4.27.2015

4.27.2015

It's hot here. Then if you get a fever, then it gets hotter. It's mostly green when I see areas of vegetation. My area is all-flat. Elder Dulaki and I made some changes of focus at the beginning of the transfer to move our areas of focus to where we had the most members. As a result we have seen a little success bringing some people back to church, but nobody that I would call reactivated yet. Right now we are just focusing on having investigators. It was a rough week. Our most promising investigator (Sis. W.) hasn't been picking up her phone and was at work when we stopped by her place. I noticed that an important part of having the guidance of the spirit is having faith and hope. While I was sick at the end of the week, I had a lot of time to to some introspection. I was a little discouraged at the beginning of the week, and then as different things fell through and poor planning resulted in limited member work I was spiraling down the path of discouragement and despair. I think getting sick was a good brake pedal on a downward cycle. I was thinking to myself about what my style of thinking was leading me to. Then I remembered a scripture from the Book of Mormon that reminded me that the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but the spirit of the Lord teaches us to pray always. Even in my dazed, headache, fever ridden and discouraged state, I decided that I needed to pray. I have been trying to refocus these past few days. I know if I will have hope and Faith in Christ, we will be lead to those who are ready to receive the gospel.

Love, Elder Parker

Letter from President Mehr, 4.14.2015

Dear Parents of Elder Parker,


Just a short note to inform you that your son, Elder Parker, was recently called to serve as District Leader in the Trinidad Central Zone of the West Indies Mission.


Your son has been an exemplary missionary, focusing on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with great love, faith and obedience. Many missionaries look to him for guidance and counsel. This new responsibility will demand even further growth and will enable him to bless the lives of many missionaries and members.


I am grateful to Elder Parker for his great diligence in the work and willingness to accept this assignment, and I look forward to working closely with him in this capacity.


Thank you for all of your efforts to prepare such a faithful and dedicated young man to serve the Lord. It is a privilege for me to work together with him to share the gospel.

Kind regards,

President Daniel S. Mehr

President, West Indies Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

4.14.2015 (Picture)

My new companion is from Fiji! Conference was great. I thought that I appreciated conference at home, but I have increased in my gratitude for the word of the Lord that we can continually receive through living Prophets and Apostles and other leaders of the church. I have talked a lot about prophets lately. Elder Dulaki and I met a really promising young man named J. this week. We had contacted down his street, and were coming back up his street when I felt very lightly prompted to talk to two people sitting in the grass in their front yard. The neighborhood looks very American. As Elder Dulaki and I sat down and started to talk to the first to people, J. came and sat down with us. We taught them about the message of the restoration while sitting on the curb and despite our surroundings the spirit was very present in the lesson. What I told president Mehr in my email to him is that he is like a sheep recognizing the Master’s voice. I feel like I am really giving it my all now and the Spirit is present often in my life. I am so grateful for the Savior and His grace, which allows me to come and share the joy of the restored gospel. I'm excited to teach my first district meeting tomorrow as district leader. Sure do love you dad. Also Micron is receiving the Melchizedek priesthood this week and has officially started his mission papers! 

Elder Dulaki & Me

4.7.2015

Elder Montgomery and I spoke at a 40-day after death funeral proceeding. We ate get some good curry and roti. I guess that makes my email from last week kind of funny, because I am still alive. Haha. Anywho, this week was great! Conference was great and I had a really cool experience with prayer. After Priesthood session, my companion and I were cleaning up with some of the members. One of the members had taken offense at something small and unintentional that some of the other missionaries had done. He was quite frustrated with it. My companion and I decided that we would let him cool off, and so we didn't say anything to him that night. After leaving the church, I was concerned about this member who had just recently returned from inactivity. I was worried that he would do as some others have done, and let his offence push him back out of activity.  Later as I prepared for bed, I asked Heavenly Father to please soften this member’s heart. The next day, on Sunday, the very first thing that this member said to me when I saw him again was that he was sorry for what he had said and that it was not appropriate for him as a priesthood holder to act in such a way as he had. I was amazed. I immediately knew that the Lord had answered my prayer.

I pray for you guys everyday. Glad to hear that Ben and Sarah are doing so well in sports. I hope and pray that Gabby get's better soon. I love hearing about how the ward is showing such great love for Grandma.

Love, Elder Parker

3.31.2015

I'm alive. I'll email you next week.