Working Tirelessly

May 28, 2013

Hello Family!

The work continues here in the Sunshine State. We have been hearing from other missionaries and President about the boundary changes:  Elder Cardoso and I have lost a few friends to the Tempe Mission but we are here to stay. I am very happy to remain here in the new APM Hood: El Mirage.

We are still excited about all the changes to be made to missionary work in this historic time. Keep in mind that the Church is experimenting with different types of technology that have never been used by missionaries to better accelerate this work. Responses are being made to the influx of missionaries as well as the modern time that we live in now. Really cool stuff is happening. GO TO THE MEETING ON JUNE 23rd! It should be broadcast in church buildings (in Utah it may just be on TV or something). But figure it out because President Monson AND President Packer are speaking!

I have been working tirelessly. We have an hour less of studying in the morning since I am not being trained anymore so we are out the door at noon just about every day. Most zone meetings and activities with president are behind us now too and neither Elder Cardoso nor I have any assignments so we are just focusing on the work! It is very tiring. We are saving the church a lot of money being assigned to a bike area, but it is tiring haha. So this first week of this transfer has been a lot of work. It has actually been kind of disappointing too I am sad to say. Not a lot of success at all. We have been doing a lot of visits and stop-bys because no one commits to a lesson. This culture is really starting to frustrate me actually. We set a goal for eight investigators at church but only one came because six of them (three different families) went on vacation to California on a whim! Just like that! And it was three different families! AHHHHHHHHH. And we get members some nights when we call them but we just waste their time on visits! It is tough. The Lord is challenging me with this. Elder Cardoso says this is pretty normal to the mission, and culture, etc. It is hard. We are looking for people who are really prepared. Mario and Glenda were prepared and made the necessary sacrifices. We are looking for the next people.

I read about what Elder Oberg's opportunity to baptize his mother before he was released. As I was reading the letter I had it reaffirmed to me AT THE VERY MOMENT the realness of that ordinance and covenant with God. I know this Church is true. I know that it has been restored to the Earth and is being led by a prophet of God. I know that Baptism is the way. I know that everyone who spoke about it and everything else in the Libro De Mormon are VERY REAL PEOPLE. I am understanding the teachings of that book more and more every time I read them as I continue to know how real they are. They all exist and are looking to us today in this time to continue and conclude the work of the Lord. Stay strong all. Keep reading the Book of Mormon.

Love, Elder Parry

And So We Left Her With a Book of Mormon and Went On Our Way

May 21, 2013

Dear Family,

 

I am here in the Arizona Phoenix Mission to stay. The boundary changes with Tempe did not affect me. I wasn't on the transfer list. So I have to endure at least six more weeks with the Brazilian haha just kidding. But we will be losing a lot of Spanish speakers tomorrow to the mission so that is crazy!

This week was WILD! I am so grateful to have seen the Hand of the Lord in so many ways in just the past few days.

I will start by talking about the Zone Conference we had last Tuesday with President Taylor. He is one inspired man. We talked about a few things that Elder Nelson shared with 70+ Mission Presidents in the Southwest a few weeks ago. We talked about the Gathering of Isreal. The Book of Mormon is a literal sign that the gathering has begun here for the last time in the last dispensation and is, thus, coming to a close. CRAZY!!!! Also- Ephraim and Manessah were promised the American continent as their land of inheritance and we are bringing the Book of Mormon back to this people (Ether 12:25)!!! I am getting so fired up about it. This work is literally so huge. SOO BIG. I did not think that my whole life growing up. SO BIG. The hastening of the work is so huge too. And has the hastening stopped?? No. President also told us about BIG THINGS to happen this coming June. Big things in the church and in Missionary Work. June 23rd is the date of a big church conference that 'all interested church members' have been invited to watch. Presidents Monson and Packer and others will be speaking. It will be HUGE. It is titled "Work of Salvation." President assured and reassured us to expect big things. For members and missionaries. The work is exploding right before our eyes. And it is up to us to BE A PART OF IT. Please don't sit back and watch. Now is the time that thousands of prophets before us have prophesied of. It is safe to say that Isaiah and Mormon are rolling all over in their coffins about right now (was that sacreligious?).

This Saturday was the baptismal service for the 8-year-old Cassandra Sanchez. Miracle after miracle took place in this process this weekend. Because we delayed her date after her parents got baptized so we could teach her a little more in English, she became the responsibility of the ward and was not a number for the missionary cause. We didn't care at all. She is the cutest person! She was so ready to be baptized. We put a lot of work in putting together the program. Elder Cardoso and I asked ourselves why we were using so much of our time and effort for this when it doesn't really help us accomplish anything for the missionary cause, but we really wanted it to be a special day for Cassandra. And it was. the Primary sang a special song, two very great talks were given about Fe and the Expiacion (The one speaking on the Atonement thanked us after because she really needed the Atonement right now. She was almost in tears. Who doesn't need more of the Atonement in their lives?), we watched the first vision, and Mario (Cassandra's Dad, who was given the priesthood an hour before the service) performed the baptism! Once again, the spirit confirmed to me that this ordinance is real and yes, Cassandra was ready.

I got to be in the circle for Hermano Mario Sanchez' Priesthood. The Priesthood is REAL. This is the actual power of God on the Earth today. There is not a doubt in my mind of that. I have felt it and seen it my whole life and on my mission as well.

On Sunday Hermano Jenkins from the ward told Elder Cardoso that I would be confirming Cassandra. I was a little scared at first and then said, "we should just leave it up to Cassandra." Elder Cardoso inquired of her, and she picked me. Soooo It was me. WOW was that special. I was nervous at first about the Spanish then I decided that is not what I should be feeling and to just let the Spirit take over, and He did. I said everything scripted right and then the unscripted part, just came right out. The Spirit definitely worked through me to her and my words. The Holy Ghost is real.

Thursday was not that fun. Thursday was off. The reason I say this was because I just felt sad and down at the end of the day and hoped for a better Friday with more fulfillment and 'success.' That is exactly what happened. On Friday we knocked a door of a referral. It wasn't the referral we were looking for but it was a SPANISH couple who invited us in to have dinner with them and talk. OF ALL THINGS, we talked to them about baptisms for the dead. They are interested. They are definitely in the search for the Gospel. Then we left that house for Youngtown for the rest of the night. On our way there we met a man who needed help getting the cap off his gas. I tried and tried to no avail. Elder Cardoso popped it right off. We got his information and left. Then we saw a car on Grand that needed to be pushed to the gas station. We helped push and got their information. At the gas station we ran into the guy again with the gas cap problem and a Catholic offered to by us drinks because he really respects us. We accepted and talked to him for a bit. A few minutes later an old black lady opened her car door and yelled and asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses and if we had anything to give her to read because she likes reading their stuff. I said we aren't. Then she said Okay bye! Then I said "But we have something better for you to read!" She said "Bring it here!" And So we left her with a Book of Mormon and went on our way.

The Lord is in the fabric of our missions and lives. Success isn't just member present lessons and getting people on date; it is being the tool the Lord would have you be and being worthy of His Spirit to guide you. The Lord put people in our path. Are we going to teach any of them? No. More than likely we will never see them again nor hear whether they accepted the Gospel or not. But God knows where they are and he helps them through us. It was a magnificent day.

Well I finished being trained on Sunday night. It is kinda crazy. Four months in my mission.... You should know that I know exactly what to do! NOT. Haha. I still do not know what I am doing, but I am learning every day and trying to be humble so as to be worthy of the Lord's teaching. The mission is tough but I am patiently learning and trying to improve. I still have a lot to do and learn, and I am trying not to get stressed about it.

Sorry it was so long this week, I think I forgot a couple things too.

Love you all.

Elder Parry

Mother's Day

We had a great talk yesterday with Elder Parry.  For some reason, the Phoenix mission is not allowed to Skype.  We had about 35 minutes on the phone.  It was so awesoe to hear Jake's voice.  He sounds great and always has a very positive attitude

May 13, 2013

Dear Family-

It was very nice to hear and talk to all of you! I don't really remember anything specific because it was SOO fast but the whole point was to hear all your voices and feel your love as we talked. Thank you.
 

That being said, not much has changed here since haha. I will try to think of something...

 

 

We had one investigator at church. I'm not sure what the Lord wants me to learn when only one out of a lot more possible people comes to church. These kind of Sundays are frustrating because everything you experience and learn over the three hours makes you wish your investigators could've been there to have for themselves. It was tough, and the best way we have to deal with it is more prayer and more work in the upcoming week so here we go...

 

 

Five Investigators at Church

May 6, 2013

Dear Family,

Life in the Estrella Branch is awesome! I will start off with the highlight of my day yesterday.. We got five investigators at church! It was spectacular. Letecia game with 3 of her 10 kids and she decided to invite her friend for some reason who lives by her. We made follow-up appointments for both of them so that was sweet :) Also--Jose Hernandez finally came! He is a very bright, happy, and very caring person. His family is against the church but he is very open to it. He has been trying to please both us and his family so it has been hard for him, but he came! Someone bore their testimony about Helaman 5:12 and he felt so bad cause he thought he needed to read it before the meeting so he was frantically flipping through the book, looking for the passage so he could read it. It was special! And I helped Letecia and her friend sing the hymns during sacrament. That was special too.

Cinco de Mayo was interesting haha. We had to be in our apartments two hours earlier than usual in case there was mucha gente borracha, but the truth is that Mexicans don't really celebrate it. It is an American excuse holiday kind of a thing. Their independence day is September 16. Anyway, we got in at 7:00 yesterday, worked on our area book, cooked some spaghetti, did other productive things, and got in bed at 9:30! It was actually a really special night for me and hopefully Elder Cardoso too because we just laid there for an hour and talked. We talked about a lot which was so nice. We know each other well now I love it. That is key to being able to have the Spirit guide you. You have to be in it and tuned-in as a companionship to have the Spirit. He has really been helping me to loosen up, enjoy my mission, and be satisfied with my efforts. I am seeing habits change for the better. He is a great teacher.

It is crazy, I am trying to think of a specific happening to tell you about from my week but it went sooooooooo fast. I cannot believe how quick that week went. We didn't have a lot of lessons because people just keep canceling. So we did the work as best as we could do it for seven days and definitely had a few good spiritual experiences. One of them: We were biking to an inactive's house to contact him and we stopped to talk to a lady on a jog. We ended up talking for 35 minutes in the street. I tried to understand as much as possible, but basically we just listened. she talked for 30 of the minutes, with a little crying in between, while we basically testified during the five minutes we had. I learned that sometimes all people need is someone to listen to them. That is exactly what Julia needed. She had been praying to run into someone to talk to that night and so we testified to her that God was looking out for her and that things will get better in her life. It was a special experience. We have something scheduled with her so I will let you know how that goes. Never forget the importance of listening! It is one of the most selfless things you can do for others! Genuinely listening and caring about the person speaking can open up their heart and allow you to enter. That is how the Gospel first needs to be preached; listening and caring.

We set a goal as a zone for the month of June: 20 baptisms. 19 is the APM record. We are all pretty stoked, but we understand that the task we are undertaking is a big one. Elder Cardoso and I are working and fervently praying toward this goal now. There are ten companionships so to do our part we need to prepare and baptize two people. We can do more than that in June, but we are REALLY focusing and praying for some people we have in mind. I am excited, because I know we will do it. Yesterday during my fast I prayed and promised the Lord that I would do absolutely everything in my power to bring about this goal. I mentioned that I obviously cannot do it without the Lord's help, but that whatever needed to be done by me, would be. I was 'wrestling' with the Lord like Alma! I am now really looking forward to the month ahead, and as I keep my promise to do all that I need to and all that is placed before me, it is going to be a really tough month, but I want it to be.

Two more weeks and I'm done with training. I cannot believe it! I'd like to say I'm not exactly ready for all that the future holds and all the Lord has prepared for me to do but then again, was anybody in church history? Haha President Joseph Smith would probably laugh at that comment. I hope all is well in Bountiful. La tierra prometida!!! Love you all and I look forward to talking to you next week :)

Love, Elder Parry

 
PS I just remembered about a dinner I wanted to tell you about. On Thursday, we had a dinner at an inactive's (Who Elder Cardoso got to come to church yesterday--like a boss). They fed us carne asada, rice, menudo (cow intestine soup; it's actually pretty good), and a bunch of avocados. It was so much food and we ate it ALL. I am getting fed really well down here don't worry :) I would be gaining a lot more weight than I already am if it weren't for the bike rides in the boiling sun haha