LAST LETTER FROM PHOENIX: #perfectionpending

What a miraculous week. So basically the West Maricopa zone has had a
month baptism record of 14 for 37 months and this month, December
2014, 18 people made a covenant with God and were baptized. NEW
RECORD!!! This weekend 12 people were baptized. We are on pace to
tying the mission record, in a month in any zone, next week (19) AND,
if we see a BIG MIRACLE, we can do something no zone has done in the
Arizona Phoenix Mission before: 20 baptisms in a month. It is
definitely possible; we have some ideas. Pray that our faith is
sufficient as this next weekend comes around.

Angel was confirmed this week, interviewed, and given the Aaronic
Priesthood. It was really cool. He is a quick worker! He is excited to
share the Gospel with his family in Cuba when they meet again. La Joya
was such a blast! The two twins we baptized needed the Holy Ghost too,
but their dad is super Mexican so he is late to a lot of important
things. Bishop Menchaka was folding up the chair after Angel's
confirmation--saying that we will do the confirmations later when
their dad, Peregrino, got there--but as he was doing that, Peregrino
walked through the double doors and just soared right on up to the
stand, out of the blue. It was pretty funny. He cruised right on up
past the congregation to do those saving ordinances while finishing to
adjust his clothes. The Primary gave us very large Christmas boxes! I
got 19 toothbrushes and a bunch of stuff like that. I will probably
take a lot of it to college. This ward loves missionaries so much, it
is such a blessing to be here with them.

Well, I guess I will make a little more purpose to this letter than
most others. It has been an extremely awesome ride. I think the past
two years are much more easily described as joyful and happy rather
than fun. It has been very fulfilling; I couldn't possibly trade it
for anything. It hasn't been too tough--I'm looking forward to life's
challenges when I get back, with a little experience and a strong
foundation to build off of--but it indeed has been downright tough at
times. I have made some eternal relationships with some pretty darn
awesome people. I loved my first six weeks in Peoria--everything I
learned, everyone I met, the people that helped me--but each transfer
since has been better and better. I am looking forward to the same
kind of pattern in my life. They were probably the best two years so
far but I look forward to even more joyful times ahead.

I have learned how to apply the Atonement better to my life.
I have learned how to live the Doctrine of Christ on a daily basis.
I have learned more about myself, who I am and who I can become as I
stay strong.
I learned that I need to get my butt to the temple more (I learned
that before the mission haha).
Despite limited written and spoken communication, I feel a much
stronger love for all of my family; on both sides of the veil.
I have learned that the work is hastening and that, despite our
weaknesses, we are all needed.
I have learned that there is not a more fulfilling work than trying to
be like Christ as we serve and help all others to draw closer to him.
I have learned about the strengthening power of the Atonement and how
we can be transformed as we strive with faith, enlisting the Lord's
help.
I haven't learned tidiness yet.
But I'm still working on that one and a bunch of others, and I will
have them down so well one day. #perfectionpending

See you Tuesday.

With much love, Elder Jacob Parry

#whitechristmas

Dearest Family,

Angel got baptized yesterday!!! He is a walking miracle of a
conversion. That man embraced the Gospel so very fast. He is our
friend from Cuba. He was one of the most prepared people I have been
able to teach on the mission, but at the same time, it took some good
skilled teaching in order to be able to let the Spirit get to him. So
he was a fun challenge. We also can't understand his thick Cuban
dialect so that was a challenge. Anyway, he will continue to grow in
the Gospel the rest of his life, and bring it back to his family in
Cuba! I thought of a part of my Patriarchal Blessing as I talk him
with Elder McCuch and imagining his family finding the gospel one day
soon too. He was a humble man last night after the baptism. Pretty
exciting times.

Speaking of exciting, last saturday we did EIGHT BAPTISMAL INTERVIEWS.
It was legit. The FAmily of 6 is good to go (and they are getting
baptized in a ward with a 4-year convert baptism drought). Next
weekend, if all 11 (and they are solid investigators) make it to their
baptisms then we will have beat the record by 3 with one week left! I
know we can do it (BTW: We were talking to Brother Gonzales about this
at Red Lobster two weeks ago and he said 'I don't want to deflate your
balloons or anything but according to the mission indicators you will
have six baptisms in December.' A few miracles have happened and we are
teaching some legit people, so we are going to break the record. I was
sharing our projected success with Elder McCuch quietly in Gospel
Principles yesterday and he whispered; "Brother Gonzales, you were wrong!"
Haha. We are on pace.) #whitechristmas

Tomorrow we have Christmas conferences. I am super excited. Our
Montana friend is paying for us all to eat at the Old Country Buffett.
Should be delicious. I will also be doing a session. That will warm me
up for the bi-weekly visits at home.

Love elder parry

PS:  The Galarza family is driving up to Utah for New Years and they said
they would take my bike!! Oh Yeah!!! They said they would drop it off
at our house haha.

My Favorite Letter Yet (Becky)

Dear Family,

WOW!! This week was mind-blowing. Seriously. I will tell you why.

Monday night we got a call from the beloved Elder Bryant (Assistant)
and he said that we were going to go out for lessons with Brother John
Gonzales from the Missionary Department for the night. We frantically
called a bunch of people so we had appointments the next day for sure
haha. It was so cool though. Hermano Gonzales knows his stuff and he
really really helped us out. We were coming back from the mission home
with him and he told us to pick somewhere to eat. Elder McCuch and I
agreed on Subway. He says, "SUBWAY!!! I am going to have to veto that.
Sounds sissy." So I proclaimed on impulse; "Red Lobster!!" And he
loved the idea, so we dined like gentlemen that evening. It was a
blast. All night he was talking with us about the mission; what is
going well, what is going bad, key indicators, how the zone is doing,
how to get more baptisms, planning, and some very specific things we
could apply to our area after he was with us for the night. We
actually got quite the chastisement all night. It was very loving and
very wise counsel so we didn't take any of it as 'chastisement' as you
might think it sounds like when you read the word. He had a lot to
say. He had been a Stake President, Mission President, CIA agent, and
has worked in the Misionary Dept. It was a privilege and a very rare
opportunity to be with him. It was cool. We had a meeting with the
Mission leadership the next day. We got lovingly put on the spot for
the good and the bad the next day. It was fun. He taught us a lot
about precision planning and really using key indicators to help us
improve and set our vision high for the future. President Griffin
really wants this mission to baptize more and he is really trying to
make it happen. Things are going well in the zone and in the La Joya
ward in that aspect. This week we FINALLY figured out a problem the
ward has been having for years; the Gutierrez twins (members---kindof.
I will explain!) have been going to church with their family for 5+
years. They are 13 and were baptized, but all proof of the baptism was
lost so we are doing the baptism again. Ay ay ay. Obispo Menchaca
joked about taking a picture at their baptism with them holding a sign
up of the date the ordinance was effectuated so we would have proof
haha. So they will be baptized with Angel, our Cuban friend, this
Sunday. I am so pumped!!! Things look good. Anyway, John Gonzales, and
his friend from the Mission Dept. came and changed the face of the
mission in a one-day one 8 hour meeting. I am very sad to have come
across this training so close to the end of my service here. I asked
him what I could do to apply it after my mission and he said that a
promise was given in the Mission Dept. when PMG came out that if any
of them mastered Chapter 8 of PMG they would triple their income. I
will try to apply it.

I drove to the mission home this week with Elder Anderson from our
apartment. He has diabetes and feels real sick. It was a fun visit. I
got a temple recommend and just soaked up the time with President and
Sister Griffin. He is one hilarious President. He is so Montana. They
told funny stories of him chewing out missionaries over the phone
while Sister Griffin asked for the phone from him to say loving things
to them. An new Elder called, sad that his only sister was getting
married and he wasn't there, and President said "Quit being a sissy,
she got married, she didn't die!" It was hilarious. He is one good
mission President and he really trusts me. He is without doubt the
most honest person I have ever met. I corrected him in something minor
that I noticed through an email last week and he thanked me for it and
wished that everyone would just be honest with him because he knows he
is trying. It is cool to see the differences in PT and PG
#polaropposites

This week was just another spectacularly awesome weeks in the books.
There is a lot going on. We are still on track to breaking the West
Maricopa baptism record this month!!!! 23 on date and we need 15 of
them to follow through. Pray for Angel and the rest of the gang this
month. OH!! And pray for Anah Toledo. We need to get her MARRIED!! SI
SE PUEDE!!! WE CAN DO IT!! We are going to pray like it all depends on
God and it would be up to us to allow him to steer her.

The very strongest I felt the Spirit this week was in zone meeting. I
was leading a discussion on faith and miracles. WOW. My sense of
"feeling" was so strong it almost overcame my sight. I felt it so
strong. We talked about how powerful our faith can be as it is coupled
with diligence to do everything we can. Miracles do happen. A lot of
the time, it is up to us. God always has final say, but we need to use
our resources and tap into his power. It is not his will that only X
number of people are baptized or found in an area or in a mission. His
will is that they are all found and baptized. We can make it happen in
our prayers and action. I have learned a lot with Elder McCuch about
communicating with God all day long through action, word, thoughts,
and deed. We can show him a lot through our plans and diligence in
carrying out the plans then through confirming all that we do with Him
through our prayers. That way He will "consecrate our performance."
Two people can do ANYTHING if one of those people is God.

Love, Elder Parry

Thanksgiving

Wuzup family!?

Thanksgiving was a blast! We got a new apartment this week and we
wanted to take advantage of the free time so we spent the first five
hours of the day carrying furniture in the truck across the apartment
complex. It was actually really efficient. The new apartment was
trashed haha. We have hardwood instead of carpet in the new place
because of the toll missionaries have put on the carpet haha. It was a
unique thanksgiving activity though for sure! We ate dinner with the
Garcia and Toledo families. They were both so awesome. The Garcias run
a sushi business so we had delicious Mexican sushi and a lot of the
Thanksgiving usuals at both places. The Toledos went all out for us four
Elders. They folded some napkins in the shapes of white shirts and
ties and they fed us full. Elder McCuch is super healthy so him
"falling hard" was fun to see. I am glad they all added you on Facebook
so you could see what we were up to!

Alexa and Sebby Toledo got baptized yesterday!!! Like always, it was a
very special experience. Anah will be next! All her friends in the
ward are working on her too, so she will get there... Once they are
married!!!! Ay caray. It was so sweet though. Sebby might have ADD and
he is crazy. So things are always interesting. When he got in the
water he was freaking out about how cold it was. It was funny. Alexa
is very spiritual so she really took the cold water strongly. It was
special for the whole Toledo family and Elder McCuch and I have known
them the whole time we have been together so it was sweet. I told
Elder McCuch that it is great that we can draw so close to such a cool
family like theirs, but it is even cooler to do it with a companion
you like. And I really think I have drawn closer to him as we have
enjoyed so much with other families since we got together. He is a
good man.

I was reading a lot of family history this week! I was listening to
the David Archuleta Christmas album and it brought the Spirit into the
apartment really strong. It sparked a bunch of interest so I read the
stuff Dad sent about Alvarus Hanks and John Parry. It was so neat! If
we just take some effort to learn from and about our ancestors then we
would all see and feel the purpose! The Spirit of Elijah is strong. I
was inspired by not just the stories of achievement and adventure, but
also of their personalities, attributes, and every day behaviors that
made them the people that they were. It was fun to hear about the
hand-waving tradition of Grandma and Grandpa Parry when we leave their
place has lived on. Alvarus was a lot like Grandpa Davis from what the
stories read. John's story is inspiring too. I liked reading about
(his sister?) who, on her deathbead, told John and someone else about
how their religion was a joke and that it couldn't save them! Haha.
Great stories. Thanks for being so on top of the family history
family!

That package was SO AWESOME! I do declare it was the best package of
my mission. Thank you very much. I am going to be enjoying it all
month long. It will be a lot of fun for the members and investigators
I have been working with. I have already given out 5 ties to them. I
have plenty more!

Love, Elder Parry