5.18.2015 (Pictures Only)

This is what Doubles looks like.

5.18.2015 (Picture)

I am moving back north and the east to be a zone leader there.  I am sad to be leaving Chaguanas, especially because we just started finding people who are starting to progress. I feel like I have said that a lot in emails home lately though. We find people, and then they stop progressing or become elusive.  These new people seem cool though. I think part of it has come as I have tried to allow my heart to be changed. I think it goes back to the principle of progression. The efforts and desires of yesterday, if not improved upon will not be sufficient for today's trials. The more we learn, the more responsibility we have to apply what we learn. A wonderful example of how things have been starting to change occurred last night. Like most good missionary stories it starts off with all of our appointments had fallen through. So Elder Dulaki and I decided that since there were no members that we could visit at the time we would go and contact down a street and see who we could find. After riding down a side road, we saw two people doing something outside, so we took the opportunity to go and speak with them. They quickly invited us to sit down. We taught them the message of the Restoration and they understood very well. As we were preparing to leave, the mother of the family explained to us about how she had been very confused about why there were so many churches if there is only one Lord. She asked God to send some people to her to help her understand. She waited all day long and began to wonder if God would send some people that day. Then near the close of the evening, we showed up. I hope that Elder Dulaki and his new companion will be able to help them come into the gospel. I have begun to see more miracles lately as I have approached the work with more hope and faith. I hope that I will be able to be a profitable servant in Arima.

There was a family that just got back from the temple this week and we helped put a roof on their house. That's what I am standing on.

5.11.2015

I love Elder Dulaki. He is the best. Our area is starting to move a little better, but we still need to work on working with the active members a little more and on helping people come to church. I don' think that those areas will be influenced by each other. I'm trying hard to make the most of my time. I'm excited to see what this week holds. Later this week, we will be able to meet with the father of a really cool family. It sounds like if we can get the dad on board, then the rest of the family will follow. They would be a very strong addition to the branch. I was thinking about what you guys had said, and what grandma had said about being able to look past the faults and weaknesses of others combined with what I have been learning in the morning during my temporal prep time about church history. The members here truly are pioneers. They are dealing with many of the same struggles that early church members had with leaving their old traditions and ideas for the truths of the gospel. There are also many great Caribbean pioneers who are rising to the occasion and preparing the way for future generations. Love you lots!

-Elder Parker

5.11.2015 (pictures)

I have begun to eat... eggs. 

​This is something that tasted pretty good. I liked the fish the best. Seafood has begun to appeal to me.

5.4.2015 (pictures)

 ​Service project in the jungle.

​Caymen at the park. This was in the pond near where we played football.

5.4.2015

I have done a better job of keeping my perspective realistic and positive this last week. As I mentioned in mom's email, Elder Dulaki and I have been rebuilding our teaching pool. Yesterday evening we had a back up appointment with somebody who didn't seem very receptive to the gospel. Even though I felt this way about this person, I still felt prompted to go to this appointment. When we got there, I saw that some family members had come over to visit. As we sat down with the person we had set up to come by, we asked if any of her family would like to join us. She called to her granddaughter, but then somehow we ended up meeting with her mom. As the lesson progressed, the mother expressed sincere interest in finding out about the priesthood and how she can know who has it. Thinking about this experience shows that the Lord will lead us to His elect if I will listen. Also this last Sunday, several less actives that we have been working with came to church! I have been taking pictures, but have not been able to send them due to time restraints. Hurrah for Israel!

-Love, Elder Parker 

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