion is a trooper, we are both lucky she sleeps deeply. 
I do know her, yes, she is training me... :)
I have been thinking a lot this week about when I went to Peru a few years ago. We visited a little school up in the mountains near Cuzco and met the kids there. They were all really poor and lived in little shacks. At one point during our time there at the school, we pulled out some balloons and blew them up for the kids. They crowded around us waiting anxiously for the colorful round things that for some reason, are just super cool. Even I think so. As they received theirown balloons they thanked us with straight up pleasure in their eyes and the happiness that exuded from their tiny little Peruvian frames was something that I can't easily forget. It made me think of those
who have been waiting to hear this message of the gospel for so long. They hear it and see it and wait eagerly to receive it. Now, balloons might not be something that would bring a significant amount of happiness to those that are above 3 feet tall. But learning about Heavenly Father's eternal plan for us, who Jesus Christ is and the impact He can have in our life is something that will bringhappiness to every single human soul.
Amigos
I feel like I am not really very good at sharing the things we do on a daily and weekly basis I just talk a lot haha. But hey, this week we had zone conference and had training on the Plan of Salvation and our calling as representatives of Christ. President Risenmay shared a quote from Bruce R. McConkie that I can't really remember but he basically said that as His representatives and missionaries, our words are His words, our acts are His acts. Oh my goodness I hope to represent my Savior well and that I can be the vessel that will speak the words He would have me say. Another thing we also talked about is how when we are teaching, it is so important to bear your authentic, personal and powerful testimony. It seals the truth of the principle or doctrine you are teaching. Overall, SUPER great training wish I could share more with you. But the time is limited.
Zone activity. Laser tag.

Sorry for not emailing last week, it was a muito busy pday so was today actually and we have had minimal time to write. Hope you are all doing well. It is such a good time of the year and the best time of the year is coming soon. CHRISTMAS. The lights will be on in about 2 weeks. YAAAAA


Oquirrh Mountain temple visit for pday today.


Love you all, xoxo
Sister Cox