Get the bread (Week 15)

Well this past week has been a good one for sure! Last Monday we picked up our new companion from the mission office in Irvine. His name is Elder Francom and he is from Lacey, Washington! He is super awesome and has come ready to work, which is always good haha. 

Last Monday we went shopping at Wal-Mart and this guy named Bob started talking to us and asked if we could meet up later in the week. We found out that he lives outside of our area but he insisted that we meet anyway, somewhere in our area; some of you can already see where this is going . So we decided to meet with him at a park on Thursday. When we got there he told us how awesome he thought we were and he gave us these pictures of Jesus that he drew,  which are actually really good haha! Then towards the end we were like, "Well Bob we've got to get going." And then he was like okay but first I have something for you. Then he pulled out all this anti literature and was telling us how God is only 1 person, which is actually really confusing and doesn't make sense at all haha, and told us all these things and basically it was almost a Bible bash but going into it I told my companions that we shouldn't cause any contention. So afterwards we just shared 3 Nephi 11:11 and invited him to read the Book of Mormon. He told us that we would make good Christians, and we were like brotha we are Christians, haha. Then he gave us all his anti stuff and a packet of papers on scriptures in the Bible that are contradicting, but that's why we have JST. 

Anyway that was fun.

Hayden, Elder Francom and Elder Lundgreen with The Potters. The Potters actually lived in our ward years ago and were Hayden's Primary Teachers. Small world!

Later that day we had a self referral who wanted us to pray for her. We went to her home and she asked us if we were Jehovah witnesses, haha, and we told her no but that we belong to the church of Jesus Christ.  Later in the conversation she was like, "Are you Mormons?" We told her that is a nickname that we get, haha, and then for some reason she didn't think Mormons celebrate Christmas . That was pretty funny but then we taught her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Spirit is truly the teacher because it was a little awkward teaching in a trio with a greenie. We went back on Saturday with a member and taught her lesson 1 again but we planned it out better. She is very spiritual and was telling us for like 15 minutes how the scriptures and the prophets are like how God does coding for us and I don't even know but it was weird. Anyway, her name is Christina and she is super interested! We are meeting with her again this week so please pray for Christina!

I read in Alma 5 this week. That chapter is amazing! The first line in verse 7 says  "Behold, he changed their hearts..." Jesus Christ has the power to change each and every one of us for the better if we let Him. He wants us to follow Him and His gospel is for ALL of us! I invite you all to read Alma 5 this week and ask Heavenly Father what you need to change in your life :)

I love you all!

Elder Shockley 

TEMPLE! (Week 14)

This week was pretty good, haha. We are still doing a lot of getting to know the ward and building ward trust. Since Escondido is in San Diego County, they haven't started in person church yet, but are starting to this upcoming Sunday. And as missionaries we will be able to go every week because we are spreading the Good word! Haha

We are consistently teaching two people right now, Jerry and also Patty. They are both older people but are both progressing! Jerry knows the Bible super well which is awesome because we are able to show him how well the Bible and the Book of Mormon compliment each other. Everyone please pray for Jerry and Patty!

One cool thing that happened this past week was that we were going to our Elders Quorum President's home for a lesson, but God had other plans haha. We got off the exit and saw this guy in his car stopped in the middle of the road. His car was smoking and honestly it kind of looked like he was dead. It was also like 8 pm so it was dark. We drove past him for a bit and then Elder Lundgreen was like, we should go back, so we did. We went back and asked if he needed help. He did so we offered to push his car around the corner. We pushed his car into a church parking lot, haha, and then called a member from our ward who is a car mechanic. Well we got a return appointment for this Wednesday so that's hype. God truly provides opportunities for us; we just need to listen to the Spirit and act.

The best thing about the week, and so far my mission (who are we kidding, even my life!!) was on Thursday when I got to go through the San Diego Temple with my Mom and Dad!!! Oh it was truly amazing! My Mission President and his wife drove me and 4 other missionaries down to the Temple and oh my, the San Diego temple is so beautiful! I love the temple and it was such a boost for me to go to the Temple when I did. I feel so spiritually renewed and so lifted! I have truly received so much help and strength from my Savior Jesus Christ! He has delivered and strengthened me. I am also receiving so much help from the other side of the veil!

I invite you all to read or listen to Elder Rasband's talk "Recommended to the Lord"

Elder Shockley 

Escondido (Week 13)

Well I got transferred last week, haha. I am now in Escondido! Escondido is about 30 miles northeast of San Diego and to be honest this place is a little rough, haha. It's kind of like if the ghetto part of Salt Lake and Price, Utah had a baby. It's weird, haha. Me and my new companion, Elder Lundgreen, are white washing into the area. There were sisters before us and we are both new to the area, so we have a lot of figuring out to do. Elder Lundgreen is from Kamas, Utah. He played football and basketball at South Summit so we played against each other a few times, haha, small world. He is such an awesome companion!

The week was pretty interesting. The people in the ward are a lot different than what I'm used too, haha, but it's all good. The first night we went to this really old house and talked to this really old lady. Her son has some stuff going on and still lives with her. She just needed someone to talk to, haha. There are these trailer homes behind our apartments and the sisters before us were teaching a lady there. Her name is Patty. She doesn't have much and we are about the only interaction she gets during the week. It's kind of sad but she is making progress. We are also teaching this older guy who knows a lot about the Bible. Our ward mission leader is helping us teach him and the lesson we had with him was awesome! We are doing a lot of figuring stuff out right now. 

We watched General Conference on Saturday at this member's home. General Conference was amazing!  We watched the Sunday sessions at our Bishop's home. I always love how much peace in Jesus Christ there is. Everything good comes from Him. So much hope, peace, love, and guidance were given. There were so many messages that were truly amazing an truly meant for me and I know for all of you! I can't want to go back and read and listen to all of it. One thing that Elder Holland said was that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to everything in life. I have found that to be so true, especially as I am learning more about it everyday, and learning more about Jesus Christ everyday. I love you all!

Keep pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ y'all. I invite all of you to go back and listen or read the talks when they become available and see how you can apply them in your own lives. There is a lot of adversity right now and there will surely be more, but as Elder Uchtdorf said, "With Christ at the Helm things will not only be alright, they will be unimaginable."

I love you all! 

Elder Shockley

P.S I'll take more pictures next week, haha.