Doctrine of Christ

Dear Family,

President Griffin came and did interviews with West Maricopa this
week. They were awesome! He is hitting VIRTUE hard in all his
interviews. That is definitely what we need as a mission. He is
working on making sure we have a steady, spiritual foundation so we
can help others. He is talking about things like making sure our 3
hour studies have ample breaks, we are eating healthy (he said that as
long as the mission wants to eat his "steel cut oats" he won't stop
buying them for us), we have more miles in our cars (President Taylor
kept a 20,000 mile breathing room each month, and PG just distributed
all of them), and stuff like that. Style changes!

We had a Spanish training meeting! It was a blast. I got to see all my
buds. Elders Miller, Nelson, Ramos, Giron, Jones, Fife, Munoz, Salas,
Cordero, and a bunch of Hermanas! It was a good group, like always. I
love the Spanish missionary culture out here. We have a pretty
tight-knit group.

La Joya is doing well. Our Bishop came to church yesterday. He spoke
about a few experiences that he has had as a member in the church
about seeing his church leaders make dumb mistakes between Sundays and
how they still shouldn't be criticized. He has been having a tough
time coming to church because of work. But he is a great guy. Gerardo,
Anah, Mariana, Alexa, and Sebastian came to church yesterday. The eggs
are doing well in this basket! I am not worried. They cancelled the
lesson on Saturday because they all needed to go shopping to buy nice
church clothes. They all came in super cute clothes! The first thing
the 3 kids do after Sacrament ends is come find Elder McCuch and I,
run over to us, and shake our hands with big ole smiles! We have been
talking to them A LOT lately about temples and having an eternal
family. They understand that baptism is how they will get there so we
set a tentative date for baptism for October 18th. They are so cool. I
am not worried at all. Even if they don't get baptized for 6 months,
they are still on track and will be an eternal family. After thousands
of people talked to, taught, and contacted, it really does make the
ONE that much sweeter.

I want to bear my testimony on the Doctrine of Christ a little bit
today. Elder McCuch and I are seeing it applied every single day.
Elder Nistler asked me what I had learned about it after on exchange
with him this weekend and I told him that I had been thinking about
all the reasons as to why our Savior would choose to perform the
Atonement for us. First and foremost, it was out of His perfect love
for the Father and for us, but also, I think it was because He knew
how hard life would be and is for each and every one of us because of
the Fall. He knew exactly everything that we would pass through and He
knew that we would need His help. I bet He imagined that as he
suffered in agony for all of us; how individually hard it must've been
for each of us. He knew that the only way to help us would be to have
went through it before. I am eternally indebted to Him for what He
did. I guess the mission is a good start, but it won't quite add up to
all the work there is after the mission!

So something that I have learned being with Elder McCuch is how
insanely fun it is to work to uplift others! I love it. Everyone needs
uplifting :) I am working on helping everyone we see and work with see
how they can improve then be inspired by the Spirit to do it! You can
do it!

Going to the Temple this week!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Love, Elder Parry

PS--We are going to the Temple this coming Saturday with Glenda and
Mario. I bet I see a lot of people from Rama Estrella and some
missionary friends so I am excited.

Granola bars and salsa please would be great! Also-- anything healthy
like dried fruit, nuts etc. Love you.

I am ecstatic about that BYU roommate lineup. Thanks for all that you
are doing to get that setup. I might take the "menace to society"
route, chill with my homies for 5 years and not get married after all!