WEEK 68 - AGUA

We are working hard and having good results so far. Opening an area is really hard but we should hopefully have things up and running soon. We are beat every time we get home. We are teaching and talking with everyone, so we are tired, but satisfied. It is great here. The members are really supportive and feed us.  In this area, we have to bucket shower and flush the toilet with buckets, etc. The water only comes for an hour twice a week.   It rained really hard here and basically flooded us out last week.

WEEk 67 - ELDER MURRAY

My New Comp - Elder Murray

 P-Day Lunch & Games

I did have changes this last week. I am in a part of Villanueva called "Brisas Del Plan".  We are opening the area again. I am training a new missionary, who also happens to be a gringo. His name is Elder Murray and he is from Brigham City, Utah. I am also serving as the district leader.  We are working really hard, I feel tired … a lot.

Elder Dority went to Copan. They had to close our area for this change, because not enough missionaries were called here (more left/finished, than arrived)..

We are really starting from scratch right now, so we are building up our investigator pool. We had a couple of really awesome lessons with new investigators this week, where we really felt the Spirit. My companion's Spanish is really good for his first week here.  He understands a lot, and I am just helping him learn to speak a little better.

We are enjoying ourselves and are doing our best to see results. We are hopeful for the coming weeks. Also, the ward is supportive of us so that helps.

As I said earlier, I just have felt so tired this week. Feeling this way has reminded me that being tired and satisfied is awesome.  Also, I feel like I am starting the mission all over.  It is interesting how being with someone new can make you feel that way.  I have also just really felt the need to literally talk to everyone.  The value of each soul in the sight of God is our motivation.

Have a great week!

WEEK 66 - BAPTISM & CHANGES

Kevin’s Baptism

Apartment Pila – where we get water and wash our clothes

 Apartment Kitchen

 Apartment Porch

 Apartment Bedroom

 Apartment Fan

Goodbye to San Pedro Sula

Elder Dority and I don’t expect to be together for our next change, but we feel very fortunate to have been together for 12 weeks.  We find out the details for sure tonight.  Meanwhile, we have many lessons scheduled.  In particular, one neighborhood in our area has been incredible.

We had 2 baptisms scheduled for this week.  Unfortunately, one of them didn't go through.  It is difficult to start a new way of living.  He is great and we will continue to love him!  

The baptism service for our investigator was awesome and his family loved it, too.  We are hoping to be able to teach the rest of his family.

I have been focusing even more on Book of Mormon.  As we read it, its power to soften hearts is amazing. There are just so many things one can learn from the Book of Mormon that aren't in the Bible.  Both together are a full testament of Jesus Christ.

I hope everyone is well.  Thank you for your support!

Elder Cox

Week 65 - FLEAS & HOOPS

 Coaching the Kids

 Our District

This week was another awesome week.

On Monday, we were walking to lunch when a random guy pulled up next to us and asked if we wanted to play basketball. We weren't sure what to think, but then he explained that he was a PE teacher at a private elementary school.  He asked us if we would travel to the school and teach the students how to play. We talked to President Bush and he gave us permission. 

It was a lot of fun.  We taught three different age groups.  I used all of the drills that I learned from coaching and playing with my Dad.  We taught them the basketball basics!  The coach has had a lot of contact with Mormons, so the zone leaders are headed over to teach him. 

Recently, we have experienced a flea problem here. Our landlord's dog had them and then passed them on to us.  We sprayed our house with chemicals.  We also hot washed our clothes to kill the fleas.  Fun!

We had a super cool district meeting this week as well.  We talked about general conference, sharing insights and things learned. Afterwards, we played a "Fly Swatter" game where all the general conference speakers were written on a white board, and someone would read a quote from their conference notes.  The first person to identify the speaker and find his name on the board won the game.  It was fun.   We are blessed to have an awesome district.

The “Kevin’s” had their baptismal interviews this week, and will have their upcoming baptisms this Saturday.  Kevin the Younger (haha) went with the ward to the temple in Tegucigalpa and had an awesome time.  He said he felt the Spirit really powerfully and wants to go back as soon as possible!!

Yesterday, we had a cool lesson.  Elder Huber and I had contact with an 18 year old man when we went to do the baptismal interview.  We went back yesterday for the return appointment.  As we were outside teaching him, we noticed that the other family members began to listen.  One actually came over to us.  By the time the lesson ended, there were four family members sitting outside listening to the lesson.  It was clear that they had been touched by the Spirit.  I recognized that the message that we were sharing made sense to them. 

The Holy Spirit is the most powerful tool in teaching and conversion.  I am grateful that as missionaries we have the opportunity to help others feel the light of the Gospel.  Even if people don't accept the Gospel, we are planting seeds in their hearts.  We are grateful to serve them.

Have an awesome week!

Thank you for supporting me!!

Elder Cox, San Pedro Sula, Honduras

WEEKS 60 - 64 CONFERENCE & GRAFFITI ANGELS

Graffiti in Our Area

Donuts & District Meeting

This Elder is from the Dominican Republic. He went out with us on Friday.  He already finished the mission, but his flight got changed because of the hurricane(s).

We Found a Sweet Juice Place in Our Area. Yum!

P-Day Basketball 

Caught In the Rain

 Conference

 Zone Activity Today

Kevin D. & His Dad

All is well here in San Pedro Sula!  This week was a very busy week.  

On Tuesday, Elder Dority had some work done on his toenail.  As a result, his walking abilities were very limited and we couldn't leave the apartment in the morning.  In the afternoon, we had our zone interviews with President Bush. We are truly blessed to have such a righteous and loving mission president. President and Hermana Bush are great!  Upon returning home, we planned for the next day.

On Wednesday, we had the Assistants to the President come to our area to go on splits.  They are members of our district, so it was a great opportunity to work with them. This is only possible because we are their district leaders. I went out to work with Elder Gutierrez (Nicaragua) and my companion with Elder Call (Nebraska).  I learned so much and we really enjoyed ourselves. They worked with us Wednesday and left Thursday morning.

Thursday, we had our weekly planning meeting.  It is crazy to think that we are already in Week 5 of this change!  It feels like my time with Elder Dority has flown by super fast!

We are excited for our upcoming baptisms, both of which are named Kevin.  Kevin D. is 15 years old and Kevin G. is 21 years old.  They are both excited for their baptisms and are well prepared.  They were able to attend conference this weekend and have their baptismal interviews this week.

Conference this weekend was a wonderful opportunity to hear the words of God's chosen servants.  Conference always feels like Christmas of sorts for missionaries.  I really enjoyed the talks of President Nelson, Elder Christofferson, and Elder Andersen at the end.  Conference felt like there was something missing without President Monson, but I think Elder Andersen did a great job with his last talk and closed conference well.  It was sad to hear of Elder Hales passing. 

President Bush and Hermana Bush came on Sunday to watch conference with the missionaries at our chapel.  It was fun to be with them and Hermana Bush brought lunch for the missionaries which was super nice of her!

Today for P-Day, our zone played “capture the flag” with water balloons.  We got super wet and enjoyed ourselves.  One Elder from our zone decided to dump a water bucket on me, so maybe a little too wet haha.

Overall, things are great here in our area of the mission.  Time is flying and it is crazy to think that Elder Dority and I only have 2 weeks left together! Well, I have to go now.  Everybody have an awesome week!

Love, Elder Cox