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