Finding Happiness

Hello!!

Gooooooodmorning! Oh my what a week it has been! So much to catch up

on!! (: Transfers are this week... Annnnd NO TRANSFER. Which is

wonderful! However, they are putting NEW sisters into BG2 which

means... Maddy would no longer be our investigator. IT WAS SO SAD. I

called Maddy late Saturday night and both she and I were crying. I

spent most of Saturday night in tears feeling so sad because Maddy and

I couldn't have contact anymore. I prayed all night and by Sunday

morning I felt at peace and knew it would all work out. On Sunday

morning Maddy and I sat down with brother obrien and explained the

situation. We came to the conclusion that the lord knows best and he

has a plan. He then called and talked to president Woodbury  and also

the bishop of Maddys ward went to the mission home to discuss with

President.  Since Maddys situation is very unique and she is on date

for baptism and I have formed that special relationship with her and

her family they are allowing Me to continue to teach Maddy on splits

with one of the new sisters! President called me this morning and told

me that as long as I am in the area that we can continue to have

contact with Maddy. ANSWER TO PRAYERS. I am still slightly

disappointed because now we can't continue to work with BG2 ward,

which breaks my heart because of the Obriens! We also had a woman

named Prom who just moved here from India about 6 months ago come to

church on Sunday and ask if we could begin to teach her.... So

excited! We are teaching her on Tuesday night! The only sad part is...

She is also is BG2 boundaries.  So we will be handing her over as

well. :( buuut its ok!! Heavenly Father will bless us with more people

to teach as we are faithful and obedient!

This week We've been stepping up our personal finding, because it had

been so nice out, and also because we want more people to teach.

Contacting/tracting is not the best method for finding people...

Because everyone is rich and feels as if they don't need God or they

don't speak English... but at least we are showing the Lord that we

care and want to find people. Tuesday was so nice out, which was

strange because the day before we were bundled up in coats, tights,

and gloves. We went to one neighborhood, and almost all of the doors

we knocked opened! But no one wanted to hear a message about Jesus

Christ. But it was seriously so nice out that felt as if, "I could do

this forever!" We went to a park and started handing out pass-along

cards, which some people took, and most didn't. We were heading back

to our car and passed the last person that we're going to be able to

contact. Sister Plomgren extended the card and said, "Do you want a

picture of Jesus?" and he took it like "ok thanks" and kept walking

like most people do, and we go to get in our car and we hear, "Wait!

Come back!"  The last contact of the day wanted to learn more! It was

so cool! We explained a little about the church and about the Book of

Mormon, and I gave him a copy, and he looked at me and said, "You mean

I can have this?" Uhm, yeah? We got his contact info and he said that

he was coming to the Halloween party!! Tender mercies.

So this week we were pondering on how to help Maddy progress and help

her strengthen her relationship with Heavenly Father. We felt prompted

to introduce Maddy to personal progress! What a wonderful blessing the

personal progress program is. We had a great lesson with Maddy with

sister Kappelman about personal progress and since sis. Kappelman

didn't grow up with the church and just received a calling as a

miamaid advisor is was very helpful for her to also understand the

purpose of PP. Looking back through the PP book i have felt inspired

to also start doing personal progress right along with Maddy. The

value experiences are excellent ways provided to help us become more

like the Savior. Although I completed personal progress when I was

younger I have now gained a greater love and appreciation for this

wonderful opportunity to work towards strengthening myself to become a

better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and most importantly..

Daughter of God. I am looking forward with setting goals and working

on personal progress with Maddy to help her strengthen her testimony

of the Savior as she prepares for her baptism.

We have been working a lot with the Kappelman family in helping them

recognize the importance of temples and being sealed as a family.

Brother Kappelman was recently baptized last year but has been

striving to prepare himself to go through the temple so that they can

be sealed as a family. Sister Kappelman calls it a miracle because she

never expected her husband to join the church! However , it is proof

that God softens hearts because brother Kappelman is going through the

temple to receive his endowment THIS Friday night!! We received

special permission from president to attend the session!! SO EXCITED.

There is just such a light in their family, I am so grateful for the

opportunity that I have had to get to know them better. Sister

Kappelman has us over to help the children understand the importance

of a temple marriage and prepare for the day they can go through as a

family and be sealed. Oh what beautiful day that will be.

Speaking of temples.... We have been working a lot with a

less-active/recent convert woman named Olga Diaz. When I first came

into the area Olga didn't want to have anything to do with the

missionaries.. It broke my heart, however we DID NOT GIVE UP... We

kept reaching out to her and inviting her to church. Finally one night

she let us in and we shared a message with her about Jesus Christ and

how much he loves each and everyone of us. The spirit was so strong.

Since that night a few months ago Olga has started to come back to

church and has us over for lunch and a lesson every  Friday!! I love

Olga! She has had and has such a hard life, what a joy and happiness

that the gospel brings and provides peace and comfort in her life.

This week we had a lesson with her about temples, and the importance

of temples. She is working towards becoming temple worthy and knows it

will bless her life. She also had never heard of a patriarchal

blessing before and we we're able to teach her and tell her what a

wonderful blessing and helpful insight it is to help feel of heavenly

fathers love. On Sunday she came to church and EVERYONE who got up to

bear their testimony talked about temples. The spirit was felt so

strong.. And sitting next to Olga, I just knew that she KNEW.  annnnd

that my friends is why... I am serving a mission. When you help

someone draw closer to the Savior... There is just no greater feeling

of happiness.

I studied a lot about Happiness this week. We had a PNI ask... "Where

is true happiness found? And how can I obtain it?" The answer is so

simple. True happiness is found in faith in Jesus Christ and his

atonement, and acknowledging Gods love not only for yourself, but also

for others. This helped my refocus on my purpose as a missionary, I am

here to share the HAPPINESS that comes from living the gospel. When I

feel of the joy that the gospel brings There is no way I can deny

sharing it with others because the desire is so strong. I have learned

that being HAPPY as not only a missionary... But also a member of the

church is the key to success in attracting people to the gospel,

because it is that light in our eyes that they are able to see and

feel. God created men that they might have Joy!! That is why Gods

eternal plan for his children is called... "The plan of happiness"!!

We are here on this Earth to learn and to grow, to discover the joy

and happiness the gospel brings through relying on the Savior. God has

promised that as we obey him and keep his commandments we will be

blessed. What a comforting knowledge we have to know that we are all

children of God and have divine potential and that after this life we

will live in happiness with our families! The best part is... We can

find happiness NOW if we choose to keep the spirit in our lives and

obey Gods will.

Choose to be happy! Thank you for your support!! I love each of you!

Have a wonderful week!! Enjoy this wonderful fall season!!

Love,

Sister Parke