If you have time can you send me
some easy recipes for some delicious plates that we have had before at home? :)
I am not a very good shopper or cooker so I need some advice. All your meals
were great so send me some stuff if you have time, please. :)
Family- Time is weird on the mission. Everyone says it goes by fast. I don't doubt their perspective for a second. However, I see time moving a little bit slow. But I am enjoying the mission, remaining obedient, learning new things and applying them every day, meeting all kinds of fun people in the ward and elsewhere, "running into" people that need to hear about the Gospel, and taking my days and weeks one hour at a time. I am working on growing a love for the people here. I love them, but I need to strengthen that love and express it as well. I know that once I have a perfect love for the Savior, my companion, my mission president, and everyone out here that I am serving then the time will start flying by. How could the time not fly when you're around everyone you love? I love them all, but I am going to develop that perfect love for them.
I miss you all very much. I love you
and hope for the best. Thank you for all the love and prayers. The package was
fun--you KNOW I love Reese's--and all else in there was useful and fun. Dad's
and Mom's emails and letters are wonderful. Thank you for keeping me in the
loop in Bountiful, spiritually and temporally. But I have missed you all. I was
reading the bottom of Page 5 in Preach My Gospel and it says that you have
power and authority as a missionary when you love your family. That made me
really happy. I have always loved my family but it wasn't until I was a month
or two into my mission that I have realized how much you all mean to me. Thank
you. You don't even know what a support and love you have been with me through
the years. Keep being that light on a hill for all to see. I miss you all.
That was CRAZY that you were here.
You were pretty close to me at many times I'm sure. One of my best friends in
the ward went to a Dodgers/Rangers game and we talked about it. It was the one
that ended at like an 11-11tie (Note from Becky: That is the Dodgers/Rangers game we went to) I
think. Anyway, that could be a connection somehow. I was weeding an inactive
member's backyard all through the storm on Friday. It was dirty, dirty work.
Very fun though, and the weeds are easy to pull out of soft ground. The family
said that dirt is hard as rock when it's dry! The rain was freezing, and yes it
has been freezing here for three days over the weekend although I have a hard
time understanding why it has been freezing for you? Haha. I have "warmed
up" to Arizona weather, so I was cold. But isn't Utah cold? Haha. Side
note- I have never missed baseball more in my life than I do now! I pass the
Peoria Sports Complex every day to get to my area and I see people all around
me playing. The part I miss most is watching Evan, Sam, and Isaac play. I love
baseball! I wish I could take some part in it now, but alas, no. Have a great,
fun season and take advantage of everything baseball that you can: MPBB, eating
hot dogs, sitting in the shade watching, base hits, MLB. Everything.
March 23rd is still the date for
Hilda. She has gone to church both Sundays so far and everything seems to be
going great. The only possible bump in the road as of right now could be the
law of chastity because she has an "esposo" in the carcel (jail)
right now and when he gets out in Octubre they can't live together. Anyway, we
are actually teaching this tonight so I am excited! She is such an awesome
person though. She told us that she thinks God sent us to her door that random
night when she needed something translated in Spanish. It was definitely not a
random night and she is definitely right. Dad- thank you for the letter. I actually
just read that this morning. There was a lot on "coincidences" that I
really enjoyed reading. I am excited to see more of the Hand of God in my life
and the lives of my investigators as the time moves along.
I am convinced that every Mexican
here can speak English haha. It is funny, but also frustrating. I feel like it
doesn't improve my Spanish for the times when I really will need it. But it
really helps for ward member relationships! I am close to the ward. They are so
fun and so supportive of missionary work. And I can talk to most of them in
English. Learning Spanish is frustrating, but I am trying every day and that
gift of tongues has got to kick in sometime I'm sure!
The investigator pool is a bit ambiguous, for lack of a better word to describe it. It includes Jose, Hilda, and three families. Families are so golden to teach and baptize for obvious reasons, but all three are hard to reach and connect with. They all seem interested, but it's been frustrating to try to coordinate. My favorite, the S family, is awesome. We are going there tonight! There are four kids and a single mom, three of the kids play baseball. The one that is 15 reminds me exactly of Sam. He is humble, quiet, athletic, interested in the missionaries, and a pretty sharp kid. Like all people under 25 here, he speaks English, so I have found some cool ways to connect with him. We talk about baseball and what not. I found some fathead stickers of his favorite team that I "happened" to have so I am going to give them to him tonight! Israel is such a cool kid. I want to see the whole family baptized, or at least be a part of that process for them. I have felt the Spirit in their home and I saw it in the Mom's and Israel's eyes during one of our lessons. Anyway, I said the pool is ambiguous because it has so much potential (possible 19 baptisms), but Jose still has doubts of making a "commitment" to be baptized because he claims to have never made one in his life before. He has been to church 11 times since he was taught a few months ago and he loves reading the scriptures. And like I said the other families are hard to contact. But the work moves forward no matter what and we are finding more people. It's exciting.
2 more things...
Okay, Dad, I have your friend's cell
and his home number. I don't know where
he lives though. Probably not in my area and maybe not even in the mission. We
aren't really allowed to teach or have meals with any English speakers which is
kind of lame. Anyways, I want to find and teach him but I don't see it happening.
I love him and love the fact that the Lord put him at the mission office when I
was there. I don't want to refer him to anyone else. I want to share with him
my testimony and see him more so I will put my faith in the Lord that He will
find a way for this to happen. He is so
awesome and the bike is pretty dang awesome too! haha.
I wanted to say a little on my
companion Elder Pollmeier. President and Sister Taylor were right: he is
spectacular. I am in such good hands. He is perfectly obedient, such an experienced
and able missionary and leader to me and all. He is not a great missionary
because he is experienced though. He is great because of everything that he
does. I feel so behind out here in the field with him as my trainer. He knows
what to do all the time. Sorry my thoughts are so scrambled, I am running out
of time.. Anyway. Elder Pollmeier is my trainer for a reason. It is rare to
have your training split up by two trainers, and he could have more likely been
a trainer to a zone leader or just the Sr. comp. on his way out of the mission,
but he was put with me. I learn un monton of skills from him every day. He one
of the most revered missionaries in this mission for a reason. Everybody knows
him and talks to him. I consider myself very blessed to have him.
Yes, President Taylor is a bit... I
don't know grumpy? Yes business-like. He is great though and I love him. I know
that he loves us too. Sister Taylor is a gem isn't she? Never have I missed Mom
more on the mission then when I first met her. Seriously! I am glad you met
them. And the Temple looks cool. Can't wait until next July. Well I feel like
this email was fully void of testimony or anything specifically spiritual. I
love this work. I love being a missionary, I know that it is only going to get
better as the time goes on. I know that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate
sacrifice through His infinite Atonement and that my job is to experience that
for myself so that I can show the world this everlasting gift given to all. I
know that the Spirit is with my always as I am diligent, obedient, and
faithful. I know that I am guided every day by angels, the Spirit, and loved
ones on the other side. I have no reason to waste this guidance with a single
minute not spent on the work. I miss you all. I love you all!
Love, Elder Parry
No comments:
Post a Comment