April 29, 2013

So nice to get emails from both of my wonderful parents today! How are you. I love you both so much. This week has been a lot different but we are working hard and trying to keep our area under control as well. Well on Thursday I went on divisions in another area because I don't know my area well yet and it was fun. I was able to go with a sister here in our zone and her area is super dusty and it's like the country. So we went and it was sooo fun. We worked hard and put a date for a lady for her baptism that we had found her that same day. It was a great experience. Another guy we got him to quit drinking. He prayed and hasn't been drinking since. It was fun. We hiked and hiked and hiked the mountains. Goodness I am a little out of shape hahaha. But it was funny we just laughed. We also saw a huge snake but it was dead but I was scared out of my drawers.

Anyways then Friday in the morning we went to zone conference and the building was sooooooo cold. My fingernails were purple and all the elders with their suits. After I got super sick and we went to our house and I had body aches all day and night long and I was super hot but then I got the chills and I was shaking and I called for a blessing. I slept all day long and drank lots of sprite hahaha. The next morning I was as good as new. Amazing what a little sleep and a blessing can do right! But then yesterday was way fun! There are 3 families from the United States in our area and we got invited to dinner. Which by the way I had to lead the hymns in church yesterday the very first time in the ward. hahaha. But it was fine. So yeah the families, the husbands work in the embassy so they live here but the wives and kids don't speak Spanish. They were so happy to talk to us. The other family that invited us over they speak Spanish and English so we all went over there. 6 of us and we had a way fun dinner and air conditioning and candy and a fun family home evening. It was fun to kind of be back in the States again. hahah. I didn't realize how much difference there is. My area is VERY rich. The houses are so nice and I want to live in like every one. I always tell my comp WOW look at that. Look at that truck and all that stuff. It's so funny. But yeah I have never seen a richer area. People don't really want to listen but we have found a few choice families and are hopefully going to baptize a family this weekend! Cross my fingers. 

Today we had a big p day with just the hermanas. We played some basketball and President was very impressed with my bball skills hahaha. He filmed me and everything. hahah He's so funny. I cannot believe he is leaving us in June. We are getting a new President from the States. Well I hope all is well. I love you soooo much. We are having a good time. Oh, one last thing. This week I was very stressed and so I prayed and I felt a little like wow, I don't deserve this I need to know if I am worthy to have this calling. I asked in my prayer if I was worthy. Then the next day we were teaching an investigador and I was about to hand him the Book of Mormon to read a scripture but something said don't give it to him. I thought, that's weird and so I didn't give it to him. Then 5 min later he told me he can't read and sometimes doesn't like to go to church because he doesn't like to tell people he can't read. I knew right then that that was my answer. That I am worthy because the spirit was there to guide me in that moment. I know that if we humble ourselves before the Lord we will find even more blessings and we will grow so much more. I love you all soooo much! Have a great week. Love Court

April 22, 2013

So this week was crazy. I will start with the beginning. So on Tuesday we had to go pick up the new sisters and do divisions with them for the day. I worked with a cute sister from Utah and it was fun. She didn't speak any Spanish but we went to all of our appointments and even put a baptismal date. It was fun. This week was hilarious because my companion and I just spent the week laughing and really enjoying each other. When I did divisions I was missing her sooo much. Then Thursday night after our long day we went home and were dancing to all of our church songs. She is just sooo much fun, never thought I would love someone who speaks another language and is from a whole other country so much.

So it was funny because on Friday we got letters. Thanks mom for your funny missionary card with the dogs chasing them. hahahaha funny because Thursday night on our way home we passed this street and all of the sudden EIGHT giant horse dogs were chasing us. Oh my goodness I have never been soooo scared in my life. It was absolutely incredible. And for some miracle the drunk guys chilling on the other side of the street started throwing their beer bottles at them. WOW. We were saved by some drunk men! Soooooooo thankful. My comp said she saw the face of satan on one of the dogs. It was a miracle that we were saved. PHEW.

Well yesterday at church we sang the song i'll go where you want me to go dear Lord. I remember singing that for my farewell and I looked down and dad and he wasn't able to sing. That made me cry so much and I always think of you guys when I sing that song. Especially because I am willing to do whatever the Lord asks me. It gives me comfort to know that I have you guys as my support. Well yesterday at about 5 in the afternoon my Zone leader Elder Hunt called me and said are you sitting down I have bad news. I said no what's up. He said you have emergency changes you leave tomorrow morning at 8 am and you will have to go pack up your stuff right now. I was in shock. I told my comp and we started bawling. We were having sooo much fun together. Then we went over to the family's house where we eat lunch and they all started crying when I told them. They are like my favorite in Altagracia. That was hard. Then I packed up everything and this morning we were out of the house at 7 30 in a taxi for my e changes. I was like what is going on I haven't done anything wrong. My comp and I cried and cried all night. We were sooo sad. Then this morning I get to the church and 4 more companionships were there. I was thinking what's going on!!!! Then they assigned new companions and called my new comp and I and then 2 other sisters into a room and gave us a paper to read.... THIS WAS THE REASON FOR E CHANGES.... so it's very new but they
are now assigning sister missionaries as leaders. Like Zone leaders but not exactly, President compared it to the same as Zone leaders but without the Priesthood. Like sisters to be in charge of all the sisters and to do divisions 2 times a week with different sisters. My companion and I are in charge of 5 different zones and will be traveling around and helping other sisters become better teachers and we have to train them and all this stuff. It's a ton of responsibility and now when the zone leaders have conferences we are now supposed to go. And there are only 4 sisters and I am the only American. Us four are the very first to do it and so we'll see. Lots of pressure. Pray for me please. It's soooo crazy. My new comp is Hermana Flores from Guatemala and she is cool. We are going home at the same time so we both have about 5 months left. Awesome right.

Dad, I am pretty sure I am leaving 2 of October but you can call the church offices because they won't tell us yet. But another sister had her parents call so it all worked out. Also if they have you call Nicaragua, the offices here they will speak English and call help you find out. They can also help with plane tickets and all that. GOODNESS I am in a new area and everything is different but I will be fine. Just lots of changes. My area is called Las Colinas and it's close to Managua but just a TINY bit cooler. I know I will be blessed as I push forward in the work of the Lord. Thanks for everything. I always love your emails mom and dad. Love you all sooo much. Take care. Until next week. Hermana Parker

April 15, 2013

Well this week I received a GIANT package with my name on it. We were sitting at the bus stop waiting for the zone leaders to bring us materials and up walks my zone leader with a big giant purse. I was thinking what is he doing with that purse. And then he handed it to me and it was my PACKAGE!!!!!! Wow. It was soooooo awesome I loved it all! I have been able to share some of the bunnies with the children here and they really love it. I gave a candy bracelet to a little girl we always visit and she loves me more now I think hahaha. So this week was fun. I got a few dear elders from Randie Haws and from grandma Thompson. Also from Nat and from my family thanks soooo much! I also got a letter from grandma Parker and so it has been a great week. Cottam sent me another package but I haven´t gotten to open it yet. I am excited for that! But thanks soooo much for the package it was wonderful! I wore the cardigan and it is soooo cute! And the necklaces, I died when I saw them!!!!! Thanks. Swedish fish and the wiffle ball kit and the cd of Britta´s was awesome!!!!!!! THANKS soooo much. I love the skirt too and the little monkey bunny and the sweets and just everything in it was awesome. And so thanks so much! I just sent off a few letters to a few people so hopefully they will get there soon!
Today was fun because today is the last pday with Hermana Creel so that is sad because she will have changes on Wednesday and will leave our zone. Dang it. It was so fun with her here. But her comp and her came to our area and we went to this way nice ice cream place and then we got permission to go to the distribution center. I bought the Book of Mormon in audio so that I can listen to it at night before I go to bed. I think that will help me a lot. I am soooo excited. Also I bought a movie of the church for 3 cords... that´s wayyyyyyy less than 50 cents! So yeah it was cool if you ask me!
Well this week has been SO hot. And it doesn´t help that I am serving in Managua right now. hahahaha. My comp and I always check the temperature and it said 101 today. But then you add in the humidity and the big ol back packs and that knocks it up to about 150 degrees easy. hahaha. It´s so bad. So on Tuesday we had to have a training with the trainers and their trainees and so we went to the church with President and the assistents from 7 30 in the morning until about 12 30. The air conditioning was on and I was freezing to death. I almost asked if they could grab me a scarf but then remembered that they prob don´t exist here. So then we got outside and it was wayyyyy hot so then we were in our first appointment and I almost passed out. We went home and I just rested the whole day because my leaders told me that i needed to rest. But since then I have been good. It was just a huge drastic change. hahaha. But the training was fun, we did a lot of practices and then after they fed us lunch so that was cool. 
So we were going to have a baptism this last Saturday. We had the clothes ready, the water, the program and everything and then we called him and he was like I cannot do it, I am scared and I feel like I am not prepared. I said ok we are going to pass by your house to talk to you. But then he said he wouldn´t be home until 5 so his baptism was going to be at 6 and so we ran over there.... first we went to our apartment and we practiced every situation with my comp and I. It was so good to practice because we were able to put ourselves in his shoes, but then we got over there and I was thinking... this is like basketball games that I used to have. It felt like over time.... like when you and all of your teammates have to play everything out perfectly and cannot make a mistake or you lose the game. hahahaha. So then he never showed up. He called at 5 30 and said he was too far away. It was a very sad day and I was a little discouraged but then we went out and found a family to serve and it made all the difference. It was fine after that. We will see what we can do to have this guys baptism soon!!!! Well sorry that this is sooo short. I need to get off to work now. Thanks again for the package and all that you do for me. I love my family soooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know that God listens to our prayers and knows just what we need to help us grow. I love you and I love this amazing church. We are soooo blesssed. Love you. Love Hermana Parker

April 8, 2013

Hey mom and dad!!!!!!!!! First, dad I hope you have a wonderful birthday, I finally got your package sent off so that will come late but it will get there! Hope you like it and I hope the family spoils you because you deserve it. I will be thinking about you all day long. I love you so much dad. Happy birthday!

Anyways, this week has been rather crazy for me as well. Remember that story about that guy a while back who started chasing me in the street. Well, he showed up again on Wednesday and followed us home. We hid in the shadows and then snuck into our house, but that was annoying. Then on thursday we were walking to lunch and he appeared in the street and was blowing me kisses and saying some really bad things to me. I walked around him really fast and then I was thinking what more... then on Friday we were walking home and he showed up in front of me and I tried crossing the street to get away from him and he wouldnt let me pass. So then I tried walking to the other side and he started running at me. Then my comp got in front of me and wouldn't let him touch me. He's always super drunk. So then his friend had to pull him away and he was yelling I hate you and all this weird stuff. He was trying to kiss me but now he hates me hahaha. Oh men, haha. But anyways, then I had to call the zone leaders and then the assistent to the President called me and we talked about it all. The next night the zone leaders came with us to talk to him and they found him and explained that I am a missionary of God and all this stuff and not to bother me. He said he would stop and so I am pretty sure we are all good now. If not we have to be in the house at 8 instead of 9. But don´t worry, only telling you the story to let you know about my week. I am fine and I know that the Lord protects his missionaries because there were a lot of people out there who love us and who were yelling at the guy to stop. Then my converts were all driving around making sure I was ok. So it is all fine.

Well I told you last week that I was going to give a workshop in our multizone and there were 3 zones and 4 teachers. I taught about the Book of Mormon and it was super scary but once I started teaching my first lesson I wasn´t nervous at all I was just myself and I had prepared and so I knew just what to do, just let the spirit be my guide and it all worked out. I taught 4 classes and it was actually a lot of fun. Then we got a certificate for doing it. Then it was way fun because President rented a bus and we all went out there on the same bus and we practiced contacting buses, which we are supposed to do like once every 3 months for the least. So yeah, sure enough they start chanting my name. I was like you have got to be kidding, hahahaha So then I got up and contacted the whole bus of missionaries.... as if they were random people on the bus. It was actually super fun and now I have more confidence to do it more in the mission.

So I loved conference too. It was so great. I realized they talked a TON about chastity. It's so important isn´t it. It was good to hear here because there are a lot of problems here with chastity. We brought 2 families and it was awesome because now we have 3 families who have a date for baptism.

I also saw a huge miracle and realized more of what service really is this week. So we went with this family who she is a member but he isn´t but she is married to someone else so needs a divorce but doesn´t have money to pay for it. They told us they needed 200 cords to do the papers so that they were getting close but they are worried about it. My comp and I left the appointment feeling very discouraged and didn´t know how to help them because we are not allowed to give people money. But 200 cords is like nothing to us but so much to these people. So my comp and I prayed about it and then after I said... well what if we gave them money but didn´t let them know it was us... so we each took out 100 cords of our own money and put it in an envelope and then we told a member about it except that the money was from loving ward members. So then he came with us to their house and the guy started explaining that someone donated money to them and oh my gosh, I have never felt such joy... the lady started bawling. She was like I have been reading the scriptures diligently every single night and I have been praying with all the faith of my heart and I have been searching for a miracle and I know without the slightest doubt that God loves me and that He listens to me and my family, as poor and worthless as we may seem. The man started crying too and said thank you. It was so touching. My comp and I left and we felt soooo much joy. In the closing prayer she started crying again and was thanking God for all of her blessings. The faith of the people here is just so amazing.

Well I wrote a lot down for conference. I really loved it. There was a certain talk when I felt the spirit soooo strong and I knew in that moment that we were all thinking about each other. I'll tell you more about it when I get home. I am so proud of Lauren and Josh and Nathan for living right.

oh! This week we taught a man who is from the states and it was a REALLy hard lesson. He had so many doubts and is one of those people that just shoots words at you... almost like contention. But we handled it well. I think he will get baptized one day. His only doubt is that he thinks that Jehovah is God the Father. We have been studying a lot about this one and have many more scriptures for him in our next visit. We had an interview for a baptism and we should have a baptism on Saturday. We are being very blessed as we teach these beautiful people. I hope all is well in the town of cute Hurricane and I want you all to know how much I love you. Thanks for everything! tell dad happy birthday!! Thanks sooooo much! oh p.s. I am now in the ward choir. they picked only a few of us. I am so excited we had practice this morning! Well I love you all !!!!!!! Have a great week! And remember EVERY DAY IS A BLESSING! Love, Hermana Parker

April 1, 2013

Hello there family of mine!!!!!!! Well this week was semana santa!!!! Which means it was just a whole week for Easter and it doesn't really mean a whole lot because everyone just goes out to the streets and drinks. hahaha. Like Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we barely saw any people in the streets because they all go to the beach and they sleep there and spend the whole day there. It was hard to work these days because no one was home and we just walked around but it was ok, we made it through it.
Well that's awesome that that future sister missionary, Haley is about to come here to the best mission ever! She will love it. Yes, that humidity towel would be better to have. You don't need boots, I know in my packet thing it said that I needed to bring boots but I didn't. You can find scripture cases and bags and all that cool stuff in the mtc so bring money for that. What else... yeah, don't worry about medicine. Something that you will need a lot of is the little no show socks. Those are well needed here. Also, just normal sheets, 2 sets for twin beds. A small pillow would be great! And just a sheet is sufficient for the night. Maybe a small blanket but I only sleep with a sheet because its so hot!! hahaha. I am super excited to finally meet her and see her in Nicaragua! She will leave on my year mark! How crazy that is that I left a year ago. I cannot believe it.
I haven't gotten the package that the lady brought from Utah yet, but I am sure that I will get it soon. I took a bunch of my candy from Easter and split it up for my district, you should have seen their faces light up! It was soooo cute!!!!! 
Today we had a fun zone meeting and we went to play sports and we got to go eat at the mall. I have a package for dad but I will not have time to send it today sadly. I planned on sending it today but we will not have time. But for sure next Monday... it will be late but I hope you know dad, that I love you a lot and that I will be thinking about you. Just sent a letter to the family and to Chan! Thanks for your letter Chan-- love you girl!!!!!! 
Well on Sunday we learned about the atonement a bit more so that was good. We are having a lot of success. The misson really pushes you to have your goals really high. Sometimes I get really stressed out because there is a lot of pressure when you are training because all the fault falls on you but I am learning a lot about myself and making the most out of it. My comp and I sometimes just stay up and talk and laugh. She is a really great companion and I am glad that I have her. Today at our zone conference I hit the pinata super hard and it broke and it was soooo funny because I was blindfolded. It was a fun day! I am doing great. Can't wait for the package. I love you all soooo much! Thanks for everything and I cannot believe how fast the time is going. Thanks for the support. Love you soooo much. .Love Court 
P.S. They just called me and said that I have to give a workshop for three Zones on Wednesday. Ahhhhhh. There are so many people that speak better Spanish than me, so I'm a little nervous. It´s 20 minutes and I have to pass it off with President first. I only have tonight and tomorrow morning to prepare it. But none of my own time, still same schedule. I have to get on tomorrow and send President everything that I will be doing. But it will all go speeding by and it will be over soon. Just grin and bear it. Please pray for me. This is probably one of the hardest things I will have to go through so far. I love you soooo much.