Ward Camp/Final Email (Week 105)

Aloha everyone.... Time flies. This is my final email! 

2 weeks ago was the Hau'ula 2nd Ward's camp. They should do ward camps in Utah because they're awesome! Polynesians do it right! But honestly, it was so amazing because it gave us an opportunity to teach so many people! We saw so many miracles in the lives of people who have been prepared by many other members of the Church and missionaries who have helped them come to Christ and they want to make the covenant promise of baptism! I won't be able to see any in person but that's ok. I'm humbled and grateful that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of their journey in returning to Him :)

Christ lives. Covenants with Him have given me all the strength and power from His Atonement to endure the storms of my life and love in His way.

Thanks to everyone who has been a part of my journey over the past 2 years! I invite you all to come listen to the stories of some of the people I was able to help come to Christ in Hawaii and hear my testimony this Sunday, July 30th at 10:30 am. Address: 1150 East 1240 South Spanish Fork, Utah, 84660

Aloha Oe   

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Shockley 

Down to the wire (Week 103)

Aloha everybody!

It's been a while since my last email, but here's a short one.

I'm in a new area in the Hau'ula 2nd Ward! It's an amazing place, beautiful, and the ward members are really taking charge of the work and the efforts are combining and miracles are happening! The Lord prepared a friend of ours, who we found at a car wash finding activity, and he's going to get baptized on the 22nd. He is facing a lot of persecution from his family and friends but he told us he knows this is the restored gospel and Church of Jesus Christ! He has chosen Christ, His doctrine and His words in the Book of Mormon over all else! It's amazing!

Christ lives! He gives power to those who are converted to Him! The Book of Mormon will do that for us!

Love, 

Elder Shockley

Hurrah for Israel!

The Book! (Week 99)

This past week was fast... like always. Joyous service to the Lord. We do a free car wash every Saturday to find new people to teach and we found a solid man last week! He's super cool and was very interested in seeing the Laie temple. We gave him a tour of the temple grounds on Friday and some sisters gave him a tour of the Visitors' Center. He really loved it and felt the Savior's love and Spirit! As we talked he just told us that he really needs to get into the Book, meaning the Book of Mormon. When we invited him to study Christ's words in it, he said he'd read the whole book in a week! Amazing!

Christ lives, the Book of Mormon is His word! He speaks through His Prophet, President Nelson!

Hurrah for Israel! 

-Elder Shockley 

Check Mate (Week 98)

Aloha everybody! Solid week out here in the Hawaiian Islands. I learned a lot about hope, optimism, positivity and charity. I was really trying to develop these Christlike Attributes and I needed to rely on the Savior to help me. As I fasted on Sunday, I felt spiritual strength come into me. I was able to strengthen those attributes of Christ as I prayed to my Heavenly Father to help me and He did! I know They live and love me! Rely on the Lord and He will help you always! His power from His Atonement will strengthen us over weakness. I promise you!

This week, me and my companion had a lesson with an old man who doesn't have many friends, besides a couple of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We usually start our lesson with a game of chess. He's so funny, haha. Chess and the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many analogies that go with it. Think of some on your own. Just remember that Christ is always the winner and He will crush Satan's head!

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Shockley

I love Elder Rustad (Week 97)

Aloha! I love Jesus! Elder Rustad is a great Elder as well, haha. He's an absolute stud and very Christlike! 

These past couple of weeks have been very awesome and exciting. I know Christ has the power from His Atonement to save all of us! Don't doubt it! He's there! Just repent. We've taught some awesome people in the past couple of weeks that really have caught hold on the Savior and His atoning power and Jesus has started to change their heart as they were humble. One man we taught, has some severe addictions with alcohol and smoking but yet as he put his faith in Christ, he started to change! He studied Christ's words in the Book of Mormon, attended Sacrament meeting and worshipped the Savior and prayed to his Heavenly Father and that's when changes started to occur! Do these 3 things and you will be strengthened by Jesus Christ every day! 

My aunt was also visiting in town so I got to talk with her and show her the Laie temple grounds. 

It's so peaceful and wonderful to connect with family when speaking about God! 

Ofa atu 

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Shockley 

Happy Birthday! (Week 94)

Malo e lelei everybody!

The past 2 weeks have been so cool! Particularly this last week. On Sunday, we were walking down the street to a member's home and we stopped and talked to some people and some girls told us that a guy driving a car was investigating. Many people here in Laie say that when someone is not living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. So we asked and he said he really was. He was on vacation visiting his girlfriend and we offered to teach him but we told him we totally understand if he doesn't want to while on vacation. They said they would set something up with us and they did! So, on Wednesday we had a lesson with 2 brothers and their girlfriends who have done an amazing job in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with their boyfriends. They've even watched general conference and have copies of the Book of Mormon that they've studied. They have the greatest desire to come to Christ and they told us during the 2 lessons we had with them that they want to be baptized. So we invited them to be baptized on June 16th! They said yes! We'll refer them to the local missionaries but it was definitely one of the coolest experiences of the mission! God lives, Jesus is the Christ and miracles exist!

Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Shockley 

Mosimosi (Week 92)

Last week we were able to have an amazing lesson with a less active dad and his 2 young daughters. He wants to come back to the Savior and His gospel & Church and he's making the efforts. One of his daughters hasn't been baptized and we invited her to be baptized and the Spirit was so strong! We then invited the dad to prepare himself to baptize his daughter and he said he would! I just felt the Savior’s love for them! It was so amazing! 

I'm learning more and more of our covenant relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, especially from the prophets, seers and revelators. Our covenants with Them are everything! The Savior's atoning power comes to us through our covenants with Him!

Love, Elder Shockley