Zdravstvuy, Guten Tag, Hallo

Zdravstvuy, Guten Tag, Hallo
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

Hiking today.

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

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. 

Love One Another ft. Neon Trees & Imagine Dragons

 Today was a pday to remember. 

I'm trying to figure out a cool way to share what happened but there is no way to make what is this cool, cooler.

We bumped into both lead singers of Neon freaking Trees, and Imagine Dragons, Tyler and Dan. They are both members of the church and both actually served missions in Nebraska.  

Dan is making a video and they are hosting a festival this week to help soften and eliminate the harsh stigmas of the LGBT community in the church and help bring a feeling of love through their music and influence. They will both be performing and Steve Young and his wife will be speaking. 

They asked if they could interview us to possibly be part of the video.

I tried to keep my chill but GUYS THIS WAS SO LEGIT. And they are such good, wholesome awesome, beautiful music making humans. 

I asked them to please sing a hymn for us and they had us sing with them, so yeah that happened. We sang "Love one another," and they said that is what they are thinking of giving the title to all of this. 

We also hiked up Ensign Peak today and it stormed, rained and hailed on us and we were stranded up there with two kids and their grandma who actually served as the secretary of our mission years ago. The little boy was kinda freaking out about the thunder and everything, so I had a few thumb wars with him and we all sang some songs together to keep the calm in the midst of the storm. PS I love thunderstorms so I was pretty much hyped.

We received Transfer calls and our pday switched to Wednesday so we will have two pdays this week......

Transfer info:

Companion: Still will be with Sister Nuttall another transfer! Merica

Zone leaders: Sister Chen (China) Sister Shumway (Hawaii)

Assignment: Beehive (Again!)

Pday: wednesday 

We met some super neat people this week and I can't wait for the full blown chaos of the summertime. 

Feeling so blessed. 

I am still often waking my companion in the middle of the night to pray under the haze of sleepytalking. 

The Chinese people are swarming the square already and they are hilarious. I've never felt more like a celebrity than I do with them, I am asked to take a picture with them at least once a day. It's the blonde hair and the fact that I am american.

This is a quote I love from Elder Quentin L Cook, "It is okay to disagree, it is not okay to be disagreeable." In the midst of the crazy opinions in this world, look to Jesus Christ my friends, the source of all things good. 

Love much,

Sister Cox

Hike today pre-storm. Can't see the valley because I'm in the sky.

An adorable couple we took on a tour last week, they insisted on a picture so we took one too. Love them just after 30 min with them.

  

Hello,

Greetings come in English this transfer because American companion. 

So sorry there was a whole lot that happened this week but I am sitting here and my mind is really quite blank and I left my journal at home. We had some final exchanges, zone conference, music and the spoken word and met a lot of great people. Our investigators are doing great. It was an uplifting week, a little more difficult than usual, and I am down with a little bit of a cold, but nothing a good relaxing p-day can't cure I'm sure. Next week is transfer week already, wow.

I do have in my ipad one of my favourite quotes from Jesus the Christ this week:

"Misunderstanding is the prelude to offense."

How often have we had trouble in some kind of relationship just because of misunderstanding? How many conflicts between countries have started because of misunderstandings? How many things have simply gone wrong because of misunderstanding?

Here is my mantra for the week, let understanding be the prelude to our good deeds. 

When we really understand people and who they are and their potential, I believe we are able to see a side that the Savior sees. And we will have a continual desire to serve everyone around us.

Have a great week everyone, 

Sister Cox

Music and the Spoken Word with Sister Nuttall

A bird pooped on Sister Orellana. This is actually a pretty frequent thing because of all the trees round about. Maybe it's good for the skin?

Sometimes we do get to meet the Apostles

Buena Sera,

This week we talked to some cute little tykes outside, and one just got baptized not too long ago. We asked him how he felt when he was baptized and he said "the water was cold but I was warm." Melted my heart like a popsicle on the 4th of July. Then the mom told us about the little sister (4 yrs old) who said when she prays she feels like the sun coming up. KIDS♥

Yesterday we had missionary leadership council and it was SO GOOD and tomorrow we have zone conference. (we basically just have trainings from President and Sister Risenmay, the Assistants to the President, Zone leaders and District leaders. How to become better missionaries and reminded of why we are here. I'll be giving my first training! #rookie

Today we went hiking for zone activity and at the top of the hike DL shared scriptures about the Savior and sacrifice and we meditated and prayed and I just felt so close to Jesus Christ and it felt so good being back out in my natural habitat/environment where I really do feel the happiest and closest to God and the earth.

Aaaand last but certainly not least:

On Sunday Elder Ballard of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles came to speak with us. IT was amazing.

He walked in and said, "you all look like a bunch of tulips." hahaha.

I'll try to give a brief synopsis of what he spoke about.

Began with Savior to the women of the church, his ministry and love for them. The samaritan woman at the well, and Mary Magdalene. He said, "The women of the church who have deep testimony and learn who Christ is, you have a power and strength that you carry into your homes, and lives, married or single."

I noticed that while he reads things he speaks slowly, letting time for the spirit to speak to us individually. It was a good reminder for me, in speaking and reading.

He told us to Internalize all the good things we are learning on our missions so that they become apart of us, not just things that happen to us these 18 months.

He also went over all of the Christlike attributes and emphasized how important they are. "Understand and study them until it becomes part of you"

He told us we are celestially blessed to serve here, so close to the Prophet, many of Christ's ministers and wonderful people. 

One of my favourite quotes: "some people who come onto the square are a little square, a little funny. But we need to try to be patient with them." Hahah so true.

We shook his hand at the end and FYI he has really soft hands. One of the sisters took a picture of him and I just so happened to be shaking his hand in that moment so HERE IS ME SHAKING THE HAND OF Elder M. Russell Ballard.

Family Parlor in the Beehive House. Another sister took a picture of this and I just had to share.

Zone Service project last week: we gardened and cleaned and organized the Bateman's home.They are part of our mission Presidency. We were originally going to go to an earth day fair and help out but it was rained out so this was our last minute change of plans.

Mom and Dad, I'm sure you would never think this day would come BUT I LOVE WEEDING IT WAS THE BEST PART OF MY WEEK. It felt so good to do that close to home familiar yard work.

Our hike today. Some of the sisters. Bonneville Trail

It was seriously so peaceful and reminded me so much of the Sermon on the Mount from the Bible Videos. The Salt Lake is incomparable to the Sea of Galilee and Jesus Christ wasn't there teaching us, but it was still such a beautiful time.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week! Send me pictures of your lives!

Sister Cox

Halfway

Yesterday was my halfway mark. what.

During the morning Beehive house alarm went off. No fire, no known source. So we assumed it was the ghosts of Brigham Young's past. :) 

Also, wow I love the sisters in my district. So hardworking and obedient. 

Peace and Blessings: Last p-day we got Costa Vida and a member paid for our food. I was able to find comfort in the little things. Good weather and genuine, good people.

Square: In the beehive house a couple came through of the Muslim faith and they really love the principles and lifestyle of our faith. They are helping to be the good in this world. We also spoke with a few more atheists this week, or humanists as one of them called themselves --who believes in humanity not God or religion. I believe in humanity because I believe in God and that all things good come from Him. :) I love seeing pieces of individual human souls everyday. There is so much to experience and feel and experience in this life!!!

Favorite scripture from the past week:

3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people (one by one) that they might have everlasting life."

We are here to help people come closer to Christ and give them an opportunity to have EVERLASTING LIFE. 

Another random thought: In Genesis I love the story about how Jacob works for Rebecca for 7 years but it only feels like days because he truly loves her. When we truly love the people we serve and that is our motivation, 18 months begins to feel like 18 days.

Love you all. Have a great week,

Sister Cox

Sister Romero from Mexico/California/Idaho, pineapple in one hand a sammich in the other. Easy to please.

Our zone leaders took us on an example tour because we have a lot of new sisters that need a little more training so we were pretending to be tourists in this foto.

The Assembly hall in all its springtime glory.

Companion:)

Bee in the Beehive House

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter. Candy and Easter egg hunts/decorating are good and I'm not going to lie I missed that a little bit this year, but can't compete with the love of the Savior and the beautiful fact that HE LIVES. Remember the promises you made and make to Him.

Easter Morning

Yesterday we were at the Beehive house taking a huge family through (they surprisingly were not mormon). We had just been talking about the symbolism of the Beehive and what it meant to Brigham Young and how it has been preserved as a symbol to motivate us as members of the church. To work hard, be self reliant, and work together. Very timely and ironically a huge little bee friend was buzzing right in front of the exit door. So funny. After the chaos of it all it gave me a great opportunity for me to share a story I read from James E. Talmage called the parable of the unwise bee.

 https://www.lds.org/ensign/2017/02/the-parable-of-the-unwise-bee?lang=eng.
Read it. We really felt the spirit throughout this tour and we had so much fun with the family, and I beelieve that God puts in our path even the small and simple things that will change the course of our lives. Things as perfectly planned as bees in the Beehive house. 

We've had exchanges all week but I only took one picture I promise no favoritism, Sister Smith from New Zealand she is the bomb.

Sometimes I will watch the Bible videos to just kind of unwind and chill and I was watching The Road to Emmaus most lately. I love how they ask the Savior to abide with them because evening was coming soon. One of my favourite hymns describes it better than I could:

2. Abide with me; 'tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.

3. Abide with me; 'tis eventide,
And lone will be the night
If I cannot commune with thee
Nor find in thee my light.
The darkness of the world, I fear,
Would in my home abide.

O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, 'tis eventide.

It gave me some comfort this week I hope it does the same for you. It's even better with the music. 

Be good, Be Safe, Be happy. <--the frequent words of my loving and wise mother that will always BEE with me. 

Love you all, 

Sister Cox

Hi Hi,

Sorry it's been awhile. My pday switched from Wednesday to Tuesday so I didn't have pday last week. And there is too much to catch up on and I don't have a ton of time but I will share as much as I can.

#princeofpeace. His peace is what moves me forward everyday. :)

General Conference:

Still trying to catch up because we are only able to watch one session and we are out on the square the rest of the time. But the session I watched was exactly what I needed. 

My favourite was....jk I thought I was going to be able to pick but I can't. I loved how simply Sister Jones explained our discipleship not only for our kids and families but also for us individually. Thought of my investigators a lot.

In front of the conference center the Sunday of General Conference, we went to the AM session, this picture was taken before the rush of the crowds. I don't have a picture to share what it looked like later in the day, but the pavement was not seen amongst the many humans.

The talk from Elder Toon Huan Choi was powerful. "When you look up, you will be strengthened to open your mouth to everyone without any fear." So helpful in our missionary work.

Elder Rasband's talk about the spirit. On point.

Conference with Sister Guerrero.

And of course hearing President Monson give his simple but powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and hearing the continual sustaining of his prophetic and loving leadership was a beautiful way to start the session. 

Transfer Day! She carried this bag of blankets all the way to square and to her new apartment. It's basically as big as her. Don't worry I didn't make her carry it all the way there by herself, but look how funny.

Conference ended out my last days with Sister Warrior. She has officially left the nest, a trained little birdie. She has had a great contribution to my mission and the lives of many and will continue to grow. I love her much. 

Transfers:

New Zone/Assignment: East 1 Beehive House again:) 

Zone leaders: Sister Steffensen from Norway and Sister Romero from Mexico. THEY ARE THE BEST

Companion: Sister Nuttall from California (LA)

Heavenly Father has decided that I am going to look after a district and I look forward to the challenge and of course I am a little nervous. But not fearful. :) The Sisters in my district are awesome. Sister Smith from New Zealand, Sister Silva from Brasil, Sister Hinkey from Washington, and Sister Ranieri from Italy.

My new companion Sister Nuttall, this is the only picture I have with her so far. On the left. Feat. center, a cool contact that we met while we were on desk.

It's been an exhausting week. Missions are hard my friends. Satan is pushing on all sides. But luckily we have a protective bubble that comes from the spirit and I think also our calling as missionaries and the only way he can get in is if we let him. Same with the Savior and the spirit. Choose light. “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:24) 

Investigators/Square Stories:

It snowed a few days ago. It was gone by the afternoon. lol

Found some new really awesome investigators who visited beehive this week from NC and Ohio, and online as well. Teaching online is a blessing, but I do look forward to going outbound and teaching face to face. Eyes are the window to the soul.  When I was on exchanges with Sister Silva, from the exit of the Beehive house we saw Elder Costa crossing the street but we were finishing a tour so we only saw him from a distance but that was pretty neat, especially after just hearing him speak in General Conference. I did get to listen to him. 

This is all I have time for my people. Until next week. God be with you.

Love, xoxox

Sister Cox

Sister and Elder Sharp have been serving in this mission for 3 years and they left last week. I will miss them dearly.

Went on exchanges with new baby Sister Silva, the schedule is exhausting and it takes adjustment let me tell ya hahah. With Brasilians forever:)