Shirt Burning Time! ONE YEAR this week

Well, Wednesday (today, Sept 5th) is my one year mark.  I headed out on my mission a year ago today! 

 

I can't believe how fast its gone and the miracles I've seen and been a part of in that time.


This week was really good for us in our area Cañoto 1. We had a best week yet as for finding people to teach and having our investigators progressing. The Lord truly is bringing His prepared children into our path and i feel better than ever having this amazing opportunity and honored privilege to be able to bring them the message their Heavenly Father has for them.

We are currently working with a family named Padilla Cruz and they are a couple who have a little baby named Roberto. The wife Leonor is very receptive and is a chatterbox but learns very well and really wants to know the truth about the church. Her husband on the other hand is an atheist and just kinda sits their and sorta listens but the amazing news is that the both came with us to church yesterday and stayed all through sacrament meeting. I could feel something about the way Leonor was acting that I just knew she felt something during fast and testimony meeting.

Blanca Chuquimia who is an investigator like my dad has been listening to the missionaries FOREVERRRRRR (almost 5 years now) but she has been coming to church way more consistently with us now and even accepted our reading the book of mormon every day challenge so I have tons of hope for her in the near future.

Today we had a zone activity and had a giant churasco in the park and played volleyball, capture the flag and soccer and threw a frisbee around too. Pedro cooked up the meats and we grubbed out and just had a relaxing day. I brought my hammock and took a very needed break just relaxing in a tree.
Then we went down to the Piraí river and took some fotos and what not and I also went to the Ramada to get a suit today because the one i came to the mission in is looking pretty feo now.

Anyways i have some pictures this week (you´re welcome dad)

Here's some good video to laugh at.  I got Bean Boozled (the game) from Kolleen in the mail and of course we all played it.  (Sadly, things did not go so well for Elder Berges 😄):

If you are reading this on email, click here to see the videos


I just wanted to end this weeks email off with a small spiritual thought from some of my studies recently.

I was reading the book "Teach Ye Diligently" by Boyd K packer again yesterday (highly recommend it to anyone) and I read a little poem in their related to the apostasy and the creation of the thousands of churches we see in our day.

" It was six men of Indostan,
To learning much inclined, 
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind), 
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind. 

The First approach'd the Elephant, 
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, 
At once began to bawl: 
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!" 

The Second, feeling of the tusk, 
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp? 
To me 'tis mighty clear, 
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!" 

The Third approach'd the animal, 
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, 
Thus boldly up and spake: 
"I see," -quoth he- "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!" 

The Fourth reached out an eager hand, 
And felt about the knee: 
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," -quoth he,- 
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant 
Is very like a tree!" 

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, 
Said- "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; 
Deny the fact who can, 
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!" 

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope, 
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope, 
"I see," -quoth he,- "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"  

Moral:  
So, oft in theologic wars 
The disputants, I ween, 
Rail on in utter ignorance 
Of what each other mean; 
And prate about an Elephant 
Not one of them has seen! 

The need of a living Prophet with the all of the Priesthood Keys is so essential to lead us, being "spiritually blind" as we are separated from the presence of God. Although everyone of the blind men in this poem were partially right with their predictions, not one of them had the whole picture or the fullness of what was being analyzed. Many times this happens with people in our era. Good people want to follow God´s teachings, they want to explain God´s teachings, but sadly without the guidance of God´s hand and the proper priesthood authority, these people with potentially good intentions, are just as the blind men and the elephant: only partially correect. Thanks to our Heavenly Father, He doesn´t want us to stay blind forever. He has given us prophets just like in times of old to lead and guide us as we live in this temporary separated state while here on earth. If we heed to the prophets and their counsels, the Lord will manifest unto us by the power of the Holy Ghost the truth of all things and we too can walk through this life not as blind men observing the elephant, but rather as true disciples and followers of Jesus Christ and His church. Amen.


Elder Connor Ryan deCocq

Finding Strength and Blessings Through Prayer....and Job!

Well this is another one of those no pictures weeks, sorry. Been really focused in the area and with investigators so haven´t had the time. Va a disculpar.

So this week was actually a really big blessing and answer to my and my companion´s prayers. With our area we have been really struggling to find new to people to teach, and the people who we are teaching are just having a really hard time progressing for some reason. Haven´t had many people with plans to get baptized because of this also so we have been fighting with that these past couple months, until the Lord led some new people and blessings into our lives. We have found some incredible people who I´m not sure how to explain it other than the Lord truly does prepare the hearts of His children in THEIR due time.

With a lot of hard work, diligence and patience Elder Berges and I have been doing a lot of things as a companionship to better help the work here in Cañoto. We now have a couple families on track to get married and then later baptized as well as some long time investigators who are finally keeping commitments, reading the scriptures daily, coming to church regularly, and growing their testimony of this restored gospel.

I have always looked to the story of Job in the old testament for strength even before the mission because of the principle it has taught me and continues to teach me on faith in the Lord even in our times of trials. That truly is my fountain of peace when it comes to tough times and tribulations in the mission and in life itself. Once we begin to understand the Lord´s will, understand his refining process in our lives and the truth "that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."(Ether 12:6) The Lord answers our honest and sincere prayers and He knows the righteous desires of our hearts. Once we put our trust in Him, and realize that even from the Fall of Adam and Eve until present time, there has been "an opposition in all things".

Love you all.
Elder Connor Ryan deCocq

Two Weeks worth of stuffs

Well, as expected transfer week had its craziness, but for the most part I´ve got things under control so everything went smoothly (at least for the parts that were my responsibilities hahahaha).

Anyway, this week an Elder had his appendix burst so he was stuck in the hospital and had to get surgery and since we are the secretaries we went to go check on him and bring his companion lunch every day hahahahaha so that was an adventure.

The new missionaries came in this week too so we were pretty busy doing all that fun stuff with them. Passed out on the couch at the president´s house too while waiting for the food to get there.

This week threw some crazy curve balls at us that also gave us amazing opportunities to serve others.

Vanderlei, the man in the wheel chair who I was able to help baptize a couple weeks ago, had a very serious attack this week and wasn´t able to breath. He called the Sister missionaries over to his house to help him and when they got there they told us they were pretty sure he was going to die right then and there. But then Vanderlei wanted to say a prayer because "He knew that through prayer and his faith that if it was his time to go that the Lord would take him". The Sisters then called us over to give him a blessing and while we were on the way over they had said a prayer and the Lord, working his miracles, cured Vanderlei of his problem he was having and when we got there everything was normal again. We then gave him a priesthood blessing and he told us he knew the Lord had blessed him in his time of need. The healing power of the priesthood is real and here on the earth once more. I know it, I can feel it, and had many other opportunities this week to be able to go some hospitals here in Santa Cruz to give blessings to people because of their faith that they have in the healing power of faith.

The Lord is blessing us with a lot of many great families to teach and incredible miracles from our faith, diligence, and desires. Not gonna lie, it has been rough here these past couple months with the balancing the office work with the proselyting but now that we´ve got it under control and are working diligently, we are beginning to truly see some amazing blessings.

Today for P-day President´s son called us and invited us over to his house to watch a movie and eat some pizza with him so we went over there and chilled for a bit and relaxed. Also in the morning went out with Elder Berges and we got Pizza and climbed some crazy tall building to take some videos on the roof (see videos below). Other than that though the work is progressing and the Lord is preparing His children in these days.

Here's a couple of fun vids.  If you are reading this on email, click here to see the videos

 Chau for now,

Elder Connor Ryan deCocq

Porcelain cow, Last district meeting for this transfer, and the most spiritual baptism and experience of my life

I got to go on divisions (splits) this week with Elder Florence again and while we were contacting people in the streets, we found the most random porcelain cow just sitting on the sidewalk so of course we stopped and took pictures with it.

On Thursday we ended up having our last district meeting together because next week we have the Zone conference and then it´s transfer week so we bought a cake and took pictures at the very end.

Okay now for the amazing spiritual experience I had. So the sister missionaries who we share a ward with had a baptism this Saturday @11:00 am and they asked me if I would do the ordinance so of course I accepted. The only thing was with this baptism it was special because the man is a paraplegic and has to use a motorized wheel chair to get around. So Pedro Gutierrez and I both baptized him. Vanderlei Garcia de Abreu is the man´s name and what we did was Pedro held him in his arms and went into the water and then I followed. I said the prayer and then we both (Pedro and I) baptized him together in our arms. I have never felt the spirit so strong in my life as i did during that baptismal service. I teared up probably 3 different times and just seeing how Vanderlei looked after the baptism was something i also will never forget. Pedro then put Vanderlei in my arms and I carried him out of the font so that he could get changed out of his wet clothes. Absolutely will never forget that experience.

Got another package from the Russos this week.  These always help make an already good day even better 😊

Since I'm in charge of making name tags for the mission elders and sisters, it allows to take the occaisional liberty and make up tags that don't get used but will be a souvenir:

Spiritual Thought from my studies this week:
Alma 26:26-31

26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.
27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

As missionaries and children of God, we all only want what´s best for our spiritual brothers and sisters. As we look forth, and look back on the fruits  of our labors, we can truly find peace and joy in the work and the instruments we have been in the harvesting of the Lord´s vineyard. If we strive daily to become better accustomed to the trials and the tests the Lord puts in our path, we will have a different mindset as to why the Lord has put these trials in our paths and like Christ says in Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Humility is the key. Humility and meekness are what draw us closer to God. Once we learn to develop these attributes of Christ, coupled with charity, our entire mindset changes on everything. Instead of asking "Why is this happening Lord?" we can be like Nephi when he was asked by the Lord to build a boat and answer "How Lord?" Nephi didn´t complain because he had no idea how to even construct a ship, but rather humbled himself and trusted in the Lord and asked him how he would be able to complete the task. Through humble and sincere prayer, the Lord will show us all our weaknesses and the manner in which we can overcome them so that we may be able to look back on the fruits of our labors and know for a fact that we have done all we can do and that our Heavenly Father is content with our progression and our diligence as workers in his vineyard.

Have a great week.  I love and miss everyone!

Elder Connor deCocq

New Camera, Miracles....and John Cena as a Scorpion??

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Let´s see, this week we had some splits with the assistants, got to do a lot of work out in the field and not so much of the daily office routine stuff.

Elder Berges and me being random

Hermana Coca brought me some pakcages this week also from my family so of course we took a picture with her. I am so grateful for these amazing Bolivian friends in Utah who take their time to bring me packages from my family.

Spiritual part to bring everything back into perspective.

So during our exchange this week with Elder Florence, we had a really awesome encounter with a very humble family. I felt the need to go towards a certain area of his area (because we were working in his area for the day) and we went that way. We then saw a lady who was sweeping up trash and stuff in her front yard so Elder Florence began talking to her and we asked if we could help her and then if we could share a message with them. The lady and her 3 kids (8 yrs old, 6 yrs old and 1 yr old) sat down and listened to us and we began talking about The Plan of Salvation with them but the spirit guided me to another topic in the middle of that lesson. We began teaching them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the 5 steps we can take to align ourselves with the path that leads us back to our Heavenly Father again. I then invited them to prepare to be baptized on the 18th of August and they humbly and willingly accepted this goal as a family. To see how excited the 8 year old boy was when we talked about how families can be together forever, I just new without a shadow of a doubt that the spirit had led us to that family and that they as a family are going to be striving towards that goal together.

We had a meeting with our ward mission leader on tuesday for his wife´s birthday and also talked about the work, and I was just so happy this week. Like the entire week was just amazing and our ward mission leader ( Kolbin Limón) asked me why i was so happy and smiling and my answer was simple, " Some people work at bank´s, and some people work as policemen, but my job is to be a representative of Jesus Christ for 2 years and to help others become closer with Him. Why wouldn´t I be happy?" There is no better work and no better time than that of a missionary. As much as I still am the same ol´ Connor as I was before I left to serve the mission, there truly is no other joy in this world than that of being a missionary and being able to bless the lives of so many people.

And, back to the random...

Zero explanation...

So this picture is very random, but basically summed up in the US when you
are in a shady neighborhood you see a pair of old shoes tied together and flung
 over the power lines....well I, after seeing this, I'm pretty sure I'm in the super
 boonies now because they have plastic bags filled with juice flung 
over the power lines here. Noice....

I can´t explain what this is or what is going on other than
I now firmly believe in evolution because of this.
>>John Cenaaaaa!!

New Bolivian money (Left) and old (right)

Pretty sure we got lost...

Elder Florence next to a Nebraska License plate...
I told him to pose and that´s all I got...Noice x2

Bye for now, everyone......Viva Bolivia

Elder Connor Ryan deCocq