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):)