Elder Cox's Eleventh Letter From Tampico and First Week With Elder Mendez

Hello family and friends,

Things here went well for the most part last week.  We had 4 baptisms. Kind of a bitter sweet and sad because 3 fell through, but we hope they will continue and be baptized this change (6 weeks).  It was very sweet because it was 2 families. One was the family Flores.  They were the ones we contacted only 3 weeks ago and baptized them.  The other was a girl 10 years old who was part of an inactive family.  For years they hadn't been active, and we contacted the mom and children on the street.  Well they kind of found us.  They were like 'Hey, Elders!'  So we assumed they were members and we talked to them and come to find out they were inactive.  Well that's not new.  We have a lot of those here.  Ha ha.  But we ended up reactivating the family in the short period of 3 or 4 weeks and the father receiving the Priesthood again and able to baptize his daughter.  It was a great experience.  We had the great  oppurtunity to have the Mission President be there to see the 2 families baptized. We were truly blessed.  I'm so glad to be able to see that.

Well as you all know or heard, I got a new comp., Elder Mendez.  He was actually playing at the beach before this (a little jealous) and now he is here to work. jk.  No really his area was at the beach but he is a hard worker.  I can tell.  He is a lot like Elder González and we will have great success in this area this change.  I'm excited.  Actually Elder González and Elder Mendez knew each other.  They attended the school here Benemerito (LDS private school).  It's like an LDS academy.  It sounds way cool.  Well anyway I dont have much to say about Elder Mendez because I don't know him yet.  But next week I'll be able to answer your questions and tell you all about him. 

So to answer questions I have received I'll try to remember...

One was the weather here is changing.  Getting a little cooler now at night.  Still hot during the day.  Ha ha.  But not terrible like it was.  Actually Elder González went to Mandes, where it can get up to 120 degrees or so like Mesa.  I said good luck.  Don't die.  Here it's only like 85 degrees or 90 but it's humid.  Yesterday I looked at a thermometer and it said 85 degrees with 85 percent humidity.  I was thinking yesterday was relatively cool... 

Another question was if the avocados were ripe on our tree.  Yes and no.  Avocados don't get ripe on the tree.  You pick them when they are green at this time and then fold them up in newspaper for 2 or 3 days and then they are ripe to eat.  Ooo so good.  i'll usually have 1 or 2 a day.  Especially in a tortilla or bread with some salt.  Yumm so good. 

hmmm.. I don't remember any other questions... 

Oh, so my birthday was great.  Thank you all.  We went to Little Ceasar's and got pizza.  Sooo good.  Had some ice cream also.  Ha ha. That was all on Monday.  Then Tuesday I opened my jars of pb and jelly that had been waiting for over 6 weeks.  It was a miracle they actually sat there and no one touched them.  Sometimes I did have to beat my comp back with a sick to stay away (not true) but they did stay there waiting for me.  It was definately worth the wait.  Ha ha.  Had a great sandwich with my comp- yum.  I say that it was a miracle because at my house in Mesa if I ever wanted to save something there is a joke that the refrigerator or freezer likes to eat things.  Things magically disappear. Ha ha. (Editor's note:  I have no idea what Elder Cox is referring to...:)

Oh I think Tuesday I had chicken feet.  In the United States we play Chicken Feet (a dominos game) but here we eat chicken feet.  They eat almost everything of the chicken and cow. yum... I have learned that I do not ask what this is, because I don't want to know.  Sometimes I just put it in my mouth and try it.  Sometimes it's really good.  Other times I leave the house and get to the street and start puking... yup happens... well, for me it did.  Elder González just laughed and said 'What you don't like it.  That was really good!'.  Oh goodness my weak guerro stomach... Ha ha.

Yesterday was Stake Conference.  I had a great time.  President Call and his wife spoke.  But to be honest I loved the Stake President's talk.  I really felt like he followed the Spirit and gave a great talk.  His talk was about covenants.  It was about making and LIVING covenants.  It's wonderful when someone makes a covenant, baptism, even the temple.  But it's a whole other thing when we remember and live those covenants day in and day out.  Something that I enjoyed was he referred to Elder Bednar's talk on faith and he said it's the members' responsibility to pray and to act to find investigators.  Great talk.   I love that one from him. Another topic was about those who are of the age and returned from their missions should get married.  Go and get married and make covenants together.  It was funny but true.  It's sad how they just get home and hang out.  And not get married.  And the other one was about remember those sacred covenants that you made in the temple with the Lord and with your wife.  Remember the joy and happiness that the newly weds had when they first started out.  And to ask yourselves if it's better or worse than when you started out... and where you need to improve.  I enjoyed his counsel that if we have a need to ask ourselves where am I lacking in my life, where am I not obeying with exactness the commandments to receive the blessings the Lord He would like to give me?  It was a great conference.  I truly enjoyed it. 

And that's about it.  I don't have much more.  I love you all and miss you and hope and pray for the very best for all of you.  May God bless you.

Love always,

Elder cox