You're Gonna Miss This

 

 

"There's a country song for that" could adequately describe just about every aspect of my life. Even on the mission, after 18 months of being country music-less I still get those feel-good songs running through my head. This week was no exception. 

"You're Gonna Miss This" has been playing in my mind over and over again as  I am coming to grips with the fact that this chapter of my life is about to close. 

I AM going to miss this. That fact was made even more apparent to me as we sat in a mission-wide conference this week with Elder Zwick of the 70 and were taught by him and other leaders for almost 5 hours. 

Sitting there, soaking up every ounce of spiritual sunlight from that inspired man, I realized just how precious this experience is. The love, power, wisdom, and inspiration that he shared with us, left me feeling so overwhelmed with gratitude for this gospel, for the Spirit, for this work, and for my chance to be a part of it. I'm going to miss this.

And as I realize that this mission of mine is about to all be over, I wonder sometimes if I have done enough. I was wrestling with that thought during the meeting with Elder Zwick and felt like I wasn't receiving much of an answer. However, in his closing remarks, after hours of previous instruction, he said, almost out of the blue, "If you do your best and then get on your knees, every night, sincerely asking, "Lord, wilt thou accept the best that we gave today?" then it will be enough." 

The Lord answers prayers.

President promised us that if we came to that meeting with questions of our souls, actively seeking for answers, that we would find them. I found mine. As my mission comes to a close, I realize that it is enough, not because of my own efforts, but because HE makes it enough. He fills in where I can't. He magnifies me when I'm weak. He accepts all of my offering and appreciates every sacrifice I make for Him. It is enough. And I am SO grateful for priesthood leaders and the Spirit that bring answers from the Lord to each of us!

The rest of our week was kind of a blur. My poor companion was sick for 3 days with a head cold and we were cooped up indoors for most of that time so she could recover. Despite getting a bit stir crazy, it did offer me some much-needed time to think about and process my life and how it's all about to change....and to clean the apartment:). #tendermercies

We also closed out the week with yet another blood drive and this time around it was a huge success! We had multiple non-members and investigators come, some with member friends, and a lot of ward members turned out to support us. One ward member commented, "It's just so good to see the missionaries doing all kinds of things to help out in the community and give us members opportunities to serve as well. This is the kind of thing that makes me realize that missionary work can be fun and creative and well....easy!"

Mission Accomplished:)

I also had the opportunity yesterday to bear my testimony one last time as a full-time missionary during Fast and Testimony Meeting. It's kind of heartbreaking.....so no, I didn't make it through without crying, in case you're wondering:). 

As a missionary, you get to bear testimony so often yet somehow it never gets old. It still gives me a rush every time, because every time I testify, I rediscover just how true, and powerful, and glorious this gospel is! I only have one more week of being a missionary, but that testimony--that conviction--I know, will go with me beyond the paths of this life as a full-time representative of Him, because it has become who I am. 

I KNOW that this gospel and the church is espouses is true. That, in my mind, is undeniable, because I have LIVED it. I have witnessed it, preached it, sacrificed for it, embraced it, acted upon it, and learned to LOVE it. That is the gift given to each of us from Him, who's church this is, if we will but act in faith. He promises that He will manifest the truth of this gospel to us, if we will but ask, and then live according to the knowledge that we receive.

I plan to do that and much more for this last week of my mission, and beyond!!!

Onward and upward,

Sis Anna Parker

 

 

 

 

guess who I saw at mission conference?!?!? #besties

What I do when my companion is sick and I get stir crazy cooped up in the apartment for three days...... :)

What we do in Chicago when the weather gets up to 45 degrees!!! #balmy #doorswideopen

What Hispanic investigators feed us.....after we've already had dinner at another members' home. #getonourlevel #nowthatsatorta:) #SOfull


 

 

The Days of Our (Missionary) Lives

Every week on P-day, I go through the same routine: sit down to write my weekly email, feel like my memory's been wiped because I can't remember a thing that happened that week (but somehow I'm exhausted from working so hard:), resort to using my nightly journal entries to figure out what I did for the past 168 hours, and then try to put my gazillion thoughts into an email less than a novel long;).

True story.

This week, I flipped open my journal and here goes:

- It got down to -30 degrees today with wind chill. #NBD. Frozen eye lashes, wearing four shirts, three pairs of pants, and two pairs of socks to bed at night, using blow dryers and the stove to stay warm, shaving ice off the inside of the windows, dancing on doorsteps to avoid freezing, and spending ten minutes trying to get INTO our car because all the doors are frozen shut.....yep......day in the life:)

- One of the elderly less-actives we're working with introduced me to her "old self" this week by pulling a bright red and yellow outfit out of her closet and announcing, "I used to be a professional clown, y'know!" And then proceeded to try and make me a balloon pet. Ohhhhhhh....bless her heart;)

- Y'know that scene from "The Best Two Years" where Elder Rogers says, "oh, and make sure no one flushes the toilet while the shower's running"? .......yeeeeaaaaa......found out why this morning.

- One of our African American investigators, schooled us tonight on how to "appropriately" use the N word: "I can call you n--, but you can't call me n-- unless I say you can, and if I call you n--, it's meant as a compliment." OH. Well guess what? She now calls us her "little n--'s"......and YES....I'm still adjusting to that one:). Whatever makes her happy;)

- We wrapped up an awesome lesson on the Plan of Salvation with one of our investigators (who's been meeting with the Jehovah's Witnesses weekly as well), BUT.....by the end of our lesson, she was so thrilled with the doctrine of the plan of happiness and it "made so much sense" to her (vs the teachings of the JW's that she struggles to accept) that she said, "Y'know what....y'all should come over after they leave and I'll tell y'all what they said, y'know....like I could be a Jehovah's Witness spy!" Welp.....I think she's officially picked a side:)

- Our 65 year-old investigator went off on a tangent about how she's a 3rd degree black belt, then demonstrated a head kick to my companion (barely missing her face), and then put her elbow on the table and said, "Here....arm wrestle me." What am I supposed to say to that?? Turns out.....she surprised all of us with some stiff competition....AND.....convinced us that we needed to take those morning push-ups more seriously:)

Gosh.......our lives:)

Our week was filled with some incredible spiritual experiences as well though. THOSE are the real highlights! We taught Norine more about the pre-mortal life and how we knew God before coming here to earth, and how we'll someday return to Him. She sat back, nodding, and then said, "Yes.....yes.....I hope this is true.....because that's....beautiful. I always just thought we were just...like...embryo lined up on a shelf and one by one we come down, live, then die. But you're saying that we actually lived and knew God before.....and that just makes sense! Oh, I would love for this to be true!"

It hit me as I thought later about what she said, just how beautiful this gospel truly is. Life is hard enough knowing where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. To be without that knowledge or to feel so detached from God......ah! I can't imagine! Teaching this gospel teaches me just how much God truly loves each of us. He knew us perfectly before we came here, He knows us perfectly now, and if we walk with Him through life, we'll one day become perfect just as He is. How more beautiful can this gospel be?! I love it with all my heart!!

One of our "miracle moments" this week came in disguise, when we were on the brink of discouragement. We'd arranged to go with Norine to the Family History Center one night this week. We were excited to help her get more involved, but when we showed up to her apartment to head to the church together, no one answered. Eventually her brother in law pulled up and joined us on the doorstep in the sub-degree weather, waiting for someone to come down and unlock the door. Norine then called to tell us she wasn't home and wouldn't be able to make it to the FHC. ET, her brother in law, turned to leave when we told him no one was home, but as he was walking away, he slowed, turned, and said, "Wait.....Mormons. You guys do studies with people, right?" 3 seconds ago, we were feeling discouraged, beaten, and freezing cold, but when he said that, we knew the Lord had made plans. We started talking with him, introduced him to the Book of Mormon, and gave him a brief overview of our beliefs. By the end, he took our number and said, "Yea, I'd like to meet with y'all....here's my number...call me anytime. In fact, let's meet next week."

AH!! The Lord is amazing:) We'd actually debated whether or not to go to Norine's that night, or whether to just meet her at the church building, and after that encounter with ET, we were SO glad we'd listened to the prompting to go!! The Lord always has a back-up plan to the back-up plan, and while we were thinking that our efforts had been wasted that night, the Lord put ET into our path, because He knew that ET needed to hear our message! The Lord turned our "tears of sorrow into tears of joy" and my heart was SO full of gratitude that night!

Sis Green and I are seeing the Lord put people into our path that are ready to hear the gospel, and it's absolutely incredible! He is so good to us! At the same time, we've been feeling an increase of Satan's attacks, and it hasn't been easy, but in zone conference this week, President told us that the last few months of our missions is when we learn the most valuable lessons, specifically in Christlike attributes, because the Lord is refining us this last time before we're released.

Well....I'm feeling refined:)

It's hard, and there are some days when I just want to smack the devil, but I'm determined not to coast through these last 2 months. This is my "4 minutes." The spirit's been direct with me this week, in telling me that I need to re-commit. I want to leave it all on the field. I want to walk off that plane, knowing I gave this mission my all. I want to have no regrets. I want to finish my time here, confident that He's proud of me. I want to know that I did my best.

So that's what we're going to do. We're setting our sights high, aiming for success, and holding nothing back. "Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage.....and on, on to the victory!" (Joseph Smith)

So onward and upward!!

Sis Anna Parker

"it's like a Christmas tree....."

if you don't know where that line is from.....

.....you need help....

Sis Green could've killed me....but instead she took a picture:) haha! #whatachamp

our "professional clown" :)

Ask Anna

Lovelies!!

Notice the new gadget in the sidebar???

Yep. Just for you:) 

Over the past year, I've been getting emails, messages, and letters from you beautiful blog readers all across the globe, and your questions for me range from 

"How do I share the gospel with my friends?" 

to 

"What advice do you have for a soon-to-leave missionary?" 

to 

"Why did you decide to serve?"

I decided to add a gadget to the blog to make it easier for you to ask me questions!! (and hopefully I can keep up with responses:)!!  Just click on the "Ask Anna" gadget to send me your questions!

I don't claim to know the answer to every doctrinal stumper, or how to share the gospel with anyone anywhere, or even everything you need to know before, during, and (heaven knows) after the mission.....BUT...that being said, I absolutely LOVE sharing what I've picked up and learned along the way and let's be honest.....

missionary work is one of my all time f.a.v.o.r.i.t.e. hobbies:) 

Hearing from you girls (and guys;) and getting the chance to help you out with your missionary work and prep is a HIGHLIGHT of my mission experience!!

So if you've got questions....SEND THEM MY WAY!!

We're all in this together

<3

so keep shining, lovelies! 

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker 

check out the gadget this way -------->

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;)

Missionary Workouts

[Instert Family Feud background music]

"We surveyed 100 missionaries.....the top 5 answers are on the board...."

Q: Name the most popular missionary workouts:

1. 1 minute of leg lifts, followed by 29 minutes of recovery

2. 10 crunches (in bed.....attempting to roll out for morning prayers)

3.  Pouring milk onto cereal counts as a bicep workout, right?

4.  30 straight minutes of actual working out......

5.  Zzzzzzzzzzz.........

(btw...#5.....don't even think about it....)

Here's the scoop: It's 30 MINUTES. 

I feel ya....somehow working out (pre-mish) 3-4 hours a day at the gym to earn a personal trainer's license, on top of rugby practice at night and basketball tournaments in the morning, wasn't half as hard as now pulling my eyelids open in the morning as a missionary and lacing up my Nike's to go workout for a measly half hour. 

S.O.M.L.

But.....it's a whole wold easier for me to hit the ground in the morning, ready to workout, if I HAVE OPTIONS. Like over 30 options....so I don't have to repeat a single workout in a month. 

#steezy

So.....I'm uploading my 30+ workouts for all ya girls (and guys?) out there who want 30 minute workouts (almost all of which don't require any equipment, and little space) so that 6 weeks to sexy rather than 10 weeks to tons happens;)

Get out there. Push hard. Be obedient by working out. Blessings come. Oh, and have fun!

(the hand-written workouts are my own workouts, so if they're not self-explanatory, shoot me an email: anna.parker@myldsmail.net. I just printed all of these workouts off before my mission, put them in sheet protectors, and keep them in a workout binder.) 

Click here to view and download:   Missionary Workouts (over 30+)

Should I Serve A Mission???

A little while ago, a family member who is soon to submit mission papers wrote me and asked, "Tell me everything there is to LOVE about a mission. I've heard enough about the hard.....tell me what makes it all worth it."

I responded, and now, a few weeks later, I figured I'd upload my letter for all of you who feel the same way....



"So....you asked me some really good questions--good in a number of ways: good for you to know, as well as good for me to answer. To preface, though, I gotta say, I'm totally having de-ja-vu to back before my mission.....the whole "enough of hard! what about the good?"


"So, lemme just say, I wish I'd heard more about the good before I came out. The questions you asked made me reflect on both the the hard and the joy of mission life. I realized there is much of mission life that I take for granted, which made me realize that there is even more joy to be found in this lifestyle than I sometimes realize.  Sooooo......take this letter--which is focused on the joys and blessings of missionary life--not as the 24/7-life-is-always-easy norm, but also remember to find joy in the small things, then that makes the work joyous.


"Ok....'nuff said. Rambling.....trashed. Here's really what you want to know! 



1st question: What makes me crazy happy? People. Love the people and you'll love your mission. Whether it's having someone accept the invitation to meet with you, be baptized, or report to you that they prayed for the first time ever....that is when I'm CRAZY HAPPY! Like get-back-into-the-car-and-just-scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs happy!!! Because it's about them!!! It's sometimes hard or unnatural to love, but invest your heart in e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. you meet and talk to.....and love (and happiness:) follows!

2nd question: What is fun about a mission? Being weird. Being crazy. Getting teased. Having adventures. Little kids loving you as "their missi-mary." Eating new foods. Pranking friends. Comp selfies. District lunches. Zone activities. Sightseeing. Transfer giddiness. Laughing at old church films (Legacy.....easy cheesy! lol). Teasing companions. Meeting strange people. Getting called funny names. Mission jokes. Taking pictures. Running back to the apartment at 8:55 p.m.. Life bloopers. A lot of things, really. But a lot of times, you have to make the fun! Get creative and learn to laugh at yourself;)

3rd question: What is rewarding about missionary life? SO MUCH. period. The Lord rewards His full-time missionaries in SO many ways! I see His tender mercies around me all. the. time.! It's rewarding in ways you also don't expect, though. After a long hard day, going to bed tired? Rewarding. An opportunity to do a random act of service? Rewarding. A prayer from an investigator thanking God for sending YOU to them? Rewarding. A lesson so fulled with the spirit that you have no idea what you said, but it worked? Rewarding. The first time an investigator walks through the doors of the chapel in jeans and a t-shirt? Rewarding. Helping a new young missionary find the power of their testimony? Rewarding. There is SO much reward in store for full-time representatives of the Lord! Like I said in a past email, there is NO way this is not the Lord's work, because NO such satisfaction and joy could come from work so hard! It truly is SO rewarding.

4th question: What is the power of being a missionary like? GAH!!! I L.O.V.E. it!!!! There is nothing like it!!  It's like being superhuman, really;) Like, ya put on the tag and suddenly, there's no bars held--you can talk to anyone and everyone, people respect and admire you instantly, inviting yourself in and over to people's houses isn't weird at all, you open your mouth and no matter how stupid or incoherent you sound, your words somehow make it to their hearts.....and the list goes on! There's also unseen power from God which leaves you standing there in awe of HIS power. Check out Jacob 5:72. Nuff said. He's in this work WITH US!! What more power could you ask for?? The power is unmatched but....you also have to work for it, look for it, love it, and appreciate it! Then IT COMES!!! Those are the days when you can't help but shout, "I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!"

5th question: What makes the mission amazing? Well, I guess the answer to that is just a summary of the last 4 questions;). It's amazing in many ways (probably most of which, I won't even fully appreciate or recognize until it's all past). One thing, I gotta say that is amazing about being a missionary is the incredible support system that you have access to. I'm constantly surrounded by people--the mission president, his wife, district leaders, zone leaders, the bishop, ward members, senior couple missionaries, fellow missionaries, etc.--who are my biggest fans and most constant supporters just because I wear the badge!! It's truly amazing being surrounded by incredibly young peple all the time, who are going through the exact same things you are. It's kinda like EFY on steroids;) hahaha!


Every now and then, I have those mind-blowing moments where I all of the sudden realize, "This is sick!" and I also have to realize how hard it will eventually be to have to resign from the ranks and go back to "normal life" (yea, whatever that is;).


6th Question: Why is a mission both amazing and hard? Yea, you hear about the hard, because it IS hard. But it's an experience that teaches you so much! You will NEVER regret serving! The longer I'm out here, the more I realize, "Dang, idk how I would have every gotten marries, had kids, raised a family, accepted church callings, etc. if I'd never served a mission!" You will learn SO much about yourself, other people, the world, the church, gospel doctrine, and most importantly, about the love of Christ and His atonement as you serve--more than you could learn anywhere else in so short a time!


You will develop incredible relationships, meet amazing people, make best friends out of companions, and see and do things you'd never dreamed of! haha! It's an a.d.v.e.n.t.u.r.e.! Take on the challenge! (And don't worry...you'll get used to people staring awkwardly at your chest until you remember that's where your tag is at;) 


Sometimes you'll feel like your badge is really a 10 foot pole with a sign tacked to the end "keep your distance and avoid eye contact at all costs otherwise, I'll be really friendly and try to convert you!" hahaha! and again, at other times, your tag is what prompts showers of praise, questions, compliments, and requests for help and a listening ear......its b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.! There are so. many. blessings. that come with the tag--protection, comfort, strength, discernment, power, etc.!


Ok so to wrap up......I was thinking about those emotions some of us feel.....specifically, not wanting to go. My word of advice would be to make a list of the "why's"--why you're going. Rack your brains if you have to:)! As you go along, and throughout your mission, review it and add to it. It often brings things back into perspective for me when the going gets tough.


And just remember, a mission isn't meant to be easy all the time. But all the time, it's worth it! Go out and have a blast! Turn your heart and will over to the Lord and watch and see what amazing miracles He will work through and for you!  The work is hastening this last time! This is the lat time He will send for His laborers to find the elect! The urgency is there!    Don't let this incredible opportunity pass you by!    Join the ranks! "We are as the armies of Heleman...in these latter days!"


You'll find (and re-find) the fire of missionary work! It WILL come, just wait and see! It doesn't come all at once and sometimes not as fast as you'd like, but it does come! Hold out and hold fast! Sacrifice truly does bring forth the blessing of heaven!


Keep walking--you're moving in the right direction and the Lord knows and understands how frightening and even painful that step into the darkness can be. Just think, even before the most important step in the history of mankind--the Atonement--Jesus Christ himself pled,  



"If it be thy will, let this cup pass from me."

 He knows what that's like! He knows exactly what you're feeling!

"Never-the-less (think about the meaning of that word!) glory be to the Father, and I partook!" (DC 19:9)  Your mission is a "never-the-less"! 



The blessings and miracles brought about both to you and to others will far out-weigh any sacrifice you make! I love you! Your faith and willingness to obey will be an inspiration to many!



Onward and upward!



Sister Anna Parker

Up High

What. A. Week.
  

And somehow and flies and crawls by....all at the same time. #missionlife

Monday morning, we call our dinner appointment--a member who always takes us out to eat for dinner--and come to find, he's planned the perfect missionary rendezvu...

A SPORTS BAR
   

okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.....and yes, I got the weirdest looks of my life there
   

......might as well have been nun at a Jay-Z concert.  

  

After leaving our dinner appointment, we rushed off to teach James just as a MEGA lightning storm hit complete with torrential rain. I was in h.e.a.v.e.n.;) I love love love lightning and thunder and rain storms....the whole enchilada. 

     

Even better, sitting inside teaching James with the spirit SO strong, all the while the storm is howling and thrashing outside.....felt amazing......it was a life lesson: the gospel really does create that safe haven amidst all the storms of life and gives us the shelter and protection so needed in today's world.
  

Ok, now off the soap box:)..... 
   

With the downpour came missionary miracles too: S.E.R.V.I.C.E;)    By the next morning we were over at member's homes helping with flood damage, clean-up, and take-out. I can now add hauling wet carpet and shop vac-ing to my list of mission-accquired skills.         #gifted

Between basement water parties, we got to help out in other unique ways as well......like making clouds for HS senior parties out of chicken wire, hot glue guns, batting, pillow fluff, and LED lights.  
     

Creative much??   Hit me up if you wanna learn how to make a cloud.....made me so excited to get to heaven one day...#missionarynerd

 And the (service) party don't stop till 5am tonight.......or....in the case of sister missionaries .....till 9pm at night.    For reals....you think I'm joking...
 

We showed up at an investigator's house on Saturday to do a number on her yard and that turned into a number of hours on us. Lezzzzz see.....6 to be exact. Holy guacamole. And we LOVED it.

Two of those hours were spent trying to pull, tug, lasso, yank, and swing on a huge tree branch that was broken and hanging from one of the oaks in their backyard. They were afraid it could eventually fall and hurt someone, so, of course....missionaries to the rescue. 

Took us an e.t.e.r.n.i.t.y. to finally get it down, after multiple failed attempts (the bugger was jammed between branches and trunks), until finally the neighbor came out, climbed on top of the nearby woodshed and then climbed a 40 foot ladder (on top of the woodshed).....with a chain saw......to lean out around the trunk for a one-handed buzz-cut to the branch.

Guys and their thinking.......

     

Welp....at least it worked....surprisingly;) and the elders then had a party using chain saws to hack it apart for fire wood. Turns out, the neighboor who came out after seeing our epic fails, is a non-member who's married to a less-active. He's apparently very anti-mormon and especially towards their service.....BUT, after spending that time serving along side us, he stayed for dinner, gave us his card and phone number, and t.o.t.a.l.l.y. warmed right up to us.     #score

It's amazing what service and the spirit can do to soften people's hearts!

Moments of the week:

We set off the fire alarm trying to make chips out of tortillas,

were asked to attend PEC....#girlstatus,

heard Jesus Christ be compared with Kevin Costner, and the Jdubs compared with the Start Trek Borg,

taught my first skype lesson in sign language!!!

helped organize soccer tournament ref schedules for member service,

had an a.m.a.z.i.n.g. convo with a fellow library computer-user who now wants a Book of Mormon and a visit so "we can sit down and chat,"

and woofed a bag of freeze-dried strawberries only to find there was only 130 calories in the whole bag....#traderjoesisnowmyfriend   #winnerstatus

   

the BEST moment of the week though......was JAMES' BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!! Here it goes again:

 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

       

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO    HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPY!!!!!! Every time, it floors me, seeing how God fills His missionary with SO much love for these people we get to meet and teach!!! It's absolutely incredible!!!

I think we get more of a high out of their baptisms than they do:)

   

James had quite the fan club show up too....I've never seen so many people crammed into a baptismal room before! It was a.m.a.z.i.n.g.!!!!! The spirit was SO strong and I was GIDDY with happiness!!!! This gospel truly does bring happiness, joy, and peace beyond anything else!!!

That's the message we as missionaries get to share with people. That's the blessing we get to extend to them. And that's their potential if they accept! 

Missions are incredible. You come to understand the gospel in such a profound way, and not only that, but you get to see it actively at work in the hearts and lives of others. You get the priviledge of being that person to bring them a message that will change their lives forever!

Seeing James turn his life around and in doing so, come to find SO much lasting happiness and purpose....Ah! It's priceless!!! PRICELESS!!!! It's an experience I wouldn't trade for the world:)




Onward and upward!

Sister Anna Parker

AH!! baptisms!!!!

towel #6:)

graduated to weed wacker status

zone activity....love em<3

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