Third Transfer in Phú Mỹ Hưng, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hello everyone!

So the last few weeks have been excellent. I am still with Anh Cả Vương in Phú Mỹ Hưng for the third transfer in a row. It’s been amazing. We have gotten super familiar with the area and have been able to help a few different people accept and follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At this point, there is no doubt in my mind that regardless of who, where, what, or when, life with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is better than life without it. 

Here are a few stories. When I first got to this area and met my comp, we both established that we really like basketball. So we started a basketball activity for the branch. The church buildings here are just rented out space in a bigger building so we are yet to have a classic, beautiful, hardwood church basketball court in Vietnam. But we will get there one day. Anyways, because of that, we just find a place to go play for the basketball activity. It’s usually just a park where we go and play pickup with a bunch of people already there. I have yet to see anyone nearly as tall as me and also yet to see anyone else who can dunk. But it’s super fun to play with these people. And my Vietnamese basketball vocabulary is getting better and better. Basketball, like the Spirit and music, is a universal language and I love it.

Yesterday we had a district conference. This is the equivalent of a stake conference but for a district. There were just over 200 members there. Since we don't have a church building big enough, we rented out a big hotel conference room downtown. Great talks were given by the leaders of the church in this amazing country. My mission president (President Hughes) is the priesthood leader for both the missionaries and the members in this country. He spoke about a temple in Vietnam. He helped all of us understand the importance of a temple in vietnam. He also helped us realize how much more needs to be done in order to have a temple. We are a ways away and it's a big mountain to climb. But we are going to work until we earn a house of the Lord. 

Temples are of incredible importance and worth. These people have all been promised eternal families if they follow the Gospel and they are looking forward to a temple. What a blessing it is to have the house of the Lord!

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

-Elder McConkie

PS. Hyrum’s mom here—he didn’t attach any photos with his email so I will put some on here that he has shared with me over the past few weeks. Teaching the people, working with his amazing companion elder Vuong and all the other missionaries, the food, and basketball are all things he loves so much. Also pictured are some interesting sights around his area, and the little yellow truck where the elders enter to get their $3 haircuts. Love to you all, Laurel 

Six Weeks in Vietnam - Phú Mỹ Hưng, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

I have lived in Vietnam for over 6 weeks now and it has been excellent. I will be staying another 6 weeks in the Phú M? Hung area with Elder Vuong, this is exactly what I wanted. This area is excellent and I am getting to know the branch better and better. My Vietnamese is not amazing by any means but I can sort of get through the get to know you conversations so I’m starting to get to know the members and friends.

I want to share a quick story from my week. We were at a park trying to find new people to teach recently and I started talking to a really nice man from China. He could speak English but not Vietnamese, that works for me. Anyways, while I was talking to him, about 5 old vietnamese ladies on a late night walk in the park interrupt my conversation with this man I was talking to. I was then trapped as each of the ladies wanted an individual picture with me, and then 2 group photos. The kept yelling ‘cao quá!' And 'd?p trai!' (really tall and handsome). They thought I was the coolest thing ever, and then a few other people in the park started realizing that I was taking pictures and they started coming. I had about 10 pictures taken with me in about 3 minutes. It was hilarious and those old ladies are the best. I’ll send a picture below.

This week we have had a big emphasis on goals as a mission. We have been studying why goals are important to progress spiritually and how to set and plan for goals. A good set of goals mixed with desire and discipline will help everyone focus on their purpose in a more consistent and effective way. Goals are an important part of the gospel. Whether the goal is to make and keep covenants, or enter the Celestial kingdom, all our goals should be pointed toward strengthening our relationships with those we love most. Our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and our families. Set some big goals this week that will build good habits!

Ok, I don’t think I’ve shared about English Club yet but it’s awesome. we had 38 people come to English Club this week. People here desperately want to learn! Regardless of if they accept the gospel, it’s a good way to let the people here know that we want to help in any way that we can.

I hope you all are doing well, I am loving it here in Vietnam, this will never get old!

-Elder McConkie

Two Weeks in Vietnam - Phú Mỹ Hưng, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hello everyone! I've now been in south Vietnam for just over 2 weeks and there is a lot to say. Here it goes:

We had zone conference and interviews this week. At zone conference, we heard a lot of great trainings about our missionary purpose and how that will bring us more unity with each other and Christ. It was definitely the smallest zone conference I've been to. There were about 29 missionaries there and that is most of the mission. It was so great!

The people in vietnam are so ready to hear the gospel! Their humility and willingness to improve their lives is inspiring. When we promise that the gospel blesses individuals and families, these people want to learn.

We had dinner with a family yesterday and it was an incredible experience! We sat on the floor in the home of a family that was a bit smaller than the average American bedroom. Then at the back of the room there was a ladder going up to a second floor with the same amount of space. We sat on the floor of the ground floor and there was a bunch of noodles, fresh greens, and a big pot of broth. In that broth was a mixture of squid, cow tongue, and cow liver. Now, this meal was delicious. I would eat the tongue again in a heartbeat. The squid was also really good. But the liver is something I'll have to get used to. Anyways, these people are amazing and have 0 pride. They don't care what we will think about the size of their home, they just want to invite us and share what they have. It was a great experience.

This week I read the book of Enos in the Book of Mormon. I learned a whole lot. Enos follows a pattern of: faith, Repentance, more faith, covenant with the Lord, then his soul is at rest and he goes to serve the Lord. It reminded me of President Nelson's talk from the most recent General Conference. We can all follow the pattern of Enos! And we don't need a perfect or unshakable faith to begin repenting. 

Have a great week everyone!

-Anh Cả McConkie

Photos: Zone conference, English Club, Park

Zone Conference

English Club

First Letter from Vietnam - Phú Mỹ Hưng, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hello everyone!

To start, this week was one of the most eventful of my life. I have stayed the night in 4 different cities all the way from Lebanon to Knoxville to Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The longest day was when I woke up on Wednesday in Knoxville Tennessee at 5am and didn’t go to bed until Friday morning at 2am in Hanoi, 34 hours later. Then after getting to know the Mission leaders and learning about the characteristics of this mission on Friday morning, they put a few of us from this most recent group on a plane and flew us down to Ho Chi Minh City to start working in our areas.

My new area is called Phú M? Hung in Ho Chi Minh. I have once again been blessed with a great companion. His name is Elder Vuong. He is from Hanoi, but lived in america for a few years and even went to BYU Hawaii. His Vietnamese and English are both perfect. I am learning a lot from him.

We went to church yesterday and fast and testimony meeting was incredible! There were about 30 people in attendance and even though I couldn't really understand anyone, it was great to be there and partake of the sacrament with these incredible pioneers. 

Vietnam is too different for me to describe in just 1 email. I will try to write more often than I was before and let you all know what life as a missionary is like here in heaven. I also want to thank all the people back in Tennessee! It was an honor to serve with them for the last 4 months. But I do feel like now the Lord needs to use me here.

The scripture that comes to mind this week is verse 20 in Mosiah ch.3

20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

You all can probably guess why this verse has been on my mind. I am now in a different nation, surrounded by a different kindred, tongue, and people. Yet I still see the need for these people to learn about the same Christ that I have been telling people about in Tennessee. It is part of my calling to give my all to the wonderful people of Vietnam and I am ready to do just that!

Have a great week!

Anh C? McConkie