Don't Wait

Mothers Day......we're in a love-hate relationship right now.

And there's nothing more weird feeling than dialing your home number on your mission. It always feels SO. WRONG. hahaha

It was a b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. sykp sesh, though! I've got the best fam a missionary could ask for.....(it's just like I said on skype...my many letters must have been accidentally misdirected....I'm sure that's why I haven't gotten more mail:) Love ya fam bam! 
 

This week was PACKED with service!!! AHH!!! One day this week we showed up to an elderly member's house with a district load of missionaries to do yard work.We girls got assigned to use rakes and trowels while the elders got to use chain saws, john deere's, hatchets, and leaf-blowers.....boy toys.  Needless to say, I was jealous........

#somethinboutatruck

We had fun anyways......mainly due to the fact that we discovered each others' break dancing skills when finding spiders crawling up our arms or bees stuck to our shirts.....    #DDR    #gotnothingonus

From the other service projects we did this week, I'm now an expert streamer hanger, staple gunner, cake decorator, weed digger, balloon blower, hamburger maker, and book organizer. My f.a.v.o.r.i.t.e. service of the week though.....was when we went over to a member's house to be "put to work" on some party prep. After decorating the cake (and topping it with mustaches....#hipster), our member when to the table and brought me back a huge bag of

JELLY BELLIES

I like where this is going. She then hands it to me with a stack of bowls and says, "How good are you at sorting??"    Leeeeezzzzzz just say......we put the 49 in 49 Flavors:)   We sorted all of the candies for a party game called....GUESS THE FLAVOR. 
 

Not sure if I want to kill or crown the person who invented that game......

One thing for sure, I now know I could never work in the assembly line at Jelly Belly......"Wait...you're not sure which flavor it is? Oops, well.....guess we'll have to try it then.....aw shucks."       #fired4sure

That service was d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. one of the funnest service projects I've done in a loooooong while! hahaha

We also had exchanges this week. That's another love-hate relationship I'm in right now....looks like I have two DTR's coming up. #joy

Luckily, I stayed in my area (so I didn't get thrown off my groove), but it's still an adventure every time. I managed to leave the phone in the car overnight, showed up 40 min late to an hour long service project, and cried my way through comp study (the lines between girl emotions and the spirit can get r.e.a.l.l.y. blurred on a mission btw...just sayin;).

Catch me later, when I'm not feeling so in the lime light.......then it's goin down.

I always do learn a a lot from exchanges, though, and our Sister Trainer Leaders are g.e.m.s......love those girls! 

Aaaaaaand.....of course......we met with JAMES this week!!! And not just once.....3 times! Woot woot! So we showed up to the member's house where we were all meeting and turns out, James brought his Dad and brother along too! When we asked Prem (James' brother) why he decided to come to the lesson, he said,

"I was told we were making a stop-off  before going to the gym."

okkkkkkkkkkkkkk..........good strategy, James.....we'll take that. hahaha! James is amazing and he's already spreading the gospel "one miracle at a time!" (he tells us!!). We spent over an hour on Sunday talking about better ways to tract and "pitch our product" to people we meet (he's a top salesman for Oreck......so he knows his stuff;). He texted us this week, 

"Remember when you're out there, sisters: In sales we like to describe a feature and then give the benefit as it relates to the customer. Instead describe a covenant and a blessing that will be received. It translates directly! Continue to be inspired by heaven! Remember, you're selling the best product on earth!" 

Pretty sure that's general conference material right there. Basically, we're the privileged ones to teach and see the coolest. convert. ever. be baptized!!! 

#feelingblessed

Between all the service projects, running around, and sharing the word........we're staying sane (miraculously;) and enjoying the rain (yep...spring is FINALLY here!!!)! 

I read this week in Jesus the Christ (best. book. ever.) about Christ' miracle of calming the raging Galilean sea. I read through the account again, but this time, it hit me......the fact that the disciples waited until the absolute final moment--when their destruction seemed eminent--to awaken the Savior and beg His help.

Why did they wait so long? Why did they rely on themselves so incredulously to the point where it almost killed them, to reach out for the power of the Master?

And then, the Savior's first words to them: "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?"

I used to believe that relying solely on the power of Christ wasn't a display of strong faith. However, I saw my fault in this account. 

Why do I wait so long? Why do I rely on myself so incredulously to the point where I almost destroy myself? Why don't I reach out sooner--at the very verge of my life storms--to seek His help and power to save?

Don't wait. Don't wait to find saving, to find rescue, and to find peace that only Jesus Christ, the Savior, can bring.


"O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing.....and come unto the Lord with all your heart" (Mormon 9:27).

The church is true, and the book is blue!

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

Don't I have the cutest Mom e.v.e.r.?? :)

yep....sis Bishop and I have matching zebra print sheets......meant to be;) 

#holla