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Final Letter - Manchester, England

This week I finished my service as a full time missionary. I love England with all my heart. That place is sacred ground for me. 

In verse 2 of Alma 26, Ammon poses a question to his brethren after completing his mission. He gets too excited and ends up answering it himself so I thought I'd do the same. He says, "What great blessing has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?"...

I'm grateful that God sent me to Manchester, Stoke on Trent, and Liverpool. I'm grateful that He had me serve with Elders Audrlicky, Masekoameng, Carlson, Pohorelicky, Dawe, Nathan, Pohorelicky again, Crawford, Stephens, Pohorelicky again haha, Elder Dixon, and Elder Lima. I'm grateful I was able to teach such wonderful people the gospel from countries all over the world. I'm grateful for the humor, love, and sarcasm of the members and their willingness to help us build up the Lords kingdom. I'm grateful for every single minute I was able to talk with people on the streets, testify of the savior to strangers, and share scriptures and pass along cards with anyone who'd let me. I'm grateful that I was able to be a missionary during Corona virus and go through the challenges of finding and teaching online. I'm grateful for my mission President and his council, leadership, expectations, and profound example of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my mission president's wife and her selfless character and charitable soul. I'm grateful for every missionary I was able to work with, the Christ like attributes they exemplified, and the brotherhood we established on British soil. 

As I go forward I want to remember the words from Alma 7:7...

7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people.

I hope and pray that the world will be able to recognize the magnitude and importance of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have seen a knowledge of these things transform the lives of many souls including my own. True and enduring peace comes only from Him, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder McConkie

Manchester, England

Hello All!

This week was wonderful!
Highlight was our friend Lauren got baptised! Open water baptisms were finally allowed in England and we set up an inflatable pool in the back garden of the mission home. It was a lovely service and Lauren bore an outstanding testimony.

My FAVORITE thing about being a missionary is seeing people change. Seeing the difference the gospel has made for others and myself is at the core of my testimony. The atonement of Jesus Christ can cleanse us of sin and transform us into greater people and greater disciples.

"come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness."
(Alma 7:14)

I LOVE England!

Elder McConkie 

 

GB photos and email from Elder Mcconkie - Manchester, England

HELLO ALL!

Hope everyone is doing well. It's been a while since I've emailed so here's an update on the work in Manchester.

We've been very busy but here are some highlights from the last little while:

Few weeks back I was transferred! After serving in the YSA ward in central Manchester for 9 months I was moved to the other Elder companionship in the same YSA ward to finish my mission. Not complaining one bit, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this city, and these people. And my companions are ace!

It was surreal to not be serving with Elder Pohorelicky haha I will miss my Czech compadre. We served together 3 different times for a total of 9 months. I will miss him dearly.

Small insight on my new companions:
Elder Dixon is from England, he's got a lot of love and is a phenomenal leader and teacher. He makes some killer bangers and mash as well.

Elder LIMAAAAAAA is from Brazil! He's an Old Testament wizard and has a powerful testimony.

Highlights from the week:

Lesson with Saman! Saman is ready to be baptised once the government loosens up on the restrictions. We've taught him everything so we thought we'd spice it up and teach him about becoming like God. He loved it and we had a good discussion and it got me thinking some more...

Someone once told me that whatever happens in life, you just need to know who you are. When anything bad comes your way, if you really know who you are you'll be just fine. I know who I am because I know who God is. An understanding of Him and His plan opens up a perspective for me that changes the way I live my life. It changes the way I see others, and treat others. It helps me know what steps I need to take in my life. If you're ever having a little identity crisis, just remember who you really are in the grand eternal scheme of things and you'll be just fine. Don't get tunnel vision on the "here and now". Remember that your identity, your purpose, and your potential are directly tied to a loving Father in Heaven who is anxiously waiting to help you on your journey to perfection.

Love you all!
Elder McConkie

HOLD ON THY WAY! - Manchester, England

groupsters

Hello!

We have been in lock down for almost 2 weeks but our mission has seen miracles upon miracles. In the last week we put 17 people on date as a mission. The most in one week since I've been here. 

We put our friend James on date!! He's gone through some insane trials throughout his life and has been looking for peace for a long time. The Corona virus prompted him to reach out and learn more! We had an incredible lesson talking about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The thought of being forgiven of sin overwhelmed him. The spirit was strong in our lesson, he recognized the peace he had been looking for, and committed to baptism without hesitation. He is one of my favorite people. 

Our days are full of virtual lessons, different meetings over zoom, contacting loads of people, and some lovely lovely lovely exercise time where we get to go outside for a bit. The work goes on!

D&C121-123 is revelation given to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. There is some powerful stuff in there about enduring affliction through faith in Jesus Christ that gave me a greater witness of God's constant love for us as His children. Reminded me of a quote:

"All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called children of God....and it's through suffering and sorrow, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father in Heaven." -Orson F. Whitney

Much love from our flat,

Elder McConkie

Rejoice! - Manchester, England

Hello!

It's been a while since I wrote a group email and wow it's been eventful.

Two weeks ago I was on exchanges in Stockport and I got a call from Sister McReynolds informing me that ALL of our Senior Couples were going home and I was shook as a book. In my head I started to run through all the different things the Senior Couples do and I couldn't quite comprehend how the mission was going to work without them.

The day when we drove them to the airport was a sad one, but you should have seen them! They were the most hopeful, and happy people I've ever seen. Not happy to be going, but their faith in Jesus Christ was just profoundly evident. All of them were telling me over and over about all the miracles about to happen.

One of my favorite Senior Couples was Elder and Sister Ralphs. When we were in the car park of the chapel, Sister Ralphs turned around to say goodbye to some of the others. She put her hand up like she was leading a revolution or something and yelled, "Godspeed! God lives and we have a prophet!!!".

When we got to the airport they were all singing hymns.

It seems like for the past two weeks there have been loads of changes to life that could easily allow us to have a negative outlook. But we can rejoice amidst our trials because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We can always have joy! In Hebrews 11 we learn that faith isn't just a hope in things we can't see, but an assurance also. An assurance that the Master Healer of all physical and temporal pain will help each and every individual who will follow Him. Corona virus has caused loads of temporal and spiritual damage around the world, but we can be blessed with a divinely peaceful assurance as we exercise faith. "Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did he do for them."(Mosiah 7:19).

Rejoice! God lives and we have a prophet!

Much love from England,

Elder McConkie

Pics:
1-4- pre lockdown

5 - testimony meeting w Liverpool zone!

The Heavens are Open! - Manchester, England

Blessed week!
Very very very busy and spirit packed.
We had two of four Zone Conferences. One up near Preston and the other in Manchester. We focused the whole conference around the Restoration in prep for General Conference and wow I learned heaps. There was a quote by President Nelson we looked at that said: 

Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children. 

The heavens are open! God speaks! He is aware and mindful of all His children. That gets me hyped.

This week we taught our friend Anastasia. She is incredible. As we taught her the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ we emphasized and discussed the process and power of receiving personal revelation, and the importance of revelation for the Church through a prophet. We drew a big arch on the whiteboard with the Book of Mormon as the Keystone. We assigned different questions she had into the other stones supporting the arch and then promised her that if she came to know the Book was true that she would find answers to each question. Before we could even invite her to pray, she told us that she knows the Book of Mormon is true and thus found the answer to one of her questions... she wants to be baptized! We are excited for her!

Our friend Shin was baptized this week! Elder Stephens met him on the streets a little over a month ago and he has amazed us by his faith and trust in God. He's the man!

As I've studied Joseph Smith's life, teachings, and experiences I have been inspired by his attitude. He suffered so much affliction and torment during his life but he was commonly known among the saints for being "cheery". The way he viewed adversity and the way he responded to trials was astounding. He faced seemingly unbearable opposition but was always able to be of good cheer. It reminded me of a scripture in D&C 78:18 when the Lord says:

"And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along." 

I think sometimes we have moments where we don't know if we can handle the opposition we face. It's important that during those times we remember this promise. We may feel like we're drowning in difficulties, but we can rejoice in the midst of our trials because of our faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Be of good cheer! Learn what it means to trust in the Lord, and I promise that He will lead you along.

Love you all,

Elder McConkie

2Nephi22

-- Manchester, England

So group emails are not my forte. Sorry team.

I am alive and well! Life is great! I love my mission. Manchester is the promised land. 

We've been finding, teaching, planning, training, studying, laughing, testifying, praying, singing, running, and lots of other verbs. Being a missionary is this wildly wonderful balance between peaceful reflective moments with the spirit and a constantly hectic running behind type of chaos moments. I love it. It's difficult and fulfilling. 

I was thinking about what to put in this email and decided I'd just write a quick testimony:

I know that God lives! I've gained that witness line upon line and trial upon trial. I am grateful that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to outline the doctrines of the gospel, and preform the Atonement. His teachings and resurrection give me constant and literal hope that I will be able to overcome challenges and trials. I promise you that God loves you! He is anxious to forgive, bless, and provide for His children. If you follow Him with full purpose of heart, He will provide strength and support. He loves you He loves you He loves you. Choose to love Him!

Be brave for Jesus!!

Elder McConkie

jmcconkie@missionary.org

From Laurel, Wilson's mom:
One photo that Sister McReynolds sent of Wilson and Elder Stephens studying and planning the week with president, and a few more that Wilson has sent us lately:
Rolls Royce
Second ticket in a week
Manchester
Elder Audrlicky came from the Czech Republic for a visit. Such a great trainer back in 2018!

Wilson and Elder Stephens studying and planning the week with president

Manchester

Rolls Royce

Second ticket in a week

Elder Audrlicky came from the Czech Republic for a visit.
Such a great trainer back in 2018!

Pictures! - Manchester, England

Video message to family (click here to view)