Pictures First Week at MTC

First companion Sister Gallegos

Good friend Emily Gordon/Korea Mission

It's Official!

My BFF Sister Lauren Daniels/Tahiti Mission

First Week at the MTC

Hey there!! 

Wow first week at the MTC. What an adventure!! wow. it went by like a whirlwind. Saying goodbye to you was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It is crazy how emotionally draining it is here. One moment you are so happy and they next you are crying your eyes out. Here is a little summary of my week!!

Wednesday: I love teaching the investigators and answering their questions. My companion is sister Gallegos and she is from Oregon. Even though we are complete opposites... we get along fantastic! she helps me remember to relax (; The food is ok.. and thankfully they have a salad/wrap bar at ever meal... so you can imagine where I spend most of my meals! (; Anyways the spirit here at the MTC is amazing... so strong. being surrounded by other missionaries is the greatest feeling. I had a hard time today... but I can already tell this is the best thing I will ever do. I can't wait to get out into the field. 

Thursday: Today we woke up early and jumped right into district study. The MTC is literally like 16 hours of church! A mission is the best. you get to study the scriptures ALL DAY. I am pretty much in a classroom the size of emilys room with 9 other missionaries (my district) all day. I get a little stir crazy. but thankfully we have lessons to break it up a little bit! Days in the MTC feel so long, ut the spirits is so powerful. Today we started teaching our first investigator. It is so wonderful to be an instrument in the hands of the lord in teaching others. My responsibility is not to teach but to testify. I feel confident when talking to the investigators... mostly because I love them. It is amazing how as a missionary you feel a strong love for all his children. 

Tonight we had a 3 hour meeting iwth the Branch Presidency. it was wonderful I was crying my eyes out the whole time. Anyways we had interviews with the Branch President, and I have been called as sister training leader over the sisters in my district. Which is kinda crazy... because I have no idea whats going on! But I know through the strength of Christ I can do all things. 

Saturday: Pretty much I am running on lack of sleep. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. my spirit is soaking it all in but lately Im dealing with information overload. Tonight I felt like giving up... I wanted to go home... the work is harder than I ever imagined... but at the same time is so rewarding! the MTC can best be described as an emotional roller coaster! I have a testimony that the Lord qualifies whom he calls. I love the gospel! 

Sunday: On sunday evening we had the opportunity as a district to listen to a talk by Elder Bednar. The talk was all about turning outward instead of inward. I have never realized how selfish and self centeerd I wasuntil I became a missionary. what this message helped me realize is that the mission is NOT about me and I truly need to give all that I am to serving others. Serving a mission is an experience that is unforgettable. It is the one moment in my life when I just know that I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right work and I am exactly where the Lord needs me to be. It is easy to get discouraged by the work of missionaries, however, I know that as I put all my faith in the Lord, my mouth shall be filled. the key to helping others come unto christ is not so much the content of the doctrine, it is how the spirit makes the person feel in their heart. 

Monday: Today I taught a real investigator with Sis. Gallegos. One of the best experiences of my mission so far. It helped me realize the importance of  my purpose of a missionary. the spirit was incredibly strong. Teaching is hard but is so worth it! I promise my savior that I will not only have a tesimony of this gospel but I will also be fully converted. It is not enough to have a testimony these days, you must be FULLY CONVERTED.  

Tuesday and Wednesday: Class. Teaching. Eat. Class. Teaching. Eat (; 

I have loved my first and last week at the MTC! Unforgettable experience. I head out to Chicago on Monday morning at 3:30 AM. My flight leaves at 8:45. Be expecting a call sometime Monday morning!! I am so very ready for the mission field!! 

Family I love you so much.  "When there is love, there is sadness and parting." Remember that this is only temporary.  My service is not only blessing the lives of others... but it is also blessing yours. It is blessing myself in ways I can not even understand. Although being apart is hard, the joy of the gospel brings peace. It is all made possible through the Savior of Jesus Christ!! He understands my joy. my pain. my happiness. and my sorrow. He is my light. I have no need to fear! 

The gospel is true. I am so blessed to be part of this sacred miracle of missionary work!! 

I miss you. I love you. I think about you everyday. But I know this is where I need to be!!! I am glad to hear that Kole's wedding went well. I hope Emily is having fun in Idaho!! Abbie! write me and tell me about girls camp!! Ethan... Keep up the hard work at Football. Mom and Dad. I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents. Thank you for everything!!!! 

PLEASE WRITE LETTERS (: Missionaries LOVE mail. (; I apologize that time is so short! I wish I could respond to everyone!!! I dont know when my next P day will be... but until then. know that I love you alot alot!! I'll talk to you on Monday!!! 

Love, 

Sister Parke 

The MTC Dropoff

The day finally arrived. We had packed and repacked and it was time to go. Dad gave me a father's blessing before we left. The spirit was strong and I knew all would be well. We get father's blessings each year before starting school and this was my new schooling..the mission life. We loaded the bags and hit the road. It was a quiet ride down and rained a bit. As soon as we got to Provo we went to Red Lobster for lunch and had a good time. After we came out the sun was shining brightly and we headed to the temple grounds. We went there to take some pictures and say our goodbyes. Mom said she had been praying that someone would help us take a few family pictures of us all together. We hadn't even all got out of the car before a sweet lady and her daughter asked if they could take a pictures for us. Mom started the tears going right then! We all hugged and laughed and got lots of great pictures. We took one of me with Ethan since we will go the longest without seeing each other. We did our final sibling hugs and then crossed the street for the drop off.

It was not without tears either, but I got out and instantly noticed the tag on the sister missionary that was helping me with my bags. It said she was in the Korea mission. I started talking to her about Emily Gordon and if she knew her and she did! It was a good distraction but the tears were still there. I gave that last hug to mom and dad and it hurt. I was scared. They were scared. But we did it. As I walked away I blew them a kiss goodbye and had so many thoughts running through my mind! This was it...i was doing this. And then my mission began.

Farewell and Setting Apart

Time flew as I was putting everything in order to serve my mission. I finished up my Associate's at Weber State and worked at organizing my room so that Emily could move into while I was gone. Finally the big farewell day arrived and it was so good to see family and friends. My topic was on showing obedience and respect to my family and parents. I talked a lot about how keeping the commandments and being obedient to my Heavenly Father would bring happiness to my parents and family here as well. It is so true. We have safety and peace when we keep the commandments. The night of my setting apart I had my grandparents, family and Kelsey come. Then we went to my favorite place Menchies for frozen yogurt.

Pre-Mission Fun

The days leading up to my mission were busy. My mom and Dad were Trek Directors for our Stake trek. I took a Girls Trip with my sisters to Las Vegas while they went and then we took one last family vacation to...(drum roll please) Provo. :) Really?? The truth is it didn't matter where we went it was about being together as a family. We hiked Mt. Timpanogos, enjoyed dinner and treats, went to a movie and did some swimming at the hotel. Then we went on a few runs and took the tour around the MTC and Provo temple before my big drop off the week after. The highlight was going to Stadium of Fire for the 4th of July! It was so fun being together!

My Temple Day

My Temple day actually happened before I even realized I was going to serve a mission. I went on my 19th birthday, January 29th, 2015 to the Ogden UT Temple with family and friends to receive my own endowment. It was a glorious day and I will never forget the feelings felt there. My mom said she realized that day that as the workers kept asking if Rachel was going on a mission the answer changed from a NO to a Not Yet.