Saturday, October 19, 2019

Sleep Faster - Manchester, England

Hello hello!

Well, history repeats itself and I've been transferred out of Liverpool after one transfer again. So sad to leave! Love that city with all my heart.

But I'm excited for the future! I'm now serving in central Manchester with my good mate Elder Stephens! I'll be serving as Assistant to the President and it's been a wild week getting adjusted to new responsibilities and a new area. So hyped tho! I've been so blessed to learn from President and Sister McReynolds on my mission and I'm really grateful I get to work more closely with them.

The new missionaries came in on Tuesday and we spent all day with them. We went into town and practiced talking to people and WOW they're incredible! I got to street contact with Elder Rollins, he was super nervous at first, but we talked it through and we decided that whenever he didn't know what to say he'd bear his testimony. He really didn't know what to say haha so he must have bore his testimony 30 times. It was phenomenal! You could literally see his confidence grow with each person we met, and by the end he was taking conversations solo!

Reminded me of 2 Nephi 26:13...

If we are willing to act in faith and fight for God, then we allow him to start "working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders" in our lives. Choose to be empowered!

Be brave for Jesus!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder McConkie




Elder Stephens and I in Liverpool!



First day in the field for the new missionaries!


President and us!

Monday, September 30, 2019

I'm Home! - Liverpool, England

Miracles have not ceased... here's a group email!!

Hey!
It's been ages since I last wrote. Last transfer was a rollercoaster, our Zone got combined with another zone so we had a whopping 36 missionaries. I was with my trainee Elder Pohorelicky again and we went on like 15 exchanges and were crazy busy, it was good fun! I'll attach some pics of our many adventures

After 7.5 months in Newcastle I've moved back to my first area in Liverpool!! It's so good to be home. My companions name is Elder Crawford from Alabama. He likes his kool-aid and his grits and is a killer missionary.

2 Nephi 11:5
Jacob 4:11

The Atonement! How Incredible is the Atonement. The Atonement is all encompassing and the central aspect of God's great eternal plan, but it's purposes are meant to be individual and personal. To help each of us, one by one, to be cleansed from Sin, free from pain, and return to our father in Heaven. All of us, regardless of who we are or what we've done, can be "at one" with God, because of the Saviours great sacrifice for us all. The Atonement brings us in unity with God, but also unifies us as people together. A home and a family focused on the Atonement is one that will be blessed, strengthened, and unified.

I'm so grateful to get to share this with people! And also increasingly surprised that God trusts a bunch of 18-21 year olds to bring it to the whole world... There's lots to do!

Be brave for Jesus!
Hurrah for Israel!

Elder McConkie


Pics:
Teaching my boy how to drive
Waaay back to Exchanges in Rhyl!
The boys at MLC!
Back in Beatles Country
BofM musical pt. 3








Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

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






Monday, July 8, 2019

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





Monday, July 1, 2019

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