Category Archives: Steven

Elder Steven Cordon is serving in the Kennewick Washington mission as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Goodbye 2014

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

As I reflect upon this last year, and all the changes that have happened I cant help but smile and know that 2014 will always be remembered.

I can narrow it all down to one single thing that has improved my life. Getting to know the Savior and how I can grow closer to him. As I have come to learn about him and have begun to change things about myself to try and live a life modeled after Him. I have felt the desire to share with others the beautiful light that Jesus Christ can bring into life on this earth.

He is the life and light of this world. He is the way and by no other way and by no other name can we live with our Heavenly Father again. I know this with ever fiber of my being and I know that he loves each and every person unconditionally. Even when we stumble and fall, which will happen everyday. He is there to lift us up and build us stronger so that we can build our lives on a proper foundation.

I am so grateful for the trials that I have had this year; they have broken down the bad and built up the good. That kind of change only happens through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It has the power to change a person from the very core of who they are and that only happens because of the Holy Ghost being able to touch and give more light and strength to our souls, giving us more power over the natural man.

I am grateful for this year and what I have learned. I am also very grateful to move to 2015.

Thank You everyone that has helped me in my 2014 journey each and every one of you hold a special place in my heart.

Elder S Cordon

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

The Roast Elder Cordon cooked on Christmas!

 

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Beautiful View!

 

#FilledWithJoy

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

This week I was able to go to the temple. The temple is such an amazing place, a literal heaven on earth. I am grateful that we have temples on the earth today, to be able to learn so much about our Heavenly Fathers plan for us. To be able to make covenants with God which in turn gives great power and blessing from Him to make it through this life. I never fill closer to God then when I am in temples.

I also got to go up to Leavenworth this weekend. We were handing out PassAlong Cards for the share the gift campaign. It is such a beautiful place. I will come back to visit it for sure. The Christmas ward party that we had was a great success. There was a shadow nativity and musical performances and dinner. Lots of people brought friends, and everyone that we talked to at least invited someone. That was Friday and on Sunday we had a very spiritual Christmas sacrament meeting. The Christmas Season just has a way of filling everything with Joy!

Love you all very much.
Thank you all so much.
Merry Christmas.
Elder S Cordon

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

#ActInFaith

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family & Friends,

It is always amazing to see people, reach the gate of baptism. To make that step towards our Heavenly Father and to make that first of many covenants with Him. Brian made that step on Saturday, he has used the last 7 weeks to seek after and find truth. He has taken the challenge that we issue to everyone, to search, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon. To live the commandments and see if they do indeed bless your life, and then when this does happen, (for it always does) and when you receive your answer that the Book of Mormon is true, (which also always happens if done with real intent) then it is the simple step to follow the example of Jesus Christ and to be baptized by someone that holds the priesthood of God that was restored to Joseph Smith.

The miracles that take place in someones life helps to build my testimony. To see the restored gospel bring such light and knowledge into someones life is the miracle. It is the proof that the fullness of the gospel has been restored. There is no cap on the spiritual knowledge that can be received when given the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, and when we make and keep the sacred covenants with the Lord. As one uses those gifts given freely, those are to steps on the climb to become like the savior, and to be eligible for the full birthright from our Father.

These are established laws to which the world is run on. It doesn’t matter what faith you are or if you even have faith at all. God is God and always will be God whether you believe in Him or not. So that being a truth God has established his plan and his laws that if lived will bring blessings from God, Regardless Of Your Belief. For if God did not honor His laws then he would cease to be God. Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”
In this verse we have our salvation, or our damnation. We have our gift or our curse. We have our joy or our sorrow. We have our freedom or our chains. For in this verse we are shown the nature of the double edge of our agency.

God lives, He has restored his church to its fullness, Jesus Christ is at the head of this church, our prophet Thomas S Monson is guided by Him, and anyone can know this by accepting the same challenge that Brian took. Test it for yourselves, Read, Ponder, and Pray with real intent and you will receive the same answer Brian did. Then when you do, ACT!

Elder Cordon

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

What A Wonderful Time

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

What a wonderful time of year. I have always loved the holidays for so many reasons. There is a different feeling that you get when on the mission. I think it is really a kind of spiritual help given to me when I have needed it.
This is a great time of year to strengthen family relations, and it is no exception for our Father in Heaven trying to strengthen his family. What a wonderful time when all over the world people our having their hearts warmed by the spirit of giving. Having their Light of Christ touched and grown. What a wonderful spirit this holiday season brings to people that focus on the true reasons for these wonderful days that are celebrated.
Jesus Christ gave us a gift that every soul that has ever lived need. A gift that is eternal and everlasting. A gift that was freely given and can be freely received. A gift that will never have a price tag. A gift that was prepared for us before our creation. The gift that we all said we would accept. Jesus Christ is the gift of the season. Share this gift with everyone that you meet.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a campaign that was shared in the latest Ensign #ShareTheGift. They have put a wonderful video together to get people focused on the real gift of the season. share it with others to bless their lives this season. You can even print your own pass-a-long cards.

Love you all so much thank you for you prayers and support.
Elder S Cordon

#PerfectedInHim

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

We got to have a General Authority tour the mission this week. Elder Arnold and his wife came throughout the mission. Friday was our Zone Conference that we were able to have such a wonderful experience with the spirit and learn truth. Starting at 7am and going till 2:30pm with a 30 min lunch break was our time for the conference. From start to finish it was a wonderful experience to learn and to grow. Saturday and Sunday was Stake Conference.

The topic was on getting involved in the work of salvation. Tying into the “Hastening of the Work” topic that was going this year. Are we all doing everything that we can to be fully engaged in the work of salvation? Is there more that we could be doing? Our there people that are within our reach of influence, that we have not yet talked to? Are we really prepared to do what is asked of us, an if not are we working towards being prepared?

I know where I stand on these questions, and I hit my knees that night to ask God to help me do better. To really become who He needs me to be. It is so easy to just get a little off course, and then next moment you look back to see that you are dramatically off course. #ElderUchtdorf

I am so very grateful to be able to have the ability to repent and change, Really change who I am and become better.

Love Elder S Cordon.

Love you all so much thank you for your prayers and support.

PS WE GOT SNOW! Only for like two days though.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Where Has the Time Gone?

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

So another transfer as already flown by, really where does the time go. I really feel like I was just coming up here from Pasco. Which also means that I have been out for 6 months WHAT!! I still remember getting dropped off at the MTC. I still think of times at the MTC almost like they were just last week. I have already made so many great connections, and friendships, that make me so glad that social media exists. I will be able to keep in touch with everyone so easily.

So I am staying in my area in Wenatchee with the same companion. Which is now the first time that I have had a companion for more then a transfer. So this will be a new experience. We will see what that is like. Luckily my companion and I get along and we are working get together.

Brian, an amazing guy that we are teaching, is on date for baptism. Dec 13th. so everyone pray for him. He is really seeking after truth and the great part is that he is getting his witness that it is true. Faith is such a powerful tool, but i has to be followed with intent. If you don’t plan on acting upon the answer that you receive then you are probably not going to receive an answer. God will give you what you seek for but he knows the intent of your heart. Brian intent is good and he is changing everyday.
Well I am so glad for all of your support. I keep you in my prayer often.

LOVE YOU ALL
Elder S Cordon.

Good Week!

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

I love being in this area, not that I didn’t love my last area, it has just given me some great growth that I needed in the mission. I have learned to turn to the Lord. I have come to know him very personally and I am praying more and it is really helping my strength. Coming closer to Christ doesn’t mean that you are not going to have problems. It doesn’t mean you are going to have problems taken away. However it does mean that you will gain a new perspective on the things that you do need to deal with. An Eternal perspective.

We had a family that we have been working with come to church this last week. They had a great time and felt the spirit. We were able to get a lot of people in the ward to make sure that they went and said hi. Sometimes it is a matter of bringing it to others attention of what they need to do.

Well I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder S Cordon

Ward Harvest Festival

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

What a great week that we had! I love the work of salvation that I get to be apart of.

We had the Ward Harvest Festival and trunk-or-treat. Which included a chili cook-off, my companion and I got to be the judges for. We had an investigator show up and she had a blast.

We had a great Halloween full of fun with my comp. With a curfew of 6pm we had a lot of time to get to know each other. We got a person on date for baptism, the spirit was so strong in that lesson. It was amazing to see her light up when she heard the first vision. The Spirit is always so strong with the first vision. It is true it actually happened and that is the vision that started it all. Of course the Holy Ghost is going to testify of it.

That is the amazing part about the work that we are doing. We just ask them to find out for themselves by praying to God and having it confirmed to them by the Holy Ghost. Everyone can get the answer right from the source we are just making the invitation.

Thank you all for your support.
I keep you all in my prayers.

Love Elder S Cordon.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

 

PS I don’t need anymore candy for like 2 years 🙂

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

The Work!

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

We have put our heads down in prayer and our feet forward in faith and it has, as it always does, created amazing results. We found 4 new investigators this week, and looking for 4 more this next week. We are teaching a lot of people and the ward is seeing it. We had a family that we made contact with last week come to church this week. It was so wonderful to see them make that step towards God. We found a couple that live at the very edge of our boarders, we have to drive 1 hour to get to them, it was a referral from a missionary serving in the Salt Lake Central mission for us to go see his brother. It was a great lesson and they want us to come back. It kinda holds a special place in my heart to be able to teach this couple, he is a less active member and she is a non member.

So this last week I got to go on exchanges with my MTC companion. He is serving in a wonderful place called Leavenworth. If you haven’t heard of this place you need to Google it. I really hope that I get to stay around here for the holidays, so that I am able to see this place at Christmas. I met the best member missionaries up there, they talk to everyone about the gospel. It was a wonderful place that I will 100% be going back to.

I am so grateful to all of you that are supporting me on my mission.

I keep you in my prayers daily.

Elder S Cordon.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Who Are You Representing?

Posted on by
Reply

Dear Family and Friends,

I have come into an area that, for some time now, missionaries have not been truly teaching the people that they have been seeing. They have been building friendships but havent been really teaching. Not that we shouldnt be trying to form friendships, but that comes with teaching the restored gospel and seeing their lives change and their minds open to truth. So this week was spent going to everyone that has just been “visiting” and setting the expectations of why we are really there.

We have been called by a prophet to teach the gospel. We have been given priesthood to accomplish that call. We have the message of the restored gospel that gives the truths to this world and answers the questions of the soul. We have been tasked with that responsibility and if we are not doing things that could lead to teaching, or teaching when people are there to listen we are not doing what we have been called to do.

I am very excited for this new change in my mission. I have a companion that is 24 years old and we are learning so much from each other. We are gaining member trust back in the ward and showing them that we are missionaries that are living up to our call.

I am so grateful for your prayers and support. You are all in my prayers.

Thank you.
Elder S Cordon