Letter #42 (May 24th, 2012)

Hey all...
My week has been great! despite some minor health problems these last
few days.
And yes it is definitely a bus we caught and not a ferry...(Terri here: I asked him how was he going to get from one island to another, and thought he meant ferry not bus in his last email!!) at least I don't think ferries can drive on the road! The secret is the bus hops on a barge that goes across to Oslob on Cebu before driving all the way up to Cebu City. It took about 6 hours in total to get there but coming back it was only 5hrs or so. The visit was amazing (of course)and we had a lot of fun catching up with batch mates and the sort, taking pictures and telling all sorts of stories.

We had a great experience this last Tues morning in finding a new
house to move to. We just felt like we had to change our schedule for
the morning and work closer to the centre of town. So thats what we
did, and we found this amazing house (with the help of a member) which
is almost right by the seaside. It is the perfect size for
missionaries not huge like the one now... and the owner lives right
next door and is so friendly. He knows English very well and is a
dentist. We will probly be moving there this next coming week or so...
probly before the next transfer.

We had an interesting experience as well last Sun teaching 2 new
referrals. One was semi interested, but her brother was a very
stubborn Roman Catholic. At first we thought he was getting the things
we were teaching cause he was asking some really good questions but
then he was just being ridiculous. Turns out they are taught that you
can't ask God anything questions in your pray... at least thats what
the priests teach them, so they can't find out the truth. Then the
stubborn part... He was content that his religion was 'enough' for him
in this life... so we asked him if he knew anyhting about where he
came from, or what his purpose is here, or were he is going after his
life. The first two of course he said he didnt know and the last was
the typical "heaven and hell" answer of course... Then he wouldnt
accept the fact that we knew, almost like in Alma 21:5-6... and then
he said something that got me a little mad, especially as a
missionary. Because we were using the pamphlets to teach he got
frustrated with our knowledge and said "Why cant you look me in the
eye and tell me these things, why do you always have to use your
books?" Well, oh man... that was the wrong thing for him to say in
front of Elder Cox. Cause Elder Cox stopped the lesson, looked him
straight in the eye and said "So that you know, I testify to you..."
and proceeded to give a full length testimony on The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, its restoration and that asking questions
in pray is the only way to know the truth. Well, he wasnt very happy
still, we closed the lesson and his sister invited the member who was
with us to come back some time (she was a little more receptive).

I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, and am still thinking over that, that it was probably okay, seeing I wasn't yelling at him or anything angry
like that, but I was definitely very very very bold with him.
But other than that the week has been pretty normal and we are coming
up to the end of transfer again very quickly. The first Monday in June
I will say goodbye to my companion and most likely be with the elders in Valencia Negros until the end of that week. But ill find out more about that next week probably.
So make sure you are all having fun.
Miss you all,
Love you all,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox