Happy Missionary

Hello Everyone!

What an eventful week! I am telling you what, the Lord is blessing us

in so many ways... Especially the weather. It has been so warm this

past week! So much has happened and the past couple days have just

FLOWN by. We went on two exchanges this week with the sisters in our

zone, so that made the time seem to disappear! There have been so many

countless miracles, especially as I took over the area for a day and

had to navigate our way downtown to get to our appointments when

taking the "L". Thank goodness for maps.

We met with a member of the branch presidency this week, and he took

us out to dinner and we were able to discuss the needs of the branch.

We went to this restaurant called "big bowl" and it literally was just

that... There was a whole VEGGIE counter where you picked all your

veggies put them in a huge bowl... Handed it to the chef and he fried

them up for ya...Heaven on earth. Yum. Anyways that's beside the

actual point here. We discussed a lot of ways to help the branch and

increase the member missionary work and reaching out to those

individuals in the ward who may be struggling. It was extremely

helpful to get some insight on how to effectively hasten the work by

strengthening the ward!

Anyways after that we hopped on the trains to head home. We were all

crammed into the train car like sardines... Big poofy coats and all...

I'm sure you can imagine how awkward we must have been feeling. I

looked down and see this girl (Brianna) reading a book about God. I

start talking with her and asking her questions about her book and get

to know her better. Well, she is a freshman at DePaul and has been

questioning her current religion because of the foundational doctrine,

so she has been doing a lot of study and research of different

religions. She told me about the questions she has about God and how

she is seeking to know answers. Coolest part of being a missionary. So

I started to tell her about the Book of Mormon and she wanted to know

more! We exchanged information and were able to get in contact and we

are meeting with her on Tuesday and teach her about the gospel to

answer her questions!

Now, this is another good part of being crammed On the train. The man

standing next to us was eavesdropping the whole time and after the

young woman got up and left he approached us and said "I've never

heard of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints before? I

grew up Catholic is it the same?" Ha so then we had the amazing

opportunity to tell him more about the church. He was extremely

interested and actually contacted us (this never happens!) to set up

an appointment to meet with him and teach him more! I am a firm

believer that the Lord places people in our path whose hearts are

being prepared to hear and learn about the gospel. Amazing miracles...

Each and every day!

So Wednesday morning was kinda difficult cause we always have so much

to do and keep track of, and it was finally getting to us. I may have

had a slight anxiety attack haha, thank goodness for my amazing

companion who reassured me and helped me to focus on all the things we

are doing well. Then we get to district meeting and guess what they

decided to talk about?! All about what love is and how we love our

family, friends, investigators, companions, and ourselves. It was so

inspired after what Sister Patterson and I had been talking about that

morning! How did our district leader know? What boy decides to sit

down and teach for an hour about love haha? It's because he was

praying to know our needs and so Heavenly Father directed him to know

what to share that would help us. And it did. Super cool experience.

On Saturday morning we had an appointment with Morgan at his apartment

which happens to be right smack dab in the middle of downtown. Long

story short, we ended up getting lost because it's quite difficult to

navigate Chicago without Siri... So  somehow  we wandered down to a

dark and scary street-- lower wacker ha which is the street batman

where batman was filmed. Needless to say.. It was a little sketch,

however we did run into batman and tried to convert him. Just kidding.

Thankfully we were able to be rescued by Morgan and finally make it

back to his apartment. The lesson was great and and he had many good

questions about the Book of Mormon. We taught him the restoration and

talked a lot about prophets and revelation. He prayed for the first

time and we committed him to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is

true. AWESOME...

Sunday was a busy busy day. We had three investigators come to church

which was awesome! We also met with the relief society presidency and

visiting teacher coordinators to discern the needs of the sisters

within our ward and those who are no longer in contact with the

church... Seeking out the lost sheep! So yes, that was wonderful,

annnnd extremely helpful.

So Morgan showed up and stayed the whole time.. He even came to the

linger longer after church and then he came to the baptism and brought

his girlfriend! He spent ALL DAY with the ward, this ward is

incredible and has just soaked him up. He kept asking, "what makes you

all so happy? How are you so happy all the time?" Morgan is

progressing very well, and hopefully we can begin to start teaching

his girlfriend too! Now, for the BEST part of my Sunday... And whole

week.... ROMEO WAS BAPTIZED. It was absolutely amazing. There was so

much support from the ward... President and sister Woodbury... and

ALSO his girlfriend who does not support his decision to be baptized

even showed up. Everything went very smoothly, and the spirit was so

strong. I played a piano piece for a special musical number, which was

a Tender mercy  and definitely was helped by the Lord because I had

ZERO time to practice at all this week. Romeo received the Holy Ghost

and was confirmed a member the same night because of circumstances

that we will be having stake conference next week. At the end Romeo

stood up and bore his testimony and told his conversion story. Wow. It

was incredibly powerful. The lord is gathering his elect... To stand

and to bear witness of him in the last days. Romeo has been prepared

by the lord to receive this gospel so that he may accomplish the great

work and divine plan God had for him. It is such a neat experience to

watch someone change their heart and turn their will to God. I

couldn't stop smiling at Romeos baptism. I am so happy for him..l am

so happy to be a missionary and for moments like last night where I

just know... Without a doubt in my mind... This is the Lords work. I

am so happy to be a missionary.

On Saturday evening we traveled out of our mission to meet as a

mission council with the leaders of our mission and the Illinois

Chicago west mission. We had the unique and sacred opportunity to hear

from a member of presidency of the seventy, Elder Soares and an area

of the seventy Elder Scott. They taught us more about the teachings

from the worldwide missionary training we had two weeks ago about

teaching repentance and baptizing converts. It was incredible being

able to learn and seek counsel from Elder Soares and Elder Scott. I am

very inspired to become a more consecrated missionary. I am also very

humbled that the Lord would call me to participate in this very

important work. Elder Soares talked a lot about who we were before

this life and our responsibility to share the gospel and assist in the

Lords work. It was a very special experience, one that I will never

forget. The spirit was incredibly strong as I looked among the small

group of missionaries.. Recognizing that we all chose before this life

to defend and teach the gospel to help our brothers and sisters make

it back to live with God. We studied D&C 138: 29-31; 56-57, and it is

interesting to think that my purpose was the same before my mission...

As it is now on the mission... And will be after my mission.  To bring

souls unto Christ, and to teach and proclaim this gospel. How easy it

is to get caught up in the distractions of life that cause us to

forget who we are, and who God needs us to become. Now, more than ever

The Lord needs us to rise up and defend his word! One of the most

important things I have learned on my mission is that... It is not

good enough to only believe... We must act on our faith.

I know this gospel is true. Jesus Christ is the source for true and

everlasting happiness. I know that through him our efforts are able to

be made whole. I am striving daily to rely more on the Lord for

strength. I am so grateful for the Lords patience with me, he helps me

to see beyond myself.

I hope you have a fantastic week! And a happy Valentine's Day! ❤️❤️ I

will be spending my Valentine's Day with the young SINGLE adults and

the SINGLE adults... Celebrating SINGLE awareness day! Best ward to be

in. Thank you so much for all of your prayers, love, and support!

Love,

Sister Parke