Week 2 in the Office and still trying to learn

Short email this week.  Good week, but really difficult because we have no idea what we are doing in the area. We are both super new and don´t know the area so we are very dependent on the guidance of the spirit and learning our new responsibilities in the office as well.

Here's a  pic for this week . It´s from our movie 'date' we had in the house this morning. Watched Ratatouille on our projector.

Not totally knowing what we are both doing yet makes things a little stressful and we get chastised sometimes because don't know the processes yet, but we'll get there with time.

I've found that food is more expensive here in the city than it was in Bermejo, but that is to be expected, I guess.  I was also so used to Bermejo because it was small and I knew my way around.  Its really easy to get lost here in the heart of Santa Cruz because its huge and busy.  Fortunately, Elder Lozabo (the previous secretary) comes around now and then to train me more and answer questions I have as I learn new things.

The Lord truly blesses those who put their faith in Him, so that is our new goal for this week. Humility before the Lord.

Love you all, short email but hopefully this week we will have some new news to report !
Elder Connor Ryan deCocq

****** Journalz *****

First Overwhelming Week in 'The Office' as Secretary Guy

So where do I begin?

This last week was my first week here as the new secretary to the president and man was I pumped for that! This week was truly full of craziness and learning the ropes but I think I'm getting the hang of it! I have lots of pictures this week of some of the crazy stuff we did.

My office and my bomb burrito

This week was transfers week so it was crazy getting everything situated for the old missionaries who are going home. Got everything good and ready and shipped 'em off Friday in the morning, which meant I got zero sleep 'again' but hey, it was an adventure.

Got "Plaf Plaf" ice cream (kind of like Baskin-Robbins) with my super legit new comp Elder Newman on Friday for 15BS at CineCenter and then got to meet everyone in my new area and we have a baptism coming up this weekend for a man named Pedro! Really excited to see what my new area and assignment has in store for me.

Unfortunately, the President had to make some mission changes and it meant that Elder Newman had to get transferred to cover for those changes so I lost him as my comp after one week.  We really connected in that week and I'm hoping I get to serve with him again....he is legit and already a good friend!

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Fall asleep while the rest of the casa is awake and this happens

So, I have a new comp coming in today, as the new Finance secretary, so both of us will know little about how to run this show, but we'll get it figured out.

Me and the AP's....and my new comp arriving in the background

The New Zone:

My Planner covers:

P.S. We bought these masks for 30 Bolivianos and we also live with the AP´s

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Journals

Elder Connor Ryan deCocq

I'm BAAAACK in Santa Cruz

Sooooo, all kinds of news this week....are you ready??

Mission Call a Year Ago
 A year ago this last week I opened my mission call to Bolivia with friends and family around:

And now, here I am.......8 months into my mission here in Boliva already:

We had end-of-transfer zone conference in Tarija again on Thursday so it was all of us up at 2am to make the three hour drive and get there for an awesome day.  Got to see a lot of my other SC Mission friends I haven't seen in 6 weeks and it was awesome training.

Elder Ward swiped my camera for a quick pic

BOMBSHELL!!
I wasn't expecting what happened there.  I had a meeting with President Rodriguez (our Mission President) and he called me to be the new Mission Secretary!  Wow.  I am honored to be asked to do this.  I know that is a postion with a lot of responsibility so the Lord and President Rodriguez definitely have faith in me.  I'll do my best to live up to that.

I'm going to really miss my comp, Elder Maravilla, Elder Ward, and Elder D'Avila.  We have been a tight group in the casa, but I know they'll do really well with their new comps also.  Elder D'Avila is headed back with me to Santa Cruz also.  I got to say good bye to my families I've been working with yesterday, which was sad....I'll miss them a lot.  One of my families is getting baptized in a couple of weeks too, which I wish I could be there for.

The Lord has definitely been with us in Bermejo.  We have had a lot of success since January when I got there.  I'll always have great memories of the people of Bermejo and my good mission friends too.  But, it was time for me to go.  I had been there for awhile and I need some new goals and responsibilities.

This:

1 Nephi 3:7
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

So, I transferred back to Santa Cruz again today, which meant again being up at 2am, three hour drive to Tarija from Bermejo, then an hour flight to Santa Cruz and as of now I am so overwhelmed on what I am in for I don't even know how to describe it.  Apparently, it appears I'm in charge of everything, minus the finances.  I am replacing Elder Lozano who has been there about 6 months and I likely will be also.  Its a long committment, but I know I'll learn a lot working alongside the Mission presidency.  Bonus! I'll only have about 5 transfers left when I move on to my next assignment.  I should be here through December or January.

My new companion is Elder Newman, who is the Finance Secretary and has been here already for a little while.  He is really cool and I can tell we'll be good comps.  I can't tell you exactly what I'll be doing because my head is spinning with everything that is involved that I have to learn about.  I'll be training for about a week under Elder Lozano.  I'll know more next week and can give more of a run down on what it is that I'll be doing exactly.  I do know at least one thing I'm charge of.....getting all the elders and sisters packages to them, so Missionary parents if you are reading this, I'm the guy who gets your packages first.  Be nice to me 😏

Also, we still get to proselyte for 4 hours a day so we will stay engaged in 'the work', which is good.  Also, it will break up doing office duties all day.

MOTHERS DAY VIDEO CHAT!!
The best part of this week was yesterday...MOTHERS DAY!  I got to video home to everyone.  Getting to see and hear everyone again makes it not seem so far away.  Plus, the mission has its ups and downs and the last couple of weeks have been a little challenging for me so I needed this call a lot....but it's all getting better now.

Sorry, no journals this week....not that I don't have them, they are just still packed in my suitcase from the trip here and I don't have pics of them yet.  I'll have a lot next week. (I haven't even been to my new apartment yet.  I came straight here to the mission office from the airport with my bags....I'm going to be sooo busy the rest of the day)

Wish me luck!  Its going to be the busiest week I've had here yet.


Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Connor deCocq