Home away from Home

Hello Family and Friends!

Happy Easter!! I sure miss you! My Easter was really good. We were

spoiled at church with three easter baskets, and two investigators,

and 6 less actives! This week has been a real crazy one... we ate real

authentic Chinese/Taiwan food, got hit on by a Jewish/Christian girl,

handed out 150 Easter eggs with Jesus Christ cards, ate two falafel

sandwiches on the same day, went to the temple, got bit by a parrot,

caught downtown in the worst rain storm, participated in a church

auction, preformed in sacrament meeting and got kicked out of the

train station for talking to people about Jesus...needless to say I

don't even really know where to start.

My most favorite part of the week is when we were able to attend the

temple with one of our members in the SA branch. We went Saturday

morning and it was the last session before Easter Sunday. I LOVE THE

TEMPLE, it is literally my home away from home. It is all centered

around Jesus Christ. The temple is such a holy place. A refuge from

the world... A place to go and to feel peace and close to the savior.

My love for the house of the lord has gown as I come to understand the

blessings we receive from righteous temple attendance. I testify that

the temple is a place to go to receive answers. I am so grateful that

I am able to learn and understand how to receive personal revelation

and seek guidance from the lord. The temple is a place of

learning...the spirit is there to teach and guide us. It was confirmed

to me once again that I am exactly where the lord needs me to be,

doing exactly what he needs me to be doing. There is no better feeling

than that. During this particular endowment session the spirit was

able to teach me so much and I gained an even greater understanding

and appreciation for the savior and what he did for me. I know without

a doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ lives. I love the savior with all

my heart and I am extremely humbled to have the opportunity to serve

and represent him.

This week, as I studied the Saviors final week, I just felt so much

gratitude for all that he's done. It really is incomprehensible how he

was able to take upon himself all of my sins, and my afflictions, my

inadequacies, and my infirmities, but yet somehow he did! I know it in

my heart! Sometimes as a missionary it gets hard because you feel like

you're doing everything you can to be obedient and to work hard, and

yet you still are rejected over and over again, and people get angry

at you, and your investigators will drop you, but I find comfort

knowing that the savior did everything he could to follow the will of

the father, and yet he still asked " my God my God, why hast thou

forsaken me?" sometimes it's after all we can do, and when we feel

utterly alone, we are given the opportunity to prove that we will

still choose God and be obedient even when it makes no sense. "Oh

sweet the joy this sentence gives, I KNOW that my Redeemer lives!"

The message of Easter... Is that all the separation is temporary.. We

can live in heavenly fathers presence and be reunited with our loved

ones. We go to the temple to prepare to return home. There are great

blessings that the lord has to give us. The atonement is the single

most important event in the history of this world. Because of the love

of the savior we have the opportunity to return home with those that

we love. The speaker in sacrament meeting yesterday quoted a general

authority and it really stood out to me.  "The temple is our home away

from home, it is also our way home, back to our Heavenly Father." We

are here to not only return home as individuals, but also has

families. Great blessings are waiting for us in the temple! The lord

is waiting for us to come unto him!

I love each and everyone of you! Thank you for your love and support!

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Parke