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

You Microwaved What??

Oh elders.

gotta love em........even though I sometimes have NO idea where they come up with things.

true story........ the elders tell me this week:

"So we were trying to find a good object lesson for the Holy Ghost, and decided to try microwaving a light bulb....."

i'm sorry, what???

"yea.... it actually does light up after about 5 seconds.......you just have to make sure it's sitting in water......it doesn't work the other way....oh and just be sure if you ever do it to only microwave it for 20 seconds....NOT longer......trust us...."

mmmmmmmmk.......cause I've always wanted to try microwaving a light bulb. And now we all know what new rule is gonna show up in the revised white handbook. Gawl.

Then just yesterday they tell me: "So I got a pair of my favorite white shorts dirty this week, and after washing them in the washing machine, they still didn't come out clean. So I decided to try washing them in the DISHWASHER....."

you're kidding, right??  Nope

"Yea.....I came back into the kitchen like half an hour later....and......well.....there was soap like ALL over the kitchen floor.......oh and my shorts still didn't get clean..."

And that's why guys need wives.

#nuffsaid

love em:)

Sis Carroll and I got to help out at multiple service projects this week......AND managed to get three free T-shirts in the process......#6andcounting. We volunteered at a 5K registration station......a REALLY good way to meet people and get community recognition btw......and managed to give away our number and info about the church to a few people.

We also got listed to go help an elderly couple in the ward clean out their freezer. We showed up, got swarmed by bees trying to reach the front door, then got swarmed by fruit flies trying to get through the kitchen, and then got assigned to pull 3 mighty-lite buckets-worth of food out of the freezer.

 the member instructed us, "Just go through this stuff and throw out anything that's expired..."

Can't be too hard, right??

Ehhhhhh.....not so much.

 It soon turned into a competition between Sis Carroll and I to find the oldest expired food while we dug through ice cream bars, frozen veggies, slabs of meat, and TV dinners:  "4 years expired..........2 years expired...........oh yea, 6 years expired........7 years expired.........wait for it.......9. years. expired."

winner winner chicken dinner......

no kidding. it literally was a chicken dinner:) lols

 So we've learned now that while it might not be the brightest idea since the invention of the mop......apparently you can keep food storage in the FREEZER.......as long as it's only 9 years old. 10 years is pushing it. hahaha:)

Sis Carroll and I also went to visit an elderly Ukranian woman in our ward, B--, who sat us down and immediately started to tell us about how she'd tried to cook dinner but instead ended up with tomato sauce all over the ceiling and walls of her small apartment because her pressure cooker "blew up.....BOOM!!!" oh my gosh....she's a hoot:)

She then says, "Honey, I tell you....it was a BIG mess!!! haha! Tomato....all over....[and then she turns mid-sentence and TOTALLY out of the blue, to Sis Carroll and says:]....are you CHINESE??"

I was D.Y.I.N.G.!!!!

Sis Carroll was SO caught off guard, but managed to tell her that she wasn't to which B-- only said, "Ha, strange......well you look Chinese." gosh, we <3 her:)

Our other weekly adventures included going FISHING on P-day (yep.....dragged my comp into it with me:) and brushed up on my casting skills....... #holla.  We then got a personal escort into the police department/village hall by an officer as we were trying to put up blood drive posters on Saturday when no one was open (geniuses:) . As we put up the poster, the officer said,

"Gotta tell ya, where this poster's being put up....the only people who'll probably see it will be people who are dealing with......well....US..."

“Oh:) So....like drugs just might be a problem??:)"

"Haha! Naaaa.....just clean it;)"

Hahaha! That's a thing??;) gotta love a cop with a sense of humor;)

And now....for the BIG news......ALLY HAS DECIDED TO GET BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She told us Friday night that she's been thinking about it for a while, and has now decided that this is what she wants!!!!!!!!!! Friday night, we'd all met up at the O'Briens house (Ally's next door neighbor, and our ward mission leader) and Bethany had come with us. We got to girl chat for a while and then read Mosiah 24 together about how God lifts our burdens and makes us stronger when we're going through difficult times. They both really liked it, and when we'd finished, Sis Carroll and I had to dash in order to keep curfew (wait for it.....obedience brings blessings......:)

But as we left, Ally asked Bethany to stay, and after we'd gone, she pulled Bethany aside and told Bethany the big news. Come to find, Ally has really started to look to Bethany as a role model (they're both joining while in High school, both are the only members in their families, etc.) and Bethany has really taken Ally under her wing and become her mentor!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's  B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. to see how The Lord has everything perfectly timed and ordered!!! Bethany had been expressing how she didn't know why she was still in the area, going to a community college, while all of her friends (specifically her HS friends in the church) have all left to go to college in Utah and other places. However, our ward mission leader pointed out that it seems like Bethany was meant to stay here for Ally's sake......Ah!!!! Sure enough, Bethany is an answer to Ally's prayers and together they're progressing wonderfully in the gospel!!

The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways!! And Bethany and Ally are evidence of that!!! We're so excited for Ally to make this choice!!!! AH!!

The gospel is happiness, God answers prayers, and miracles do happen:)

Onward and upward,

 Sister Anna Parker

first car selfie.....its tradition;)

fishing....yea...not the best picture of us ever taken....but hey, the fish don't care:)

#lifefofamissionary

I FOUND HER!!!!

On Tuesday we met up with Lev, Stan, and now a new friend from India to teach English. We started into traveling and vacation terms, now that summer’s in full swing. I begin listing vocab on the board….."ticket,” “itinerary,” “portal,” “TSA,” and then “flight attendant.”

They looked a bit puzzled when I put that last one up, so I began explaining…..”a person who works on an airplane, helps passengers, brings you snacks, etc…..also called a stewardess…..”

Lev then leans back with a smile, “Ooooooohhhhh……YES. I understand.”

Perfect. So I run the drill: “How would you put that word in a sentence?”

Without hesitating, he starts, “A flight attendant…is also called a stewardess, and is VERY beautiful, and young, and attractive, and usually has long beautiful hair, and brings you everything you need.” He then goes on with a wink, “Maybe you work as our flight attendant after you’re a missionary??”

Ummmmmmmmmm……..NO.      Ain’t that type...

MOVING. ON.

“’Pilot’…..next word is ‘PILOT’……” hahaha! Gotta love it. There’s never a dull moment when teaching two 60-year olds English as a second language:) lol

Thursday, we went to Feed My Starving Children as a Zone and ……OH MY GOSH……funnest service project e.v.e.r.!!! We TORE up that place (between hearing Mumford and Sons sing “I will wait, I will wait for you!” over the boombox speakers with an accompanying elder of the group shouting,

“Oh, NO SHE WON’T!”

Couldn’t. Stop. Laughing!   lol!   Girls….he’s got a point:) Anyways……by the end, we’d packed over 40 boxes of meals at ONE station, and in total packaged enough meals to feed over 115 kids for a YEAR!!!   Woop woop!!!   


#TeamBuffaloGroveZone      #repthehood     #ldsswag

Wednesday, we showed up to district meeting, and after we were finished, headed to the baptism closet to find a jumpsuit for Bethany’s baptism (!!!!!). We opened the closed only to find that the O.N.L.Y. sizes available were XX-XXXX Large (yea, didn’t even know they made suits that big….things you learn as a missionary;) or a Youth Medium.

That’s not gonna cut it for a slim 5 foot 8 young woman wanting to get baptized.

So we keep scouring the closet, digging through pile after pile of white clothing and eventually recruiting the help of the elders. EHHHH….not the smartest move.

Convo that followed:

Elder P--, pulling out a white XXX jump suit: “WAY too big. It looks like something you’d wear to clean a porter potty.”

Elder G--, lifting up a white dress, trying to figure out the wide collar:  “Oh! It’s a scarf! Oh, she’ll love that!”

Elder P--, finding another dress with an oversized scoop drape collar, and mistaking it for a hood:

“Whoa….that’s like KKK status.”

Me, holding up a thin, lacey, and slightly yellowed dress: “That looks like something your grandma would die in.”

Sister Bishop, finding a Youth Large, and holding it up to herself: “It could just ride right below her knee. That’s not too weird, right?”

F.A.I.L.

After 30 minutes of no luck, we finally decided to take what we had (Shrek-sized jumpsuits, and century-old nightgowns) to give Bethany “options” (riiiiiiiight). Our wardrobe unveiling that night at her house was C.L.A.S.S.Y. ……like red carpet status.

Luckily, we have b.o.m.b. Zone Leaders who were champs and found us an adult small jumpsuit at their chapel in Gurnee, and it fit PERFECTLY.

Saved by grace, after all we could do;) lol

Annnnnnddddd…..speaking of BAPTISMS……BETHANY  IS OFFICALLY  A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!     AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

It was one of the most beautiful and happy days of my mission!!! I’ve loved every minute I’ve had to spend teaching Bethany (though we really didn’t teach her much…she kinda knew it all already since she’s been studying up on it for over a year)!!! I’ve grown SO close to that girl, I love her! I’ve made a new bestie, and it’s i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e. knowing that I got to play a small part in her conversion!!!

[OK…if you just skipped over that last paragraph…..start reading HERE:]

REWIND……

Story time:

So 2 days before I opened my mission call (yea, as it was sitting on the kitchen counter…..longest. two. days. of. MY. L.I.F.E.), I was praying late one night……stressing over the mission, wondering what my companions would be like, how many people I'd be able to teach, what my mission president would be like, if I'd love my areas, see people get baptized, have fun, be free of hardships.....ya know, the uge that pre-mi’s worry about....and then....

I had to STOP.

I paused and realized how selfish I was being. My prayers were all about ME......MY wants, MY desires, MY life, MY fears, ME...ME...ME. In that moment when I stopped, took a step back, and re-evaluated what I was saying, the spirit spoke clearly to my mind,

"Anna......someone TONIGHT  is praying that YOU will bring them the gospel!"

I bawled. Straight up, knelt there and cried for over a half hour. I was completely struck by the power of those words, and their accompanying meaning. 

This mission isn't about ME. None of it. I realized in that moment that I wasn't going out here for ME. I wasn't sacrificing for ME, leaving home for ME, or giving up all I loved for ME. It was for that person...that ONE that needed ME. 

Well guess what???

I FOUND HER!!!!!!!!!!!!

One year ago, Bethany was praying for sister missionaries to come. She knew that she wanted the gospel in her life, and even wanted to meet with the missionaries, but she wanted--needed--SISTERS. 

One year ago, I was praying for me.......but was told......ANOTHER was praying for me....to come. 

All along our way, teaching Bethany, I wondered if she was the one that had been praying for me to come. I wasn't sure, though it seemed possible. In fact, I didn't know for sure until, standing at the top of those font steps, I watched as Bethany came up out of that water, smiling and literally glowing! It hit me so hard,

"SISTER PARKER, YOU FOUND HER!!! YOU FOUND HER!!!"

 There is NOTHING like that feeling in the ENTIRE world!!!!! To know that you—through God’s help—did it! You found the one who needed you, who prayed for you to come!!! I couldn’t contain my happiness!!!! I’ve never felt happier in MY LIFE!!!!  

That night, we went over to Bethany’s to visit her and to practice for a choir number we and the young women were invited to sing in Sacrament Meeting the following day. The three of us sat there together, basking in the joy and happiness of the day as we began singing “Come Unto Christ.”

[BTW, if you don’t know this song…..go listen to it HERE….it’s b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.]

We sat around that table, as rain came down softly outside and sang, “Come unto Christ, come unto Him. And by His grace be made, holy again. He’s calling your name. He’s waiting for you, with arms open wide. Come unto Christ!”

I wouldn’t have traded that moment--singing those words and looking into Bethany’s eyes--for the WORLD!!! I’ve never felt the spirit stronger! I broke down when we were finished with the song and told Bethany about my experience praying before the mission. All I could say to her at the end was,

“YOU make it ALL WORTH IT!!!!”

The heartache, the homesickness, the fatigue, the failure, the rejection, the sacrifice, the bitterness, the pain, the loneliness, the hardship……it is ALL WORTH IT!!!

Missions are worth it. They’re hard, but they. are. worth. it!!!! There are “one’s” that are out there waiting for you to reach out to them, to find them, to help them, and to bless their lives eternally. Whether you’re a full-time missionary or a member missionary…..they are out there! They’re waiting for YOU!!!

And you’re perhaps the ONLY one who can find and help them! Don’t wait! They need you NOW!!!!

IT IS ALL WORTH IT!!!!

Onward and Upward,

Sister Anna Parker

towel #6!!!

#besties:)

couldn't be happier!!!