So this week has been a little wild
already to this point. Elder Pollmeier left yesterday at 4:00. It was really
weird to send a missionary off to home, especially from my position haha. He is
a great missionary and will go on to do great things. He has taught me so much.
One thing that I got out of conference kind of as the theme for the five
sessions is our identity. We are literal children of our Heavenly Father and he
loves us for who we are. I have applied that to myself as a missionary. He
knows me, my strengths, weaknesses, desires, and actions, and he puts you in
the place and with the companion, and with the investigators that you have been
prepared for you. The more I understand what my mission means to me and the
Lord and what I want it to mean to me and the Lord I receive added confidence,
strength and motivation in all that I do to improve. I love this work, but at
times I feel very inadequate. My confidence is certainly building though. I
have accepted that this work is a whole lot bigger than me or any of us and
that the work is done in the Lord's way and the Lord's time no matter what I
do. So I am going to give it my all in everything. Elder Nelson said that the
Lord's work began to hasten with the seven words that began it: "This is
my Beloved Son, Hear Him!" How cool is that! I am honored to be a
missionary at this time. Every morning I excite myself about all the
opportunities I have as a missionary. I never want to forget the importance of
my calling while I am out here.
So since Elder Pollmeier left I have
been hanging out with the Zone leaders for a couple days. It is REEEALLY fun.
It is stress-free because I am just tagging along haha. I have a tougher road
ahead because I will have a new second half trainer in an area that he knows
nothing of and that I know a little of. But I am excited for the challenge!
Anyway, the Zone Leaders are a blast and teaching the Gospel in English is a
refreshing break. One of them is 6'6 and tends to get off focus just a little
bit. I love him! His name is Elder D and he is an exact replica of Dallin
hahahaha. He has made me laugh so much just cause he reminds me of him. So that
has been nice. They are great Elders so I have had a lot of fun learning from
them too. Tomorrow is transfers and I will be going to meet my new trainer and
find out where my new apartment will be. It is going to be a pain to pack
today, but such is life I guess.
Conference was fantastic. I watched
all 10 hours intently at the stake center. With the Exception of Priesthood,
there were only about 10 or 12 missionaries and no members watching the
sessions haha. So we spread out and enjoyed the sessions by ourselves
spiritually. For obvious reasons, I haven't ever gotten this much out of
conference. It was so phenomenal. I prepared three questions for the weekend
and they were all answered pretty well! I really wanted to have a favorite talk
this time that wasn't Elder Hollands.... but... I don't think I did have a
different favorite haha. His blew me away! Faith is my favorite subject and it
reminded me of my favorite chapter Moroni 7. Never forget that what we know as
Latter Day Saints ALWAYS trumps what we don't. You stand your ground against
the Devil. Most importantly, you stand your ground against your own doubts!
That is how Satan brings us down. Don't forget that you are a child of our
Heavenly Father and that we have innumerable potential as Gods. Take those
leaps of faith and don't think about the bad that could happen. Anyway, that's
what I got mainly out of that. Phenomenal. I also really loved the Prophet's
talk on Obedience, The Repentance talk (3rd talk first session), L. Tom Perry's
fiery talk, Presidents Uchtdorf and Eyring's talks in Priesthood and I really
really enjoyed Elder Beck's talk in Priesthood on ministering. Homegrown hero!
Sounds like the baseball has been a
blast! Crazy antics in Canada and a refreshing start to the season. The 14 year
old in the S family has given me a couple updates: One of the Uptons has 5
homers in 5 games? Red Sox won 13-0 one day I heard about that! Not much else
though haha. That 13-seed made it to the final 4!? Crazy. Thanks for the
updates. I hope the trip was awesome. And Kari got baptized! That is so so
neat. Who baptized her? I figured you would say since that was basically the
problem all along haha. That is neat. Wish I could've been there. Be sure to
update me on both my Grandmas and their strong fights. And Old Man Evan and his
fight too haha.
The work is great in Arizona. Last
night I split off from the zone leaders for a lesson with the S family. It has
been impossible to schedule time with them so we finally taught the Restoration
(Elder P was gone and I asked a couple other Elders serving in my ward to
accompany me, so it was basically my first lesson taught which I lead--in
Spanish--and it went well! The other two bailed me out just a little, but the
family understood and had sincere desires to be baptized!) and they do want to
get baptized. We couldn't get a date because the mom wants to see a little more
about the church. I am not worried though. They are SOOO REady. I asked the 12
year old if he wants to and he said "Yes I want to get baptized, I don't
really care about the date, I just want to do it." The best part is they
haven't been to church yet and they have these great desires. They are going to
have so many friends in the Spanish ward. Last week a member of the bishopric
went over with me and my exchange companion. I had the prompting to offer a
healing blessing to the 12-year old because he broke his leg covering second
base when someone slid in to him on a steal (ouch). He was going to have
surgery the next day. Hermano Quintero from the bishopric gave the blessing. It
was powerful. The next day he went in for surgery and they said his leg has
healed so well... he didn't need surgery. What a coincidence right? Hahahah No.
They have a testimony of the priesthood and its healing power now too. I have
seen so many miracles with this family already. Yesterday we were just teaching
the Mom at the beginning which was very sad. Then Ohman finished his bath and
hobbled in with his broken leg, and Israel woke up from his 6 hour nap for
'some reason.' At first we didn't know if we could go over because we could not
find a member for a Monday night lesson and we needed an older male in the room
or we couldn't enter. For 'some reason' she had visiting family who she didn't
really want there in another room. So we passed in. Miracles. They are small
and very often missed. I am fortunately in-tune with the Spirit here on my
mission and have looked for and seen the hand of God in the small things.
Other than that, it is VERY hard to
find Spanish speaking people who are ready to hear the Gospel. My heart goes
out to Elders Green and Elwood speaking Spanish in the Northeast states haha.
That would be tough. We basically meet Americans each day who are more or less
interested, but we call in their names and suppose that they will be reaped by
the English missionaries. So Finding is hard. One thing we are trying soon is
visiting all the English members in the stake, having prayers with them, and
then getting them to point out Spanish neighbors! It should work. It's the best
finding idea we have right now. The other missionaries are pretty funny- They
all agreed that the big revelation for this conference would be to ban tracting
haha. It isn't very effective even though people look at it as vintage
missionary work. I love it! I have only done it for about 5 or 6 hours all
transfer but it was fun. It doesn't work though. You can really gain a
testimony of the Gospel as you get rejected at the door and see and hear all
kinds of mean things haha.
I love being a missionary. I am
grateful for the opportunity and growth I have seen. I amaze myself when I
think about the person I can become in two years. It is time to live up and
surpass potential! Sense of Urgency!
Love you all and pray for you.
Thanks for your love and prayers in return.
Love, Elder Parry
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