Dear Family,
The training meeting yesterday was amazing. The cool thing is, the majority of the talks that were given and the doctrine they shared, has all been taught by our mission to the wards here! The Brethren are backing us up and it feels awesome! I liked the part where President Packer said that he knows the Lord. We all know what he means.
As for some of those new announcements about using more technology and keeping buildings open and such, we haven't received so much news or training for that yet. We don't know if we'll be doing that even. So far, what has been done in our mission is they've done some trial runs of smaller visitors centers that are part of a stake center and missionaries are there to help people that come in. Nothing new really announced yet but with our new president coming in this thursday, we'll be seeing a lot of changes I'm sure.
So for my area, I cover 1 spanish branch that covers the city of Riverton and Bluffdale. That area also compromises 7 english stakes and add up to about 62 english wards. However, we only teach spanish for the spanish branch.
This is an honest question...what is a banister???? How does that replace a fireplace? Mom and Dad, please don't move to Utah! We need to keep our roots in Texas! Thats where we all need to end up! Oh yeah dad, I was at walmart and saw some of the new dell laptops! They look good and would look great in my room. My long awaited graduation present...this is how I see it playing out: Approaching my desk, and box with DELL on it is resting on the desk. I take off the tape, all excited and open the box to find it EMPTY! Eh that's probably what you'll do haha
We had pretty much 2 mission conferences this past week including the training broadcast. We all did a mission temple trip to the Jordan River Temple and then we had a mission conference where President Miller and his wife spoke to us, kinda like departing testimonies. They also brought the mission doctor who gave a really good talk about the atonement and how it carries us through our missions by Christ who is the master healer. Then yesterday we had the other mission conference after the training and they again spake some departing words and then we all shook their hands and gave hugs to them and all that. When I shook their hands, I asked if I could still visit then in california after my mission and report on my last 7 months, and they said they would be very upset and disappointed if I didn't visit! So I guess I'll make a road trip to Orange County when I get back to BYU! It's really hard to see them go.
Yesterday at church, our 17-year-old investigator came to church! We also had a random non-member come to church with his returning wife! If he keeps coming (he lives outside our area) we'll start teaching him!
That's what happened this past week. It's kinda sad but it'll be neat to have new beginnings for the mission.
Take care! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
Sunday, June 30, 2013
June 17, 2013
Dear Family,
We're already midway through June....
So I know the picture may look akward but I don't know what to do with my hands so there it is. I took that picture this morning so its the most up to date picture! The mission was doing the same thing like the mothers day picture for the fathers, but we didn't get around to making it and sending it into the mission blog. So yeah sorry its late but Happy Fathers Day! Also, happy wedding anniversary!
Also I forgot this in my last letter but congrats hannah for graduating!!!!
Whats this about removing the chimney??? Is that a joke?
We'll be watching the broadcast as well this next sunday. I can't wait for that!
So the fireside kinda went down the drain. We were going to present the idea in ward council on tuesday night, however we get there to ward council and nobody is there! The branch president apparently cancelled it and didn't tell us. So we'll try to implement it in the next few weeks or so, depending on if I stay in the area since transfers are this friday.
Dad, my rugby skills are still bad and we haven't really practiced much for zone workouts because half the zone doesn't come to workout.
So this past week, we had another special visitor to the mission. We got to listen to Elder Cook of the 12! He gave a good talk about agency and opposition. He also taugh us that the most important thing we can teach is faith in Jesus Christ. It was a really good conference but the best part was when he left us with an apostolic blessing. He blessed us with 7 specific things:
1. Blessing of unity in the mission. Loving our companions tops the list of importance.
2. Blessed us to be able to feel how we can bless our companion.
3. He blessed our home situations. That things at home would improve according to our service.
4. Blessed us that our service would bring blessings to those near and dear to us.
5. Blessed us not to be discouraged.
6. Blessed us to realize how important it was for us to feed the Lord’s sheep.
7. Blessed us to know that the atonement would balance all the unfairness of the world.
A lot of missionaries in the field needed those blessings.
Thats all for now! Take care!
Love,
Elder Parks
We're already midway through June....
So I know the picture may look akward but I don't know what to do with my hands so there it is. I took that picture this morning so its the most up to date picture! The mission was doing the same thing like the mothers day picture for the fathers, but we didn't get around to making it and sending it into the mission blog. So yeah sorry its late but Happy Fathers Day! Also, happy wedding anniversary!
Also I forgot this in my last letter but congrats hannah for graduating!!!!
Whats this about removing the chimney??? Is that a joke?
We'll be watching the broadcast as well this next sunday. I can't wait for that!
So the fireside kinda went down the drain. We were going to present the idea in ward council on tuesday night, however we get there to ward council and nobody is there! The branch president apparently cancelled it and didn't tell us. So we'll try to implement it in the next few weeks or so, depending on if I stay in the area since transfers are this friday.
Dad, my rugby skills are still bad and we haven't really practiced much for zone workouts because half the zone doesn't come to workout.
So this past week, we had another special visitor to the mission. We got to listen to Elder Cook of the 12! He gave a good talk about agency and opposition. He also taugh us that the most important thing we can teach is faith in Jesus Christ. It was a really good conference but the best part was when he left us with an apostolic blessing. He blessed us with 7 specific things:
1. Blessing of unity in the mission. Loving our companions tops the list of importance.
2. Blessed us to be able to feel how we can bless our companion.
3. He blessed our home situations. That things at home would improve according to our service.
4. Blessed us that our service would bring blessings to those near and dear to us.
5. Blessed us not to be discouraged.
6. Blessed us to realize how important it was for us to feed the Lord’s sheep.
7. Blessed us to know that the atonement would balance all the unfairness of the world.
A lot of missionaries in the field needed those blessings.
Thats all for now! Take care!
Love,
Elder Parks
June 10, 2013
Dear Family,
So I'm starting my 4th month in this area. I believe though I may be moved next week since this is a 4 week transfer. Who knows, only time will tell.
The 40 day fast is going along. It's hard though. I should have known all the opposition would come in when I started it! The 10 items I put down to work on, all of a sudden became the hardest things in my life! For example, I set a goal to talk to everyone that I saw on the street! It use to not be a problem to me but now its the hardest thing ever! Satan.... I'm still working on it though and will come out on top.
To help get the missionary work going in our area, we are setting up a missionary focused fireside next week! We'll have talks given by some members, ask converts to share their testimonies, and then we'll teach the members to have people skills so they can share the gospel with their friends or invite them to activities, etc. It should be fun! We have our ward mission leader in on it and we have our Elder's quorum president backing us up on it.
We found another 17-year-old to teach this past week! He is a rugby player (which allowed my companion to start the conversation) and he and my companion had friends in common. One of those friends just received a mission call and agreed to help us bring his friend into the gospel. He's looking solid right now, just as long as the friend helps us out.
I love this area, and I really love just serving. It's been such a great experience. So much has been learned in the scriptures, about people, about life skills in general. It's been such a blast, and back at the beginning, I thought I couldn't make it to the end. Now I don't see anything stopping me from finishing strong!
Keep the faith! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
So I'm starting my 4th month in this area. I believe though I may be moved next week since this is a 4 week transfer. Who knows, only time will tell.
The 40 day fast is going along. It's hard though. I should have known all the opposition would come in when I started it! The 10 items I put down to work on, all of a sudden became the hardest things in my life! For example, I set a goal to talk to everyone that I saw on the street! It use to not be a problem to me but now its the hardest thing ever! Satan.... I'm still working on it though and will come out on top.
To help get the missionary work going in our area, we are setting up a missionary focused fireside next week! We'll have talks given by some members, ask converts to share their testimonies, and then we'll teach the members to have people skills so they can share the gospel with their friends or invite them to activities, etc. It should be fun! We have our ward mission leader in on it and we have our Elder's quorum president backing us up on it.
We found another 17-year-old to teach this past week! He is a rugby player (which allowed my companion to start the conversation) and he and my companion had friends in common. One of those friends just received a mission call and agreed to help us bring his friend into the gospel. He's looking solid right now, just as long as the friend helps us out.
I love this area, and I really love just serving. It's been such a great experience. So much has been learned in the scriptures, about people, about life skills in general. It's been such a blast, and back at the beginning, I thought I couldn't make it to the end. Now I don't see anything stopping me from finishing strong!
Keep the faith! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
June 3, 2013
Dear Family,
So the picture was a funny story, we were tracting up a street and a truck rounds the corner and pulls over and talks to us. He was the english ward mission leader there and he told us that there was nobody spanish speaking in the neighborhood (bummer) and then he drove off. As he was leaving, another truck rounds the corner and pulls over to talk to us. This man then proceeds to get out of his car, and says he's gonna force us to take a picture and send it to our parents! So thats what we did and y'all got the text so thats good. Me being the genius that I am, I couldn't remember whose phone number was whose so I just hoped for the best and hoped I didn't send it to hilary's phone. That guy was aggressive and we were forced to comply, I wish all the members were that aggressive with sharing the gospel with others and giving us referrals!
For inspirational this week, I was reading an email from my trainer back in Colombia and I was voicing that I felt that I was lacking a little bit as a missionary and following the spirit. He offered that I do what is called the 40 day fast! I'm starting it today and it's when you 'fast' from things that could potentially drive the spirit away for 40 days and as one tries his/her hardest to do it, at the end of the 40 days the character of the missionary will change and he'll be more in tune with the spirit. So I'm working on that right now!
I'm working on finding the receipt for the shirts! I haven't thrown them away or anything but I can't find the receipt. I'll keep looking so that I can take them back to target.
Don't worry mom, I was only in the rain for a little bit thanks to the use of a car. I must say, the weather here is weird. I was COLD on May 31st!! That shouldn't even be physically possible! But now it's warming up so it's all good.
Things keep rolling along here in the area. Problems came up with the parents about us teaching those 2 teenagers. It's not like we went behind their back, they KNEW we were teaching them but now they've kinda frozen up on us and aren't cooperating with allowing us to teach their kids. We're trying to find more people to teach but we struggle at times. In reality there aren't many hispanics here and this is actually the hardest spanish area in the mission. We still work hard though. We're going to begin working more with the members starting this week so we'll see how that goes. Our President has said that spanish missionary work is not effective if we don't have the member support, so that's what we'll start doing.
I'm staying happy! I'm working hard and keeping the faith, so no need to worry about me! The gospel is true and I love y'all and am grateful for the support!
Love,
Elder Parks
So the picture was a funny story, we were tracting up a street and a truck rounds the corner and pulls over and talks to us. He was the english ward mission leader there and he told us that there was nobody spanish speaking in the neighborhood (bummer) and then he drove off. As he was leaving, another truck rounds the corner and pulls over to talk to us. This man then proceeds to get out of his car, and says he's gonna force us to take a picture and send it to our parents! So thats what we did and y'all got the text so thats good. Me being the genius that I am, I couldn't remember whose phone number was whose so I just hoped for the best and hoped I didn't send it to hilary's phone. That guy was aggressive and we were forced to comply, I wish all the members were that aggressive with sharing the gospel with others and giving us referrals!
For inspirational this week, I was reading an email from my trainer back in Colombia and I was voicing that I felt that I was lacking a little bit as a missionary and following the spirit. He offered that I do what is called the 40 day fast! I'm starting it today and it's when you 'fast' from things that could potentially drive the spirit away for 40 days and as one tries his/her hardest to do it, at the end of the 40 days the character of the missionary will change and he'll be more in tune with the spirit. So I'm working on that right now!
I'm working on finding the receipt for the shirts! I haven't thrown them away or anything but I can't find the receipt. I'll keep looking so that I can take them back to target.
Don't worry mom, I was only in the rain for a little bit thanks to the use of a car. I must say, the weather here is weird. I was COLD on May 31st!! That shouldn't even be physically possible! But now it's warming up so it's all good.
Things keep rolling along here in the area. Problems came up with the parents about us teaching those 2 teenagers. It's not like we went behind their back, they KNEW we were teaching them but now they've kinda frozen up on us and aren't cooperating with allowing us to teach their kids. We're trying to find more people to teach but we struggle at times. In reality there aren't many hispanics here and this is actually the hardest spanish area in the mission. We still work hard though. We're going to begin working more with the members starting this week so we'll see how that goes. Our President has said that spanish missionary work is not effective if we don't have the member support, so that's what we'll start doing.
I'm staying happy! I'm working hard and keeping the faith, so no need to worry about me! The gospel is true and I love y'all and am grateful for the support!
Love,
Elder Parks
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)