This week has been super cool. So I am in a new area, with a new companion, and with new responsibilities.
So on Monday I packed for the transfer, then we went around and I said goodbye to some of the members of the Chatsworth ward.
Tuesday I met up with Elder Leavitt at the church building in our stake and I helped all of the new missionaries get situated in their new areas and then we went and shopping and then we went to the church building and helped build a stable on the church stage for the Christmas party and I got to meet some of the members of the Bishopric and other members.
Wednesday we went to Santa Monica and had a leadership training about how we can best help the missionaries we are over. I am over about 20 missionaries. It was a long meeting then we picked up a bunch of Christmas packages and then we had a Zone Leadership Council with the District leaders and we talked about how to apply what we learned today to our missionaries. Then we changed and proselyted the rest of the night.
Thursday we had a lesson with one of the people we are teaching and we set a baptismal date with her! She is going to be baptized next Saturday the 29th! We will see if she makes it because she has been taught by missionaries a lot.
Friday I went on exchanges with Elder Montgomery. We visited a bunch of members and then I bought the zone doughnuts for a cool visual on the atonement for them to be focused this transfer. This is what we did if you are interested: (“Brother Christianson taught Seminary. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson’s Seminary class.
Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.
One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, “You think you’re pretty tough, don’t you?”
Steve’s answer was, “Yeah, I do.”
Then Brother Christianson asked, “How many push-ups can you do?”
Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.”
“200? That’s pretty good, Steve,” Brother Christianson said. “Do you think you could do 300?”
Steve replied, “I don’t know… I’ve never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could?” Again asked Brother Christianson.
“Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” Brother Christianson said. Steve said, “Well… I think I can… yeah, I can do it.”
Brother Christianson said, “Good! I need you to do this on Friday.”
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.
When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren’t the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want a donut?”
Cynthia said, “Yes.”
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?”
Steve said, “Sure,” and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk.
Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia’s desk..
Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe do you want a donut?”
Joe said, “Yes.” Bro. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?” Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut.
And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When Bro. Christianson asked, “Scott, do you want a donut?”
Scott’s reply was, “Well, can I do my own pushups?”
Bro. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.”
Then Scott said, “Well, I don’t want one then.”
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn’t want?”
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, “HEY! I said I didn’t want one!”
Bro. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don’t want it.” And he put a donut on Scott’s desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a donut?”
Jenny said, “No.”
Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn’t want?” Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say “No” and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn’t bear to watch all of Steve’s work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Bro. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?”
Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they’re your pushups. You can do them any way that you want.” And Bro. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled,
“NO! Don’t come in! Stay out!”
Jason didn’t know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.”
Bro. Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him.”
Steve said, “Yes, let him come in.”
Bro. Christianson said, “Okay, I’ll let you get Jason’s out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?”
“Yes.”
“Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?” Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve’s arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a doughnut?
Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.”
Bro. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn’t want?”
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. “Susan, do you want a donut?”
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, “Bro. Christianson, can I help him?”
Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?”
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said, “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, pleaded to the Father, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.” With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”)
Then Elder Montgomery and I helped set up for his wards Christmas party.
Saturday we had our wards Christmas Party. There were a ton of less actives and non members that came and we had a ton of fun. We were wise men in the Nativity scene and we sang in two of the numbers. It was a great party.
Sunday a random lady walked in off the streets to come to church and we got her contact info and now we are teaching her! Random blessings are the greatest. I also sang in the ward choir, well I sight read the music and it also was a lot of fun.
Yesterday was supposed to be interviews but President Haynie is sick so he moved them so he had us work and then have p day today! We visited a bunch of people and did a planing session for the week. It was rally good.
Have a great week!
Elder Cox
Pictures
Nativity
Exchanges!
This is a letter that Matt and I got from Zach's mission president:
Dear Brother and Sister Cox,
Elder Zachary Matthew Cox has been called as a Zone Leader in the California Los Angeles Mission. This assignment has come in recognition of his dedication and commitment to the Lord and to missionary service. This appointment is in partial recognition of his leadership qualities and skills already demonstrated.
Elder Cox will supervise and direct the activities of between 18-24 Missionaries in his Zone. He will also serve as a representative of the Mission President to the stakes in which his zone is located. I am confident that he will continue to be a worthy example to all missionaries in the zone as well as a dedicated leader.
Sister Haynie joins me in expressing appreciation for your fine son. We know that your training, love, and encouragement have contributed to his success as a missionary for the Lord, Jesus Christ. Please accept our appreciation for the privilege of having Elder Cox in the California Los Angeles Mission.
Sincerely yours,
Robert M. Haynie
President
California Los Angeles Mission
President
California Los Angeles Mission
