Week 15

HELLO EVERYONE :D

Yeah I know I'm getting fat but the islanders over here seem to think I'm not fat enough :P Perhaps send me some intense workouts or something so I don't get so fat bc pushups and dumbells don't do much for loosing fat. 

So we got a "new" investigator (taught principle + return appointment) but it just turned out he wanted to bash with us and kept saying that we were reading out of context and were mislead but when we asked what he believed the scripture meant he couldn't tell us. surprise surprise. anyway so yeah no solid new investigators. but we keep coming across Less actives, and less actives with part member families so i think that's the direction we should be focusing on. 

so scriptures this week - Alma 30:40 -  Read here that's a good one. Alma 26:37 - Read here he remembers us. Alma 3:26-27 - Read here and 9:28 Read hereWe get what we deserve after we die. Alma 22:12-14 - Read here They taught the same lessons that we teach now from pmg back in the day (minus the Restoration obv). and Alma 5:46-47 - Read here - how we gain knowledge that this is true.

Yes we use the lemons and there's 2 lemon trees... the smaller one is better in my opinion. We also give some to Sister Park bc she takes such good care of us (too good sometimes.... so much food when she cooks for us)

They do the temple in zones so it was like the Auckland zones and then the next day would be the hamilton zones and so forth so I didn't see anyone from mtc other than the ones that are in my zone anyway hahaha 

President Rudd has told us each to do a My family book and so any stories would be much appreciated (it only goes to Great grandparents in the book) and then to use that in our finding and teaching.

TO TAYLOR: you're welcome for the photos... but just remember we don't get hedgehogs and other cool things in our backyard every week ok. you served in the rain Where did you keep your planner and how did you keep it dry. I keep mine in my pants pocket and it gets soggy when it rains..... (don't say put it in my shirt pocket bc it doesn't fit and I think it looks ridiculous there anyways). 

So here are some photos of this week. Yes that's MY suit i'm wearing (pants just fit, same goes for my white pants too :L) Everyone loves the poka-dot tie and I tell everyone its from the pines where my bro served :) 

I'll send the other photos in another email ok.

Miss you, Love you

Elder Cox

What a good looking boy!

A message to his brother.... "This is how we ride buses in NZ!" 

(not on top like in the Philippines!!)

New Zealand Temple.

Week 14 

Hello Everyone :D

This weeks gone quick. Rahul we have to move his date bc he didn't get to church and he needs to do that Joleen dropped us bc she is going back to her old church so :/ ah well .. someone else's fish to catch I suppose. we met this guy named Glen and fixed some of the misconceptions he had about mormons and so we are going to see him tonight and hopefully he will stay an investigator bc he said to come back. It's been hard to get many new people to teach tho. but I read this scripture during the week Alma 17:11. Read here (replace 'Lamanites' with 'people of South Auckland') also 1 John 4:17-18, Read here we will share the gospel if we love someone bc we know it will bless them so we should have no fear :)

I also read this scripture by accident (its funny how Heavenly Father works by "accidents") 

Mormon 8:24 And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove mountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause prisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word.

Training is going alright. 

It is very very hard to make sure appointments work... people hardly answer their phones and idk where they go. 

Temple trip tmrw :D YAAAYYYYY It'll be really good :)

Tell Aroha that going on mission is the best 

Didn't make spaghetti no time this week 

Elder Selma is from Valenzuela City its in Quezon city north mission. 

I guess thats all for now 

Love you all tonnes

Elder Cox

look what we found in our back yard!!!

A Hedgehog!

Terri here: I've been told these are like toads are too Qld! They are everywhere!

Week 13

HELLO ALL :D

So yes still in South Auckland. yes same area. No Elder Joseph is gone. yes we have a new flat. Yes it is SO MUCH BETTER :D AND .............................  I'M TRAINING!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!? My new companion is Elder Prasad. Guess what.... most of my intake is actually training. we met at Transfers and were like "wait ... you too?" so there are plenty of photos for this email. (We hardly ever take photos when its not something big) But hopefully I'm a good trainer and I teach this Elder well so he goes on to be a better trainer than me. any advice from anyone is more than welcome (I asked Taylor later in the email too) oh and Did I tell you that I'm certified as well???

1 Nephi 16:23 - Read here We are going to find some new people. Rahul is set for baptism. He asked if he could go to church on a Fri.... but then he explained just to look hahaha we were a little confused before he told us that. but he is really wanting to come to sacrament :D only he works on sundays :/ 

So the photos ... they might take a few emails to send. but here goes....So we had some srs frost

......Only kidding :P hahaha... we cleaned out the Freezer at the old flat HAHA

So Elder Wangsgard is training too... Elder Butler from Utah. AND HE LIKES MUSK STICKS?!?!?!! hahaha and he still thinks its weird whenever I say "What the hell" and "Damn" HAHAHAHAHAHA.

and Elder Gilmore from my intake is also training .... and training a Filo at that!! and he's in my district now too hahaha. 

My stomach is ok .... idk whats up with it. 

Is the Spaghetti recipe just mince, can of tomatoes, herbs garlic all fried up?? I bought some mince this week bc i felt like having spaghetti :P

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD :D LOVE YOU 

Love you all or as they say here Arohanui

Elder Cox :)

forgot this

I met some Chinese people on the street the other day, had a little chat.. they weren't really interested... they said bye, then I said zhai jian in return (goodbye in chinese)  then they said it back to me, shocked that I knew some chinese I bet hahaha.

love you Mum

your son Elder Cox

Others from Reilly's MTC group that are training too.

Reilly and Elder Prasad.

The back yard in their new flat. He's happy to have lemon trees.

The kitchen.

Week 12

Hello Everyone 

So yes transfers is Thursday, we'll find out Wednesday if we are going anywhere haha. 

So I was reading (don't remember where in the Book of Mormon) but then I flipped to a cross reference (except I got the reference wrong) but anyway 1 Nephi 18:3. I hope you all are doing that bc the temple is only just up the road, rumor has it that the next mission trip to the temple is in September Yay!! 

Funny experience - someone thought I was 24 this week.... I can understand 20 but 24!?!?! thats 6 years off - surely I don't look that old.... oh and I was hand signaling bc I was riding on the road and turning so I put my arm up and a guy on the footpath says "You have to flap both if you want to take off!" hahaha. And I found where all the cherries from the fruit salads went... I had a can with about 10 in it, I couldn't believe it. 

Rahul is doing good, we are going to invite him to be baptised this week, he is really open - we mentioned the Word of Wisdom bc it came up and he says that he drinks coffee and then he says "I can give that up tho" and we haven't even taught him that yet; we only just mentioned the things we couldn't have. we missed Deep tho... he was out when we went over hopefully we'll catch him next time. 

I actually was studying in Mosiah this week so thanks for reminding me of that scripture. We got a new investigator, Joleen, she just had her 1 yo pass away not too long ago so she was very interested in the Plan of Salvation and where her son was. She asked us why they come here just to go and I shared your experience. 

My stomach has been playing up this week too - NOT GLUTEN THO :P I sure hope not.

here's a photo of me drenched on wednesday - the raincoat only works till mid thigh when I'm on the bike and the cuffs of my shirts get wet too bc when I ride the bike the raincoat's sleeves ride up too. you can't really see that my pants are wet but you can see the line on my shirt and my tie gets wet bc the gap where you button it up lets water in sometimes. (I changed socks that day hahaha thats why 14 pairs :P) 

You playing warhammer too now??? so I leave and you and dad start being fun... I see how it is :P hahaha

Oh that reminds me, we might be getting a new flat (as in if I don't get transferred) bc the one we're in isn't in our area so they are thinking about moving us into our area so it doesn't take as long to bike ( it really doesn't take that long but whatever) so yep either way I need to pack this transfer hahaha that'll be fun =___=

For DAD - Thank you for teaching me how to make a fried egg, i can make them pretty good now with the lid on the frying pan :D

Next week should have a ton of photos bc transfer week at district/zone meeting (whichever it is this week) EVERYONE just takes photos galore

Love you all

Elder Cox

A very wet Reilly.

Week 11

Hello everyone :D

So this week has been great :) Last Monday I had a trade off (mini only 1 hr) with Elder Reece (The AP) and we met a whole bunch of people - a LA/PM family - parents have been sealed children all not baptised so we working with them. and I learnt heaps about how to approach people and stuff (door knocks and etc etc) so I think I'm getting better at talking to strangers from the get go (because teaching them isn't hard :p) So that was great. and then Tuesday was Zone Conference and guess who I bumped into ........... ELDER TAYLOR!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA  But Zone conference was awesome and really uplifting. It was focused on the 4th missionary (I'm sure you could look that up and get the full thing) but its pretty much saying about how we have to do certain things in order for the mission to change us otherwise we will return home and be the same person who left and it would have profited us nothing. This is who we will be for the rest of our life pretty much. President told us that the mission is for us, it is meant to change us. he was talking about how the mission will help our own conversion, I don't remember the exact way he said that but then he said "in the meantime, we'll do some missionary work". It really struck me that this is really for us and that we're just helping the other people on our way as well. It will have just as much, if not more of an impact on our life than our investigators/converts. I really enjoyed Zone Conference and it was an uplifting and inspiring experience. We met 2 new investigators this week - Rahul and Deep - Elder Joseph and I decided to cross the street, and we knocked on their door, they opened it and asked "what can we do for you" and we said we had a message to share and then they just said "come in". I was quite shocked. But they are really really open and they have lots of questions :). 

Umm.... guess what Dad..... - I'm driving! The ZLs told Elder Wangsgard to get me 5 hrs of driving exp before they certify me as a driver. and before transfers so dunno how we're going to get that bc they're only 2 weeks away and we don't have very far to drive. And I'm still not used to auto - I keep going to change gears.... STILL.. and its even a cvt so the sound is wrong too.

That Plan of Salvation stuff you sent is really useful and guess what .... it fits perfectly in my scripture case :D !!! only problem was ... we taught a catholic about the plan of salvation and he was fine with everything apart from there being no hell. like what!?!? why would that upset anyone !? I don't get him. 

So scriptures for this week - Eph 6:1- Read here and Jarom 1:2 - Read here. you'll get the one from Eph so I'll talk about Jarom. The Plan of Salvation is REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT (I already knew that but anyways just reminding me I guess) so yeah I realised thats probably what we should focus on for our investigators. make sure they understand the plan of salvation. 

And yes Sister Wharemate is in the ward and I know her sort of... she'll know me next week i bet :p but I'll be sure to let her know haha yes, tiny world.

Yeah I practise piano every zone meeting but yeah yeah time to prepare is over I know I know. 

Je voudrais un jus d'orange et une croissant avec jambon  :p

Oh and tell Taylor we met a guy from cebu too (he isn't interested, but we met him) oh and Sis P says she knows him "Do you have a brother?" "The white guy who played piano" "Taylor" (she said all that btw)

DAD PLAYED WARHAMMER !!!?!???!?!?

Here's some photos of me and Elder Joseph

I weighed myself and i'm 63.4kg I'm as heavy as dad now hahaha.

 was this weeks email long enough :P

LOVE YOU ALL :D

Elder Cox

Reilly and Elder Taylor.

These young men have known each other for many years, from our yearly visits to Finley. Reilly was excited to be able to catch up with him.

Elder Joseph

Reilly

Week 10

Hello

The keyboard today has half the letters rubbed off probably bc someone has used it for gaming so I'll try to spell everything right haha.

Jacob 4:8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.Yeah i just copy pasted from lds.org 

We had Zone Meeting on Thursday. It was good. I half played the opening hymn, yep should have learned when I was back home. but it was a good meeting everyone shared why they came out on mission.

We met a guy "Ans" (Anthony) on sat night - it was a door I just knocked bc all our plans had fallen through (yes we had back-up plans) and he was pretty nice (people don't usually like us knocking on their doors at 8 at night; really they don't like it once it gets dark) so we left him with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet after talking with him about eternal families. I really hope he wants to learn more. we'll see him this week. 

Zone Conference is tomorrow (the last one was just interviews at zone meeting when President was sick so they do do it separate)

Seminary comes in handy out here. a lot. tell all the youth they better be going to seminary. 

Love you all

Elder Cox

Week 9

Hey Everyone,

So the week I get only 1 other email you give me a short one HAHAHA.

This week was ok... it felt pretty long actually. I got sick at the end so those Eucalyptus lollies came in handy :) I got the parcel on Wednesday along with a letter from Alice and Rina (did I tell you i got one from Ismam a while ago too??)

I've been studying the stuff you sent - the plan of Salvation. the talks. AND CHILDREN KNOW. we went to a house and the dad opened the door and went "you preachers? good on you. preach somewhere else we aren't interested" and closed the door. so we walk back to our bikes and as we're doing that the kids (3 of them around 4-6 yo I think) open the door and smile and say "Byyyeeeee" and I said to my companion "why can't everyone just be like the kids and know who we are". and yup still the Pied Piper :P

(When Reilly was young we nick-named him The Pied Piper, because all the younger kids would follow him around or want to be near him....obviously he still has that ability!)

We're going to get new investigators this week bc I think the ones we have just enjoy us going around - they aren't progressing and they aren't getting anywhere and they don't understand that coming to church is important even after we teach them about the sabbath day and ask them "so why do you think its important to come to church?" and they give us an answer so obviously the answer didn't sink in. and one thinks that we just believe and we are saved by grace bc when we say that "it is by grace we are saved after all we can do" he just disagrees and thinks faith is enough.

Elder Joseph likes the musk sticks he says they have something like it back in South Africa. Elder Wangsgard won't try them - he keeps saying later hahaha. Oh and I gave Elder Joseph some Vegemite for a mouth ulcer HAHAHA it was so funny "IT STINGS!!!" HAHAHA but it works so :P 

(From last week's story!!)

At the chemist I sorta just stood there a bit shocked and looked around slowly when I heard my name hahaha

Tell Fred and Lynda I say Hello and if they've got any stories to tell me (I like Fred's stories hahaha)

You're taking French classes? (have some of my broken half if not almost entirely forgotten french haha ;P) Vraiment?! C'est combien? mecredi nuit eh? Ca Alor. je ne jamias pense que tu va en classe (don't know if that is correct or even what i'm trying to say haha) C'est tout, Abientot ;)

oh yeah you said to ask how to use the apostasy/ restoration stuff?? yep hahaha when we were at District meeting Elder Wark was like "Who loves you?" when he handed me the package. and I didn't realise how expensive (cher if you're french) posting that was. But THANK YOU MUM :D

See you next week (email you same dif)

LOVE YOU 

Elder Cox :)

Week 8

HELLO EVERYONE

This week has been pretty average :L but i guess thats kind of expected, can't have all 104 weeks of awesome. We just focused on trying to get new investigators this week bc the ones we've already got don't seem to be wanting to move or go anywhere in the gospel - so frustrating. This week's spiritual experience was probably when that night I prayed. it was the most sincere prayer I've ever said and I know Heavenly Father is real. I gave a talk in sacrament again (they get the missionaries to speak alot in this ward) but Elder Wangsgard showed me something I said (he wrote it down as a quote) bc my talk was on missionary work I don't even remember saying it but its "Heavenly Father needed something for us to finally understand - so he sent us on missions" - E. Cox hahaha (that's how he wrote it in his planner). 

So some stuff that I wrote down to tell you guys. we were in the pharmacy last p day bc Elder W was buying something for his contacts, but anyways, the chemist checkout person said "for Reilly and Taylor" (I think it was a prescription or something) I just about fell over HAHAHAHA. ok next thing oh yeah . I did training in the District meeting we had and the ZLs did training as well and there is a Scottish one now Elder Wark (he has such a funny accent hehehe) but he shared a scripture with us Doctrine and Covenants 35:13. go look it up alright bc I don't have time to type it out :P but I like that scripture hahaha. I've eaten Ox heart and something's liver this week. :P don't get grossed out Mum hahaha. and the Weather was crazy this week - sunny then it rains then it stops raining and just blows wind at you then rain again  it was like going through a wash and dry cycle in the laundry all in a day hahaha.

(The rest of last week's story.....)

So the police officer ... haha... long story so I'll give you a quick rundown. well..... so some guy got mugged and beaten up and he got us to call the police; we didn't see it happen but we saw him chasing them down the street and he was yelling "Help they stole my phone" (funny thing was, the guy was someone we had talked to earlier that day and wasn't interested) anyways they got away we called the police and they told us to stay, they came and talked with us a bit got our names and all as police do and we didn't hear from them for about 2 weeks and then they called us up and wanted a witness statement as to what we saw happen so yeah we called President and was like uhh what do we do? long story short; we had to go out of zone to go give a statement and it was in there that the policeman was talking to us and everything and told us it was equivalent Mt Druitt.

DAD SAYS. cool I like that segment hahahah (We started adding a DAD SAYS; and a TAYLOR SAYS into Reilly's emails. So he pretty much gets one from the family, but everyone contributes!!)

Well lots of emails this week, its odd.. no one one week and then 11 the next not enough time to send them all hahaha.

love you all

Elder Cox :)

Week 7

Hi everyone :D

yeah its getting colder now, I still just wear a shirt in the day tho :P hahaha 

Miracle - the District leader (who is part of the other set in our ward) got a car!!! so now we get driven to church and P-day... but thats about it HAHAHA and its a CVT so Elder Wangsgard (the District Leader) got freaked out by it bc it sounded funny to him (Dad will know what I mean). This week I started the Book of Mormon again, but I found a study manual so I've been using that too. I want to know what Zenos and Neum and Zenock wrote but I guess that will have to wait until their records are brought back.  

Wed we met a old lady trying to pull back her wheelie bin bc it didn't get taken that week (the garden waste one) and we helped her out and told her who we were bc she asked and she said something like "You do them very proud, you represent Him the best I've seen, I'm not religious but if anyone asks - I know bc I've been around for 90 years - your families will be proud of you."

transfers - yeah so thats a photo of my district before transfers and our zone (well those of us who made it into the photo in time hahaha)

still with Elder Joseph. we knew we weren't getting transfered, I'm still in training - 12 weeks I'm only half way through.

I got Helen's card - tell her thankyou (even though I needed a Urim and Thummim to read it :P hahaha)

WHAT MORE INFORMATION DO YOU WANT?!? you do know this is South Auckland - not the Philippines - its not as exciting; I don't have big stories to tell each week like Taylor did, instead of wandering through the jungle to visit someone, I ride down the street.... our service projects are mowing people's lawns not building someone house. Oh and speaking of South Auckland, apparently it's pretty much like Mt Druitt from what I've heard speaking to people on the street "you go out at dark?!? you guys are crazy!!" and when the police say "idk how you guys ride around when its dark on your bikes and not get mugged" you sorta guess its not such a nice area. but me and my companion both thought the same thing when the police officer said that "God looks after his missionaries" and we've had no trouble so its all good.

(Terri here: More story to come with this!!!)

oh yeah, how do you do that banana and mars bar thing?? one of the members has a fire place and I told them about it and they want to know how you do it.

Dad had icecream... I don't believe it HAHA. and snow too?? yeah it'll be cold here this week by the looks of things. 

EVERYONE HERE asks where I got my raincoat.... the 2 things everyone likes - my raincoat and bike seat HAHA.  it's as though you can't get a raincoat here you just get those wind jackets which are only part waterproof. it's ok I stitched it up this week and thats holding pretty well bc the tape kept undoing. it still works so no worries for now.

Hope you guys are doing well and doing what you're supposed to (reading scriptures and praying - I know you are, but just saying)

See you next week  (well hear from you hahaha)

love you - Elder Reilly Cox

Reilly's District

Reilly's Zone

Week 6

Hey Family

Everyone emailed this week :L gotta make everyone's email quick hahahaha

Thanks for the games and recipes :D yeah usually dinner is just something random anyway i think i've cooked once HAHAHA

Elijah will be coming this transfer if i'm right!! or Elder Glass I should say 

IT WAS WINDY AS LAST WEEK - I HAD TO PEDAL TO GO DOWN THE HILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DOWN!!! NO NEED FOR BRAKES HAHAHAHAHA

It felt really good to do some service this week; someone's fence got broken when a tree fell on it in the wind and Elder Toani and I were on exchanges (yes again), we offered to help and they were shocked that we were being serious. It was good to help them out :). I didn't have my camera otherwise I would've taken a picture of the big tree that blew over in the park.

I think I must have some of that mountain blood from dad bc I'm still not cold. The rain coat is getting a workout... (so glad we got that THANKS :D - Mum and Dad always know best :P) I've had to patch some more holes from the wind I think just pulling at the "seams" or seals however they stick it together but it still good. 

It's REALLY FOGGY THIS MORNING (see pics also just cool cobweb haha) me and Elder Jospeh said it was like LOTR hehe if only we were where it was actually filmed but near enough haha

I don't have Aunty Lyn's or Poppy's email so tell them I say happy birthday to them - I remembered and put a note to say that in my email in my planner

So this week I have just been studying the lessons hard out so I can teach them better to our investigators... 

This week was really slow... people were sick and busy and it sucked just going from place to place so we focused on finding new investigators yesterday and a few seemed interested - yay.

yep transfers, doubt I'm moving but idk 

Love you all :D

Elder Reilly Cox

Those that are Lord of The Ring Fans would understand what Reilly meant in his email??

And the "cool cobweb". 

Week 5 

Hello Family :D

This week was AWESOME. We have 3 investigators set for a baptism date!!!! so I've been studying (or reading not sure which :P) the Book of Mormon and I FINISHED it again this morning. guess its time to start again haha. but I didn't realise how much cool stuff is at the end of the Book of Mormon like in 3 Nephi and Mormon and Ether. Like about how there's other records that we can't see yet and there's a whole chapter telling people if they believe the bible they'll believe the Book of Mormon (its in Mormon I think chapter 7). that's the frustrating thing here. people are like "I already go to church/I already believe in Jesus; so I'm ok we all going to be saved, you need to tell the ones that don't believe"   I gave 2 blessings this week. both to investigators. They always seem to get me to do the sealing and Elder Joseph to do the anointing even tho he's been out longer... hmmm... favourite members oooh Bishop is cool and his wife makes a really nice chocolate cake. and Sis P is like a grandma she always feeds us and she gives us food and toilet paper to take home (and its like 3 ply stuff too :DDD) She is really charitable its amazing how insistent she is on serving and giving to others (not just us missionaries, she gives stuff and dinner to the members too) the Ward Mission leader is still getting to know us but I think he's going to be good. 

Well it was wet and I fell off... on the road... sorta like forward sideway superman off the bike landed on my hands and chest so hands grazed, right knee grazed, badge scratched, face + teeth fine... raincoat hole in it... fixed with sticky tape.. wasn't wearing a jumper, pants worn on knee but no hole so they're fine. umm dad's suit still fits... I haven't worn the nice one bc there is so much mud and I don't want the full wool to get dirty dirty bc I don't know if that will be easy to clean.. and I don't know of a dry cleaner, and they say its really expensive here to dry clean. not sure if my white pants still fit tho... they were snug when I left. and I was dry when I weighed myself I'll do it again soon and see if I'm still 63kg - hopefully not haha. 

well you guys are doing well with missionary work over there aren't you! 

I wouldn't go all the way out there for institute not sure why he does.... get him to send some pics of his painting too.

So now its my turn to ask you some questions 

Can you send a damper recipe - I figure it will be cheap. and Sis P keeps giving us honey so we have like 5 unopened bottles and damper tastes good with honey hahaha. also any other recipes that will be quick and easy for me to make (for when we aren't getting fed) :) thanks

thanks for the photos :D. but can you guys send a picture of YOU. the other missionaries are like "so whats you family like show us a picture" but I don't have any..... also the one with the croc and great Grand-Dad?? (how many greats is it...)

That's all for this week 

Love you, Miss you,

Elder Reilly Cox

Week 4 

Hi everyone

Weather doesn't look to nice this week :L

yeah this weeks been abit colder but nothing to bad... more wet that cold, actually drenched is more accurate hahaha.

So This week hmmm ... well I fell off in the wet got all grazed up haha - I'll send a pic of my badge, it got scratched up too. umm what else.. I've put on 5kg so I need to fix that up before my pants stop fitting hahaha. I've never used so much tea tree cream in my life bc of all these flea bites aghgh so itchy and annoying I think they're gone out of our flat now tho so thats good.This weeks miracle - WE GOT A WARD MISSION LEADER hahahha there hasn't been one for ages apparently. but hmm the less actives they come and then don't come and we set up times to see them and then they're busy...  We didn't get to go see Kenny and Maneesh this week, our set appointment fell through not sure what happened :/ . yeah we talk to people all along the way to everywhere, rain doesn't help that tho bc they want to get out of the rain and into the dry.

So Elder Joseph has been in the church since he was 3 - his parents are converts, he has a younger sister they are the only members out of his extended family. He sounds like a South African despite him denying profusely that there is such a thing as a South African accent HAHAHA

Love You

Elder Reilly Cox

Terri here: Only short email this week!!

The scratched up badge from stacking his bike!!

Week 3 

Hello everyone

Thanks for the weather :) (I carry my raincoat everywhere anyways haha)

God is looking out for me again this week - got chased by a BIG ANGRY dog on our bikes, we were on trade offs, so Elder Toani from Kiribati (pic included) was with me. just riding to an appointment on the road when this thing starts chasing us, just peddled like CRAZY - we survived - all good.
My bike almost accident was like I don't know I like hit/scraped something with the wheel and went all wobbly and swaying and I should've wiped out and had a massive scrape down my side bc it was downhill too so we had some speed but I didn't even fall off.

well.. Dad's not alone... I'm sick too - got a cold but still out working hahaha. and I CAN"T HIDE!!!!!!!!!!  TELL DAD BRO ONEKAWA SAYS HI!!!

I was in sacrament sitting behind him and he was saying how he went to Sydney and it was so busy and bigger than NZ and that he had to drive to church offices (this was a while ago 2004 I think) and I'm like "oh my dad and auntie work there" and he goes "oh who's your auntie?" I say "Lynne Hunt", "and your dad?", me:"Stoo", Bro Onekawa: "STOO!!!!!" He just about fell over hahaha "STOO has a son old enough to be on a mission?!?! you the oldest??", "youngest". "WHAT?!?!! he hid that well" so by the sounds of our conversation He knows Dad quite well hahahaha 2 DEGREES!!! 

no new investigators :/ but Kenny seems to be getting there slowly and his brother joined in with the lessons (they're an indian family, Kenny is 30, Maneesh is 24 maybe??) so I guess Maneesh could be a new investigator haha. We got dropped by one of our other investigators; " I found something in another church ays so nah don't wants to like waste your fellas time or nuffin" 

but one of the less actives came to church - YAY. the members here are so funny hahaha, one of the sisters in the ward (she's a samoan) always calls me Mr Bean hahahaha.

My friends emailed - yyaaayyy and I got the YSA too :) letter so if iIdon't get time to email Isaac let him know and now I finally have some pictures of family for when the other missionaries ask (there is one photo with dad in it and one with taylor in it)

It's like a granny flat that is a duplex granny flat bc its behind a house and then its split it 2 ... Generally we sit and shiver for our morning exercise HAHA but I've been trying to do push ups.... does Taylor know its just a dumbell not a bar.... his exercises sound like they need a bar like he has. but I'll see if i can do them anyways.

So I lost my camera cable at the internet shop and I was going to buy one but the shop owner just gave me one so hopefully its the same and works for charging :/

and yeah I found out; we don't have cockraoches in NZ - just fleas haha I keep finding random bites on my legs and arms - can't tell if its our flat or other peoples homes.

and MILK IS HARD TO CARRY BACK ON A PUSHBIKE hanging it on the handle bars and riding back is ridiculous.

Love you all 

Elder Reilly Cox

Elder T from Kiribati

Week 2

Hey 

no weather this week??? :P hahaha I wrote it down on each day in my planner. RAIN IS COLD HERE LIKE REALLY COLD AND SOGGY TOO

My miracle for this week - Alma 19:23 - Read here  (You just have to scroll to the verse number....the last number in the reference!) I have been kept safe this week. I was riding home and should've had a massive stack but somehow I stayed on and only got a bruise from where the peddle spun back round into my shin. 

(Terri here: Reilly sends us bits of stories. So then we ask questions about his stories, then he gives us more information. So some of his stories are like those TV shows where it's "To Be Continued..." So some of the things he tells us might be over 2 weeks!!)

This week has been ok, still waiting for those letters my friends promised :P but nah it's been good, The ward is pretty much like ours. The other elders in our ward had a baptism this week and they have one for next saturday too. We have a FHE tonight at bro R like last week we try to get people there but last week it was only one of the Less actives who always seem to turn up to activities like that. One of our investigators we're going to go read the Book of Mormon with him so he can actually understand it and hopefully he'll start reading it by himself then. most of this week has just been street contacting bc whenever we go to see people they're out or asleep. But with that we should get some new investigators. One of the other elders investigators (I actually thought he was a member) we went to dinner last night, he's pretty cool and funny so yeah, but he makes ukes and carvings and stuff so maybe I'll get one idk yet hahaha.

Yeah I bought vegemite and toothpaste last week and that's pretty exp here too but I haven't bought any actual food except for bread and half the loaf is still in the freezer.

The bike seat is easy to put on and off - I am the envy of the zone :) hehe, the Zone leader Elder Christy has named it 'Murphy' hahaha.

and its only the morning when it is freezing bc we have 2 heaters like the one we used to use in the bathroom (with the fan and the element) and we aren't allowed to leave them on when we sleep. 

did I tell you last week? church starts at 8.30 IT IS COLD AT 8 when we leave for the chapel and the scarf works better than a jumper so suit and scarf to church.

Oh we have a top loader washing machine too so that's been different. are they any good?   and no one knew how to clean the lint catcher in the dryer so there was a tonne in that. but I fixed that.

I guess its like a granny flat... haven't seen any cockroaches must be too cold. And everyone thinks I'm crazy for not have a jumper on all the time. Just like home HAHA.

Here's the picture of our shower and how low it is. 

Love you

Elder Reilly Cox

This is a photo of Reilly's shower,and how low it is!!!