Dear Family,
I'm glad to hear that our stake back home is doing amazing! Which
ward is it that was dry for a long time but is now doing amazing?
Thanks for all the packages! I got one from Mom and Dad, the bag
from Taylor and Matt, and the box from Hilary and Hannah! Now I have
more candy than ever before, which is nice. I actually refrained from
opening them until my birthday which made it nice. The cookie cake
arrived in tact as well and is really good!
Yes my clothes are holding up well and with the extra supply of
socks I'm good there. The food we are getting is great as well and we
are being taken care of very well.
My birthday went well, just went out and worked as always. We found
a new investigator though! He was kinda anti at first but strong
testimonies silenced the doubts and he accepted to read and pray about
the Book of Mormon and to work towards the 16 of November for baptism.
It was an exciting lesson.
Really not much else to say. The temple was great but that day was
rushed because of everything else we had to do but it was nice. I hope
y'all have a good week! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
Sunday, November 24, 2013
October 17, 2013
Dear Family,
Another week gone by! Really more than a week but oh well. And I
have some pictures! One of the baptism in Daybreak(I don't think I
sent it) and some of the houses here around Halloween are getting
pretty intense. They go all out here. Too bad I'm not in Daybreak, one
house there apparently makes national news for its decorations. It's
been a little rough lately with the work. We keep trying to do things
on our own which is hard and not really effective so we really need to
change and follow the counsel of the Prophet and start working with
the members. We have been doing that this week and we'll continue
going on with that as the transfer goes on. I'll probably finish in
this area so that still leaves a ton of time to get to know the
members.
Well Dad for your non-member worker, I'd say you have the right idea
right now. Maybe finding out if he has a Book of Mormon and giving him
one would be good. And look over Elder Ballard's talk online. I don't
remember all too much off the top of my head but maybe something in
there will help. Hilary is right, he gave a really good talk.
So my new companion now is Elder Roberts. He is from Draper and is
waiting for his visa to Argentina too which stinks because both of
these visa waiters have been really good companions. He'll probably
head out at the end of the month.
That's kinda it right now. We're just pumped to go to the temple! Oh
I did get the shoes! They are SO AWESOME. I really can't think I can
wear them until my last day in the mission. Too scared to take them
out of the box. Thank you very much for getting those. We may stop by
the mission office today and pick up the box Hilary and Hannah left.
Looking forward to it. Thanks for the birthday wishes. I feel the
support from home constantly and am very grateful for it. Love y'all!
Elder Parks
Another week gone by! Really more than a week but oh well. And I
have some pictures! One of the baptism in Daybreak(I don't think I
sent it) and some of the houses here around Halloween are getting
pretty intense. They go all out here. Too bad I'm not in Daybreak, one
house there apparently makes national news for its decorations. It's
been a little rough lately with the work. We keep trying to do things
on our own which is hard and not really effective so we really need to
change and follow the counsel of the Prophet and start working with
the members. We have been doing that this week and we'll continue
going on with that as the transfer goes on. I'll probably finish in
this area so that still leaves a ton of time to get to know the
members.
Well Dad for your non-member worker, I'd say you have the right idea
right now. Maybe finding out if he has a Book of Mormon and giving him
one would be good. And look over Elder Ballard's talk online. I don't
remember all too much off the top of my head but maybe something in
there will help. Hilary is right, he gave a really good talk.
So my new companion now is Elder Roberts. He is from Draper and is
waiting for his visa to Argentina too which stinks because both of
these visa waiters have been really good companions. He'll probably
head out at the end of the month.
That's kinda it right now. We're just pumped to go to the temple! Oh
I did get the shoes! They are SO AWESOME. I really can't think I can
wear them until my last day in the mission. Too scared to take them
out of the box. Thank you very much for getting those. We may stop by
the mission office today and pick up the box Hilary and Hannah left.
Looking forward to it. Thanks for the birthday wishes. I feel the
support from home constantly and am very grateful for it. Love y'all!
Elder Parks
October 7, 2013
Dear Family,
So next week, we'll be having our temple day on thursday which means
our P-day will be that same day as well. So y'all won't get an email
until monday. It's the new schedule thing that we do with going to the
temple.
This past week my companion actually got his visa! He is heading out
this wednesday to Argentina. I have no clue who my next comp will be
so we'll wait on that.
Gahhh I haven't been taking pictures I'm sorry. I'll do that more
this week. The area is pretty fun. We saw a guy with a shirt the other
day that said "holla at my PEEPS!" and it had the candy peeps on it
and it was the funniest thing ever!
Yes dad, had I gone out on a mission now, even to salt lake, I would
have gone to the MTC in mexico. I'm actually kinda jealous that I
didn't get to go. Learning spanish there would be fun.
Hope y'all are doing well. Happy Birthday mom!
Love,
Elder Parks
So next week, we'll be having our temple day on thursday which means
our P-day will be that same day as well. So y'all won't get an email
until monday. It's the new schedule thing that we do with going to the
temple.
This past week my companion actually got his visa! He is heading out
this wednesday to Argentina. I have no clue who my next comp will be
so we'll wait on that.
Gahhh I haven't been taking pictures I'm sorry. I'll do that more
this week. The area is pretty fun. We saw a guy with a shirt the other
day that said "holla at my PEEPS!" and it had the candy peeps on it
and it was the funniest thing ever!
Yes dad, had I gone out on a mission now, even to salt lake, I would
have gone to the MTC in mexico. I'm actually kinda jealous that I
didn't get to go. Learning spanish there would be fun.
Hope y'all are doing well. Happy Birthday mom!
Love,
Elder Parks
September 30, 2013
Dear Family,
Well I was only in Daybreak for one transfer! My comp got
transferred to leadership in sandy I got made a district leader again!
Not too excited about it though. My wish is to just finish as a normal
missionary. No worries about other missionaries, just preaching the
gospel and helping other families. But the Lord needs me right now, so
I'll step up.
I'm in Kearns. Close to my first area but not the same area. I'm
covering half a spanish ward now and we have a lot of potential in the
area. There are a lot of spanish speakers. I'm white washing the area
with my new comp, Elder Yandle. He is a visa waiter going to
Argentina.
I didn't get tickets to go to conference, but I'm fine with it.
We'll just watch it with some members or something. I've gone twice on
my mission and other missionaries still haven't gone to it's fine.
Still no news on facebook! Nor iPhones nor iPads. We're still kinda
just going along with what we have always done. I don't know if I'll
see any of it. The time goes so fast!
Dad I'm sorry but I haven't gone on my bike for a while! All my
areas have been big and with the cold weather coming....I don't know.
I need to get my bike to this area though.
With being a district leader, I don't have much time to myself so I
can't write in my journal as much as I want. But I'm trying my best to
keep some things in mind. We'll just have to have a LONG talk when I
get home because I can't get it all into emails, at least not the
amount and detail that I want to communicate.
I would like some nice shoes for my birthday. Shoes that can go to
meetings and also be good for working.
I love y'all a lot!
Elder Parks
Well I was only in Daybreak for one transfer! My comp got
transferred to leadership in sandy I got made a district leader again!
Not too excited about it though. My wish is to just finish as a normal
missionary. No worries about other missionaries, just preaching the
gospel and helping other families. But the Lord needs me right now, so
I'll step up.
I'm in Kearns. Close to my first area but not the same area. I'm
covering half a spanish ward now and we have a lot of potential in the
area. There are a lot of spanish speakers. I'm white washing the area
with my new comp, Elder Yandle. He is a visa waiter going to
Argentina.
I didn't get tickets to go to conference, but I'm fine with it.
We'll just watch it with some members or something. I've gone twice on
my mission and other missionaries still haven't gone to it's fine.
Still no news on facebook! Nor iPhones nor iPads. We're still kinda
just going along with what we have always done. I don't know if I'll
see any of it. The time goes so fast!
Dad I'm sorry but I haven't gone on my bike for a while! All my
areas have been big and with the cold weather coming....I don't know.
I need to get my bike to this area though.
With being a district leader, I don't have much time to myself so I
can't write in my journal as much as I want. But I'm trying my best to
keep some things in mind. We'll just have to have a LONG talk when I
get home because I can't get it all into emails, at least not the
amount and detail that I want to communicate.
I would like some nice shoes for my birthday. Shoes that can go to
meetings and also be good for working.
I love y'all a lot!
Elder Parks
September 23, 2013
Dear Family,
We found a new investigator this past week! So we've been teaching a
less active family, the husband just got the priesthood and passed the
sacrament yesterday, he is getting married to his fiance, and his 14
year old daughter loves the church, knows its true, and wants to get
baptized! She's on date for October 19.
We're getting transfer calls tonight. I'll probably stay here. I
hope my comp does too, we get along great.
Sorry these past few letters have been dull. Not much has been going
on. Well its not so much that nothing has happened its just that I
can't remember the things that have happened! I'll do better this
week, with writing things down.
My studies are going well. I enjoy reading the scriptures and
finding new things. I'm getting really familiar with the Book of
Mormon. Bible is still tough to understand at times but it's a fun
read as well. One of the cool things about serving here is that we get
taught a ton. For example, one of the guys in our stake, (we are
teaching his less-active son) he is a man who has been called on by
the Prophet at times to write books in defense of the Church and
beliefs and practices and such. His less-active son knows a lot too
and its always fun to go over to their place and teach and get taught.
We've been working hard as usual, just still haven't caught some
families at home. We gonna start branching out, visiting the same
people over and over again is insanity. Perhaps there is more work in
the spanish ward....
Hope all is going well! I'm doing great so don't worry about me!
Love,
Elder Parks
We found a new investigator this past week! So we've been teaching a
less active family, the husband just got the priesthood and passed the
sacrament yesterday, he is getting married to his fiance, and his 14
year old daughter loves the church, knows its true, and wants to get
baptized! She's on date for October 19.
We're getting transfer calls tonight. I'll probably stay here. I
hope my comp does too, we get along great.
Sorry these past few letters have been dull. Not much has been going
on. Well its not so much that nothing has happened its just that I
can't remember the things that have happened! I'll do better this
week, with writing things down.
My studies are going well. I enjoy reading the scriptures and
finding new things. I'm getting really familiar with the Book of
Mormon. Bible is still tough to understand at times but it's a fun
read as well. One of the cool things about serving here is that we get
taught a ton. For example, one of the guys in our stake, (we are
teaching his less-active son) he is a man who has been called on by
the Prophet at times to write books in defense of the Church and
beliefs and practices and such. His less-active son knows a lot too
and its always fun to go over to their place and teach and get taught.
We've been working hard as usual, just still haven't caught some
families at home. We gonna start branching out, visiting the same
people over and over again is insanity. Perhaps there is more work in
the spanish ward....
Hope all is going well! I'm doing great so don't worry about me!
Love,
Elder Parks
September 16, 2013
Dear Family,
We had stake conference this past week. It was a broadcast from
downtown and it was alright but all the babies in the rooms made it
chaos. Non of our investigators showed up which was a bummer.
HOWEVER!!!!! The 18 year-old we baptized just got his patriarchal
blessing and it talked about him serving a mission!!! He talked to us
and asked us a lot of questions last night and we have another lesson
tonight. He is so awesome.
Dad, in my last area they did involve us in that last sheep project
thing. We visited a few of the families and all of them had moved
away. Being in the spanish unit we only had a few names though.
We had some lessons this past week and some of the less actives are
going well and some of the non-members too. The stake is getting
pumped and wanting to do missionary work. We're helping the members
set goals on when to invite their friends and stuff like that so
things should really start picking up here soon!
Thats it for now. Keep the faith! Follow the prophet! Some prophecy
has been made that will happen within the next 10 years, have no clue
what it is, but it should be something huge about our country. But as
long as we stay close to the Lord we'll be more than fine. Stay
faithful! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
We had stake conference this past week. It was a broadcast from
downtown and it was alright but all the babies in the rooms made it
chaos. Non of our investigators showed up which was a bummer.
HOWEVER!!!!! The 18 year-old we baptized just got his patriarchal
blessing and it talked about him serving a mission!!! He talked to us
and asked us a lot of questions last night and we have another lesson
tonight. He is so awesome.
Dad, in my last area they did involve us in that last sheep project
thing. We visited a few of the families and all of them had moved
away. Being in the spanish unit we only had a few names though.
We had some lessons this past week and some of the less actives are
going well and some of the non-members too. The stake is getting
pumped and wanting to do missionary work. We're helping the members
set goals on when to invite their friends and stuff like that so
things should really start picking up here soon!
Thats it for now. Keep the faith! Follow the prophet! Some prophecy
has been made that will happen within the next 10 years, have no clue
what it is, but it should be something huge about our country. But as
long as we stay close to the Lord we'll be more than fine. Stay
faithful! Love y'all!
Elder Parks
September 9, 2013
Dear Family,
This past week was pretty uneventful. A lot of lessons fell through
however, we had a number of non-members attend church this past week!
We counted 8 non-members and 3 less active families. This week we're
going to focus on teaching them and setting up consistent
appointments.
I did receive the package with the treats and socks and other items!
Thanks very much for those. The new socks are so good!!!
How was school for Hilary and Hannah? Classes going ok?
One thing I hate, is walking past the Oquirrh Temple and seeing a
wedding. Then somebody at the wedding calling out, "you can't escape
it for too long elders!" People these days.
Speaking of temples, josh, the teenager who got baptized a few weeks
ago, went to the temple and we got to do baptisms with him in the
temple! It was a great experience.
Hey Matt, was there ever a time in your mission when you felt like
30 years older than you really were? When you get off the mission do
you get to feeling young again?
One of the massive problems we have to deal with here is divorces,
especially where one of the couple goes apostate. It's a huge problem.
Mom and Dad, DON'T EVER LEAVE EACH OTHER! I'm so tired of seeing all
these great, great people and having them tell us that their
wife/husband just left them and its just depressing.
We've been hearing lately that a lot has been happening to
missionaries throughout the world like bad accidents and stuff. Just
please be sure and trust me when I say that I'm following the spirit
and doing my best to stay safe. And if anything does happen, just know
that God is still the one in control and does everything for a
purpose.
I'm grateful for this time that I've had to serve so far. It has
been a huge learning experience and time for growth both as a person
and in spirit. There are so many blessings with this gospel, its
simply true. The atonement is real and has power and was given to us
by Christ.
Hope all is well! Take care!
Love,
Elder Parks
This past week was pretty uneventful. A lot of lessons fell through
however, we had a number of non-members attend church this past week!
We counted 8 non-members and 3 less active families. This week we're
going to focus on teaching them and setting up consistent
appointments.
I did receive the package with the treats and socks and other items!
Thanks very much for those. The new socks are so good!!!
How was school for Hilary and Hannah? Classes going ok?
One thing I hate, is walking past the Oquirrh Temple and seeing a
wedding. Then somebody at the wedding calling out, "you can't escape
it for too long elders!" People these days.
Speaking of temples, josh, the teenager who got baptized a few weeks
ago, went to the temple and we got to do baptisms with him in the
temple! It was a great experience.
Hey Matt, was there ever a time in your mission when you felt like
30 years older than you really were? When you get off the mission do
you get to feeling young again?
One of the massive problems we have to deal with here is divorces,
especially where one of the couple goes apostate. It's a huge problem.
Mom and Dad, DON'T EVER LEAVE EACH OTHER! I'm so tired of seeing all
these great, great people and having them tell us that their
wife/husband just left them and its just depressing.
We've been hearing lately that a lot has been happening to
missionaries throughout the world like bad accidents and stuff. Just
please be sure and trust me when I say that I'm following the spirit
and doing my best to stay safe. And if anything does happen, just know
that God is still the one in control and does everything for a
purpose.
I'm grateful for this time that I've had to serve so far. It has
been a huge learning experience and time for growth both as a person
and in spirit. There are so many blessings with this gospel, its
simply true. The atonement is real and has power and was given to us
by Christ.
Hope all is well! Take care!
Love,
Elder Parks
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