WEEK 26 - NEW BAPTISMS & EL CAJON DAM

WEEK 24 & 25 -TURKEY DINNER

Dallin helped “prepare” dinner at the request of a Sister from church.

Elder Cox is still in Dos Caminos.  He is working with investigators and is enjoying his companion.  They will be together until transfers in three weeks.  He is not sure if he is moving to a different area.  He says that it will be bittersweet.  He loves the people but is also excited for a new area. 

He was recently able to get a Walmart account (similar to Costco) and bought some much needed items along with some much needed candy.  The account has been a highlight for him!  He continues to enjoy preparation day trips to Wendy’s and playing soccer and basketball.  He feels fortunate to have lunches made for him now.  He thought they would have access to a washer but the washer is still broken.  Dallin said that he has to wash his pants and shoes everyday because they walk in mud sometimes up to the bottom of their calves. 

His health has been better lately.  He took medicine to help with the parasites.  The parasites seem to have subsided, but now he has a yeast infection in his intestines from all the meds.  They are treating the infection and he says he is doing well.  He is studying the scriptures and learning something new every day. He is excited for their investigators that are set to be baptized this Friday!

WEEK 22 & 23 - CHRISTMAS 2016

Talking with Dallin and his comp on Christmas Day

 

We spent Christmas with the familia Machado, their neighbors, and friends.

The Villanueva Zone

The gingerbread house we made at the Multi-Zona. (Give us a break, we didn't get much time)

Me and the comp (playin it cool was his idea).

I got to catch up with my zone leader from my first zone

Our House (we live on the bottom floor)

On Christmas day, he went to a member’s house and they made carne asada, sausage, and beans.  He was also able to Skype home.  He looked happy! Despite his health issues, he has gained 15 pounds.  His language skills are great, according to Courtney.  They spoke in Spanish for quite a while along with Dallin’s companion.  It was pretty entertaining to hear them talk and see that he is immersed in the language.  

WEEKS 20 - 21 MOTO-TAXIS AND JALAPENOS

Hi To All !!!!!

One thing that I have noticed that I really like is that there are so many motorcycles and moto-taxis in Honduras that I feel like I am at the sand dunes 24/7!   We have done some great things this past couple of weeks.  We were able to help paint for a sister in the ward.  It was exhausting but satisfying.  It was my comp's birthday.  We had some cake.  It was good.  We also went with some investigators and played soccer with some ward members.  We went clear up to the city for what we thought was a emergency zone meeting but when we got there we actually didn't need to go.

I realized that I have been on the mish for 5 months now.  I can't believe it has already been 5 months.  I have been feeling pretty good.  However, I had an allergic reaction to jalapenos and had to go to the hospital.  The reaction lasted like 3 hours and my hands and face were on fire.  I put my hands in a bucket of cold water to soothe the pain until 1 am.  We have hired a person to help us cook so that has been good.  We thought we had access to a washer but the washer broke.  So, we continue to wash and dry our own clothes.   

We met with a woman this week who had in the past been progressing as an investigator.  She told us that she didn't want us coming back.  We then discussed her reasons.  I thought about her reasons and about how members leave the church. I hope that people will have faith and doubt their doubts before they doubt their faith.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.  Thomas S. Monson is the prophet and Jesus Christ is the son of God who atoned for and died for our sins.  I am grateful for my faith.  Knowing these truths allow me to press forward with faith in Christ.

Have a great week and Merry Christmas!  

Love, Elder Cox 

WEEKS 18-19 WWE CHAMPION & BIRTHDAY BAPTISMS

Barbershop in Villanueva during p-day.  (The barber had a WWE belt, sweet)

 The old guys, saying goodbye (everyone left but me haha)

 Me and my new comp out in the campo. (Notice the streets)

Baptisms In This Awesome Family

Birthday Pizza in Villaneuva 

Stepping Up My Cooking Game

Hi to Everyone!  We had our switch and I have Latin speaking companions in the house!  I feel like my Spanish is improving.  On a good front, we are hopefully getting someone to help us cook and we are going to pay someone to use a washing machine so that will be awesome!

My birthday was really good.  We went to Villanueva (a nearby town) and had lunch and chilled with the Zone Leaders.  President and Hermana Bush brought me chocolate chip cookies. I had been thinking about chocolate chip cookies and it was an answer to my prayers! Ha-ha!

He and Hermana Bush came to our baptism!  It was really cool and so were the THREE baptisms.  The Spirit was so strong and a lot of people attended. They were confirmed on Sunday so all is well!  We have 4 more super investigators that hopefully will be baptized before the end of the year.  

My new companion is great.  His name is Elder Lucha and he is from El Salvador.  He is relaxed so we get along really well.  He had some difficult things happen in his life but is doing great.  It does make you think about your blessings.  He has been out almost a year and it is the first time he has been outside of San Pedro Sula.  He likes the calmness of being out of the city.  I like where I am at but at some point I am sure I will experience the "CITY."  

Health wise, I have been good and haven't had any issues in a few weeks.  I wonder if I had a period of getting used to everything.  I don't know but grateful not to be sick right now!  

Spiritually, I have been really studying the Book of Mormon.  The Bible and other scriptures are great and definitely important but the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.

Overall, I am good and growing from serving in ways that I couldn't have in any other place!  

I hope you all have a good week.  I love you.

Love, Elder Dallin Cox

WEEK 17 - CHANGE

 Zone photo after our meeting last Tuesday

A normal lunch: (Fruit punch made from a tang packet, a sandwich of a chicken patty, cheese, and ham, and noodles with butter & parmesan cheese).

Cool Views

This week is the last week before we have some changes.  We already know exactly what’s going to happen for our next changes.  My companion, Elder Dipko, is going up to be a Zone Leader in San Pedro (which is a huge deal!).  Elder Santos is going to be a Zone leader as well.  I am going to be staying in Dos Caminos, but they are going to combine the two areas into one.  I had to go out with Elder Santos yesterday to learn his area.  I’ll be in charge of the investigators in the entire area (with my new companion) and the other 3 missionaries in my house are getting shipped out.  I will be getting a Latino companion.  I am excited and nervous!!!

In other news, the baptism didn’t go through because our candidates had some small things to still work on.  They are shooting for being ready to go by the 26^th and get baptized on my b-day!  We now have 7 baptisms set for the 26^th, and we’ll see how that goes. 

We’re headed to play soccer today at Sports Mania in San Pedro, then we will go to Denny’s.  I never realized how great places like Denny’s are until I got here, they make a pretty mean cheeseburger. 

Finally, I have been on my mission for four months.  I have learned so much about God, myself, and others.  I have learned to truly study the scriptures.  I have learned about charity.  I would have never known my true, full potential spiritually if I didn’t choose to serve my mission.

Would love to hear from everyone and hope you are well!  Go Utes and see ya next week!

Love, Elder Cox

WEEK 16 - FEASTING UPON THE WORD

Climbing a really steep hill in one of the colonias in our area

Field that we found this week for soccer (our area is so big that we still haven't been able to see it all)

  Soccer game going on (EVERYONE plays soccer here)

We found a totally cool barbecue area and pool way up above a community that was abandoned. Time for some mish parties.

I received the birthday package!  Thanks to the family.  The socks are way fresh.  This week, I’ve been trying to hit it way harder with the scripture study.  I finished Alma and Mosiah.   I have spent all my free time reading and I’ve felt the blessings, no doubt.  Yesterday, (Sunday) we had a great day and we felt it was a direct blessing of reading.  We first went contacting and met a way cool lady.  She was really receptive and we’re going back next week.  She also told me I looked like Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic.  Pretty legit, right?  She probably needs glasses haha. 

We had two really good VAP’s (lessons taught to less actives/recent converts), both of which were less actives that are coming to church next week.  They haven't been in the church a long time.  We are going to their house tomorrow for a Family Home Evening and they’re making us baleadas.  We then contacted a house that we had always passed by but never stopped there.  They were super cool, and we set a return appointment. 

Our last appointment was with Idalia.  She is getting baptized this Friday along with her two sons.  She has been working a lot to support her children, so we’ve passed by her house and she hasn’t been there for awhile until this night.  We taught her the Word of Wisdom, as well as the Law of Chastity, and she gladly accepted to follow the commandments. She said she drinks coffee several times a day, but we can tell she has a strong testimony because she accepted to drop coffee cold turkey.  We have the baptisms of her and her two sons on Friday, (which happens to be Elder Dipko’s b-day). 

Overall, it was a good day and a better week.  Somehow, I managed to catch a nasty cold though.  Today we had plans to go play soccer but our zone leaders changed and canceled it so we have no idea what we are doing.  Oh well, we’ll figure something out.  Hope all is well with y’all in the States, and I will report back next week.

Love, Elder Cox