Today's notes will be random, my thoughts are a little like scrambled eggs today. :)
This week I had exchanges with everyone in our district. It's an incredible opportunity to really see the ins and outs of the beautiful souls that I get to be here with. We are a very America saturated district this transfer. Two Texans (both sweet/sassy, hilarious and I love them they remind me of a lot of folks from good old nodak), Californian (my companion), German (so clean and organized and smart and hardworking wow I love Germans) and Russian (she has a great fondness for cats and missionary work, going home in a few months) I can't even comprehend that right now still seems so far away...
Took a tour with 3 Russians with Sister Semenova. They live where missionaries actively seeking them out is not lawful. But while they were here we were able to share the message missionaries could have been teaching them, gave a Book of Mormon in Russian and gave them access to find church and more resources. Temple Square is amazing.
Investigators we are working with are from Chicago, New York, California, Iowa, Ohio, Jamaica, England, Georgia etc and it is amazing seeing God's loving hand over all nations and people and that He will really give every single human on this earth the opportunity someday, somewhere, whether its on this earth or not, to receive the gospel.
Alma 26:37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever.
Met a homeless man yesterday who was a little insane, but safe. A common occurrence because we have many homeless friends in the area..some safe, many not. :) Security here helps a lot with that.
Anyway, this guy was telling me about how he woke up the other night with a fox adjacent to his face. There in the visitor center, he pulled out a stuffed fox that was in his backpack and explained that the stuffed toy was probably the source of the anomaly. Hahaha. He's Buddhist, and has had a past of mental illness and cutting and it is amazing to me the different ways people cope with their challenges and ways they find peace. I'm so grateful for the knowledge and relationship I have with Jesus Christ, that I can turn to him in all things, and He really will understand me, help me to heal in my own individual ways.
As we share the messages of this gospel, the restoration, the sacrifice of the pioneers coming to the Salt lake valley and the unique history of Brigham young with people everyday, we become in tune with common facial expressions. It is difficult at times because many come with closed hearts/minds. Judgement as well complete disregard is clear in their countenance. Many funny situations as well. God has a sense of humour, I really believe that.
But when we see someone or multiple someones in our conversations or tours who have this almost familiar light in their eyes, shining, hopeful, full of love and a desire to know more, it fills me with this warmth and energy that I have only felt here. It makes all of the pinched lips and repetitive questions so worth it.
Today for pday we went to a an international European deli and grocery and a cute man gave us free candy. We also went hiking. So glad I am still near the mountains, keeping my sanity up in these glorious God given beauties.
Also we got locked in the beehive cellar this week. That was a little cool and sketchy all in one. We made it out without too many horror film stories running through our minds.
I just want to end with a cool thought from this week. Often as we speak to people on the square, we start talking to people and suddenly the mind will go blank. A Sister and I in my district found in it a blessing I had never thought of before.How many times when we freak out during a presentation, speech, performance and suddenly our mind just takes a trip to space land. Compare our minds to a marker board and Heavenly Father being in charge of that marker board through the spirit. Because He allows our minds to go blank, we have no preconceived notions of the person or situation and He is in charge of what is written there on that board, and if we listen and are in tune with what he is telling us to say, that once blank board can fill the heart of a once empty and longing soul that needed to have their own canvas or whiteboard filled with good things.
Love you all, and may your blank marker boards be filled with love this week.
Sister Cox
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| Hiking today. |
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| Hiking last week in the blizzard/thunderstorm and I look like a bald awko-taco but it's okay because we were all just trying to stay warm. These kids were the bomb and so cute. #presoaked |
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| My companion took a pic on the way home, I thought there was cool symbolism. Our walk home is very uphill, that's how the everydays and months here are, a continual climb. Onward Christian soldiers. |
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