Letter #68 (21st Nov, 2012)

Hey all,
So transfer week this week, and transfer calls! Guess what... NO TRNASFER KAMING DUHA!
I am so excited to have another transfer with Elder Manansala! We have so much that we want to accomplish together this transfer, we have already made plans! hehehe! We have the marriage of Brother J and Sister M to help them work out and then get Brother J baptized and ordained to the priesthood. Then we have another 6 or so investigators we are working with to be baptized on the 8th of Dec or the next few weeks after as well. We want to continue to set the example for the zone in obedience and diligence and will be working more closely on our teaching skills as a companionship this transfer as well.

We had a great success this week with Sister E who got married to her husband last Thursday and then was able to get baptized on Saturday. We have seen an amazing change taken place in her life and she just seems more happy and outgoing now than before. You can really see the light of the gospel in her countenance. She is excited to continue to learn especially about the temple as she prepares with her husband to enter the temple and be sealed together. We will be visiting with her tonight to teach about the temple and preparation and goal setting to be prepared for that.

We have also had continued success in our FTE's and found it is hard to get the standards because we keep ending up teaching lessons when we FTE! (not that that's a bad thing or anything...) We lost a few investigators this week from our teaching pool, for various reasons, but the Lord provided us with more (as he does), who have a greater interest in the things we are teaching and how this can help them in their lives. The Lord works in mysterious ways, that are just mysterious enough that you can say to yourself, "This was no coincidence". That is what we have felt this week as we have met new people and begun teaching them and their families.

I have had some great personal learning experiences again this week, especially as I try to get back into the habit of writing in my personal journal every day. I have begun to notice more things that have changed in me for the better and things that are still being weaknesses that I need to work on. It has helped me to re-evaluate again... which is always good for reminding yourself what more needs to be done.

I have been studying the Bible more this past transfer and trying to become more well-versed in the Bible so that when I teach I can use the Book of Mormon and Bible to support each other. I have found it has really begun to give me a deeper understanding of the basic principles of the gospel and better grasp on using the scriptures. I have never loved reading the scriptures as i do now... often i find myself wishing there was 2hrs of personal study each day so i can keep reading more and more and become more knowledgeable.

The Croppers are doing well and are a great help to the zone in everything they do. We are so thankful that they are in the zone and are always there to help. And the branch is doing really well at the moment... its not perfect (of course, well... at least not yet...hehehe), but the members are a great help and always willing to help as well.

We didn't feel the earthquake... I think we were probably riding a jeepney at the time... so we didnt know it had happened till we turned up at the Croppers house and they were like "did you feel the earthquake?" and we just looked at each other like "what earthquake?"... hahaha

Love you all so much,
Elder Taylor Addison Cox

Letter #67 (14th Nov, 2012)

Hey all,
This week has been a ball! I have had a really enjoyable week this
week. Things have just been great and working out really well. I was
really happy that we achieved 25 lessons in our area even with ZLC and
zone training meeting. It made me feel proud of myself, that I have
been striving to do what the Lord expects of me. This week has been
filled with all sorts of excitement and disappointment. Elder
Manansala and I have had some great experiences and we have planned 10
baptisms for the month of December. We are very excited and working
really hard to make this happen.

The first great thing of this week was helping our two investigators
prepare for baptism this Saturday. They are both progressing really
well and following all their commitments. But we now have a challenge
for each to be baptized. The first is that on of them gave birth to
their second child yesterday morning, a healthy baby boy. So we will
have to wait a little bit before she can get baptized, but she is good
to go and has already passed the first interview. She is really
excited to be baptized as well, and really enjoys coming to church
every Sunday.

The second is Sister E. E, who has some things she has to
do before she can get baptized. Just a little obstacle before her
baptism. We have seen a great desire to change grow within her this
past month and a bit that we have been visiting with her.
Then an update about Brother J and Sister M... they went to
find out if the marriage license exists and it turns out it does, but
the name for the husband is wrong. So the plan is to go back to the
NSO with the marriage license and request a record of the husband so
when they search for him they will see that he doesn't exist and
hopefully nullify the marriage license from before allowing Sister
M and Brother J to get married, and then sealed in the temple.
But this has been put on the back burner at the moment because the
eldest brother of J passed away yesterday after a motorcycle
accident, and they are planning the funeral and all. Brother J
will be headed up to the funeral this weekend probably and will be
helping out with that. We have been visiting with them and it is just
amazing to know that J is still just full of the Spirit. He
hasn't been affected too much by what has happened because he knows
where his brother is and Gods plan for him. His only concern is the
expenses for his family.

Also this week, Elder Manansala and I received a bunch of real
referrals from one family in the branch (as in referrals who actually
want to listen...) and two of them have baptismal dates for December
8th. We also have a really excited progressing investigator through
our FTEs who just loves the church and the doctrine and also committed
to be baptized on the same date at the end of the second lesson. We
have really applied the Find when you Teach, Teach when you Find
principle this week and have had some great successes with five new
investigators last week. We are also having success with the LAs, as
they slowly come back one or two every few weeks.
But this week has been so good and I am excited for these next few
weeks. I am excited to continue to work with Elder Manansala to
achieve our goals for these baptisms next month and help these
individuals come unto Christ. It is just amazing the help we have
received in our work these past few weeks as we really focused on
being diligent and obedient.
We are both hoping and praying to still be in Amlan for Christmas.
Tell Dad to have fun while he is in Perth and to give my regards to
them all there. Tell Nan I said hi and happy B'day.
Miss you all tons,
Love you all
Elder Taylor Addison Cox

Letter #66 (7th Nov, 2012)

Hey all,
Things are amazing! I am doing well physically, working out again with weights, and spiritually as well, having been just blown away by President Schmutz's workshop in ZLC yesterday about why obedience is the first law in Heaven.

Our interviews got changed over from the Fri to Mon 5th... so that Monday we had the interviews which started with a workshop from president then we did our workshop and were quickly interview by President Schmutz before heading out early to catch the bus to Cebu for ZLC the very next day. So at 3pm we were on the bus to Cebu and by 9pm we finally made it. We ate at KFC and then slept at the Ap's apartment. That next morning ZLC started at 9am at the chapel by the temple, were in we all reported our zone progress and then President Schmutz gave his Spirit filled workshop for a good 2 hours. Then we had an amazing lunch done up by Sister Schmutz and Sister Ernstrom (the office couple sister) It was all American style food, with hamburgers, hotdogs and chilly beans... real cheese, and even yellow corn! Then a desert of cheese cake (again the real stuff) with ice cream and blueberries. Oh, it was sooo good! Then we went back to workshops from the office couple about the funds and other things and then a workshop by the AP's on the Area Book. It was a busy day, then we had to rush to catch the bus back that night to Negros but when we got to the terminal... NO SEATS! NOOOO! so we got stuck there that night sleeping at Apas again before we sakay-ed back this morning on the Ceres, getting back at 10:30 Soooo kapoy!
So well be back to work again these next few days and will try to catch up on the lessons. Just a few things i wanna request for the package... don't forget vegemite and cherry ripe. Thank you daan!

Sister D-A came to church again and really feels something there, which is good... so now we just have to help her kids all feel something too, but they're all independent adults right now and starting to get their own jobs and things so we have to work around 3 separate schedules to fit everyone in... but I'm sure it'll work out some how.
All the Americans are on about the election today... we'll see how that turns out.
I've finished reading "The Miracle of Forgiveness". Truly an amazing book... and I gained so many insights into the process of repentance and the Atonement. A funny book to read, if you find a copy, is the "Day of Defense". Great references of doctrine to share with people.
So that's pretty much it for now... things are doing great and I will try to take some pictures this week for you, so you can see just how much of paradise this place really is!
Miss you all,
Love you always
Elder Taylor Addison Cox