Letter #98 (June 17th, 2013)

Hey all,
Everything is doing pretty good this week since Weds lang. Not much to
talk about to be honest. Casoy is thriving at the moment, and only in
one part still... we haven't even tried the other parts yet, so who
knows the possibilities out there. A lot of potential... I had two
baptismal interviews on Thurs which turned out to be only one. So
their baptisms happened on Saturday evening after the other one got
interviewed by the zone leaders the next day on Fri, while I was in
Cebu with Elder M for the DLC meeting. We had a great workshop by
Pres, Schmutz about effective study of the Book of Mormon, and how we
get more out of our reading. There was one part which was really good
that I really liked that went like this:
Hear>>>Read>>>Study>>>>>>

Search>>>Treasure>>>Feast
It is the process of coming to really get something out of the
scriptures. At first we listen to others read from the scriptures,
then we read ourselves without really getting much from the
scriptures, then we begin to study so as we read we begin to get
things out of our reading through using footnotes and marking our
scriptures as we read. This is the 'beginning process'...
Then as we start to search, we have something in mind we want to get
out of our reading, something we are looking for to receive for
ourselves from our reading, then as we write these things down and
begin to apply them and love them we treasure the scriptures, until we
reach the point of feasting on the scriptures, where we are 'full'
after having read the scriptures. This is the 'revelatory
experience'...

 

It was really inspiring about how we read the Book of Mormon.
Then Sat I had three baptismal interviews in Balamban, who are not
quite ready yet for baptism. Then we caught a bus right back to our
area to work and as we got off the bus at the crossing to Dumlog we saw
the jeepney for Casoy drive away... looy... so we had to wait another
30min to catch the next one up there. When we got up there we had two
new investigators waiting for us to be taught and other investigators
and all the members too. So we taught them all together and finished
up with the hope to catch the last jeep back to Toledo, but it had
already left. So we rode habal-habal all the way back to the Dumlog
crossing and then a trike to the chapel from there to attend the
baptism. Then Sunday we had a great day with 9 members from Casoy come
and simba in Toledo, two of them investigators who are progressing.  

Then today is P-day and we are getting everything done, cause this Wed 

is the mission conference and tomorrow we are going to go to the city in the evening for
choir practice for the conference. Apparently I have been enlisted
into the choir so we will get to do that tomorrow.

So we will be trying sacrament in Casoy probably this next coming
Sunday. Let you know next week how that goes. Then, yes, the X-ray is
for TB, to check that we dont have it before we go home. Definitely
not slacking off... lots of things to accomplish before I leave and
such little time. I have so much I hope to see happen especially in
terms of Casoy and I know I dont have enough time to see it all
happen... John 4:37 "And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and
another reapeth."
So thats about all for this "week"... hahaha... lots more to talk
about next week for sure.
Miss you,
Love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox

Letter #97 (June 12th, 2013)

Hey all,
So this weeks been good. It has been better this week kay last week.
Bagakay to be honest has become sort of stagnant. Not much progression
is taking place anymore, which is kind of sad for the members there who
are really striving to do their best. But Casoy is just flourishing at
the moment. We have another investigator with a baptismal date for
Aug, and her husband has gone from uninterested to wanting to learn
the gospel. Sister is hoping he will be ready by Aug so that they can
sabay their baptism. We had another new investigator last week as well
and she just lit up when we taught that the church has been restored
with living prophets and apostles once again. She seemed really
excited about that fact. Then Brother J is doing really well, and has
been to church 3 times in a row now. After sacrament meeting in
Bagakay we taught sort of like a RS, Priesthood classes, and he was
the most attentive out of all the members there at the time. We have
been thinking about moving the sacrament meeting over to Casoy as well
because all the members that are coming to the sacrament meeting are
coming from Casoy. It was almost half-half, and we have more people in
Casoy who would probably simjba as well if we had sacrament there. We
are going to talk to President this week about that.

E was baptised this past Saturday. It was great. Then I had two
more baptismal interviews that night. This week I have 5 more
baptismal interviews... the areas are really flourishing here in the
Toledo zone. Yes, we have some new missionaries.... on of them is a
Sis. Cox... (from America, no relation)... Then Elder P has
followed me again to this zone. so we have now ka-zoned for three
times in a row.

You should tell Reilly that Risk isn't he most appropriate game to be
playing on the sabbath. I can understand chess, or basin Chinese
checkers or something, but Risk?... I feel the same as Dad did before
when i wanted to play on Sundays... definitely not the best thing to
be doing on Sunday. haahaha.... funny how the mission changes you huh?
So me and Elder U got our X-rays today in Cebu for going
home... scary huh?  You can count the weeks on your hands now.
So we did that before coming back to Toledo.
Its samok here cause its fiesta! so we're avoiding everything here...
Next week p'day is supposedly Monday because we have mission tour with
Elder Ardern in Cebu next Weds... so I'll send another email on Monday
with all the pictures i have collected the past few weeks. Tell Reilly
I'm sorry I haven't emailed him for a while, and let him know that I
will email him on Monday.
Love you all,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox

Letter #96 (June 5th, 2013)

Hey all,

This week was kinda rough. The work hit a bump in the road. I was disappointed with the week. But I'm determined not to let it get to me... and at least we had some great successes as well. We had 12 members from Bagakay and Casoy come down for sacrament meeting! We were so happy to see them exercising their faith. And then yesterday when visiting with one of the members she told us how she loves going to church in Toledo because of the Spirit of the members. Its good to see the progress we are having with the members on Bagakay and Casoy.
 Despite problems, I had the most amazing spiritual experience last Saturday with a 10 yr old girl who I interviewed for baptism. E is the daughter of an active member mother and an non-member father, who live in difficult circumstances. She has been taught by the sisters for a while now and a great kid. She did great in he first interview I had with her but her testimony was lacking, or an understanding of testimony was lacking the first time I met with her so we postponed the baptism. Then this past Saturday I met with her again to interview her again, and I really felt like she was prepared to be baptized but couldn't get her to connect the feelings she had praying about the Book of Mormon with her testimony of the Book of Mormon. I thought about it and was impressed to invite her to pray again in the interview to ask if the Book of Mormon was true. She thought about it for a minute or so and then agreed. As we sat together and she prayed, I was also praying with all the energy of my heart that she would feel the Spirit touch her heart with the answer she was asking for, and she would be able to connect the feelings with her testimony. As she got to he end of her prayer, she simply asked "Amahan, tinuod ba ang Basahon ni Mormon?...(Father, is the Book of Mormon true?)" at which point she paused, and we sat in silence for almost 10 seconds. At that point the Spirit was so strong. She then closed her pray and slowly look up at me... At that point in time I knew, without a shadow of a doubt that she knew that the Book of Mormon was true. She tried without success o explain the feelings she had felt.. "Elder, ang akong feelings, morag, kwan man sila...morag gaan..." Then she smiled and gave a little laugh. Then I cried. I had never experienced anything like I did that night. And I will never forget it. I asked myself, "why can a 10 yr old girl receive such a powerful witness of the Book of Mormon, when a 19 yr old young man or a 40 yr old mother, or father cannot?..." Then it hit me... "becometh as a child..." It was the smallest impression but it pierced me. Then in my studies i found these two scriptures. 1 Corithians 2:14 cf. Mosiah 3:19 "and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." That was the key. This girl was willing to submit, and humble herself before her Heavenly Father to receive the answer, and spiritual witness she was asking for, and then even more than that, willing to be meek and patient enough to wait for the answer to come. This now is my favorite experience in the mission, above everything crazy and fun and exciting that has happened, I love this experience the most and will cherish it forever...
 Back to the area, I am really excited for the progress of Bagakay but I worry that the branch will not be able to support the group once it is formed, in terms of training and providing support spiritually and doctrinally. But I hope this next transfer we can help the branch to prepare themselves for that.

I am personally doing okay. My studies are great, and I am on top of things. I have been exercising a little more lately, and it has given me a little more energy too. Elder G is also doing really well. He really enjoys being able to practice teaching in our studies, and has been good to help him to practice his teaching skills. He continually asks lots of questions, so I know he wants to continue to improve as a missionary. He is always asking for scripture references as well, and we have fun finding new scriptures together. We have been able to stay on track with the 12 week program, so that has been good.

I am excited for this transfer. I really want Bagakay to become a group, but we will see how that happens. Maybe the Lord has other plans, but one thing I am sure, that we are here to help these members to really understand and live the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives and to help them to all gain stronger personal testimonies of the Book of Mormon, of the prophet Joseph Smith and of The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-Day Saints.

So lots of things going down this transfer... nothing for me and Elder G though... and they are changing things up in the mission, I think its actually worldwide... no more backpacks for missionaries is one of them. Either slingbags or shoulderbags... better prepare yourself Reilly. So that'll be interesting.

Well, that's all from me this week.

Miss you all,

Love you tons,

Elder Taylor Addison Cox