Dear Family and Friends,
It has been a good week. The grapefruits are ripening and the sun is setting earlier and it really is starting to feel like some sort of autumn. I love living in new places and seeing what marks the months and the seasons here on the opposite side of the world.
This week we have had some very good lessons. People I found just a few weeks ago with Hermana Pack are progressing. One man, a single middle-aged lawyer, has been an unlikely investigator. From the moment we knocked on his front door he has been very kind and open and interested in what we have to say. He has been very willing to meet with us and has been learning to pray with us and at the end of our last lesson with him we asked him how he was feeling about everything and he paused to think and then said: "escuchado" which means "heard."
He explained that several years ago he was going through a huge trial in his life. Basically, he had watched as his best friend was murdered right next to him. I guess the whole story got a lot of press and he had turned into "that guy from the newspaper" and although everyone knew of his troubles and his trauma and it was all very open and public, he felt extremely alone. He said he didn´t know what to do or who to talk to, and after many years of never going to church, in desperation, he decided to go in and talk to a Catholic priest. He said that this day he just so happened to be paired with an old priest from Italy. This priest´s Spanish was not the best and as he poured out his soul to him, he said the priest listened quietly and tried, to the best of his ability, to respond, but he left the experience feeling a little empty. He didn´t feel "heard." He didn´t fault the priest. He said he was a good and an honorable man who did his best to fulfill his calling. But, on that day, he just hadn´t found what he was looking for. I felt incredibly touched when we ended our lesson with him and he told us that story and then said, simply, he had felt "heard."
I count that experience as sacred. We are going to continue working with him and pray that as he listens to our message with a sincere heart and real intent he will feel of its truthfulness.
That´s it for this week. Next week Monday we are going to spend the afternoon with one of our members here and I am not sure if we´ll make it to a cyber to write emails. So if you don´t hear from me next week that is why.
I thank you all for your love, support, letters and prayers. I feel them.
Love,
Hermana Parker
24 April 2012
16 April 2012
Tobillo - April 16, 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
It has been another eventful week here in Barrio 4. I love my new companion. Hermana Pack is spunky and fun and she has an infectious laugh. So far we are laughing together a lot and that has been good for my soul. This morning when we woke up at 6:30 AM the first thing she said was "I hate my life" (she is not a morning person) and the first thing I did was laugh. Then she laughed. Then we said a prayer.
This week has not been her week though, poor thing. Last Monday afternoon she tripped and sprained her ankle pretty bad. She took ibuprofen and iced it and we stayed inside Tuesday to give her a rest. We went out to work on Wednesday which irritated her ankle quite a bit, so Thursday morning we got permission to go buy her an ankle brace before we went out to work. Literally on our way home from buying the brace we stopped by a member's house to pick up our lunch and Hermana Pack fell down the stairs! It was raining and slippery and it was quite a scare but we think she is okay, no major damage, just sore all over.
In other news on Saturday morning we had a service activity at the church. All the missionaries in my district and members from the two wards and 1 branch that meet in our building came to clean the church. They made us wear those "Mormon Helping Hands" jerseys ("Manos Mormonas que Ayudan") which I thought was funny just because we didn't leave the chapel and were basically only helping ourselves. But I was still excited because it was my first time to put on the famous yellow jersey.
Although I am doing well, it was honestly a little difficult to start another transfer here in Barrio 4. I have been here almost 5 months now and I still have not seen much of what you would count as typical south American missionary success (i.e. not one of our investigators has progressed towards baptism). I love the ward and I even love the area but it is hard not to feel discouraged sometimes. As I have meditated on all of this I was reading through the set of talks by Chieko Okazaki that mom sent me for Christmas and I happened upon one entitled "Raised in Hope." It is a beautiful talk that talks all about the virtue of hope. As I read I decided I'm going to focus on hope more these next couple of weeks. She calls hope a "modest but very tough everyday virtue" she also said, "hope persists, even when experience, reason, and knowledge all say there is no reason to hope. Hope does not calculate odds." I love that line. It touched me deeply. If I were to calculate the odds of having success in my area after 3 transfers of very little success, I would naturally fall into despair. But hope does not calculate odds. Hope is optimistic even when there is every reason to doubt, despair or give in. So, I am continuing optimistic. We are meeting good people and having good experiences every day. Sometimes, often, they are not these huge life-changing Chicken Soup for the Soul or ensign-worthy experiences. But there is Marcela cooking lunch for us and spreading out her little fold-up wooden table in their cramped one room apartment and eating lunch together sitting on the edge of the bed. And there is Juliana trying SO HARD to sing along to Abide With Me Tis Evetide. And there are facturas (delicious pastries) in the corner store. And there is Ezekiel actually showing up at the chapel for a lesson. I am counting my blessings.
Until next week,
Hermana Parker
It has been another eventful week here in Barrio 4. I love my new companion. Hermana Pack is spunky and fun and she has an infectious laugh. So far we are laughing together a lot and that has been good for my soul. This morning when we woke up at 6:30 AM the first thing she said was "I hate my life" (she is not a morning person) and the first thing I did was laugh. Then she laughed. Then we said a prayer.
This week has not been her week though, poor thing. Last Monday afternoon she tripped and sprained her ankle pretty bad. She took ibuprofen and iced it and we stayed inside Tuesday to give her a rest. We went out to work on Wednesday which irritated her ankle quite a bit, so Thursday morning we got permission to go buy her an ankle brace before we went out to work. Literally on our way home from buying the brace we stopped by a member's house to pick up our lunch and Hermana Pack fell down the stairs! It was raining and slippery and it was quite a scare but we think she is okay, no major damage, just sore all over.
In other news on Saturday morning we had a service activity at the church. All the missionaries in my district and members from the two wards and 1 branch that meet in our building came to clean the church. They made us wear those "Mormon Helping Hands" jerseys ("Manos Mormonas que Ayudan") which I thought was funny just because we didn't leave the chapel and were basically only helping ourselves. But I was still excited because it was my first time to put on the famous yellow jersey.
Although I am doing well, it was honestly a little difficult to start another transfer here in Barrio 4. I have been here almost 5 months now and I still have not seen much of what you would count as typical south American missionary success (i.e. not one of our investigators has progressed towards baptism). I love the ward and I even love the area but it is hard not to feel discouraged sometimes. As I have meditated on all of this I was reading through the set of talks by Chieko Okazaki that mom sent me for Christmas and I happened upon one entitled "Raised in Hope." It is a beautiful talk that talks all about the virtue of hope. As I read I decided I'm going to focus on hope more these next couple of weeks. She calls hope a "modest but very tough everyday virtue" she also said, "hope persists, even when experience, reason, and knowledge all say there is no reason to hope. Hope does not calculate odds." I love that line. It touched me deeply. If I were to calculate the odds of having success in my area after 3 transfers of very little success, I would naturally fall into despair. But hope does not calculate odds. Hope is optimistic even when there is every reason to doubt, despair or give in. So, I am continuing optimistic. We are meeting good people and having good experiences every day. Sometimes, often, they are not these huge life-changing Chicken Soup for the Soul or ensign-worthy experiences. But there is Marcela cooking lunch for us and spreading out her little fold-up wooden table in their cramped one room apartment and eating lunch together sitting on the edge of the bed. And there is Juliana trying SO HARD to sing along to Abide With Me Tis Evetide. And there are facturas (delicious pastries) in the corner store. And there is Ezekiel actually showing up at the chapel for a lesson. I am counting my blessings.
Until next week,
Hermana Parker
Easter in Barrio 4 - April 9, 2012
Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings from....Barrio 4! I am still here in Resistencia in the very ward that Aaron´s current mission companion is from. Almost every day, it seems, I have a conversation that goes a little like this:
Person in ward: How is your family?
Me: They are doing well.
Person in ward: And, I forget, are you the first in your family to go on a mission?
Me: No! In fact my little brother is on a mission in Chile right now.
Person in ward: Really? Which mission?!
Me: Antofagasta.
Person in ward: Heyyy, that´s the mission of Lucas De...
Me: Yes, I know! My brother is actually his companion right now!
Person in ward: *freaks out*
So, anyways--things are grand here in Barrio 4. Saludos from the entire ward to Elder DePaoli.
My new companion is Hermana Pack from Las Vegas. She got here in December, so she is fairly new. I will miss Hermana Hobbs terribly. She has been my best best friend these last 3 months and she is a kind and kindred spirit. But Hermana Pack and I are already getting down to business. Really, the last few weeks with Hermana Hobbs were a little discouraging as we saw most of our most promising investigators drop out of the picture for one reason or another. So, we have been working to refresh our entire teaching pool. This has meant a lot of tracting and a lot of fishing for references. This can be tiring but it pays back eventually.
This week we were out with one of our amazing members, Pamela, and all of our appointments were falling through so we were scrambling for a backup plan and we ended up passing by the house of these young teenage girls we had taught a few times. Their older brother came out to tell us that they weren´t home and we started talking to him some. He started to seem interested in what we had to say so we invited him to church and...he showed up. And stayed ALL. THREE. HOURS. I can hardly convince myself to stay all three hours sometimes. Miracle of miracles!!! We haven´t even taught him a lesson yet but he seems interested. I will keep you posted.
Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. For such a Catholic/Christian country you would think Easter would be a bigger deal, but it hardly even seemed like anyone was celebrating. It was fast and testimony meeting here and I think only a couple people even mentioned the fact that it was Easter in their testimonies. Hermana Pack and I bought each other little chocolate eggs and sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and ate egg salad sandwiches. That was about it for Easter festivities. Sad because Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Next Easter I will be home. That is crazy to think about.
Until Next Week,
Hermana Parker
Greetings from....Barrio 4! I am still here in Resistencia in the very ward that Aaron´s current mission companion is from. Almost every day, it seems, I have a conversation that goes a little like this:
Person in ward: How is your family?
Me: They are doing well.
Person in ward: And, I forget, are you the first in your family to go on a mission?
Me: No! In fact my little brother is on a mission in Chile right now.
Person in ward: Really? Which mission?!
Me: Antofagasta.
Person in ward: Heyyy, that´s the mission of Lucas De...
Me: Yes, I know! My brother is actually his companion right now!
Person in ward: *freaks out*
So, anyways--things are grand here in Barrio 4. Saludos from the entire ward to Elder DePaoli.
My new companion is Hermana Pack from Las Vegas. She got here in December, so she is fairly new. I will miss Hermana Hobbs terribly. She has been my best best friend these last 3 months and she is a kind and kindred spirit. But Hermana Pack and I are already getting down to business. Really, the last few weeks with Hermana Hobbs were a little discouraging as we saw most of our most promising investigators drop out of the picture for one reason or another. So, we have been working to refresh our entire teaching pool. This has meant a lot of tracting and a lot of fishing for references. This can be tiring but it pays back eventually.
This week we were out with one of our amazing members, Pamela, and all of our appointments were falling through so we were scrambling for a backup plan and we ended up passing by the house of these young teenage girls we had taught a few times. Their older brother came out to tell us that they weren´t home and we started talking to him some. He started to seem interested in what we had to say so we invited him to church and...he showed up. And stayed ALL. THREE. HOURS. I can hardly convince myself to stay all three hours sometimes. Miracle of miracles!!! We haven´t even taught him a lesson yet but he seems interested. I will keep you posted.
Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. For such a Catholic/Christian country you would think Easter would be a bigger deal, but it hardly even seemed like anyone was celebrating. It was fast and testimony meeting here and I think only a couple people even mentioned the fact that it was Easter in their testimonies. Hermana Pack and I bought each other little chocolate eggs and sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and ate egg salad sandwiches. That was about it for Easter festivities. Sad because Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Next Easter I will be home. That is crazy to think about.
Until Next Week,
Hermana Parker
06 April 2012
General Conference and Transfers - April 3, 2012
Dear Family and Friends,
Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of when Argentina lost the battle with England for the Falkland Islands (or, as they say here, Las Islas Malvinas)--it was also the start of "la semana santa," holy week, before Easter so they switched our p-day.
Conference here in Barrio 4 differed greatly from my experience in Goya. There were no birds nests in the satellite and we did not have to stream a pixely image from the internet connection in the branch president´s office using the world´s longest ethernet cord. This time, we had a cozy gringo room set up for us in the relief society room so all of us Americans could watch conference in English while all the native missionaries, members, and investigators from the stake watched it dubbed over in Spanish in the chapel/cultural hall. We didn´t have a lot of success getting our investigators to conference, and the ones who came had friends to sit with, so I didn´t feel so bad slipping off to listen in my native language.
I loved conference. It was like Christmas all over again. And it is definitely a different experience listening with missionary ears. I was inspired, found answers to my questions, and felt my testimony strengthened that we truly do have living prophets and apostles. I especially loved Elder Christofferson´s talk because I have been reading in the acts lately and just had spent some time with the chapters he referenced. I also loved Elder Holland´s talk about the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
As I mentioned briefly last week, the weather has taken a turn. There was one day where it was actually COLD and we put on coats and scarves and fuzzy socks,
but now it is back to late summer heat. Autumn has officially begun here though so the real heat should be mostly over.
I´m also sending pictures of our empanada-making fun. A sister in the ward was kind enough to teach us, so earlier this week we went over an hour or so early to our lunch appointment to help make corn, cheese and beef empanadas. Beef is most traditional, and then ham and cheese. but it was fun to learn how to make the corn ones as a good vegetarian alternative for after the mission. they were tasty.
Tonight we find out what will be happening with transfers and we are quite anxious to know. It is extremely doubtful I will stay with Hermana Hobbs another transfer because her training is up, so now the only real question is who will stay and who will go.
Anyways, as is traditional we took a district picture. One of the elders in our district from Buenos Aires is going home this week, and we are all sad to see him go. The other elders in the district all attacked him with a group hug. Hermana Hobbs and I observed from the sidelines and then shook his hand--as is the way of the sister missionary.
We also have been saying just-in-case goodbyes and taking pictures with some of our favorite families and investigators. This family is one of the families we have been working to reactivate. Seeing them start to come back to church has been one of the greatest joys of this last transfer. (insert photo of family here)
Also, before I forget, Hermana Hobbs and I took a picture for St. Patrick´s day but I didn´t remember to send it with my St. Patrick´s day email. Anyways, don´t worry. We wore green.
Life is still good.
Thanks for all your love, support, letters and emails. I love you all.
Until next week,
Hermana Parker
Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of when Argentina lost the battle with England for the Falkland Islands (or, as they say here, Las Islas Malvinas)--it was also the start of "la semana santa," holy week, before Easter so they switched our p-day.
Conference here in Barrio 4 differed greatly from my experience in Goya. There were no birds nests in the satellite and we did not have to stream a pixely image from the internet connection in the branch president´s office using the world´s longest ethernet cord. This time, we had a cozy gringo room set up for us in the relief society room so all of us Americans could watch conference in English while all the native missionaries, members, and investigators from the stake watched it dubbed over in Spanish in the chapel/cultural hall. We didn´t have a lot of success getting our investigators to conference, and the ones who came had friends to sit with, so I didn´t feel so bad slipping off to listen in my native language.
I loved conference. It was like Christmas all over again. And it is definitely a different experience listening with missionary ears. I was inspired, found answers to my questions, and felt my testimony strengthened that we truly do have living prophets and apostles. I especially loved Elder Christofferson´s talk because I have been reading in the acts lately and just had spent some time with the chapters he referenced. I also loved Elder Holland´s talk about the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
As I mentioned briefly last week, the weather has taken a turn. There was one day where it was actually COLD and we put on coats and scarves and fuzzy socks,
but now it is back to late summer heat. Autumn has officially begun here though so the real heat should be mostly over.
I´m also sending pictures of our empanada-making fun. A sister in the ward was kind enough to teach us, so earlier this week we went over an hour or so early to our lunch appointment to help make corn, cheese and beef empanadas. Beef is most traditional, and then ham and cheese. but it was fun to learn how to make the corn ones as a good vegetarian alternative for after the mission. they were tasty.
Tonight we find out what will be happening with transfers and we are quite anxious to know. It is extremely doubtful I will stay with Hermana Hobbs another transfer because her training is up, so now the only real question is who will stay and who will go.
Anyways, as is traditional we took a district picture. One of the elders in our district from Buenos Aires is going home this week, and we are all sad to see him go. The other elders in the district all attacked him with a group hug. Hermana Hobbs and I observed from the sidelines and then shook his hand--as is the way of the sister missionary.
We also have been saying just-in-case goodbyes and taking pictures with some of our favorite families and investigators. This family is one of the families we have been working to reactivate. Seeing them start to come back to church has been one of the greatest joys of this last transfer. (insert photo of family here)
Also, before I forget, Hermana Hobbs and I took a picture for St. Patrick´s day but I didn´t remember to send it with my St. Patrick´s day email. Anyways, don´t worry. We wore green.
Life is still good.
Thanks for all your love, support, letters and emails. I love you all.
Until next week,
Hermana Parker
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