You Don't Say....

Note to self: Don't believe anyone who says anything is "free" in Chicago. Especially when it comes to parking.....and museums.

We decided on another adventure for P-day this past week, and carpooled down with the Hermanas to visit the "free" science and industry museum together. It took us over an hour to get down there (I swear....rush hour is like a 24/7 thing in Chicago) and when we finally found the place, come to find, parking is $22 an HOUR.

Dad, forget residential real estate.....we need to buy a parking garage in Chicago.

We'll make it RAIN.
Instead, being the broke missionaries that we are, we spent the next half hour trying to find "free" parking and eventually landed ourselves a spot after awkwardly stalking people walking down the street who even looked like they might be going to their car to leave.

<<welcome to my life>>

By the time we got into the museum, it was closing in an hour and a half, and as soon as we get to the front desk, our conversation with the receptionist goes like so:

"Hey, can we get 4 free passes?"
"Sorry, what?"
"Y'know, like the free February passes?....a friend told us all museums in Chicago were free this month....."
"Yea, no. Not this one...."


[if only it was appropriate for adults to throw tantrums.....]

Instead: "Oh ok...well....sorry to bother.....thanks anyways..." (and then awkwardly walk out)

So yep. THAT was our P-day. Lesson learned: Freedom isn't free...and neither is sightseeing in Chicago.



Other than that memorable start to our week, we've been SO busy this week! It's been AMAZING!! Seriously, I'm never happier than when I'm so busy that dinner hour seems like a nuisance:)

#livinthedream

We had a miraculous moment this week, when Sis Green and I were planning and she started trying to clean up our phone (we have SO many contacts in our phone that neither of us know and there's no record from past missionaries on who they are). She started calling everyone and ended up calling a former investigator, Armando, who said he'd met with missionaries a year back and had never really heard back from them, but was still interested. We set up an appointment and met with him on Saturday.

Gosh, is he prepared!!! We were both SO impressed by his thoughts, desires, and his active search for truth! We were about thirty minutes into the lesson, and he was going off about how the universe reflects God's hand and power, when he said, "Here's what I think....we need to ask ourselves three or four simple but important questions:

“Where did we come from?

Why are we here?

Where are we going after this life?

And who created us?"

………….

You don't say.

Yea, that's a moment when I was inwardly having a Buddy the Elf "Santa's coming!!" reaction, but outwardly we're both like, "Mmmhmmm....yea....we totally agree.....uhhuh...."

hahaha! Gosh....mission life:) We extended a baptismal invitation to him at the end of the lesson and he accepted!! He is so receptive to the truth we have to share with him, and it's incredible to see the
light of Christ within him resonate with the message that we have to share! I am just SOOOOO excited to see him start down this path to so much more light, truth, and knowledge!



Last-minute highlights of the week:

-Sister's conference!! I got to see all my comps again!! Sis Bishop, Sis Teare, and Sis Carroll...gosh we could hardly stop cracking our inside jokes again just like old times!! Gosh, have i missed them! Oh
and the messages and workshops were also FANTASTIC!! The elders should be jealous:)

- Taught mutual this week on using Preach My Gospel as member missionaries!!! I get as excited and passionate talking about that as I do about the Red Sox vs the Yankees....no shame. #mytwoaddictions #PMG #sports

- Got "cold quarantined" again this week. Gosh, Chicago. Can't a girl just preach the word for her last three weeks in the mission...?? hahaha

We're sacrificing. We're serving. And we're saving! And I wouldn't have it any other way! I'm becoming keenly aware just how short of a time I have left, and while I'm excited to see family and friends again and forge on with life, I can't help but feel like my heart is being broken.


This is the experience of a LIFETIME. It's exhausting and it's challenging, but it is priceless! I am FILLED with gratitude every night as I kneel to talk with Him--SO grateful for the chance He's given me to take His hand in this work, to walk alongside Him for 18 months of my life, to bear that burden and to feel that joy--the joy of being HIS servant!!



Onward and upward,



Sister Parker

Heading downtown.....we're suh cute....

found this epic mural on the way home..... good ol' chicago  

Aaaaaaaand.....then we passed this:) If drugs weren't illegal before...they are now;)

valentine's day flowers from my daddy!!!  #sweetheart

I'm Where I'm Meant to Be

  I was introduced to our newest house pets this week. COCKROACHES. aghablaghegalghahbeghah!!!! Yep.....that's an understatement.

They've taken up residency in the bathroom and I've now got into the habit of flipping on the light before entering and hoping that that 30 second warning was enough for them to take a hint.......before I walk in and start using every toiletry weapon in site to smash the little buggers. If anything, it's entertainment for Sis Green:)

And at least they don't fly......right?........right?! :)

Tuesday afternoon we were invited to a part-member's home for lunch. I'd met them once before and they're a sweet adorable older couple. I was on exchanges and took the lead in the lesson, which went well. I still felt like our invitation to them to come to church wasn't fully accepted, but I was at a loss as to how to connect with them and help them understand our love and concern for them. We were about to wrap up, when I got the impression to ask Art (the husband who's a member) how to pronounce his last name. He responded, 

"Lahtinen.....it's Finnish."

Before I could even think, I blurted out, "No way! My Dad served there on his mission, and lived there for three years when my grandpa was a mission president there, and my grandpa served there too, and we learned Finnish growing up, and we have all kinds of Finnish traditions at Christmas......" and basically I just blasted him with all the info on my all-but-actually-blood-born Finnish family! And it was exactly what created an instant connection between us and he began telling me all about his Finnish parents and childhood! It was incredible to see how the Spirit used one small seemingly random prompting to help me build such a unique connection and friendship with this less-active! we were then able to revisit the topic of church attendance, and they committed to try and come, and to pray together as a couple!!! Gosh....the spirit is amazing:)

Sis Green and I have been trying hard to know our purpose in this area. It's been a difficult couple of weeks, and I feel that the Lord is testing our faith and dilligence. We're trying to stay positive, though, and we've been feeling repeated promptings to start working more with members. I just want to leave my mission and this area knowing that I made a difference and I feel like I'm running out of time! AH! It's a bit overwhelming at times, but it's motivating me to pray more, work harder, and stay closer to the Spirit!

I had a beautiful experience this week which started as our district was sitting together at lunch. One of the elders casually mentioned the name of a member in the ward, and for some reason it perked my interest. I'd obviously never met the family, but felt an instant attraction to them. Then, the next night, another ward member mentioned them in passing, and that was my second witness. I told Sis Green that night that we needed to meet them, so acting in faith, I called them up and the husband welcomed our visit. Long story short......they ended up not actually living in our area (they actually lived quite a ways out), the wife is not a member, and the husband is actually a returning less-active!!

Turns out, they invited us over for dinner (!!!! this is kind of a huge deal in this area:) and we were able to get to know them better. It didn't hit me, however, until we were actually in their home and sitting across from them, that the Spirit had been driving me to that point the entire time. I'd subconsciously just felt that it was a hunch or "a good idea" but when we were there, and began teaching them more about the atonement and our Savior, the Spirit confirmed to me, "This is RIGHT where you are meant to be tonight. And this all happened because you chose to follow promptings."

I can't even describe how much I needed that personal and loving impression from the Spirit! Just that same evening, I'd broke down crying to Sis Green, expressing my frustration because I felt that I wasn't receiving clear direction on my purpose here. I felt that I was just a smile and a name tag......just another missionary passing through. I felt aimless, and wondered if I even mattered. 

I still get those feelings sometimes, and I'm still discovering what I specifically have to offer this area and these people, but that whispering from the spirit that night confirmed to me that as long as I'm trying.....as long as I'm listening to Him and following His will....

I'm RIGHT where I need to be.

And that's all that matters. So for now, I'm just keeping a prayer in my heart and the song in my head, "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, I'll be what you want me to be."

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

All You Need is LOVE

Thursday morning, our phone rang and we picked up the call from our zone leaders, "Hey sisters, how would you like to get a foster kid?"

*awkward silence and confused comp glances*

"......a mini missionary, sisters....a mini missionary." Oh that:) We hung up all jitters excitement because just two days before, I'd been telling Sis Green how much I'd love to host a mini missionary before the end of my mission. God answers prayers:)

The next day, we drove down to Chicago to pick her up and she spent the next two days with us! And it was AMAZING! We joked that it was like getting a new pet......we had to pick up her bed (an air mattress from a member), go shopping for her food, and we teased her about getting a new leash:).....I know...we're mean;). Elli, our mini, was a lot of fun, and we spent most of our time together sharing laughs and finding the fun in our work. 

And we WORKED! We had more teaching appointments in those two days, than the entire first half of the week combined! Our first night, we went over to a less-active's home to drop off some frozen meals, spent some time with the family, and then returned to our car. Right before we were about to drive away, a man came walking down the street, and the conversation in the car went as follows: 

"Whoa....that's a HUGE wad of cash he's carrying..."

"Oh gosh....I think that other guy saw it..."

"Wait....is he stopping to talk to him??"

"Oh my gosh...are those....??"

And then our mini yells,"Oh my gosh! It's a DRUG DEAL!!!! Drive! Drive! Drive! Oh gosh....don't make eye contact! Oh gosh...I just made eye contact! AH! He saw me!! Guys!!"

Sis Green and I couldn't stop laughing!! Man.....it was by far one of the BEST moments of that exchange:) We were half a block down the street before she stopped gripping the back of my seat and ended up laughing along with us!! hahaha! 

Welcome to Chicago.......

The actual highlight of our week, though, was our lesson with the Villegas family. The father and his brother are members, though the wife isn't and we decided to stop by to get to know them better and invite them to church. Our initial visit went well and they invited us to come back the next day to do a "refreshers course" on the gospel for them since they readily admitted that they've drifted far off the path. 

When we came back the next day, we shared the Plan of Salvation with them, and they asked a lot of questions (including REALLY deep questions like "is there progression or repentance within the three kingdoms of glory?"). We did our best to give them answers, and ultimately the spirit took over and they began opening up to us about their desire to return, to find relief from guilt, shame, and the results of sin, and to find peace--true and lasting peace--in their lives. It was one of those moments where my heart just ached for them.

Here we were, sitting a smoke and weed-stenched room, across from two men with multiple piercings and gages and a woman stamped with tattoos, with beer and alcohol bottles on the floor, and yet I LOVED it. I loved them. The look in their eyes as they asked, "Can God really take away my sin?" was a look I will NEVER forget! Everything in me just wanted to take away that pain, and the love that came into my heart from Him, I wished more than anything that I could somehow convey to them. 

I took the opportunity to look straight back into their eyes, and promise them that God had His hand outstretched to them still. I promised them that they could become clean again, find peace of mind, and return to Him and be welcomed back into His arms. Ricardo, the brother, sat there with his brows furrowed, but after I'd finished testifying to him, he sat there for a few moments and then responded, "I believe you."

We got back to the car after that lesson and just looked at each other, smiling. That was one of those lessons where you know that the spirit was there, and that they felt it. I knew that they were touched. The Spirit had witnessed to them, and though perhaps small, they'd taken a step to come closer to Him. AHHH!!! This gospel is SO true.....and it is SO badly needed in the lives of EVERY ONE of God's children!! I was filled with gratitude that night as I knelt to pray, for the opportunity to bring His message of peace, hope, and love to the Villegas family and ultimately to every person I meet!! It's just like the white handbook reads, 

"How great is [our] call!" 

The rest of our week consisted of NOT staying up until 12am on New Years Eve (I second what a zone leader once told me: "late nights are for losers...at least on the mission"......yep, that's our excuse:), painting a 78 year old woman's nails for service, being out-numbered in a game of teenage mutant ninja turtles with three little boys in the ward and coming home with multiple bruises (it's ok though... it was totally worth it;), challenging another investigator to baptism and her ACCEPTING our invitation(!!!), and dropping more cookies off at fire departments where the guys ask, "Yea, can we get a stack of your cards? We'll give them out to the whole house!" 

Well, I guess:)

(And then they gave us a tour of the entire station.....and accepted the invitation to visit mormon.org.......but that's another story:)

All in all, it's been a good week! The Lord is definitely blessing us and we're seeing His hand in our lives daily! Thanks for your prayers and love! Till next week!!

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

(and here's pictures as promised....you're welcome:)

(some of these are old....but better late than never, right??)

Christmas packages waiting to be opened!!

Santa socks from the Green family:)

Christmas selfies.....don't ask me what my companion's doing:) lolz

caroling at the Kris Kringle market......ok at this point we're actually NOT singing,.......we're taking selfies, but it's whatevs:)

photo break from singing

Christmas with Sis Silski!! We put together mini cardboard chapels......that's how we Christmas;)

Our FOSTER KID!!!! (a.k.a. Elli, our mini missionary:)

Yep....we made it a special occasion and made crepes, bacon, and eggs.......#domesticpride

How to School Satan

"30 pounds of cookie dough!"

Our investigator placed a massive pan piled high with cookie dough in my arms and sent me off to the kitchen table with half a dozen cookie cutters and enough wax paper to wrap a mummy, before flipping on Beyonce Christmas and dancing out of the room.

Mmmmmkkkkkkkkk.

We'd asked our investigator to "help" us make cookies to give out to ward members, people in need, and some friends for Christmas, in hopes that we could spend some "quality time" together and warm her heart with some service. 5 hours, 30 pounds of dough, WAY too much "sampling" of the goodies, and a whole sink full of dirty dishes later.....we sat down in front of almost 150 cookies, ready to then be decorated. 

Our investigator picked up the first cookie, started drizzling on the icing, and then announced, "And, girls, the fun doesn't end here! We still have the cheesecakes, the cake pops, and the brownies to make after this!" 

My stomach just about FLOPPED. 

Luckily, we'd arranged to go caroling as a district that evening, so we were "forced" to cut out early, but not before we'd loaded our entire trunk full of cookie bags.....AND our investigator proved that night that she'd make a GREAT RS Compassionate Service Coordinator. All we have to do is get her baptized now.... ;)

Speaking of caroling, we all went out that night, chose a member to visit, and then decided to carol to a few of their neighbors as well. We grabbed cookie bags and then hit up their neighbors across the street. We began singing, and after a LONG wait, an older woman came to the door. She waited till we'd finished a rather rough verse of "Hark the Herald Angel Sing," before opening the screen door and snapping, "Who are you?!" Sis Green extended the bag of cookies and said we were just wanting to bring some Christmas cheer and asked if she'd like some cookies. The woman retorted, "Nope! Can't have them!! I'm not interested! I suppose you guys think you're pretty....pretty....  what's the word you all use now days?? 'Awesome'....yea, awesome. All that means is that you think you know everything.....and you don't. So no, I'm not interested! And that goes for your singing too!" and slammed the door (which....I should mention, had a bright red banner reading "JOY" hanging across the front.....I'm confused;). 

.....Well....Merry Christmas anyways....

We all walked away kinda stunned, not sure if we should laugh or cry. Instead we just visited house after house until an adorable African American couple opened their door, came outside, and started singing along, swaying, and praising God (Baptist style:), till we'd finished our performance and then gave us an enthusiastic applause. AND....they actually took the cookies:)

>>Fist-bump<<

Christmas was another adventure:) On Sunday, the widow in our ward who was going to host us Christmas day, came up and introduced herself to me, and then added, "Oh...and did Sis Green tell you?? We're going to have a jammy party on Christmas Day!"

.....I'm sorry, what??.....

She continued, "I'm 76 years old....and I've never had a jammy party....so on Christmas Day, be sure to wear your best jammies, because we're going to make a day of it, ok??"

Yep. On Christmas Day, I had a "jammy" party with a 76 year old:)! hahaha! It was unforgettable to say the least! She was so grateful, though, to have us over since this is her first Christmas as a widow and it was so rewarding to see the impact it made on her holiday. I really did feel like we were serving the Lord that day, as we sat there and she shared pictures and stories with us about her life, her late husband, and her family. 

We also got to SKYPE HOME!!! AH!!!! It's still SO weird to think that the next time I see them, I'll be walking off the plane (as an oh, so awkward RM:)!! I was already awkward enough over Skype.....especially when meeting the new in-laws:) Yea, sorry Zach and Rachel....I'll try and make up for it in person;) hahahah! It really was SO good to see everyone's faces and to reconnect, though. I miss family a lot out here, so Christmas Day and Mother's Day mean the world to me:) love you fam!! 3 months....3 months!!

The Lord's also been blessing us with people to teach this week as well. On Monday, as we were sitting in Panera writing friends and family, one of the waiters came up to clear our table, and as he turned to go, he read my name tag. "Sister?? Are you from a church or something??"

That's our cue.

We told him who we were, and started giving him a brief explanation of what we believed and why we were out serving as missionaries. He'd listen for a little bit, then excuse himself to go back to work, then he'd come back ten minutes later and ask more questions, and back and forth until finally, we asked him if we could meet sometime to talk about religion. He agreed, gave us his phone number, and accepted a Book of Mormon. I'm now a firm believer in Panera. That's the second investigator I've found on my mission by eating at Panera:) We're meeting with him this week, and praying that he accepts the invitation to be baptized!!

Our other....unique.....lesson of the week was with our investigator, Norine. She's a hoot:) She's around 50 yrs old, has fiery hot pink hair, and when I first met her, she went off for over 15 minutes about her recent appearance on Judge Judy where she sued her granddaughter......and won:)

Yeeeeaaaaa;)

We finally got to the lesson portion of our visit, where we'd planned on showing her the Restoration DVD. We started by introducing her to various scriptures in the Bible (her father was a Baptist minister so she knows her Bible well) that prophecy about the restoration of the gospel. We hadn't gone far, when we heard moans and rustling noises coming from the nearby bedroom. The door was open and we could see the foot of the bed, where a man was lying. Then, almost out of nowhere, we heard him turn over and start violently puking off the side of the bed into a trash can. 

Sis Green and I just looked at each other, tried to focus again, and continued, until Norine yelled into the other room,"Willie!!! You wanna go to the hospital?!?!" We just sat there awkwardly while he brushed her off, and she turned back to us with, "That's my brother-in-law. He's REALLY sick, girls. Sorry.....continue..."

.......Ummmmm.....ok......

We managed to get past the scriptures and introduced the video. She popped it in and pretty soon the First Vision scene was starting. I swear.....Satan does E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. he can to ruin that moment....and therefore, disrupt the spirit. Kids getting hurt, pets making noise, the phone ringing, gunshots firing outside, spouses barging in, the fire alarm going off.....yep, seen it all. It's actually an unusual experience to have the First Vision read, recited, or watched without something--anything--in someway or another becoming a distraction. THIS time around, though....it was a whole new ballpark. The closer the "humble kneeling, sweet appealing" moment got, the harder I started praying for 3 minutes.....just 3 minutes....of break time before the hurling began again. 

BUT.....that didn't happen.

RIGHT before the heavens opened, Willie's stomach decided to do so first. Just as the Mo Tab started swelling, so did his dinner from the night before,  and it was by NO means quiet. Sis Green and I just sat there praying for divine intervention and trying our best to focus on Norine and the movie. Norine, without breaking focus on the screen, but clearly aware of the background bedroom noises, picked up the remote and FLOORED the + volume button. 

That brought back the spirit soon enough....the whole complex probably heard it:) hahaha! 

Whatever works, right?? Sis Green and I are still getting lots of laughs over that one:) By the end of the film, Willie had rolled over, and we enjoyed the last 10 minutes of our visit without distractions, as we asked her, "Do you think a boy--Joseph Smith--could have been visited by God and Jesus Christ?"

She thought about it for a moment, and then smiling, responded, "Absolutely! God can do anything!!"

Satan......SCHOOLED.

Sis Green and I definitely walked away from that visit, with a firm testimony of the Spirit's ability to testify......despite all odds:)! Norine was touched by our message and agreed to come to church, read from the Book of Mormon, and pray about it's truthfulness!! 

The work is working:) Our area is difficult, but Sis Green and I are setting goals and making plans to find and teach more. We're enjoying the companionship of the Spirit on a daily basis, and it is carrying us through. This week of Christmas prompted me to reflect on the gift of my Savior, as the feelings of loneliness and homesickness became harder to ward off. As I thought about Him, His birth, and the lonely circumstances in which He was born and lived, I was reminded again that He knows my situation and my struggles perfectly. The scripture in Moses 6:34, where the Lord beckons, "Walk with me" came to my mind as I laid in bed Christmas Eve, missing home and family. 

I've felt Him extending that invitation to me many times this week, as I've allowed my thoughts and feelings to drift inward. He's reminded me to walk with Him....and in doing so, I find myself turning outward. And it is such a sweeter experience! I truly do have the opportunity and blessing every day of my mission life, and beyond, to walk with Him as I choose to walk the path He wants me to walk. It requires effort and sacrifice, but I see evidence of His appreciation and love all around me as I do so. It is rewarding! And the relationship I'm developing with Him because of it.....I wouldn't trade for the world!

Onward and upward,

Sis Anna Parker 

(pics to come soon........these library computers won't let me upload:/)

Missionaries at the Movies

We were in a lesson with Katy this week, and told her we'd take some time to answer her questions about the Book of Mormon (since she's reading it cover to cover.....whaaaaaat:). She immediately whipped out her Mickey Mouse notebook with, "Alright.....let's see......ok first
question: What's a 'seraphim'???'"

o_O

Well THAT escalated quickly......

yea........didn't see that one coming but apparently I was actually paying attention in seminary three years ago when we covered 2 Nephi 16 cause we pulled out an answer from somewhere, and Katy was satisfied. John 14:26.....it's a real thing.

"Ok.....next question: What's the 'Millennial Day'??"

Geez laweez girllll.

Luckily, her 15 year-old fellowshipper (member) came to the rescue after we’d tried to explain that it was related to Christ’ 2^ndComing, a thousand years, no Satan, and all that jazz by saying,

“Basically, Katy….not to be a downer….but you’re probably not even going to be alive for it so…..it’s not really that important.”

She’s gotta point.

hahaha! Every lesson with them is sporadic, hyper, tangent-crazed, hysterical, and somehow way deep into doctrine……and weLOVE it;) teaching teenagers is a joy <3 and katy is reading her scriptures and attending seminary daily, coming to church, and actively forging her testimony! It’s incredible to watch!!

Later this week, we were at the library, messaging our investigators and blogging away, when the lady across the counter from me leans over and says, “I thought you’d just like to know that there’s a guy here who’s stalking you.”

I’m sorry…..what???

She continues to go on to describe him, telling me that he just left the computer area, but that for the entire time since we got there, he’d been spying on me from across the room. I’m officially freaked out now.  And then she has to go and say…..“I have two daughters…..so I know a stalker when I see one…..watch your back.”

*nervous laughs silence blink blink “ok thanks” *

……..honestly I had NO idea what to say or do….so instead we just wrapped up quick and then played “Where in the library is Carmen Sandiego?” trying to avoid a guy in “a blue hoodie with dark hair and black eyes”…..

We haven’t spotted him yet….but we’re staying on the lookout for suspicious characters. Ah……#sismishlife

We got a referral a week or so ago that we’ve been trying to contact via phone for a while now, and we finally decided to stop by. The background info indicated that the referral’s dad had referred him. So we hit the road determined to find this referral and we ended up driving for about 10 minutes until we finally reached the address:

A  GRAVEYARD

Now that’s just mean.

I was just waiting for some candid camera crew to come running out of the bushes and for us to turn into the next youtube episode…..BUT….they didn’t. Darn it. Instead, I turned to sis Carroll with, “Maybe we should’ve contacted him sooner???”hahaha! Guess he’ll end up as a family history referral;)

This week, I swear, the e.n.t.i.r.e. ward and all of our investigators have decided to move. Ok not really….but one after another we keep being told that everyone and their dog needs help packing, moving, and unpacking. We’re LOVING the opportunities to serve and have become experts in tape gunning and dish wrapping;) Luckily….most of the people moving are just relocating in the area, but there are some (namely James!!)  that are moving for good and it’s gonna be SO hard to say goodbye.

I hate goodbyes:/

Anyways…..we also got the chance as a district to caravan to different members and investigators houses this week to offer to rake their leaves and mow their lawns. We got to help out an investigator of ours who’s recently been through some family tragedies and it was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. to see the difference that we made in her life! Ah! It’s indescribable the satisfaction that we get to enjoy as missionaries as we get to go out and make a difference in people’s lives EVERY DAY. #cantcompare #thepowerisreal

The other service we got involved in this week was at a community recycling event. We get there, pull on gloves and reflective vests, and then get stationed at a table where a woman instructs us, “Ok…..so we need you two girls to count all the wine corks that get donated.”

Uhhhhhhh……can we do that???

Apparently we didn’t have a choice. So as the cars started rolling in and donations started getting dropped off, we went to town tallying every. single. cork. that got donated.

get on our level

By the end of the day, we had over 1,600 corks we’d individually counted….and our hands smelled NASTY. What was weird was seeing these little old ladies handing over bags and boxes FULL of corks. Grandma…….easy does it;) haha! We enjoyed getting the community image though, and at the end, the event coordinator spilled her life history about how she dated a Mormon in HS, and how she went to his farewell, and how they never actually ended up together, but he’s “still very Mormon and very married.”

Yep….sounds about right…..that’s how we do it:)

AND speaking of Mormons…….. on Wednesday we got a special pre-screening of

-------- MEET THE MORMONS! -------

I can honestly say it’s the >BEST< movie I’ve seen in the past year….oh wait…..it’s the <only> movie I’ve seen in the past year…..hahaha. SOML. It's probably the only time missionaries have been allowed to watch a legit showing-in-theaters movie.......YOLO. watching it somehow felt slightly (very slightly:) wrong but oh so good...

And it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!

……basically…..

I’m part of the THE coolest church EVER.

We got to watch it as a zone and you could totally tell by who laughed at the South Park reference who actually got it;) haha! By the end, I was BAWLING though!! AH!! Moms are legit. So are missionaries<3. Sitting there watching this full-length movie produced by the church and being shown across the country….I couldn’t help but sit back amazed. ALL of it was incredible, so well done, and honestly informative. It was a strong reminder to me that the God of Israel leads this church. 

It’s not the prophet. 

It’s not elected leaders.

 It’s not highly-educated individuals. 

It’s not Joseph Smith.

 It’s not any earthly person. 

God himself leads this church. 

He directs it’s affairs through those He inspires and calls, and He is the One who is hastening His work to find those who will receive Him.

I get to be a part of that!

I was struck by the simpleness of each of the “Mormon’s” testimony…..we’re just ordinary people trying to follow the example of Jesus Christ, to be more like Him, and we’re just “perfect in one thing: trying to be perfect.”

That’s all God expects of us. And with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ available on the earth today, we can come closer to reaching that potential than by any other way! I’m BEYOND grateful for that knowledge! For the path that I’ve found through the teachings and doctrines of Christ, I will FOREVER be grateful!

Onward and upward,

Sister Anna Parker

We had a NASTY HUGE DISGUSTING bug on the ceiling of our shower this week. Oh my gross. aaaaaaannnnd.....of course.....my comp pulled the whole "you're the senior companion" card on me while handing me the vacuum.....

 

hecka nasty......yea me too #nomakeup #ijustwannashower

we figured he'd eventually die in there if we taped the top off.......YES.....we are whimps. #suchgirls

ally wanted to match me on Sunday so she went and bought my exact same outfit online.......freaking. love. that. girl:) #practicallysisters #lovemyinvestigators