Weirdest, Wildest, Hardest

Dearest Family, this week was the weirdest, wildest, and probably the hardest weeks of my entire mission. Ohhh man!! It was tough. :( Don't worry about me though. Challenges are good for ya. Rosa's husband is not being as good a person as he should be and is not really letting her participate in the church. We are not going to go over there for a couple weeks. We had reviewed the baptismal interview questions with Mariana and Ernesto and they passed them great but something happened in the interview for Mariana so she is pushed back a couple weeks. Ernesto has been getting a lot of work, which is good for him, but we haven't seen him for a week. Jehovah's witnesses are meeting with them too. We found out, luckily, that they aren't married! Who knew!?!? Ay caray after 40+ years of being together! We will do the wedding this sunday with Obispo Cid right after church haha. They will both get baptized though not even a problem. We are working hard and committing ourselves to really help them on the road to CONVERSION. Some red flags have gone up for them about what they "have read, have heard, or have been taught." We are going to focus on what they have felt, why they want to be baptized, why it is important, and what they are going to do after and stuff like that.

 

I still feel like I haven't even started on the week yet though! Elder Ramos and I had a key learning. I feel like a lot of missionaries at the end of their missions come to the realization that they wish they wouldn't wasted time with so many people. We have the tendency to get to attached to people that are so cool or that "were such a miracle to find!" We need to repent after having invited people to church for 4 straight weeks without coming. BYE BYE! It is time to build faith that there are prepared people out there! That is what I feel like we are doing. helping the prepared to become converted. We don't need to push unprepared people along the road to conversion. The church demands A LOT--or rather---the Lord expects us to consecrate everything, and if people aren't up for it we need to move on. To make a long story longer, we are moving on away from a large group of people. This week we were pretty hard-core on less-actives. #hardcoreinourownminds. we marked off like 5 or 6 houses of them and several investigators that we just aren't going to visit anymore. We feel that is the best decision and that we have done everything we can up to this point. I would say that it isn't easy for anyone to have a visit with someone then decide on the way out that it would be the last time for a while. Time to build our faith that The Lord has others in the area prepared. Elder Ramos and I are really working or tails off and doing our very best to stay away from knocking doors. It will be a lucha to stay away from doing it we will see how it goes haha.

 

It has been kind of hard with our Bishop this week. Sometimes I feel like I am too naive and ignorant. I just realized this week that people are kind of afraid of him and that he thinks he is the boss of the missionaries haha. It is true in some aspects, but no to the point of telling us to stay at ward parties so we can help when we have visits to make. Stuff like that. I talked with President RST for like 15 minutes on friday morning and all the sister missionaries after. They are such great sisters. But we all need to work through some stuff. There was a huge problem this week and last with Jaime (I talked about him three weeks ago--the one we gave a blessing to that has some issues.) He has been causing a lot of rumors to be spread because of the hermanas teaching him and weird things happening. He got embarrassed and wont come to church anymore and now we are doing with it all. The Berrellezas (remember, one of my favorite families that joined the church last year) are really struggling. He just got called as Elders Quorum second counselor and they are getting ready to go through the Temple. SATAN EXISTS. That I testify of because he is attacking them at a very crucial time. They know what is most important but they are losing sight of it at the wrong time. Elder Ramos has not been more sick than this week in his whole mission. He is trying SOOOO hard. I am trying sooooo hard too. Last night I felt like cryi----Side Note!!! So I feel like I have gotten "hard" on the mission. Haha. I felt like I cried a lot before and actually a few times with Elders Cardoso and Pollmeier because I was a head-case with them, but since--not once. Emotionally caught up by the Spirit, but not crying or shedding tears at all. I feel like my sensitive side is dulling a little. I still feel love for people, of course, and I care about them, but I am getting harder haha. So yeah, I felt like crying as I laid there in bed. I decided; I am just investing too much into it! If I didn't care about people I am working on loving (some very easy to love, some not) then it wouldn't be hard!But it is, it is so hard! If I weren't who I am I could just lock myself in our Corolla or crawl under a rock and not care about anything. It would be so easy! The reason why this week was hard is because we are putting ourselves out there so much. Without getting too corny I guess that is why they say that loving others can be hard because you get your heart broken by them or something. Left me thinking of the Savior a lot. When we pray for love for people and really work for it then The Lord sends us trials, both related and unrelated to these people, so we can best learn how to help them, serve them, and be an instrument in the Lord's hands so he can succor them. I guess that is exactly what the Atonement is. Because Christ and our Heavenly Father love us, they went through that to be able to help us. Man, it exhausts me Spiritually. I will never be able to understand the Spiritual pain He went through, but I think it is appropriate for Christ's servants (ANY of us that CHOSE to be out on the Lord's errand) to be "types" of Christ and feel that pain, that love for others. For most of these people, I didn't really feel love for them until the "end." You don't really know you love them, nor how much you really want to help them until you hit a roadblock. We hit A LOT of roadblocks this week. Sounds selfish, but if we hadn't, I probably wouldn't have learned all this. Haha. We are the sum of the trials we have been through and conquered!

 

Some good to the week!! 

 

We had zone conferences in Surprise last week. Other than my mouth tasting like blood after translating for 3 hours for a new missionary that is learning English, it was excellent. President and Sister TAylor really know how to invite the Spirit. More importantly, they know how to help us invite it for ourselves so we have our own experiences and "Spiritual Awakenings." They helped us to "jump out of the boat" by sharing our spiritual experiences with each other as Peter did. I am going to miss them a lot. A day later I went back to Surprise for a baptismal interview and HErmana Jenkins and some other members were at church. That was pretty cool. We visited Jessica Patino last night! We hadn't been for three weeks because she has been busy with school. That kind of stunk because we don't want her to get baptized and then just not have us go over. We talked about the temple with the whole family and LEO! the parents should be going through soon and hopefully we go to do baptisms with Jessica before transfers :D Leo said he believed it is all true and that he had prayed about the Book of Mormon and feels it is true. If his family would not be so hard on him, he would be good to go. 

 

I am doing fine. Not too stressed. I am having fun. Extremely tired, but it is fun. Us 4 in the apartment are going to Culver's to get some ice cream and talk for an hour of non-missionary things! It will be nice. I have also been reading the Family history stuff from dad. I actually read it all and i LOVE IT. SEND MORE. If you can find some. I really do love it it is faith-building. You are all doing great, don't worry about my approval stamp, thanks for sharing about what is going on :D Love you.

 

Elder Parry

Mother's Day

Mother's Day Skyping was so awesome and Elder Parry is as happy as ever.  40 minutes flew by, but I'm grateful he was so obedient on the length of the call!

Going Fast

Dearest Family-

This whole mission thing is going by way fast. Have you ever just woken up one morning and found out that you are old? Well it happens in the mission too. I have been the oldest in my districts for the last 7 transfers. The problem is I feel like the same moron I came out here as! We had an epic lesson in Elders' Quorum yesterday. Presidente Cid asked everyone to find their favorite scripture and tell why. Many of them shared and some of the grown men who did cried as they shared them. Presidente Cid then asked them how they can use them to share the Gospel. We shared some ideas and some hermanos had doubts too about why it is hard, then other hermanos came to the rescue and bore simple, powerful testimony about how we can do it. 3/4 of them are converts and many of them shared how they found the Gospel. At the end, I shared that the reason it is hard is because Satan exists and his power increases as the work hastens. But that we need not worry because we know who is going to win and we know that success is in trying. The Spirit was powerful. Also- this week I watched Elder Holland's last April talk about Fan the Fire of your Faith and it was so powerful. I haven't felt the Spirit that strong watching a conference talk before. I am not exactly sure why but I know the Spirit can come and be there when you need it, or more importantly, when The Lord knows you need it or knows you need to hear something. I felt that his talk can be a message to everyone that they have a testimony. We all do. It starts with believe and if it is something that we feel good about now we can know that we will never deny it--just maybe get a little lazy about it.

I guess what is going on here? Sorry I didn't take any photos this week. I intend to soon... We had a HUGE Latino cinco de mayo party. It was wild. There was all sorts of mexican food, dancing, singing, and live DJ-ing at the new Tolleson building. It was fun! There were non-members there. Ernesto y Mariana are so hard-core progressing! They were just made for the church and the ward is taking them in. Rosa is frustrating us. Well she is still awesome but her husband isn't. She got moved back to the 18th. We love her so much and we know she will get there so pray for her with us! Thanks so much. Hermano Murrietta is still leading the missionary force without fear. He is so funny. Hermano Patino makes Elder Ramos and I laugh a lot too. The whole ward is great. I don't know if I told you, but I hope I stay in this ward and this district the rest of my mission!!!! I love Barrio Estrella. But I feel like picking a favorite ward or area is like picking a favorite child so I won't go there. Also- Elder Ramos is one of the strongest missionaries I have ever worked with. He amazes me every day. He is going places. I love it here and am very happy.

I love you family! Hearing about AP tests, baseball, warm spring, the Red Sox, and just being around together just makes me homesick. I am fine and happy here. I am not in a rush to go home, but I can't wait to see you all again! Mom, I love you so much and have thought about you a lot lately. See you all Mothers' Day! :D I have had dreams every now and then about home. This week I dreamed that I saw TJ and Dallin in front of Dick's market after 2 years and we all cried and hugged. I also dreamed last week that I came back to the mission with Dad to visit all the areas I served in to see all the awesome members of the church I have met and worked alongside with down here. I don't remember anything specific aside from what I felt. I felt so happy and so proud of all these people. So grateful for their service and example. I love this people down here! I truly am developing a strong love for them because they are so great. It has been my favorite part of my mission down here; loving the people. If that is the #1 I leave the APM with, that I didn't have before nor expect to get out here, then I will be a happy returned missionary. I know you are all doing great things and I know you are all actively strong in the Gospel. I KNOW it is how we can live as happy families because I have seen the difference it makes in families down here. The Arizona Hispanic LDS culture GETS IT. They just get it. They know how to live it and that's why they are happy. I look forward to seeing you all next week and in December too. It will be a long time coming! And I hope Sam plans enough ahead of time to have the right New Years' party set up for me. I want it to be the craziest shocker he can find haha :D

Love, Elder Jake Parry

The Taylor Stealth Bomber

I am so pumped to report on this week! It went super well. We will
start at the top; our ward has baptized the last two weeks and are
scheduled for more the next 3 out of 4! We hope to keep adding on to
the list as time goes on :) It is fun being here with Hermano Murrietta, some very strong and loving leaders, and the 4 sister
missionaries. I have not my entire mission felt the work hastening as I feel it here--LEAD by the members. That is true urgency. When these families catch the wave and not just the clueless teenager
missionaries haha. Jessica's baptism went very well. A lot of her
family are recent converts so they were all their, emotional, and
excited for her. Many, many people from the ward came to support and
we all went over to the Patinos after to eat cow-head tacos with them. It was there how much I realized I love this ward. I am having so much fun with them. I didn't think I would like anywhere as much as Rama Estrella, but this place is pretty cool. Jessica is very determined.  She wasn't nervous or indecisive at all. That is what I loved. She had received answers to her prayers before we came. She knew she was ready to get baptized before we came. We just reaped what had been sewed--primarily by her faith, with the help of her family and other members and missionaries. This is a cool family. Her dad, Pepe, baptized her.

Elder Ramos went with President Taylor today to downtown so I didn't
get to road trip :( I am on a tri-panionship right now with the
apartment members. It is fun. Our new roommate is one of the Hawaiian Elders I played basketball with on Christmas! Elder Ramos has had some hard core preparation the past couple days. HAsn't eaten for 36 hours and he is on some laxatives. Interesting Sabbath Day and Baptismal service. He is a trooper though.

Cool Spiritual end to the week: I finished the Book of Mormon that I
had started in January--yesterday before the baptism. I was nearing
the end and had decided to do Moroni's promise again when I finished
just for the heck of it. However, as I was reading verses 4 and 5 I
felt the Spirit and it kept coming so I just stopped reading so I
could focus on how I was feeling. I flat out couldn't deny any of it
ever. I was just so strong. I know it is true. I knelt down after not to ask anything but just to say that I knew it was true and that I always would know it. I shared how I felt later that night at the
baptism in the missionary presentation. The Spirit was very strong in that room when Elder Ramos and I shared. It was sweet. Mariana and Ernesto were there.

Mariana and Ernesto are SO COOL! She is the one who came to the
Pastorela with us on a whim. We went with Hermano Barrera on Thursday and by the end of the lesson she kept asking what she needs to do to be ready for baptism. Anyway, they are both locked in for May 25th. Rosa didn't come to church this week! She missed her interview too! She had to take her kids to the hospital. We told her that Satan works hard when people are about to get baptized. Sometimes God even backs off a little so make one stronger before they are baptized. Rosa is so strong. Her husband is not too strong but he is working his way back. She is soo coooool. I love her. She will be baptized this weekend.

Mariana and Ernesto are good to go. The Spirit has guided us and her
member friends every step of the way and will continue as we visit
them. Remember the lesson with Jaime? He came to church on wednesday
('coincidentally' he decided to walk to the church that night when all the members had their activities so he walked in and Hermano Rene gave him a tour) and he came to church, met everybody, wants to go do visits with us on wednesday! However, just like Karina, he lives in the Sister's area. ay caray lolz.

Dad: To follow up on some of your emails. Yes it is getting hot here
but this past week has been very pleasant. It is too bad it is going
to start getting a lot hotter. I loved being in the heat on bike. You have an excuse for being sweaty, tired, thirsty, hungry, and to get into people's houses. Now, it is hotter in car. I guess I could apply what I said in my farewell talk and use the seat belt to iron my clothes :) I like the heat though. It makes me feel cool; like what you said. Also-President Taylor loves the "7-minute-lesson." He has trained us all mission on the "Taylor Stealth Bomber" which is a
less-than-10-minute walk in to the person's home, don't ask for water, ask what needs they have, offer a prayer on the home and the family, state authority, ask for specific blessings, pray for people by name,take some moments of silence after (some have been very long), then ask them what the Spirit has told them or who the Spirit has told them that we visit. Then we schedule up a follow-up appointment with them or with their friends and them. It is a very powerful Spirit. It is one reason my current area is so alive right now. I love the Taylor Stealth bomber! He wants us to do it when he's gone too haha.

I am learning a lot out here don't worry about me. I am eating a lot
too. This week I had Panvasos again finally, Chile Relleno (entire
green bell peppers stuffed with food)(I ate 3), and some other stuff. Elder Ramos is teaching me a lot. Most importantly of all for me; I have felt the Spirit's influence on a more regular basis. Elder Ramos and I agree that we have felt it the most our whole missions the last 2 months together. Keep it real family. I am going to be honest, sorry I am not very motivated about replying back about all the specifics going on in your lives at home. I like to share what is going on with me (Selfish right?), but I really do relish everything you have to say about home and what you are up to. It makes me happy. You are all doing great. Sounds like you are having fun. Things are getting down to the wire for Caroline aren't they? :D

Love you, Elder Parry

Nada!

Dear Family, so I am going on my first companionship of three transfers and am here to stay in Barrio Estrella. Not going to lie, it was kind of a relief! Today and yesterday (like all weekends before possible changes) were kind of a whirlwind of hair-brained conjectures--as much consciously as subconsciously. I had frantic thoughts of getting shipped off to the Mexican-free Flagstaff and other stuff. It is all good though. I am happy and Elder Ramos is really happy too.

 

This week made me so happy. I don't remember all of it but let me hit the highlights. Ward Mission Leader #6 for me was called this week and he is a WINNER. Absolutely fantastic. He has done more in a week then 5 previous WML put together. Hermano Murietta is a STUD. Really, the faith of these Saints just astounds me. He gets off work then takes his three kids and wife with him on visits, to baptisms, to meetings, to this, and that, and he has made me laugh almost more than any other member. Good, bright future here. Our ward is baptizing weekly. Jessica is SO STRONG for this weekend :) Her dad will baptize her. We told her today we were staying and she said "hip hip horray!" OHYA! Rosa is still strong too! We are finding new people; Mariana and her husband loved church. They loved how we don't worship saints. THANK YOU! That was nice to hear--finally hearing it. #Hispanics #whoisthe"virginofGuadalupe?" While Jessica was getting interviewed we brought Leo, her boyfriend, into the chapel to get down to earth with him. We had a great lesson and some King Lamoni type prayers. He knows he should be baptized. He has felt the Spirit. HE will come to Jessica's baptism and feel ready after that #Sunday. Last night we taught Sonia--she is a returning member who now has unwavering faith, she is so cool and I just love learning with her because of her great faith--and her nonmember brother. He has a dark past and has regular bad encounters with dark forces. Anyway, it sounded bad. We gave him a priesthood blessing and he got up after and started crying bad. He said he wanted to feel something but felt nothing at all. I was shocked. I didn't know what to say. Sonia and I kept trying to follow the Spirit and reason with him. About the 4th or 5th time I opened my mouth to talk I said something about patiently waiting for the Spirit and the Spirit hit me so hard! I am sure it hit him too. Kind of funny how the thing I was saying to him and the point I was trying to get across was exactly what I needed to hear to help me understand what happened in the Priesthood Blessing. I bet he needed to hear it too. Jaime will be fine. He is in the Lord's hands and we are sent to help him. I can't remember what else happened this week, just that I am having fun and having new, rewarding experiences on an hourly basis. Looking forward to the next six weeks. Don't blink now, I will be home soon! 

 

Love you all, Elder Parry  

Because of Him

 

This week was eventful like all the weeks before. It was nice to see the Jenkins again. They are loco but a lot of fun! They keep trying to line me up with women which is weird because.. Well for obvious reasons. They told me (you told me too) that you are already lining up everything for school (You're trunky) and that I am going to school 4 days after I get home. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh. It took two days to accept that. But it is kind of a weight off my shoulders to having accepted that. I guess it is nice to know that I won't have time to think before going. Who knows? Maybe I will be married next April!  Jajajajajajaja Ojala que NO. Elder Ramos and I have visited the doctor this week. We had adventures. I would have to let him approve the telling to you of what the adventures actually were. But he is getting his stomach checked a lot. In two weeks he has an appointment in Phoenix.  So if we stay together; ROAD TRIP!!   Thanks for the package; it is wonderful. We shared all the chocolate with the great Estrella members.

Rosa Machuka accepted a baptismal date for May 4th! Remember her? I asked for her on the prayer list a couple weeks ago. I appreciate your Faith in Christ in making it happen and her for her Faith too! we are very excited for her and working as close as we can with her. We went to her house on Thursday with Hermana Sepulveda to give her a birthday cake and more support. It was perfect. She is sponging in what we are teaching and she wants her 10-year-old son, Johan, to be baptized with
her. The only doubt is that Sergio is FLOJO (LAZY). So we need to get the less-active husband to catch the wave or something. It is a very wonderful family and I would love to see her and her son make covenants with the intentions of keeping them for all eternity. Whether I am here for it or not, it matters not to me, just that we see her there in Heaven one day! I will introduce you to her there.
Jessica is so on board for the 27th still. We had a great conversation yesterday with her mom, sister, and brother-in-law when she had to leave. A year ago when her parents got baptized, she said that she had to work so she couldn't go to the baptism and that she would never be a mormon. She actually pointed her finger at her mom and said that very emphatically. Then she told her mom a few months ago that her prayers are getting answered and that she knows she should be baptized. Then a week later we knocked on the door to ask to borrow some utensils to eat our takeout food. Here we are! The only doubt is that she works Sundays. We are working hard on that. And we need Leo, her boyfriend, to catch fire soon too. The investigators are doing well. Our district has 14 people preparing for baptism. Most I have seen since coming out here. The names are much more important though; Victor, Victor Jr, Rosa, Jessica, Johan, Melissa, Maria, Ben, Mickey, Rusty, Mow, Ramon, Eric, and Margarito! The work is hastening mis amigos!

The Easter Pageant was a blast! Our plans actually all fell through around 3 that afternoon and we started getting sad. Then we called Hermano Barrera and asked Hermana Tienda if she had any non-members going. She said that she did and that she (Mariana) needed a ride! We all went together with Hermana Vega too (Recent Convert from last year who read the Book of Mormon in 8 days!). It was so fun. Mariana loved it and Hermana Vega cried the whole time. Hermano Barrera actually dropped her off at her house and shared a scripture on tithing with her because she had some doubts about. I saw ALL the Spanish missionaries! It was a good reunion. We had waxed strong in the service of The Lord so it was good to catch up with people and make fun of them for gaining weight. I got a picture with Elders Dodd and Fife. Good old friends. I suspect that Elder Ramos will be leaving in
8 days. But I don't speculate haha and it really doesn't matter. I sincerely pray and hope that the Lord's will for me is that I am in a smaller role and I can do hard, loving, respectful work far away from too many missionaries and what not haha. But I am ready and willing to do whatever the Lord's will is and I won't try to change it!

The Open House was....slow. But you know it, with all the time and money put into it (even though the Mayor, city council, fireman, and others cancelled) it could still be worth it for the few nonmembers that went. There was a man named Cecilio who came and said that he wants to take his daughters to young women and church and that he felt very good there and he loved it. We were happy to give him some supplies after he walked through. He could not make it to church the
next day but he sent his 9-year-old daughter with some members. She wanted an English BOM, a children's version, a second one for her sister, pictures of Christ, and many more things. She loved it. The Hermanas that cover that area will visit them soon. Wouldn't that make the open house worth it?! Speaking of worth it--maybe we all learned a lesson about church activities and ideas (especially those kind of out-there stake-wide activities): They don't just appear out of thin air. They are all willing to put in work to make sure that it happens. But people don't just come because they post about it on facebook or leave invitations on doors or hope the missionaries invite enough
people. It takes serious commitment by everyone. Kudos to the Stake President; he brought someone! Another key learning; just because people say yes they will go doesn't mean they will; especially latinos ay caray. But it was worth it!!

You want to hear about the next big thing going on with the Church if you haven't heard about it yet? It is the video that I put on my Facebook wall; "Because of Him." It is VERY powerful. Personally, it
is very powerful to me because I have felt the Spirit almost every time I watch it. I am sure you will all love it too and feel inspired to share it with someone! The Church is hitting the video, along with
the Mormon.org page they want people to see, very hard before Easter on Sunday. They bought the rites to Youtube's homepage for that day so they could advertise the video hard core. They want millions of people to see it. So I would like to encourage you all to take a part in it!!!! Check out the video and think of the people throughout the week that would benefit (Everyone right?)!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jacob Parry

Conference

Wonderful wonderful news from home! Thanks for the email y'all! I learned a lot this week and was fed spiritually by conference. It is always good. I couldn't possible pick a favorite but I really loved Elder Perry's talk on obedience. He really took a great angle on it. I got some good revelation on "self-assurance;" I can know that I am doing fine if I am being obedient to the prophet, the Gospel, and my testimony of it. It is as simple as that. Priesthood was one of the best in years! This was good because our investigator, Leo came and sat next to me! We had some delicious Mexican food with the two Spanish wards in the stake in between sessions on Sunday. Elder timm, apartment mate, and I went out together one night because our companions were sick. It was one of the coolest nights of my mission! We met a lady who told us that she would never change and she was happily catholic but that she would listen. Francis listened and at the end was crying, asking if she could pray, describing how the spirit felt to her, and committed to praying about Joseph smith. We are NOTHING in our efforts without the Spirit. That gives me good comfort that I am doing my best. I know that my best effort is acceptable because the Spirit has to do the rest. Also- we wouldn't have been able to help her be touched by the spirit if we didn't let her here and say a few things in Spanish so it was good that The Lord planned things out for me to be there in elder timms area. The Lord is mindful. I love my mission. I love Rosa Machuka--she is humbly committed to being baptized on May 4th!!!! and Jessica is set for the 27th still (Mario and Glenda's baptism date in 2013). I love meeting so many people and I love trying to grow. I say trying because it is hard and you can't do it on cruise control. It is really tough out here and quite often I want to just relax and forget all I need to do. But every time that happens I use the Atonement to shut it down and move on! Keep being missionaries, not because you feel obligated, but because you love sharing the Restoration with others. I love you all and know that The Lord has a wonderful place prepared for us all, including those working in the Spirit world alongside us, as we continue to do what we are doing :D