I got the package on Saturday from the Birds. Elder Jacobson and I
ate all of the cookies in 2 days. They were really good. Thank you! We're
trying to be a bit more conservative with the chocolate and beef jerky.
District meetings are every week on Tuesday. We meet in the
Kingstown chapel, which is about a 45 minute bus ride away in traffic. The
biggest roads we have here are 2 lanes and most are 1.5 lane roads, so traffic
happens a lot. For dinner we usually eat some combination of ground chicken,
corn, peas or a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and rice or pasta. We have been
experimenting with some taco shell pizza stuff though that has turned out
pretty well. Most everything we need is at the grocery store so things haven't
changed too much as far as meals go. I'm feeling great! This last week I went
on a trade off with the Elders in Kingstown and something finally clicked.
Before I wasn't adding very much to the discussions but after Tuesday I feel
like people actually grow and benefit from what I say. I just needed to have
faith and press forward trusting in the Lord. We have been doing a lot of
tractingbut we call it finding. We do have a young lady (age 20) who has a
baptismal date set up but she must overcome her marijuana addiction first.
There are also many other people who we have invited to baptism but they feel
they must learn more first. One guy we talked to yesterday is ready for baptism
but he wants to be baptized with his friend so we have to talk with his friend
first. This man, named Oakel, told us when he decided that he wanted turn his
life to Christ. He is a fisherman and has been for several years. Before that
he sold drugs on the streets and robbed from people to make a living. Once
while he was out on a fishing trip, about 90 miles away from land, his ship got
caught in a storm. The ship wrecked and his captain was killed when he hit some
rocks. Oakel was thrown around and had his pant leg caught on to a piece of
coral. His life jacket was pulling him up and he thought he was going to die
right there, with the waves crashing around him. Then he thought to pray. He
prayed " Jesus have mercy on me! If you save me, I will turn my life
around and become a good Christian." The moment he finished praying he
shot up to the surface where he was rescued by a coast guard ship. That was 2
years ago. He says he is ready to keep that agreement he made and be clean. It
was really cool to listen to him share that story. Several of the people we
have given Book of Mormons to are reading and loving it. Whenever we sit down
with people they always express how awesome, clear and uplifting it is. Just
last night, another guy we are teaching just shook his head and said "I
love this book." after we read Alma 37:37 with him in answer to how we can
be made spotless. Things are progressing extremely well and I can't wait for
these people to get baptized. Next week ask me about a guy named Richard. He's
really cool and he loves having us come over and talk with him. The Book of
Mormon is true! As people read it, I can see them changing because they are
letting the atonement of Jesus Christ work in their lives and the Book of
Mormon tells them how to do it! Hurrah for Israel!
Love -Elder Parker
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