9.22.2014

 I miss St. Vincent, but it's really nice having a ward again. This is a Zone conference transfer so I haven't seen the Mehr’s or the AP’s much. Normally I'll be going on splits with the AP's a lot, but I don't really know how much I will see President and Sister Mehr. There is about a 50/50 ratio of Indians to Black people, and there are no white people anywhere, except the other missionaries. It's kind of funny being a minority. My companion is a Utes fan and he lives about 20 minutes away from aunt Robin. (His girlfriend lives very close to them). It sounds like both teams are in for a great year! We tried contacting a guy sitting on a bench with his family a few nights ago and he was a Hindu. Let's just say that he was not ripe fruit. I met two Muslim brothers named Wazzim and Fazzim. They were really nice but neither were prepared to hear about the gospel. Elder Rowley and I are getting along really well. He is into rafting and backpacking and most of the other things that I like to do so we have many common interests. Mom told me about a movie that the Church is producing coming called "The Mormons". That's cool. I wonder how soon we will get a copy of it down here? I still get in some good proselyting time and being in the office makes me want to go out to teach even more than I did before. I enjoy the office work though. The senior couple (The Rays) that we get to work with and the other senior missionary (Sister Ray) are all great. I wish we could get more senior missionaries out here. We will be losing all three of the Rays and several other senior couples and we don't have anybody to replace them. If you know anybody who is thinking about doing a senior missionary, tell them that the West Indies Mission desperately needs some!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Elder Parker

9.8.2014

 My birthday was good, I didn't celebrate it, but it was fine. I just got the card and it was really nice to get that from home.  Transfers came in and I'll be in Trinidad as a junior companion to the AP's. I will be with one of the AP's when they aren't out at zone conference. I do some office work and then have a proselyting area. I will also have a car! It will be great to be able to work around President Mehr! District meetings are every Tuesday. Today we went to the beach and built a sandcastle, played volleyball, tug of war, jumped rope and now I'm emailing. The family we are teaching are doing well. Ron, the dad is still really interested and excited about the book of Mormon. His neighbor, Tony, who we have also been teaching comes with us to see them. It's like having a member lesson because Tony has a testimony of what we have taught him and he shares his testimony with Ron. Elder Gordon and I will be seeing them again Tuesday night. There are also some new medical students that moved into the branch, that are from downtown Denver. I have really enjoyed serving with Elder Gordon. We were also invited to attend an Anglican church this past Sunday. It gave me some good insights on how investigators first feel when they attend church. There was a nice old lady that sat next to us, but it made me realize how grateful I am to know about the restored gospel. The presence of the spirit in our meetings and the absence of it there was highly enlightening. Just another testimony of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love, Elder Parker

9.1.2014 (picture)

I'm hard at work studying the scriptures, and also using construction vehicles.

9.1.2014

9.1.2014

Linda (baptized last Saturday) is doing great. She should be going teaching with the sisters this next week, which is a big step for her because she is usually a very reserved person. We are going to see her tonight.

Micron, one of our recent converts is doing well! He went out teaching with Elder Tillotson while his companion, Elder Staley, was cooped up in the Kingstown Apartment. This disease called Chikungunya is sweeping over the island. It makes you super sore and keeps you from moving around, because it makes all of your joints really achy.

Transfers are next Wednesday. I don't know if I will go or not. I have mixed feelings about going. I have made a lot of friends here and I'm excited to see the area continue to grow. I also think it would be nice to get a fresh start somewhere else. One of my Zone leaders, Elder Tillotson will be going home next week and that will be a bummer. We have become really good friends. He should be at BYU when I get home. Zone conference is coming up this next transfer too and we get to go to Barbados!  

We are teaching a family! Ron (the father) and the children are all interested, but we are still working on the mom. I feel like I always need to hear a message about humility. Be thou humble pg. 130 has become one of my favorite and most sung hymns.

I kind have forgotten that my birthday is coming up this next week. I don't know what I would get. I bought some nice playing cards for 5 dollars US, but that's pretty much it.  Thanks for the update on things! It's so weird hearing about my friends mission calls.

Love you, Elder Parker

8.25.2014 (picture)

Linda was baptized yesterday and then both Linda and Micron were confirmed yesterday. It has been a really good week, but also a very difficult week. Just like Lehi said in 2 Nephi 2:11, there is opposition in all things. We found a cool new family that we are teaching that live up on the same hill where Tristan and Micron live. It's been a great place to go teaching. Micron has read all of the Book of Mormon except Mosiah, Mormon, Ether and Moroni. He is such a great addition to the branch. I got to feel like an EMT again this week when our oldest member (89), Brother Ceaser, passed out in sacrament meeting and then fell onto the tile floor. Thank goodness he wasn't standing. It took 45 minutes for the ambulance to drive what takes us 20 minutes. I didn't even get anyone when I called 911. The phone just rang and rang until the call ended. Thankfully somebody else already had a different number for the hospital and then things worked out fine. Brother Ceaser is now doing well, and is back at his house. We have such a nice medical system in the US. Transfers are in 2 weeks.  That's a bummer to hear about Ben. I have been praying for Sarah and Gabby a lot this week. I was looking back through some old planners and I found that I have been teaching Linda since the second Thursday I got here, way back in February. She has been really fun to teach. I think that I have told you before, but my best memory of teaching her was when Elder Gordon and one of our members (Sister Fisher) went to teach her about how the gospel blesses families. The spirit was strongly felt and I remember being so excited when Linda finally accepted a baptismal date! Then yesterday at church, when we talked about confirming her and especially her receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, her whole countenance just lit up. I have never seen somebody so excited to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost before. Looking forward to another great week!

I would love too get a bike so I could run. I hope my next companion will run with me. I think I'll be getting transferred.

Love, Elder Parker

8.18.2014 (pictures)

Micron's Baptism 

8.16.2014  

This is me and my MTC companion Elder Clark on the northern part of the island today.