Well, Mothers Day was just wonderful. We got to talk to Dani for 40 minutes, which was not enough. Everyone got a few minutes to say a few words, and then they had to give the phone unwilling to another. Sharing minutes was hard! Danielle loves this time of her life, she wouldn't want to be ANYWHERE in the world but where she is at. She said that the mission is so much greater than she could image. She can still be herself and laugh and just be normal. She loves the sisters she works with and they all have great get up and go attitudes. I have a feeling that if she is ever partnered with a less than 100% worker, well, lets just say hold on, this whirlwind that we call DANIELLe will happen, if you know what I mean. Wasting good time is not in her vocabulary. We finally were able to scan, (learn how to) so we could update her pictures. Check them all out, we added many. Hope to keep this updated better with our new computer system.

Danielle just loves this family. The 17 year old girl was baptised and this is the person that Grandma Nielson sent scriptures to. Her mother wanted to get baptised at the same time, but was unable to, however, she now has a date set for her own baptism in June. Amazing, Amazing Family! Love Them!

Old Town Williamburg. What a nice time to be alive, don't you think. Hopefully we will not return to this kind of penal system. It looks a little to confining and WOW, hope nobody forgets your there!

The Easter Bunny didn't Forget!

Every year we have easter baskets, so why shouldn't the easter bunny find her in Virginia. No, we really don't believe in a large bunny hiding things, but we do love the fun of easter time. We sent her this really cool and fuzzy basket filled with all sorts of goodies for her to share and remember the day. Thank you Hallmark for making such great things!

Investigators

So much of the mission is about caring and loving all the people that you come in contact with. This is an amazing investigator. Don't we love those who are willing to listen to Heavenly Fathers Plan for our own happiness? There are so many people who have been prepared in Williamsburg that Danielle feels it is a privilege to serve there. The Lord has sent many ward members and friends to help the missionary effort in this part of the United States!

Comrades!

Sister missionaries that Danielle is serving with in the Richmond Virginia Mission.

Glorious Times

This is a picture of a recent convert, just before or after her baptism. These are the moments that make every hard time worthwhile. To be a part of someone coming into the gospel is what its all about. Three awesome sister missionaries, don't you think?

Tornado Watch

Well, what should sister missionaries do when there is a tornado watch? Of course, put plastic shopping bags on their heads just in case the roof caves in. PROTECT THE HAIR AT ALL COSTS! Seriously, they were giving a discussion when their cell phone wouldn't quit ringing. After they were through, they looked to see who was frantically calling and low and behold it was the district/zone leaders, telling them to get back to their apartment asap, there was a tornado warning right where they were at. It was okay, nothing landed, but they were obedient and raced home. Who wouldn't want to be watched over so carefully?

Loving Life!

Hey, isn't it just nice to see that Danielle hasn't changed much! Its fun to know that the mission can be as much fun as ever. I guess that she is trying to teach these young girls some of the things Utah Mormas do for fun, what do you think?

Thoughts of Mom!

She thought this reminded her of me, what, but I actually like the t-shirt. She didn't buy it but it is good to see that she still likes to shop a little. (A little!) She has had to buy new clothes to go with the seasons. And I am glad that she is having fun looking NORMAL, she can still be stylish and modest.

I have a great family!

Grandma Billie and Aunt Pamela bought a triple combination for the 17 year old girl for her baptism. Dani's cousins, Brooke and Rosie, made her this darling scripture bag to put them in. It is so nice to have people who care enough to go out of their way and do such thoughtful things. Danielle is so blessed to have such a great extended family.

Colonial Willamsburg

Wow, can you believe how big the colonist were? Just kidding. This picture was taken down in the historical part of Williamsburg. He is rather tall and big!

Our Threesome!

Danielle was so lucky to be able to stay in Williamsburg and not get transferred out or to another companion. Instead she was able to stay with Sis. Sowards and they got a new companion, Sis. Moore. Danielle is having a great time with both of them. They get along really well.

She has just recently had a baptism, a 17 year old girl, that she was able to teach the gospel to. They have had great success in Williamburg and the surrounding area! Just recently Danielle, being Danielle, caught her skirt on a cactus in a large pot outside someones door. She about killed both the plant and the pot, but Sis. Moore was able to catch everything in time to stop the domino effect. We, here mom and dad, were just recently able to meet with her Williamsburg Ward mission leader in SLC. He is a student at a law school back in VA and was here on a recruiting trip. It was so fun to actually visit with someone who had just recently been with her. He couldn't give her a hug for us, so instead he gave her a hardy hand shake. I guess that will have to do. Also, I received a phone call from a member of her ward, who was with her at the time of the call. Oh how I wanted to ask her to put Danielle on the phone, but being GOOD, I didn't. Tempting!!!

They meet a couple who were just thinking that they wanted to get God in their lives. It was not by chance that these missionaries knocked on their door. This couple was just in the process of moving out of VA and we are hoping that the ward and missionaries will work with them and teach them in their new state. Anyone know anyone is Idaho, Boise area, who would love to bring this family into the church?

She will undoubtedly not be able to stay in Williamsburg, or keep her wonderful companions for too much longer. Who knows what will happen with the next transfers? But for now, all is well. She couldn't be happier and knows that the church is true, loves to teach people about it and wouldn't have traded these experiences for anything!

SIs. Sowards and Me

Wow, could anyone be a happier missionary? Sis. Cox, aka Danielle, loves her companion. They are a great team. Both love to jog and workout, both love to do hair (her companion is actually a hair stylist) and both love the gospel. They are both from Utah and so when 2 - 4 inches of snow fell last week, Yikes, they didn't know what to do, ha ha. Actually they can't leave their apartment when it snows because they are not equipped with road plows or cars that drive well in the snow. The humidity causes the roads to ice over rapidly and they have a lot of accidents, but to true Utahns it was weird being snowed in!



Danielle said in her last email that if she had to leave her mission today she would feel like she had completed it. They have introduced the gospel to so many wonderful people. When they get these investigators to a baptism the spirit is so strong that they want to know more about the gospel. It is true that the Lord places missionaries just where they are needed at the right moment. This has happened so many times in her mission that it is no doubt that the Lord is not working through these 2 sister missionaries. I would love to tell everyone about everything, but some things are just too sacred and private, however the gospel is REAL. Never doubt!



They have had an opportunity to be in the old colonial towns, the fun ones with all the historical things, etc. She was able to go into a church that was built in the 1700's , like 1710, where George Washington and the founding fathers went. She said the spirit there was overwhelming and it just felt wonderful. So, they do get to actually talk to people in these areas as well as tour them on P-Day.



She was so worried about having to leave her first area so soon, so when she had an interview with her Mission Pres. she was anxious. When the phone call came she was so excited. They are going to leave her there and just add a third sister to the companionship. Now when they are teaching a man they don't have to find someone in the ward to go with them. I don't know what the rules are, but she said this was going to be a great thing.



The ward members are great and feed them often and look out after them. It really must be like a big family in the ward there. Her ward mission leader is coming into SLC tomorrow and we have been in contact with him and are going to meet him. He is on a trip out here, he attends post graduate school at William & Mary. I am so excited I can hardly wait. Not that he can bring us to her or her to us, but just to be able to talk face to face with someone she is working so much with right now it exciting.



Some of the "Men" they have contacted have had the wrong idea about sister missionaries and want to date them before they will go to church with them, but missionaries don't date. Thank Heavens for that! And because of this it shows what some investigators are really thinking! We are just grateful that the Lord is watching out for all his missionaries.



Well, thats it for now. Will update this as we get more pictures and information.

I've arrived!

This picture was taken after Danielle arrived in the mission home in Virginia. One leg of their flight was delayed for several hours but she made good use of it and gave out three Books of Morman. She loves her Pres. and his wife. They are great people. They are actually from Centerville Utah.

She was assigned to an area in Williamsburg, VA. Her new companion is from Vernal, Utah and she is great. They have a sweet apartment with a gym and they love it. A relief society pres. from a ward in Williamsburg emailed me, the mom, and told me that Danielle (Sis. Cox) was doing very well, not homesick, and healthy and happy. It is so nice to be in contact with people who are with her, I just want to fly back and give everyone a big hug for watching out for these sister missionaries. Danielle and her companion are helping the RS pres. arrange Fast Sunday lessons for the Relief Society and Priesthood lessons out of the "Preach My Gospel" manual. This is what they were taught so well in the MTC.

Danielle has loved letting people down on their luck know that God loves them. Some are single moms and others are members who need a boost and others are parents with troubled kids. What a great way for people to know of God's love for them. And I am sure that these sisters are not shy about letting them know about the plan of salvation! What we would do without this knowledge, how different and sad would our lives be!

The area in VA is hard to find your way around in, and so this same RS pres. asked us if we could send Danielle her GPS system. After trying very hard but unsuccessfully to update it we finally gave up and just sent it the way it was. She will be better off with it, she was always getting lost here, so hopefully it will work as well back there. I can't imagine what it would be like to have no mountains for landmarks.

She has also gotten in on some great bargain shopping! A pink tote bag for the items she needs to take with her everyday and a cute new purse. She loves eathing sack lunches and Pink Lady Apples. The members do feed them often at night time. The butter on popcorn is not as good as the kind her dad uses and she has a great new recipe for fried oreos! Wow, I can't wait to try it, she is sending it.

Her P Day is on Wednesday's and we wait anxiously for her letters and emails. We are so grateful for modern technology! Even if this blog is not great it lets us post her pictures and fun stuff about her mission.

This is the mom signing off until we get more to post!

Hold to the rod!

We are so cool.....

My District, 11 C, at the Provo Temple- we are awesome!

Elders Worship Us, Ha Ha!

Sis. Frischkneckt and I, she is my Stake Presidents daughter.

My Roommates at the MTC - I love these girls!

My first companion, Sister Allgood and Myself

Runners, heck ya!

Rebel

She is really gone!!!!

Today Danielle flew out to Virginia. She left the MTC at 5a.m. and was suppose to arrive in VA at 3p.m. (1p.m. our time). She called us at 6:48a.m., I know this because I thought she would call at 7, so it was fun to talk to her longer. She also called Christy and Sam's homes. The MTC was an incredible experience for her. She had some intense training, but she grew so much and she understands so much more about faith. While she was in there she got a really bad chest cold, but it went away quickly. She loved the time in Prove and will miss all the people she meet, who weren't going to VA with her, but is excited to GO and DO!



While in the MTC she cut bangs, layered and did her roommates hair. She always likes doing this and had a great time with her sister roommates. She also had special handshakes for the elders in her district. She had a hard time remembering to call them sister and elder, because they were such close friends. She made lifetime friends! You can never have enough friends. In the MTC shse often use the moto:"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail"? This is her dad's favorite saying, among all the other favorite ones.



Grandma Nielson and Aunt Pamela sent her some gum and jerky. She was so excited! Her district had been saying that they wouldn't have bad breath if they only had some gum, and ZaZam, there is was! They loved it. And because she was so busy she didn't always take the time to eat, so the jerky was great, even if it was hot and spicy. It did give her nurishment! So, a big thanks for the package. She has decided that she would prefer the wool coat she bought, that she didn't think she had room for, instead of the lighter one. Apparently its nice to have somthing longer on the legs when you are in a skirt. And sisters don't have to look like ??? they can be cute and always be modest. Excited to add to her wardrobe this spring!



I am going to try and attach some pictures she sent us. They are so DANIELLE!!! Missionaries can still be themselves and have some fun!



Her mission home address in VA,(which hopefully won't be where we always send her letters and things ) is:
Sister Danielle McKinlee Cox
Virginia Richmond Mission
9327 Midlothian Tpke Ste 1-B
Richmond, VA 23235-4944



Well, this is a brief summary of her life, we hope to add more as we get more!



The MOM

The first letter!! Yippee

We received our first letter today. She was in a hurry and only wanted us to know that she is loving her mission, and her companion is awesome. She graduated her dork-dot and sent it home on her letter. Hopefully when she is in VA she can post her own messages on this blog. I am not very good at it.

The Night Before!!!!

Well, I am starting this blogspot for friends and family to find out how Danielle is doing on her mission. She is being set apart at 8:30p.m. and so the cell phone will be GONE after that time. Hopefully, she has all your numbers off of it before it is TERMINATED. I would prefer that she take it with her, just a motherly thing to do, but the mission rules don't allow it. Wow, I wouldn't be a very good missionary, would I?

Tomorrow is the big day, hopefully it won't be snowy! We have had so many last meals that we are all stuffed. But, wow, what a way to go.