July 2, 2012

Dear Family,

 So this past week we had transfers and I had to say goodbye to my trainer and received Elder Gomez from Mexico. We have both been out the same time (MTC and all). He's gonna take some getting use to but hopefully, next transfer I can train someone that I know who is arriving here from BYU and he is speaking Spanish as well so the odds are in my favor!
  For the 4th of July we are having a lock down mission conference. We go to an institute building at 5 in normal clothes (!!!!!!) and we have an hour long talk with a guest speaker. After the talk we can play sports or watch some movies that they have set up (Disney Movies!!!!) Haha apparently last lockdown they showed Cars 2 and all the missionaries were really into it and then they stopped the movie 20 minutes before it ends, so half the mission ended on the cliff hanger part of the movie (is that even the right term?). Anyway so this mission conference should be fun.
 Hannah I'm glad you had a great week at EFY. I'm sorry I don't have enough time to respond to everything you learned, but I want to address the atonement. Like you recently, I've been having a rough time in the mission field and one way that I'm getting through it is by the atonement of Jesus Christ. The atonement has a lot of power to it and when we come to better understand it (like you have recently done) we learn just how far the atonement can carry us through life. Not even just this life but the atonement carries us all the way through eternity. I agree, it's amazing and incomprehensible to realize just how much love Jesus has for us.
  Something else that happened this week, we had a meth lab explode in our area! Cool right??? In Buena Vista apartments the complex exploded around 2 PM (We went in the area mom). We saw the aftermath of it around 6. Nobody was killed I think, and 2 men were arrested. Haha and it was really hot there as well so me and my companion got Popsicles from an ice cream truck and ate them while watching everything. As we were eating a cop walked past us, looked at us, said we were geniuses and he then ran off to go get something from the ice cream truck. It is sad though because 8 families were removed from their house. It's still a wonder to me that people do drugs, they mess up so many lives.
  Last P-Day we went to visit some recent converts of my companions. We also drove by this place King Benjamin's Court. Utah is weird. Every street is the name of a Book of Mormon character. I'll send you two pictures. Also I'm sending a picture of my trainer the night before we said goodbye and also I'm sending a picture of the meth lab explosion.
  Thanks for all the support. Recently it's been tough but the support today has really helped. I love y'all.

Elder Parks