Guatemala MTC

Hi mom!! Wow I am so glad that you got to go through the temple the same day that I did!!! I can not believe that because I felt the spirit so strong too and it was probably because we were both there. The Guatemala temple is so beautiful and I love it there. I sat there for like half an hour and prayed and I felt the spirit soooo much. I seriously loved it. Tell Nathan I am sorry but I am glad he wrote me that email. Yes, will you please put some things in my blog if I don't have time. Letters take about 10 days to get here or there and so it's a while. I have sent you two letters after today so look for them. I sent like a 70 or 80 cent bill so show the kids they will get a kick out of that. Thanks for the dear elder. It was so good and I received it Thursday ngith along with some from Jen and Fro. It was nice to get all the letters. I got 5 and no one in my district even got one so I felt sooooo special. The MTC is crazy and I am progressing sooooo much. Seriously I love it and it's great to be here. We taught in spanish last night and it was crazy. Of course I could not contribute a lot but I was able to bear a solid testimony of the Book of Mormon and we asked Carlos to be baptized but he said it was too soon but he will pray about it. On Tuesday we are going to go out knocking doors and we are doing exchanges so I will have a latin companion and they will know the language a lot. I have been playing a lot of basketball and it has been super fun! I will pray a lot for Tay's passport. Let him know he will love it. Seriously he will be able to handle this. Only the first two days are a struggle and then it's amazing and so much fun and the spirit is here a lot you just have to pray for it. The language is coming along for not knowing anything at all. I am getting so many blessings and I am studying soooo hard. Let Jen and Fro know that I loved their letters and it made my whole night on Thursday. I can't believe it has already almost been 2 weeks. We're actually not even here for 6 weeks we're only here until the 21^st of May so it is coming up soon in less than a month and we are trying to learn everything. Our teachers only speak spanish starting yesterday and I have been able to understand about a fourth of it and I am very excited. I do love it here. One of the seventies came and he looked right at me and my companion and started crying and said “I look up to the missionaries. I used to look up to the general authorities but now that I am one I look up to the missionaries.” He said “you sisters are amazing and you don't even have to be here but you are here to help the Lord and he needs you.” We were bawling and it was soooo good. I love this work and I can't wait to go out to the field and teach this gospel. Tell everyone I love them. I am going to write Dad and Tay now!!!! Love you mom. Love Court

Hasta luego Hermana Parker

Hermana Courtney Parker and about 10 elders and 3 sisters arrived in Guatemala on April 18th 2012. She says as soon as she got out of the airport, she knew this was where she was supposed to be. She felt the spirit strongly. A little bus picked them up and she was worried she would see wrecks because the roads are so small. But they made it safely. The Guatemalan MTC is very small. As you know, Courtney worked in the Provo MTC while attending BYU, but the Guatemalan MTC is much smaller in comparison. There are 4 other sisters besides her and her companion in the same room. They were able to take a 2 hour nap when they got there because they hd been traveling all night. Then, let the work begin!! They sisters are outnumbered by the elders, but she loves it. They feed them very well. She said she asks for smaller increments because they are offended if you don't eat it all. The language is a challenge, and they have already taught an investigator in spanish. Courtney's learning a lot and is praying for the gift of tongues. The MTC is gated and there are guards around, but she's excited because on her P-day, which is Saturday, she gets to go out and see some of Guatemala. She said, “if you are wondering, I am doing great! Tell Tay to get ready for an amazing ride, and learn more Spanish when he can because it will really help. My companion is great. Her name is Hermana Sanchez and she is from Orem and went to UVU. She's been helping me a lot in learning the language. Heavenly Father has been helping me and blessing me. The Church is true and I love it so much!”

{posted by Corinna}

Courtney's Farewell

Courtney did such an amazing job on her farewell talk! She sounded like she was already a returned missionary. She is going to do such an incredible job teaching the people of Nicaragua. Her mom Corinna had baked and prepared for days to make the get together after so perfect! (It was also the only few sunny hours for the whole weekend!) Courtney had to get in a little bit more of "kid" fun before she left. Courtney is such a beautiful daughter of God and we will miss her so much but we know she is following what her Heavenly Father wants her to do.

{Posted by Natali}