LONG TIME NO SEE

I am sorry for the long time it's been since I sent an email.  I hope you know I think about you all and pray for you!! Coming back to BB has been an amazing experience!! I can't describe to you all the feelings I had and the joy I have felt at being back but they are real and they are good. 

It's been kinda weird winding down my mission and I have had a lot of things running through my head with thoughts and feelings. The other day I was riding my bike down the rode in the forests of Battambang, and I had an interesting thought. I was really concerned about if I had done my best and had a successful mission. Had I really worked my hardest? Had I really helped as many people as possible? Did I really give my all to the Lord?  And on and on.

I realized I was really focused on the past and what I HAD done. I think I had a little bit of a moment where God gave me a friendly nudge and told me "it doesn't matter what you have done before, all that matters is what you are doing right now." I should not be dwelling on all "the would have's" and "could have's", but I just need to focus on the things that I AM doing and WILL do to serve the Lord and help others come unto Him. Don't live in the past! Just do as much as you can right now to make the most out of these last couple of weeks. I'm grateful for God and nudges. 

As far as missionary work goes things are going pretty good! This week we were able to help some less actives make their way back to church. The first guy was a kid named Rithi who is a 17 year old that just need some friends and encouragement and the other guy also just needed someone to vent to. He is a little different but they both went to church and seemed happy to belong. It's been a good reminder that we ALL just kinda want someone to reach out to us and let us know we are loved, so why don't we just take them time to be those people who are doing the reaching out to and the listening and make this world a little bit of a better place. 

We have found a lot of new investigators, but the hard part is getting them to church. That seems to be a common problem in this country. I guess you cant blame a country of people who have never gone to church except to the local Wat (buddhist temple monastery thing) on holidays. One cool short miracle that happened: we are teaching this guy named Ra and he showed up to the church to learn in english class. We also asked him if he wanted to learn about the church and he said he was interested but the only problem is he didn't have a phone. Well we said "okay if you can we will meet you tomorrow at 5" and he said "yeah" as all unsure and unpromising 16 year olds do. The likelihood of him actually going to the church was about 1 in 1,937,493,840 because no one ever just does that. But HE CAME! And now he is progressing and has a date and always comes to church. So yes miracles do happen and I love the tender mercies in the mission. 

I have had some amazing personal studies lately and I wish I could share everything I have learned, but have no time. Here are a few short ideas:

I read in Jacob 5: 71 and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have had  to labor with the lord of the vineyard and for this last time that I get to go and see the fruit in His work. 

I read a talk yesterday by Elder Bednar which talks about having the faith not to be healed! He says it much better than I do so give it a read. It is called "That We Might “Not . . . Shrink” (D&C 19:18)" and it is a CES devotional. It was something that really helped me understand what true faith is.

Finally, I had the chance to attend my last zone conference and give my last testimony. Here is a quick quote "I don't know if any of you have heard this song which was one of my favorite songs in high school. I think the song is by Big Sean. It's called 'one man can change the world,' after serving here in Cambodia the song has kinda taken on a different meaning.

One man has changed the world . And his name is Jesus Christ. 

He changed the world for all of us and everyone in Cambodia too.  It's been amazing to be in a country so different from back home but yet so similar too. Similar because through Jesus Christ they can have the same hope that I have. They can receive the same strength that I have received. They can feel of the same love that I have felt. His gospel and especially His sacrifice has no bounds nor borders. It doesn't conform to countries or languages. It is universal. And because He sacrificed His life I have the privilege of helping these beautiful people realize that their lives can be saved. I will never fully be able to know what it is like to put on my sun hat and harvest rice. I will never be able to fully know what it feels like to work construction while only making $5 a day. I will never know what it is like to have your whole countries history scared by the past and to have your grandparents tell stories attempting to flee their own country to escape a genocide.  There are some things I cant ever feel that these people have felt, but luckily there is someone who can. He really did change the world forever. 

Well that's all I got this week

We found a guy gutting a snake to eat for dinner this week which was interesting. 

Love you all

Elder Gochnour

The Fairy-Tale Ending

Well, I guess every fairy-tale does have a happy ending. Except that this time it isn't a fairy-tale, it's real life and happy is an understatement. For those who don't understand what I am referencing: transfers happened this week and I will be going back to Battambang, the place where it all began. That is where I started my time in the mission field, only a short 1 year and 9 months ago. It will be my last transfer and I will be with a native Cambodian named Elder Se. He is a character and a hilarious guy, and I actually filled out his mission papers when I was serving in his ward a year ago, so lots of really cool connections. Almost like a coincidence? Or maybe just God having a perfect vision of everything that has ever happened and will happen and preparing the circumstances accordingly? One of those two....

Anyway needless to say I am very excited to get out into the province, put all other distractions away and not have to focus on anything else besides good old missionary work. With that being said I will miss my time here in Chatamok. I have had the two best companions a missionary could ask for and I will always be grateful for them. The branch made some large steps and even a few leaps over the course of the short 12 weeks here. Quick example: at the beginning of the transfer in ward council we pretty much just sat everyone down and said we HAVE to start ministering in this ward. The members need it.  Ministering here is pretty much just a group of members getting together as a squad and going to out to visit. They willingly started and we set a plan to go every other week.That way we would be consistent, avoid having to go visit people on fast Sunday, and not get too burnt out from going all the time. We have had some amazing experiences which I won't get into and a lot of LA (less actives) have started to make their way back. 

In light of that, this week was supposed to be our off week. 'Just take a break and enjoy fast Sunday', but a lady in our ward called me on Friday and said, "Elder! Who are we going to visit this week??" I was a little taken off guard and then responded something like "Oh it's not a big deal. We were just planning to go next week because this week is fast Sunday." then she firmly replied, "NO Elder, we NEED to go this week!" Well long story short we ended up going and it was great haha. That was so cool. She even showed me up and felt the need to go help out and strengthen other members. I really respect the members in this ward so much. That story is pretty much the best way to sum up how dedicated they are and willing to follow God even if this Gospel is so new to them and so different from their culture. We could all do a little more and follow their example in our own daily life. 

The investigators here are doing great and I could spend time talking about every one of them, but we will postpone story time for now, until I can just bore you all by talking your ear off at home. This week should be busy with transfers, but I will talk to you all next week. I am just lucky to be able to do this every single day. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Elder Tuft sent me an email that stuck out to me, "Keep up the good work, make every second count this last transfer. It will mean so much to you"

I have been reading through the Book of Mormon the last time before I end my mission and I am astonished by the things I learn every time I read it.

"It's not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path. The scriptures are called the words of life, and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after these words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance." 

Also, everyone do COME FOLLOW ME! It comes from God. 

I love you all!

Elder Gochnour

P.S. None of you have to read this, but this was sent from my sister, Grace a few months ago in my mission and it has been a theme for me as we all go through the storms of life. Give it a read if you would like. 

Elder Holland:
“May I just share one biblical account with you and have it count as my testimony today? We’re not on the Sea of Galilee—you can picture yourself there if you want—but it’s a lot less sunny where we are and the seats are a lot better.


This account is from the earliest hours of the ministry. Christ had been teaching to a large crowd, and when they were alone, and the crowd had backed away, He expounded all things to His disciples. He taught the big group for a while, and now He’s teaching those who would be the twelve. “And that same day, when then even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.”


The minute you say that line you know you’re reading from the gospel of Mark. Mark is the oldest of the gospels and the shortest and has more detail per sentence or per parable. It is only Mark who would say there are other little ships with the ship that Jesus was on.


“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow…” I don’t know whether you ever think of God or of Christ or of angels or of prophets or apostles getting tired. But they do. I can’t speak for the heavenly beings, but here’s a heavenly person in his mortal moments and He’s exhausted. Absolutely exhausted. If you’ve lived here long enough, you’ve seen the storms on the Sea of Galilee, and you know how vicious they can be. Literally and truly, this boat is taking water.


And who’s on the boat with Him? Who are the men who are afraid? The most seasoned fisherman on that sea! Peter, James, and John, and half a dozen others (half a dozen of the twelve were fisherman from Galilee). They’ve been on it since they were four. They fixed their father’s nets when they were six. They started running their own boats when they were eight, or nine, or ten. They’ve lived here, they’ve seen this. Nothing scares them, nothing bothers them, and they’re terrified.


This is a real storm. And Christ is asleep. I’m not sure how tired that is, but it’s tired.


I wonder if we might do more to relieve the burden of even heavenly beings. I testified in conference that I thought our new ministering effort was a way to help God our Father a little in helping answer prayers and dry tears and strengthen feeble knees. And maybe the Savior is just weary of drying tears and strengthening feeble knees, but He’s asleep in the hinder part of the ship on a pillow.


Again, a Markan distinction that he would note that He had a pillow. But I can’t help but be grateful that He did have a pillow. Who would have thought, in all of their taking, in all of their swarming, in all of their “Bless me! Bless me! Hear me! Dry my tears! Help me! Strengthen me! I’m the blind, I’m the deaf. I’m the lame”—which we would all do, and I’m sure I would do it and say it if I were there. But in all of that give me, give me, give me, someone had the sensitivity to give to Him a pillow for that trip across the northern part of the lake. And He looked so tired that He would need the benefit of a pillow. Undoubtedly, a sister was sensitive enough to give Him that.


Well they don’t know what to do but they’re terrified and the boat is taking water and going down. So, they wake Him and say “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” They must have argued amongst themselves about “dare we even nudge Him,” or “dare we even say anything,” but they knew “we’re in trouble here and the boat’s sinking.” And with or without the better part of wisdom they say, shaking a shoulder, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”


He arose. I’ve often wondered how He looked at them as He arose. I’m sure lovingly—He wouldn’t have done anything but lovingly and gently and sweetly. No one in my lifetime does that better than Russell M. Nelson. Never irritable or irritated. Never unkind. But He might have just looked at them without saying anything. Something that conveyed “Did you really need to wake me up for this?” But He doesn’t say it.


“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” But He’s not finished rebuking. He rebukes the elements of the earth, the sea, and the wind, all of which He created under the direction of the Father. He’s the master of all of that. He knows everything about the sea and everything about the wind. It’s a relatively easy business for Him to still the waves and calm the water. But He’s not through rebuking.


He turns to these disciples, particularly the core of the twelve, who have to get this. Those people on the seashore? Maybe they’ll get it, maybe they won’t. Those people on the mountain? Maybe they’ll get it, maybe they won’t. We certainly know that there were big crowds for a while and at the end there weren’t any crowds at all.

But this group, this little band, they have got to get it. He has to teach them. Whether the others quite absorb it or not, He has to teach and He teaches with some force here. Having rebuked the wind and the sea, He said unto His disciples. “Why are ye so fearful?’ How is it that ye have no faith?”


Is that fair? Is that fair? They had every right to be fearful! The boat was going down. These are fisherman. They wouldn’t have been frightened much along the way. It’s only in the end, in real jeopardy that they are afraid. Is it fair to say “Why are ye so fearful?” That you have no faith?” He might have said that you don’t have enough faith or that you don’t have as much as you should. Yet He says “have no faith.”


The next line is one of those little scriptural ironies. Then “they feared exceedingly.” He’s just asked them not to be afraid and they’re terrified but of Him. They’re not worried about the boat anymore. “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”


Do we remember that they are three months out of Judaism? Do we remember that they are six or eight or fifteen weeks out of knowing nothing of what would be the gospel of Jesus Christ that they would live and die for? Did they have any idea what was going to happen to them over the next 36 months or so? And that the Savior would leave and they’d be here to carry on with their own little shoulders, their own little weaknesses, their own little peccadillos and infirmities? I don’t think they knew any of that. I think they just knew they had a great new teacher that they loved and wanted to hear from, and now He’s telling them that they’re too fearful and don’t have enough faith. What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?


Well, I hurried over the first line of that story because I didn’t want you to dwell on it. I think the reason He says “why are ye so fearful” and “how is it that ye have no faith” is because they did not hear the first sentence I read to you. When He had finished with the big multitude and He is separating out the disciples to teach them, He said “Let us pass over to the other side.”


And I testify to you that if the living son of the living God says “Let’s pass over to the other side,” then we’re going to pass over to the other side. “Go in, take a nap, take a break, give me a pillow, we’re going to go to the other side!” That’s the part where He said “listen to every word I say. Pay attention to every lesson I teach. I’m not going to waste anything. I don’t have time to spare or energy to spare or mission to spare. We’re going to put you on a 36-month, rigorous, graduate education course and you’ve got to be ready. And when I say to you lovingly and gently “Let’s pass over to the other side,” don’t think the boat’s going down. I don’t care how much water is coming up. It doesn’t matter how big the waves are. We’re going to go to the other side.” And surely, the God in heaven who loves us all and loves this Son most of all is going to make certain that that boat did not go down.

That’s the faith they did not yet have. It isn’t so much that they didn’t have the faith, it’s that they didn’t think that way. They didn’t have that mindset. They weren’t aware of the company they were keeping. It’s understandable. I’m perfectly understanding of their fear and their fright. I’ve been there and still am. I’m trying to grow the way He wants them to grow.


But they just need to have a different way of looking at things. They need to have a different way of hearing things. They need to listen to every word that is uttered by the living God and His living and beloved son. They need to take their faith and offset their fear with those words and those promises and not be afraid that that plan and mission that was not yet complete would be interrupted by a little rough water on the Sea of Galilee.

I speak to all of us now, whatever our age and experience. You’re going to have some windy days and some high waves. We’re all going to have a boat that we’re a little insecure about—maybe not as fancy and not as expensive and not as new as the neighbors. We may be out on those high seas in a rickety craft and we may feel like we’re taking water. We may feel like we’re in real trouble.


Well, you’re not in real trouble—EVER—if you’re on board with the promised Son of God, the Redeemer and Savior of the world. You’ll never be in danger if you’ll sail with Him and ride with Him and listen to Him and believe in Him. And even if you are fearful, be mindful that He isn’t. There is going to be a safe arrival in a safe port and those winds are going to be stilled and those waves are going to be calm.


I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Father and the Son rule and reign over our lives. They know our hard days. They know our good days. They know when the wind blows.  They know when the waves are high. They know when there’s trouble in a marriage. They know when there’s trouble with a child. They know when there’s economic challenges. They know when an education is hard to get. They know all of that.


And they still utter the promises, the words and declarations these prophets say by which we can live our lives, honoring and sustaining every word. We must live by every word that preceedeth forth from the mouth of God. It is the only safe formula I know for time and eternity.


I testify that Jesus is the Son of God. A favorite title for me of late is Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. The start and the finish. He was there before we undertook all of this and He’ll be there when we get to the finish line. He’ll be with us to walk with us and talk with us and ride with us in a leaky boat all along the way. He is Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. The great I am. He is always with us, first, last, and always. And for that, I am eternally grateful. I declare His name and His divinity in this, His holy city. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

🇰🇭

My sincerest apologies to you very few and faithful readers of my attempt to give you a piece of Cambodia in these emails. It's been three weeks since I last emailed and a lot of miracles have occurred! Here are the updates. God be thanked for this time I have to serve here in Cambodia. 

• We had two baptisms two weeks ago! They were amazing and spirit filled. The funny thing was that both our investigators were supposed to get baptized at the same time before church on Sunday, but Vuth didn't show up until sacrament so we had a baptism before and after haha. A long day at the church! Sopheap was baptized before church and it was an amazing experience.

• Pu Tum Vuth is a very strong christian and has believed in christ for almost thirty years. Ever since we met him and taught him the restoration he continues to proclaim that this church just feels right and he believes in the Book of Mormon. The most solid foundation of testimony that we can have. He has had diabetes but after he was baptized and confirmed he has said that his health has gotten significantly better and he really loves God. Anything that happens in his life he always manages to say, អរគុណព្រះអង្គ which means thank you God! He is an optimist and has faith to move mountains. I can't wait for him to be a holder of the priesthood and strengthen our ward! He also spoke this week in sacrament and for lack of a better word it was flames!! He even talked about agency and shared from 2 Nephi 2. It was cool to see him already having a big influence in our ward. He is one of the many reasons why I feel that these are the best people in the world.

• Sopheap is a very meek and humble person. She was married and has a child, but her husband passed away. Ever since then she has been searching for some hope and some purpose and she found it when we explained the Plan of Salvation to her. Although she is super new to Christianity and believing in a living God, I can see that she can feel the truth of it in her heart. She has been welcomed by the amazing relief society in our ward and loves going to church. She also has already entered the Isaiah chapters in second Nephi! Champ!

Both of them continue to read the Book of Mormon and build their testimony on the truth found in its pages. I am grateful for the most powerful tool we have as missionaries, this special 

We had the chance to spend a few hours doing missionary work with an Area 70 from Thailand named Elder Khanakham. It was amazing! I loved to see a 68 year old guy more excited and more eager to preach the gospel than two 20 year old young men. He was excited! Whatever words left his mouth were full of power and pure love.

Recently, I just have realized how LUCKY we are coming from America and especially Utah, to be taught and to believe the gospel. Sometimes we are too lazy to even follow God when nothing is holding us back except ourselves. As of late it seems I have seen a lot of people not be able to learn because of parents, family, culture or their bosses not letting them. They want to believe but sometimes they just can't. Pretty sad stuff and makes you grateful for the easiness of the gospel back home. That being said, it has been amazing to see the faith of some of the people we are working with to stand strong and raise up their light even when darkness is all around them. That is true religion and true courage. 

I think over the past three weeks I have a million things that I could share spiritually with all of you about justice and mercy, the power of the Book of Mormon, the final events of the Saviors life and on and on and on. But I think even better than me sharing a scripture or quote is just telling you all that I know that God does live. Jesus Christ is His Son. And the Holy Ghost is the way to truth and light. I would just like to echo the humble words of 

Nephi 16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

It was crazy today to see the prison where 20,000 prisoners were kept during the Khmer Rogue. Those were some horrifying and heavy times in this countries history. The good news is this gospel is the means to light and hope and forgiveness. It has been amazing to share that light to these people that need it so much. 

Sadly this will probably be my last week in the heart of the city, but I am excited to see where the Lord wants me for the last 6 weeks! I can't wait to go forward with faith and leave my heart and soul on the field (the fields of Cambodia). I also am excited to make 1 Nephi 4: 6 the focus of my mission and my life because I love that scripture. 

Sorry I forgot to put any humor in this email. But today I ironed my shirt with the iron off and that probably will make someone laugh

Love you all

Elder Goc