Transferred to La Joya, ZL

Dear Family, This week was wild. Have I said that about every week? We went to the Mesa Temple visitor's center on Saturday with the ward missionaries, the Hermana misioneras, and Mariana y Ernesto. It was a very special experience! We watched an hour long video on the Book of Mormon then saw all the exhibits and got tours from the Visitor Center Hermana missionaries (It looks as if the Spirit only sends pretty Hermanas to serve there). Ernesto is still being kind of tough. He said that he really can't focus on marriage or baptism for the next three months because he has a lot to clear up. Mariana is still staying very strong. She looked at the Temple, sighed, and said that she wants to go inside very bad. I love her. She is such a neat person. I felt the Spirit very distinctly when I saw a statue of Christ and the quote behind Him about our "yoke being light." Very special. We really don't have a lot to say about President Griffin since last work, or since he came for that matter. He is super busy and really trying to get comfortable. To sum it up; other than a few things he invited us to study on our own when we had interviews, he has just carried on everything President Taylor style. So far transfers are the same and we will have a meeting tomorrow (thank goodness!). He hasn't written us weekly emails. Either he is busy or it is style not to write us(?) I am not bothered. President Griffin is the man. I look forward to how he guides this mission. One thing I do know is that he is following the Spirit. Friday was one of the most spiritually powerful days of my mission! Elder Castro challenged me and said it was probably the most I had felt the Spirit with a Mexican in my life. I laughed and told him that he was right. Hermano Barrera and Hermana Luz Vega said that they came to their senses and will be returning to church. It was a brief scare, but the Spirit has helped them to realize what is best. We had a powerful conversation too. Hermana lamented about having found the Gospel 70 years into her life and they both shared how they thought we were lucky. We told them that God chose and reserved them too. We just have different roles #BookofAbraham. That same night Leo said he would be baptized. We knocked down (by we I mean IT WAS ALL THE SPIRIT) two of his doubts: not knowing everything, and not having a solid sign yet. We watched a video where Uchtdorf challenges us not to retard our Spiritual growth by waiting for a sign like Saul did. The Spirit was very strong. Earlier that day we had District meeting. We talked about receiving revelation through prayer. One of the Hermanas, Hermana Stanley, began to ask more questions and bring up more doubts. We split into practice teaching and she began to get really emotional. One of her companions got emotional too. Hermana Stanley is a 6-year convert and her family stopped going to church while she has been out here. It sounded hard for her. Anyway, Elders McMillan and Reid (my roommates) began to help her with her doubts and the Spirit just filled up. It was a REAL practice teach. It was me, Hermanas Stanley, Turner, and Dayton (the Trio) and Alma and Amulek (Reid and Mcmillan). I have lived with Elder Reid for 6 months and for the first time I saw him get emotional as he read the Conversation between God and Enoc in Moses 7. It was powerful. Hermana Dayton went home today. It was kind of crazy for me because we were in the mission home together and we served here in the ward together for 6 months. She is an outstanding missionary! I have loved learning from her and all the Hermanas in this District. I counted; I have served with 9 different ones here in the ward! I don't want to sound cheesy or anything--and despite what most Elders say--I LOVE working with these sisters. I am going to miss this district. There is a lot to learn from all these missionaries and it is fun to build a strong and appropriate relationship with them. I love this ward. I love Elder Castro. I am excited for whatever challenges there are (La Joya--my next ward--'s Bishop goes to church once a month because of work). I can't believe it has been 6 months since I got here. I feel like I didn;t so enough! I have learned a lot. I know that God is proud of me. I am happy to be doing what I am doing. My testimony is strengthening and my conversion is deepening. I have made a lot of great friends. I feel like I am at kind of a mission milestone right now; The Hermanas I came out with just went home and I have 4 solid transfers left. I haven't had a set of 4 transfers at any point of my mission that didn't go by fast! Love, Elder Parry