Tuesday 25 September 2012

A picture says a thousand words

Well, yes. I still sleep with my phone, and check it first thing every morning to see if there has been an email from Elder Cocker.  I never check it on Mondays though. Duh?! its Sunday in America and I know our missionary is too busy to unable to email home on any of those days.  So, because there has not been a certain 'day' we get a line or two.....it's exciting to think any of the other six days could be....THE day.

I know, I know.  Once Elder Cocker leaves the Missionary Training Center...it's a specific P-day only to write home, and then, it takes how many weeks to get from Tonga to New Zealand.  So heck yeah, i'm gonna pop those eyes open now to see if he wrote.


Today, we received our first pictures from the mission field and they were awesome.  Josh said,  "Photo in the room is my first day here with the other international elders who came in early 2 from NZ 2 from UK 2 from Mexico ." 

The next pic is my favorite:

He said, "the Last Photo is my District going to Tonga!"

That was it, a few simple lines, and we have been beaming like sunbeams over here in the land of the "long white cloud".  
There is a deep sense of gratitude.  It's not the same feeling as when one of the kids goes on a vacation, not the same excitement.  Trust me, after over a decade of working with the airlines and traveling around the pacific, we know how to travel. This...is so very different.  Perhaps its all the constant prayers (because we know he needs them).  We are all just so very mindful about how important this portion of his journey is. . . and we know its not easy just because it is "for a good cause".  No, i've yet to read in any scriptures that missionary work is "easy".  It is however an incredible blessing to see the Spirit teach-the missionary, the parent, the friend, no one gets left untouched.  That is the blessing.  It reminded me of Mathew 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear".  Because of his desire to be a missionary, we are "tuning in", and the sounds are of hope, and joy, eternal principles and effort.  Above the din of the noise of the world, across the hemisphere's we hear his story.  We look forward with an eye of faith to each and every day. 


Wednesday 12 September 2012

One month mark

Today marks one month!  Elder Cocker has been gone a month..... I don't look into the bedroom every time I walk by now and I've stopped checking my phone wondering why he hasn't texted that he's late coming home.  (he won't be home for 23 months, I know that.......I know that).

I do check my phone every morning just to see if he's emailed.  and i'm hitting a twice a week ratio.  I love the transition in the Missionary Training Center....its a transition time for families too.  I know that it's gonna be snail mail only when he is off to Tonga, but it will also be the greatest part of his adventure, and where he will grow and learn what the Lord wants him to know.

For now, we are still in the early stages.  

We received a letter from him today that just cracked us up and brought tears to me and dad's eyes.  One, it was such a Josh response, and Two, it is seeing the Lord take a young 19 year old and teach him by the spirit.  It is the unfolding of miracles and understanding, a path of righteousness and increased wisdom.   .  . which we all found really funny because we know his heart and were brought to a clarity.  These young missionaries, some 50,000 strong that are out serving in countries across the world.....are young men, with noble desires, and they are being taught, "line upon line, precept upon precept."

So, if you happen across a young missionary on your path, be kind, smile, maybe even say hello.  That's someone's son, someone's brother  out there 'sacrificing time away from his family for a short time so that someone else's family can enjoy the blessings of eternity".

Happy reading!

*******
Hey mum i had the coolest experince yesterday! i went to the hospital with an elder from my Zone cause he had a spinal tap and his comp was sick. So i was sitting and reading PMG and preparing my lesson for tomorrow and this girl walked in and i felt this really strong feeling to say something nothing spacific just to say anything. So i did we got talking about NewZealnd and winters here in Utah then she just started crying and honestly at first i felt really uncomfortable. Cause it was random andstuff. But then the lord used that time to humble my face lol she apologized and asked if i could give her a blessing! So ofcourse i said yes but i had to wait for my companion to get out of surgery and after he was out he couldnt stand so when the Van came to pick us up i asked the driver to assist me in the blessing and he did the SPIRIT WAS SOLID! Talk about right place right time. I felt a little bad after cause i wanted to play volly instead of going with Elder Hopper, then i was kinda weirded out at first when she started crying instead of being concerned about the problem at hand (a full grown woman crying for unknown reasons) but in the end the Lord saw fit to use me even just for a moment and i am soooooo happy i was ready willing and able it was a really cool and made my day! Please family follow the promptings of the spirit, you never know whats gonna happen!

 
 
 
Love you all
                    Elder Cocker 

As we last saw him




We had a few messages so from our Elder this month:

(our first message)

hey guys just wanted to let you guys know im here and ya its solid i have like 3 minutes left and im in a rush but i LOVE YOU ALL! please pray for us and know were praying for you and tell Gerome sister Mc Iver and sister Chadderton and Asi say hello and to hurry up lol kay sweet laters =)





(a week later---message is a bit longer)

hey mum ya were doing great thanks its tuesday today 2:08 pm which means P DAY! we'll deffinately read the scriptures in Alma lol and we set a goal to follow each and every bit of instruction we recieve from the lord with exactness =) we can totally feel a difference! hey mum i was wondering if you guys could send me some Lavalavas, as many SD cards for the camera as you can, and photos of Every one please i want to show the boys what you guys look like =) how is everyone? hows romie doing on his prep?(please help him to PROPERLY prepare for his mish cause this stuff is freakin tuff but so AWESOME!)  I miss you guys HEAPS! how are YOU doing? please fill me in love and miss you all! i wrote you guys a letter but it will take like 2 weeks to get to you but i sent one for EEFY to the house cause i didnt get his address so please make sure he gets it ASAP when it gets home and please keep him in the loop =) have you guys heard from NATE? i oh yes and please tell Jord and Rach sorry but i cant Email them i dont have enough time we have to prepare for 2 lesson for tomorrow were teaching class on Sunday =) SHOWZOW! I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!!!
 
 
LOVE
            Elder Cocker :D 

*********
*********

Sup bro!  (this was to his sister :0) )

thanks for the email! its P-DAY TODAY WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO! lol and ya im senior companion but my juniour comp is district leader lol but callings dont really mean anything were all learning together :) and one of the things ive come to realize is that the REAL senior companion is the spirit our teaching is coming along really well but still have HEAPS to improve on! ive NEVER in my life felt it stronger than in here in the MTC its sooo cool oh and guess what i havent slept in 1 day since ive been here yo lol our district has this cool tradition were starting w everyone wakes up at 5am every Pday so we can go the 6 morning session at the temple its honestly like the coolest thing ever and i never feel tired after (its kinda weird) hmmm what else the language is comming along :) slowly but surely!  times running out sorry tell EVERYONE I LOVE AND MISS YOU AND ILL GET BACK TO EVERYONE THROGH OUT THE WEEK!       
 
 
 
P.S. PLEASE SEND ME PHOTOS OF EVERYONE AND LAVALAVS AND CHICKEN (Flavored) CHIPS/PEANUT SLABS PLEASE AND PRONTO CAUSE IT TAKES AGES TO GET HERE I HAVE LETTERS COMING TO YOU GUYS NOW BUT ITLL TAKE 2 WEEKS SORRY!
Ofa Lahi Atu
Eleta Cocker
P.P.S.i havent emailed anyone else yet so im relying on you to spread the word. please write me letters dudes. LATE 

A note from Elder Cocker's Mom

Hello family and friends.....sorry it has taken me a few weeks to recover and get with the program.  This is a Elder Cocker's blog over the next 24 months.  We will keep you updated with important news from the field.

 They never say when you are the missionaries mom, how many ways your heart is affected.  Feelings of happiness, of excitement, of worry and concern.  Trying to remember if Josh and I actually had that "how to sew on a button" lesson or did we just talk about it.  (we did.....he said one was enough).

I mean, there are a lot of thoughts that run through a mother's mind......through my mind.  Then, there are the sub-liminals that really mess with you.   For three weeks in a row i dreamed these different dreams about him.  A few times i was able to tell myself in the dream, "don't be upset, you know this isn't real, its just a dream".  And a few times I woke with a pounding chest feeling like the hounds of hell had just run past.

There was the evening Gar and I sat down to watch "band of brothers", (Josh's christmas present from Rach and Rich)......and we went to grab a blanket out of the cupboard and it smelled like him.  Brutal, brutal moment in a new missionary moms life.   Brutal.

Everyone at church says, "You must be so proud", and I'm freaking out thinking, "oh, no we are not proud."  Good grief!  Ah, never rang truer the words of Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."  So, yep, in that way as parents we are busting at the seems proud.  He worked so hard to reach this goal.

On that note, I want to say a big thank you to all our friends and family who fasted and prayed in his behalf, from the temples to the sweat lodges, as a mother I heard your petitions to our creator to help assist this young man on his way.  No religious or tribal barriers, no judgments, sweet petitions of prayers and we as a family are so grateful.

So begins the journey of Elder Joshua Garrick Tau Kapo He Mounga Cocker, to the Nuku 'Alofa Tonga Mission.  We are grateful to Heavenly Father, we know our boy is in the hallow of his hand.