April 15, 2013

This week went by really fast. We had some really good lessons. Sunday was really good. I felt the spirit a lot, and gave my testimony and I definitely just talked like I already knew Spanish. It was a blessing. I am learning a lot about the language also. I am really working hard. I am enjoying the mission so much. I have learned so much, I am so glad I chose to serve a mission, because I am growing and learning so much. I am realizing I didn't know a ton before I came out, which I think every missionary feels the same. I was thinking about the day I left the mtc to come here to Mexico. That night I stayed up just scared to death. I remember talking to Elder Jones and Elder Petersen. We were just talking in the hall a few hours. We were all scared. I remember how my stomach hurt because I was thinking so much. But now that I am thinking back on that experience, I have realized how much I have grown. I know the Lord knows how much potential I have. I didn't know I had that much potential before I left, but now I know I can trust in the Lord and I will do miracles :) How is the family doing? I love you all so much :)

April 8, 2013

Hey Mom and family. Como estan? Estoy muy feliz. I sure did love conference!!!!!! I got to watch it in English!!!!!! Woohoooo!! And in a room with air conditioning!!! It was the best two days!! We got to watch it and stay in a cold room and sit on soft chairs and actually eat a few snacks. :) hahah like how we always used to back at home. We had about 6 Americans in the room with us only. The 6 missionaries. So it was really nice to be able to listen to it, and the other Elders were really excited also. I really loved the talk on Saturday morning. By Brother Cardon from the seventy. He talked about how Christ wants to forgive us. He is waiting. How we can receive forgiveness for whatever thing we have done and will do. I also liked another part that one of the leaders said, God didn't make this plan so we could fail it, or he could torture us. He made this plan so we could accomplish it and get help and comfort. Something along those lines. Wow, I did learn so much about conference. They talked a lot of the families!! About problems with family members and problems in the home. But they always had the positive side! I loved that part. The home is the most important place. I loved the talk that said that he asked the maid to take care of his kids more than the house, and how she later went on and her daughter got married in the temple and everything. We have such a good family, and our home has always been a refuge from the world. I have always felt so comfortable in the home and safe. I could always share my thoughts and feelings. There is always peace in our home. So thank you, mom and dad for the peace and comfort that we have in our home. I, too, am trying to have our little house here in Mexico to have peace :) We had a great week this week. The conference was outstanding. I will never forget the experience I had.


We also had another fantastic lesson. With that same family before. The dad is the only non member. We are working so hard with them. He really wants to change. But he is so scared. He has a lot of doubts. But I can tell he wants to change. The family needs him. So I am just so grateful that we have dad, who is a member of the church and who served a mission, and has the priesthood.


The weather is okay. It has been really hot, but not really really hot yet. We went shopping at Walmart today :) I am doing good health wise. I am working really hard in the language, and the doctrine. I still have a lot of room for improvement, but hey.. who doesn't? haha :) I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!! Thanks for the example you are all for me. Did you get the package yet? Love Elder Parker


(We hadn't gotten the package up to this point yet, but right when Elder Parker was on the computer the same time that we were, we heard a knock on the door. It was the post man delivering the package Elder Parker sent us and he even delivered it in the pouring rain!!! So we were able to receive the wonderful package and open it while we were on line with him!!! What a wonderful miracle!! He sent some soccer jerseys for the boys, some cute Mexican keychains for each of us, a fan for mom, a cute big poster from the primary children to him---with the cutest picture of the primary kids, a picture of him, and notes from each of the primary kids on it---, a letter and pictures to the family from his friend Elder Gaytan, and a hat and letter and things for Jacsons birthday. What a wonderful blessing that it arrived at the exact time he was on the computer with us!!!)

April 1, 2013

Hi mom and dad!! How are you all doing? I am doing great!! We are having a great time over here in the area. We had the baptism on wednesday. It was a really spiritual experience. We had over 50 people from the ward show up. That nevers happens here. There are always like 10 members that go to the baptisms. It was so many people, and they all contributed in the program. The primary sang a song about when they were baptized. It is called "When I am Baptized" It was really spiritual. Then we had some talks and then the ordinance. It was so nice when we were talking about families and they were feeling the spirit so strong. It was such a good baptism.

We are working really hard here in the area.We are giving lessons to all the members like Elder Dehoyos told us to do. He is from the 70. Then they invite a friend to the next lesson when we go to their house. That way we find a lot of people who we can teach. My companion is great. We are learning a lot. We had a lesson where 6 of us were crying. It was powerful!!

I really love the atonement. The Savior atoned for us because He loves us. He did it out of pure love. I am so grateful for His sacrifice. I will do everything possible to pay a little piece back for what He did. I can't wait for General Conference. We watch it in the Stake Center on a big screen.

Well I don't want to write a ton, because I want to talk to you all. I love you so much. We ran this morning :) I want to stay healthy. We ate s'mores with the family Bruno. It was really good, I have missed smores. I can't wait until the cabin when Court and I get back! Love you all so much!! :)

March 25, 2013

We were in the occ this Tuesday receiving companions.

Hey mom!! And family!!! Well I finally have a companion!! I went on Tuesday with the meeting with the President and then I met my companion! I almost started crying when we hugged because I felt the spirit and that I finally had a companion. He is really awesome. He is from Puebla Mexico. He is 18 years old. He isn't very tall. He is skinny. He is really spiritual and really nice. For example, one morning I got out of the shower and he had pollished my shoes. He does a lot of nice stuff for me. He is really nervous in the lessons, but he is getting better. I am doing all I can to help him improve. It has been a good experience so far. We are having a lot of success. And we will have a baptism this Wednesday. :)

Tell Kim and Brian Lee congrats. We had a meeting on Saturday with Elder Dehoyos. He is a spiritual man. I saw Elder Jensen, Elder Taggart, Elder Stevenson, Elder Petersen and Elder Jones. I saw a lot of my friends. Me and Elder Jensen sat next to each other in the meeting. :) It was really nice to talk to him and catch up on a few memories. I sure do love writing you and the family. I catch myself thinking in the morning during Mondays that I will be able to write my family!! :) How is everything going over there? Well if you could send some beef jerky. An Elder in my district wanted some beef jerky, and he will pay me. I am fine with ties, I have a lot. You don't need to send anymore :) I sent a package today, so I hope it gets there soon. I am really enjoying the mission, I am learning so much about the Lord and myself. I really am changing so much. I can feel it everyday. I am so thankful for this gospel that we have. It is truly the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth. I am doing a challenge that Elder Dehoyos asked us to do. We are to read the Book of Mormon in 85 days and highlight everytime it refers to Jesus Christ, when it says his name. Because we can realize that it talks about Jesus Christ and not just Joseph Smith like everyone thinks. I am already learning a lot from this activity. Thank you for everything!! I sure do love you all so very much. Take care. I am doing great :) Thanks for all your help. Love Elder Parker.

March 18, 2013

Hey Mom!! How are you? I am doing good!! WEll.... I get my new companion tomorrow!!! :) I am going to train again. It will be a new missionary. I don't know who it will be, but I will get to see him tomorrow!! I am so excited!! I am staying in my same area again!! But I am doing really good. Thanks so much for the emails |:) you know those two oil holders that say faith on them. If you could send two more that would be great. Two members want them. They are going to pay me and you can send them. Please :) I got the easter package!! Thank you so much! I loved it. The mini Preach My Gospel too! And all the pictures. The candy is my favorite and I am already eating a lot :)

Well this week we were walking at night next to the junglish area. It was night and all of a sudden these dogs started barking real loud. Then we heard a really loud growl.. And the dogs stopped barking and ran away, we think it was a jaguar. It was so loud and we were so scared! Because we have heard that there are jaguars here. It was a scary moment.

I was in the church yesterday, and all of a sudden the sisters called us in to the primary room, the primary then gave us a huge paper with signatures from them and pictures. The primary kids are so cute and they were all happy. I couldn't help but cry a little when I bore my testimony to them. It is one of the best gifts that I have received. Also there is a brother named Hamada. He is Japanese and his wife is Spanish. They have like 3 kids. They are the best. The parents speak English. The dad speaks 5 languages. They are in our ward. But they are moving to Tijuana. They invited us over for some food to say goodbye. And in the night they gave us some pizza and they are going to leave. The dad left today and the mom and her kids on April 11th. The mom is really nice and they want to visit our house. She wants her son to stay a week or two with Nathan and Josh. He is a really cool kid. He is part Japanese and Spanish. But I told her I would give her email to you. She is really nice, and you can email her. She wants you to email her quick and also my blog she wants.

I am learning a lot. I have realized how lucky I am to be here on the mission. We had the district meeting last Tuesday. We started then all of a sudden the zone leaders and the assistantes to the President entered. Which they are never in the meetings. I gave a really good meeting, and at the end I shared a little story and couldn't help but crying. I tried not to, but you know me. Then I noticed that the zone leaders were crying and all the sisters also. It was a really spritual moment. Then after the meeting we had splits. The assistent worked with me in my area all day. So I got to learn a lot from him. It was a good experience.

Sometimes it is hard to speak English or write. But that is a good thing! I can't remember how to spell a lot of things. On Saturday I get to see Elder Jensen!! That is really cool that you went to California. Sounds like a blast. Well I want to end this quick so I can talk to you. I am going to send a package on Wednesday. Thanks for everything. :) Love you all!! Love Elder Parker

March 11, 2013

Hola Madre, como esta? Estoy muy bien aqui. Pues... todavia no tengo companero. How are you doing mom? I love you. how is the family! That is awesome that you are all in California. Well.. i still don't have a companion. I tallked to the President this week he told me I won't have one till the next transfer. Which is next week. He told me well it came fast, but we need to be prepared. So I am glad that I was prepared for this. I have learned a lot. This past week I had a young man in my ward work with me all the week. He is preparing for his mission, he is 21 years. But he snored so loud at night.. I couldn't sleep at times,. IT was the loudest I have ever heard anyone sleep. It sounded like someone was literally sawing logs in the forest. But this week I will have a different young man I believe. The assistants to the President are going to call me to confirm.

We had a good week, I am finding lots of people to teach. Oh. I received the package!! So should I open it or is it for Easter? Thanks so much! It looks like it costs a lot of money!! You don't need to send packages, because I know they cost a lot. I am doing fine, just need to keep working hard. We had a conference with the President on Friday. We learned a lot of good stuff, we ate some food. I saw Elder Taggart from my district in the mtc. Then we had stake conference this week. It was really good. A lot was to do with jobs, and money and relationships with wives and tithing. Because they need that over here. Then on Sunday we heard from Elder Bednar and Richard Scott. and Elaine Dalton. and Ulisses Soares. It was really good, and I learned alot. They talked a lot about repentance. We had a lot of investigators go, that was amazing! Well I will end this short so I can talk to you all!! Love you all so much. Love Elder Parker.
P.S. I heard a quote in stake conference. We all go through things that are hard, but the Lord knows why and he is preparing us for something. I truly believe the Lord prepares us through hard times, he knows how much we can bare and when we will succeed and learn more.

March 4, 2013

Hey Mom!! :) How are you doing? How is the family doing? I sure do miss you guys. But not to the extent of being homesick. I am doing really good right now :) I still don't have a companion though.. But guess what.. I ate in Mcdonalds today!! With the Zone leaders and two other elders. I felt like I was in Hurricane eating with my friends. It was a good feeling.

This week has been good, it is a little crazy not having a companion and trying to work as much as I can in my own area. But I am making the best of it, and taking advantage of this learning opportunity. I know it is all happening for a reason!! I received an email from Colton and Braden Church. They sound like they are plugging along, happy as before. Some of my best friends. I haven't heard anything of Elder Jensen. I am sure he is doing just fine! I will have a zone meeting with the President this Friday. It was going to be three zones together, but he decided to have just our zone with him. So we should be able to learn a lot and feel of what we need to do better.

I have a funny story. We were saying our prayers at night, and then my two companions went to bed. So did I, I was just laying in bed, thinking about the next day. And all of a sudden I saw something moving on the wall.. It freaked me out really bad. Because they have a lot of cockroaches in their house. I thought it was a cockroach. So I was like.. hey hey hey.. and they woke up and said what, and then I said a cockroach and they started yelling. One elder kept saying, kill it kill it. And the other was like, turn on the light turn on the light. I was like you!! So I finallly got the guts to turn on the light, and after jumped back really fast in my bed, and.... it was only a piece of paper taped to the wall. It was moving because of the fan, and it looked like a cockroach. We were laughing so hard after. Because we were all so scared, but it wasn't anything. Well I keep eating my good old popcorn that I cherish! I am really enjoying the mission and learning a lot of new things. I hope eveerything is well at home! I will end it now, so I can talk to you guys! Love Elder Parker