LET ALL YOU DO BE DONE IN LOVE

Not sure how I forgot to mention this before but David Archuleta is in my ward!! It's not like the majority of my friends and I know every single one of his songs and he's on a great amount of my old spotify playlists haha. Shoutout to him for being famous and for being a fantastic member of the church! Last P day, we went to the mall and a bunch of stores with our district! We also went to the Parthenon with the other Nashville zones to play volleyball again. We played some more basketball with our ward and the elders that night. This week we had exchanges, which is when the missionaries switch companions for the day so they can learn from another person! Pocock and I switched with Hermana Higley and Hermana Harris, who are the other two girls in our district. It was fantastic to work with another Hermana for the day. I got to teach a few lessons in Spanish, which was incredibly fun. I was surprised how comfortable I felt after not practicing for so long! The gift of tongues is real!!

Brendan (the guy we've been teaching with the great voice) met with us again on Thursday! We did team teaching with Elder Wilstead and Hart. He even let us listen to a new song he just finished and is gonna release soon. We were joking that he better include all of us missionaries in his music video and remember us when he's super famous. Quick backstory- a few months ago, missionaries from our church found Brendan in a park and started teaching him just a few days after he was praying to know if God was even real. He has been trying to figure out how to differentiate between promptings from God vs his own conscience, and if meeting missionaries at that exact timing was an answer to his prayer and a sign, or if it was coincidence. E. Wilstead shared the scripture Moroni 7:12-13 which says, "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God…But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." We each got to share our testimony that all good things come from Heavenly Father, and He will provide a way for each one of us to find His path. We invited Brendan to acknowledge God in every single good thing that happens. This way, he'll be able to recognize the hand of the Lord more frequently and feel of His love. It'll take a ton of faith, but we know he'll get there. At the end of the lesson, Brendan said a closing prayer for us and it was so beautiful. He prayed to recognize how God speaks to him and that he'll be able to let his walls down. I've never felt the spirit so strong in a lesson before. It was incredible!

So thankful for my wonderful comp Sister Pocock!! I know I say this in every letter but she's the most selfless, kind, charitable missionary ever. She is such a good listener and she knows exactly how to lift my spirits when I'm feeling down. She took me out to get donuts and got me laughing harder than ever on my hardest day this week. So thankful to have her as a ministering angel in my life!

On Saturday, we did a lot finding (searching for people on social media to share the light of the gospel with) with the elders in our ward. They were shocked I'd never been to Chipotle before so we all went there for dinner that night. Sunday is always my favorite day of the week because we get to feel the peace that comes from being at church and partaking of the sacrament. On Sunday night, we met up with Elder Thomason and Hart at the church and watched a devotional from M. Russell Ballard. Afterward, E. Thomason gave someone a priesthood blessing. His words touched the hearts of everyone who was listening. It was so powerful and the spirit was so strong. I testify that priesthood blessings are a gift from our Heavenly Father and He can use His humble servants to bless those who are in need. Really thankful for the elders and their worthiness to use this power to help others. They are such great examples to me.

On Monday we had zone conference! Like I explained before, our district has 2 sets of elders and one other set of hermanas! Zones consist of several districts. So we all met up at the mission office church building with several zones and went to a few classes and devotionals. It was so spiritually uplifting. There were probably a hundred missionaries there, along with President Weaver, his wife, and the other senior couples. At the very end, we all met back together in the chapel. President Weaver randomly called on a few missionaries to bear their testimony. He happened to call on me very first. I was super shocked and honestly absolutely terrified. But somehow Heavenly Father gave me the strength and courage I needed to walk up to the podium in front of everyone and bear a quick testimony. Though I honestly can't remember most of what I said, I remember talking about how thankful I am for the Savior, His love for us, and the Atonement that reminds us we are never alone.

Monday night Sister Pocock, E. Hart, E. Thomason, and I had dinner with a member of our ward named Andrew! He made us hecka thick burgers and we got to play with his puppy for a bit. The FHE activity that night was a mini concert! Since everyone in our ward is so musically talented, about a dozen members played their original songs and played for us. There were people that played piano, guitar, electric guitar, and even a harp! All of their voices were so beautiful. Brendan performed too. Everyone was so shocked by his skills and voice!! It was so inspiring to see each person sing and play their instrument so passionately. I love that kind of stuff :,) I'm 99% sure most of those people are gonna be famous one day.

On Tuesday we had 3 lessons and 2 new investigators! We met with a girl for breakfast and taught her a bit about our role as missionaries as the restored gospel. She asked if we're allowed to go out drinking on our days off. Haha no. That night we went to Haywood and had dinner with the elders.

Something really powerful that I learned from zone conference is how important it is that we love each and every person the way Jesus Christ did. As a missionary, I've realized how much I just want to love everyone we reach out to and teach. I want them to feel the love of their Savior through me. Charity - the pure love of Christ - never faileth. It endures forever. 1 Corinthians 13:2 "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." Imagine what great things we could do if our only motive was love. I want to love others and lighten their burdens, walk by faith, completely surrender to God, and lose myself in this work. Matthew 16:25 - "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

At times we may feel alone, inadequate, and unimportant. Even Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world who was the only perfect being to walk the earth felt alone. Despite being abandoned and rejected, despite His trials and loneliness, He continued to love unconditionally. Even His apostles left Him alone when He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and atoned for the sins of the world. "Sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour?" At the end of His life, He loved those who crucified Him. With a heart full of mercy and love, He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." If He can love and forgive all people, so can we :) I invite each of you to offer love to everyone you come in contact with this week. Pray to know how to have charity like the Savior did. Follow His example and let all you do be done in love.

Con amor,

Hermana Cox

- me, E. Blackner, E. Wilstead, Brendan, E. Thomason, E. Hart, Sister Pocock <3 aka squad

- Sister Pocock, Hermana Higley, Hermana Harris!!

- zone conference

- Vibing in a vans store

- Sunday devotional :)

- in a drive-thru somewhere

- cheesecake factory

- not sure what's going on in this pic. Good mems tho