November 24, 2014 - Quick Scripture

Ok, I don´t have much time this week to write this letter, but what I do want to share is Mosiah 24:12-16. This is such a powerful story and example of faith, patience, and persevering. The meaning of these verses really sunk in when I was accompanying the sisters in one of their appointments and they shared this scripture and wow, it struck me. It says,

 12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

 13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand aswitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord didstrengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

 16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

This is my message to all of you, that we trust in the Lord. He will help us. I know it because I have lived it.

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

A couple pics from the baptism,   and then a car wreck that we saw. That truck t'boned a bus..

 

November 17, 2014 - Baptism

The family Jimenez got baptized this weekend and it was awesome!! On friday afternoon, they called us saying that they couldn´t have the baptism in the afternoon, and so we had to scramble to get it set up for the morning, but it all left very well!

You will all see in the picture the exciting thing that happened this week for me haha :P

I don´t have a lot of time today, but everything is going super well for me! We have 2 weeks until changes, and I am super scared that I am going, but am almost positive that I am. This is still my first area and I am more than a fourth of the way done haha!

I hope everything is well for everyone!! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

and the right leg looks the same now too! haha

November 10, 2014 - 6 Months!

I got burned today. Hard. We had an activity with the zone, and we were outside playing volleyball for like an hour and half. And I am burned. Then after that, we went and ate with my district, encebollado! It is like a soup with stuff, and is SOO good! And then we came to write! But encebollado. So good. uff.

It has been a good week with a lot of work, but not quite as many fruits. BUT!! On Thursday, we visited the family Jimenez with our mission lider, but he said a few things that weren´t  quite correct, mainly because he doesn´t know, and unfortunately planted some doubts in Rafael about tithing. So on Friday, just us went and we talked straight up with them about everything. So what we all agreed on is that Rafael would talk with his wife (she already wanted to be baptized) and then we would come to lunch on Saturday and eat with the zone leaders also and he would tell us.    So we prayed and prayed and prayed for him.   

Saturday at 1 pm, we went and ate soup of balones de verde. So good! Then we talked..

He started by saying, "unfortunately I don´t dream and didn´t dream last night either" and I was like nooooo. :( but then he continued, saying how they had talked and really how they have changed and felt a lot better and more peaceful and all. Then ended by saying, we are going to get baptized!! I almost jumped out of my seat, and just hugged him!    The zone leaders interviewed them right then, and they are getting baptized on Saturday!!! WHOOO!! haha it was awesome!

So that was that. And that is the highlight of the week! Things are going really well here. I am still in my first sector, but am done with a fourth of my mission! And I hope to stay here for one more change! We have changes in 3 weeks, and I hope to survive them, although my chances are slim. :P 

Don´t have very much more time, but I just leave my testimony that I know this church is true, and that being a missionary is awesome. I have changed so much in so many ways already. I just look at things a little bit differently. 

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

November 3, 2014 - Work Week.

This week has been way good! I don´t have  a lot of time so this will be short. Sorry! next week will be better.

This week we worked tons with less active members. And we have a family, the family Tonato, that are SO good, and are coming back and are just about active now. 

I really don´t have time today, but I love you all.  And I did get my package and my letter! THank yoU!!!

I love this week and I love you all!! Keep being you, no matter what the world says or does!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

October 27, 2014 - Happy Birthday Alyssa!!

Happy Birthday Alyssa! I hope you got my other emails with the fotos.

It has been a pretty good week. It was basically normal. Nothing new really happened. So this email might be a little bit shorter. 

It has been raining almost everyday. And the mornings are definitely a little bit colder. Ummm, to tell you more about my companion, he is from Meridian Idaho, he is 18 and just graduated from High school, and he is basically my same size. He is improving so much. And we have been having some amazing lessons. I honestly have been feeling the spirit more than I used to and it is amazing. I love teaching and being with the families here! 

The family Jimenez are amazing. Hands down. Golden. We taught the word of wisdom and they stopped drinking coffee with that. They want to change and be baptized so bad. We are just working on the dad to get his "revelation". His wife had a dream, or a few dreams, and he wants to have dreams too. But he has felt the spirit, we are just helping him to be able to recognize it. 

Everything else is going well. I just want to leave a thought with you all. "Discouragement will weaken your faith." That is from Preach my Gospel and I love that frase. That is what I trained on in District meeting. Really if we are happy and suffer all things with patience, with the goal always in mind, we will be able to keep the faith and carry on and be strong in all things. 

I am sorry I don´t have more time, but I love you all! 

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

Not much, just this way cool spider that we found near our house! It was like silver and shiny! 

 

 

October 20, 2014 - Changes O.O

We got changes last night. And.......... I am staying here for at least one more change!! WHOOO!!! I am also District Leader now.. Yeah, so that is going to be a whole new adventure. But I get a cell phone now, which will make things a lot easier and more convenient! :)  And I am staying with Elder Larsen so I get to finish training him :) He is way cool, and improving so much! So I am way excited for this change!

We also baptized Anabel this weekend, which was way good! It was such an amazing experience. She was definitely prepared by the Lord to be baptized and to be taught. And now her mom has been reading the Book of Mormon, so now we just have to get her to come to church, and then she can take the step to be baptized too! 

We are continuing to work with the Family Jimenez and they are awesome and I love them! They gave us blankets this week that are suuuuuuuuuper comfy. SO soft, but SO warm and cozy haha. And they are always super excited to listen and to learn. We almost always eat something small with them, but they are always like, "eat fast so you can teach us!" haha it is amazing. 

I am not sure what else happened this week..  To answer a few questions, Yes, I do dream in spanish, not always, but a good portion of the time, although not as much now because I still talk english with elder Larsen, but when I am always talking in spanish, I almost always dream in spanish. 

I have a new favorite food! Or drink actually. It is called Colada Morada. It is like a fruit drink or something, that is super popular here. I am not quite sure how to describe it, but it is a drink that they only make here during this time of year for the day of the dead. And they eat it with bread in the shape of dolls with a little bit of frosting which they call guaguas de pan (kids of bread) guagua is kids in kichwa. And that drink is SO good! 

2 Samuel 22:2-4 is my thought for the week. I found out about this scripture from the mission president´s wife, and it is a powerful scripture. So amazing. We can do all things because of Christ. I know that He lives and that He loves every one of us so much better than we could ever hope to understand! 

I love you all and thank you for all of your prayers. Remember who you are!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker

1. with Anabel just before the baptism!!

2. With the Family Jimenez

3. All of the missionaries in our ward (before changes)

4. Missionaries with bishop and a few members. (bishop is the dark one)

5. Cool pic just outside the chapel

6., Family Jimenez

7. With the Family Cortes where we eat on sundays and where we wash our clothes.

8. With Anabel just after being baptized

October 13, 2014 - Rain Week

It rained this week.

Not a lot happened this week. Pretty normal. But we are finally seeing success! The family Jimenez that we found last week is progressing and seems very happy. Although we might move their baptism date back a little bit, because I am starting to feel that it is a little bit rushed and I know the husband feels like that too. But we will see! I have faith that we won´t have a problem :)    

We also just restarted teaching a family of less actives that went to church and have talked to bishop and are now starting to come back to church. And something that I have realized is that it is better to focus on only a handfull of families, rather than trying to save the whole world haha and we have been focusing on that, and now we are seeing results!  But... changes are in one week, and if I leave I will be very sad. But I am thinking that I will have one more change here to finish training my son. But we´ll see!   But we have the baptism of anabel this weekend, so I will at least see that!

Umm, I don´t have much time now, but we went bowling today! That was a lot of fun! and I have a pic of us at the bowling alley. So yup! :)

I have to go but I love and miss you all. Thank you for yours prayers and faith!

Love,

Elder Dallin Parker