3 Months (Week 14)

Well time flies away... but yeah so I've hit 3 months as a missionary and that's totally nuts. Solid week out here in Hawaii.

Last Monday night we got the news that Elder Bednar will be coming and speaking to our Mission on November 14th and that all missionaries will be flying to Oahu and going to Laie to see him! It is some of the best news I've heard in my life! In preparation for him coming, he has asked that we study 4 of his talks and in the first one he talks about Faith and here's a quote from his talk:    

"Three basic elements of faith: (1)(Hebrews 11:1) faith as the assurance of things hoped for which are true, (2)(Alma 32:21) faith as the evidence of things not seen, and (3)(Lectures on Faith) faith as the principle of action in all intelligent beings.

I describe these three components of faith in the Savior as simultaneously facing the future, looking to the past, and initiating action in the present."

He goes on to say "Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process." Our Faith in Jesus Christ goes in the cycle and as we continue this cycle our Faith in Jesus Christ, our testimonies, and our foundation of Jesus Christ grows stronger! Start with faith, choose faith!

On p-day we went fishing and I caught my first fish from the Ocean! It was small and I don't even know what it's called but it was so sick and the feeling of reelin' one in is a feeling that I've missed, haha. On Tuesday, I got some packages and getting packages on the mission is an extra boost of happiness and excitement and it just feels good lol. Brynlee sent me some built bars so I'm practically set for whatever comes at me . 

We've been teaching this teenager, Jocinto, and he'll be getting baptized this Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. Funny thing is, our Branch is getting turned into a Ward this Sunday so I'm not sure how it will work but potentially he could get baptized in a Branch and Confirmed in a Ward, haha. But everything else aside, he has a strong desire to follow Jesus Christ, and he follows and keeps all of the commandments that we've taught him.

Funny moment, on Sunday we invited Jocinto to a Stake Fireside and he came. When the Stake President got up to speak, he said a joke at the beginning and Jocinto laughed really loud and he didn't realize how loud it was, so he didn't think anything of it but the Stake President even looked over and it was pretty funny, haha. 

Love you all! Read The Book of Mormon everyday and you'll never go astray. Also follow the Prophet because he knows the way.

-Elder Alec Shockley

Have Faith (Week 13)

Hola mujers y hombres, Bebo agua! I've been grinding that Spanish on Duolingo if you know what I mean, haha. 

 

Yesterday on Sunday I was studying Faith in Jesus Christ and this is one of the first things we teach to people, is that they need to have faith in Jesus Christ that what we are teaching them is true. And I've been thinking a lot about how I'm going to grow and turn into a better person while I'm on the mission, just as I've seen my brothers grow, but I realized that just as I have taught others about having faith I realized that's exactly where I have to start as well. So I started having faith in Jesus Christ that through the power of His Atonement I will grow and will be a better person. I think about the future and how I will have changed. I'm not sure what that looks like but I'm believing in something that I can't see and by doing the small things each day, and becoming 1% better everyday, I will grow and change into a better person . It's amazing what our faith in Jesus Christ can do. Believe in and be positive that something will happen and your whole life will be magnified and changed for the better! Start with faith! 

1 Nephi 7:12 says "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him."

Outdoor oven

This week was pretty solid. We taught good lessons and found lots of new friends to teach and people who were interested in talking to us. We've been teaching this teenager, Jocinto, who is 17 and he's so awesome, innocent and funny, and after we studied the Book of Mormon together, I asked him if he would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by proper authority, and he said yes! So we now have him on date for October 30th but we might be moving it to this Saturday the 23rd! 

On Wednesday we decided to contact all of the unbaptized children in the ward and we went to the first home and this child's name is Xaviar. He wasn't home at first but his uncle was home so we talked with him and he was very happy that we had came over because he needed the interaction and he doesn't get to talk about the gospel that much with anyone. After about an hour of talking, Xaviar and his siblings and their mom showed up and we just started teaching him and his sibling joined the lesson too. Xaviar is a golden child and he knows so much already. He hasn't been baptized because of his father who lives in Texas but not for long because we invited him to be baptized so now he'll baptized on November 13th! 

I went on exchanges with Elder Lee and we went down to his area and we met with this guy named Clifton who is on date for baptism, and he asked if we could give his girlfriend a blessing because she was pretty sick. So we did and afterwards me and Elder Lee talked about how cool it was and how we felt the spirit so strongly and how we both felt like we are becoming men as we give these priesthood blessings. The next day we came back and we asked how Clinton's girlfriend was doing and he said she was doing awesome and felt amazing and wasn't sick anymore; so it was awesome to see that as we gave a blessing the power of God was manifest and it healed this woman of her sickness.

I'm so honored and grateful to be a member of the restored Church of Jesus Christ and a bearer of the Melchizedek Priesthood! I'm so grateful to be part of the only church on the earth that has the Priesthood keys to lead and direct God's work!

Te quiero!

-Elder Alec Shockley 

Earthquake (Week 12)

This past week was awesome, and I felt my first 2 earthquakes ( <--- lol that didn't even make sense). We taught a lot this week and found some new friends to teach so it was enjoyable. On Tuesday we were teaching a members husband and their house just started shaking and I thought a big truck just drove by but it kept shaking for just like 7 more seconds and it was kinda sketch not gonna lie, lol, but the member was saying that her heart was racing (mine lowkey was as well) but we just kept on teaching so that was cool or interesting or I don't know it was an experience hah. On Sunday I was doing my personal study and once again, the earth just started quaking and our house shook for like 5 seconds but then it didn't stop and it just kept going and it went for like 15 seconds so that was a little sketchy than before and it was a 6.1 earthquake so it was definitely worse than the one on Tuesday.

My Mission President has had pure revelation that there are 3000 of the elect of God in the Hawaiian Islands who are ready to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ into their lives and we are taking massive action to find these elect of God. Miracles are taking place all around the mission and an earthquake of change and of the spirit is about to take place in the Hawaiian Islands as many of our fellow Brothers and Sisters enter the waters of Baptism and make their first covenant with God.

Don't let the earthquakes in life stop you and make you turn away from the gospel  of Jesus Christ. When the earthquakes come the ONLY place to seek shelter is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Remember that all negative thoughts come from the devil and the natural man comes from the devil as well, like laziness, selfishness, pride. But all good things and positive thoughts come from Christ Moroni 7:24 -"...and all things which are good cometh of Christ..." so make the decision now to turn to the gospel of Jesus Christ when life's next earthquake hits you, which consists of reading the scriptures, praying, seeking correction, attending church and going to the temple. I promise that you will see miracles and mighty changes of good in your life when you decide to choose God instead of giving up. 

Love all of you and have a great week!! Jesus is King! 

- Elder Alec Shockley 

Conferences and Meetings (Week 11)

This week was full of meetings and conferences. On Tuesday we had district and zone counsel, on Thursday we were in Kona all day for Island conference, Friday we had interviews with the mission president and had a training from his wife, and of course the crown jewel of it all was General Conference on Saturday and Sunday. It's always amazing to hear from the Prophet and the Apostles. 

This week was whacky fast. Something I loved was that President Nelson spoke so much about temples! And he stressed the temples so much, and what I got from that, is that the temple is the most important thing in our lives. Making and keeping temple covenants bind us with the Lord and being worthy of and obtaining a temple recommend makes us know that we have nothing to worry about and if we die then we can go recommended and worthy to the Lord and inherit the Kingdom of God.

Last week we met this older guy who we've been meeting with for a while, Uncle Timmy. A lil back story. Uncle Timmy has had a lot of physical pain in his life and he has some back problems and his muscles are very weak. He told us more about his life, and he's basically just had a pretty rough life. 

Chicken coop that Al and his comp helped a member make.

We asked what Uncle Timmy does for fun or what makes him happy and he told us he doesn't know what "fun" is anymore. This really hurt to hear and was very sad to hear, but we told Uncle Timmy that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ that his body will be resurrected to a perfect immortal state. We told him the great happiness and joy that he can find in living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and trust me I know first hand that when you aren't living the gospel of Jesus Christ and keeping the commandments you don't have lasting joy and you're missing something. It's not a good feeling and I've known that feeling. I always knew that the gospel of Jesus Christ was where I needed to turn to have the joy, peace and happiness that I was missing in my life. Once I made the switch I became happy. I now have joy in my life and I have peace in my life because I'm living the gospel of Jesus Christ and keeping the commandments and by doing this life is "fun" no matter what circumstance I'm in. 

Fun doesn't have to be something that we are going to do physically but there is also fun and joy that we find in growing spiritually by studying scriptures and growing a deeper understanding for them, serving faithfully and wholeheartedly in our callings, doing temple and family history work like indexing, finding ways to serve others in whatever situation that we may be in. Come unto Christ and reap the blessings that come from His Atonement, live His gospel. It's the BEST! and at the end of the day, that's the only thing that matters.

Ofa atu 

-Elder Alec Shockley 

Keto chocolate mousse pie. There is a family that Alec sees frequently and the wife is always making keto dishes.