Catch the Vision

Hello Everyone!

It's JUNE!! I can't believe it. This has been the week of meeting

after meeting after meeting! Sister Webber and I have been witnessing

so many miracles! Highlights this week... God blessed us with some

solid new investigators that we are very excited about. My grandma has

been with me the whole week and has sent so many angels to watch out

for me. I even unexpectedly received a beautiful flower arrangement

that was delivered late to our apartment one evening. I know my

grandma is watching out for me. I have never felt so much peace fill

my heart! Needless to say, I have had a great week!

We attended institute with Jess on Thursday evening and it was so

incredible! It was all about standing as a witness of the Savior Jesus

Christ and what it means to bear testimony of him. The best part of my

whole week, is when the whole class (all five of us) bore our

testimonies to one another. Jess was last to bear her testimony... And

it was SO POWERFUL. The spirit was very strong. Jess has made so many

changes in her life and is so much happier!! She has righteous

desires... And strives to do good and to be good. I love her so much!

It is so crazy to think that I only met her less than two months ago

and she has learned and progressed so much! The gospel truly does

change lives.

On Friday, We had our Last mission council with president Woodbury. I

am going to miss him so much! The whole mission leadership was Tearing

up as we talked about turning our hearts over to the new mission

president! It is so bittersweet! Change is so hard! I feel as if I am

going to be separated from my parents all over again! Despite the

sadness, I am looking forward to president Bingham and all the

excitement and new perspective he will bring!

We met with our new investigator Hannah this week. She is the most

sweetest girl! We contacted her a couple weeks ago on our way to one

of our appointments. We finally were able to meet up with her and give

her a church tour! We were also able teach her about the restoration

and the Book of Mormon! She loved it! She is so prepared and I know

the lord has placed her in our path for a reason. I love sharing the

light and the knowledge of the Book of Mormon! It provides so much

clarity to the life of Jesus Christ!

Sunday was a day full of many miracles!! As a mission, and as a stake,

we prayed and fasted for member and missionaries to work together..

And that the missionaries would find people to teach. I have the a

strong testimony of fasting and I know when we exercise faith and take

it to the Lord he blesses us! Our prayers were immediately answered.

During our first session of church we received a text from a random

number saying that he was in town visiting and had run into a woman

who was interested in the gospel. So, he looked up the nearest church

building and brought her to church! We were able to teach her (cara)

the restoration and introduce her to the book or Mormon. She is

genuinely interested and said that this is exactly what she needs at

this time! So happy! The Lord has people who are prepared to receive

the gospel... We just have to have faith enough to find them!

If that didn't make Sunday the best day ever... We had dinner and a

lesson at the bishops house with one of my favorite people ever...

Jess! I feel like all of my emails are explaining how incredible she

is... But it's just so true! She amazes me! She is progressing SO Well

and the transformation and change I have seen in her is so inspiring.

We also fasted with her this Sunday to help her strengthen her

testimony. We had two less actives that we have been working with come

to church! Not to mention, they both bore their testimonies! It was

the best feeling to witness them feeling the spirit once again in

their lives and how much happier it makes them! Also on Sunday, the

Branch presidents wife gave us a solid referral for YSA branch. I am

telling you, God answers prayers!!

So, remember the guy named Michael who we contacted last Sunday

evening? This is pretty cool story, we met with him again tonight and

he has been reading from the Book of Mormon. We asked him why he

wanted to learn more.. And he said.. Because I have seen you before...

YOU-pointing to me- gave me a card about Jesus on Easter. He then

pulled out of his backpack the passalong card he was given on

Easter... Sure enough with my handwriting on it! So, he said when we

contacted him a second time, he knew he needed to learn more. Awesome!

So we taught him the restoration and he was pretty receptive to the

things we were teaching him. He is seeking truth and is very devoted

to God.

I am so grateful for he opportunity I have to be a missionary. The

Lord teaches me so much each and every day! I know the gospel is true!

I hope you have a wonderful week! Thank you for your love and support.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Love,

Sister Parke

My favorite quote this week:

"Don't think you are just minding the shop waiting for the Saviour to

come...the spirit of this work is urgency, and we must imbue our

missionaries with the spirit of now. N-O-W. We are not just waiting

for natural slow growth. We must move more rapidly. We must take

things up a notch. If we have to call down miracles or angels, then

call them down. The drama is unfolding and we must do whatever it

takes to ratchet up the work...I feel an incredible sense of urgency.

I feel such a sense of urgency in my chest that I can hardly breathe.

Every dispensation begins with a vision. We must have a vision. We are

the church that dreams dreams. We are the church that has visions. We

must believe in miracles. We are going to putter along, be

average-until we wind up to the level when our heart is up in our

throat and if we opened our eyes, we would expect to see angels...if

this is God's work, and if He still lives, then miracles and angels

are still there. We must live up to our potential. God will bless us

with whatever we need. God wants us to see just what He sees and know

what He knows. He wants us to ratchet up the vision. God is easy to

please and hard to satisfy... This is not convenient, easy work. We

have got to take things to the edge. We have to move into the realm of

the miraculous. We have to live in such a way that we cannot do it

alone anymore-where we will resort to the Lord-where we will cry,

"without thy help, I will fall," "help me fly." Go to the edge where

miracles happen. Move in to the realm of the miraculous. Have full

faith. Believe in angels. With the power of the priesthood, push the

envelope. Welcome to the apostalic work." -Elder Holland