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

Week 68: Find Him

Hello! 

First of all....MONTIE GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That actually happened. I only had to kill 2 spiders in the font...Before the baptism, he came up to me and asked me why he couldn't stop crying :). When he came up out of the water he said, "AMEN!"  He texted us that morning and here is a little insight: 

Montie: "March 28, 2015 11:30 am Baptized turned my will and my life over to the care of the Father in heaven asked the Father for forgiveness, and for the strength to live in his likeness. Knowledge to understand the path of which he lights, faith to follow!" 

Us: "On March 28th, 2015 at 11:30 am Montie Simpson will give his life over to Christ. He has the faith to follow. Because of his faith his life will be changed, as well as countless generations that came before and after."
Montie: "Suit is pressed, tie pressed, ready to go for a dunk I've been up since 4:00 am. I even put in my teeth today mark it on the calendar doesn't happen often...lol very special day 2 me." 

I GOT TO GO BACK TO DODGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For a few hours for a conference! When I found out that we were going, I could not stop talking about it! It felt like I had to wait years to finally get back there again. When I got there, 5 of my companions were there so it was a happy reunion! I ALMOST saw the Lira family....ALMOST. Of course the one day that I was in Dodge, they were in Wichita. Just my luck. 

A miracle of the week was most definitely seeing Noelle change more and more. Because of the baptism and the conference in Dodge, we didn't get to see her too much. Yesterday, we went over and she gave up coffee all on her own! She has not had any in a week MIRACLE!!!! She asked both of us why we decided to serve a mission. We compared our decision to serve a mission to her decision to get baptized, I have 3 months left and Sister Hartung has 3 days left. Lets just say that all 3 of us got emotional.

This week, I was praying and reviewing some events that have happened the last year or so. The good and the bad, the happy and the sad. The Spirit told me that Heavenly Father has allowed me to go through these things because before I left on my mission and throughout my mission, I asked Him to help me to understand how to access the atonement anytime. I then took a little inventory and realized that I have been carried by the atonement this entire time! I know that anytime that I need Him, he is there for me! I know that he is here for all of us whenever we need Him, our job is to find him. I love you all, Remember that God answers prayers! 

Sister Parry

The district

reunion!!

SIster Fairborn, Gabby, and me

DODGE CITY!!

Kinsley Kansas the middle of America!

Brother Yenser, Montie Simpson, Mackenzie Payton, Sister Hartung, Sister Parry

Poor Aiden fell asleep at church

                                     My best friend and my companion in the same choir 18 months ago!

Week 67: Will you hold my hand?

Hello dearest people! 

This week was so great, I don't even know where to start or how to help you understand so here it goes:

Montie. Is definitely getting baptized this Saturday. He is not going to let anything hold him back! We had another incredible lesson with him this week-one of the most powerful. We met him in a member's home to teach him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Spirit was SO STRONG. The member was testifying to him about repentance and Montie just wept. It was so tender. His life has turned around completely from the last few years, he knows that Jesus is his best friend and he is going to do anything that it takes to follow him. I tell him every day that he is teaching me the gospel; I have learned so much from him and I cannot wait to see what work the Lord has for him to do. He is going to be a powerhouse for the Lord's work!

One of my favorite things to be a part of is to watch the atonement carry someone right before my eyes. We got a text from an investigator with bad depression telling us that she was feeling really bad at that moment. We ran right over there and she looked like Satan had just beat her down and that is pretty much what he did to her. We had no idea what to say or how to help her to feel better. All that I knew was to help her to understand the atonement. We read Alma 7 with her and talked to her about how much Jesus loves her that he voluntarily went through everything that she would so he would know exactly how to help her to feel better. After talking for a while, she started smiling, and was even laughing by the time that we left. It was a complete turn-around. I was watching the atonement take action right before my eyes. 

My entire life, Sunday was a day of rest. For the last 15 months, Sunday is game day! Yesterday was the craziest and most productive hour and a half yet. 1st, we went to Summer's house to have breakfast with the family and to get them all pumped to go to church, from there, we left to go knock on a less-actives door to make sure that she was going, and lastly, we drove across town, to go wake Noelle up and help her to get ready for church. Typically, we are at least a half and hour early to church to wait for everyone, but yesterday, we walked in 2 minutes before Sacrament meeting started! The best news is: EVERYONE ACTUALLY CAME. That never happens!!!! It was awesome!! 

Going on a mission is hands-down, the best decision that I made besides getting baptized when I was 8 years old. I'm a completely different person now and I have grown so much! I absolutely love to be in the service of the Lord! 

Favorite moment of the week:

Sitting in sacrament meeting with Summer's family: 

1st of all, I walked in late with them so they wouldn't feel awkward. After everyone found a seat her 7 year-old whispered to me: "Will you hold my hand?"

Me: "Of course!"

Her:(a few minutes later...) "hold on, I gotta scratch my foot!"

(proceeds to do so and grabs my hand again) A few minutes later, she was asleep on her sisters lap and her sister was biting her fingernails and wiping the nail bit in her sister's hair. Not too long after that, they were both asleep and snoring. They fit right in. 

I love you all! Take care, and remember that God answers prayers!! 

Pday pool for dayzzzzz

Montie is the best.

2 houses...no...1 house...Welcome to Salina

This is what happens when we walk in late to Pday

My 1st day back in Salina, I found this above my bed....

We love nightly planning.

Left a love note for our sisters

KANSAS. 

Happy Birthday Sister Hartung!! 

Week 67: "Come Hell or High Water, I'm getting my butt baptized!"‏

Mi Familia! 

How was your week? I know that I say this every week, but I really cannot decide if this week was 2 hours long or 2 years long...time management...it's a struggle. 

So, this week, I went on exchanges back in Manhattan and we saw a total miracle! We knocked on a door and a woman that only speaks Spanish answers...uh oh. the 2 of us both served in the West, so combined, we were able to find out that she is a member from out of the country and she was visiting her non-member daughter that goes to college in Manhattan! Also, I met a man that is deaf and somehow committed him to go church(don't ask me how because he can't read words or lips and I can't sign) But it was so cool! 

Okay, I have to tell you all about Summer! We were trying to contact a former investigator from when I was serving here a year ago, when 2 little girls ran up to us and wanted us to meet their mom. We met her and she is so cool, she said that she is Agnostic, but believes in everything. I have never met someone who is so knowledgeable about so many religions. She was interested in learning more about the Book of Mormon, so we made an appointment for a few days later. When we came back, she had just picked up her brother who is a member from jail. He promised God that he would follow him if God would help him. When he saw us, he started crying and took that as a sign that he needs to go back to church. Summer had obviously had one of the worst days ever. She also started crying and literally asked every single question of the soul! We were blown away and that was the last thing that we were expecting to happen! We are going back over there and we really want to help her feel God's love for her. 

Montie is doing so great. I have never taught anyone that is planning their own baptism. We sat down to teach him(he pretty much teaches us the Gospel) and he told us that he had already asked a member in the ward to baptize him. He has people coming in from all over the country to see him get baptized! I'm so pumped. This last week, he got a blessing from the elders and has committed to live the Word of Wisdom! He is so determined to get baptized on the 28th and so are we! 

God is so good to us everyone! Miracles are happening, the atonement is real and God answers prayers! 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Parry

Week 66: I'M-POSSIBLE‏

Hi!

Another week, another time-warp. I seriously do not understand how quickly time flies. Last Monday feels like it just happened yesterday. I've come to realized that a mission does that to you, you don't realize if it has been 5 hours or 5 minutes. This week was exactly that. 

I've always wanted to have a companion who has a birthday while we're companions and it finally happened! Sister Hartung turned 21 yesterday and it was so fun. I kept whispering to everyone at church to go tell her "happy birthday" and she couldn't figure out how everyone knew, it was so funny! :) 

This was my first MLCs and I learned so much! I love to see how inspired goal-setting is. The entire time, we tried to find out what holds people back from getting baptized and what we can do to help them. The biggest thing that I took away was how to be personally acoountable and the importance of teaching people NOT lessons. 

Miracle! We have been desperately trying to get in contact with an investigator with no success, we decided to ask her neighbor if he had seen her lately. We ended up talking to him for a 1/2 hour on his doorstep! He is soooo cool! He is "searching" right now. I LOVE people that are "searching" He is also Native American and it was so much fun to tell him how the Book of Mormon is a record of his Ancestors coming to know Jesus Christ! We referred him to the elders and he is now planning on getting baptized! 

Montie, is doing so great. He is trying so hard to get baptized. He wants this so much. His daughter just joined the church, and she is SO EXCITED that her dad is finally getting baptized! He has helped so many people discover the church, and now he is seeing it change his life. 

This week, I gained another testimony of the atonement. I know now that I need the Savoir in every single aspect of my life. There is nothing too small nor too major that he has not overcome. I am so grateful that he has given me an entire year and a half to get to know him so much better. I love you all, I miss you, and remember that GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS!!!!!!! 

Much love, 

Sister Parry

Sister Jensen, Marzia, and me

The opportunity ALWAYS arises even in doughnut shops

Essen!

2 of my favorite things on a single lisence plate 

The secrets

MLCs

Reunited!! 

Week 65: "I'll crawl in your pocket"‏

Hello! 

Oh man, this week. Was packed. Packed full of exchanges, miracles, and solid investigators! 

Miracle number one: just 30 minutes ago while emailing, the church phone rang and it was a woman who wants to get married in our chuch and thier family is looking for a church!! WHAT. That never happens! I just stood there in shock for a few seconds before I responded! I'll keep you updated on how that goes :)

Miracle number two: while on exchanges, we were invited to go to mutual to help some of the teenagers in the ward answer their friend's questions about the Gospel. One of the girls brought her non-member friend that aparently has been coming for 2 months! 

Miracle number three: We were talking to the elders about how we really needed to find a few more investigators this week. As we were talking, a member called us to tell us that he was with someone right then that wants to meet with us and learn about the Gospel!! We met with her yesterday, and she has definitely been prepared to learn and to live the Gospel, we are meeting with her tonight to discuss and make plans for her baptism at the end of the month. 

Okay, we are working with this awesome investigator named Montie. He has known members of the church very well his entire life. Sometimes, I feel that he knows more about the Gospel than me! He has introduced several people to the Gospel and they were even baptized! I totally think that he is going to be a bishop some day. The only reason that he has not joined yet is because he did not feel ready to live the word of wisdom until now. His prayer was one of my favorite's of my mission. "God, I'm going to put you in my pocket, and you can put me in your pocket." He then promised Heavenly Father that he would be baptized on March 28th. I am so excited to work with him. 

I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I had a moment this week that made me realize me deep love and devotion for the Gospel that the Savior has given us. I have so much to learn about it but I am grateful for the opportunity that Heavenly Father loves me enough to let me stretch and grow. I pray that you all are seeing miracles and feel the love that the Savior has for you! Love you lots! Remember that God answers prayers!

Sister Parry