My new area, El Palmar 1, should bring me lots of joy and fruits. There are people waiting for me here and I am determined to find them and finish my last 6 months strong. Six months! I can’t believe that’s all I have left. So crazy its gone this fast.
So my new companion is Elder Farnsworth from Lehi, UT, so he is very near my home in Highland, UT also. He came out on his mission in the same group as me, but different MTC. It’s nice to be able to focus on the work 100% for now and not have to train, although I would be very willing to do so.
It seems no matter where I go, futsal is a thing on P-days. Everybody loves soccer in Bolivia, elders and locals alike, so we always have pick up games we are able to play. Since I love soccer so much, that’s really fun to have that every week.
I just found out that my friend from back home, Nathan Strong, got his mission call and is headed to Peru in May. I’m super excited for him and know he will be an amazing missionary.
Elder Farnsworth and I have really hit it off and work well together. We visited a recent convert, Alex Plata, and he told us his whole life story and the hardships he went through. When I hear stories like his, where he was so focused at 14 years old trying to keep his parents together so his little 7 year old sister could be raised in a home with a mom and a dad, I am just so grateful that I was blessed to be raised in such good home and a free country.
I am assisting Brother and Sister Bullock back in the mission office about once a week to get them up to speed, and pretty much daily by phone. It’s about a 15 minute ride by taxi from where we area to get back to downtown where the office is , which is way out on one of the far rings to the southeast of the city….a very poor area. I was spoiled to be in that area for 8 months because everyone is well-off there, for the most part. I got used to that and its very humbling to be back in the areas that are very destitute.
President Rodriguez has given me the authority to go back to Robore on as-needed basis to continue the work that Elder Berges and I started on assignment there. I have had to go there yet after this transfer, but I am ready to do so if the Branch President who is there needs us to do some work. I am excited for Elder Farnsworth to see Robore also.
I had to go to the hospital to get my big toe looked at after kicking a cement post while playing futsal. I didn’t think it was cement, which tells you I knew I was doing it, but thought it was soft. Lesson learned about controlling one’s temper. Anyway, just bruised, not broken. I deserved it.
We have lots of investigators, potential baptism, and scheduled baptisms coming up. Plus, we have completed baptisms and confirmed a few members already. This area is amazing and I can feel the Lord working through me to find these lost sheep.
I arranged and ran my first Zone Council meeting and we came up with a goal of 25 baptisms for the month of February.
Food note: I can make awesome French Toast now
We had a conference with a General Authority Seventy who came to visit us, Elder Alonso. We learned so much from him. The training he gave to the leaders in the mission blew me away. I learned that Apostles and Seventies are literal witnesses of the resurrected Savior, just as they were in Christ’s time. So, we put into practice those things we learned in that conference and contacted a ton of amazing children of God. He blesses the path of His faithful servants.
The days are just flying by in the mission now. As I mentioned above, there are only 6 months left for me here and I know I have a lot of work yet to do. I’m going to finish strong.
I wanted to leave a quick video message that is by far the biggest life changing talk I listen to almost daily. Don`t count the cost and serve in the position the Lord would have you serve for the time being. He truly knows what`s best for us.
I miss everyone.
Love,
Elder Connor Ryan deCocq
DAD NOTE: As of today, Feb 15th, 2019, missionaries can CALL HOME every P-Day!....the 1st Presidency announced it today. So Exciting!!
