8.3.2014

Mom really is a great mom! I was just looking through the pictures I brought with me and I was reflecting on how blessed we are to have the family that we do. So many people do not have anything even close to what we have.

Gratitude has been a prevalent theme these past few weeks as I have tried to be more grateful. I have a feeling that I will probably be moved this next transfer, but we'll see. I have faith that I will be able to leave St. Vincent with many happy memories, and also knowing that I left it all out on the field.

It sounds like you guys have had fun this past week. My week was a little rough at the beginning, but it finished off well. I have been trying to take lots of pictures lately of my normal day. I might stay in contact with the Birds, I would need to grab their email address from my journal though. I should let you know that I have made a serious effort to eat better. We also got a toaster this week from our zone leaders who just moved apartments. Our new zone leader is cool; His name is Elder Staley and he is from Idaho. Our baptismal dates have been weeded down to those who are very committed. There is Linda for the 23rd, but she is still praying about it. She wants too but she is still a little scared of doing so. I think she will be baptized anyways. Michron is a 20 year old who has eaten up every gospel principle and point we have given him. We’ve only been meeting with him for about 6 weeks, but he is already in Alma chapter 4. He loves the gospel and is doing everything he can to live it. He will be baptized on the 16th of this month. We have a few other baptismal dates too but those 2 are our most progressive investigators.

I have really learned a lot these last couple of weeks about prayer. Elder Gordon and I didn't know what commitment to leave for Jadeese. I thought we should do one thing, and Elder Gordon thought we should leave her something else. We decided to pray about it and as soon as we were done praying, we both received an answer that we should leave a completely different commitment with her than either of us were thinking of. The Lord truly does answer prayers. In fact he commands us too, which is something that I hadn't ever really realized until I read about it in chapter 3 section 4 of Preach My Gospel. Jesus also teaches that we must pray in 3 Nephi 18:15.

Today we will be eating lunch at a Chinese place that we usually go to, shopping, maybe playing some football on the beach and then I need to bake some cookies for Jadeese's birthday.  I pray for you guys everyday.

Love you! Hurrah for Israel!

-Seth

7.28.2014 (picture)

Elder and Sister Bird (July 27, 2014)

7.28.2014

Yesterday was the Birds last Sunday. They fly out today. I'm staying here for another transfer with Elder Gordon. We had a whole bunch of people at church too. We finally got our family of young women back to church with their grandma. A super progressing young man was also able to come to church and he loved it. Everybody was so friendly and I bet he will be a great strength to the branch once he is baptized. His name is Michron, and I think I have told you about him before. He is truly somebody who was kept from the truth, only because he knew not where to find it. Training is going well, but I think I need to let Elder Gordon take the lead more.  I need to keep him from relying on me too much. I think what you said about being obedient was inspired. I'm excited for this new transfer.  It will be fun to get to know another area. I need to finish off strong here, because I think that I will be going to another place this next transfer. I pray for you guys multiple times a day. I know you are praying for me too. Love you!

-Seth

7.14.2014

7.14.2014

It sounds like you are having a busy week this week. I can't believe Nate is heading out here this week. I got bit by a sea turtle today and I'm emailing you from Bequia today. It's an island south of St Vincent in the Grenadines. 

The church is true! 2 weeks ago I had an experiance that showed me how the scriptures can bless our lives. I was sitting in the car with one of my Zone leaders waiting for our companions to finish up buying a razor for Elder Gordon. I had a whole bunch of things going on in my head about training and our investigators and updating the area book, ect.. Then I had a scripture come to mind that said, " Be still, and know that I am God." That really comforted me and helped me to recognize that we are being watched out for. It reminded me of a picture you had bought for me that had a picture of the savior and a scripture on the side that talked about how the savior has engraven us on the palms of his hands and he will never forget us. I am also grateful that our family has been sealed in the temple for all of eternity. I'll be praying for Gabby, Grandma and everybody else. Tell Ben to keep up the tennis for me please. Hurrah for Israel! Thanks for your advice on being humble. 

Love you! - Elder Seth Parker

7.21.2014

7.21.2014

My district went to help build part of one of the Kingstown Branches house flour. I carried some big heavy bags of cement mix down from the road and then we spent a few hours mixing it with sand and then pouring it out. I sure am glad that I have more options than that to look forward too. I was sore the next day. The highlight of the week had to be that Jadeese is starting to progress again. She had fallen back a bit and she wasn't keeping commitments. But recently I started to really try and improve my prayers and I saw that as I fervently prayed for her, she began to keep her commitments again. She had talked about how she didn't feel like she used to when we first met her and she was reading from the Book of Mormon everyday. She recognizes that she can be as happy as she was if she starts doing what she was doing before with reading and praying, etc. She wants to be happy again and she knows how to do it. I just hope I'm here when she gets baptized. We have been working with her for about 5 months. Let mom know that I'm pretty obedient, but I'm really trying to work on keeping missionary music in my mind. I also thought I should share about how the Holy Ghost comforted me as he brought something to my remembrance. I woke up a few days ago feeling a bit down, but then I was reminded of a part of the 4th verse in the hymn count your many blessings which says, "Do not be discouraged, God is over all". That really helped me to remember who it is that I am serving and that He truly is the master of all things. Consider the lilies of the field. 

The scriptures are great. In preach my gospel it talks about how they help to provide validity to what we teach's about how we need to respect our bodies and not disfigure it with tattoos and things. One of the young men simply wasn't understanding why when we were explaining it with out own words, but when we turned to 1 Cor. 3:16-17 it suddenly made sense to him. I remember another lesson we were having with Linda about the plan of salvation and when we read 2 Ne. 2:25 she had this epiphany and was like, "that's our purpose of life?!" She suddenly understood that our purpose of life and following the gospel is for our joy. There have been many other moments where the scriptures have made what we were trying to explain very clear. I love them! Sounds like you guys are busy out there. 

I hear dad will be going camping soon. Love you lots! Hurrah for Israel! -Love, Seth-Love, Seth

7.9.2014 (short)

I have learned a few new recipes. The family we are teaching are moving along well. It rains a decent amount. I ripped one of my pants a few nights back pretty badly when I stretched them too far as I was stepping off of a porch and they ripped right down the inside. Haha, that was embarrassing. Good thing it was at night and our last appointment. The average time in each area is about 5 to 6 months. Tell Nate that he'll do great and whenever he feels like he doesn't know what to do just 1 Nephi 4:6 it. Be obediant and one of the best ways to get the spirit with you is to go out and work. Love you guys! The church is true! Hurrah for Israel! Love, Elder Seth Parker

7.9.2014

I was thinking about how much of a blessing it truly is to be an American. I didn't get to do much 4th of July celebrating except for eating a hot dog at a medical student family's house. They are from Utah. I just finished the war chapters in the Book of Mormon and I found it really interesting about how the king men were "denying their own freedom". I thought to myself, in what ways do I deny my freedom? I guess I celebrated our freedom anyways, as I am out here declaring the ultimate message of freedom. Unfortunately, our "stripling warriors" have taken some big hits recently. It was Carnival this past week so the youth fell into some of the temptations that go with it. We are continuing to work with them and they are coming along. They just have to overcome some setbacks first. We found some super cool new people though this week. There is a family that we are teaching named the Ince's. We are mostly teaching Michron (20) one of the sons, but we also teach other family members when they are home. Michron is great. He loves the Book of Mormon, has received an answer that it is true, and the best part is that as we were teaching his mom last night, he bore his testimony of how the Book of Mormon is changing his life and his mother can know that the same way he knows it. I watched as she moved from being only mildly curious to really listening with her heart as her son bore a sincere testimony about what he has come to know to be true. That was awesome! As I am learning and becoming a better missionary, I can see myself going through mini pride cycles and each time I think like Nephi "O retched man am I". I'm really trying to be more humble. What are some things you and mom do to keep humble? Elder Gordon and I are still getting along well and are learning to teach in better unity each day. Tristan is coming along very well. He was ordained as a priest this past Sunday and I have seen such a tremendous change in him. He has the goal of becoming a missionary himself and today we are going to teach him about the temple and eternal marriages, to give him a goal for after he gets back from his mission. I am so glad I have been able to teach him. Looks like you guys had fun at Disneyland. That sounds so cool about the booth that you and mom helped out at. There was a great article in the Liahona this month called The Why of our Missionary work by Elder Anderson. I thought it would be great for you guys to read as you do member missionary work at home. Hurrah for Israel! The work is great! Did you go to church with Nicole, Geoffrey and Aunt Raylee. One more thing, I had a realization this week while getting ready one morning that I would be terribly sad if our family could not be together forever. Love you all!

-Elder Parker