Just Go Grind (Week 6)

This week I decided to just go in and grind. 

I've been trying to understand how I can grind here in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, because I feel like my older brother Jackson, who served in the Peru Lima East Mission, had just the absolute grind; walking 10 miles per day, learning a new language, living in a 3rd world country, and teaching so many people. But then I realized that he grinded not because he was doing all of those things and that's what made him grind, it was him submitting himself to the will of the Lord and doing what the Lord needed him to do and that is truly what made him grind in Peru.          

Fishing in the ocean on P-day

I realized that I can't compare Hawaii with Peru or with any other of the other missions out there. I just have to submit to the work and to do the will of the Lord and do what He needs me to do everyday here in Hawaii, and by doing this I will grind as well.       

This is so true for all of us to not compare ourselves to others and instead do the will of Lord. Every morning when you wake, you should pray and ask our Heavenly Father, "What is thy will for me today? Guide me so that I may accomplish it." As we focus on each day and do the will of the Lord and Love everyone no matter what, then we can grind in this life and have meaning in our lives which will spread joy and be contagious to others. Love you all! The grind doesn't stop until the great Jehovah says, "The work is done."

Elder Alec Shockley 

Amazing chicken that a member gave to me.

Stingray we found just chilling on the side of the road

First fresh coconut!

Herding the cows!

The BOOK (Week 5)

Time is so weird and it flies by. I don't understand it but this week was pretty interesting. At least we met a lot of interesting people. 

We talked to this lady that said that the covid vaccine has pieces of aborted babies in it, so that was pretty wild. 

On Saturday, we went and gave away a lot of extra food and drinks that we have, to homeless people. We visited with 3 of them. The most memorable was the first guy and his name is Francis. Francis prayed with us and thanked us for the food but said, "Where's the Real food? Where's the book (The Book of Mormon)?" This really hit me and shocked me because this man, who is at the lowest level in civil society and has pretty much nothing, wanted The Book much more than he wanted food. 

As a counselor in my MTC Branch Presidency says, "The Book of Mormon is bottomless" and this is true. It has so much and there are always going to be things that we can learn from it, and it really is food for our souls. 

As Nephi says in 2 Nephi 31:20, "Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."      

    

If there are some of you that haven't picked up a Book of Mormon in a while, I challenge you to start reading and start feasting upon the words of Christ and make a commitment to read it everyday with Real Intent, and you will be filled. Your soul will be fed. The Book of Mormon brings peace in our lives and power over the temptations of the devil. 

Love you all! Follow our King, Jesus Christ and feast upon his words!

-Elder Alec Shockley 

ALOHA!! (Week 4)

I made it to Hawaii! And wow it's so beautiful here! We flew straight to Honolulu and from there we met up with President and Sister Walker and the AP's.

We went to a super nice lookout spot where President Walker told us about the sacredness of the Islands, and about how Joseph F. Smith was one of the first missionaries to serve here. Right when he was thinking about giving up because the language was too hard and he couldn't communicate with anyone, that's when Jesus Christ appeared to him and talked to him face to face. He also told us that we are in the biggest mission in the world with like 315 or 350 missionaries. He also said that 70% of the members are inactive and that non-active members are the work that we have. 

After that we went to President and Sister Walker's house and ate dinner, then we opened up our "Christmas" letters which are like our second mission call telling us which zone on which Island we're going to and which companion we'll have. It was fun because we got to watch everyone open their letters. 

I have been called to the Hilo zone on the Big Island and my trainer/companion is Elder Bukateti. 

Elder Bukateti is from Kiribati and he is so fun and funny; his laugh kills me every time, plus his accent is kinda thick so he says things that are just so funny. 

That night we stayed with Elders from the Honolulu zone and the Elders I stayed with had a dirty apartment and were eating frozen food and it just grossed me out a little because it's just no way to live, and I will never live like that in my place. 

We had some training for 3 hours then we went to the airport and 6 of us flew to Hilo on the big island and the zone was there to pick us up.  We went to the church, got to know everyone and then we went shopping and back to our pad (our place we stay). 

The next day the real work began and it is the grind, the absolute grind and the most important work that I'll ever do in my entire life! Sharing my testimony is so awesome and it grows it so much. there is a quote that goes something like, "The only way to grow your testimony is to share it." Or something like that but it's very true and I encourage everyone reading this to share their testimony with someone. It doesn't matter who but just do it. Keep up the hard work and keep your faith in Jesus Christ! Love you all!

- Elder Alec Shockley 

"Amazing Fish Tacos"

Gone (Week 3)

My last week at the MTC was awesome! I learned so much and got a lot closer with my comp.

We had a devotional on Tuesday with Elder Sean Douglas of the Seventy and he was just teaching us straight fire! He taught us how we need to have the Doctrine of Christ written on our hearts and we need to let the Doctrine of Christ change us. He also said, "The Savior sent you; there are no coincidences when you're on His mission" and that's so true because whatever happens it's all meant to happen because I'm not on "my mission" I'm on His mission! 

Me and my comp had 2 teaching appointments (with actors)  here at the MTC. The first was difficult because the guy was agnostic and we barely taught him because he kept on asking questions about one thing and he's also a chemistry major so he talked about that stuff a lot and I think that science part of him is what made him ask all the questions. I was feeling kind of down after that because it felt teaching was going to take so long to get the hang of, which don't get me wrong it will take awhile, but it felt like it was going to take forever after trying to teach that guy. But I got to see my cousin Megan who works at the MTC and talking to her made me feel a lot better! 

Megan and Alec

Our next teaching appointment went so good and it made me feel like this is actually possible. 

"Best" chicken and waffles

On Friday we had a substitute teacher for our last class and we all decided to prank her and switch name tags. I got to be Elder Aggabao (which is a Philippino Elder) so it was so funny, and a sister was wearing my tag and the teacher even called her "Elder Shockley" at one point and was like "oh I don't know how I said that, I meant Sister Shockley" and all of us were just laughing.. buttt we ended up feeling guilty and decided to tell her. 

Moses Mural (Exodus 3:11)

Nephi Mural (1 Nephi 2:16)

I fly out to Hawai'i on Monday and we've got to leave the MTC by 5:50 am so that will be fun. Next time I email, I'll be emailing from Hawai'i! 

Joseph Smith Mural (Joseph Smith-History 1:28)

Faith in Jesus Christ gives us power to do ALL things! Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

   -Elder Alec Shockley

The MTC (Week 2)

First couple days here at the MTC were awesome. MTC in person is so much better and the schedule is pretty much filled so there isn't much free time to sit and be bored, haha. 

My district is great and I now understand all the enthusiasm and hype they had for each other over zoom. 

The food is definitely amazing not as good as my mom's and just right below my food but it's solid and we eat early at 7 and then lunch at 11:30 and then dinner at 4:30 and no sacks in-between. So, I'll eat a little more so I don't get hungry between meals. And YES the chocolate milk is so good here! 

Me and Elder Walker (my comp) got to teach a guy (an actor) who's agnostic and that was tough. The lesson didn't go anywhere and I'm not the great at teaching yet but that's ok. That's what the MTC is for, to get experience and of course I'll learn more as I study and as I get to the field and learn from my trainer. I love the grind; it's so fun. They have good workout equipment and there are some really good basketball players here at the MTC. Me and Elder Miller (from my district) play against some good Elders, and me and Elder Miller are good but these Elders are good and they have like 4+ inches on us but we have good games and good friendly competition. 

On Friday  in both classes we talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it was so awesome and we got so deep. On Saturday (today) we got to go to the Provo Temple. 

The temple is so cool and it was nice to sit in peace and not think about missionary stuff but also I did because being there reminded me of one of the reasons that I wanted to serve a mission: To give people the knowledge that will one day get them to the temple. The strength Jesus Christ and His Atonement gives us is REAL and so powerful and we would all be helpless without it. Love you all! Keep reading the Book of Mormon and praying to God and trusting in Jesus Christ.

     

-Elder Alec Shockley