Week 104......or part thereof.

Hi Everyone!!!!!! 

G came to church. we gave him some church clothes (not like I need them haha :P) and got him a ride but he walked in the rain to church!!!!! S and R came too and so did L. T was sick so couldn't make it. 

The ward loved my talk on celestial marriage hahaha

We had a good week. A came out with us, so did T. for a little bit

Wednesday we had exchange with the MTC. Kinda felt sorry for them when they asked how long I had been out. Elder Saurey was with Elder Chiong from Cebu. He was coming to our mission so I gave him all my thermal stuff because he already thought it was cold. I was with Elder Powell who is going to the Johannesburg South Africa mission so I told him to look out for Ethan when he gets there.

Fireside went well. not too long only 45 mins 

Assistants stayed the night last night good catch up with Elder Tibbitts

not really sure why I'm emailing because....

 I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love you 

Elder Cox

Week 103

Hi Everyone! :D

Yep was wet last week, looks like it will be the same this week too

Investigators are doing good. 

I went on exchange with Elder Touhuni this week to the Tongan program on Tuesday. That was pretty funny I just greeted everyone because that's about all I know in Tongan haha 

We had dinner with Brother L on Friday so I asked if he wanted me to bless the food in Tongan he said 'yeah I wanna hear this fob" haha after the prayer his daughter said I was more fob than her hahaha  

M came out with us on Friday. We taught M the Plan of Salvation it was really good. esp since she just had a baby. 

The "Carnival" was Friday night. So how this worked was we gave out "spiritual cards" that couldn't buy anything at the prize table. We had like reading scriptures and that "boring" stuff and everyone else had games that gave you tickets that could get prizes and someone was 'satan' going around trying to steal their spiritual cards in exchange for tickets or other stuff. then you "died" and your bag of goodies was taken and all that you had left was the spiritual cards. So it was a fun night to represent life and what happens. the youth had fun and even better the message seemed to make it across too. I even met someone from Sydney who was with their cousins in our ward. She's in Harbour stake I think.

T brought his friend L to church again and they stayed for Gospel Principles. 

S brought his brother R  along with him to church. That's the first time they've come since I've been in the area, we had kinda put S on the back burner but his interest has picked up recently. 

We taught P and B the Restoration again (after the fish) (See Photo below) they remember quite a lot.

The flat inspection was all good, she couldn't believe that 2 boys could keep a place that clean she even asked if we got someone to clean it haha

Love you, have a good week

Elder Cox

"Carnival" photo.

Missionaries table.

Another "Carnival" photo.

The fish cooking.

B eating the fish 

they had for dinner.

What is left after Reilly 

ate the rest of the eye.

Week 102

Hi Everyone :D

We have a flat inspection tmrw from the real estate agent. hopefully all goes well.

The week was good. yeah we're still working hard. you can't slack off when you're the ZL, the whole zone would stop working then. We had 2 exchanges this week. 1 full exchange with Elder Van Hauwaert and Tunep; I went to Mountfort area with Elder Van Hauwaert. then just a day exchange with Elder Pierce and Latu;  Elder Latu was with me in Weymouth.

Friday we did splits with T and L. I went with L, N was busy. but we did see T which was good, he's gotten back into the swing of things. 

The M family is doing well, we talked about the Book of Mormon this week and they decided they will read the Book of Mormon as well as the Bible! 

P is doing well, they were having family counsel when we went to see them so we thought it was better to let them do that than to interrupt. 

P and B are still iffy about marriage. they still want to be baptised though. 

The Chinese couple wasn't there... maybe we'll see if we can visit them again this week.

F and F are good, we saw them Saturday, their neighbours T and E stopped us and talked to us after our visit and said to come see them! Neither of them are members but they have family who are serving missions.

T came to church this week.... only 1 hr early! He brought his friend L with him too. good thing we were there at a meeting when he showed up so we could let him know. 

We'll be having a musical fireside the end of this month which they want me to play the piano for... yay... looks like I'll have to practice.. 

Yep it's short.... hahaha

Love you all

Elder Cox

What happens when you take a timed photo 

and the timer is too long.

Zone photo.

Funny Street.

Week 101

Kia Ora Everyone!

Nah, not really that cold. as you could see last night. Still wearing short sleeves.

We had a great week this week! We had an Exchange with the MTC as well as the Assistants. We were with Elder Tai from the MTC, he's from Hong Kong, speaks perfectly fine English and serve for 2 months in Hong Kong while he waited for his visa. We had a cool experience with him just talking to people on a street. we had gone to contact some formers, and we decided just to talk to anyone on the street who was outside, and it just so happened that at the end of the street, there was a Chinese couple outside in the garden which he could speak to. so we drew them a map of how to get to the chapel. they asked if there was a Chinese ward they could go to. but I think there's only one up in Auckland, we'll see if we can get some info on that. But it was just cool that he could speak to them because usually whenever we see some one Chinese they just say "No Engrish" 

Then our exchanges with the Assistants was cool. I was with Elder Tibbitts and Elder Holmes was with Elder Saurey. We went to see someone and took a wrong street (we were meant to turn left at the next street) but seeing we were walking, we talked with heaps of people. Found a new investigator who likes reading, and has a member in our ward as a good friend. Then that night we set P for baptism in June, he's not a member but his wife and children are. he's been taught by quite a few missionaries too, he was at stake conference as well! Elder Saurey  and Holmes set P and B (for September) so we need to work with them.

Elder Saurey has been going to Physio for his back so we've been talking to them. 

We found F and F this week (Samoan) they are pretty interested by the looks. F has Mormon friends at school and was wondering what all the fuss about Joseph Smith was which was an easy lead into the first lesson :)

Elder Saurey thought it was hilarious the contrast between his family and us. He said when he skypes it's as though he's on a hospital bed dying and everyone is glued there, unlike you where Dad and Taylor are wandering around getting snacks and all. hahaha seems pretty normal to me though :P

Conference was good, it was focused on missionary work. hopefully we get some extra momentum and all the members jump on board.

photos

Elder Tai MTC exchange

Elder Holmes cooking up a brew of koko Samoa

Elder Pierce and Latu sharing their lunch with us (Pig head)

Love you, good to speak to you yesterday as well. hope you have a great week!!!

Elder Cox

Elder Tai, MTC exchange.

Elder Holmes making koko Samoa.

Elder Pierce and Latu

sharing their lunch

of pig head.

Week 100

Hi Everyone! :D

The week was busy, we had a zone conference on Tuesday with Elder Haleck where they talked about working with the members, helping them be more confident in sharing the gospel. Using Family history in finding, teaching repentance more positively, and in giving commitments. 

Then MLC on Thursday with Elder Haleck again. haha at the end they got me to share my testimony seeing I was the "oldest" missionary there. We got to take Elder Butler down with us to the MLC, had a good catch up in the car. 

Friday we found a new family. lucky we had T (one of the YSA) with us because the Dad wasn't home. Turns out their cousin is going to Paris France for her mission, T knows her too. so we'll be teaching them again on Friday. 

DLC was on Saturday. that was all goods.

We went to see B. Had a good lesson with her, invited her to be baptised and...... she told us she is moving up north to kaikue (sp??) it's close to Whangare. So there goes another one..... 

P is doing well. slowly progressing. 

Sunday was good we had a meeting with stake Pres before church about the work across the stake. and the N's were there, M and S were there, P P was there. 

Bro L came with us to the O's but he was working so we talked to him at his work (the Security at the shops near his house)

We're hoping to set T again.

The M's are doing well. hopefully we can set something up with Bishop to do a FHE or something. 

Well turns out not only did I have tonsillitis but strep throat too,the doctor called and said I'll have to go back in this week to take another swab of my throat and make sure it's cleared up.

T is going to the Cavite Phillipines mission, reports 24 June.

love you, talk to you Sunday (well hopefully haha) 

Elder Cox

Week 99

Hi everyone!

Anzac day so everything is closed. And our ward is at the chapel having an activity, Thankfully bishop is letting me email from his phone. And yes in case anyone is wondering we have permission.

This week was good. I got tonsilitis the day before transfers and couldn't get to the doctors I until after transferring everyone on the buses I felt like rubbish Thursday night but  now I'm all good got my antibiotics and all. Transfers went well. Had to sit around all day up at Manukau because we didn't have any drivers to take us back until Elder Saurey got there at 5.

Elder Saurey is good , he's from Idaho. He used to farm potatoes he is the oldest. He has 4 sisters and 1 brother. He's about the same size as me. I'll send the photos later. Really keen to get out there and smash the work! 

Miracles yeah I had tonsillitis and I didn't see the doctor for 2 days and the next day after my antibiotics I felt alright hahaha. B has been going to church up north and comes back today so hopefully we'll get a miracle tonight and she'll be ready to be baptised 

I met Siale's uncle as in Langi.

We're having a mission tour tomorrow Elder Haleck is coming we don't know what he will be talking about but it should be good. MLC is on thursday . 

Transfer news 

Elder Latu, Sis Fifita, Elder Fesolai, Elder Tunee (new), Elder Tuiona (new), Sis Meas (new) all came to us. Sis Meas said she is the first Cambodian Missionary so that's new. Elder Tunee is from Kiribati and Tuiona from Tonga. 

We go on exchange usually once a transfer with the ESL this was the first time we had one with English speaking, might be to do with the 3 weeks in MTC now.

Hope you're all well

Love you heaps

Elder Cox

Elder Saurey and Reilly.

Week 98

Hi Everyone :D

Pres called this morning, asked if I "have enough gas in the tank for 1 more transfer" haha I'll be staying in Manurewa, I am getting Elder Saurey (who killed Elder Joseph haha and now he's going to kill me too :P)  He's coming up from Rotokauri. 

Elder Gutke is going down to Rotokauri with Elder Hamilton so they just switched places. 

We should get the bus report with everyone's move this week sometime. Thursday will be busy haha. 

Yes Bro Burgess thought it was good, asked if she was a good missionary haha He was glad that she was.
He told me on Sunday that she should be here in 2 weeks (they meet at the same chapel now.) 

T's parents are against him being baptised, so we have to wait till he's 18 even tho he doesn't stay with his parents, he still has some questions that need answering that we're trying to work out of him. M J is moving to Papakura too. So we're just going to pass her onto Elder Butler even tho she still wants us to visit her, but not our area so we can't. P hasn't really been doing much towards getting baptised so she doesn't have a set date anymore either. We need some miracles this week.

We had to bless 2 flats this week, we fasted and took the Tongan elders with us; Elder Touhuni, Lavulavu and Tausala. Now I know evil spirits are real for sure! There was some pretty weird stuff that happened.

The exchange with the MTC missionaries was good. I was with Elder Alovili and Iese (pronounce jese but with a 'y' instead of a 'j' ) They had a good time. Most of the people we went to weren't home but we knocked on the Black power President's house (the Pres for Rewa, it's a gang over here in case you don't know. Bro Tini would probably know all about the gangs; black power, mongrel mob, tribesmen, head hunters etc haha) anyway and his sister was talking to us. She was interested in learning more so we left our number with her. She told us he doesn't usually let people come in the gate he'll tell them to go away but he was alright with us for some reason. 

I (Bishop's daughter) who is 8 came up to us yesterday with one of those chatter boxes and from her little game I had to write 10 things I was grateful for in my journal, so I thought I'd share them with you...

1. The Spirit to remind me of things and guide me

2. Repentance and the Atonement to allow me to change and become better

3. My family who raised me in the truth of the gospel and who i can be with forever

4. The Book of Mormon for what it teaches me and the comfort I feel as I read

5. Good friends who support and encourage me

6. Good sense of humor which lets me laugh (sometimes at myself haha)

7. Good music

8. The Priesthood which God has trusted me with to help and be of service to others

9. Children (like I haha) who teach us without even meaning to.

10. A loving Heavenly Father who knows my name and my needs, and will never give up on me.

have a great week everyone!! 

Love you

Elder Cox

MTC missionaries.

All of us in the car.

Took them for splits.