BLESSINGS!

Hi Family!

I sure love you all! We cant thank you enough for all of your prayers because......

....HERMANA COX AND I ARE STAYING IN MELO FOR ANOTHER 6 WEEKS! 

I honestly cannot believe it. It is such a miracle. I will talk about the whole experience a little bit later, but I just wanted to announce that GREAT news! WE ARE SO HAPPY! and so is everyone here in Melo! Another 6 weeks with my best friend!

What a crazy week it has been! It sounds like you had a great birthday, dad! loved those photos that you sent of the girls pampering you. How funny! James, WAY TO GO on starting on the varsity football team and completing your eagle project! That is way awesome. I love to see pictures...everyone is growing up so fast. You look so tall, buff, and tan! I always show everyone here pictures of my family and they always tell me what a beautiful family I have...like a model family haha. Congrats mom on your calling. You are going to be excellent! Keep me updated on how it goes!

So I will begin this weeks letter by telling you how much I LOVE heavenly father. Really what I have learned on the mission is that he loves every one of his children so much! Hermana Cox and I went to bed last night completely on an adrenaline high! haha. We have been so worried about changes all week. The thought of us leaving our promised land, leaving our queridos, and leaving eachother was just unbearable. As we were waiting for the call to come last night, we were almost in tears because we were so nervous. La Familia De Los Santos was even fasting again for us and we had a lot of people praying that we would stay. They have so much faith....because the Lord has us here another 6 weeks! Its actually pretty funny because my mission is super unique. I only have 2 areas and I have 5 changes in each area. That is super abnormal. As our district leader, Elder Allen, told us that we were staying together, Hermana Cox and I cried and hugged and jumped up and down. It feels so good that our will is the lords will. Its his work. It was super fun as I was talking to the assistants over the phone this morning in one of our meetings. He told me that Gianola is pretty much famous in the mission. The Lord is blessing this promised land immensely. We are living the dream! I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father.

We had another wonderful week filled with intercambios, lots of the work, and lots of food covered in mayonaise! haha just kidding. I will tell you a scary but funny experience that happened to us. I am sure as you imagine, South America has a ton of dogs! Everywhere there are dogs! Some are super scary too. I have never had any problems...until Tuesday. We were contacted a house, clapping at the door, and all of a sudden, this huge dog comes out. Its locked behind the house, so we thought we were safe, but no! It starts going crazy and barking and jumping. Hermana Cox kind of hold on to eachother a bit frightened. But then, the dog breaks the gate and starts booking it full force at us. (Now I am sure that you are picturing this scene in your head.) Picture the two of us, running, trying to protect one another. Trying to get away from this dog. I have never been so scared in my life. Just as we try to get away, the dog takes a bite. I was in complete shock, and really thought that the dog bit me! I look down at my skirt that my old companion Hermana Herrera made for me, and there was a huge hole! The dog almost bit my leg. Hermana Cox and I didnt know what to do...whether to laugh or to cry! (That tends to happen a lot. haha) We literally have angels protecting us. I know that to be truer than true.

Really, my heart just goes out in gratitude daily. We had a beautiful Sunday. I honestly thought that it would be my last Sunday here in Melo. It was stake conference...a few general authorites broadcasted a conference for Paraguay and for Uruguay. From our ward in Gianola, we had 5 of our recent converts recieve the Melquisdec Priesthood!!!! Richard, Jose Martin, Marcos, Nilo, and Jesus! I have never felt so much joy in all of my life. I really have no words and it brings me to tears each time I remember experiences like these. I thought, "Man, if I left Melo right now, I would die happy." This was the payoff to see all of my favorite Uruguayos receive the higher priesthood. Hermana Cox and I were in the room as each and everyone of them were ordained the priesthood. The spirit was so thick, you could cut the air with a knife. Everyone could feel it. We felt so proud. Afterwards we made sure to take pictures. This converts feel so much of a tight nit. Jennifer De los Santos was crying to me after church, telling me how touched she feels. She said before, they had never had any friends, but now they have more friends than they have ever had in their life. The pictures are from afterwards. I just love how they embrace eachother so tightly. Jenifer told me how special they feel and all of the blessings they have received. She told me that they will never fall away from the church. It has changed their lives forever. We ate dinner con la familia de los santos last night and Richard was telling us all about what he has studied on the priesthood. Is this the same man????! This was the same man who was doubting being baptized the week of his baptism! I am in awe. He is a completely different man! I know that the gospel is true. and it changes lives. As I type this, tears fill my eyes. I should end this because tears are probably filling your eyes!

our people! the best converts in the world!

Sunday, stake conferece when 6 of our recent converts in our ward receive the melquesidec priesthood! 

 Richard and Jenifer De Los Santos

daiana de los santos

I dont know where we will be in one year, but Hermana Cox and I will do everything we possibly can to return back to Uruguay so we can go to through the temple for the first time with our converts. I know that the Lord will provide a way. 

I really really love you family dear. Thank you for everything. I miss you a lot, but know that one day we will be back together again. Keep working hard and keep having your standards high. I just got Hannahs letter today and on the letter she wrote, "P.S. I am still in the VL club!" Hermana Cox and I got a kick out of that. Way to go you guys. Way to be virtuous in a world that is not. Way to live in the world but not be of the world. James...you rock! Good job for keeping your standards high!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Coon

 After a long day on our feet!

heart attacking doors!

 our awesome district!

 do you remember hermana montenegro!? I did an intercambio in my old area this week and one of our sweet families that we baptized their teenage daughters had this picture hanging up on their wall of us two. To see us everyday, they have this picture framed on their wall. How cute is that? I just wanted to share that with you. so cute!

 My darling hat my sweet grandma knitted me, to keep me warm!

Our sweet familia Rosa! This was the day the dog almost bit me...but bit a hole in my skirt instead. That was a close one!


Hermana Coxes letter to her family!
Hi family!!!!

I have never been so nervous for changes like I was for this one! Yesterday was a pretty long day, anticipating the possible changes! Honestly, I just knew in my mind that Hermana Coon would be leaving. It only made sense. She has been here for 4 changes already and after sending a message to president about how much she would love to stay and end her mission here in the promised land of Gianola together, he sent her a message saying that she still had more mountains to climb. Yeah......we thought all hope was lost. We thought we were gonners! 

Well, last night at about 9:15. Our district leader called us and told us he had the news of the changes. I felt so sick to my stomach. I honestly hadn`t felt these same nerves since I got my mission call. I was so worried. He told us that Hermana Zelaya is staying and Hermana Burbank will be leaving. And then he said both of our names and said we would be leaving. And our hearts just sank, I thought great they are going to whitewash us out :( But then he said just kidding. Hermana Cox and Hermana Coon se quedan!!!! We are staying!!!!! We immediately jumped out screamed, hugged and cried! I had never been so happy in my life!!!!! What a miracle! We had all odds going against us! The Lord really listened and answered our prayers and the prayers of the family de los santos! The fasted for us again! They have such great faith. That was a wonderful opportunity to call them up after we heard the news to tell them that we are staying another 6 weeks! Honestly we are in shock. Last night, it took us a while to fall asleep because we were just so giddy! I feel like the luckiest missionary in the world to be here in the promised land of the mission with my very best friend. 

In my letter last week to president, I was expressing my gratitude to be here in such a special place and he sent me this:

Uruguay is a special place. Gianola is a special place. You are a special daughter of God. Can you see the picture? PC

He is so wonderful! I honestly can`t believe it. I know that the Lord has more in store for us here. I get to be with Hermana Coon for 4 and a half months......until after general conference. Also, Gianola is getting 2 more hermanas. There are going to be 6 in our ward!!!! The two new hermanas will be living with us. They are from Chile and Honduras I think. And then Hermana Zelaya and her new companion who is also Latina, will be living in an apartment, the elders old house, outside of our area. This morning we had a meeting with the zone leaders and we split Gianola B into two areas. So our area Gianola A won`t be changed at all. WE are sooooo excited!!!! Gianola is going to explode!!!!! And we are excited to welcome in two new hermanas into our zone!!!! It is going to be a wonderful change!!!! I am just so grateful that this is the Lord`s will. He is in control. I feel like this is the pay off of all of the hard companions and hard experiences that I have had in my whole mission. Each change in my mission has been better than the last. But the Lord knows that it can`t get better than where I am and who I am with now!  Somebody pinch me.......I am dreaming!!!! 

This week has been great!!!! We are seeing great progress with Cinthya and Andres. We are not going to do the noche blanca tonight. But they have their baptisms scheduled for this Friday! So please, keep them in your prayers. Benjamin`s parents make it really difficult to teach him, because he doesn`t know what to believe. But we are going to see what we can do to help him. 

On Tuesday, we had a pretty scary experience. We were contacting a house and we knew that there was a big scary dog there but we saw that the fence was closed so we weren`t too worried. . . .   yeah you can see where this is going. .. . So we clapped the house and the dog with its fierce teeth, stuck his head through the fence and was barking at us. Well the gate of the fence moved and the dog and us realized at the same time that it wasn`t locked but it was left open. Immediately, my heart dropped and the dog came jetting right for us with its horribly fierce teeth. We grabbed each other, scearmed and tried to get away. But the dog was so fast and went straight for Hermana coon`s leg. Hermana Coon looked at me and in the heat of the moment, said "it bit me!!!!". The dog immediately left and the dog didn`t really bite her leg but she had a huge tear in her skirt where the dog tried to bite her leg. It was a miracle that that tear wasn`t her leg! On my mission, I haven`t really had any problems with dogs. But that was definitely a miracle. We know angels were protecting us. 

We did two intercambios this week that went really well. We saw a lot of miracles. And we didn`t have time to do the Hermanas Conference with everything that has been going on. But this weekend we had stake conferece. It was a broadcast that I think was sent to Paraguay as well. It was awesome! Andres went too! The best part is that Richard de los Santos (by the way you guys should write him on facebook if you have time), Jose Martin, Nilo, Jesus, and Marcos all received the melquisedec priesthood. They are all converts from Gianola!!!! We were able to be in the room when they all got ordained. That was definitely a highlight from my mission. The spirit was so strong in that room. You could cut it with a knife! Richard was the first one to receive it. And afterward, you could just tell he felt so overwhelmed with the spirit. In fact, he and Jenifer had tears in their eyes. And Jose Martin was ordained to be an elder as well by his uncle, Hugo. It was incredible!!!! Wow!!!! They have come so far. In fact, last night, we had dinner with the Family de los santos and he was telling about how he felt when he got ordained. He said it felt so different from when he got the aaronic. It was a feeling of overwhelming power and he is so excited to serve and share and study to be worthy of this power. Jenifer also talked about how when they prayed as a family, she could feel the difference in their home. I can`t believe it!!!! They are incredible!!!! They have come so far!!!!! They love the gospel and they love each other. In fact, that foto that I sent you guys is the group of all of our favorite people ( all of the converts from our ward) They all love and support each other. It is incredible!!!! What a great way to end the change!!!!

We are still quite exhausted every single day. But we are so happy! Luckily, I haven`t had problems with my stomach this week. But I have been having some foot pain. But yep. . . we are doing well and we are sooooo happy if you haven`t noticed!!!!  

Well, today is Hugo`s birthday! So, we are going to go over there to celebrate with them and help Hermana Zelaya and Hermana Burbank get packed up. We are so grateful we don`t have to pack or say goodbye. But as you can tell, we are floating on clouds. Tomorrow, we will be going to Montevideo for changes without suitcases!!! Thank goodness. Saturday, it is our turn to the capilla abierta (open house) in our church building! We are so excited!!! We are hoping to have a lot of success because we are getting a lot of the members involved. I can`t belive how fast time is flying!!!!! 

I hope you have a wonderful birthday McKay!!!!! I will be thinking of you on your special day!!!!!!   

Thank you for your prayers and your letters and pictures!!!! I love you all so much!!!! 

I hope you have a wonderful week!!!!!!!! Talk to you on Monday!

-Hermana Cox