9/24/2014 LOAIZA IS READY

Hola everyone!

Sorry for the lack of email last week, and the shortness of this one. Last monday, we offered to help a guy move, and ended up being over their all monday, so no time to write last week, and we had to get double things done this week to make up for it, so left little time to write, sorry, highlights!

Sister Bailey is doing amazing! She has been going strong quiting smoking! She has also been reading and praying every day, and I can not say how much better she looks (not physically, but she's smiling, laughing, and just looks at peace, which never has happened as long as I've known her). Chris is in a pride cycle of thinking since things have been going so well lately (interestingly correlated to his moves to get closer to God), he "doesn't really need God anymore, so thats been sad to see, but we hopes he breaks out of it. We met a lady named Annie who is AMAZING. Her husband was a baptist preacher, but he passed away a few years ago. She is super knowledgeable about the Bible though, and is really excited to read the BoM. Also, she's just a total blast to be around.

Finally, I'm not sure if many of y'all remember Loaiza, but she is getting baptized on saturday! She has worked really hard for this, and has a rock solid testimony to prove it. She is excited, and I am just stoked beyond all reason! Between her and sister Bailey, it has been really neat these last two weeks seeing the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at work. Both of these single mothers have been through situations I couldn't imagine having to suffer through. They have every right to be depressed and angry because of it, and yet, since they have decided to lay their problems they have suffered at the feet of our Saviour. Peace and joy have crept into their lives bit by bit, until they have completely changed outlooks, and become a light for others to follow. The Gospel works y'all! LOVE Y'ALL!!!

<3 Elder Fox

Temple=Best 9/10/2018

Hola Todos!

As always, hope y'all had a great week, we found out that the big'ol hurricane that was coming for us is going to swoop up to North Carolina, so that was nice. Hope all goes well up there. Also, got to go to the temple this week, more on that later though. I saw some stores putting out Halloween decorations, and I stopped dead in my tracks. Can't believe Summer is wrapping up already, it's nuts. I once again used a lot of time with other things today, and so have very little to type (only like 40 min). We did make some cool progress with some people though!

Fisrt off, we didn't really meet anyone new this week worth explaining. Don't get me wrong, most were pretty cool, but most if not all were not very serious about when we could come back, but hey, never know. We did get to talk to Chris some more, and he is still awesome! Most of our progress this week was with members though. First off, we saw the Kiner family again, including Matt, and it turns out, he had a seizure, so that's why they went silent. No permanant reprecussions though, thankfully. We went over and gave him and his mother a blessing (she was still in a bit of shock, and it was 4 days after he got outta the hospital). Also, we have been meeting with a man named Ken Davison every week on Friday, and missionaries have been going by for a looooong time, he just has never really been able/willing to act on what they/we shared, even though he knew he needed it. Well, some stuff happened last week, and we all had the oppurtuninty to feel the Spirit hit like a freight train. He suddenly promised he would show up to church, and then we set a goal to get him to the temple! And better yet, he showed up on Sunday!!! And 2/3 talks in sacrament were about the temple, and the lesson in Priesthood Chorum was about Enduring to the End, so the temple came up a ton, and he really enjoyed it all! It was incredible!

And last but not least: the Temple! It was such an amazing experience. I had my testmony of that building and the work that goes on in there intensified 100x this week. I don't have much ese to say. It was absolutely amazing, and I kick myself in the butt every time I think about how many times I missed the chance to go to th temple back home, because I just didn't realize why I should. But I can't wait now for the chance to go every moment I get. I'm sure you have all heard i all about the  temple, but its true! It is the Lord's house, you can recieve answers there unlike anywhere else, every worry and care can melt away as you bask in His love and peace, Its. Awesome. Please all y'all, go whenever you can! Love y'all! Thanks for everything you do, your prayers for me are creating miracles, Ive seem them! LOVE Y'ALL! Have an awesome week!

<3 Elder Fox

9/3/2018 Busy Labor Day=short email...sorry

Hola todos!

Happy Labor Day! Hope you have all had a great week. Sorry for the wacky email last time. After re-reading it, it looks even more rushed, haha. Hope y'all liked it. Don't have much to talk about today though, these last few weeks have been pretty mellow, which is good and bad, haha. Like, stuff is still getting done, but just in a very casual way. I've got a new companion though, and he's pretty neat-o. Elder Durrant is his name, and he's a pretty cool all-around guy.

We met a lady named Joyce Young from the Virgin Islands, she was super cool. Had talked with missionaries there, and had some really good questions about it all, super stoked to keep teaching her. We also met a guy named Chris. He is awesome. We have been teaching his sister, but she has kinda decided to give up on it, he just got outta jail though, and he was super down to hear what we had to share! He came to church and (for those who dont know, the first sunday of every month, during the first hour big meeting, no speakers are assigned; it works kinda like an open mic night to come up and share your testimony, its awesome!) HE SHARED HIS TESTIMONY! It caught us quite off-guard, but It was incredible; he just talked about how much he knew that Christ was our Savior, it was really beautiful. The friend with Chron's Disease has a brother wiht it as well, and he went to the hospital last week, so we didn't get to see them this time around. Ashley is going through a really tough time, so she has kinda backed away from the Lord for a bit, but we are working to just remind her that we are here for her. 

And something that Chris's testimony reminded me of, is how important that testimony is. That Christ is our Savior. That Jesus is the Christ! The promised Messiah! We say it so often, many of us forget what it means. Yes, the Bible and Book or Mormon are sacred and incredible; yes, His church is amazing and true; yes, the Priesthood is literally the power used to create worlds; yes, God is our Loving Heavenly Father who made a plan for us; all of that is true, but as President Beson said, "All truths are not of the same value, the saving truths of salvation are of greatest worth”. The Bible's and Book of Mormon's entire purpose is to convince people that Jesus is the Christ. His church is on this Earth to help us come closer to Him and recieve all he has to offer. The Priesthood is only given to because of Him. And God "so loved the world, that he sent His only beggoten son" (John 3:16). It ALL is centered on, focused on, and possible because of Christ! So please, make sure that your beliefs and testimony are based on Him! Thanks! LOVE Y'ALL!!!

<3 Elder Fox