His Vineyard

HELLO PEOPLE!

I didn't have the chance to send out a weekly email last week but I just wanted to start by giving a special shout out to my special mom. She is the bomb! I am so grateful every day to have a mother that pushed me to be independent and follow God because that makes all of the difference out here. I love you Jeni B Gochnour. Thanks for everything. 

Other than that A LOT has happened since the last time I emailed all of you so I don't even know where to start. The good news is that we are doing awesome and this is truly the Lord's work.

The big thing that happened last week was Elder Homer came and visited. It was amazing to be in the presence of a general authority and learn from him and his wonderful spirit. I had the chance to be interviewed by him and I asked him a question, and I will never forget how he responded. At the end of the interview I asked him, "How do you define success, Elder Homer" His response was simple, but profound, "Success is becoming the person that God intended you to be." He didn't expound, he didn't clarify, just simply left it at that. Success is becoming the person that God sent you here to be. 

I think that simple phrase describes my mission so well. You try so hard to be successful by teaching repentance and baptizing converts. As a missionary that is what we are called to do. Numbers represent those converts and are important in how we measure the success we have had in accomplishing our purpose. But all in all, success is becoming who God intended us to be. Over my mission I have learned that every person, area, situation is different. Sometimes you work so hard and have not much success. Sometimes you work not as hard and it seems that everyone wants to learn. But that success is temporal and will change with a new transfer, a new area, a new companion. 

Permanent success is heeding to the promptings of the spirit and becoming and doing the things that God asks of us. We are sent here for a purpose and sometimes we let grades, money, numbers and everything define us, and cloud that purpose with mists of discontent and confusion. Please remember that God is the one light of truth and he had a purpose for sending both me and you here. Find out what he intends you to be and then do it!

Anyway sorry for the rant. I have no time to email and then I just spend it all ranting over some random topic haha. The work in our area is doing pretty well. We had a disappointment thing week when our investigator named Sokona was unable to get baptized. We planned for him to have the chance to receive an ordinance of salvation this past Sunday, but when we taught him the law of tithing this week he was simply unable to accept. I was heartbroken. The hard thing is that I actually feel for him. He is an older man who has a wife, kids and grandkids that he has to provide for. If only he could truly understand in his heart the blessings that we receive from following the commandments. It was disappointing, but from that  disappointment I also learned of the love that I have for him and these people. I think that if I didn't really care about him it would have been easy to forget about it and just move on to a new investigator, and forget about this loving old man. But that is not what God wants us to do - he sent us to LOVE one another.

In terms of our area we have a family that lives across the river and we have to take a ferry over every week to teach them. They were able to come to church and we had an awesome lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love teaching them because it means so much to them and I think they can understand why it means so much to us! Other investigators are doing good, just keep on keeping on!

A funny experience of the past week or two: We planned to have a ward clean up activity at the church in order to get the front of our building looking nice and clean! The members worked really hard and made some amazing food and then as soon as we were getting ready to start cleaning up, it started drizzling! Well the clean-up was not happening with grey clouds above, and a tiny bit of rain. They just decided to stay inside and eat the food, and postpone the cleaning till next time! We should have more clean up activities like that back home.

Sorry that wasn't even that funny I think my perception of funny has just changed over the past few years so forgive me if my jokes are horrible. 

Anyway the moral of the email is that the gospel can change lives and Jesus is the Christ. What a joy it is to be a laborer in His vineyard. May I end with a quote from Elder Holland, out of the Come Follow Me book, (which I love and it is inspired and you all better be doing it) 

"My beloved brothers and sisters, what happened in this story at 9:00 or noon or 3:00 is swept up in the grandeur of the universally generous payment at the end of the day. The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of earlier hours—real or imagined—fall away in the abundance of the final reward. Don’t dwell on old issues or grievances—not toward yourself nor your neighbor nor even, I might add, toward this true and living Church. The majesty of your life, of your neighbor’s life, and of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be made manifest at the last day, even if such majesty is not always recognized by everyone in the early going. So don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at 9:00 in the morning when the grace of God is trying to reward you at 6:00 in the evening—whatever your labor arrangements have been through the day."

I love you all! Keep on laboring in the vineyard and remember the reward waiting for us at the end.

Elder Gochnour

JACK AND THE BEANSTOCK

I would like to sincerely apologize for not writing a weekly letter for the past two weeks. Things just get really busy and I will see you all in about 3 or so months anyway so I will just talk to you then.

Jokes jokes! Well there is no possible way I can update you on everything that has happened for the past three weeks but here are some highlights of this week!

The first big news is..... we are getting SMARTPHONES! Who would have thought that the Kingdom of Cambodia of all places would now be on the internet! I guess it makes sense because some people can't even afford a house over their head, but yet somehow they have a smartphone so I guess we better hop on the bandwagon! We had a two-hour face time conference with the missionary department and the phones will roll out in June for our whole mission! The good news is we get to be the ones that test the phones so we will be getting smartphones this week! I guess that means catch me on Facebook lol.

Other than that I was able to go on an exchange with Elder Bailey and Elder Cope the last two weeks. I think one of the biggest lessons I have learned on my mission is how cool everyone actually is if you just get to know them! Literally, this world is just filled with cool amazing people and we can learn so much from them if we just take the time to get to know them.

The work here is going awesome! I love our branch so much. Over the past couple of years, it has been struggling, but the small band of members (especially the relief society) are some of the strongest I have ever seen in my life. I could write an individual email about how faithful every single one is, and they are so willing to serve and help. I love Cambodia. We set a goal to try to get 70 people to a sacrament meeting this transfer and we got 65 yesterday which was a miracle! 

The work is rolling forward! The title of this email is in reference to how we proselyte every day! Our area is just full of huge tall apartment buildings that are so run down. Picture walking down a hall in one of those haunted houses that have like a run down bus station room or like an insane asylum room and that is kinda what all of the buildings look like and we just climb endless amounts of stairs, but then rather than having creepy dressed up characters there are just God's children waiting for us! Fun stuff. Not sure I painted that picture very well?

To end I would just like to share something that we come across every day as a missionary in this country. Most people we talk to always give an excuse for not learning about Christ by saying "all religions are the same and they all teach us to do good deeds and to not sin"  

They believe that both Christianity and Buddhism just encourage us to do good deeds. However, what they don't understand is the fact that GOD lives and without following Jesus Christ we have no chance at salvation, or as the prophet said recently exaltation. How important is it to live with your loved ones again? How much does that mean to you? I wish it meant more to these people sometimes. But for me it means everything. I love my family and I love the chance, that because of Jesus Christ, WE CAN BE EXALTED! Sure all religions are good, but only one religion paves the path to heaven. 

President Nelson said it best, "They need to understand that while there is a place for them hereafter—with wonderful men and women who also chose not to make covenants with God—that is not the place where families will be reunited and be given the privilege to live and progress forever. That is not the kingdom where they will experience the fulness of joy—of never-ending progression and happiness.  Those consummate blessings can come only by living in an exalted celestial realm with God, our Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and our wonderful, worthy, and qualified family members."

I love you all! Thanks for your love and support. Joy in the journey

Elder Gochnour

Bye Jockland

After four months of witnessing miracles in the beautiful province of Siem Reap, I will be leaving. I once heard someone say that the mission is just 2 years of goodbyes, and after so many bitter sweet separations from those I love so much, I can see where they are coming from. I will be going to Chatomok which is in the dead center of the city of Phnom Penh so it should be a big change! (From the forests of Siem Reap to the concrete jungle (in a sense...) of Phnom Penh) The best part about it is that I am getting the most handsome companion in the mission, Elder Enloe! I am very excited. 

I have SOOOOO much to say, but no time, so I want to just end today, by sharing something short that really stuck out to me this week: THE HOPE WE HAVE THROUGH THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST. See true to the faith: The word hope is sometimes misunderstood. In our everyday language, the word often has a hint of uncertainty. For example, we may say that we hope for a change in the weather or a visit from a friend. In the language of the gospel, however, the word hope is sure, unwavering, and active. I love the scripture in 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, A LIVELY HOPE! We know that because of His Resurrection we can all have a lively hope that we too will be resurrected, and we too will be able to dwell in His eternal mansions above. Take a second to reflect about His perfect eternal sacrifice and His victorious resurrection from the grave!

I will write a better email next week, but all is well! Joy in the journey. I love you all

Elder Gochnour

FLOOD

So much stuff happened this week and I am sorry, but there is no way that I will even be able to write a portion of what happened. I feel kinda like the scripture in 3rd Nephi 26:6 "And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;" Replace people with Elder Gochnour and that pretty much describes my mission.

One thing that should be mentioned though was the FLOOD! We got a call at 9pm on Saturday (our bed time is 9:30pm) telling us that the church had been flooded! Someone had turned on the  emergency hose and left it on in the gym.... The water flooded the whole gym and the whole sacrament room. We got permission from President to go help and it was a mad house haha. Members were using plates, dust pans, wood planks and everything in between just to get the water out of the room. I decided to take more of the primary kid approach and just turn it into a water slide while I tried to take the water out with me! Fun times. The closest I have been to swimming in a good year and a half. The water might have ruined the carpet, but I think all the members had a good attitude about it and those are the things that you just have to smile and enjoy the moment! We got all the water out and made it to bed at 11pm. The next day sacrament meeting was held and the leaders sat on the stand while everyone else sat on the pews in the gym haha. It was a long walk over the wet floor from the pews in the gym to the pulpit, so shout out to all those that bore their testimony.

Other than that the work is moving forward! We are currently teaching the son of one of our recent converts and her husband and they are both doing awesome. The little kid always kisses his hand then slaps me on the face haha.  We have a lot of other cool people are progressing, but my favorite part is that all of them are just friends or family of members and it makes the work so much more enjoyable. 

Well no need to bore you all with the other little this and thats of missionary life, but to keep this email short I just want to say that I love God with all of my heart and I am so grateful for His perfect Son, Jesus Christ. My favorite thing I read this week was in 2 Nephi 4. Nephi who was one of the better men to ever walk this Earth, and a prophet of God says, 

19 "And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep

26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

Like Nephi, I can say that even though I am SO far from perfect and the natural man is so easy to get a hold of me, I KNOW IN WHOM I HAVE TRUSTED! He will deliver us!

I haven't watched General Conference so sorry that I can't bear my testimony about how much it means to me yet, however I will say this. Everyone was worried about the NEW, BIG CHANGE, that was going to happen this General Conference. From what I have read so far I think that the message that our beloved prophet wants us to understand is this: it doesn't matter what the new big change in the organization of the church. What does matter however is how we are CHANGING our own hearts to better follow HIM!

Some food for thought as we reread and study the talks. I love you all!

Elder Gochnour

The Chains are Unleashed

Hello everyone!

Let's cut to the chase and skip my sad excuses for jokes: 

We were able to be a part of some baptisms this week which is always an amazing experience. Quick explanation of those that were baptized: Srey Nong and her brother Nathan are children of a part member family. Their mother was just baptized recently and the kids loved going to church with her and had a chance to get baptized! 

Heab is the daughter-in-law of a member and we had the chance to teach and baptize her son two transfers ago. By a miracle she was able to get her marriage certificate and her little cute family is my favorite. 

Sokhun is our golden investigator that I have talked about recently and she is one of the most prepared people I have ever met in my mission. It is amazing to see how far she has come from about 2 months ago when we first talked to her on the side of a dirt road, and see the hope and joy she has in this gospel. Whenever she had doubts or questions or was hesitant she always would say, "I always had a feeling of warmth inside, and that's how I know it is true." 

And then lastly was this younger girl named Kimleang who is the niece of a really strong member. Her mom was hesitant about her joining the church, but because God is a God of miracles he was able to soften her mother's heart and allow her to get baptized. 

It was an amazing day and maybe one of the most spirit filled days of my life. 'These are days never to be forgotten.' I think my favorite part about the whole thing was that it wasn't just about us and the investigators, every one of the investigators had a direct relation to a member except one, Sokhun, and for her, she had the best member relations out of any investigator I have ever worked with. It felt like the baptism service was just a big happy party. Just like one big family of members welcoming in those they love and care about so much. Welcoming the lost sheep into their fold of the meek and loving members. I think one of my favorite moments of the day was when Heab got up to bear her testimony she started crying a lot. She is a very humble, and reserved person, not to mention that crying publicly isn't much of a cultural thing here. It was so touching how much this gospel means to her and to her little family. Our other investigator Sokhun got up and hugged her, and it was one of those moments where everyone in the room just kinda says, "aww"

I apologize because that paragraph does such a poor job of expressing how amazing it was to be apart of all of that, and it does a poor job of expressing how much I love this work. I can testify with all my heart that I do love this work with and I know that it is the work of the Lord. I know that it is all because of God that amazing things like this happen. I was studying a little bit about the mercy of God recently and I came across something that stuck with me. It comes from the True to the Faith book, "Every blessing you receive is an act of mercy, more than you could ever merit on your own.

Mormon taught, “All things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them” (Moroni 7:24). 

For example, you are a recipient of divine mercy when Heavenly Father hears and answers your prayers, when you receive guidance from the Holy Ghost, and when you are healed from sickness through priesthood power. Although all such blessings come as results of your obedience, you could never receive them through your efforts alone. They are merciful gifts from a loving and compassionate Father"

I am so grateful for the Mercy of our loving Heavenly Father, especially that He was merciful enough to put me here in this country and to be serving these people. They mean so much to me. I am so grateful that He was merciful enough to allow us to be apart of this week. May we all be a little bit more grateful for the mercy of God.

I love you all!

Elder Gochnour

People Matter

This week we had zone conference in Battambang and it was probably the last time that I will ever be able to go there until I end my mission and come back to visit. The sweetest part about all of it was the fact that I was able to do an exchange in my old area that I once spend so much time and so many long days sharing the gospel. I learned from this gifted day the importance of relationships in this life. YOU DON"T TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE FROM THIS LIFE. The only things that we get to take are the memories we have and the relationships that we make. 

Biking around Battambang and meeting again with some of the amazing people who had the courage to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints was something that I will never forget. There is no sweeter feeling then seeing someone that you haven't met for so long and then coming back in contact with them, with a warm embrace. Those are the moments that you cherish forever. I could write a novel about every single one of those special people\ children of God, but I will have to save the stories for later. 

Another thing that was so cool and amazing to see after being away for so long was the effect that the gospel has had in those people's lives. Sometimes we can't see in when we are with them in the moment, but after a year and a half I can tangibly see the difference from those that have been faithful in this gospel and those that have lost their way for whatever reason. What an amazing testimony builder to know that the gospel ACTUALLY works and ACTUALLY changes peoples lives. 

Anyway other than that it was just another amazing week in the kingdom of paradise. It is SO HOT and we still ride out bikes SO FAR every day, but we are loving it. I have lost a few pounds so it is all for the better. Our investigators are doing awesome and we are hoping to have some baptisms this week, but Satan always tries his hardest at the times that are most important, so keep them in your prayers! 

That is all I have for this week. I invite all of you to read the talk Oh Be Genuine by Elder Uchtdorf or the talk Lift where you Stand.  They are both amazing. 

My favorite scripture I read this week and one thing that we are trying to focus on in our mission is in 4 Nephi 17:17 "There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God."

We are all one in Jesus Christ! We are all trying our best to follow Him. So may we look around us and help our brothers and sisters in this path to eternal life. I love you all! I am so grateful for this gospel and I know that it can change lives. I love my savior Jesus Christ and I have a testimony of Him and His perfect life.

Love,

Elder Gochnour

PS

here are some other highlights of the week that my comp wrote about that I didn't have time to so shoutout to Elder Richardson for helping me out:

"apparently now here in Cambodia, all around the country they're out of electricity idk how that is a thing but apparently it is so they're doing rolling blackouts hahaha  - Every day they'll shut the power off from the morning till the afternoon except a couple nights ago it shut off for a few hours at night and I just woke up sweating NOT FUN !  I guess it's from a lack of rain??   This whole country runs on hydroelectric stuff but we got a lil rain so hopefully that clears up ??   

Our mission president and wife and a senior couple were coming back to Siem Reap from the zone conference to do district conference with the two branches up here in Siem Reap and we got to drive with them and also meet Elder Subiantoro from Indosesia who's a new Area 70 and he's way dope. 

Sister Lewis our mission president's wife had a dream of seeing some waterfalls so drove to see waterfalls this morning!! They were about an hour and a half away from the city  - I've seen some waterfalls in my life but this one was definitely the prettiest."  

Death and Hope

Honestly, after a year and a half of putting in the good fight to send a weekly email every week, my desires to continue are quickly fading. It seems like I just learn so much every day, and especially every week, that I feel sometimes it might be pointless to even try to share the experiences that I had this week. But thank you for reading!

Anyway, a theme that was very prevalent this week was death. Haha, now I know that, that doesn't sound like the happiest thing, but let me give you some stories to why I wish to write about that today. On Monday night, a beloved member of the church's grandmother passed away. We wanted to support her and we decided that we would attend the funeral, to show that we care about them. We attended the funeral (very different from the US of A) and it was difficult to describe and put into words the experience of attending a funeral. They make food and all of the family gets together for a couple of days. One thing that I thought was really amazing to me was the fact that even though this families grandmother had passed away, they were doing everything they could to serve the Elders and make us feel welcomed and get us food, etc. I realized how Christlike these people are. Even when they are going through trials they take time to look around and serve those around them. 

After eating they invited us to the Hai Sop (literally no idea how to spell that in english) which is when they do a march in all white and pull the casket all the way to the pagoda where they burn the body. We figured because they invited us, we had better attend. Because only part of the family is Christian they did a traditional Buddhist funeral and burned the body. It was quite the experience, marching under the burning hot sun, and then arriving at the pagoda watching the monks bless the body and then place the casket into the designated place where they started the fire and closed the door. An experience that I will never forget. I was grateful to be a part of it and embrace a little more of the Khmer culture. 

During one of our lessons this week, the our investigator that I talked about before shared something that really stuck with me. She said that before, when she believed in Buddhism, she feared death. In this culture you have to pay a lot of money for funerals and pay a lot of money for all of the traditional Buddhist things that are necessary for the spirit to enter into Paradise. She was worried that if she died that her family wouldn't have enough money to pay for all of that, and  she had so many questions about what would happen when she died. She said that now because she believes in Christianity she doesn't fear death anymore. Because she believes in Jesus Christ she knows that it will all work out. She has clear understand about where she is going and why we all need to die. How hopeful this message is. I love sharing this gospel with these people and helping them understand that because of Jesus Christ death and the grave have no victory. 

This morning I read in 1 Corinthians 15:

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the knowledge that although death is heartbreaking, it is one small step in our eternal progression toward ultimate happiness. 

Also I came up with a play on words that I really like:

Helping

Others

Prepare

Eternally

Funny story:

Yesterday at the end of Sunday School we sang Angels We Have Heard on High haha and the foreigners visiting where like, "don't they know that this is a Christmas hymn?" I simply responded, "Welcome to Cambodia."

P.S. My motto for the transfer is "Put your shoulder to the everything!!" The wheel isn't enough. We must put our shoulder to everything

Love you all!

Elder Gochnour

Come, Come Ye Saints

Hello family, friends and anyone else who is crazy enough to still be reading this,

This week was actually pretty wild. Before I start with my week though, I just got done reading all of the other missionaries around the worlds emails, and I had a few thoughts. 

• First this is an amazing and glorious work and I am so grateful to be apart of it.

• Secondly at times it probably feels like I have portrayed my mission as a happy, perfect experience full of only sunshine. I would like to say that every week there is some rain, and that sometimes things might not be as ideal as we all make them seem haha. But I think the reason I always end up talking about the good parts is because this is a gospel of hope. In life I think the world tries to get down on us, and make it seem like we are just another someone trying to make it, but on the mission I think you really feel the power that you have as sons and daughters of God to change lives. Anyway, just know that although the mission isn't perfect, it is the most rewarding thing.

Anyway, my emails have been kinda long so I will try to keep it shorter:

We have some great stuff going in our area right now! If I took time to type out every miracle that I have seen this week you guys would be reading an encyclopedia. 

Here are some fun stories that will be enough to give you a taste of life here in the Kingdom

• We are currently teaching a GOLDEN investigator and her family. It has been really cool because my companion and I just met her walking on the road about four weeks ago. At first she said that her husband had no interest, so we had to give her over to the sisters. Well long story short the sisters have been taken out of our area, and it has been a miracle to have the chance to teach her again! She went to church with her husband and two kids and they loved it. I can't say all the amazing things that have happened, but I think the coolest thing was that when she recounted the experience of first meeting us that day on the red dirt road, she said the following, "I have met with many other missionaries and always invite them to sit down and talk with me. But when I talk to them, I don't feel any warmth. When I first met you guys I didn't know what it was but I just felt warmth inside of me. It wasn't anything strong, but it was just enough to notice it." That is the spirit if you ask me. Anyway they are on track for baptism and please keep them in your prayers. 

• This week there was a lady in our ward who we asked to help us take one of our investigators to church. She has a disabled leg and so she sometimes is scared driving her tuk-tuk on roads that don't have a lot of people because she doesn't want to be killed (these are her words not mine). However she told us that she would do it anyway because she has faith in God and she will die for Him! I told her that reminded me of the hymn Come, Come, Ye Saints (go give it a read) and then she proceeded to sing the whole entire first verse over the phone!!!! Not even joking. We were totally down so we started joining in and singing! At the end of the first verse we belted the words "All is Well! All is Well!" Thinking that it would be over. She then proceeded to sing the whole second verse hahahahaha. At the end of the call she ended the whole phone call in the name of Jesus Christ. Sorry mom, but that was the best phone call I have had on my mission. I love this country, these people and their courageous faith. 

• Last P-Day we ate pig head for lunch. It definitely did not taste good, but it was a good experience. I ate every part of the head and I will say that the meat around the cheek bone was the tastiest. The tongue and the ear tied for last place. 

We were supposed to have a baptism this week, but our investigator does not have a marriage certificate, but should be getting it this week!

Anyway lots more stories, but not enough time.

So many spiritual thoughts to share, but for this week I just want to take it back to the basics, the 

gospel through the Book of Mormon in Alma 41:

5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.

6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. 

7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

 I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the knowledge that it gives us about His plan and His Atonement and I am so grateful for the chance that God has given us to CHOOSE where we want to end up. If we desire to go to Heaven we can! We just have to desire then DO! 

Please read chapter 41 in Alma in the Book of Mormon and keep in mind your own desires in life! What are you willing to sacrifice to follow Him? Is your desire for the here and now, more dominating than your desire for salvation in the future?

I love you all!

Elder Gochnour