Five Weeks in Tennessee - Lebanon, Tennessee

Hello everyone! 

I have now been in Tennessee for almost 5 weeks and time is passing faster and faster. And this area is doing really well right now. 3 weeks ago the ward split in half, creating a Lebanon 1st ward and a Lebanon 3rd ward (Lebanon 2nd is the spanish branch). So Elder Wakefield and I have cut our boundaries in half and are now just focusing on the Lebanon 3rd ward. It was sad to not see a lot of the 1st ward members as often as we did, but this change is for the best, and the members in the 3rd ward are incredible! 

We started having car problems 2 weeks ago, so we got bikes and were on bikes for a few days until the car was fixed. But then, when we got the car, it started having the same problem again just 4 days later. We turned it in again and were on bikes for almost another week. Cars are much more effective for missionary work, and much safer. But I actually loved the bikes! It felt like I was cheating and getting more exercise time each day and it was awesome. We now have a loaner car until transfers (which are next week).

We had zone conference on Wednesday and it was fantastic! President Graham is an incredible leader. There are more people on date for a November baptism than any other month in the history of the mission. After President Graham told us this, he started talking about the need for a temple. They have officially marked a spot for the Knoxville temple and it is going to be incredible! This part of the world is ready to better help people on the other side of the vail. Exciting times in the Tennessee Knoxville mission!

On Saturday, Elder Wakefield, a member friend of ours, and I went to visit a house of someone who had met with missionaries in the past, but due to lack of contact, it was tough to keep teaching her. It had been a few months since anyone had tried so we decided to stop by unexpectedly. The lady we were looking for was not there, but her son in law was. He seemed fairly set in his ways, and while we did tell him about our Church and the Book of Mormon, he felt the need to try and teach us as well. He said that with his non denominational beliefs, and listening to different pastors throughout his life, he has come to the conclusion that we must become 1% better each day. Really nice fellow. As we walked back to the car, we just kept realizing the similarities in the principles he taught and the principles we believe. There are a whole lot of Christians here, and they are such great people. But like President Hinckley said, we are just trying to add to their knowledge. There are a lot of great people everywhere. But this gospel is the next step. And the only way by which we can enter the gate. Everyone can be a great and happy version of themselves. But as I've come to learn, only this gospel, the true and restored gospel, can each individual become the greatest and happiest version of themselves. 

I hope everyone is doing well! I love being a missionary!

Elder McConkie

hyrum.mcconkie@missionary.org

New Missionary Follow-up Meeting - Knoxville, Tennesee

 

October 17, 2022 - Lebanon, Tennessee

First, because this is my first email since the MTC, I gotta start by wrapping that up. I just wanna say thanks to my teachers, my group (both Vietnamese districts) and my comp Elder Crotty. Fantastic people and I love them all. I’m really excited to see everyone again in Vietnam.

I have now been in Lebanon Tennessee for almost 2 weeks and I feel really blessed to be here. To start, I have an amazing trainer named Elder Wakefield. He has only been here 1 transfer and is already training. And due to my super long Vietnamese MTC, he has only been on his mission for 2 weeks longer than me. But let it be known, he is absolutely ready to train and is the best trainer I could’ve asked for and he has a lot to teach me. He knows a bunch about missionary work in Lebanon and missionary work in general. He is super motivated. Really glad I got a great trainer! We had a baptism on Saturday for a lady named Kristine. She has been fully committed and on date since I got here and is wonderful. She seems so happy and has great friends in the ward. Her 2 best friends in the ward are Brother Fowler and Sister Alack. They found Kristine initially and have been in every lesson with her. Us missionaries have come over to teach, but it’s really those 2 friends that taught and helped convert Kristine. This ward is incredibly missionary minded and it helps us out a ton. It has made me more motivated to be more involved with local missionary work for the rest of my life even after the mission. Member missionary work can have a great powerful influence on Gathering Israel. It was a great baptismal service and I’m really happy for Kristine! There are churches EVERYWHERE. And they are all different. Everyone loves Jesus. Everyone loves the Bible. Everyone loves to pray. Everyone loves to go to church. I love the people here. But being around them has strengthened my testimony of the importance of the Book of Mormon. Just the fact that it is true makes the decision of what church to follow so much easier. Being from SLC I didn’t see many other churches. But I can see why in other places of the world like this it is such a common question of what church should I join? Just like Joseph Smith asked. The answer is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Book of Mormon is why. It really is a missionaries best tool for conversion. Our doctrine is what sets us apart from all these churches I have seen here in Lebanon alone and the Book of Mormon is what proves us right. -Elder McConkie

The Vietnam group

Chrysanthimum's baptism

Me with President and Sister Graham

Right after I met Elder Wakefield and found out I was going to Lebanon

Kristines baptism, with Brother Fowler and Sister Alack

Driving down the highway, there are a lot more trees here

How about the Vols! EVERYONE here loves the Vols and so do I. And, clearly, so does this member of the bishopric

Arrival in Tennessee

 

Last Email from Utah - Provo MTC

September 26th, 2022

Hello all!

So, I have been here at the MTC for a good 7 weeks now and don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved my time at the MTC, but it is definitely time to get outta here. I have 1 more week until I go to my new temporary reassignment while I wait for my VISA. Knoxville Tennessee here I come! The VISAs for Vietnamese missionaries are really slow and it’s looking like a 4-6 month wait. I love Vietnam and still feel like that is my place. But a few months in Tennessee will be awesome. I’m really excited to meet the Grahams (mission leaders) and be in the field!

Due to the extended stay at the MTC with the reassignments we will not have our Vietnamese teachers for the last week. GREAT TEACHERS! Sister Burden and Brother Richards have done a fantastic job getting us all as ready for the field as we could be.I’m gonna miss them. The only way I can repay them and all of you that I love is to go serve with all I’ve got.

Conference this week, lets goooooooooooooo! conference is 10x more exciting as a missionary. I’m excited for everyone to speak but I got a couple that I’m really pumped for. I call it my conference mount rushmore. The 4 speakers I’m really excited to hear: President Nelson, President Eyering, Elder Morrison, and of course, Elder McConkie. What a blessing it is to be able to hear from these legendary servants!

I hope yours all doing well, I am praying for everyone. And I can feel your prayers too! I am happy and learning lots. Something to pray for: All VISAs of every Vietnamese missionary waiting to go to Vietnam.

I love being a missionary!

-Elder McConkie

Email #1 from HYRUM - Provo MTC

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Hello everyone!

I have now been at the Provo MTC for two and a half weeks and I am loving it! Being surrounded by over a thousand other missionaries is an incredible experience. Everyone here is focused, determined, working hard, ready to learn, and headed in the right direction. That definitely rings true for my companion and district. Yet again, I am surrounded by great people in my life. They all have qualities that make them such unique students, teachers, and friends. We have grown closer together every day and will continue to do so for the next 4 and a half weeks.

Some of my favorite parts of being a missionary at the MTC:

Spiritual growth. I am learning a lot about the basic doctrines of the gospel. The devotionals are amazing and scripture study has never been so intriguing. I also love just talking with my district about different topics and stories within the scriptures.

Exercise. I LOVE BASKETBALL! We play basketball or a game on the field every day. [note from Hyrum’s mom laurel: he just broke this year's record for making most free-throws in a row at the MTC, so now his name is on the record wall!]

Studying. This is the most studying I have ever done in my life. It’s about 8 hours of Vietnamese and 1-2 hours of scripture study every day. It’s kind of relaxing and I can (and am) go for hours. There is a lot to learn. This is 1000000x better than homework.

Spending time with the district. I try and get some extra studying in each night after 9pm but usually fail because it’s so fun to hang out with the other elders in my group. I’m becoming great friends with everyone in the group.

I have exactly 1 month left until I leave for the field. I feel like it’ll never end. But I also feel like it’ll be here tomorrow. I can’t tell if time moves way faster or way slower as a missionary. But it’s not normal.

And to be honest, the mtc is not the most exciting place compared to the field.  I am so so so so so so excited for the field. Please pray really hard for my visa and the visas of my group! That's my biggest concern right now. I'm trying to have faith about it but I know it's not a vending machine. But I will still have faith anyways. Because faith brings miracles!

Last thing. We have been talking a lot about miracles lately as a district. I hope everyone who reads this will start to look for the miracles in their lives, big and small. There are miracles happening for each of us, I promise. Some of them are solving problems. Like putting out a fire. But other miracles come in the form of preventing problems. Stopping the fire from starting in the first place. Sometimes God lets us fall, but he will always be there to help us back up. And other times he catches us before we hit the ground. Both are miracles. God is blessing us all the time, and we need to recognize it.

-Elder McConkie

The flags

Sunrise

Sunset

Singing in the choir

Chilling with the district in between class and dinner.
Elder Burden plays the piano while we all listen and look out the window.
Most relaxing 20 minutes of the day for sure.

One of my favorite murals, Moses and the Red Sea

Week 1 at the MTC - Provo, Utah

This place is amazing!

I love my district!  My companion is Elder Crotty (next to me).

First Pday chat with Wilson & Cami

First Pday chat with Mom

First Pday chat with Evie & Keltson

Vietnam Flag at the MTC

First Day at the MTC - Provo, Utah

 

Home MTC - SLC Utah

A little home study with Grandad

Set apart by Dad