Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Hola!!!! 

Ok I have noooo time! We went to the temple today for pday and then got back super late because we live far away so we only had a tiny bit of time to write. But this week went by quickly and was great! We had a fun adventure to the Peruvian doctor! No worries, nothing serious. I´d been having ear pain for about 2 weeks so we set up an appointment to check it out and he told me I have allergies to the dirt here...not sure how reliable that is but he gave me some allergy pills to take and I’ve been feeling a lot better so I guess it´s working. Random :) 

With I... we were able to talk to the bishop and find out more about the situation. She can now take the sacrament and today at the temple we were able to buy her garments so she can start wearing them. :) Hopefully she can get her recommend soon and we´ll take her back to the temple.

Speaking of the temple we got to go today and it was the best. I love that sacred place with all my heart and there is a peace there that is indescribable. I´m so blessed to be in a mission with a temple and also one back home that is so close. I´ll send some pics of that. 

But all in all we are doing really well here. Had a new investigator come to church with her 3 kids this week which was super exciting because no one wants to come to church with us here. :) Her name is B..., please pray for her. Also for I... still and S... and her familiy. J... is planning on getting baptized next week so please pray for him and his mom M... who is less active that she can be a support for him. 

No more time but I love you all so much! I know my Savior lives and I love him with all my heart. Learn of Him and rely on His love. 

Love you all!

Hermana Cox

Hermana Samuel´s sister got married this weekend so we bought cake and celebrated so she wouldn´t feel so bad. I´m glad I´m the oldest and don´t have to worry  about that happening to me!

Monday, October 12, 2015

Hola Familia y Amigos!

Wow, another transfer has begun...time is flying! This transfer I will be staying in my area in Chosica but have a new companion! Her name is Hermana Chavez from Guayaquil Ecuador (yeah definitely spelled that wrong). She’s the best and I already love her so much. She is afraid of dogs...and here in Chosica there are 5 dogs on every corner so please pray for her in this aspect. She is a hard worker and we have so many plans for this transfer! She has such a strong desire to serve and help the people and knows what her purpose is. I can already tell we are going to have a transfer of miracles!!!! I´m so excited. 

Last pday of last transfer! The Hermanas of Chosica

The new Hermanas of Chosica this transfer...recognize the tall one? Hermana Samuels, my companion from the CCM! I´m so excited she´s here!

My new companion, Hermana Chavez! She is from Ecuador and is the best!

So something fun from this week before I start into the serious missionary business. :) Here in Peru we eat a lot of rice, potatoes, and chicken. Pretty much that every day. So our pension decided to try and give us a little break and mix things up...let´s just say it´s been a rough week for my stomach. :) This week I have eaten oyster, crab, fish, clam, squid, and octopus. Not lying. Never in my life did I think I would ever ever ever eat those things. My family knows I do NOT do seafood at all. But I can now testify of the missionary superpower of being able to eat everything served to you on your plate. Wow, I feel sick thinking about it...but also just a little bit proud of myself. Ok SUPER proud of myself. Dad, I hope you are too. I was thinking of you the whole time and all the times I told you never in my life would I eat things like that. :) Ok back to the missionary-life stuff....

One pic of the "seafood surprise" we ate the other day...all the other little pieces of things in the rice are octopus and squid. :)

There is so much that needs to be done here in this area. After this week ended, Hermana Chavez and I just sat down together and cried a little talking about everything we´d seen throughout the week. There are so many needs here and so much work to be done. I honestly feel like Alma when he saw the wickedness and apostasy in the land and left his judgement seat to go out and teach and bring the people back. Chosica is the edge of our mission and less developed and organized. The wards are functioning and there are a lot of great members, but also a lot of apostasy and confusion about doctrine and order. But we were able to turn to the Lord and receive revelation about what we need to focus on first and how we can start working one step at a time to help this ward and all the people in our area. 

Yesterday we ate lunch with a member of the ward named I.... Her family doesn´t have much because she is a single working mom with 2 kids and her aged mother, but she still gave so willingly to us. After we sat down to share a message and I felt impressed to share the scripture about Jesus Christ coming to the Americas in the Book of Mormon and instituting the sacrament. As we talked about the importance of the sacrament and the blessing it is for us, she confided in us and told us that she has not been taking the sacrament for 8 years. She told us that when she married her husband (who was not a member and not the best person) her bishop told her that she could no longer take the sacrament and also withdrew her rights to hold a calling or anything in the church. She didn´t understand why because she has never committed a big sin, yet accepted it and kept attending with faith that someday she could participate again. Her husband was awful to her and finally a year ago she separated from him. She also told us that she is endowed but during this time felt that she was in some way unworthy and so she removed her garment and hasn´t had her temple recommend during this whole time as well. She said that after she separated from her husband she finally went and talked to the bishop now and he told her that she could buy her garments and that they would talk about if she could now take the sacrament but nothing has really been done about it and after so many years she still feels this guilt inside her that she´s not worthy. Yet she has stayed true to the church and kept going and participating even though she has been missing out on all of these blessings for so long. As Hermana Chavez and I sat and listened to her we both just cried and tried to express to her the Lord´s love for her and what a faithful member she is to have stayed strong even through everything that has happened. We have plans to talk with the bishop this week to make sure that everything is ok for her to once again begin taking the sacrament and receive her recommend to enter the temple again. We promised her that we will be here with her every step of the way to help her be able to enter the temple once again and renew her covenants. She shared with us her testimony of the gospel and that she knows that the leaders of the church and members aren´t perfect and that they make mistakes.  But she doesn´t feel angry, just grateful for her testimony of the truthfulness and perfectness of the gospel that has helped her through. She is just one example, Please pray for her. 

This week we also were shown over and over again that there are many members who really don´t have a testimony, in fact, many who don´t know what a testimony is. So we are going to be working really hard this transfer with increasing the testimonies of the members and less-actives in our area. Please pray for M... and her son J..., M..., S..., X..., and the Familia C.... All less-actives who we are focusing on now. 

But we are also seeing many miracles and I really feel that this next transfer we are going to be able to do so much good. I feel so excited and motivated to help these people and a great love for them. 

There are so many faithful members here but also so much work to be done. But we have been praying, fasting, studying, and doing all we can to search for the help of the Lord to really do the work he needs done here in El sol. Here comes a cambio of miracles. 

After all that we´ve seen this week, my testimony of the importance of the little things has really increased. Going to church, having family home evening every week, doing our visiting and home teaching, reading the scriptures every day, and praying sincerely personally and as a family. SO IMPORTANT!!! 

I know that Our Heavenly Father really is our loving father in Heaven. Jesus Christ is his son and performed the atonement for us. Joseph Smith restored the church through revelation in this dispensation and President Monson is the living prophet of God on the earth today. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints truly is the Lord´s true church on the earth today. I know it. And I feel so grateful for the chance to share that knowledge every day. 

Love you all! Please keep the prayers coming this way! 

Hermana Cox

Here is a pic of the other sisters in the ward with some members

Monday, October 5, 2015

Hola Familia y amigos!!!

Wow, another transfer come and gone!!! I can´t believe how fast time is flying. But I’ve learned so much these past 6 weeks and many life lessons that I know the Lord needed me to learn to prepare me better for life and to be an instrument in his hands later on. 

Wow, CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!! We have been waiting anxiously all week to hear what our beloved leaders had to say to us and wow did I learn so much. I woke up Saturday morning and had the biggest smile and seriously felt like it was Christmas! We got to watch all 4 sessions and I felt the spirit and received revelation in every one. I learned a lot about the spirit and the importance of seeking his guidance and following the revelation we receive. From Elder Uchtdorf the importance of living the gospel purely and simply. The gospel really is simple and sometimes we get lost in complicating things and forget the pure simplicity and beauty. I want to simplify and focus on what is really important, which is being 100% devoted and dedicated to the Lord and developing my love for Jesus Christ so that I am willing to follow all he has asked us to do. So many testimonies and powerful talks about the reality of prophets and apostles in our day and that we can really receive revelation from them for our needs in these times. We are so blessed to have the church and the restored gospel on the earth. Also a lot about the Sabbath day. We have been receiving a ton of training and focus on this commandment in these past few weeks here in Peru and I’m sure it´s the same all over the world. This commandment is so important and is being broken so easily and readily. It´s so important and I am really going to try and do better with watching my attitude on Sundays and that it´s showing the Lord how much he means to me. Also preparing seriously for the sacrament and remembering Christ and renewing my covenants with him. That way I can receive the important promise to have his spirit with me always. So much more I want to share but no time!

My conference meal :) When they say chicken, they mean the whole chicken. :) Also the other one is the Elder next to me.

Our sunday lunch in between conference. Mangos and peruvian style spaghetti. They make everything with chicken. :)

It´s transfers tomorrow so we will see what happens! I wouldn´t be surprised if Hermana, Saracho and I stay here together but I guess we´ll see! I´ve learned a lot from her and we have grown together. :)

I love you all so much! Sorry for the shortness this week! I´ll try and write more about investigators and the work next week. But please pray for Medalyt, Monica and Jeremy Aycho, Milagros Aycho oand her family, Yudith, Jovanah, The Capcha family, and just that people can start keeping their commitments, progress, and COME TO CHURCH! Thanks so much!

I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth and I am so grateful to not only be a part of it, but to be able to share this knowledge with everyone here in Peru. I love the Lord so much and I know he lives and loves us. We have a divine purpose and plan for our lives, and with the help of the Lord and his spirit, we will be led to be instruments in his hands. 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Hermana Cox

Monday, September 28, 2015

Hola familia y amigos!!!

So much to tell and not much time. But it´s been a good week, full of lots of learning experiences. Yesterday I completed 8 months in the mission...what?! Time is flying!!! I still feel new here, but am loving all that I am learning. I loved getting to watch the women´s conference on Saturday and loved the theme of our potential and divine duties as women. Pres. Uchtdorf´s talk was an answer to my prayers on how to really live a happy life, even if we are surrounded by difficulties or things don´t go as planned. Sometimes we think we have to be sad and depressed when things don´t work out or plans and goals fall through.

 It´s natural to be disappointed, but it does no good to dwell and sit in one spot. The Lord will help us find joy in every footstep as we get up, brush ourselves off, and keep moving forward. I am SO excited for conference this weekend to hear what else our prophet and apostles have to tell us. I´ve got a big list of questions and answers I need and know that if I do my part this week to prepare myself spiritually it will be a feast of revelation. :) I invite you all to do the same! 

We have been trying to get everyone excited for the conference, members and non-members alike. I love seeing the reaction of our investigators when we tell them that we have a prophet today who really receives revelation from God for us and that we have the chance to listen to him this weekend! One of our investigators named M... was super excited to learn this truth. We told her we had a prophet and she said, "Wait, seriously? Who?!" We showed her a picture of the first presidency and the 12 and she got so excited and is super excited to come to the conference this weekend. We were also teaching L... who is a non-member but her husband is an inactive member. We taught her this truth as well and showed her the picture and she asked us how she could really know if he was a prophet. We invited her to pray and come to conference to hear him speak and then pay attention to how she feels and let the spirit confirm to her that he is. She then asked us, "Do you two know he´s a prophet, for sure?" It was such a neat experience to bear my testimony to her that I too know that Pres. Monson is a prophet and that he receives revelation from God. And that I received that confirmation from the spirit and not from anyone else. But what was even cooler was then hearing her husband pipe in and talk about how he too knows that we can receive answers through the spirit because he has felt it in his life and remembers that feeling from when he was an active member. SO neat and I’m super excited for everyone to come and listen to our beloved prophet this weekend. And 3 new apostles, wow! It´s going to be a spiritual feast! I´ll be watching it live with you since we are only an hour difference :) 

I don’t have time for much else but I love you all! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Invite someone to conference and prepare yourselves to receive revelation. 

Love you all!

Hermana Cox

 Ok my camera is finally working so here come all the pics I promised! My comp and I, the area, and the temple trip :)

Special lunch for Hna. Martinez´s birthday and our dinner the other night. 

 My new area :)

Monday, September 21, 2015

Familia y Amigos,

Wow, what an excellent week! It started out with an awesome P-day hearing from my family and receiving support and love from them. I was especially touched by some news from my mom about an aunt I have who has always been a shining example to me. Her name is Sherri and right now she is battling stage 4 cancer in her brain, eye, and spine. On Monday my mom told me that they´ve now found it spreading into her lungs. We found out about her cancer before I came on the mission and I told my mom to keep me updated on how she was doing. Even though she is fighting for her life, her attitude is exemplary. She has completely put her life in the Lord´s hands and is using this trial as an opportunity to learn and grow closer to the Lord. She frequently posts about her faith, how it´s helping her to continue on every day, and the things she is learning from this whole experience. She always talks about "her miracle" and really believes that the Lord can heal her. This week however, my mom sent me what she has written recently about how she´s doing. My aunt talked about how for so long she has had such firm faith that God would provide her "her miracle" and she would be able to beat this cancer, however recently she has been realizing that the miracle has been happening all along. She talked about how her relationship with Christ has increased dramatically, she understands the atonement in a whole new light, and most of all she has seen that she herself has completely changed and is becoming more and more like Christ. She said that for her, this is the greatest miracle of all. 

It reminded me of a quote that I have from Elder Dallin H. Oaks that says, 

"Changing bodies or protecting temples are miracles, but an even greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God. A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body. I repeat, the body will be resurrected in any event, but a change affecting what the scriptures call the "heart" of a spirit son or daughter of God is a change whose effect is eternal. If of the right kind, the change opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God. It introduces the perspective and priorities that lead us to make the choices that qualify us for eternal life, "the greatest of all the gifts of God."

 It got me thinking so much about how good God is and how great his plan is. Then we got to go and listen to Elder Godoy from the 70 on Wednesday talk about our worth and potential as missionaries and as children of God, and about how we should not only be in the process of changing lives of others, but of our own, it really made a profound impact on me. Then to add the cherry on top, we got to go to the temple with the ward on Friday and bring our recent convert as well as 2 more from the other Hermanas. What a beautiful experience to bring these precious souls to the house of God and let them taste of the joy that is there and what they can feel as they continue on this path and draw closer to him. As I sat and talked with L..., our recent convert, she kept expressing to me how happy she was but yet how sad that she hadn´t accepted the gospel into her life sooner. Almost all of her kids are members and she just recently decided it was her turn to join the church. It´s so amazing to see the love and mercy God has for each one of his children and the great plan he has for each of us. We are here to become like him, to grow, to learn, to change. And that is the greatest miracle of all, the most important miracle to him. 

I love being a missionary and I receive so much joy from seeing the changes in the lives of the people. We really saw miracles this week and know the Lord is with us in our work. Please keep praying for J...y, J..., and Y.... Also I... Q... and her family. They are recently activated members and she is separated from her husband and struggling to make ends meet. And it doesn´t help that her husband keeps coming around to cause trouble. 

Hope you all have a great week! Remember to keep the eternal perspective in mind and look for how the Lord is working his miracles in your life. How is he changing you and how are you becoming the person he created you to be. Love you all!!!

Hermana Cox

Monday, September 14, 2015

Hola Familia y Amigos!!!!

Well this week flew by! Lots of difficult moments but also many many miracles. I´m realizing more and more that there is so much more to this life than I think we really understand. Lately I’ve had a lot of little teaching moments where the spirit has whispered to my heart and helped me step back to see the bigger picture, to understand a little better this great plan of happiness he has prepared for us. We visit so many people every day and each one is so different with problems and challenges that are so unique to them, however, God´s plan is still the same. The gospel is still the answer. It´s something I am coming to understand more and more in the mission and it never ceases to amaze me how good the Lord is. How perfect is his plan. How great is his love and desire to see us succeed. I can´t really describe my feelings in words. :) 

I´ve been slacking on my stories lately so I’ll try and tell a little more about some of our investigators. :)

Yesterday we went to visit a lady named M.... She works for a lady who feeds the missionaries so that is how she came in contact with the church. She said that every now and then she eats along with the Elders and talks with them and that they have really helped her with some problems she has now in her life. She talked about how much peace she felt around them and that she was looking for that in her life. The Elders passed us the referral and we got to go visit her yesterday. She also has a son named C... who is 12 and she wants him to listen with her. We just talked for a while about her experience with the Elders and then shared a scripture with her in John 16:33 about the peace that Christ gives us. She started crying and told us this is really what she wants in her life. We invited her to be baptized and she said she would pray about it and let us know how she feels as we continue teaching her. Please pray for her. :) 

We are also teaching a boy named J... who is the son of a less active woman. Before I got here the missionaries were teaching him and he didn´t want to hear anything from them. He sat super bored at the table, made rude comments about how what the missionaries were saying didn´t matter to him and that he didn´t even believe in God. But as we´ve really tried to change our way of teaching and try to understand him more and why he responds the way he does, the spirit has helped us know how to reach him. He had some close family members pass away recently and he is hurting. We were able to find this out and help him realize the love God has for him and process the situation better. He is now coming to church and has almost accepted a baptismal date for October. Please keep praying for him as well as his family. 

Yesterday President Boswell (our mission president) came to speak in our ward which was really fun to see him. We are clear out on the edge of the mission so we don´t get to see him as often as I used to in my other areas. But the first speakers left lots of time for him...40 min. to speak so he called on me to give a talk before he spoke. Luckily I had something prepared and it went well but it was fun to get to speak with him. He´s a great man and is such a blessing for me here. 

Just another week of searching for souls and being led by the spirit to those who are searching for the truth. In our area we basically live on the side of a huge hill so everything is either up or down...but usually up. :) Lots of stairs that we climb every day...usually 2 or 3 times. And the past few days we´ve been looking for service opportunities and helping people carry bags and other things up to their houses at the top of the hill. Let’s just say my legs and arms are getting huge...probably partially from the climbing and the other part from all the rice we eat every day. :) I have pictures but my computer isn´t working well today so I’ll try to send them next week. 

Love you all so much. Thank you for all the love and support. I know the Lord loves us and is very aware of every single thing we are going through. He wants to help us and teach us. This week I read Elder Uchtdorf´s talk from this past conference about the Gift of Grace. Wow, I learned so much. It´s not God´s plan to try and erase all our sins so that we will be clean and be able to enter his presence. If that were the goal then what is the point of coming to a fallen, sinful world? His plan is much greater than that. He sent us here to learn and grow. And because of his grace, we will not just be clean again, but overcome our weaknesses, learn, and become someone different. Become like him. His grace gives us power to move forward, not to rewind and undue. I invite you all to read his talk and really ponder about what his grace means to you and how you can access it´s power in your life. 

Love you all, Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Cox

Monday, September 7, 2015

Hola Familia y Amigos!!!

This week flew by but at the same time I feel like so much happened. I´m still getting used to things here in my new area, but loving it more and more every day. I am learning soooo much here, especially with being a trainer. As soon as you have to be the teacher you realize all the things you still don´t know or do perfectly. :) But I’ve been spending a lot of time on my knees and then on my feet trying to do what the Lord wants. It´s a continual process of learning and then teaching what we´ve learned. But I love the things that the Lord has been teaching me and helping me accomplish.

Hermana Saracho is great. We are very very different, but we were able to really have a breakthrough this week in our relationship and it´s gotten so much better. Lots of patience, love, and humility. I know we are together for a reason and that we will both touch each other´s lives for the better. Please keep praying for us and for the people we are teaching. 

This week we started off a little rough and weren´t having a lot of success, but the Lord always blesses us as we don´t give up and keep giving everything we have. This week we found so many people who really need us and the gospel in their lives. We´ve been really trying to focus on using lots of inspired questions in our lessons and using the spirit to help us find out what the people really need. We´ve seen miracles and had so many lessons where the investigator just breaks down crying and tells us all. The spirit knows what the people need, we don´t. Our job is to be receptive and willing to listen so that he can communicate the message to us and help us know what to say.

I know this is really short, but I’m out of time. Seeing miracles every day. Keep praying for us here in Chosica! Thank you for all the love and support, I really feel it and it strengthens me to keep going. Got a fun little package from my family with some sweet messages from my ward that really lifted my spirits. Thank you so much. :) Love you all and hope all is well. Trust in the Lord and rely on his strength when you don´t feel that you have your own. 

Hermana Cox

 New outfit mom sent in my package.  I love it!!!

 Thought you´d enjoy some pics of the new area. Much poorer and dirtier than my other areas, but I love it. :)