They Just Kept On Coming In!

Dear Family,

 

So my mail is going to make it to Disneyland this week! Muy bien. I think that is closer to me than Bountiful. Did I tell you that the road I jog to in the mornings stretches all the way to Las Vegas! It has been the route for over six months. Change or no change, I am super excited for whatever is in store for me. There are pros and cons to leaving and going and--POR SI LAS MOSCAS--I have some fun things set up this week with friends in the area. Four dinners with some great people :) what can that hurt? I love it here and will miss it whenever I leave. I guess you will be hearing from me on Tuesday what happens!

 

This week was probably the quickest week of the whole mission. No clue why--maybe all the weeks here on out will be like that. It was a fantastic week. It started off slow but really picked up. Facebook was kind of slow. Thanks for the pick-up in the email, that was nice. I just feel like nothing ever gets through on there. Nothing. I absolutely loathe the newsfeed and other stuff that crosses my gaze. It is nothing like knocking on a door without knowing who is on the other side. Not as fun and rewarding. I also think I have that a lot more figured out than the Facebook garbage. I am trying hard and thinking hard and following the Spirit. We see a few small miracles every now and then on FB that keep us going in our companionship. It is just another phase of the work that we need to adapt to and apply the principles we already know to be useful. Nothing really happened at the beginning of the week and I kind of don't remember anything before yesterday because that was the craziest Sunday of the mission. It tops the one two weeks ago by a lot! I will give the beginning of the week a try though--We had dinner with the J. Family. Hermano J. still has a beard and hasn't left his house for about a month. We had homemade pizza and joked around a little like times of old. He says the peppermint oil feels good on his head and that he goes back to work soon. We talked to President Aguirre for an hour and a half on Wednesday. He has the drive, sacrifice, responsibilities, and expectations that any missionary would have it's just that he has a normal life, family, and work. So that makes him super amazing. He is very humble and a very outward person. He sacrifices countless hours a week to strengthen the members of the ward and take many repsonsibilities for himself. We talked about strengthening members so that they can be better missionaries and we agreed to a plan. We are going to teach a few active members every now and then and really help with their conversion and sacrifice so they help with the effort. It was a great plan. Friday we had three great lessons--Jose P., Jose H., and the R. family. Great member help too. When we invite them and they come out, I feel so backed up in lessons. The Spirit they bring is so genuine and simple too. It feels good. I wish I knew how people felt about the two 19-year-old awkward dudes and what they feel with them haha. Jose H. told us he had two dreams this week- One really bad and the other really good. There are countless posibilities. We are going back Tuesday to figure out what they were! That man is so close! Saturday we had a fantastic lesson! We went over to Cezar's house for Homemade chilean fish tacos and a lesson with the S. family. The C. family was there too so it was a really nice member packed night. Very necessary too-- for the retention and recent convert effort. We read from section 138 and talked about baptisms for the dead. I bore testimony about how I know that there are soldiers in the army on the other side of the veil preparing our ancestors and friends for the Gospel that they cannot embrace without our help. I shared a little about cousin Monte and about how him passing has really strengthened my testimony that there are people up there that need, want, and accept the Restored Gospel. Hermano C. felt 'chastened' so he committed to going through the temple with names and taking the S. family with him too by Christmas. It was a lovely night. Sunday was wild! I experienced the most investigators at church (aside from the first week in July when it was two areas in one) in my mission. They just KEPT ON COMING IN. Clemente stayed all three hours for the first time since I have been here. Jose came and heard a lesson on fasting and a talk on Patriarchal blessings which was perfect. The G. family keeps on coming and participating in everything. Jocelyn loves the classes and always participates. The S. family is still soaking in all learning. Jose P. finally came!!!! He is the wallet guy and we have been inviting him for a month but he came and 8 or 9 members talked with him after the meeting. Cristina C. finally started coming again. Gospel Principles was packed and everybody was listening and commenting. That has been one of the most fun parts about my mission so far. I love being around everyone when they are learning. All these new members and investigators with their questions and insights. And of course, Hermanos Zayas, Covarubbias, Miranda, and Cervantes were all in the class so they all used their high priest wisdom to help teach haha. It is just so fun for me to hear people ask simple questions that I have taken for granted my whole life. All these people want to learn and are so open to what is being taught about the Gospel every week. That is why I love Sundays and that is why I love lessons during the week--especially when members come out. As it says in D and C (50?)- we are all edified by the spirit and rejoice together. That is how I feel in these learning environments. It is so fun for me. It is also very different being one of the people who knows the most about the Gospel in a room. Most being returning members, recent converts, and investigators, I get to answer questions simply and the Spirit helps carry my answers, just as much as anyone else's, to the hearts of those that learn--which is all of us. Just to toot my own horn, in Gospel principles I said a few things that made everyone else laugh-- I said that I like to fast for certain people and think about them during the day because, if i didn't, I would be thinking about food all day which, for those of you who know me, know that I really love food. Haha. And I asked President Miranda if we could have certificates of graduation when we finish Gospel Principles.  Everyone laughed and agreed we should. I think he seriously might do that one haha.

Did you see the dates release for the Gilbert temple? Stake President Allen said that with these dates we can fully expect Phoenix temple dates to come out soon. It should open before President and Sister Taylor leave!

 

I learned something cool in my personal study this morning. I ordered the Book of Mormon Liahona--which I highly recommend!--and was reading what all the prophets have said about the Book. It includes President Benson's famous talk on the keystone. I was impressed by the great amount of application the prophets and normal people have made from the book to life itself. It honestly was written for our day and our time. It wasn't written for the lamanites or nephites to read it later down the line. It is for us. All the prophets who wrote it said they did it for us. There is so much to be applied. I absolutely love this book and am fascinated by everything that happens in it but I realized I can do better at applying it. That is the difference between conversion and testimony. I now begin to deepen my conversion by making that book applicable to me. In there we can read how people can prepare for the coming of the Savior, how to deal with pride(as if there wasn't enough of that in the book), how to give and accept correction, how to repent, what to repent for, what good advice would be to give to a son or receive from a parent, and, of course, anything Mormon or Moroni say is just rad.

 

At our last trainer/trainee meeting I realized something. The past transfer I felt like I have really had things figured out in the area. With contacts, investigators, and members. This has kind of made me run too fast and think less about Elder Dodd. I am thinking hard core 24/7 about the people in the area and just kind of accepting Elder Dodd to follow, understand everything, and agree with everything. That is not okay! I have repented and committed to including him more on everything, letting him decide, and paying more attention to his wants and needs. Together, we need to forget ourselves and invest ourselves in Estrella Sur, but my responisilbity as his companion is to help him to be the best missionary he can be and I can do a better job at that from here on out. He is a great Elder and I believe we have both learned a lot from each other. We are very tired at nights because we are biking and working A LOT. Dad- Remember that two weeks we had in Europe and how we felt at the end of each day? I bet that is how you felt on your mission too. I am so exhausted, and I just roll out of bed ready to go. It is nice.

 

Love you all. Elder Parry

 

PS  The Series sounds intense. I get goosebumps jsut reading about the play and everything that is happening. I have noticed people talking about Big Papi every now and then and all the work he is doing as an old man. That is a big deal to hear among the Mexicans!

All Weeks are Great

This week was great. All weeks are great. They are just kind of moving along now. One by one. I am working hard not to fall into any bad rhythyms or slumps. I am taking things one day at a time and putting 100% in every little thing I have going.

 

Yesterday was the Primary Program. It was actually really spiritual and special to me. I enjoyed listening to good singing and basic doctrines of the Gospel explained by primary kids. That is how it all should be! We need to focus on families, our roles as children of God, and our love for the Savior. No mas. It was a very spiritual meeting with some awesome testimonies at the end as well. A lot of members got emotional. I felt the Spirit the strongest I had in weeks when the whole congregation stood up to sing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives!" It was very powerful. I just kind of sang and scanned the chapel every now and then to look at all the members who I admire and really trust. There are a lot of great people in this branch and a lot of people that are just flat-out awesome.  I came to a realization that we are all sons and daughters of God (I know, I am a little slow). Members, non-members, less-actives, yada yada. It really doesn't matter if other people aren't doing what I may think they should be doing. That is selfish and judgmental of me. Everyone is trying their hardest and we are ALL children of our Heavenly Father and we ALL need help, nurturing, love, attention, and the Gospel. I felt an outpouring of love from the Spirit in that Chapel and an outpouring of love for all the members in there. I just want to love everyone! Life is easier that way. Hermano J. said to us last week that wouldn't life just be so much easier and better if people went around saying nice things about others or pointing out something good about them? Asi es la lucha de la vida!

 

The S. family is doing great. I have always thought how cool it would've been for me to be one of the two first missionaries there praying with him when he felt the Spirit move up his arms to his chest but it certainly has been a giant blessing to be a part of there lives for the six months after baptism. They are so much fun. We stop by just to talk about church things a lot and they love learning about anything. I taught them a little about the Abrahamic Covenant yesterday because they asked. We gave a kids' BOM to Cassandra for her to give to her neighbor and she gave it. Mario and Glenda taught the second hour at church. They are not very outgoing so they were nervous but they asked me a lot of questions and invited all to participate and it went super well. They are so awesome. We also taught Jocelyn another lesson on temples. She wants to get married there one day and be able to go inside soon. All things are in the right direction for both of them! It has been nice to focus on recent convert work as of late. Real-growth is the best part of teaching!

 

Recently I have found myself with less motivation than what my normal levels usually are. It may be because of all this talk of 'changing' within the mission and without haha. I am working on just living and working now. Yesterday I decided that I just need to work. I don't really think breaks are for me. That is just how I am. I work better without them. So when I find myself having a tough time starting something, I will just try harder and push myself harder to doing it and then I will start enjoying it :) Don't worry- I am not pushing muself too hard. I love working :) But the thought of transfers has crossed my mind. I love the Rama Estrella and I feel emotionally connected with it after being here 6+ months!  It's not worth anticipating anything though- I could be here until Sam's birthday, or until my MTC-entrance date!

 

Love you family!

Elder Parry

Jocelyn is Baptized!

I do not know where to begin this week!!!!!!! I guess the Red Sox winning like that was super cool. I wish I could say I thought about them yesterday but not really because yesterday was the craziest and best Sunday of my mission! The Red Sox winning does add on to yesterday!

 

Interviews. Not going to lie, these kind of stressed me out. Me, and the other three Estrella Elders kind of released some of our frustration about it. A little bit in the meeting, but mostly just after on our way to dinner and correlation meeting. I will be blunt--I am pretty tired of hearing "white-people" problems (This is what we have called people serving in English wards--maybe you want to edit that before posting it). People serving in Spanish could complain so much but there's no point to that because it doesn't help, build or faith, and no one wants to hear it. We talked a lot about member/missionary coordination and frankly, there are just a lot of extra things we have to work through such as a ward full of new converts to the church, sharing members, working more in unity as missionaries, and just expectations of each other and understanding roles of callings and assignments and all that in general. Plus just a new culture in general. I have felt worlds apart from 90% of the missionaries in the mission my whole mission but it was just kind of amplified this week. We even felt really separated from President and Sister Taylor at interviews. Us four Elders talked about it Wednesday and Elder Dodd and I even talked to three guys in the branch presidency of some of our branch frustrations and they are all in full support. We decided as missionaries to apply what the Prophets and apostles do at conference! It was a genius idea! They are full of love; yes. But they really know how to use directness and boldness to get people motivated. They focused in several talks on fulfilling priesthood duties. They did it so tactfully. We have decided to be a little more up front of what we can use help with, what the prophet has asked us to do, and what we know to be our responsibilites so it is not just a branch presidency and four missionaries trying to run things. That's it for my rant. I love how things are going. I am doing my best and seeing miracles I wouldn't want to compare to miracles happening anywhere else.

 

A good thing is that the Church came out with a "dealing with stress" book for incoming missionaries! Truth is that it works for all missionaries and is so genius that it can be applied to anything in life that gives us stress. It is actually brilliant. The Church is making some big missionary strides with the 12-week program, other resources, and now this. We have been studying and reading it and it is pretty neat. It has honestly helped me with some stress I have had. I haven't been overly-stressed or experienced anything I can't handle however I have felt more stressed than normal the past couple weeks. I don't really know why; I think my best explanation is that I feel like a "high-risk" person. The way for me to describe that is this: I feel like I have so many things going in so many different places at so many different times and that my perfectionist brain wants it all to happen! Does that sound familiar? I still have A LOT to learn when it comes to working as a team and in a companionship. I have felt like kind of a lone ranger on the mission and I need to be more of a follower and an agree-er if things are going to go great. Anyway, "high-risk" has its ups. I feel like we are getting so much done. Some days I feel like a machine and we just keep hitting successes with planning, coordinating, and working. This is not how Elder Dodd works haha. I have needed to call myself to repentance several times. I have learned a lot about patience and humility as we work together. He is more effective if we have lunch and dinner breaks and if we relax when necessary. Overall, things are going really well and we are planning and executing things right and following the Spirit, however, sometimes we just need to check our "dashboard" as the booklet says, in order to see when we need to get fuel or check the vitals.

 

I have learned a lot more about faith as it pertains to diligence. In the Gospel according to Jake Parry I think Faith can be replaced with diligence at times, and if not replaced than at least overshadowed. Of course, faith has to be there first before work is put forth or miracles and goals are acheived. However, work work work do do do is so much more important than any planning, faith-studying, positive attitude, or wishing. Granted, those things are important too, and working effectively is different than just going out and working like dogs. But I feel like all your spare time, all your doubts, and everywhere that you lack in faith can just be replaced by WORK. Some days I feel like a machine, but it feels so good because it is all about working hard. That is how faith is put into action. To me, that is faith, period. If you really do believe something can, should, and will happen then you are going to stop thinking about it and do everything you possibly can to make it happen. Faith can play a little more of a role when we have to pray/hope for a little divine intervention and grace to do the rest. This has helped me to understand faith. With whatever you want to have faith in, see what you can do to change it or make it happen. Then go and do it. Something I learned.   

 

We had a baptism on Saturday! It wasn't without its rocky moments, but it was a special experience for Jocelyn and that was 100% the reason why we even put forth any effort. Not many came, which was perfect for her, just enough. She asked me to baptize her. I wasn't all for that one but I guess if that is what she wanted. It all went well though. (I forgot extra clothes to change into and a towel so I was a little wet even after my paper-towel drying. Doesn't sound like I have changed too much?) Jocelyn is a very committed woman. She has stayed strong at school and among her friends and very hopeful and steadfast into the future. She said the number one thing she has felt since the baptism is calmness. She knows why she did it and she did it confidently. It would be sooooo cool if she went on a mission. That'd be the day! I grew in testimony of inviting! INVITE invite invite! We invited her to be baptized and get a less-than-favorable response and after some deep thinking about it she told us a few days later that she wanted to be baptized. This applies not just to the mission too. Invite, promise blessings, testify, follow-up. You can do that ANYWHERE if you want to get things done.

 

Back to Sunday: it was soooo good. To start off, our boldness and calling to repentance plans were kind of thwarted because the relief society surprised us four with HUGE gift bags of stuff like toothpaste, shaving cream, peanuts, and granola bars, and fruit. It was really helpful and super nice. For some reason we felt like the branch was really loving us yesterday! Maybe they sensed something haha. It was nice of them and I am sure they felt awesome being our moms for a day and seeing us happy. We got a lot of random items yesterday. Also- Jose came to church. He stayed all three hours. He listened to a lesson on the Sacrament and on the Balance between the BOM and the biblia and how to receive revelation from them both. He also fasted until 4:00. It all went amazing. I talked to him after and asked him how he felt about the 26th to being baptized. He said he wants to talk about that a little more. It sounded positive and I was confident. I sense good news there! Pretty cool stuff. Jose is super ready. We have taught him this week about taking leaps of faith and promising the Lord your commitment and getting everything you lack--as it pertains to knowledge and testimony--in return. Mario bore his testimony for the first time yesterday! He wrote it down because he is a super timid guy. It was so tight! He got up there and basically told "his story" from when Elders Lemon and Hughes first had a prayer with him and he felt "something" move up his arms to his chest. There really wasn't any testifying, just his awesome story. It was good to see him up there. One of our investigators, Maria C., randomly came back to church. Oh and Jocelyn was confirmed too! That was super special. Presidente Miranda did it. He mentioned in there something about serving a mission and I want to talk about that with him more because if she went that would be so cool it would blow me away. Presidente Miranda is the most in-tune with the Spirit people I have met out here so that was neat. She is a strong person. She will make a great member and as her mom is active now, maybe we can teach and baptize more girls in that family. I wish I could remember everything that happened yesterday-- it was just so wild and successful.  

 

Love, Elder Jacob Parry

 

"Specialized training" this Halloween with president for three hours in the Surprise zone! I smell apple!  {iphones and ipad}).

 

PS  I forgot to tell you! On our way back from interviews and correlation meeting; we were hurrying to get home on time and for like the 4th night in a row we didn't have time to check on Rene. He saw us biking and stopped his truck in a parking lot so he could catch us as we passed. He told us he was moving. He wasn't really sure where but that it was to another state. We found out from Mario yesterday that it is Nebraska. It was kind of sad! Elder Cardoso and I found him in early June and he has progressed since. He is still reading and marking his Book of Mormon and he came to church several times, he loved everybody at church and even stayed all three hours each time. He doesn't know where exactly he is going and his phone doesn't work so it's all up to the Lord now. I have loved teaching and getting to know him. He was so close! I trust the Lord on this one. Family problems and moving won't get in the way. He will find us way back to the "Brothers!" (missionaries haha). What a joy it was to know him!

Conference

Dear Family;

 

Today was a good week. It was a great week! We are working hard still and, of course, General Conference was a big highlight. Just for your information I was thinking about the family/Davis clan a lot as Elder Holland's talk moved a long. I thought that was interesting that he was the speaker. I can't imagine Jeffrey could've written that talk without thinking about Karl several times. I go with what the Spirit was telling me during that talk and what someone said in a later conference talk--"no righteous person has to be worry about getting taken before his time"--and say that we will all be reunited with Grandpa Karl one day and that we need not worry about the vicissitudes of mortal life and just carry on as the Prophet emphasized in his talk! Mom- thanks for always being such a strong example to me. The whole conference was great! You get what you put into it and it seems to "theme" around what you got out of it and for me it was about rescuing, love, and compassion. I felt like everyone was so bold (Bednar, Uchtdorf, Oaks, Anderson) and loving (Eyring, the Prophet, Scott, and most others). I feel like the Prophet, the church and the Lord are REALLY focusing on rescuing. In everything! This was an answer to my prayers as I have been working hard on developing unconditional love for "non-actives" and church members in general. Learning not to judge plays a huge role in that. And of course, Charity. Because without it we are nothing. That was one of the questions in my head all weekend and it was answered numerous times. I think President Uchtdorf's first talk was my favorite. That one or Elder Scott's. Do you remember the Prophet talking about the most inspiring conference he'd ever been to? I think that was owed to Elder Scott. It was phenomenal. Repentance and the Atonement. Simple stuff. And the powerful hymn right after that. President Uchtdorf was the bomb though. If one doesn't follow the doctrine perfectly and you condemn them for it then you might as well call us all hypocrites! Or something like that. We come to church to be nourished, not for anything social! And President Eyring is always fantastic. I don't know about you but over the years he seems to always be about Spiritual Refinement and Enduring; (Mountains to Climb, Where is the Pavilion? and this conference.) I especially loved Elder Bednar's too. I think I tend to love boldness. When he invited us to repent I was loving that! I just knew he would drop something like that at the end haha. Elder Anderson called a lot of rioters to repentance too. Women don't have the Priesthood because God said so! I am tired of trying to promise blessings and tell people why they need to keep the commandments when they should just understand that 'Because God said so.' nothing more! I think I am turning into Elder Cut and Dry, that's why love needs to play a bigger role. Conference was so great though. It was at the stake center--8 miles from our house (we are SO isolated in our zone. I think out of 28 missionaries we bring the median center of population in the zone to the right like 4 miles.) So we had to bumb rides. But we had a great ward lunch on Sunday there and after priesthood we had lots and lots of CARNE! It was a blast. Lots of Mexican food. Mexicans love making food a part of everything. It is great. Conference was very inspiring.

 

I have some major ingrown toenails! Stay-tuned- I am getting them pulled out today so I am excited for that! Other than that-no health concerns. PS- Hermano Jenkins said the oil has helped more than anything else has! They were so happy and excited. So was I! Thank you so much. Hermana Jenkins wants to meet you know and say thanks and wants advice on how to raise children or something like that. I told her that you will be able to get great advice. Also- I got both packages! They are great thank you. The Halloween one was a blast. I ate and shared the pumpkins during conference so that was great. The Reese's are like half-gone too. I love the baseball tape that you are always rocking. Very classy. I think you would be proud of my cooking/eating in the apartment! I made an Italian salad this week! I cut up some tomatoes, crushed ritz crackers and put italian dressing. It was very good. I am also eating oatmeal on my mission. crazy huh? I remember one Monday morning many years ago where I sat in front of my bowl for 45 minutes and finally tried to sneak out off the deck cause I hated it so much. So Elder Dodd gets SO TIRED at the end of the day. I do too, but he goes to sleep like at 9:45 after planning and he drops out cold. It is interesting haha. I have been doing some fun things the past couple weeks though- clean the baseboards in the apt, wipe the shower down, make brownies, write more in my journal, sing Spanish hymns, etc. Fun stuff right?

 

Second-to-last update on the Digital Devices (Ipads and Ipods)- The Mission leaders were told at a leadership meeting that two missions in the world already have them (in Virginia and CA) and that 50 are getting them by February. That includes us. President Taylor shared that since we were one of five testing missions in the world and that we got Facebook real quick we should be one of the first 50 to get them. It will be crazy. The iPhones are brand new versions and so many things are going to be so much easier now. We will be doing two hours of online work instead of one hour now too. Facebook is getting to be pretty normal now. It is our every day thing that we do. Kind of frustrating to help members try to share the Gospel but we are doing everything we can poco por poco.

 

Did you hear about the effective immediately announcement about Stake Conference adult sessions? Every single one of them from here on out will be devoted to the work of salvation. Man things are really getting prepped up aren't they!? \

 

The investigators are moving well. Very well. We had a very great lesson with Jose and Hermano Mata about prophets and conference. We invited him to bring questions to conference, He said he already had two- Book of Mormon and Baoptism. We were chill with that! He watched two sessions at home with his wife and came out to priesthood with the whole gang. It was fantastic. I basically watched Priesthood for two hours from his shoes. President Eyring especially caught my attention; when he bore testimony of Joseph Smith in the Sacrad grove. I think it worked out very well. He said he loved it. Clemente was pretty lazy this weekend. Dezirae kind of was too. But they are coming along. Jocelyn is still super STRONG! She scared us a little last week but rebounded yesterday. She ignores her friends and classmates about what they say. She reads the BOM and we taught her the word of wisdom, plan of salvation, and law of chastity yesterday. No problems. She is still good, her mom is becoming pretty active, their dad still makes meat for us once a week, and her sister, Jennifer, wants to get baptized sometime too. Rene is moving soon. I am REALLY going to miss that man. He doesn't speak English but he always calls us; "brothers!" Very sweet guy. Mafia Lou watched conference. All good stuff I am running out of time though. Glad to hear things are going well. I got some really good laughs and nostalgia out of the last email. The Priesthood thing sounds sooooo funny. Keep it up! Love you all.

 

Love, Elder Jacob Parry