Blood, Bonding, and Believing

The nurse escorts me over to one of the chairs, sits me down, and starts doing whatever it is nurses do before sticking needles in you. I'm chilling there.....cool as a cucumber on the outside but kinda f.r.e.a.k..i.n.g. out (again) on the inside. Third time donating blood on the mission....... (yea for those of you who know me...this is HUGE;)..... and when you're the one hosting the drive (even if its main purpose is to bring people into the church building), ya kinda have to donate....... #needlephobia    #thestruggleisreal

Then she turns to me and asks me to state my name and birthdate. "Anna Parker, 9/27/93."

She responds, "So you have a birthday coming up! How old are you gonna be?"

"The big 2-1"

After finding that out, she just stared at me and then said, "Oh, really?? 

You look like you couldn't be over 17."

uuuummmmmmmmmmm.......... OK???

Just call me *baby face*........geez laweez. Just last week some guy was hitting on us, and asked me how old I was. When I told him I was 20, he got all freaked out and was like, "20?!

I thought you were at least 25 if not 30!!"

O__O

..........I'm clearly confused........ #agechallenged

So despite feeling like I now belong in a Pampers commercial, the blood drive went over pretty well. We didn't get as many donations as we were hoping, but I got to know the area director pretty well (we were there like all day) and she's agreed to come to church with us AND gave us another community service project!!

#2-4-1

 Prep for the blood drive took up a lot of our week (making posters and signs, hanging fliers all around town, and coordinating set up), but we did manage to visit quite a few of our peeps. We got invited to lunch with an investigator and it turned out really well! We got to know her better and just had some good girl bonding time over croissants and truffles<3....... elders are missing out:)

We dropped by another investigator on Tuesday, and right as we were wrapping up, a mini TORNADO hit......lightning, crazy strong winds, flooding....the whole deal. We just sat there, chatting for a bit, taking advantage of the extra time to spend with our investigator and hoping the power didn't go out, but we somehow got onto the topic of how Mormons pray. "I just don't get it," she said, "Why don't Mormons pray with their hands clasped....instead of their hands in their armpits??"

.........she's gotta point...........

she (and we) finally came to the conclusion that it was probably because it took kids longer to unfold their arms than their hands, so it kept them quite longer. That .9 seconds apparently makes a difference.

Sure.......whatever works;)

We also visited with another investigator this week and challenged him and his friend to baptism. They're praying about it this week, and it's been incredible to see the changes that he's gone through since I first got here. He used to avoid us if we were ever over at the house, and now, he's praying with such power and spirit, improving his life, and reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover!!!! It's true....the book changes lives!!

*and in case you're wondering.......the book is WAY better than the play*

We're also seeing Ally quite a bit now since she's decided she wants to be baptized!! It's been absolutely beautiful to see the way that the ward has wrapped their arms around her!! She's still going through some really tough stuff, but she's hanging in there, and told us on Sunday that Church is one of the only places where she feels at peace and knows that God is with her. It really is amazing to see young people like Ally and Bethany taking their own steps onto this path....despite the lack of family support! It makes me want to stand taller and walk bolder:) #taughtbymyconverts    #noshame

And last but not least, I was able to get a priesthood blessing this week from Elder Taggart that was absolutely b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. ! Hitting my one year mark (YIKES) this week was kinda crazy. But that blessing reminded me again of just how well my Heavenly Father knows me.

Serving a mission is like an emotional roller coaster all. the. time.! And it can be SO easy to get overwhelmed or discouraged. But Heavenly Father never leaves His missionaries alone if they're trying their best. Yea, I fall short. I don't always get it right. But I'm coming to realize that The Lord knows how imperfect I am and He also knows how perfect I can become through Him.

You don't have to be perfect to be a missionary.  I can't recite all the scripture masteries. I don't know all the articles of faith. Geez, I can't remember even half of what they taught me in the MTC.  All I do know though is that I have a testimony that this gospel is undeniably true. And that's enough. 

 If you know it's true, you know enough. And if you don't know it already, find out!!!! Missions are hard. They're exhausting sometimes. But they can be SO empowering!! God gives us wings to fly when we trust in His strength and act on our testimony (or even the desire for a testimony)!! 

"Doubt not, but be believing" 

(Mormon 9:27)

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

set up

mormon pitch at the blood drive:) ...... yep, it's got a hint of the pinterest wedding look......#noshame

girl time <3

yep....TOTALLY gave into peer pressure and kissed him:) 

he looked bigger from the side....i swear;)