Well, I am a week into the field and it is going great!
My companion, Elder Pollmeier, is a very great missionary. I look up to him
very much. He was an assistant for 6 months and he is currently spending
his final transfer with me. I look up to him and follow his example in every
way. He is so obedient. I prayed for an obedient companion who could get me on
track in the best way right off the bat, and that is exactly what I have in
Elder Pollmeier. He is obedient down to its most detailed form. It is taking a
little getting used to for some of the things, but for the most part, I am
happy to say that our obedience is exact and will remain that way. Elder
Pollmeier is from Georgia. He was converted to the church and baptized 4 years
ago, his parents are separated and non-members, he loves outdoor stuff, he is a
very good cook, and he loves being a missionary. He HATES talking about
"last transfer" stuff. He tells people he's "over a year"
into his mission. It is interesting to see in him. I imagine Elder Hamilton was
a lot like this on his mission and even now that he is home too. It's kind of hard for me to think of him as
having his last transfer though. I'm going to be honest, I have felt a little
trapped this week. Right now, I can't imagine being out here a whole two years.
I have had a plethora of flashbacks and distracting thoughts and memories such
as home, Lake Powell, baseball trips, family, the MP5, hanging out on the
boulevard, playing video games and being in the basement with the siblings, and
trying to imagine what Evan and all my friends are currently doing on their
missions. I am trying so hard right now to get lost in the work because that is
what I want my mission to be all about, but right now, I am a little distracted
and don't have the best perspective on my mission. I know that once I start
losing myself in the work then the time will fly by and I'll be able to appropriately
wonder where the time went. As for right now, I can't
really fathom the thought of "wondering where the time went" in my future.
I found myself looking forward to checkpoints in time along my mission but then
I remembered what Dad said to me about not looking forward to the next
transfer, companion etc. I need to enjoy the time I have right here right now
with Elder Pollmeier in Peoria here at the beginning of my mission. I'll wish I
had if I don't. Well, I may be
acting a little melodramatic, but I know I'll start to get into some habits,
and I'll start seeing great success and before I know it I'll have served an
honorable full-time mission!
Guess what!? We have a car, we drive about 48 miles a day in it, and..I am the driver!!! Haha I hope that makes you laugh because I was never a great driver even though I did a lot of it, and because my record would seem to signify that I shouldn't be the driver. We have a 2012 Toyota Corolla and I am being a good driver. We are following all the rules of the car, and I am a very temperate, patient, and safe
driver. Crazy how things change huh? Haha. We cycle through my three MoTab CDs quite frequently throughout the day.
I LOVE President and Sister Taylor. I don't really know why I love them so much. They are such beautiful and wonderful people. At first, I thought that President Taylor was grumpy and a little strict, but I have since realized that he is neither and that he really does love us. I know that his strictness will bless me as I serve. Then there is Sister Taylor. She is one great big giant shiny beam of sunlight and happiness! I love just seeing her smile and talking to her. That may sound weird, but she radiates and she fills the void, somewhat, of not seeing Mom. I hope that I have more opportunities to interact with both of them as my mission carries on.
My ward is the Agua Fria ward in the Peoria Stake. So that is where I am serving for at least (and probably the next) transfer. It is hard to find Mexicans to teach. Spanish stateside has its difficulties. We are obviously doing a lot of talking to people in English, which doesn't help my Spanish, but our main goal is to find Spanish Speakers to talk with. And we did find one. My second day here we came across Hilda. What a miracle she already is here in my life as a missionary. Elder Pollmeier is a great example and leader to me, and I want to serve an honorable full-time mission, but Hilda is the big and maybe the only reason I am staying alive out here. She is wonderful. She needed help translating a letter at her apartment as we were leaving our appointment with Jose. We went in, helped her, and offered a prayer. She cried after the prayer and wanted us to come back. BOOM! Just like that haha. The Spirit was there. Next lesson we talked about the doctrine of Christ and we extended.... the invitation! I DID! My heart was pounding out of my throat, I was sweating, and the Spirit was there. I asked her to be baptized as she came to know that these things were true. She said yes--enthusiastically. We are so excited for her. The Lord has gone to great lengths for her to be prepared. She is set for the 23rd of March and she went to Stake Conference yesterday. It was three days after meeting her! It was a tender mercy to meet her from the Lord to me and to her obviously. Not much other success has been had so far (five days in).
Stake conference was fun. The meeting was about as big as a MP5 meeting in a normal meeting house haha. But it was cool. President and Sister Taylor spoke for a little so it was a welcome relief to see them. I think Sister Taylor teared up when she was talking to me for a minute before church just because she was so happy to see me? I don't know, but I think about those two a lot! Not as much as the family at home though. Anyway, I had to sit in the relief society room to listen to the translation of Stake conference. I would have rather listen to Elder Schwitzer of the Seventy in English (fun fact: he spoke in the MTC when I was there a few weeks ago so I got to hear him again give a similar talk haha.) but Spanish was okay too. My Spanish is coming. Esuna procesa. At times I feel like I am improving, and at times I feel like I am going backwards haha. But I have faith it'll come according to my work, diligence, and when the Lord needs it to. No problem.
The ward is SO AWESOME! All the Mexicans are great, fun to talk to and get to know. And they speak English for the most part so it is nice to relate to them in my tongue. They speak English pretty fine actually. Spanish is second for most. They are so supportive. Several members accompany us in lessons, ask how things are going, and are united in the work with us! They are so helpful! AND... The WML has hooked us up with a schedule of meals through the weeks! We have already had three dinners and they are so delicious. Real Mexican food is all that it is cracked up to be for sure!!! One dinner I politely ate like nine little Mexican burrito things smothered in homemade green salsa. One of the members, and this doesn't even count as a member dinner, MAKES US go to his taco stand once a week for a real Mexican food dinner for free. It was delicious. Yesterday, at Bishop Denoso's house we had a real Chilean meal. It was very good. Carne Asada, Empanadas, homemade rice, salad, ice cream, and some Mexican soda. I am getting spoiled here. As long as I am polite, I will be eating a lot at member dinners, but I need to work on budgeting and planning things out for the food I need to buy and prepare myself for my other meals throughout the week. For as long as I can remember I have eaten out, Mom's cooking, Dad's cooking, from a cafeteria, peanut butter sandwiches, or cereal. Those are all great things, but I need to start learning how to actually make food myself. So thus, I have only eaten member dinners and PBJ sandwiches so far haha.
I love you all very much. I think about home, Bountiful, and family and friends A LOT. I need to focus more on the work and not be so nostalgic. But I love you and pray for you. Thanks for all the teaching and reaching out to me even when you hadn't known it through the years. I have an hour per Monday to email you and President Taylor. I don't know the best way to do it, so let me know if you have any suggestions. I may not have a lot of time to do any "conversations." But I want you to hear about me in the way you want to hear it. Let me know if I should shorten my one email so that we can talk. Thanks for the prayers, I know they are coming. Good luck with baseball to the tournament-goers, and good luck to Caroline with the puppies. The weather is nice down here; be excited for that. I love you family. Hasta ver.
Elder Jacob Parry
Guess what!? We have a car, we drive about 48 miles a day in it, and..I am the driver!!! Haha I hope that makes you laugh because I was never a great driver even though I did a lot of it, and because my record would seem to signify that I shouldn't be the driver. We have a 2012 Toyota Corolla and I am being a good driver. We are following all the rules of the car, and I am a very temperate, patient, and safe
driver. Crazy how things change huh? Haha. We cycle through my three MoTab CDs quite frequently throughout the day.
I LOVE President and Sister Taylor. I don't really know why I love them so much. They are such beautiful and wonderful people. At first, I thought that President Taylor was grumpy and a little strict, but I have since realized that he is neither and that he really does love us. I know that his strictness will bless me as I serve. Then there is Sister Taylor. She is one great big giant shiny beam of sunlight and happiness! I love just seeing her smile and talking to her. That may sound weird, but she radiates and she fills the void, somewhat, of not seeing Mom. I hope that I have more opportunities to interact with both of them as my mission carries on.
My ward is the Agua Fria ward in the Peoria Stake. So that is where I am serving for at least (and probably the next) transfer. It is hard to find Mexicans to teach. Spanish stateside has its difficulties. We are obviously doing a lot of talking to people in English, which doesn't help my Spanish, but our main goal is to find Spanish Speakers to talk with. And we did find one. My second day here we came across Hilda. What a miracle she already is here in my life as a missionary. Elder Pollmeier is a great example and leader to me, and I want to serve an honorable full-time mission, but Hilda is the big and maybe the only reason I am staying alive out here. She is wonderful. She needed help translating a letter at her apartment as we were leaving our appointment with Jose. We went in, helped her, and offered a prayer. She cried after the prayer and wanted us to come back. BOOM! Just like that haha. The Spirit was there. Next lesson we talked about the doctrine of Christ and we extended.... the invitation! I DID! My heart was pounding out of my throat, I was sweating, and the Spirit was there. I asked her to be baptized as she came to know that these things were true. She said yes--enthusiastically. We are so excited for her. The Lord has gone to great lengths for her to be prepared. She is set for the 23rd of March and she went to Stake Conference yesterday. It was three days after meeting her! It was a tender mercy to meet her from the Lord to me and to her obviously. Not much other success has been had so far (five days in).
Stake conference was fun. The meeting was about as big as a MP5 meeting in a normal meeting house haha. But it was cool. President and Sister Taylor spoke for a little so it was a welcome relief to see them. I think Sister Taylor teared up when she was talking to me for a minute before church just because she was so happy to see me? I don't know, but I think about those two a lot! Not as much as the family at home though. Anyway, I had to sit in the relief society room to listen to the translation of Stake conference. I would have rather listen to Elder Schwitzer of the Seventy in English (fun fact: he spoke in the MTC when I was there a few weeks ago so I got to hear him again give a similar talk haha.) but Spanish was okay too. My Spanish is coming. Esuna procesa. At times I feel like I am improving, and at times I feel like I am going backwards haha. But I have faith it'll come according to my work, diligence, and when the Lord needs it to. No problem.
The ward is SO AWESOME! All the Mexicans are great, fun to talk to and get to know. And they speak English for the most part so it is nice to relate to them in my tongue. They speak English pretty fine actually. Spanish is second for most. They are so supportive. Several members accompany us in lessons, ask how things are going, and are united in the work with us! They are so helpful! AND... The WML has hooked us up with a schedule of meals through the weeks! We have already had three dinners and they are so delicious. Real Mexican food is all that it is cracked up to be for sure!!! One dinner I politely ate like nine little Mexican burrito things smothered in homemade green salsa. One of the members, and this doesn't even count as a member dinner, MAKES US go to his taco stand once a week for a real Mexican food dinner for free. It was delicious. Yesterday, at Bishop Denoso's house we had a real Chilean meal. It was very good. Carne Asada, Empanadas, homemade rice, salad, ice cream, and some Mexican soda. I am getting spoiled here. As long as I am polite, I will be eating a lot at member dinners, but I need to work on budgeting and planning things out for the food I need to buy and prepare myself for my other meals throughout the week. For as long as I can remember I have eaten out, Mom's cooking, Dad's cooking, from a cafeteria, peanut butter sandwiches, or cereal. Those are all great things, but I need to start learning how to actually make food myself. So thus, I have only eaten member dinners and PBJ sandwiches so far haha.
I love you all very much. I think about home, Bountiful, and family and friends A LOT. I need to focus more on the work and not be so nostalgic. But I love you and pray for you. Thanks for all the teaching and reaching out to me even when you hadn't known it through the years. I have an hour per Monday to email you and President Taylor. I don't know the best way to do it, so let me know if you have any suggestions. I may not have a lot of time to do any "conversations." But I want you to hear about me in the way you want to hear it. Let me know if I should shorten my one email so that we can talk. Thanks for the prayers, I know they are coming. Good luck with baseball to the tournament-goers, and good luck to Caroline with the puppies. The weather is nice down here; be excited for that. I love you family. Hasta ver.
Elder Jacob Parry
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