It's starting the rainy season here. This week has
been awesome! Miracles all over the place and our investigators are coming
along very well. The closest person with a baptismal date is a young woman
named Arusha (18) who has a baptismal date for the 12th of July. I think that
she is ready right now. We just reviewed the restoration and she is flying
through the Book of Mormon. The last time we checked she was in Enos and moving
forward. She reads everyday and is great example to her other cousins who are
starting to read more often. Next is Michael (15) with a baptismal date for the
19th of July. We meet with him almost everyday and he really looks up to us. We
were talking yesterday about how he used to run from us, but one day he felt
that he should come and meet with us and at least see what we were like. Now he
is reading the Book of Mormon consistently, coming to church each week (except
yesterday because of rain) and he is picking up on phrases like flee from
temptation and choose the right. He knows a lot about the gospel and he will be
a great missionary. Michael's sister, Lennise has a date for the 2nd of august
and is also very prepared for that day. I never thought that these young people
that we met over 4 months ago would be preparing for baptism and living the
gospel, but they have truly manifested by their works that they have received
of the spirit of Christ (D&C 20:37). There is another young man named Kevin
who is preparing for baptism on the 9th of august along with the rest of the youth's
cousin, Nari. Kevin is solid, but we need to work with Nari more before he will
be ready. We are facing some struggles with Jadeese. She is feeling
discouraged. Her baptismal date is July 26th. She isn't coming to church
regularly and she is having a rough time at work, which is making her scared to
move to the new place she found to live in. We are working with her though, so
I have faith that things will work out. We also finally helped another Lady
named Linda to commit to a baptismal date for august 2nd. I was super excited
about that! Tristan is moving along really well, but he has had a difficult
time focusing in lessons. He is living the commandments, reading the scriptures
and is always at church though so I am not concerned for him. He is planning on
going on a mission and is going to be ordained next week at church as a priest.
It has been a great week full of challenges and successes. We also started
teaching an awesome family that lives near the youth that we are teaching. We
gave the oldest son Michron a Book of Mormon many weeks ago but then just this
last week we went back and found out that he had read through the introduction,
the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses and also of the Prophet Joseph Smiths
testimony all the way up into first Nephi were he is currently reading. He and
his family all accepted the message of the restoration very well and I can't
wait to see how they come along. I foresee great things for that family! We
also found this cool new shortcut that takes us from our house, through a
jungle and a creek up to were most of our investigators live. I felt like
Indiana Jones walking through there after moving sand bags up on top of a big
hill with Michael and Nari. Those are the highlights from the week. Things are
going really well. Elder Gordon is cool too. We are becoming good friends and
are working well together. I think I might have mentioned it in my email last
week but as I am training, I reflect back on what I was like as a greenie. It
makes me laugh, but it also makes me so much more grateful for my trainer. He
was a great Elder. Looks like you guys had fun at Disneyland. Glad to see that
Geoffrey was with you guys. Oh and Zone conference was excellent. President
Mehr and Sister Mehr are great and know so much about the gospel. Hope he is
doing well! Love you all! Read your scriptures everyday! Hurrah for Israel! Be
RAD!!! Love,
-Elder Parker
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