Hello family!
The time has flown and it is finally
here for me to leave. I am so excited. Although, yesterday all during ¨¨field
day¨¨ I was very pensive about entering the field and doing all the stuff for
real. Part of me kind of worried what I got myself into. I think it´ll be
harder than I have always thought it will. The MTC was great and I learned so
much, but I am sure that I am not completely ready and that the Lord will need
to chip off many chunks of this block of marble before it´s a Michelangelo
piece. Nonetheless, I am very excited. I can´t wait to drive up north, maybe
see a little bit of Bountiful, meet my trainer, and most of all, to meet
President and Sister Taylor!!!! I have been thinking about them a lot lately.
And praying. I pray for the people of Arizona every day. I want some soft
hearts that the Spirit can testify to through me. Oh and President and Sister
Taylor sent me a handwritten birthday card! How cool is that?! They are
thinking of me too. BTW, I report at the travel office at 5 am and my plane
leaves at either 8:10 or 8:30. I don't remember. But look at that window and
predict when I will be calling you with my $40 in quarters and that's when I
will call you haha. Just be ready I guess, and if you have specific
instructions then send me a Dear Elder.
My Birthday was awesome! Mainly
because I was in the MTC though. I have never had a birthday in my life where I
didn´t think about myself as much as I did last week. I think the only other
birthday in my life that will be able to compare to it is the one I have next
year haha. Throughout the day I often forgot that day was even special. The
same went for Elder Hobbins. My teacher asked how my birthday is, I said
BASTANTE MAS o MENOS (sufficiently more or less) and it's true, that's how it
was. I didn't mind at all. I love being dedicated and committed to the point of
forgetting myself. I hope to take that into the field with me. However, I did
receive some very nice notes, letters, and packages. Mom and Grandma, thank you
so much, those packages were a blast. Oh and be sure to tell Merissa Woodbury
that she has the teacher I´ve had. Hermano Urquhart, and he is the best teacher
in the MTC. She will LOVE him, as have I.
Thank you so much for being such
great examples of giving and consecrated what the Lord has given us.
I have seen so many friends around
here! It is quite nice. I am sending a picture in a few days that I hope Sue or
Wilkey see, quisas. It is a super Bountiful picture. And it is epic! Anyway, friends
just keep coming in, and Bountiful is a good representative here at the MTC.
Richard, Me, and Elder Poulton all leave on Tuesday. So we´re pretty pumped.
Needless to say. Sam got reassigned from Argentina to Charlotte, NC. In fact,
six people in my zone got reassigned to state side. Argentina, Mexico, and
Brazil. Not fun to get called there haha. Congrats to the Browns! WOW!!! That
is such a cool time for them. Let Mike know that I really look up to him and
know he´ll be a great missionary. I´ll see him at his homecoming!!
Grandma has cancer!? How did that
even happen. She is in my prayers and thoughts. I bet the worst part of this
for them is they just want to serve rather than go through this. That´s hard. I
love them and am proud to be serving alongside them. If they end up not getting
to finish serving in Hong Kong, I´ll work even extra hard to serve for them on
my mission!
They´ve split up the Phoenix
mission!? What the heck. Keep me updated on that for sure. I want to still have
the Phoenix temple in my mission, and President Taylor, so let me know I´m a
little nervous haha.
Elder Hobbins and I spent our last
day at the temple this morning for who knows how long for the both of us. We
decided to go early, and, reverting back to my Tuesday traditions, we got there
at 5:30 to do initiatories before our session. Then after, we did a sealing
session for an hour. That was so neat. We were in there like five hours again
together. The leader of our sealing session told us to imagine our
investigators in white. He said that baptisms are great, but we teach and
convert so families can get sealed for eternity. That´s what I am after! I will
look at every investigator as one who will visit the temple one day and take
the covenants with the Lord. Elder Christofferson said that covenants are
spiritual power. The more, the better. And if we live them right, we will be
blessed endlessly. I also learned this week about how commandments are blessings
in our lives. Be grateful for commandments! I am. I love them in my life and in
ours as a family. There will be more commandments in the Celestial Kingdom
because commandments make us happy. How great that is! Oh, and if some of the
converts or investigators I work with down in the AZ get sealed in the temple
sometime later, you know I´ll be coming back down there! I hope you don´t mind
me heading down to my second home at least every other weekend for fresh tacos,
my Spanish friends, and to relive serving the Lord! Of course, I have to earn
this right first. And that starts Tuesday for me. Thanks for the permission.
Maybe, heading out into the Field
may not be a big deal for any of you. You say goodbye to me once and I'm gone
for two, it doesn´t really matter where if you miss me, I am just gone. But me
leaving is such a huge deal. So much will change. It will be a whole other
phase, not only to my mission, but my life overall. It'll be my first time
living out of state since I was a little Sox fan. My heart lies with the D
backs now though! Anyway, the field is white already to harvest, not brown
ready to be burned--no more fake investigators. The Lord has prepared people
and it is up to my faith and commitment that can bring them in.
I hosted new missionaries Wednesday.
It wasn't very eventful. I saw Josh Cardinal and his whole family in their
little white Acura. That was kinda fun, but I didn't get to host him. Elder
Dearden from Bountiful is in my zone which is pretty fun. Lots of new
missionaries though, every week. Beds keep piling up and up. I took some
pictures of those. We got a bunk in our room. Luckily no new people til we
leave. Then that week there should be six missionaries for six beds, four
closets, four desks, and insufficient drawers. What will they do....
My Spanish is fine. I am confident.
It´ll come. We´ll see in the field how it goes haha. Spanish isn't as important
as teaching the Gospel or understanding investigators or having the spirit
though. Don't worry about me. I was so
sick Saturday and Friday. But I feel so great now! Thanks for the medicine and
everything you send. I love you all.
You´ll get a call Tuesday morning.
Not sure exactly what time, I gave you some clues though. I hope this email
suffices. I love you all. Thanks for the support and love.
Elder Parry
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