Monday April 20, 2015 - I Believe in Miracles!

Going to start out with our miracle of the week.

Last night we were knocking on some door and we knocked on the door of Augustine and Patience, a couple from Liberia who have like 6 kids. They let us in and we started talking to them and had a super good lesson about the Restoration. Then near the end of the lesson, right as we were talking about the Book of Mormon, there was a knock on the door. This always happens. Knock on the door or phone rings right as we're explaining the Book of Mormon.

But in walks 2 ladies, and say "Hi Elders! We've been looking for you! We haven't been able to find the church since we moved here."

So turns out these 2 ladies, Mary and Mabel, are really good friends with Augustine and Patience and have known them since they all lived in Africa like 15 years ago, just moved to Des Moines from Salt Lake City 3 months ago,  AND ARE MEMBERS! 

So Mabel just sits right down and starts testifying about how the Book of Mormon is true, how this is the true church, and how loving and caring everyone in the church is! Then her and Patience started talking Liberian super fast and we had no idea what was going on for a second, but then Patience sounded really excited about the church.

It was awesome and definitely a testimony builder to me that God puts us where we need to be at specific times and he brings people to those who need to hear the gospel.

Miracles happen as we:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Love Elder Cox

Good morning sweet boy,

I hope this past week has been full of everything that you had hoped it to be...except for maybe any more "undead" Elvis Burgers.  DO I need to send you a Nutri-bullet to remind you that your cells most certainly do NOT need any thing fried??? nothing, zilch, nadda!!

I am determining that the "hypoglycemic" feeling that you are experiencing is most likely linked to your eating...and the "bigger than I left", Paul Blart-Mall Cop-gut is too!okay, enough of that.

We had a family dinner in Logan last night.  Everyone was together. McKay was here for Courtney's mission companions wedding. I missed you as we drove to Logan. On the way up we had a family Home Evening in the car.  Each looked up scriptures that followed an article from the December 2014 New Era "Grandpa Twede's 11 RULES for LIVING!"

I wanted to pass them along to you. 

1. Say secret prayers - Matthew 6:6

2. Keep your tongue in Check - proverbs 21:23

3. Suppress anger - proverbs 16:32

4. Consider the effect of every action before doing it. - Luke 14:28-29(Stick to a task until it sticks to you, beginners are many finishers few!) 

5. Cultivate humility and charity - 1 corinthians 15:22

6. Let love be mainstream of all your actions - John 3:16 (What if LOVE was your only MOTIVE)(There isn't any one you can't love once you know their story) ( Never Let a Problem to be solved become more important than the person to be loved.-Pres. Monson)

7. Think of Christ on upon the cross - 1 Corinthians 15:22

8. Stop work when tired - Mosiah 4 27

9. Do not sleep, eat or drink for than needed - D&C 88:124

10. Consider that others do not look on the things as you do and sometimes they are right - D&C 88 122

11. Remember that you are never alone. Therefore do nothing you wouldn't do in the presence of angels = D&C 124:9(Don't do any thing to embarrass you, your family or your team-FOREVER STRONG)

Love you, MOM

Mom, I love all those thoughts and all those quotes. You have definitely taught me well Mom, because I have used every single one of the quotes in red since I have been away :) Especially that "there isn't any one that you can't love once you know their story." Me and Elder Lords were talking about that just last night. We get to meet so many people. So many interesting people, who act differently and do things differently than us. But every single person that lets us talk to them and get to know them, I find myself loving and caring for that person so much and going out of my way to make some person, who I just met a couple minutes ago (and thought they were legit crazy when I met them), happy. I love being able to be a missionary and just give my time and service so freely. It has taught me so many things already and I'm only beginning!

Luckily I was raised by amazing parents who taught me well and gave me a head start ;)

Love you, Elder Cox