July - August 2019 Photos - Newcastle, England

From July and August:

Saying goodbye to elder Nathan and hello to elder Pohorelicky in Newcastle

Pday hike

Helping out members

Elder Pohorelicky

Elder Nathan

Elder Platts

Elder Nathan, Elder McConkie, Elder Pohorelicky

Elder Platts

Elder Pohorelicky

Elder Pohorelicky

Elder Pohorelicky

Elder Pohorelicky

Alma 26:8 - Newcastle

Heyo!

This week was one of the best

Here's a quick rundown..

Tuesday:

Went to Shrewsbury

Wednesday:

Finding ALL day! It was a party. We found lots of great people that I'm hyped to meet with this week.

Thursday:

About a month ago, I got to go up to Manchester to Street contact people coming out of the Book of Mormon Musical, and one of the people I found got baptised! Her name is Lydia and she is absolutely amazing. She had a marvellous light about her and it was incredible to see how the gospel can change someone in such a short amount of time. All the Lord requires to refine is a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and he'll shape you into the person he needs... Which is coincidentally also the best version of you! Mosiah 2:41

Friday:

We had a marvellous MLC in Manchester. It's always so inspiring to get insights from the other missionaries there! 

Sunday:

Every month we have a fireside where recent converts tell their conversion story and missionaries bring friends being taught. It's always so incredible and at this one I was able to watch these 5 phenomenal individuals I've been blessed to know and teach get up and bear their testimonies to hundreds of people. I was filled with an indescribable amount of gratitude for the blessings and miracles I've seen on my mission. After our Recent Convert, Nida, bore her testimony, a member next to me tapped my shoulder and said "that was worth the two years wasn't it?". And it most definitely was. I love my mission!

Acts 5:38-39

Be brave for Jesus

Elder McConkie

Cynthia - Ether 12:6 - Newcastle

Heyo! 

Story time

Go waaay back to about January when Elder Pohořelický and I found this woman named Cynthia when I was still in Manchester. I remember the night we found her was one of the hardest days of my mission! Our entire teaching pool had just been totally destroyed in a matter of days, and we were ready to call it quits for the day, but we felt prompted to go finding. It was freezing English winter and like 8pm but we found Cynthia and she was baptised on Saturday!!!!!!!!!  It's strengthened my testimony that miracles haven't ceased, that the field is white, and the Lord blesses us as we act righteously in response to opposition. She is the biggest miracle.

It got me thinking... How many Cynthias are out there? Like when missionaries get discouraged because they face opposition and then more opposition and decide to slack off instead of keep going, how many "Cynthias" have been missed? I'm just so grateful that we decided to go out finding that night. I've learned so so so much from that one decision. It's changed my life and my perspective on the work and I can't imagine what it'd be like if we didn't push through. I read in Ether 12:6-12 and I just thought about how missionaries need to get so hyped when trials come because that's when the miracle is just around the corner. 

Cynthia went all out for her baptism haha she invited anyone and everyone, got a fancy white dress, brought a ton of food, and was just the happiest person you've ever seen. Just so much joy from that day. I gave one of the talks for the service and Elder Nathan baptised her! She bore her testimony after and told her story of coming to the church and it was so powerful.

So much gratitude. God is so great.

Sorry for the long story, but push through people! The Lord has some incredible miracle just waiting for you.

My favourite quote right now:

"The greatest decision I've ever made was giving up something i loved, for the God I love even more." -Thomas S. Monson

Be Brave for Jesus!

Elder McConkie

Choose to be Empowered - Newcastle

This week felt so short

So I thought it was only fitting I write a short email

Ready

Set

Go

Teaching

Finding

Tracting

Caraaaaaazzzzy people

New Czech family!(🔜🌊🌊🌊)

Ran out of foooood

Breakfast burritos

Canned food!

2 minute noodles 

"Mohammad, last prophet" ×629478493times

Zone Conference w/ general authority

Revelation wow

MLC 

More Revelation sweet goodness

Headache from doctrinal knowledge

Book of Mormon Musical headlines!

Didgeriee Doo band coming soon

"How great is our God! Sing with me, how great!"

The Atonement will empower and uplift you each and every day, but it is conditional on our willingness to repent and come unto Christ each and every day. "let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart" and choose to be empowered!!

Mosiah 14:3-5

Alma 42:22-30

Heleman 14:15-18

Much love,

Be Brave for Jesus!

Elder McConkie

Aussie Power!!! - Newcastle

Gooooood morning
This week was exciting!
This week I said goodbye to my man Elder Dawe and it's super weird not having him around. We were together for a crazy long time and saw a lot of miracles together. He will be missed.
But! I got a new companion and his name is Elder Nathan and crikey he has the nicest Australian accent you've ever heard. He's a beast and we are puttin in work! It's gonna be a great transfer.

We got the chance to take 5 of our Recent Converts to the temple on Saturday and it was absolutely wonderful. I'm grateful to watch some of my best friends progress in the gospel!

Fun fact: I'm driving all the time now which is terrifying. Elder Nathan and I have made a little jingle we sing every time we almost get T-boned haha these British roads are as confusing as they get. Its like every time theyre not sure what to do they just throw a massive roundabout in the street. And let me tell ya, I don't understand roundabouts.

There's a scripture in 1 Peter 5:5:
"...be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
Go to God with sincerity and Humility! Be willing to try, be willing to learn, and be willing to act! The Lord will bless you with love inspired correction and bless you a whole bunch as you seek to place your agency in his hands.

Much love from Newcastle.. "the land down under" Lyme ;)
Hurrah for Israel!!
Elder McConkie

Nida and Mary❤

Rest in peace brother dawe

Me and Elder Nathan

Book of Mormon Musical Takeover - Newcastle

Heyo Loves!

This week was so great.

Here are the SCTOP10 for the week

1.Our friend Lily Ann got baptised!! Such a fantastic day. She is in a part member family we've been working with for a while now and she has been wonderful to teach. She has so much joy in her!

2. The Book of Mormon Musical came to Manchester and so the Zone Leaders went up to Manchester for 2 days to do Street Displays at 10:30PM as people were coming out of the show! A majority of the people just laughed at us or said something along the lines of "Run! Run! It's the real Mormons!" Haha it was a good time. But! There were a few people we found who were SO good I was blown away. The musical sparked their interest just enough to meet with us again!

3. We have had ice cream every single day this week

4. Went on a super fun last exchange w Elder Bellassai! Going to miss the Italian Stallion...

5. TRANSFERS: staying in Newcastle for another and getting Elder Nathan! We are going to put in so much work this transfer, I am hyped.

And that's all I have time for!

I love the Lord! I love my mission! And I'm trying my very hardest to love the crazy amounts of rain we get but seriously it's been forever since we had a nice sunny day and my clothes can't dry fast enough to keep up with it haha

Be Brave for Jesus!

Much love

Elder McConkie

Pics:

LILY ANN!

Prepping for battle✊
Elder Bellassai
Massive rain storm at 11pm in central Manchester haha

Change of Heart - Newcastle, England

Loves!

This week was ace!

We had so many lessons, Zone Conference, MLC in Manchester, and the baptism of our incredible friends Nicola, Elle, and Hannah. So many blessings! 

Always remember that the Atonement has to be embedded into our hearts and etched into our souls. We can't just teach and understand the Atonement; it has to have a daily, and constant influence on everything we do. It has to be a part of our very nature! I promise that as we strive to look to the Lord in every thought, and make the Atonement a focus in our lives, our doubts and fears will be washed away and we will be renewed with joy and hope.

Enos1:4-8

Alma 5:26

Omni 1:26

I love this work and I love the Lord!

Be brave for Jesus.

Elder McConkie

Pics below

Baptism!

Our man Josh!
Newcastle Squad at MLC