What I Wished I'd Known Before Coming Home

Ok....the title says it all. As promised....here's everything I'd wished I would've known before coming home .....and other tips, suggestions, and things I just happened to get right my first go at it:)

Some of these are things I did before I even left the field and some are things I did (or wish I did:) during the 3-9 weeks months of limbo following the awkward see-the-family-for-the-first-time-while-coming-down-the-escalator-but-can't-go-any-faster-to-meet-them moment.

Admit it...we've all thought how awkward that 12.8 seconds is.....

:]

So here goes:

WHAT I WISHED I'D KNOWN BEFORE COMING HOME

(Before leaving the field)

- Start eliminate unwanted or extra clothing/items 2-3 weeks before you go home...it cuts down on packing (aka STRESS/CRAMMING) time towards the end 

- It's ok to feel tired;)...it means you're working hard! (Read about Alma and Moroni's "rest" after their hard efforts)....just know that your rest comes later...work hard NOW!

- Satan will try hard those last few weeks in EVERY way...don't let him win! Work hard, be obedient, stay focused, pray harder than you ever have before, and give it ALL to the Lord!

- Send on packages home if need be/possible 1-2 weeks before coming home. I sent home bulky items/mission keepsakes in a box to save on luggage space and avoid fees at the airport. 

- Mission debit cards for departing missionaries are loaded based on the number of days in the month (vs the whole month's worth) that you have left to serve. So for instance, I came home on the 16th so I got 16 days worth of funds (about $5 a day). Budget out your last cycle's worth of mission funds in case unexpected expenses come up as you start planning to go home. 

- Because it's practically impossible to say goodbye to everyone (esp converts) from old areas (or even from you current area) before you go home, consider writing "farewell" letters to them before you leave the mission. 

- Ask to bear your testimony your last Sunday (or take advantage of Fast and Testimony meeting) on the mission in your last ward! Trust me, it's an AMAZING experience!!

- KEEP A JOURNAL. Seriously...write down EVERYTHING you can! Those last few weeks are filled with some of the most precious/interesting/life-changing/

- Building off that last one...in your last interview with your mission president, remember everything you can and then the minute you get out....WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU REMEMBER!!! Trust me......you're going to want/need it later...more like forever:) 

(When you get home)

- The ABSOLUTE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE ANY RM: KEEP THE MORNING SCHEDULE!! I can't stress this enough. At first, I didn't really think it was that big of a deal, but now I realize that it's CRITICAL. Rise up early, exercise, put the Lord first and really study your scriptures. Ponder, pray, and have your personal time with the Savior. 

- Have a plan before coming home. Plan on getting a calling, a job, starting school, volunteering in the community....ANYTHING. Just get busy doing the RIGHT things. You know where I'm going with this..... "be anxiously engaged in a good cause:)" 

- Write down everything. Yes.....I'll say it again....KEEP A JOURNAL. It will keep you on track, close to the Lord, thinking things through, and aware of the guidance of the spirit in your life. Just do it...ok....trust me:)

- Stay connected with investigators, LA's, members, etc.! Write them, message them, connect with them on social media, call them, FaceTime them! You will ALWAYS be their missionary! Don't EVER give that up!! 

- Stay involved with missionary work!!  That badge on your heart NEVER comes off! Go out with the missionaries, always keep a BoM and mormon.org cards on you to give away, post mormon messages on social media, build your own investigator pool of friends and neighbors, get a calling and work with less actives! 

- "You don't have to lose [the spirit]!" One of our AP's told us that the last night in the field and it has totally stuck with me. When you come home, you DON'T have to lose the "spiritual high"  everyone talks about if you don't want to. And it is ABSOLUTELY true. It is completely up to you. If you put in your work, time, effort, desire, and heart....you can keep that spiritual high. The Lord will NOT take that away from you!!

- Re-find "investigators" (family members, youth, friends, neighbors, etc.)! This work doesn't stay in the field! The world is your field!! (you've just been re-located:) 

- Get a routine down. I HATED routine before the mission...but now I can't live without it. Get your own post-mish routine down and stick with it. 

- Elder Perry visited our mission the week before I left and told us, "If I ever meet you after your missions, I'm going to ask you if you're using a calendar all the time to effectively budget your time.....and if you're not than you are wasting the knowledge and training you have received here on your mission!" USE A CALENDAR!! BUDGET YOUR TIME!! 

-  Give yourself time to adjust. Don't feel like you have to rush it, but also don't feel like you have to take it slow. Just let things happen the way they happen, and as long as your close to the spirit, let yourself get back into your hobbies, relationships, interests, etc. 

- BREATHE....don't take life too seriously at first...it'll all come with time:) 

- My mission president told us, "Elders and sisters, going home from a mission isn't death...life goes on;)" Yes.....yes...it does:) Forge on in faith!

And now for some 10 second summary advice.....just remember to put your relationship with the Lord above ALL ELSE in your life. He is your best friend and will be at your side through it all if you will stay next to His. Yes, it will take time, and yes, it will take effort. Coming home from a mission can and will be a bit rocky at first. It's not the most graceful experience of your life. but hey....it's all part of the ride:) 

Really, though, if you can keep your faith firm and your hope bright, everything else in your sometimes tailspin-of-an-RM life will come together. Dedicate yourself to your spiritual life, first and foremost. Those spiritual muscles have been worked day in and day out for the past 18-24 months and yea, they might be bone tired.....but you DO NOT want to wake up one day and realize that all that strength...all that power...that might...and that conviction...that was so painstakingly built and fortified, has been lost due to negligence and apathy. 

Your work life, your school life, your dating life, your family life, your financial life, your social life....it will all work together for your good and the Lord will be at the helm to guide you if you will but put your SPIRITUAL life FIRST. 

STUDY your scriptures daily. 

PRAY always.

Attend the temple.

Fast.

Ask for priesthood blessings.

Serve faithfully in your calling.

Continue to share the gospel.

Counsel with the Lord in EVERYTHING.

The so-called "adjusting" back to "normal" life should NOT be a spiritual one!!! 

Maintain the spiritual practices, habits, and gifts you've developed on your mission. Don't slack off! It can be SOOOO tempting sometimes, but don't even think about it:) Keep your sights high and remember that you're not alone....the Lord has promised, "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up" (D&C 84:88)

That promise doesn't end at the completion of a mission! 

He is with you.....ALWAYS!!!

Onward and upward....you got this:)

Can I Get an Amen?!

The prospect of working out gets me out of bed in the morning……..yea I’m a freak. 

SO….Wednesday morning, I pull my companion out of bed, grab my Saucony’s, and head out the door, convincing Sister Bishop that this workout is going to be e.p.i.c.

Not 10 minutes out, we’re blazing down an oak-lined street, and I’m happily jabbing away while Sis Bishop is still trying to wake up…..when I feel “drops” coming down from the tree we’re under.



I look down at my shirt and IMMIEDATELY…...... start KRUMPING.



Poop.



And it’s not just on my shirt. It’s on my shirt…..AND my pants…..AND my head (!!!!!). What on earth is that bird doing up there?!? 


One thing’s for sure…..we never got home faster than we did that morning. And after a thorough shower……I ate eggs for breakfast to show that peep what I’m capable of;) hahaha!


That same morning, we head out to district meeting and the sky was SO close with tons of huge gray clouds moving SO fast and billowing like crazy…….(don’t worry….I took a video of it for the awkward-RM show-your-slides night when I get back.)

By the time we got to the church building, it was starting to rain. Soon the thunder came, the lightening started flashing, and we could hear tornado sirens screaming in the distance. At the end of our meeting, our district leader turned to me and asked me to accompany the group in “Onward Christian Soldiers.”



The one time in my life I’ve had legit background music.



That lightning and thunder could have been bombs going off for all we cared…..EPIC. Probs one of the coolest mission moments I’ve had……it made up for the non-epic-ness of the morning workout;) lol



By Saturday, we thought out adventures were more or less over…….never been more wrong in MY LIFE.

Right before we’re supposed to start personal study, a member of our ward, Sister G., calls us frantically:

“Sisters! I need your help! My one daughter (Amy) is in town for the week, and my other daughter (Jessica) is flying in from Hawaii right now, and Amy doesn’t know….it’s a surprise for her! I need to go pick Jessica up from the airport, but Amy needs help with the kids and with our yard sale while I’m gone. CAN YOU HELP??”


Sure thing. I’m always up for surprises.


So we fly out the door 10 minutes later, show up, and meet our member who’s outside setting up the yard sale. We whisper and laugh for a few minutes over the up-coming surprise, and then Sister G. instructs us to go inside to help Amy.

We walk in the back door, and the first thing Amy says to us is:

“Sisters! How did you know to come right now! You’re a miracle! Don’t tell my Mom, but my sister is flying into town right now from Hawaii and it’s a surprise for her! It’s a total miracle that you showed up when you did, because I have to go pick them up from the airport and Mom needs help here with the kids and garage sale!”


Housten……we have a problem.



Sister Bishop and I were D.Y.I.N.G.!!!! Hahaha! We decided to play the fool and let it all play out on it’s own, so we didn’t fill Amy in, but just went with it.


Eventually, Sister G. comes in and Amy tells her she has to run a quick errand. We could totally see the wheels turning, jamming, and then re-turning again in Sister G’s mind;) lol!

As soon as Amy left the room, Sister G turns to us and says, “I’ll bet you anything, she knows about it, but doesn’t know I know about it!”


Word.


Sister G kept it a secret till Amy picked up Jessica and her family and got home ……. PRICELESS. Gotta love a family with secrets;) lol

When our work was done there…..we headed right off to our next service project:



Earlier in the week, I’d looked online for community service opportunities and found a Cancer Walk for Life happening right down the road from us.

PERFECT.

So we get hooked up with the committee and show up Saturday morning to start lining stages with purple plastic, taping signs up, and hauling tables, gift baskets, food, and equipment to all sorts of places out on the HS football field. We were having a blast, acting as the DJ’s pre-run audience, chasing down run-away papers in the wind, and meeting people from all over the community who were uber nice…….like Mormon status nice;)


We even met a long-time less-active, Russell, who seemed excited to be in contact with “church people” again (he’s less-active because his wife is not a member)…..we were obviously meant to be there …….K.A.R.M.A…..


After about 6 hours of event prep…..everything was almost finished and families were showing up, setting up tents, putting out lawn chairs, and decked in their team colors and accessories.



And then it HAPPENED.



One of the committee members comes hurrying onto the field, telling us that a MAJOR STORM WAS HEADED OUR WAY. Torrential rains, winds up to 50 mph, etc……the whole nine yards.


Well SNAP.


So we frantically started hauling gift baskets, raffle prizes, food, and equipment into a small brick shed nearby. After that was done, we headed to the DJ stand with Russell to help cover the sound equipment in black trash bags.

By the time we’d finished, the rain was POURING down in sheets and we agreed we didn’t want to get soaked by trying to head for the shed.

DEAL.

So we sat down, right then and there, with Russell while the wind was howling and sirens are blaring in the background, and did what current full-time and past-time missionaries do…….we shared mission stories.


Makes sense.


He started telling us all kinds of stories, and we could see the light in his eyes as he recalled his mission. That light…..as well as the light from the now-turning brownish-green sky. We’d been out for about 15 minutes when the group huddled in the brick shed started screaming at us. We turned to see all of them flailing their arms, signaling for us to come, and trying to yell over the howling wind.


Russell: “Crud. Well….guess we better go.”


SO…..despite our desire to stay out and watch the storm…..we ran for it and YES…..got SOAKED. We’d barely gotten inside when one of the twelve wet and terrified woman in the shed pulled the garage door down and we all stood there confusedly blinking in the dark.



0_0



All you could hear were twelve jittery women fluttering between, “TORNADO!…….funnel winds! ….touchdown!….green sky!.....too young to die!….we’re going to get hit!……(and then a whole lotta) get down on the ground! Get flat! Get down on the ground! My husband always says….get down flat! Green sky, get down!” and one pessimistic DJ muttering in the corner...... “my equipment’s going to get RUINED. Blasted tornado.”


Sister Bishop and I couldn’t help but suppress laughter…..all the while one of the 60 year old woman in the group crouched down with her head poked out under the garage door, giving us weather updates every 2 minutes.


And THEN…..the prompting came.



“Offer to pray”



Sold. They've got no where to go:) So I waited for my cue (a huge crack of lightning and boom of thunder…and subsequent terrified squeals), before announcing, “Would it be ok if we prayed for our safety and the safety of those out in the storm??”


Unanimously the women harped, “Yes! Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes!” and started forming a circle in the small 10x4 foot area we were in, each holding hands with their neighbor (yea, and Sister B ended up holding hands with Russell…..

(btw…it’s not awkward holding hands with non-mormon guys in a prayer circle, but holding hands with member guys…esp. returned missionary guys….in a prayer circle….now THAT’s awkward;) lol)


BUUUT…..before I could begin praying, a woman in the circle shouts, “Ladies! 10 HAIL MARY’s! 10 HAIL MARY’s!”


And again…..unanimously the women harped, “Yes! Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes!”



GREAT……..Well…THAT backfired on us.



So off they go: “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women…..” Over and over and over again…………While the three of us Mormons (two of us wearing the nametag of SISTER) just stand there speechless.


Now what??


Eventually, the lead woman stops and says, “Hail Mary, full of grace…ok! Ok! Ok! ……that’s probably good enough, right??” 


I’m thinking……WRONG.


So…..the Spirit of course….nudges me and I muster up, “Would it be ok if we (pointing to Sister Bishop and I) prayed?”


More unanimous “yes’s” and we bowed our heads in prayer. As I began that prayer, I was immediately struck by the difference in the Spirit that came. It filled that small brick shed, with a dozen wet and scared women huddling together while a tornado swirled around outside. I KNEW I was talking with GOD. HE was the one I was addressing….that I was going to as my FATHER…..who I needed help from and who I knew was listening to my prayer.

I wasn’t talking to Mary…and I wasn’t turning to my iPhone to find assurance from the Weather Channel that I was going to be safe…….I was turning to HIM. God Himself. And through that prayer, I knew we’d be granted safety, and that He was with us.

When I ended, there were quiet, “Thank you’s” and “That was beautiful.” They felt it. They felt the difference. The conversation suddenly went from “we’re going to die” to “God is with us.” One of the women who just moments ago was crying, “get down on the ground! Get down, get down!” stood there calmly next me and with her arm around me said, “Trust in God and it will be ok….that’s what my mother used to tell me. He’s with us.”



I looked at her straight in the eyes and said, “HE IS!”   And I knew it with all my heart!



After the funnel winds passed, the rain eventually died off, and we left the shed. EVERYTHING we'd set up....tents, stands, tables, signs.....were trashed around the field, some stuff floating down the field with the rainwash and other items strewn every which way. It was kinda depressing.


Unfortunately, they had to call off the whole event an hour before it was supposed to start, but hey, we got more service in afterwards, helping with clean up:) #blessingsindisguise


AND....we gave away our number to a number of the women that were in the shed with us, AND we got a dinner appointment with our less-active! I called it a good day:)



Sunday came and so did Bethany WITH her MOM!!! We were stoked! Her mom ended up staying for all three hours too!! What what! Afterwards, we gave Bethany a tour of the baptismal font and walked her through the program. When we first offered to have her mom say the prayer at the baptism, she declined, but after we'd showed her the font, and talked about Saturday as such a special day for Bethany, her mom said, "Well, I was actually thinking, maybe I should say the prayer, so I can be a part this for you, Bethany."

#happinesshigh

We're keeping our fingers crossed that the Spirit works on her and she can see the difference its making in her daughter's life! Gonna happen.....



Oh...another Sunday occurrence......we went to a dinner appointment at a member's, and at the end of dinner, their boys tell us that the elders were over yesterday and had a go at pogo sticking. We got visual proof too.

Classic:)

Sister Bishop and I turned to leave just as their sons pulled out the pogo sticks and handed them to us with, "are you better than the elders?" Can't let the elders outdo us now, can we??


SO....I pogo sticked in a maxi skirt.   




 YOLO




And we proved that pogo sticking in a skirt takes more skill than pogo sticking in slacks. #sisterswag #whatupelders 


So we're keeping busy, serving with a smile, and teaching with the spirit.......and it's A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!



I'm continually reminded that The Lord calls the weak things of the world (MISSIONARIES) to do His work, because they easily rely on Him. The Lord doesn't expect us to be perfect. A mission teaches you how far from perfect you actually are:)

BUT it also teaches you just how powerful you can become because you're representing HIM and can tap into His power and blessings if you're trying your best!




So....just "try a little harder, to be a little better!" (President Hinckley)




Onward and upward! 



Sister Anna Parker

Car Accidents, Creeps, and Awkward Convos

We have a less-active we're working with who we keep trying to get to church, read scriptures, fulfill a calling, etc. and this week we wanted to either give HIM a good laugh, OR.......we wanted to see if he's actually reading the assignments we give him....SO.....our text convo goes something like this....:

Us: Hey Bro P--! Are you coming to church on Sunday?

Bro P: Maybe

Us: Well, we'd love to see you there! Oh, and here's a scripture we thought you'd like, 1 Nephi 2:15. Let us know what you think!

[STOP here and go read 1 Nephi 2:15]

Bro P: Nice :)

Us: Did you read it? ;)

Bro P: No not, yet. But I will

Bro P (five minutes later): That's a good one...I recall a conference talk on that not too long ago.

FAIL.......F-A-I-L.

Well....now we know he doesn't do his reading.  Great......Gotta love them less-actives;)

I should mention………….Sis Bishop got us in a car accident this week. NBD. On a P-day. She looked over at me at a stop light....AND pressed on the gas at the same time. Too bad there was a truck in front of us;) Love that girl!  Luckily, it wasn't too bad....just a fender bender that ripped our license plate off and gave me chest pains for an hour afterwards....BUT on the good side....the guy she hit, didn't care about the minor damage to his car, so he waved us off with, "Oh I don't care as long as you guys are ok!"

What. a. gem.

Aaaaaaaaaand he had a s.i.c.k. mustache too....like handelbar status. #swag:) He was SO nice to us......and so was Elder Taggart (the office elder who manages the cars;)….Were going into the shop soon......

We got a phone call this week telling us that Yung had had a fall and is in a care facility, recovering from a minor surgery:( She's apparently going to be back home as soon as they can work out a care plan for her where she can have someone with her 24/7. Until then....she asked HER church members to call US to have us come water her roses and care for her garden till she gets home. #feelingneeded #mormonstatus #winnerwinnerchickendinner    hahaha!

Aaaaaaannnnddddd......the "Boys Across the Street" saga continues....we've met with one and then another, sometimes two and sometimes three of them...off and on this week. Unfortunately, none of them came to church this week, but we're pretty sure if we can get one, we'll get them all;) New mormon message maybe?? That's what we're shooting for;) hahaha!

One of them, we're trying to get interested in the church vs. the state.....(A.K.A the gospel versus the girl teaching the gospel:) hahaha.....it's uh.....interesting;) Boys....they're crazy:)

We've also been teaching a guy from RUSSIA!!! Joseph....you should be proud;) His name is Lev and he brought his friend Stan with him. We're starting to teach them English at the church building once a week......it's always an party;) This week...we were a bit scatter-brained because neither of us have ever taught English, and so we're newbies with no idea what we're doing. They enjoyed the lesson, though, and want to come back....good sign I'm assuming;) haha!

Lev wants to learn more idioms…..(I’m now trying to separate Twitter idioms from English idioms;)…..especially the one, “Speaking of the devil!”

He tells us, “Why you say that? Why call me a devil!? I not the devil! You Americans….no make sense. Strange….strange.”

He’s gotta point……

Afterwards, we took them on a tour of the church building, and ended up in the chapel. When they saw the organ and the piano, the “Oooo's” and “ahhhh's” came flowing......as did the many stories of pipe organs and angelic choirs of Europe. Aaaaannnddd...then....of course......the question we were dreading, "You have a choir, right?"

Uhhhhh...yes.....BUT....I don't think it's exactly what you think it is. We ain't no Monteverdi. Or even Mo-Tab for that reason. ]

SO...divert their attention……and instead...we took them up on the stand, I flipped on the organ, and began to play. Soon Sis Bishop and I started to sing, "Nearer My God To Thee" and the spirit FILLED the room. It was p.o.w.e.r.f.u.l. They stood there quietly, and just listened. Afterwards, the first thing they said was,

"When does church start on Sunday? What should we wear? Can we listen to the scriptures being read in English? Where should we sit? Does your congregation do donations?"

Ah!!! It was amazing! And I gained a testimony of the power of hymns and music to touch hearts!!! (And...those organ lessons....turns out....maybe.....sorta.....kinda.....payed off:) haha!

We've resorted to doing service for investigators we have a hard time meeting with. It gets us in faster…..oddly enough;) Sooooo……how bout walking their dogs??  Shrup. Oh, and come to find, it's a great conversation starter too while you're passing other dog-walkers;) #strategy.

But then, there always comes the questions from members on Sunday, "Sisters.....were you by chance walking a large German Shepherd down Main St on Friday??" 

Weeeeeeell .......here's the thing......:) Hey, at least we're getting noticed now....

I'm still teaching deaf friends online....skpying and having a blast! It's amazing to see the Lord blessing me as I pick up the language more and more. The gift of tongues should have a sub-label of the gift of hands;) hahaha! #nerdalert;) lol

Saturday morning, I had my first "Time to get out of this lesson.....NOW" experience.

We dropped by to visit an investigator and soon after we sat down, we asked her what she wanted out of life. She told us she wanted independence....the type that would come from "massive wealth" and “being subject to no one."  We went with it, but eventually, I started getting really uneasy….like we needed to back out ASAP.  We started wrapping up, and got on the topic of inviting her to church. She got very quite, and almost zoned out when we asked her if she wanted to attend. Eventually, she told us firmly "No." After asking her why, she literally hissed, "No. No. I don't trust anyone. I can't trust people....I've been let down too much, especially those who are so-called Christians."

As soon as she said that, I was hit by a wave of darkness. It's the most disturbing feeling you will E.V.E.R. get. It was absolutely chilling. All I was waiting for was eye contact with my companion before tailing it to the door. In desperation, I began praying, asking for the spirit to come back into my heart and mind.

In my mind, the words came, "Focus your thoughts on me. Testify and then leave."

Immediately, I imagined the Savior. And immediately, that light was restored in my heart. I felt filled with the conviction that the power of God was greater than the power of the devil. I opened my mouth and testified that all things are possible through God, and that His power is second to none. I told her I knew that God was real, and that the gospel was true. Immediately, the darkness in my mind began to leave.

I've never walked taller.

It was a haunting experience, yea, but I left that lesson, knowing that the power of God FAR outweighs the power of the adversary. I KNOW that the only way to true satisfaction and happiness is through Jesus Christ. He truly is the Light.  I felt that!

His power will always be greater, and when we side with Him, we side with victory. We’re on the winning team, and no one and nothing can stop this work. Don’t let anything stop your testimony from growing either! That light and happiness cannot be found anywhere but in this gospel and in Jesus Christ!!!

The Church is so true, I can’t even believe it!:)

 Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

Newbie Status

Sooooooo......I got my second mission call this week.

No joke.

I feel like I've entered a new dimension. 

We got the call Saturday night: "Well Sister Parker, wanna make any guesses on where you're going?"

Considering the fact that I've been crying non-stop for a week, having anxiety attacks over where I could be shipped off to, who I'll be with, how I'm ever supposed to leave these people I love, and in addition to how I'm going to man power haul all my clothes and shoes (no shame) to a new area.............

Naw...I'll pass on the guessing. hahaha

Yes......I apologized to the AP later for the shut down:)

So for reals....I've moved on to my new area just north of where I was before. Still felt like a transfer from the Shire to Esgaroth. I went from high-rises and highways to pastures and footpaths. And it's BEAUTIFUL here!!! We're in the Buffalo Grove 2nd ward, living it up in Libertyville, Mundelein, and surrounding areas.

I miss all the people and friends I made in North Shore and goodbyes were p.a.i.n.f.u.l. but I know the Lord has a plan for me here, so it's back to memorizing names, faces, streets, schedules, and all that JAZZ.

Meet the new comp: Sister Bishop! She's a doll. Love her. We're very similar and have fun together:) Said it before, and I'll say it again....Head's up, BG;)! Get this....she's also one of 12......Whhhhhhaaaaaat!! Probs the only two sisters in the mission with a fam of 12 and yup.....we're meant to be together. God has a sense of humor:)

Getting to a new area was tough at first cause the learning curve goes from 0 to 100...... Thanks, mission life. TBH it feels like a NEW MISSION CALL.

I feel like I'm in a different world, but still a missionary, doing the same kind of things but with no familiar faces or places. W.E.I.R.D. Things are shaping up for us, though, and we hit personal records this week in numbers!!

#SWAG   #going2town

We got to meet some of the neighbors last night when Sis Bishop and I decided to tract our complex. One of our neighbors was out (smoking.....hey, we can work with anything:)....so we started chatting.

Him: "So, Sis Bishop, you're from Utah. Not surprised. Sis Parker, you from there too?"
Me: "Nope...I'm actually from New Hampshire"
Him: "Ok.......yea......I can tell from your accent."

blink blink

Ok now that's the biggest joke of my life. hahaha! Just the night before a wardie had told me I couldn't have possibly been from NH, cause I didn't have an accent.

Confuse me.....that's cool too.

We've also been running all around trying to stop by investigators and members, doing service, and staying carazy busy.

Every missionary gets at least one member-present lesson on their mission where you walk out going, "what. just. happened??" 

#soml

We were ALL OVER THE MAP. Apparition visitations, Moroni and great grandma being friends, haunted houses, supposed insanity........for half and hour straight we didn't get a word in edge wise. Just kinda sat their stunned annnnnnddddd.....pushed to the point where we had to pull out ipads to send confused "what do we do now?" messages to each other.

#hatersgonnahate

5 minutes before we had to leave, the member says, "Allllriiight....should we end with a prayer?"

Uhhhhhhh......yes.....after we teach something on the subject of church doctrine.

So we did our best to cram the restoration lesson, correct false doctrine just taught, clear up confusion about "deep" subjects casually dropped, extend an invitation to church......and all in 3 MINUTES.


winner winner chicken dinner


Still walked out a bit scrambled and our investigators said goodbye still dazed and eye-glazed, but they came to church the next day!

Progress......check

Another night this week, we had 8 minutes before we needed to head home, and we decided to try dropping by a man that Sis Bishop and her last companion ran into tracting. He'd yelled (more like barked) them off his porch saying there was a sick person inside and they didn't want to be bothered. YIKES.

Sooooo......what's the Christ-like creative-sister-missionary thing to do?? Doorbell ditch him with cookies.

DUH.

hahaha! Sometimes, you just want to make someone's life better in an unidentifying way just because. And doing it with cookies.......get outta town.....#winnerstatus.


Probably one of the funnest service projects I've done my w.h.o.l.e. mission:) And.....did it in a pencil skirt and cheetah flats. I'm getting good at running in those;)

We're finding the fun in missionary work.

After church this week, we got a call from our bishop who said he'd met with the son of a member who'd taken missionary discussions a while ago but never joined the church. He'd talked with the bishop and at the end of their discussion said,

"So how do I get baptized?"

Geez laweez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a miracle!!!!!!!!! Couldn't make that follow-up call soon enough! We're meeting with him this week, and we'll hopefully see him in the font not too long after:)

We witnessed another miracle this week when we went to contact a referral from a member. We started knocking doors, and came to a house where the door open and a 90 year old 4 foot 2 chinese woman answered. She waved us in and we sat and talked for about an hour while she told us her life story. We offered her service and she began to cry quietly. She eventually accepted our offer and told us how she'd been needing help for a long while. She then clasped her hands, looked up, and kept repeating, "Thank you, God! Thank you, God!"

Talk about a tear-jerker!! THAT'S when you know you're doing your job;)

Before we left, she kissed our hands, patted our cheeks, told us we were "good girls" and to "ask our Mommy's and Daddy's if it was ok that we come over again to help" and then waved us goodbye with, "See you Tuesday! See you Tuesday!"

Yep....she's got my vote. Love her! Tuesday should be great:)


Welp.....checked-off bucket list items for the week included teaching an elder the correct use of YOLO, packaging meals for kids in the Phillipines, painting and hiding Easter eggs, discovering the complex GYM!!!!!!, finding out how bad week-old grapes taste, and learning that I talk A LOT in my sleep....... awwwwwwkwwwward.


Oh yea, and hearing that we lucked out on living in a nice apartment....the other sisters had an infestation of BATS in their ceiling this week........GAG ME. Yeeeuup......we're counting our blessings.


I also read Teachings of the President George Albert Smith, the chapter on enthusiasm for the work! I LOVED IT! #missionarystatus #noshame! He talked about how truly important and joyful this work is!

It was like a pep talk from coach Waqua....missionary style;) hahaha!

President Smith says, "How happy it will make you, if when that time comes, when you stand in the presence of the great Judge to give an account of the few years of life that have been spent in mortality, if these our Father’s children that He loves as much as He loves us, standing by us, say, “Heavenly Father, it was this man, it was this woman who first brought to me the information of Thy glorious truth that provoked in me a desire to seek after Thee more fervently than I had done before. It was this man or this woman who did this blessed thing for me.”

Missionaries and members!! We can be that person for those around us!!!!!! 

Missionary work isn't always easy. Let's get real...it can be more awkward than Rebecca Black and Friday......but it is SO rewarding, if not now, then for the ETERNITIES!!! I have to remind myself often how a little pain equals a life-time of pleasure. One invitation can change someone's life!! And the lives of those for generations afterwards!

And one day they'll thank you for it! 

Perhaps one day, like President Smith said, they'll stand beside us before God and praise our names as the one's who brought them the truth!


I can't wait for that day!!!



Onward and upward,


Sister Anna Parker

WHAT I WISHED I'D KNOWN BEFORE SERVING

Soooooooo......reading missionary blogs before coming out on my mission REALLY helped. Finding posts that began with "What I'd wished I'd known...."....................

JACKPOT.

Ever since landing myself as a sister missionary, I've started my own list of  THINGS I WISHED I'D KNOWN BEFORE SERVING. (yea, unfortunately ya can't learn e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. before you come out.....#rough). Buuuuuuuuuttttt....some of these can help out some! Enjoy!



What I'd Wished I'd Known

Before entering the MTC:

          - Bring mesh laundry bags. The bigger the better. Washing identical (wink wink:) laundry with multiple sisters in a small washing machine can get awkward real fast. Put your whites in, zip 'er shut, and you're good to go! (Comes in handy out in the field too!) 

          - Bring a retractable lanyard. The clip-on ones are the best. Between cafeteria meal scans and entry doors, being able to pull it right off your side and back again makes things WAY easier.

          - Bring a small notebook, not large. Hauling around a binder or large notebook can be a pain. Bring something you can take around to devotionals, to meals, to classrooms, and to your dorm......a small one that can easily fit in your purse/bag.

          - Bring and use scripture tabs! Being able to color-code your scriptures while reading so many every day in the MTC is SO helpful when you get out to the field. (More on how I color-code by scriptures later:) 

          - MINTS! Ahhhhhhhh....yes! Chewing gum in the MTC is not allowed, so use the mints to detox:)  They're a boredom killer and keep you awake during the long hours too!

          - Bring good pens/pencils. And bring A LOT. Somehow it's easy to lose pens in the MTC. Go figure. Bring highlighters too.......I prefer to use colored Prismacolor pencils since they don't bleed through pages. 

          - Use your workout time! It's easier to focus and study when your body has had it's time to de-gitter:) 

          - Tell friends and family to use DearElder.com to send you mail in the MTC. Same-day delivery.....can't compete:)

          - Invest in a mini Preach My Gospel. It's WAY easier to carry around places.


Before entering the field:

          - Use online outfit designer to put together your mission outfits! I used Polyvore and IT SAVED MY LIFE! Upload items that are similar to what you already have in the closet and then mix and max potential items to know what to buy that can go with every outfit! #lifesaver.......and money saver:)....................Keep it classy;)

          - Bring a pop-up hamper, one that collapses in your suitcase. It's easy to take around your whole mission and keeps your dirty laundry in one place......not on your companion's dresser:)


          - Bring a belt/scarf hanger. If they can hang in the closet, it's a space saver!

          - If you're going to an online proselyting mission, BUY AN iPad cover case/keyboard BEFORE you go out! It saves time and money once you're out! Make it cute, too:)

          - Familiarize yourself with the LDS Gospel Library, use the Notes and Tags features, and keep up on your Mormon Messages:) If you're going to an online proselyting mission, get a head-start by tagging all the PMG scriptures! When you sync out on the mission, everything will sync to your device!              

          - Get all family's emails and addresses written down for future reference

          - If you're going to a cold place, get Under Armor running leggings! They've kept me warm through Chi-town's coldest winter!  (And.....they keep you from having to wear sweats under skirts.....#tacky)

          - Bring generic gift cards. Every now and then, you'll find yourself in a bind, and having a back-up plan really helps:) 

          - Pinterest workouts! 'Nuff said. I brought 30 30-minute workouts with me on the mission in a binder. It's enough to keep me cycling through them for a whole month!!!! 
 
          - Bring some of your favorite quotes to put up around your apartment or to pull out when you need a pick-me-up. (Apartments can ALWAYS use more cute decorations anyways:)

          - Label your clothing

          - Bring light exercise equipment (resistance band, jump rope, etc.). It breaks up your morning exercise routine and offers more possibilities.

          - Bring a good first aid kit! Pain killers: must. Band aids: must. Cough drops: must. 

          - Bring a transfer journal!! At the end of each transfer, have missionaries, members, and investigators sign your transfer  journal! Then, by the end of your mission, you have a whole journal filled with notes and messages from everyone you've met and grown to love!

          - Make your suitcase recognizable.......there are WAY too many black suitcases out there:)! Use ribbons, duct tape, labels, etc. 

          - Email missionaries currently serving in your assigned mission questions, read their blogs, etc. Ask them mission-specific questions: approved music to bring, clothes, best shoes to wear, weather/temperature, etc.

          - Bring slippers.....old apartment floors...nasty.

          - Bring a recipe book with easy and fast meals to make. Healthy and on-hand ingredient-conscious recipes are key too:)

          - A sketch pad. If you're artsy, it can help you release stress when you're wound up. You also save glimpses of your mission to paper:)

          - Dry shampoo. Don't ask......just bring.

          - A flashlight. Walking home at night is a lot easier (and safer) when you have one
  
        



Hopefully, some of these help with the physical preparation of a mission. HOWEVER, the most important thing you can do to prepare is to focus on your spiritual preparation!


-Read and study your scriptures!

-Learn to recognize the spirit!

-Serve others around you!

-Share your testimony often!

-Go on splits with the missionaries in your area

-Set up a mormon.org profile

-Talk with RM's

-PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!


Getting your temporal bases covered is great, but if nothing else cover your SPIRITUAL bases! Your testimony, not your Topshop purse is going to convert. 

Be prepared in EVERY way. Also, being close to the spirit before your mission will allow the Lord to tell you what YOU need to do to prepare in the best way for you! The months before you serve can be crazy and hectic, but they are SO important! Don't let the spiritual prep slip between the cracks! It's the MOST important! Also, remember:


Breathe deep, and smile:)



Missions are a.m.a.z.i.n.g.! They're hard, but they're incredible experiences! Keep holding on! Keep going! Keep having faith! The Lord has great things in mind for each of us who joins His ranks!




Onward and upward!



Sister Anna Parker