Follow the Prophet!!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been great! Sister Mattinson and I have been working

super hard! I love sister Mattinson!! She is from Salt Lake City, and

has been out on her mission ten months. She is such an answer to

prayer and is teaching me so much. We have been setting a lot of

goals, and I know with the help of the lord as we work hard we will be

able to reach them!

This week has been full of finding!! Due to some unsafe areas in our

boundaries... We have changed areas with the elders in our ward..

Which makes things quite interesting. But it's been fun to relearn the

area! Yay! We have contacted a lot of people and received a whole ton

of referrals so this next week should be a busy one. Sister Mattinson

and I are working a lot on reactivation! Elder grow said when he came

to our mission, "if you want to baptize more, reactivate more!" So we

are focusing in a lot on that And have found quite a bit of success.

Cool experience. We both felt prompted to go visit a woman in our ward

who has been less active for a while. We stopped by and she was home

and invited us in. Turns out her family had been going through a

really hard time, and she knew that God would reach out to her through

the missionaries. She was super friendly and invited us back next

week. We have witnessed so many miracles like that... Where God is

literally opening the hearts of his children to receive this gospel. I

can't deny the hand of God in this work!

Deborah is progressing very well! She received a priesthood blessing

on Sunday and that was a special experience. Unfortunately due to some

family circumstances she wants to move her baptismal date to October

22 so that her family can be there. Which will be awesome to have them

their to support! I love Deborah so much... Her faith amazes me each

day! She is very excited for general conference! I know it will be a

powerful experience for her.

Speaking of general conference.. I have been studying about prophets

lately! I recently just finished helaman and I am now studying the

beginning of 3 nephi. It is so interesting to me to study the history

of the people and be able to relate it to our day. At this time in the

book or Mormon the people who believe in Jesus Christ and his coming

are mocked and ridiculed for their faith and their belief in the

prophecies of the prophets. The fulfillment of prophecy.. 3 nephi 1:

20 "And it came to pass, yea all things, every whit, according to the

words of the prophets." The people who where righteous and obeyed were

aware and prepared for what would happen.

The protest and dislike against the prophet (church) is nothing new.

As a matter of fact, it is further confirmation that this is gods

restored church on earth today. What is so comforting to me is that

the lord never allows his faithful children to wander or stray in

darkness... He loves them so much. As long as we are faithful to him

and turn to him for guidance he will always provide a way. The lord

has blessed us with a living prophet on earth today. The prophet

receives guidance and direction from Jesus Christ to help us stay

safe. In our day today it is not so much a safety from "physical"

destruction like In times of the Book of Mormon... But moreover the

guidance and protection we receive is from "SPIRITUAL" destruction.

STUDYING AND OBEYING THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES IS

CRITICAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL SALVATION. We face spiritual battles

EVERYDAY... The daily choices we make have a huge impact on our lives

and who we are becoming. In our day the lord has not left us without

guidance and protection. Just imagine.. If you were living in ancient

times and fighting a battle... Would you stray from the teachings of

your faithful leader who was to lead and guide you to safety? NO. of

course not. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to listen and

heed to the counsel of the Prophet and his apostles. It is not

something to be taken for granted!! Prepare spiritually to know the

things that you need to do to help increase your spiritual commitment

to God so that you may be protected from the influence of the

adversary. I encourage each of you to prepare for the opportunity we

have to listen to the words of the prophet and apostles this weekend!!

I love you all, and appreciate you prayers and support! Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Parke

Goodbye Sister Quezada!

Hello Sister Mattinson!

Yes i still love veggies. A lot of them!

Goodbye party for Sister Quezada!

We love Deborah!

Golden Investigator

Hello Everyone!

Transfers this week... Unfortunately I won't get to keep sister

Quezada here with me. Very sad day... I love this girl with all my

heart!!! It is bittersweet, I am so excited for her and her new

journey! She is going to start her mission papers when she gets home.

BUT. SUCH HAPPY NEWS. I will be receiving sister Mattenson who is an

absolutely incredible missionary. I know the Lord has lots of work for

us to do and I am so ready to get out there and WORK HARD laboring in

the lords vineyard. I am ready to yolk myself together with my new

companion and the Lord. I know it will be powerful.. The lord is sure

mindful of his children in this area. There are so many miracles each

day.

This week has been a great one. Some really good news!! We have a

senior missionary couple from manti Utah coming to our ward! We met

with them this week and toured them around the area and filled them in

on the ward. They are SUCH A BLESSING. Things are really looking up

here in Chicago heights as we go about pruning the vineyard! God keeps

sending us little miracles along the way. Our new ward mission leader

is doing such a great job and we are really getting down to business

at tackling this area... day by day.. Little by little... Buuuut it's

a work in progress.

As far as investigators go... We dropped most of them. Albert

apparently was sick and in the hospital.. (Oh dear) so we got back in

contact with him and will be meeting with him this week. We met with

Josefina this week, and had a good lesson.. Trouble is she loves her

church that she attends now and isn't willing to leave... So we are

working on strengthening her testimony of the Book of Mormon. Buuuuut.

The happiest news of all...... Deborah has set a baptismal date for

October 15th. We had an unforgettable lesson with her this week. We

taught her the plan of salvation and it was incredibly powerful. We

talked a lot about temples and how she would have the opportunity to

be baptized for her ancestors. Wow. It was such an enlightening moment

for her. She is so dedicated to reading from and studying the Book of

Mormon. She is soaking it all in like a sponge. Deborah is what us

missionaries like to call.. A "golden investigator". The best part is,

the ward loves her and she is helping to reboost the excitement for

missionary work within the ward. I already love Deborah so much!

On Sunday, We drove all the way to Valprasio Indiana for stake

conference. It was a looooong drive but it was all worth it, because

Deborah was able to come! She loved every bit of it and is progressing

so well. I can't believe we just met her last week... She is as happy

as can be! The gospel truly does bring so much light into the lives of

others. There is a reason behind everything we do in the gospel. I

know we are laying the foundation of a great work as we place Jesus

Christ in the center of our lives. I love you all and I hope you have

a great week! There are so many stories to be shared... Just not

enough time!

Love,

Sister Rachel Parke

My kind of lunch! Yum!

New Hair cut! 

Our "Golden Investigator" Deborah! Love her!
Yes it was a floral outfit kind of day I guess):)

Faith=MIRACLES!

Hello Everyone!

The weather is starting to cool off here and the leaves are starting

to change! I can't believe fall is just about here! What a week it has

been! Sister Quezada and I have been so blessed and we are witnessing

many miracles. I don't even know where to start!

When I first got into the area we started working with a less active

who had not come to church for a long time due to some health

problems. We did a lot of service for her and started to establish a

relationship with her. One of the things she had stopped doing was

reading her scriptures and saying her prayers. We invited her to start

doing those things again... Many many spiritual experiences later.. We

invited her to receive a priesthood blessing to help her recover so

that she would not be in so much pain. The elders came over and gave

her a blessing. This week she called us SO HAPPY, and that we needed

to come see her as soon as possible. We rushed over there and she was

standing and walking and was a whole new person!! It was an experience

I will never forget. She said that she will be back at church, and

going to the temple, and she is just so grateful to God that she is

healed. Her exact words, "this is the only time in my life I have been

able to pinpoint and exact answer to prayer. This experience has

strengthened my testimony and relationship with God." It truly was a

miracle brought forth by her faith.

On Wednesday everything seemed to just fall into place. Sister Quezada

and I have been praying SO hard to find PREPARED people to teach.

Heavenly Father is blessing us so much. We got a new investigator this

week and had an amazing lesson with her. When we first arrived she

started telling us about her love for Jesus Christ and how strong her

faith is in him. She is SO SO faithful and studies from the bible

everyday. She said she has gone from church to church searching for

the truth.. But just hasn't found it yet. Deborah prayed to God to

tell her where to find the truth and then she was lead to contact the

missionaries. We had a POWERFUL first lesson with her... The spirit

was so strong, I don't even remember what I said.. She cried tears of

joy the whole lesson. When we introduced her to the Book of Mormon and

read moronis promise she looked me in the eyes and said... I already

know this is true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon grew 100x in

that moment and the spirit was so strong I could not deny it. I KNOW

without a doubt in my mind the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and

there are so many people who are seeking for the truth. Deborah was so

grateful to know there is a prophet of God on earth today. Her cute

little 9 year old granddaughter was there for the lesson and at the

end she asked..."can I get one of those books too?" She has a big

family, and she said next time we come over we can teach them all!

Probably one of the most tender experiences I have ever had was when

we started explaining how families can be together forever.. And she

started crying again... And she said, you mean I will get to see my

baby daughter again who passed away? It was a blessing to have born my

testimony to her that yes.. Because of Jesus Christ, we all will have

the opportunity to live again. I cannot deny the spirit of God in this

work. I am merely an instrument in his hands, and it is the most

rewarding work I have ever been a part of.

This weekend was UNFORGETTABLE. Sister Quezada was sealed to her

family! A special experience as a missionary! We drove up to meet her

family on Friday afternoon... They were all in tears because they

missed her so much and it was a sweet reunion. I left her with her

family and I stayed with some sisters in the area (sister Stevenson &

sister Green). We had such a great time and taught a lot of people

Friday night. Saturday morning we went to the temple and had the

opportunity to do an endowment session before the temple sealing.. I

was in the celestial room with sister Quezadas parents right before

the sealing. They were both in tears. It was such a sweet experience.

I can only recall a few times where I have felt the spirit so strong

in my life. Seeing the Quezada family kneeling across the alter and

being sealed together for time and all eternity was a surreal moment.

I can testify that the family is the central unit of eternity... And

that families are forever. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had

to attend the temple. So many of my personal prayers were answered. I

know that there is no greater power in the world than to bind families

for time and all eternity.

Sunday was amazing. Deborah and her granddaughter came to church!!

Deborah was enthralled the whole time and kept saying that she only

had one regret "not coming to this church sooner." She kept talking

about how she kept seeking for the right church.. But the right church

wasn't a specific building. She was looking for the true followers of

Christ.. The gathering of the saints. Deborah has such great faith.

She has been reading from the Book of Mormon and already has a

powerful testimony of it. Sunday school was all about baptism she had

so many questions. We had a luncheon after church and she bonded with

the women in the ward.. And tonight we are going to have dinner and

FHE with Deborah and some of the ward members! I am so excited for

Deborah and her new journey. The Lord is ever so aware of his

children. I love this work. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be

a part of it!

Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Parke

Temple day for Sister Quezada with Sister Stevenson &

Sister Green

So super happy for Sister Quezada and her family!

Pictures from their sealing day!

The Power of Love

Hello there!

This week started off with a great start. Getting to know the members

is starting to pay off! One of the members knew my favorite food in

the whole world is butternut squash and so she made me butternut

squash lasagna! It changed my life.... Then another woman in the ward

made me chicken noodle soup because I've been sick! I am sure feeling

the love.... Chicago Heights is growing on me.

Tuesday was a day full of miracles. We received a referral about a

week ago, but unfortunately had to cancel on him our first appointment

because of all the hoping back and forth across state borders. (; So

thankfully we were able set a return appointment with him! The lesson

was hands down one of my favorites on my mission. The spirit was so

strong, and this man has definitely been prepared by the hand of the

lord. His name is Albert and he originally ordered a bible.. But being

the sneaky missionaries that we are... we just happened to bring the

Book of Mormon. He asked what it was all about because he never heard

of it before. He invited us in and we sat down and taught him the

whole restoration and read part of the Book of Mormon with him. He was

VERY receptive and said that he could just feel that the Book of

Mormon was true and that he would read it.  We invited him to be

baptized on September 24th and he accepted!! I had to keep pinching

myself to remind myself that this was real. We went skipping out of

that lesson. God has answered prayers. Sister Quezada and I have been

specially and sincerely praying for someone who would be prepared to

receive the gospel. I know God hears and answers prayers... And it is

just proof that God has children who are prepared to receive the

truth... We just have to have enough faith to find them. I am so

excited to continue to teach Albert and prepare him to be baptized!

We were also able to meet with Josefina this week. Bless her heart.

The poor woman is going through so much and is fighting to make ends

meet. Her faith in Christ is incredibly powerful. She has been reading

from the Book of Mormon and says she feels the spirit and she tells us

that we have been sent to her by God to help her grow closer to him.

The spirit is always so powerful in her lessons. We were able to take

a member of the ward with us and she was able to testify perfectly to

josefina. We have invited josefina to be baptized.. The struggle is...

She works such long hours and getting to church is a struggle! We are

working with her and helping her to build her faith.

Sister Quezada and I have been working suuuuper hard. Wow, I am so

incredibly grateful for her and LOVE her so much. We are witnessing

many miracles. We have set a goal to have 10 "diligent contacts made"

per day in between appointments. It is helping us to grow and learn

how to work together has a companionship!  We are trying our best to

find new people to teach. She is absolutely amazing. It has only been

two weeks and she has grown so much. SISTER QUEZADA HAS MADE THE

DECISION TO SERVE A MISSION. after much fasting and prayer this week,

she has strongly felt prompted that this is what the lord would have

her do. This is such an exciting time in her life right now, her

family is being sealed THIS saturday!! We were both so happy! I made

coldstone milkshakes to celebrate.

Man, what else happened this week? We have been working closely with

the elders in our ward and also the relief society president. She is

also new to her calling and the ward and so she doesn't know too many

people... So we are figuring things out together! It is a slow but

wonderful process. On Saturday we organized a district finding

activity to go out and "blitz" to try and tackle the long list of less

actives that no one seems to know about. It was very successful, but

is going to be a continual work and effort. Best news of the whole

week! WE NOW HAVE A WARD MISSION LEADER. 🙌🏻 He is very humble and I

know the Lord is going to help and teach him in this calling. I am

just so grateful.. It will be a great help with connecting to the

ward. The ward is growin on me. One of our ward members has a wife who

is interested in taking the missionary lessons and wants to be

baptized. You could consider that a miracle! Day by day, things are

getting better here in Chicago Heights. I know the lord is ever so

aware of the people here in this area. They are all doing their best

and seeking to feel Gods love.

Speaking of love and feeling gods love, I came across a scripture this

week in Ephesians chapter 3 that really stood out to me.

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being

rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and

length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye

might be filled with all the fulness of God.

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that

we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

I have been striving to strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ

by better understanding who he was and how he lived. As I have been

studying, what has stood out to me the most is that the Savior always

acted in LOVE.  I always feel the spirit when I have love towards

other people and I am serving them. Sometimes as a missionary I feel

like I miss the point... I tend to get so caught up in the little

details of things that I forget what it is truly all about. Love.

Inviting people to come closer to Jesus Christ and feel of his love!

That is what we are all wanting to feel right? The love of Jesus

Christ and Heavenly Father? To know they are there and they are

listening.. And are aware of us?? Well, if so, how do we attain that

love? How do we feel of the love of the savior? I've come to notice

that when I feel his love the strongest is when I am serving

others...whether that be physically or spiritually. The power and love

of God is incomprehensible. I don't think we can fathom Gods sincere

love for each one of his children. Sometimes I get overwhelmed.. And

think to myself... "Am I even making a difference?" Then Heavenly

Father reminds me that he knows and loves all his children and wants

all of them to make it back to him someday. So God created all of us

to go out and "do something" and serve those around us and help to

remind them of the love Heavenly Father has for them. I love this

quote by Gordon B. Hinkley:

"My satisfaction has come from the assurance that I did what the lord

wanted me to do and that I was and instrument in his hands for the

accomplishment of his purposes. In the course of that experience,

there became riveted into my very being a conviction and knowledge

that his is in very deed the true and living work of god, restored

through a prophet for the blessing of all who will accept it and live

its principles."

Heavenly Father has blessed me so much... All that I have.. All that I

am.. I owe to him. Choosing to serve a mission was a difficult

decision for me... But looking back, it should have been the easiest

decision to ever make. God has blessed me in countless ways..I am so

grateful for his love and patience for me. I am so grateful for this

sacred time I have to grow closer to the lord and strengthen my

relationship with him as I consecrate my time, talents, and strength

to share this powerful message to his children here in Chicago. I have

never relied so much upon the promptings of the spirit in my life. I

have felt the Lord lead and guiding me along. I can testify that this

is his work. I am merely an instrument in his hands. I found a quote

by Elder Ballard that I love. "The power of this work is when we get

to the point in our relationships with Heavenly Father that we know

the voice of the Spirit and we know it so well that we know exactly

what we should do. " I hope that not only now on my mission... But

also for the rest of my life, I can become like "leaves in a stream",

to obey His call.. wanting more than anything else to follow him.

I truly feel privileged to have been blessed with the opportunity to

serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. My

service as a missionary has eternally blessed my life.  Elder Ballard

also explains this "spiritual change" that can take place from the

service as a missionary. "A spiritual rebirth can be yours as you

serve the Lord in total service. Prayer will have a deeper dimension,

and the scriptures will be pondered and more deeply appreciated. The

Holy Ghost will become more evident; and your capacity to love will

increase."  I have felt my love for God, for his son, Jesus Christ,

and for his children grow immensely. This is Gods work. "Brethren,

shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward.

Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice,

and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing”(D&C

128:22). I invite each of you to come join with us! Share the gospel

with those around you and help them feel Gods love.

Have a wonderful week!! Thank you for your love and support!!!

Love,

Sister Rachel Parke

Putting all my hours at Cold Stone to good use. Homemade smoothies!