Hey all,
This week was fine apart from getting food poisoning and ALMOST DYING.... and being confined for two days without being able to do work in the area. We have continued to find and meet with less-actives this week in an effort to bring them back. We have almost covered every family on the branch list as to whether they are still in the area, have moved or have passed away, and determined who is active, less-active and in-active. I'm sure the branch list is about half of what it used to be now. We even managed to find some less-actives that have no records that we are requesting through the branch clerk.
We have had some great visits with less-actives this week and are working with them all to come back to church. After being stuck in bed for two days and suffering miserably, I was ecstatic when we had a 116 attendance for sacrament meeting! (Yes that's probably the same as the ward, hey?) Not only that but 6 of those were individuals coming back for the 1st time in a long time! Even better is there are now quite a few individuals who have been back now for 3, 4, and 5 weeks in a row. The branch is progressing after a period of being stagnant, or so some of the members keep telling us. We have seen some great progress with certain families in the branch with the whole family now back at church.
This week we had a visit with a less active brother in our branch brother D...., who has a drinking problem that has been affecting his family. We tried to visit with the family on Sunday only to find brother quite tipsy and his wife had left and was staying at relatives house. Brother D's brother and sister-in-law are staying with him this week and trying to help out. We talked with them on Sunday about how we would like to help by using the addiction recovery program. They said they will try to help us as we help them and help Bro. D.
That scripture is a great scripture and was the favorite of my district in the MTC. But thanks again for reminding me of that wonderful story. And you should be glad we left the cats there and didnt do what the housekeeping list tells us to do. It says, and I quote... "If the is something in your apartment that moves and isn't human or your companion, kill it and report it to the zone leaders."... Yes! that is what it says! really! (you can put that one on the blog... Elder Cox has a sundang because its says in the housekeeping list for missionaries... jejejeje!)
And finally a little more about my experiences spiritually this week. These past two weeks have been a refiners fire... and the most intense of my life spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically (food poisoning). I have never though so much about the Atonement of my Savior in my life and never felt the Atonement so powerfully as I have this week. to have my pains swallowed up in the joy of Christ. I know that my Savior, my Elder Brother, loves me personally, the same as my Heavenly Father. I have felt their love and there are changes that have taken place in my heart which I will hopefully never revert. Great changes for the better. The good things after the trials.
I had a thought in sacrament meeting on Sunday and I wrote it down:
"Satan makes things beautiful, exciting, fun, enjoyable, pleasing, for right now. Heavenly Father made things to last for eternity." -Elder Cox-
Let us all remember that... that our Heavenly Father gave us this life to prepare for eternity. Our choices here will affect our entire eternity. So if we are not aimed towards the Celestial kingdom, we need to change. If not now, when? Because our time is quickly running out...
I love you all SO much.
Elder Taylor Addison Cox
***********************************************************************************************************
Terri here: You may notice that Taylor puts "jejejeje" at the end of things that are funny, that is because in the Philippines 'J' is pronounced like a 'H'. Just thought I'd point that out for you!!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Letter #29 (Feb 22, 2012)
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
************************************************************************************************************
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
************************************************************************************************************
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
********************************************************************************************************************
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