8.2.2015

Our investigators are doing well. Our most progressing investigators are the ones that don't have baptismal dates yet. The investigators that come to church are also the ones who do not have baptismal dates. I have been concerned that I haven't had a baptism in nearly a year. Our member work this week was the highest that I have ever had on my mission with 12 member lessons. We don't often eat at members homes, but this week we ate with some recent converts to start and end our fast. Sister Huggins made it the whole 24 hours,but her father and husband didn't quite make it, but they have been improving. The next zone conference will be in either august of September, and it will be in the mission home. I think that I will be in Trinidad the rest of my mission. I did have a cool experience this week with a Sister S. We hadn't been by her in a while and her phone broke so she wasn't able to get a hold of us through the phone. Elder Grimm and I decided to go and visit her. We had a good lesson with her and she told us about how she had been hoping to have us come by but she didn't know how to reach us. She decided to pray and ask Heavenly Father to send us by her. The next day we went by and she told us that we were the answer to her prayers. The L’s had a BBQ that ran very late into the night so they did not come to church this week, but a family that we have taught only a few times came to church and enjoyed it. There is a larger family to which this family belongs to that all live in board houses very close to one another that we have been teaching. Hopefully we will see some successes there. Love you lots! -Elder Parker

8.9.2015

When you first told me about the move, I thought about it a little bit. Most of my friends will be at BYU so I'm not too bummed out. It will be sad to be leaving, but as I have learned more about the importance of eternal families, I am excited to be moving closer to the rest of the family. I think that it is kind of funny that you guys are moving on the same day as transfers. Elder Grimm and I will be staying together as zone leaders for another transfer and then he goes home. A lot of our zone is getting moved around. There will be 2 areas that are getting blanked and 3 brand new trainees along with one sister missionary who will be finishing up her training this transfer. Our investigator pool has gotten better this last week. One investigator, N, is moving along well and is planning on being baptized on September 5th. We had a really good lesson with her last night that originally was going to be on the plan of salvation, but it turned into a lesson about the Atonement and how we apply the atonement by living the gospel. She talked about how she feels lighter when we come over, and then there is a darkness that settles in again when we leave. We explained to her that this is the spirit, and through living the gospel she can have the feelings of light all the time as she lives worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. L and her 19 year old brother L came to church yesterday along with their 2 other younger brothers. That was exciting, since they haven't been in a little while. P was doing something to his refrigerator. N didn't come because of a shoulder problem. I feel a lot better about our teaching pool now than I did a week ago. I was just reading my patriarchal blessing this morning and I was reminded about the direct link that obedience has with power. I recently renewed my resolve to be exactly obedient, especially with a mission leadership council that was on obedience. I know that the Lord will bless us as we obey his commands with exactness. I'm glad that Gabby was able to have a spiritual experience receiving her patriarchal blessing. I hope she writes down her thoughts about it. That is something that I wish that I had done. I'm excited for Sarah and Gabby to have a good season and a good start to school at Alpine High school? Also the mission office will need our new address and Stake info. Otherwise things are going well.

Love, Elder Parker

7.27.2015

P and L are doing ok, but they are a little hard hearted right now to the idea that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday. They don't quite believe that it was God who changed it to Sunday in remembrance of the Atonement. They are doing well with their other commitments like reading the Book of Mormon and the word of wisdom. P was really sick this weekend so they didn't come to church. Another investigator named R is doing well. We started teaching her and her mom, who lives right next door, recently and we have been having spiritual lessons with them. We have to teach them more simply though because they don't have much of a religious background and reading is a struggle for R’s mother Joanne. Saturday night Elder Grimm and I had a spiritual lesson with R and her kids about the plan of salvation. The kids wanted to sing a song so we sang I am a child of God. It was great way to invite the spirit. It settled the kids all down, and softened her uncle's heart a little bit too. Retelling this experience reminded me of a quote from Hyrum Smith. "Preach the first principles of the Gospel-preach them over again: you will find that day after day new ideas and additional light concerning them will be revealed to you." Even though I had sung that song many times, I understood or rather gained a greater appreciation for them that night as we shared about how each of us are sons and daughters of God. I know that what is taught in that song is true. R has a baptism date for August 22nd. We set some more dates this week with some other people too. President Egbert is my new mission president's name. Our member work has been going good. We find people through referrals and contacting. This has been my favorite branch to serve in so far. I am buying propane tanks today, and then eating ice cream. I emailed grandma too.

Love you lots! -Elder Parker

7.20.2015

Our investigators are doing better. The L Family came to church on Sunday, and Mr. P brought one of his other sons to church! He should be at home in the beginning of august so we can start teaching him more. Mr. L has been to a few things at church and I think that he likes it. We will be visiting them later this evening. I think that we have discovered that they believe that Joseph Smith could have been called of God, but because of human imperfections taught the wrong thing about the Sabbath day. So we are going to help them understand that God will never allow His prophets to speak in their prophetic calling and lead the church astray. Wilford Woodruff taught that simply in the 3rd section of the manifesto at the back of the doctrine and covenants. I told Ben about a spiritual experience I had this week, so you could hear about it from him. I’m learning a lot about the importance of Charity in my leadership responsibilities. I think I said the same thing last week, but as people know that you love them, they will listen to you with much more open hearts. D&C 121 talks a lot about that. I'm excited for the move!

Love, Elder Parker

7.12.2015

Wow! What a change! I guess I could run to the house from BYU now. I’m kind of bummed that we are moving, but will we be in the same ward as Aunt Annie and Uncle Bob? That would be sweet!

P and L won't be baptized this upcoming week because they taking their time, making sure that they understand everything. They are still progressing though. We are going to move their date to later in August so that we can make sure that they understand the things that they need to and so that they can receive answers to their prayers. They have been struggling a little with accepting the Sabbath day as Sunday. We are working on helping them understand living prophets, because it is through them that we know which day to be the Sabbath. They will still come to church, but they need to understand and accept God's living prophets as who they really are. We still have spiritual lessons with them, so I am not too worried. They are willing to pray and ask, and act so I believe that they will receive answers to their prayers, and get things sorted out.

I have learned a lot about being more prepared this last week. Elder Grimm and I taught a Zone meeting on what we learned at MLC this last Tuesday. President Egbert was there with his wife and also both the AP's were there so it could have been stressful, but because we were prepared we did not fear (D&C 38:30). It turned out to be a great zone meeting because the spirit was there. I know that preparation is a powerful way to invite the spirit. Elder Grimm is great. We get a long very well, and he also will be attending BYU. He goes home in September. Being a zone leader has really taught me about the importance of charity. I'm excited when our zone does well. I imagine that it is a little like being a parent. There's a lot that I am still learning, but it has been a good experience so far. Love you lots! Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Elder Parker

7.6.2015

I met the new mission president and his wife. They are from Sandy, Utah. It sounds like their old stake bordered with Grandma and Grandpa Parker's stake. He is a surgeon, so I bet he will have some good advice for me in my departing interview. We helped sister S. be reactivated this week. She has come to church 4 weeks in a row and seems to be really changing. We are going to go visit her later this evening. The L Family is doing pretty good. The family is made of P (58), the father, his daughter L (23), and his son M (16). P and L are scheduled to be baptized on July 18th. They have come to church 7 times, but they didn't come yesterday because P was playing the saxophone at some sort of event until 3am. That's what He does for work. They are doing well. Elder Grimm had a sweet lesson with them while I was on a tradeoff. He taught them about the word of wisdom. They were having a hard time accepting it, and were of the opinion that moderation in drinking is ok. Elder Grimm shared a scripture which I believe is in 2 Nephi 9:28-29

"O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.  But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God."

The spirit was able to teach them and then at the end of the lesson, L went in to grab the bottle of wine that she kept in her room for special occasions. Then she poured it all out. I'm excited for them. They have many friends in the branch and they are excited to be baptized. There is another cool lady that we started teaching named R. She is still new in the teaching process, but we set a baptismal date with her as well for august 8. I also got to go to a wedding for one of the investigators of one of the district leaders, who will be baptized this coming week. Then we also got to go to a baptism for a young man named R, in Sangre Grande (pronounced Sandy grandy in Trini language) for the other district leader.

I've started to pick up writing in my journal recently. It was pretty spotty. Things are going well, but I can always improve. Thanks for the picture with President and Sister Mehr. I tried to send some pictures, but the computer didn't want to work with me today. Have a great week!

Love, Elder Parker