Cheers....

Question of the century.....did you know that there's a lego comic book edition of the Bible??? Yea, didn't know either until a couple days ago when we were at a members home and their two boys brought it out to show us. They were so absorbed in reading it, that their parents had to keep telling them to shut it and be sociable.

And word on the street has it that there's a Book of Mormon version too.

Someone is brilliant. Expect convert baptisms to soar.

hahaha! Hey...if it works, it works. Those members' kids now know the bible better than I do:)

Anyways....gosh, this week was something else! Tuesday morning kicked off with loud banging on our front door and, "It's your neighbor, let me in!" We opened the door and let our 5 ft african american neighbor, Jamie, into our kitchen. She had her dog in one arm, and a water bottle and ding dongs in the other.

"Girls....i just heard from my agent...and I'm finally going to be able to move into my new apartment! So we're gonna have a toast....with water...since that's all you guys drink.....and then i need to you brush my hair since I'm going out today...."

Mmmmkkkkkkk.

So at 8:15am on a Tuesday morning, we had a water toast, brushed our neighbor's hair (while she kept saying she was "tipsy from that shot so early in the morning":), and ate ding dongs. Hey, at least she now knows how we celebrate Mormon style.

Yep, this is my life.

One of the highlights of my week, though, happened on Wednesday when we were dropping by some less-actives. We'd finished visiting them and made our way back to the car just as I saw a woman walking her dog on the other side of the street.

[Spirit to Sis Parker moment]

.......and I knew I was supposed to talk to her. I drove down the street, still doubting the prompting, but by the time I'd hit the stop sign, I knew I needed to go back. So we flipped around, drove up, and we tried engaging in a conversation, but it ended up not going anywhere. We drove off again, and I was stumped.

Anyone who's been a missionary knows what that feels like....following a "prompting" only to have it go absolutely nowhere and then subsequently feeling confused and a bit defeated. I eventually brushed it off and we went on with our day. By the evening, we had one more less-active to visit, and they turned out to have no interest in the church. As we were walking away from their house, though, the spirit prompted me to go and tract their neighbor's house. I was SO close to brushing it off since it was cold and dark, and I already felt beaten, but at the last moment, I was reminded of my willingness to follow promptings earlier that day, even if they didn't amount to much, "If you can do that, you can knock on this door..."

So I made my feet turn and up to the door we went.

We knocked just as a guy with his 5 year old daughter came to the door. The spirit filled my mouth with words about eternal families, Christ' ability to strengthen those relationships, etc. and Mike, the dad, responded as soon as I'd finished, "I'm actually VERY interested in this. I've been looking for a church for a long time now, and I'm looking for answers and opportunities for my family."

He gave us a return appointment on the doorstep, and promised to read the pamphlet we gave him. We were both ecstatic walking back to the car after that!! As we got in, the spirit spoke to me, "You received that prompting to knock on his door, because you were willing to follow seemingly unfruitful promptings before."

In that moment, I was SO grateful that I had listened to the spirit that day, even when it seemed awkward and even when nothing came of my efforts. Those other promptings were preparing me to receive and follow a prompting that mattered MUCH more.

I believe the Lord was testing me to see if I would follow His instructions, even if I didn't know the results of those actions. Since that first initial contact, we've met with Mike once more, and after answering his many questions and giving him an overview of our beliefs, he looked us in the eye and said, "Where do I go from here? What do I need to do to take this a step further? Can I come to church? Do I need to meet with your pastor or someone? How can my girls get involved too?"

Oh my gosh! We were floored!! We gave him a book of mormon, and he agreed to come to church, and our plan is to extend a baptismal invitation to him next time we meet! By the end, he also told us, "I can promise you guys, I will give this [holding up the Book of Mormon] a sincere try. I really want to know...."

What if I hadn't listened to that prompting?? Ah! I don't even want to know! I am just eternally grateful for the Lord's quiet promptings and for my ability to follow them and show my faith! NEVER ignore promptings! Even if they don't seem to yield immediate results, perhaps the Lord is preparing you for something greater!

Mike is golden and his heart is sincere! We are SO excited to start helping him down this path to find his answers, peace, and happiness with his family!!

Last minute moments of the week:

- My little hometown of Merrimack NH was trending on FB this week for issuing a warrant for the groundhog who said 6 more weeks of winter. REPRESENT. #merrimackhomies #atleastitwasn'ttrendingforsomethingworse:)

- On P-day we braved the transit system with the Hermanas and went DOWNTOWN!!! We visited the Shedd Aquarium and managed to get two potential investigators along the way:) #ballin

- We had a Linger Longer social after church on Sunday, and I'd just sat down to eat when I heard someone come up next to me and ask, "That looks really good. Can I have some??" I turned to see JAMES KUMAR!!!! Oh my gosh!!! No girl was ever more surprised and never more HAPPY!!!! Turns out, he was dropping off his son at his mom's house in Westchester and popped on over to the church to see if I was there by chance! Ahhhh!!!! I felt like I was home in BG again and it felt SO good to reconnect, talk, and laugh like we used to!! That was definitely a tender mercy for me and a HIGHLIGHT of my entire WEEK!!!!!! It's crazy how you realize how much you care about and love people when you see them again after being away for so long!! Ah!!! James told me he's now received the Melchizedek Priesthood and has been made a 7/8 yr old primary teacher and I couldn't be more proud! And then, like good old times, his phone went off when we were talking and of course....his ringtone is Mo Tab:) My convert is still the coolest convert out there:)! hahaha! #feelingproud #feelingblessed

Anyways.....so yes, it's been a week. I still can't believe that my time is running out. It's kinda terrifying actually. But like Elder Holland said, "It's not over till it's over." So here we go.........another week of living the dream:)

Onward and upward,

Sister 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

Fishy

On Monday night, we're eating at a members house and when we'd finished, we asked if there was anything we could do to serve them, especially since they are leaving for vacation soon. "Anything you need done while you're gone?" I asked. Their 10 year old son gasps, and says, "DAD!! They could take our fish for the week!!!"

Ummmmmm.........ehhhhhh........pg. 46, White Handbook........pg 46, White Handbook.....

We kinda awkwardly committed to asking for permission to see if we could have a pet fish for a week........weirdest service project I've ever accepted, but hey......

2 days later.......

"Hey Elders (Zone Leaders), we have a REALLY stupid question to ask you............can we HAVE A FISH??”

After awkwardly explaining our predicament, they basically referred us to the AP’s. Ok….so that’s not exactly what I wanted to hear………who wants to call the AP’s about keeping a fish??

4 days later……

“Hey Elder J--- (AP)…….dumb question……can we have a fish??”

More awko taco convo. Luckily, between laughs he says, “Hold up, I have to tell my companion this….” and then we hear him and his companion (the other AP) laughing on the other end.

Oh the things we do for members:)

A few minutes later, he comes back on the phone, “Sooooo…..’cause of white handbook rules, we can’t exactly give permission for that. You should call PRESIDENT on that one.”

Oh. Please. NO.

But what are ya gonna do?? Soooooo…..we pick up the phone…..AGAIN……and dial President.

“Hey President, so…….we have a really odd question to ask you…….”

And off we go again, explaining our fish problems. President just laughed and said, “Alright sisters, here’s what we’ll do. You can keep the fish for the week…..but if it dies…..just remember (and let the members know) I warned you it might die;)!”

#notguilty

We just laughed, and agreed. Talk about the weirdest conversation you’ll EVER have with your mission President. lol! 10 minutes later the AP’s called us, “What’d president say??”  We told them and they just laughed……and then told us, “Yea, well just remember….if the fish goes belly up….your member trust goes sinking down.”

Thanks, Elders.

Hahaha! Soooo…we should have our little fin in a week or two. #privlidged #testoftime #justkeepswimming

And because we didn’t get enough fishy business in for the week, we signed up to help at a community event…..a FISHING DERBY. Alriiiiiiiiiiiiight.  We showed up at 7 am in the morning, to start hauling tables, taping up signs, organizing materials, (oh, and getting free volunteer t-shirts…..LOVE those;). It was hosted by the local police department and hosted at……wait for it……the near-by catholic seminary that serves over 2500 students wanting to become catholic ministers, nuns, priests, etc.

Felt a bit outta place, but hey……represent your hood:)

So we kept our tags on (obviously), and between the peals of the chapel’s bells, struck up gospel conversation with the event’s participants, EMT’s, police officers, volunteers, and staff. Can’t count how many times people saw our tags and said, “Oh…..so you’re in training to become a NUN! That’s wonderful!”

Welllllllllllll….not exactly. 

The venue was absolutely breath-taking, though….right on the edge of a beautiful lake, with long piers stretching out into the lake, and garden over-looks above the shore. Aaaaaaand……watching families, couples, and friends out fishing together…..ah! I loved it…..(and have never wanted to fish more in my life!) haha!

By the end of our time there, we’d found two people to meet with and then got asked to help out at the next MPD service night in August.  

#score

We also went by this week to say goodbye to YUNG!!! I know!! It just about broke my heart!!! Because of her age and health, her family has decided to bring her back to Taiwan to die there, with family around her. When we came by, she had family friends over who were also saying their goodbyes. The daughter, pulled us aside and asked, “So do you know her life story??”

We confessed that we didn’t and she started into Yung’s past. Get this….she was a SPY FOR CHINA! Little 4’ 2” Grandma Yung was a legit S.P.Y. We just stood their floored while this woman tells us that Yung and her family were thrown in jail like 60-odd years ago back in China during their civil war, but when one of the jail guards saw Yung in prison, he stated that she was “too pretty to be in jail” and they released her, on the basis that she’d work as a spy for their army. Her role was to find out who in China were spies from other countries.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat???!!

And you think you know people………………..

Crazy. SO crazy. We just stood their dumb-founded, and shooting looks back and forth at Yung and each other. Well…..it’s true then…..you learn something new every day!

We got to sit down with Yung for a few minutes, and told her we’d miss her and loved her, and she quietly responded, “I’ll see you again……I’ll see you again…..” pointing her small finger towards us and squinting her eyes together in a sweet smile. 

Annnnnnd…….that’s when I lost it. I legit cried saying goodbye to her. But what she said was true….I will see her again! Whether in this life or the next, we will be together again! I’ve never been so grateful for the knowledge! And Yung has good things in store for her when she reaches the other side…..I’m convinced!!! It was hard, but good knowing that Yung will be back in her own country with family for the last months of her life!

On Saturday, we went over to an investigator’s house to do service for 5 hours! We shampooed carpets, vacuumed, cleaned, and re-arranged rooms, and it was FANTASTIC. I absolutely LOVE doing service for investigators. It’s such a perfect opportunity to live your religion and show others that we truly care! Afterwards, we got to share a message with them, and they opened up to us about their difficulties. I’m a believer…….service is the way to anyone’s heart!  

I found myself on the opposite end of that equation this week, when we showed up to Missionary Correlation Meeting. (oh…and btw….James just got his first calling…..he’s the newest WARD MISSIONARY!!!! Ah!! SO stoked! He’s the perfect addition to the team;) Anyways…….so we’re walking up to our ward mission leader’s house, and James tells me he has something for me.

He goes to the car, and comes back with a bag, smiling, saying, “I was in the mall, and when I saw this, I thought of you…..and it’s just your size.”

Ok….now I’m D.Y.I.N.G. cause I’m pretty sure I know what it is……

YEP. He legit went out and got me a RUGBY BALL ‘cause he knew I’d been trying to find one for f.o.r.e.v.e.r. now!!! OMG!!! Coolest. Convert. EVER.!! Hahaha! Sometimes, stuff like that means the WORLD to you as a missionary….and it totally came on one of those days when I needed it!!!

We’ve decided to keep James around….at least a little longer:) lol

Ok…so to wrap up…..last night, we went over to one of our recent-convert’s houses, to visit with two of his friends that were over to watch the world cup (don’t ask……..#teamgermany:). We got to talking and our conversation started getting quite intense fast.

They opened up to us about difficulties they were facing, and how they didn’t believe that God would allow bad things like that to happen, and how not everything good in this life could be accredited to God. Hearing them contend with us like that, broke. my. heart. It’s tough. As a missionary, we often get the reaction, “you’re only 19 or 20…how could you possibly know what I’m going through” or “you’ve been taught this your whole life….it’s just a brain-washed ideal for you” or “you’re so young…what could you’ve possibly been through in your life that could even compare with the trials I’m facing right now.”

Honestly….it’s true.

I don’t know how to solve all your problems. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t been raised Mormon. I don’t know don’t know how to relate to you in every way.

But this I DO KNOW….that God is real. He loves each of His children individually. He cares about us. And that is why we have a Savior. He knows our pain. He knows our weakness. He knows what we’re going through. And His arm is ALWAYS extended to us if we will but take it, and be led by Him.

I don’t know everything, but like Elder Anderson said, “I know enough!” Yea, we walked out of that lesson feeling belittled and mocked, tried and shot, but I felt my testimony burning even stronger in me! These confrontational conversations coming from people, have seemed to be hitting us right and left over the past two weeks….but honestly, it hasn’t changed my opinion of this church, of God, or of this work, one bit.

If nothing else, it’s reminded me how precious the knowledge of the restoration of God’s truth is to me.Everyone needs it. And it is readily available to ALL!! I told one of the investigators last night, “All we want to do is place this truth in your hands, and let you decided what to do with it! Try it….give it a chance! It brings peace and happiness, and answers to your questions.” 

And just as I promised him then, I believe it still now:  IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!!

Onward and upward!!

Sister Anna Parker

Saying goodbye to my Chinese grandma:(

#ballersgottaball       #meetmyconvert:)

#selfiesunday