Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Elder Cox's Fourteenth Letter From Tampico

This week has been quite eventful.  It's been fun to see the hand of the Lord in my life.  It has been a huge blessing and testimony builder. 

Well Sunday is always wonderful.  We confirmed Sergio a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He had a smile on his face as he leaned over to us and said I just feel full and happy.  That's always good to hear.  Then afterward I taught Gospel Principles class and I thought it went very well.  I love that class because it's like they are so thirsty and hungry to learn more.  It's always fun to teach that class.  We ended up talking about the gifts of the Spirit that we can receive and how we can know more about the ones we have.  Later that night we passed by one of our recent convert's house.  Just as he needed us.  We were able to talk to him and we left feeling like we were supposed to be there at that place and that time. 

Monday went well.  We were walking trying to find someone to teach when we saw a woman and her daughter sitting on the side of the curb with some groceries.  So of course we helped her out.  She said she was just about to give up hope that anyone would come to help her.  So we walked to her house and she was so busy but we planned to return to teach her another day.  We started to walk down the street and at the end of street on the corner I contacted a man walking down the street.  I asked how he was doing and he said he was so sick and needed to go to the hospital to get medicine and that sort of stuff.  So we walked to his house and what do you know he's the brother of the woman that we helped to her house.  Coincidence?... I dont think so. We were able to help them and give him a blessing.  They were very receptive and I felt like the Lord had placed us there to help them.  It was a great feeling.  Then that night we had a Family Home Evening with a part member family.  The parents are members. The mother more active than the father.  Afterward it was so great that my comp had the impression to ask the parents how the gospel had blessed their lives.  The parents bore powerful testimonies that they knew that the hand of the Lord had been in their lives when they lived the commandments and were baptized and continuing to do all they can. Then my comp did something I thought was strange, he asked their children, who are both in their early 20s, to bare their testimonies.  Wow! was that powerful to me.  I truly felt the Spirit bare witness to me and everyone in that room that the Church is true.  The Lord knows His children and wants to bless them.  They both said that they felt the Spirit and because of that they know that the church is true.  They could see the blessings from living the Gospel.  Ya I think that they will be getting baptized soon.  I'm really excited about this family.

Tuesday was another great day.  We were walking in the morning and my comp contacted a woman and her child coming home from school. She said she had seen us but never had the opportunity to talk with us. She invited us to her home and we found a great family.  Living upstairs and that we never would have found the door to knock on because it was hidden.  Here in Mexico there are many that live behind a house or above another house that it is impossible to find them.  I felt like the Lord had placed us there to find her that morning. 

Tueday evening we were a little discouraged because we didn't have any lessons and were walking towards the church to talk with the bishop later that evening.  Well this area we had never contacted because we never found very much success there.  As we were walking towards a park with houses around I told Elder Mendez, kind of in a joking manner, I feel something here.  We are going to find some chosen people here.  We walked 15 or 20 yards and we met a guy and he asked if we had a minute.  We sat down on a bench and come to find out this guy had a very interesting story.  He came across the Book of Mormon 15 years ago.  Someone had thrown the book in the trash.  Another person picked it up out of the trash and sold it to him for a Coke.  He read it and loved it.  Found it to be true but for one reason or another never came to church.  It was like wow! that was an answer to prayer.  That was super fast... I like super fast responses. haha.  I have great hope for this guy also. 

This Saturday we are going to have a great time.  Saturday in the morning Elder Mendez and I were chosen and a few other Elders to help with a walk for a cause here.  The Church and some businesses  have gotten to together to do a helping hands effort.  Helping the community and children.  You pay 50 pesos and are able to be in a 5k run or walk. I'm excited to go help.  It should be fun. Then in the evening we are going to have the first Family Home Evening as a ward in I don't know how long.  Years.  So I am hoping that people show up and we have a great time.  It should be great and hopefully we can get the members excited about missionary work.

Well that is about it in a nutshell.  It"s been a fun week and just going to get better.  I love the mission.  It has truly blessed my life.  I don't know where I would be if I hadn't made the decision to go.  The lessons I'm learning, the people i'm meeting, the blessings I'm receiving I wouldn't give up for the world.  Thank you to all that have helped me be here.  I shall forever be in your debt. I love you all.

Love,

Elder James Cox

No comments:

Post a Comment