Week 72: A Full Circle

So, big news of the week: A convert that I taught a year ago here in Salina is going through the temple on May 7th!!!!! And......President Bell said that my companion and I can go! I am at a lack of words to express to you how excited I am! Shelley's whole conversion started out with the temple and I am so excited for her. I haven't been to a temple since before I left on my mission and I am definitely temple-trunky....only 10 more days.....

Erica and William just keep getting more and more solid! They want to get baptized so badly, the only thing that was holding them back was marriage. We fasted with them this weekend for them to get their answer about getting married. We all broke our fast together and they told us that they decided to get married soon so they can get baptized! I'm really really hoping that they will decide to get married and baptized on the same day as the ward Cinco de Mayo party! That would be the best Saturday of my life! 

We went on a couple of exchanges this week and the coolest thing happened! I was in Manhattan, talking to a recent convert about how she wants to share the Gospel with her mother and the next week, I went to Junction City on exchanges and met the mother!! She said that she has seen the change in her daughter's family and wants to jump right into the font! Another miracle from exchanges was when we visited this investigator that they were thinking about dropping because they didn't know how serious she was. As we were teaching her, I had an overwhelming feeling that I needed to tell her that God knows her situation, loves her, and has a plan for her. After I told her, she burst into tears and told us that the day that she met the missionaries was the day that she found out that a few of her good friends got into a big car accident and passed away. I feel so blessed to know that Heavenly Father knows each of His children so well. 

Random news: 

-I got to see Alexia last week!!!

-I finally got kicked out of a trailer park. For as many trailer parks as I have been in, it was bound to happen one day. AND the person that kicked us out also told us that God is an alien so I'm not too offended. 

-Tornado season is back!!!! There was one 30 miles away from us but nothing to even have the sirens go off. I have been in Kansas for almost 17 months of my life and I still have not seen a tornado! How is that fair?? Apparently, Salina rarely sees tornadoes but I will not loose faith that I am going to see one!  

Best line of the week: 

a lady that the elders taught got baptized and we were helping her after she got out of the font. She turned to us and said, "I can't get the smile off of my face!" 

I have decided that Kansas is the best place on Earth because it is the place that I am becoming converted. My testimony is growing stronger and stronger every day. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true because it contains the full Gospel. I know that because the priesthood was restored, we are able to enjoy the blessing of making covenants with Heavenly Father. I know that the Lord has given us scriptures to give us guidance and direction in our every-day lives and I have personally experienced the blessings from soaking up the word of God every single day! 

I hope that you remember that I love you and that God answers prayers! 

Sister Parry

Week 71: SURPRISE!!!

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!! NOELLE GOT BAPTIZED!!!! 

She was in the hospital for a week and we had no contact with her. We assumed that we would have to re-schedual her baptism date but she came out wanting nothing else other than to be baptized! She told us "I want to pay my bills, and I want to buy groceries, but I don't want anything more than I want to be baptized." She said that her motivation to be baptized was the only thing that got her through it all.The baptism alone kept us super busy this week! 

Other than that we went on exchanges twice this week and I was in Salina the whole time..somehow things managed to get done. haha. 

Summer had a come-to-Jesus moment!! It was so intense! She has gone through thick and thin in the last few weeks and is trying to learn how to turn toward God. We decided to drive over to the church and she cried and prayed-really prayed for the 1st time in a very, very long time! AND she finally read from the Book of Mormon!!!!!!!!!!! MIRACLE! 

Remember the solid couple from last week! They are even more solid! She wants to be baptized so bad. We had a lesson with them this week about getting married. haha how awkward would it to have 2 single 20-year olds tell you how great it is to be married?? But, the good news is that they agreed to pray about it! 

This week let me grow a lot spiritually. I was talking to Sister Forsgren about it and we noticed that we are stronger spiritually-even in just the last week. I am forever grateful for all the miracles, struggles, and people that the Lord has blessed me to be a part of! I say this all the time but I love my mission so much and nothing could ever replace it! 

I love you all! Remember that God answers prayers!!

Sister Parry

The World's largest Czech egg...Stay tuned while it gets completed 

Big things are happening in Kansas!

I don't know how many are competing for the Czech capital but this is a big deal

start of nightly planning....

End of nightly planning....

Noelle got baptized!!!

BAPTISM DAY!!

Week 70:

Hello hello! 

Okay, this week was busy but nothing too interesting to write about. One of my favorite feelings is being what I call "missionary tired" It is when your body is so exhausted but your spirit is super pumped up and ready to go and that is how I feel right now. :) 

-We had meetings and trainings almost every day this week it was delightful.

- I do have compliment my mission president. He is the only mission president that I have heard of that will wear matching American flag print socks along with the APs to the mission leadership council! 

-Somehow we managed to get both sets of zone leaders to wear purple to it #united. 

-Drove home from MLCs and one of our investigators was struggling pretty hard. After a chain of events,(that would take at least 5 days to explain) we went home and passed out. 

Miracle!! We met a lost sheep at the grocery store and is now teaching her sister and fiance! They are SO SOLID. She(the non-member) brought her whole less-active family to stake conference to hear Elder Sutati of the 70! It was so great! 

AHHH I spent too long trying to figure out how to explain my life. Just know that things are always crazy but it's always a party! 

Quote of the week: 

The cutest old man in the ward that loves missionary work "I taught Jesse the plan of salvation and set him on date for May 9th at 7:00 PM" 

Sorry that it's so short this week! Love you remember that God answers prayers!! 

Sister Parry

Week 69: Babies

What's crack-a-lakin??

So, it was transfer week! Sister Hartung was "transfered" to Oregon :( So now, Sister Forsgren is taking over Salina with me! She also used to serve here so it's going to be a party! I'm loving the fact that I know my companions before we become companions now, that's a definite plus. 

Before Sister Hartung left, we had one of the best dinner appointments of my whole mission. This family lives out in the country and they have a farm! I'm totally about that life! As we pull up, the member looks over to see a goat IN LABOR. I'm not even kidding right now. I WATCHED A GOAT GIVING BIRTH. Then, the member wraps one of the newborn goats in a towel and hands it to me! After that, the kids gave us a tour of the whole farm and held so many baby animals. The kids in the family blew me away! They are so young but their testimonies are so strong! I have never seen some one so excited to give out pass-along cards before! :) 

Another great moment was when I went on exchanges in Junction City. First of all, the ward put on a Jewish Sadar(a passover meal) I learned a few things:1.The Jewish culture is facinating and 2. Never wear a pencil skirt to a Sadar. Also when we were there, I got to visit someone that I taught way back almost a year ago that moved to Junction! We had a great time catching up and as we were leaving, out of no where, her 16 year-old son gives me a hug....It was so awkward and I didn't know what to do! haha awkward moments for days! 

I cannot remember the last time that I recieved so much revelation in just a 48 hour period! Genereal Conference is the BEST THING EVER. I was spiritually rebuked, taught, and inspiried so much! I have always loved Conference weekend, but this time around, I felt like I recieved all the answers that I have been looking for over the past month or so. 

The day before, no one could get a hold of Noelle and we got super nervous that she would not be able to come. In the middle of conference, a recent convert walks in with her! I don't know how she did it, but she did and I am grateful! We talked to her afterwards, and she loved it! She said that she felt the speakers were talking just to her. It was such a testimony builder for both of us that these men truly are the prophet and apostles of God. 

I recieved one of the best compliments this week. Someone told me that they could tell how much I absolutely love my mission. I really do! I wish that I could acuretely express how much I have changed, grown, and gotten to know my Savior Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the way of life and the Atonement is my life-line. This is a once in a lifetime expirience that is preparing me for all the changing and growing that I will always continue to do. I love all of you so much! God speed and remember that God answers prayers! 

Sister Parry

Favorite convo of the week: 

Noelle: "The 18th is going to come quick!"

Me: "Time flies when your having fun Noelle!"

I watched this baby goat being BORN.

Jewish Sadar

Beautiful Sister Herrin #exchanges