A favorite author of mine said, "Never give up on the things that make you happy".  A very powerful statement. Our Heavenly Father teaches us in the scriptures, "Men are that they might have Joy".   We received an awesome letter from Elder Cocker last week and it did indeed, fill my heart with joy.

It has been many months since I have updated his blog.  In the world of blogging I am marginal at this stage of things.  However this blog is not about me, it's about Elder Cocker and his wonderful experience on his two year mission.  He is 15 months along the journey and is currently in the Canberra  in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory.  His mission is huge, a small part of a very huge country!


It's a 3.5 hour drive from Sydney (apparently) and under a two hour flight. A very interesting place.  In the words of Elder Cocker, " here, ah, hey, fun fact, the word kangaroo means "i don't know" in abo. (Aboriginal) (learned form a semi reliable source in my ward, however more data may need to be gathered.)  Shux and there are sooo many kangaroos here and they're freaking all over the place. i had originally wanted to fight one, but i have recently found out they are....not safe? anyways they're freaking huge, some of them so ya probs a bad idea aye." So apparently, life in Canberra has a lot of nature and wildlife. Good to know.

Elder Cocker, has been called to be a trainer and we are grateful for the enjoyment and learning this has brought to his mission.   We received in the mail a few weeks ago a wonderful letter from the mission president who stated,

"Thank you for accepting the call to serve as a Trainer. You are a dedicated and loving person and an excellent example to other missionaries. Your great leadership skills are very much appreciated.

The responsibility of training a new missionary is one of the greatest opportunities of leadership  a missionary can have and certainly the most trusted It is a very special assignment and will  have far reaching effects on the new missionary and the Australian Sydney South Mission.  Only the most stable and able missionaries are called to train.  Your companion is Elder Jarrad Lynn Larsen from California, USA. You will be serving in the Canberra Zone.

You are a wonderful example of the teachings of the gospel, and a wonderful representative of your home. Thank you for serving with us in the Australia Sydney South Mission."

How grateful, thankful and truly appreciative we are to every person who has helped and aided and assisted Joshua to this point in his life. The primary teachers, priesthood leaders, his siblings, his aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins, the Tohn-Kohn Gah, those who have prayed for him in chapels, temples, sweat lodges, prayer meetings, the silence of their cars and kitchen tables. The congregations of many different faiths who have come up to me in person in my travels here in New Zealand and home in Oklahoma who have said, "How are you? It's good to see you. We are praying for your son." Aho Dah Gkee. Thank you for your faith.


It has been a very long, and very fast fifteen months that our only son has been away. We have been blessed and have learned much about ourselves, about him and about how the Lord teaches his children.  I have loved the fun spirited nature of our son and how he sees himself in this eternal plan. He reminds us that our Heavenly Father isn't onesided, neither are his servants.  Many people have asked me, "What do missionaries do?" Elder Cocker reminded us, " everyone now knows the mormon boys, but we are having trouble getting more people to teach.  However, on the brighter side,  we have HIPS(tongan accent on 'heaps') and HIPS of service to do which, in my eyes, is just as great as teaching, because it helps people to see we aren't here just to baptise people. Sure, we do that too, but we really are just here to invite people to learn about the Saviour and what he did for us and more importantly what that means for us now AND to serve EVERYONE in every possible way.  Lol, most people don't jump at the opportunity of FREE service which blows my freaking mind; if only they knew, once they agreed to have us help, we cant say no."

The Lord's missionaries are there to serve. Serve the soul, serve the community, serve His message of eternal joy, and happiness.  I remember the missionaries coming over and helping paint the living room.  I felt like I was wasting their precious time, and the Elder said, "Sister Cocker it is a blessing for us to serve, we never feel like it's a waste of time to eat your cooking". God Bless these missionaries who give so freely of their time.  In a world where our youth face so many challenges and obstacles, they chose the path of service and faith, to try their own hearts and help those of all the men of earth, from every land and island of the sea.

Elder Cocker challenged us a few weeks ago, "Commitment for the week: is to say hi  to elders/sisters if you see them. It's nice not just to be stared at, but spoken to, also and if you need things done like yard work, spring cleaning, some ones moving what ever, it is ask the missionaries to help.  They could probs use the work out and they cant say no if you ask. It's not wrong or rude and they would be happy to do it.promise."

These are good days. Days of work. Days of gratitude to our Heavenly Father.  We want a better world, this is how we do it. A prayer at a time, An effort at a time. We fall, we get up, we try, find happiness in the day.

I like our challenge for this week he left us with..... "Commitment for the week: have EYES that SEE. have EARS that HEAR. have HANDS that DO. and have HEARTS that FEEL . If your having a bad day then your not doing it right. There is a man who like our prophet is called by god to lead us today his name is Dieter F Uchtdorf and he said " life isnt ment to be enjoyed only in retrospect"..... or something like that aka enjoy the little things. Another man a prophet in the book of mormon named Alma said "...its by small and beautiful moments that GREAT days are brought to pass..." Alma 37:6 or something like that."

Time is flying by so very quickly.  There is not a day or a family prayer that goes by that we do not think of Elder Cocker and his companion. We heard from him a few weeks ago, and sent his love and said that he "was doing very well but was very busy." 


I was reminded that in Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We had received a letter from Salt Lake for Elder Cocker thanking him for accepting his new Mission assignment, and on the same day had received a fantastic letter from his Mission President and his wife which explained where he was sending a map with sticky arrows pointing out his area. He is well.

For those who are writing to him, KEEP IT UP!!   He was asking if we would please send him written letters as well as email.  Which brings me to an awful discovery, the last post made in February i listed the wrong email address.  He can only email back to us, but he can receive your emails. Letters, he can keep with him as they have only like a half hour once a week to check email at the public library, 

So here is the correct email address:  josh.cocker@myldsmail.net

A great idea for Missionary mail, aside from care packages, :0) is to send cards, they are short, and sweet if you dont have time for long letters or not so inclined.  As his family we thank you and know these missionaries really appreciate it.

Elder Cocker will be turning 20 this month on St. Patricks Day. I still have a hard time imagining so many years have gone by. I still remember the day of his blessing on April 4, 1993.  That beautiful fall morning, His nena and papa, Bishop Paki and his wife, Aunty Ofa and Uncle Alfred all came over to the house before our 9a church meeting.  We had prayers together and spent time before heading off to sacrament meeting.  The day before we had gone to the temple, and that evening I had taken material from my box of cut offs, that had been used for making my temple dress and made him white tuxedo pants and a white tux jacket with tails.  Garrick was dismayed that there were no "boy clothes" only blessing gowns. He said, "I dont want my son blessed in a dress". It was pretty fun and still makes me smile thinking of how i waited til Joshua fell asleep and laid him down on top of the material and cut his jacket out around him.  He was a chubby, healthy, baby. We were very blessed.  We knew Joshua was going to be a boy, before the sonograms. He was a special blessing in our lives and bore a special testimony to us as his parents. Part of his being named Joshua is from the lessons learned during this time period. "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15.  

The road to where Elder Cocker is today began so very long ago. It began even before he was born.  My conversations with Heavenly Father have been over decades. We are not perfect beings, we are riddled with frailty and flaw.  A side product of the divine and sacred gift of Free agency our Heavenly Father has bestowed us with.  Bearing this powerful and amazing gift of our creator we journey down a path that teaches us as we could learn in no other way, and enables us to be participants to the greatest love of all, given by his only begotten Son---The gift of the atonement.  That saving power that stays the hand of justice, with the redeeming blood, and calls Mercy into play....the price, "Come unto me, all ye who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".  That is the message that Elder Cocker is out in the world trying to share.....Eternal Life, Eternal Hope.  

....and since I haven't heard from him in over two weeks, I can only imagine he is doing it as he does most things, both feet forward and "strait up the guts"  .  

                    (The picture above age, 15 I think, jumping off the Auckland Harbor bridge) 

Elder Cocker has been on his month 6 months and 22 days.  I am not ashamed to say, I still sleep with my phone by my pillow and the first thing i do is check email.  It is a mother's prerogative to hold her children as an utmost thought.

This past week learning that almost two weeks had gone by before i knew he was transferred, I wont lie. that really has thrown me for a loop.  It gave pause for much thought and many, many prayers. As I spoke to my dear friend who is about to send her son to the Melbourne Australia Mission and I heard of all the  physical requirements of his preparation my heart dropped.  So many things i hadn't even thought about to worry about and i'm pretty expert at that list.

My sweet friend said, sweetie you reminded me of Mary.  My eyes immediately teared up. The night i heard of his transfer and didnt have the details, going on midnight as i knelt to pray, despite my better thoughts i cried, "where is my son?" and then my phone beeped.  i finished my prayer, checked my phone and i had recieved at midnight a message sent six hours earlier from our stake president with his mission information and mission presidents information.  Somehow my phone had delayed the message receipt.  Prayer answered.

I thought of Mary. as told in Luke 2

 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. (And when he was nineteen years,  old they sent him up to the mission field as is the custom of the Elder's----you get where i'm going with this?)

 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctor's both hearing them, and asking them questions.

 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Mom, i'm good his short email said, "Please don't call the Mission Prez again, I promise I will write more.)

and like this story in Luke i take great comfort in the words, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man".  

So to all the mommy's with missionaries out in the field or getting ready to send them with hearts full of tender affection and concern at this world gone mad.  There is great solace in His words, "be of good cheer and do not fear for I the Lord am with you (them) and will comfort you (them).

to note. on fb today Witness Faivakimoana placed this beautiful pic. She had run into Elder Cocker at a stake baptism and he'd been in Sydney nine days. she said, "I attended a baptism today in our stake and came across a familiar face!! It was so good to see him and his growth both physically and spiritually:) he's doing good seeing as he just got here 9 days ago but he's doing good, actually surprised he remembered me!!! "

Same Missionary New Mission!

Well guys! Sorry for the delay.  For those following via fb you already know the news but as promised here are the details. Elder Cocker Has been transferred to the SYDNEY AUSTRALIA MISSION!  Pretty amazing stuff and it was a timely occurence. (Thank goodness i found out before we shipped off his valentine's package). Now i know the Lord and his servants have much more important business than worrying about Valentine's letters and packages, but this is a mother's blog.
I had all the normal worries and concerns but received the greatest council from my own mother.
She said, and i quote:  "you cannot cocoon Josh better than Heavenly Father. The earthly factor in this equation must not be considered, as you know. Consider, with complete faith in our Lord's wisdom, eternity. The world needs him & his priesthood & he needs his priesthood. Never consider the human behavior of those around you & him as indicative of the worthiness of him serving a mission. We all have weaknesses & we all come short of the glory of God but it is especially disconcerting when the perception of a beloved child by others is askew. "  I was hopping up and down (as mom's can have a tendency to do) because i was behind the informational curve ball.  Then my mom reminded me, "Josh has temple blessings & he will, I'm sure, avail himself of those blessings. More than any earthly being our Lord wants him to succeed in this life as a follower, believer & doer of Heavenly Father's plan. You know this is true. Do not fear the adversary because to do so is to give credibility to the temptation of Christ when Satan said "if" you are. There is no "if" there is only "factual certainty".

My concerns were, "Where exactly is he?" and "We didnt send him with suits." and "What about shoes". Weird, but practical concerns of a mom.  I like Grandma's perspective much, much, better.

Well we heard from Elder Cocker the other day and he sounds really good.

Here is his New Mission Address:

Australia Sydney Mission
756 Pennant Hills Road

Carlingford NSW  2118

he can also still be reached at josh.cocker@mylds.net

His Mission President is President Howes and Garrick said he sounded really nice and gave a great report of Elder Cocker.  Right now Elder Cocker is serving in the English Speaking Samoan ward and adjusting to a new language, (just as his english was getting bad.....at christmas it was broken english......patience and many blessings  in the Lords learning school.)

My thoughts are completely absorbed right now. Thinking about Elder Cocker and his new Mission.  The changes, the everything of it all.  So I thought deeply on Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-18

 10 Remember the worth of souls  is great in the sight of God; 11 For, behold, the Lord your  Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain  of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. 12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentence. 13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!  14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentence unto this people. 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! 17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.  18 Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.

He is in the Lord's hands, on the Lord's errand, and in the Lord's care.  For that I am eternally grateful and pray and ask you all to pray for Elder Cocker and the missionaries who are serving around the world for their care, for their strength, for their protection from harm, danger and the evil designs of men, for their courage and strength of heart.  That is this mothers prayer. 

Parting thought.  His cheeky sister had a good laugh and said, "oh, no, Elder Cocker is going to come home sounding like that shark of finding Nemo.".....i dont think we'll share that with him til he gets home.  Yeah for Israel, and the Australia Sydney Mission.  They have the greatest son in the world serving there. Ofa Atu Missioni Tonga.  You gave my son the gift of language. 

six months and four days

Elder Cocker has been out for six months and four days!  Its going by so very quickly.  We heard from him on Christmas day.....heard his voice and as a mother, it was the best sound.  His Tongan accent was thick and our conversation a bit broken and we were so happy for him as he embraces the language and the people of his heritage and his mission.
It was nice to ask him and here a response to "how are you doing son?"  I had heard through the grapevine that he had gotten quite sick, so it was nice to get that clarified and he is definitely on the mend. He had gained weight and lost 15 pounds very quickly due to a stomach ailment. He's fine now and of course said, "dont worry mom."
He asked if we could pray for his teaching pool, and he shared with us the spirit of the work.  Missionary work is beautiful, in all its forms, and it is work.
Lucky for us and grateful to sis Moala, we were able to send a package via her on New Years Day. Woot, wootl She was a gem.  Her report back was this,

"Hi Debbie, I dropped off the box to AP missionaries and they delivered it to Elder Cocker. I finally got to see Elder Cocker on Saturday at the markets in town (sadly without my camera) with his companion they were getting lunch. His Tongan language is AWESOME 5 months in to the work and he has a strong Tongan accent and speaks well! He looks so healthy-happy-handsome. He thanked me for the delivery and we parted our ways. What a blessing to speak with Elder Cocker! "

She had a conversation with his sister and said, she had to look up, he's grown taller.  Sorry crew dont have any photos since the one sent by his mission president.  Will keep you informed. The news has been sparce but he's been busy in the work.

So last week when uncle Cecil and Malia went back to Tonga Nena and us, got together a small package of Ofa to send to him and his companion. He is always in our thoughts.  Grateful for family to help us keep in touch with him.

So fellow team Elder Cocker.  That is our news for now. Spent the day today doing genealogy and submitting names and my brain is a bit tired.  Be strong in the Lord. Ofa Lahi everyone.

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. 

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