First Baptism, 3rd Chicken Foot, Michael Jackson, & Face Licking Horses

My first baptism.  What an amazing family!

Me, and Elder Estarita 

So Bolivia is super rad! Sorry for not sending an email last week i was just really busy with emailing family i forgot to send the weekly one to friends too! Elder Estarita my trainer is the best guy ever and he is absolutely hilarious!

This week and last week were both super cool and different, but the people here in Bolivia are just all super sweet people and I  love their spirits. I love the ward here and i also got to baptize two ladies this Saturday which was a true blessing to me to see how much it meant to them!

Food here is really good and the people are really into listening to the missionaries! My trainer and my district are all amazing and i love them all! Crazy stuff happens here a lot like almost dying in taxis or micros(little buses)  but all of that is in my blog in my journal pics that my dad is keeping up if you want to read that! Here are some pictures of paradise and that's all for this week. Like i said, more in the journal....

Twelve more baptisms on deck in the next month......Amazing!

(If you want to know more about the title of this blog post, you gotta read the journal entries....never trust soup!)    Ciao!

	'Wally'ball with the district boys
Started drawing to keep my mind clear	Baby kitty at one of my 'Familias' homes
Elder Estarita and our bomb Lunches we always have	​The Lord experienced the same pains and sorrows we all will feel and have felt.  Learn to rely on the Lord.
Food here is beyond BOMB	Grande bichos in this place!
We got A.C.!!

 

I'm Finally in Bolivia and in the Field!

{Dad Note:  Sorry I have been a few days late in posting this}

I'm here and the first week was amazing, even though I had some personal moments that have been tough. So, I slept the whole flight to Bolivia, which was good, and when we arrived the mission president, President Rodriguez, and a couple of other missionaries were there to pick us up at about 4am.

We got on what was probably the freakiest bus ever, but it was so cool.  I wish I had a picture of it HAHAHAHA. Then we headed to downtown Santa Cruz and went to this apartment around 6am and there were at least 8 other missionaries there passed out in beds sleeping.  Presidente Rodriguez told us at the airport that we could sleep from the time we got to the apartment until noon so we were all super pumped about that!   I woke up about 1145am and they took us to an Italian restaurant (yes, in Bolivia) and it was actually really good. We then took a taxi to Presidente's apartment.  Taxi drivers here are CRAZY!  We met with both his wife and him and had individiaul interviews with Presidente Rodriguez.

On Wednesday, I got to go to my new area and meet my new companion and trainer, Elder Estarita.  He is so awesome,is from Cali, Columbia, and speaks very little English, which is both good and bad.  He loves soccer (futbol).   Oh yeah, the food....I also got to eat Saltenas for the first time and they are amazing
Santa Cruz is divided into 'Rings' and the further out you go on the rings, the poorer the areas get.  I'm in ring 8 and the area is called '15 de Septiembre' and boy is it dirty!  It has a funky smell, but its home for the next 3 months at least so it'll do.

My companion and trainer, Elder Estarita from Columbia

We celebrated Elder Estarita's birthday...Feliz cumpleaños

Elder Estarita in front of our Casa

Inside our Casa

Our tiny 'casa' is nice, at least.  Not much from the outside, but nicer inside (see picture).  After I unpacked a little, we went and contacted in the street for the rest of the day.  This area has defintiely humbled me, seeing how so many of them live.  The people are super nice and love to listen to us.  I get frustrated when i can't speak what I want to say because of the language barrier or when their dialect gets in the way., but luckily I understand almost all of what my comp says..  Hopefully, things get better. Actually, I know they will, but I have had a couple of really down days this week along with the good (see all my journal entries).  I am struggling mucho and all your prayers help a lot.

BONUS:  I get to already baptize someone this next Saturday!

Ok, see my journal entries for more details.

I love and miss everyone.

Ciao, Elder Connor deCocq

One of my favorite families I've met so far

Futbol with the zone....12 v. 12!

Another family I love so much.  The people here are so friendly and nice

Food is BOMB!

Not sure what the white stuff is, but it is corny goodness!

During my flight layover in Peru from
Mexico, I met up with Elder Roswell (left)
and Elder Rockhill (right) who flew in
from the Provo MTC on our way to Bolivia

My last pic from the CCM in the choir.  I loved singing
hymns with all of them

Elder deCocq & Companions Arrived Safely in Bolivia

Good Morning,

It’s a pleasure to inform you that Elder deCocq has arrived safely to the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission.

Attached is a photo of the arrival of their group in the airport.

We’re happy to receive him and serve together with him in the Work of the Lord.

We are going to do everything possible to help him have not just a positive experience as a missionary, but an experience that will serve them for the rest of their lives. We will take care of everything we can for your faithful son of God.

Mondays are our preparation days and you will receive notices from your son weekly. We encourage you to write and encourage your son each week to faithfully serve a full-time mission.

We know that this is the Work of God and that Elder deCocq will share this truth with many people here in Bolivia.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Rodríguez
President of the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission

Late Picture for the Last Week at the Mexico CCM

{from Dad}

Connor sent this to us after I posted the weekly blog update.  Since there were no pics in the blog update yesterday, and its actually a picture of 'him' (which is rare, lately) I wanted to add it this week.

From left to right:  Elder Lake, Elder Aiken, and me.  Lake and I are
so ready to head to Bolivia later on Monday and get to work.  

Less Than One Week Until BOLIVIA!

This week was good....week 5 down in the Mexico CCM. Another week full of the same ol same ol but thats all good. My journal entries are a pretty poor read for you but again this week was pretty much the same. Yesterday we had a really good devotional from D. Todd Christofferson and his wife and they talked about the book of mormon and its importance.
I can´t believe I ship out to the field in less than 5 days! I love it here but I'm ready for some change. The anticipation is killing me. My flight leaves at 440 pm on Monday next week and I get into Bolivia around 440 am on Tuesday so that will be a very interesting couple of days for me. I am excited and I am so happy with how far my testimony has grown here in the MTC and my Spanish skills as well.  I know my spanish is getting better but Bolivia will be a definite wake up call!  I bought some knock off Crocs here from the tienda for 70 pesos so they are by far my favorite things to wear. They´re called Kevins. Best 70 pesos I've ever spent in my life!

I love and miss everyone and I promise the next email I send out will be full of many different stories and fun, scary, and foreign things that will be a lot more entertaining than everything here in the CCM.


P.S. - Please take the time to watch this quick 3 minute video. This is just a quick video for everyone to reflect on why we are here on earth and why we all are able to have the opportunities we have throughout our lives. It is because of our Savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ, The son of God. He was born, He lived and He died so that WE may ALL live again. It is because of him that we may be made clean again and are able to enter into the presence of our loving Heavenly Father again. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Love you all! CIAO

Elder Connor Ryan deCocq


My Thoughts and challenges to all of you this week:
"Dare To Stand Alone:  Do we have the moral courage to stand firm in our beliefs and not hide who we are?"

Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet

“The Merciful Obtain Mercy:  Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

Nice Try Satan.....not sleeping through General Conference

Week 4 down! Can't believe its almost been a month here in the CCM. Ive learned so much and i cant wait to see what else is in store throughout these next two years!(23 months but whos counting)
We got a new district in this week too and they are super cool! Also i heard about the massacre in Vegas.. thats so sad to see how terrible the world is becoming. The adversary truly is at work in these last days. Heed to the words of the prophet and read your scriptures everyday. It truly is a blessing to everyone i promise that. Take into account the things that were said at general conference this past week. Everything mentioned will better your lives no matter what faith you may be. I promise that if we continue doing the things we are supposed to be doing that life will play out, with the hand of God, in our favor. There is just something about watching conference with 700 missionaries that is just breathtaking. Nothing else like it.

... the short guy in front of me is amazing! His name is Elder Palacios from florida and he is a recent convert. He is 23 and has an amazing spirirt. I started calling him Dad because he is super old compared to us all and he laughed and then a ton of other missionaries here started calling them that so that was awesome!

Elder Lake (my companion), President Bennett, and me

Temple trip today, Oct 4th....our last one in Mexico.  Yes, that's me in the back (as always)

The food is setting in finally. I've had 'the Easters' a couple of times (Nacho Libre) but other than that life here is great! I'm super excited to leave the walls and go out and help others come unto Christ!

Read my daily spiritual thoughts at the bottom of my journal entries. I tried hard on them to choose meaningful ones for all.

CIAO       ~ Elder Connor Ryan deCocq