Hello Everyone!!
Whaaaat a week!! It started out with finishing the Book of Mormon...
Then on Tuesday morning I had the wonderful opportunity to go on
exchanges with sister Geracitano. It was hands down one of my favorite
experiences on the mission. When I am with her there is just such a
strong passion for missionary work and the desire to share the gospel
with everyone! I have been studying John chapter 21 about feeding his
sheep. The savior taught his apostles that what he needed most was for
them to teach and serve his children. This was a reminder for me to
remember how important it is to be finding the lost sheep, this was not a
coincidence, since at.. At zone conference on Thursday president focused
on teaching about....Finding, finding, finding. Emphasizing that this
what our mission NEEDS. If we aren't finding people to teach... Then we
aren't teaching. And if we aren't teaching... We aren't fulfilling our
purpose as missionaries. It is as simple as that! Being a missionary is
hard, and contacting is difficult, but that should be no excuse! We have
the Lord on our side! There is a misconception about this mission being a
hard one to find people to teach..... THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE....
Finding the people should be the least of our worries. President also
talked a lot about striving to be authorized representatives of Jesus
Christ and holding up his light to the world. I know that as we do his
work, we can't help but to become like savior. Sharing the gospel is not
just for missionaries. We are ALL covenant children of God. The best
comfort you can bring to someone in need is the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
After zone conference we got together as a district and set certain
finding times to show our faith and our diligence to seek out gods
children who are ready to hear the truth. We have seen many miracles and
sister Plomgren and I have already found new investigators! It was really
cool... We were out tracting this week... In the frreeeezzing cold... And
we had a prompting to go to a mobile home neighborhood. We knocked on a
few doors, but nothing. So we kept on going and came to our last door for
the night. We knocked on the door and a young woman in her early twenties
answered the door... We introduced ourselves and the Book of Mormon and
she was genuinely interested! She invited us back this Sunday!! Sister
Plomgren and I are very grateful that the Lord is blessing is for our
diligence and we are able to find people to teach.
On Thursday we fasted and prayed for Maddy that her parents hearts would
be softened and that they would be accepting and understanding about
Maddys desire to be baptized. After we broke our fast we went over to
brother Obriens and Maddy received a blessing of strength and comfort.
The spirit was so strong and heavenly fathers love was most definitely
felt. On Friday Maddy talked with her parents... And it didn't go so
well. Her parents are still very against the church and told Maddy that
her joining the church would destroy their relationship and ruin their
family. How discouraging.... BUT I know the lord is answering our prayers
because Maddy has received so much love and strength despite the
circumstances and is diligently preparing for her baptism on December
23rd. She has so much FAITH and I know the Lord is blessing her and will
continue to bless her as she pursues the righteous desire to be baptized.
Please keep Maddy in your prayers!
What was so neat is in the middle of zone conference on Thursday
president unexpectedly tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to come
speak with him for a moment. My heart began racing about a hundred miles
per hour thinking... What in the world did I do? But then he told me that
the spirit prompted him to talk with me and that he too had been fasting
for Maddy! Despite his overwhelmingly busy schedule he took a half hour
to just check in and talk with me personally and with genuine concern for
our investigators, especially Maddy. How amazing is that? President
Woodbury is the best mission president in the whole world. He is so
compassionate and caring and radiates the light of a true disciple of
Christ.
On Wednesday we met with Diane. We had a wonderful lesson with her about
missionary work and service, since her daughter is putting in her mission
papers and she is very nervous and having strong feelings against it. She
is an amazing woman and her testimony is so strong.
She is very spiritual, so we are trying to focus that spirituality into
the restored gospel a little bit more. With Diane, we will share a little
thought, and she will go off on this big thought that still relates to
the gospel. The spirit was so strong. Anyways...She welcomed us back on
Saturday and we helped her detangle 49595704 yards of Christmas lights.
Afterwards we had a very deep conversation and she really opened up with
us and I feel she is beginning to trust us.
She invited us back over this week and I am looking forward to helping
Diane recognize the power of this gospel. We were very bold in asking her
what is holding her back from being baptized and she though about it and
then said, "Nothing, i just need to make the decision of when the best
time would be." As we work with her... I would love to encourage her to
be baptized the same day as Maddy, right around Christmas! How cool would
that be?
Jenkins has been out of town for the past two weeks... We are hoping he
will come to church on Sunday and make time to meet with us. It's
sometimes frustrating when people fail to recognize that the gospel is
the most important thing they could be focusing on.... But then I am
kindly reminded... This is how Heavenly Father feels about all of his
children. Rose had some unexpected family issue come up and will be
unable to pursue her interest in the church at this time... Which broke
my heart because I feel such a love for her and I know this gospel will
provide so much peace and comfort! That is one of the hardest parts of
being a Missionary. However... Despite the disappointments, there are
always the tender mercies of the Lord to remind us that God is there
helping along the way! On Sunday we had a wonderful surprise! One of the
members in our ward brought a coworker and her friend to church and we
had the opportunity of teaching them afterwards and giving them a church
tour! They were very interested and we gave them book of Mormons! They
are both young adults so they will most likely be taught by the
missionaries over the YSA ward, but it was still a wonderful opportunity
to teach them!
I feel such a strong excitement for this work and for this mission.
The Lord needs all of his missionaries to feel of his strength and have
faith!! The lord has promised that as so long as we are faithful he will
provide away in all things. I know there are many good things to come to
Chicago. This is the time to lift up our hearts and be glad... For God is
at the helm. This work brings us closer to God. It refines and
strengthens us, so when we speak he will justify our words. Missionary
work is about highs and lows.. Humbling us so he can mold us into he
needs us to become. I know He is walking WITH me in this work. As I
better Understand who I am and who I am representing...I am able to
become more CLEAR about my purpose, and God helps me to recognize my
potential. My favorite quote this week is.. "Pray as if it all depends on
him, and work as if it all depends on me. Powerful faith requires
work!!!" This is Gods work... 2 nephi
27 has been on my mind a lot this past week. God allows man to be a part
of his great and marvelous work to help us to learn and to grow!
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to strengthen my faith in the
savior by bearing my testimony of him each day! I am so excited for this
Christmas season! We were able to watch the video for the new Christmas
campaign #asaviorisborn which will be released on the 29th.
IT IS SO GOOD. Don't pass up the opportunity to share the true meaning of
Christmas with others!
I love you and I miss all of you! I hope you are all doing well and
enjoying this holiday season! Thank you for all of your love and support.
Your prayers are most definitely felt!
Love,
Sister Parke
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