Secret Agent Looks Good on Us

Sis Green and I woofed down our lunch in under 20 minutes one day (ok, it's more like every day:) this week, so we could catch a legal 15 minute power nap in our remaining lunch time. We'd just set our alarm and closed our pretty little eyes when we heard our next door neighbor start arguing with another woman. We both tried to nuzzle deeper into our pillows to drown it out, but it got worse.....real fast. Every "choice" word in the book started flying.... LOUD .....and Sis Green and I eventually turned to each other wide-eyed and open-mouthed as the f-bomb came floating through the wall over 10 times in 2 minutes.

Well....so much for a nap.

We tried "politely" knocking on the wall but when nothing worked, we finally gave up on the idea of a few extra winks, and blasted our Bible Videos instead:)

#howweroll

That same day, we went to visit Patti and felt impressed to share Elder Holland's Mormon Message, "Testimony of the Book of Mormon." Ok....when is Elder Holland NEVER a  good idea?? :) So it shouldn't have surprised me when we got into the lesson, shared some scriptures, and then introduced the video. We started it, and the spirit came flowing in SO strongly! And then came the killer line, "They. would. not. do. that." (and he pounds the pulpit....gahah!!) Man, gives me chills every time! In that moment, my heart was SO full of gratitude for the miracle and blessing of technology to share the gospel! There was NOTHING like that feeling that that short video brought, and it could have only happened through the blessing of these ipads! The Lord is SO wise in the way He works:)!!

After it was over, Patti just kept nodding and nodding. Sis Green then asked her, "Patti, do you believe that the Book of Mormon is true?"

Just one week earlier, Patti had avoided that same question, and said she only believed some of it was true. She'd been less than committal, and we weren't sure if she would progress.

However, after that 3 minute video, she had a very different answer for us.

She took the next 5 minutes bearing her testimony to US of the Book of Mormon!! I then got the prompting......like THE prompting. So I went for it, "Patti, would you consider considered being baptized?"  "Yes," she said, "I'll consider it. I have in the past, and I still have a lot of questions, but I feel like it's just a matter of time before I know it's right for me."

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! We got out of that lesson STOKED!!! The spirit is SO amazing and I am SO grateful for the power of technology (AND Elder Holland, let's be honest:) to assist us in this work! It's working!!!!

And now......for Sis Parker's crazy new idea of the week.....

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. OPERATION: HASTENING.

This is going to end up in Clayton Christensen's next book, called "The Power of Everyday Creative, Off-The-Wall, Borderline Crazy, So Incredibly Fun, Possibly Insane Missionaries." hahaha

I'm SOO PUMPED:)!!!! Ok, so back story, one day this week during personal study, I was getting down because I still didn't know my purpose here, or what I was meant to do to make a difference in this area. The promptings came so clear, 

"Use your creativity. Make it fun. Focus on members with families."

They say creativity loves constraint and that was enough for me. The ideas came flowing and here's what we got: drop off Top Secret packages to members' homes, weekly. Inside is a top secret mission, designed to help families take 7 steps towards finding the missionaries someone to teach. They complete the mission, fill out the "Report" and their package is retrieved and replaced with the next mission.

And we're going all out! And the ward is getting excited too! In the days that have followed since I've devised this plan, our ward mission leader, members, other missionaries, and even President Woodbury has brought up ways that we need to improve in this area as a ward, and this new project seems to be just the thing to do it! I. can't. wait.!!!

And the district is pumped for it too!! It's uniting us as missionaries and it's getting the ward united in their efforts to share the gospel as well! On top of it all, I'm finding my place and my purpose here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE working with members, getting creative with the work, and finding the fun in .....well.... everything:) So I feel like the Lord is showing me how to use my abilities and put my talents to good use here, and it's giving me the peace and assurance that I so desperately want! And it feels SO good:)

We launch it next week, so pray all goes well!!!

Well....the other highlights of the week included finding out that our church building has an attic AND a basement (where seminary used to be held.....yeaaaaaa......talk about creepy:)! hahaha! And yes, we got a tour of both. So legit.

Got asked if we were police officers while trying to contact some investigators. 

"No." 

"FBI?" 

"No." 

"Undercover agents?" 

"No."

 "Ok.....you can come in then..." 

Gee thanks:) See??.....secret agent? I could totally pull it off:)

I also got to see the Robisons from BG this week!!!! AHHHH!!!!! Talk about a highlight!!!:D We got to go keep Bro and Sis Robison "company" while Richmond was in surgery at a hospital in our area!! Let's just say it was like 2 of the best hours of my life:) I miss them SOOOOO much!!!!! It was like seeing family again, and it was SO hard to say goodbye! Let's just say that I'm a firm believer in tender mercies, though, and that was definitely one of them:)

Tracted into a guy with a 180 POUND BULLDOG. Seriously....that thing looked like a mini elephant!! haha! best news though: the guy wants to learn more about the church and seems really solid, so Chopper and I are going to get better acquainted:) It's suuuuuuuch a blessing I'm a dog person on the mish:) haha

And last but not least, we had interviews with President this week! Ah! I love that man with all my heart! He really has become such a father and a role model to me here on the mission. I find myself wanting to do nothing more than to be worthy and successful in his eyes. It gives me a taste of what my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would be like if they were here. He's such an inspired man, and I'm truly blessed every day of my mission to work alongside him!

Physically, I'm doing ok. The fainting and seizure-like episodes (yea:/....had a few of them this week) are getting more frequent again, but I'm being strengthened ((and so is my companion to deal with it:)) so I know it's in His hands. He truly is there, walking alongside me every day, and I find so much comfort in that!!

The blessings of being a missionary are incredible, the work is difficult, but our faith is growing stronger!

Onward and Upward,

Sister Anna Parker