Hey all,
This week has been a week of growth for our companionship and for me as an individual. We have grown closer as a companionship and have gained a greater unity especially as we study the language together with the members. I have realized that with Elder Tolentino my planning has become more effective and we plan in more detail for each day in order to accomplish our goals. And once again, the Lord has taught me how to be humble in new ways. I am grateful that I have Elder Tolentino as a companion and feel that some days he teaches me more than I teach him.
We have had some amazing success this week with the less-actives in the ward, in regards to discerning their needs. We studied asking inspired questions last week in our companionship study and that week we saw miracles with the members opening up to us with their problems as we asked those inspired questions. One family opened up to us about how they didn't really have a testimony about the gospel and had returned to the Catholic church for answers as well but could feel the truth there either. We taught the restoration again, asked them about their baptism and invited them to read the Book of Mormon again and to pray to know it is true. It was a powerful experience and we are yet to visit with them again this week.
Another family has been having problems with the Word of Wisdom and they opened up to us, telling us they hadn't been going to church because they feel unworthy to go. We were able to teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how we can make full use of it in our lives to repent of all our sins and become whole and clean again through the process of repentance. The Spirit was so strong and pressed upon my heart also about the power of the Atonement in our lives.
Despite the success there have been days were I fell like we didn't accomplish anything, even though we did our best. There was one day we went searching for less-actives to find they had all moved areas and we not living there anymore. Even though I knew we had done our part as missionaries I still felt like we hadn't accomplished anything.
But also this week I have experienced the most deep and contemplative meditation about my spiritual being. I don't think ever before in my life have I thought about my spiritual being and about the eternities as I have this week. I have come to realize that I was nowhere near the perfect person everyone thought of me at the end of high school and that I could have learnt and progressed a lot more than I did. I apologize for the grief I caused you, Mum and Dad... I have realized how much of a waste of time computer games and TV and other electronic things were in my life. I have made a commitment to myself that I will not watch TV when I finish my mission (we'll see how that turns out...). I realized how much the Lord prepared me for this mission and for these experiences, and how much of a pinoy I really am too... =]
Now a story... One night we were in our balay and we heard noises in the ceiling but thought nothing of it (cause usually there are rats and things anyways in the ceilings). then the next morning as i am putting the rice on to cook, i see this cat outside and it sees me. our eyes meet and it gives me a "i didnt do anything" smile... so I'm like what did you do? then it runs off. That night we hear these meowing noises in the ceiling and all the next day... we realised that the cat dumped here kittens in the ceiling. (Dad will probably enjoy this story i realised...) So the next day I decided that we have to get them out either now or when they're dead and rotting and smelling... so obviously I get my sundang and try to open our roof where the noises are coming from, cause its just plywood nailed to beams in the ceiling. So I get this board half off so we can wedge it open and see inside and there are three kittens... So holding the roof open with a mop i slide the kittens out with my sundang and Eldr Tolentino catches them in this rag blanket we have. So they were all safe and sound.
I miss you all, and Love you all so much, so much more than i realized and actually did before the mission.
Nahigugma ko kaninyo!
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
************************************************************************************************************
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Letter #28 (Feb 15th, 2012)
Hey all,
To be honest this week has been tough...
Its hard... one evening we visited with a less-active family and I really felt the Spirit and the love I have for these people and realized why I am here. I realized that I have to continue to focus on the work everyday and make sure I always have the Spirit with me. Training is hard work, and fun at the same time. But this area is really difficult. There are some days we cant teach anyone because there isn't anyone... it's like everyone vanishes from the face of the earth until 4 o'clock in the evening.Then at about 6 o'clock in the evening everything closes and everyone goes home and by 7 there is no-one on the street. We accomplish most of our work at lunch time and in the afternoon when school starts to finish up. Those times are when everyone is out and about and when people are home with their families. We have been trying to focus on the 15 names in the branch and working with members. We have one member who is very diligent in helping us and comes with us at least twice a week. He has been a great help these last two weeks in helping us to learn the area and to meet the people.
The 12 week program is a great program for helping us to develop our teaching skills and see the areas we need to improve and I am learning things from teaching this program. My study has been focused on and around the fundamentals and has really helped to improve my skills as a teacher. I find I understand a lot more of the language now as my companion still is learning. We have this triangle that goes on were people will try to talk with Elder Tolentino, he'll ask me what they said and I'll end up replying to them in Visayan. Its quite funny to the Philippino people when they find out that I am more fluent than my companion in speaking Visayan.
The Strouds were very kind this week also to help us acquire the things we needed for our house and get us up and running in terms of being able to cook our own food in the house again. We are returning to the records of the Sisters from the area book to find more people to teach and we are going to be following up with their former investigators.
Yes, that sister has complained because we weren't over there every day... but she'll just have to realise thats the reality karon. Of course they celebrate Valentines Day... Bohol is the Catholic capitol outside of the Vatican City, I think ... they are the most dedicated catholics i have ever met.
Definitely chocolate and some real licorice... not the american crap that keeps getting sent here which tastes like plastic. Also i would really like so jerky... beef and kangaroo if you could get some. Terri here: I asked him what he wanted in his birthday package!)
Tell Reilly I wish him a happy B'day and all the best for his driving (be careful mum...) and dont take the corners like in the racing game.
I've included a picture of the area (it is bukid kaayo) and then of our balay (just of the kitchen and living room) which is really huge.
Enjoy your week and I'll try to enjoy mine a lot more than last week.
Always pray to have the Spirit...
Miss you and love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
********************************************************************************************************************
To be honest this week has been tough...
Its hard... one evening we visited with a less-active family and I really felt the Spirit and the love I have for these people and realized why I am here. I realized that I have to continue to focus on the work everyday and make sure I always have the Spirit with me. Training is hard work, and fun at the same time. But this area is really difficult. There are some days we cant teach anyone because there isn't anyone... it's like everyone vanishes from the face of the earth until 4 o'clock in the evening.Then at about 6 o'clock in the evening everything closes and everyone goes home and by 7 there is no-one on the street. We accomplish most of our work at lunch time and in the afternoon when school starts to finish up. Those times are when everyone is out and about and when people are home with their families. We have been trying to focus on the 15 names in the branch and working with members. We have one member who is very diligent in helping us and comes with us at least twice a week. He has been a great help these last two weeks in helping us to learn the area and to meet the people.
The 12 week program is a great program for helping us to develop our teaching skills and see the areas we need to improve and I am learning things from teaching this program. My study has been focused on and around the fundamentals and has really helped to improve my skills as a teacher. I find I understand a lot more of the language now as my companion still is learning. We have this triangle that goes on were people will try to talk with Elder Tolentino, he'll ask me what they said and I'll end up replying to them in Visayan. Its quite funny to the Philippino people when they find out that I am more fluent than my companion in speaking Visayan.
The Strouds were very kind this week also to help us acquire the things we needed for our house and get us up and running in terms of being able to cook our own food in the house again. We are returning to the records of the Sisters from the area book to find more people to teach and we are going to be following up with their former investigators.
Yes, that sister has complained because we weren't over there every day... but she'll just have to realise thats the reality karon. Of course they celebrate Valentines Day... Bohol is the Catholic capitol outside of the Vatican City, I think ... they are the most dedicated catholics i have ever met.
Definitely chocolate and some real licorice... not the american crap that keeps getting sent here which tastes like plastic. Also i would really like so jerky... beef and kangaroo if you could get some. Terri here: I asked him what he wanted in his birthday package!)
Tell Reilly I wish him a happy B'day and all the best for his driving (be careful mum...) and dont take the corners like in the racing game.
I've included a picture of the area (it is bukid kaayo) and then of our balay (just of the kitchen and living room) which is really huge.
Enjoy your week and I'll try to enjoy mine a lot more than last week.
Always pray to have the Spirit...
Miss you and love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
********************************************************************************************************************
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Letter #27 (Feb 8th, 2012)
Hey all,
Yes! We are fine!... it was only richter 5... not like 7or 8. We had just finished district meeting in Jagna and were walking to the mercardo to get lunch... and then the ground started moving under my feet!!! We were all soo confused at what was going on until we all stood still and looked at the power lines and buildings all shaking around... then we were all like "earthquake!"
The only damage was on Negros, or so we got told by a member... but all the misisonaries are okay, as far as we know.
Thank you for the package... it was great!
The new area is great... now... We had a few problems to start out with. We have done well so far after starting out with almost nothing. We turned up to the house to find it needed some serious repairs which we have already organised with the owner, and we will be ordering some things for the house through the Strouds as well. We then found the area book in desperate need of attention. There are a few progress records for the weeks but they provide little information. So we have begun to work closely with the members. They are all eager to help with the missionary work and all want to help the missionaries. We have 1 family of investigators that we met on monday, and they are showing great interest already. Brother B showed great intrest in the Plan of Salvation and they are willing to listen and have us go back and teach. We have had success with the members, achieving 10 lessons in two days, as we went out with members to teach less-actives and recent converts.
My new companion Elder Tolentino... He is great! We are going to have a great time and recieve much success from the Lord, I can just feel it! I love studying the 12 week program with Elder Tolentino as I learn so much from it and from my new companion as well. One thing I realised is that us foreign missionaries have so much the advantage, as we get 2 months in the MTC. We get to study a lot more and get used to the schedule and not being at home before we even reach the mission. But I am confident that Elder Tolentino will do just fine.
Hope you enjoy this next week and i will tell you more wonderful interesting things next week.
Miss you all,
Love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
*************************************************************************************************************
Terri here:On Monday 6th Feb, 2012, there was an earthquake in the Philippines in between the islands of Negros and Cebu, Taylor is on an island further over, called Bohol and as you can read from his email, that they didn't feel it like where it hit.
Yes! We are fine!... it was only richter 5... not like 7or 8. We had just finished district meeting in Jagna and were walking to the mercardo to get lunch... and then the ground started moving under my feet!!! We were all soo confused at what was going on until we all stood still and looked at the power lines and buildings all shaking around... then we were all like "earthquake!"
The only damage was on Negros, or so we got told by a member... but all the misisonaries are okay, as far as we know.
Thank you for the package... it was great!
The new area is great... now... We had a few problems to start out with. We have done well so far after starting out with almost nothing. We turned up to the house to find it needed some serious repairs which we have already organised with the owner, and we will be ordering some things for the house through the Strouds as well. We then found the area book in desperate need of attention. There are a few progress records for the weeks but they provide little information. So we have begun to work closely with the members. They are all eager to help with the missionary work and all want to help the missionaries. We have 1 family of investigators that we met on monday, and they are showing great interest already. Brother B showed great intrest in the Plan of Salvation and they are willing to listen and have us go back and teach. We have had success with the members, achieving 10 lessons in two days, as we went out with members to teach less-actives and recent converts.
My new companion Elder Tolentino... He is great! We are going to have a great time and recieve much success from the Lord, I can just feel it! I love studying the 12 week program with Elder Tolentino as I learn so much from it and from my new companion as well. One thing I realised is that us foreign missionaries have so much the advantage, as we get 2 months in the MTC. We get to study a lot more and get used to the schedule and not being at home before we even reach the mission. But I am confident that Elder Tolentino will do just fine.
Hope you enjoy this next week and i will tell you more wonderful interesting things next week.
Miss you all,
Love you,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
*************************************************************************************************************
Terri here:On Monday 6th Feb, 2012, there was an earthquake in the Philippines in between the islands of Negros and Cebu, Taylor is on an island further over, called Bohol and as you can read from his email, that they didn't feel it like where it hit.
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