Dear Family and Friends,
I was transferred, I´m training, we´re opening a new area, AND we have a special assignment in our new area.
I am serving in Reconquista in the province of Santa Fe. They haven´t had sister missionaries in Santa Fe for almost 10 years. They sent us here, along with a new senior couple, with a special focus on reactivating inactive members and strengthening the branches here. They want us to bring some new energy and excitement and to focus primarily on getting inactive families back to church. The mission president literally said "If baptisms come, they come, but I want you to focus on reactivating. Breathe some life into the branches there!"
This district has really been struggling the last couple years, in fact it was on the verge of being closed entirely--but now they are seeing what we can do with 4 more missionaries and a lot of hard work. My companion and I have an assigned area for proselyting and teaching investigators, but we have permission to visit members of the church in the whole city of Reconquista (both branches) and the rest of the district too (which includes several outlying towns). We have no limits! No boundaries! No phone calls to the president to ask for permission to "leave our area." It´s amazing! I love it.
I love my new assignment. I also love my awesome new companion Hermana Baker--fresh from the Provo MTC. I love escaping the sort of corrupted, over-zealous, number-monster culture I was experiencing in Formosa. I love focusing on rescuing "lost sheep" and strengthening the church, rather than just getting people to baptism. And the cool thing is, at the same time, we find people who are ready to be baptized. In our 5 short days here we started working with a less-active woman whose 15 year old daughter wants to be baptized.
I also just love Santa Fe and our area in general. If I thought my area in Formosa was rural, I was wrong. Our area here has lots of long dirt roads that literally pass through giant fields with hay bales and horses. And it is OH SO BEAUTIFUL to watch the sun setting over those country roads and fields when we are out walking from one appointment to the next. Our apartment is lovely and has all new furniture and has air conditioning and a balcony and the view from our balcony is a big grassy field bordered by a forest.
It is also fun to open an area because every day is a big adventure. We are learning to read maps and take buses. Our first night here it was pouring rain and thunderstorming, and we were completely lost, and the lights went out all over the whole city, and we made our way home by the light of the lightning that streaked across the sky about every 20 seconds.
Several times a day I spontaneously burst into the Newsies song "Santa Fe" because I am just so enchanted by this place and because it fits so well my sentiments -- "dreams come true, yes they do, in Santa Fe." It´s just a shame I´ll only be here for 4 more weeks...
One fun thing is seeing people’s reactions to having sister missionaries again after almost 10 years. The little kids and newer converts have never even seen sister missionaries. And most of the adults and older members are thrilled. Several times we have shown up on people’s doorsteps and when they saw us they exclaimed: "I can´t believe what I am seeing! Sister missionaries in Reconquista!!" and then they warmly welcomed us.
Anyways, that´s about it for this week. I´ll send pictures next week and tell you more about our grand adventures.
Love,
Hna Parker
28 January 2013
Barrero y J.J. Paso – January 21, 2013
Dear Family and Friends,
This week was nice.
Starting off this week it was a little like starting new in the area. Most of our progressing investigators were either baptized or had moved to other areas and seeing as we were homebound for most of the two previous weeks caring for my sick companion, we were not able to look for many new investigators or keep the work moving here.
So, we started out asking for and looking up references from members, talking to everyone we met, knocking doors, tracking down inactive members and old investigators, and everything else we could think of to try to find new people to teach.
I think looking for new investigators is still the most challenging and daunting part of missionary work for me. Although I have learned how to be more outgoing on my mission, talking to new people is still a little terrifying. But I am always surprised and grateful to see that as I try my best to get over my fears and shyness and do my little part, God does His. We had some wonderful experiences this week talking to new people and visiting new neighborhoods.
This week we were talking to some people and one man said that he lived in the neighborhood behind Divino Niño (a huge and very popular Catholic church here in my area). I had no idea there was a neighborhood back there and I have been in my area almost 6 months, so we decided to check it out. It is BEAUTIFUL, in a quaint, humble, rural sort of way. There are all this little houses scrapped together from cardboard and wood, and they are all situated along the shore of a tiny river.
There in that neighborhood tucked away behind Divino Niño, we found several amazing new investigators and a handful of inactive members who all received us well. One young man, Pedro, lives in a tiny house with his mom and several adult siblings and nieces and nephews. They have a little wooden boat and often cross to the other side of the river where there is a tiny forest and where they also have planted a large garden with watermelons, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, etc.
We are going to go back tomorrow and I am going to take pictures because Wednesday we have transfers and....
It looks like I will be leaving Parque! My mission president was in town for a conference this week and he called me for an interview. We talked a little about how I´m doing, and everything that happened with Hna Espinoza, and my thoughts as I finish my mission and then he told me he was thinking about giving me a special assignment in my last transfer. Nothing is set in stone, but next week I MIGHT be writing to you from a new area in the province of Santa Fe (an area where previously there were never sister missionaries). I will be sad to leave, but I am also excited to work hard, with a renewed energy, in a fresh new area.
Thank you all for your emails and pictures and love. I am so excited to get back to you all in just a little over a month. Today I received my re-acceptance to BYU and I am registering for classes here in Argentina. Weird.
Love,
Hna Parker
This week was nice.
Starting off this week it was a little like starting new in the area. Most of our progressing investigators were either baptized or had moved to other areas and seeing as we were homebound for most of the two previous weeks caring for my sick companion, we were not able to look for many new investigators or keep the work moving here.
So, we started out asking for and looking up references from members, talking to everyone we met, knocking doors, tracking down inactive members and old investigators, and everything else we could think of to try to find new people to teach.
I think looking for new investigators is still the most challenging and daunting part of missionary work for me. Although I have learned how to be more outgoing on my mission, talking to new people is still a little terrifying. But I am always surprised and grateful to see that as I try my best to get over my fears and shyness and do my little part, God does His. We had some wonderful experiences this week talking to new people and visiting new neighborhoods.
This week we were talking to some people and one man said that he lived in the neighborhood behind Divino Niño (a huge and very popular Catholic church here in my area). I had no idea there was a neighborhood back there and I have been in my area almost 6 months, so we decided to check it out. It is BEAUTIFUL, in a quaint, humble, rural sort of way. There are all this little houses scrapped together from cardboard and wood, and they are all situated along the shore of a tiny river.
There in that neighborhood tucked away behind Divino Niño, we found several amazing new investigators and a handful of inactive members who all received us well. One young man, Pedro, lives in a tiny house with his mom and several adult siblings and nieces and nephews. They have a little wooden boat and often cross to the other side of the river where there is a tiny forest and where they also have planted a large garden with watermelons, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, etc.
We are going to go back tomorrow and I am going to take pictures because Wednesday we have transfers and....
It looks like I will be leaving Parque! My mission president was in town for a conference this week and he called me for an interview. We talked a little about how I´m doing, and everything that happened with Hna Espinoza, and my thoughts as I finish my mission and then he told me he was thinking about giving me a special assignment in my last transfer. Nothing is set in stone, but next week I MIGHT be writing to you from a new area in the province of Santa Fe (an area where previously there were never sister missionaries). I will be sad to leave, but I am also excited to work hard, with a renewed energy, in a fresh new area.
Thank you all for your emails and pictures and love. I am so excited to get back to you all in just a little over a month. Today I received my re-acceptance to BYU and I am registering for classes here in Argentina. Weird.
Love,
Hna Parker
Mexico -- January 14, 2013
Dear Family and Friends,
It was another crazy week, but thankfully now things have settled down and are basically back to normal.
After the first time in the hospital, we took it very easy, only going to a few appointments every day and mostly resting and recuperating in our lovely air conditioned bedroom. A couple days I went out and worked with Hermana Luna, while Hermana Luna´s mom came and stayed with and cared for Hermana Espinoza. Still, my poor little Hermana ended up in the hospital THREE more times last week, once in the middle of the night. She had a bunch of different things going on at once (inflammation in her whole body, back pain, knee pain, etc) but the worst was that on Tuesday morning she woke up with a head-splitting, excruciating migraine that not even the strongest drugs seemed to kick for long and that went on for days. We created what I called "the cave," covering our window with three blankets so that not even a tiny beam of light could come inside. Any tiny bit of light was excruciating to her, as well as all sounds and movements. It was quite dark and cool and cozy in the cave, and the rest of the house is SO HOT--so I would usually just chill in the cave in the pitch darkness, with my sheet thrown over my head and a flashlight and my scriptures.
In the end Hermana Espinoza was just too sick to be here, so far from home, in hot hot Formosa, with the stress of a missionary schedule and lifestyle. Late on Thursday night she was in such pain that she was crying and moaning and I was just so scared and didn´t know what to do to help her. Our neighbors are these two young gals about our age that are both nurses. I called them over and they took a look at her, took her blood pressure, and injected her with some of the pain meds that they had given her a few days before in the clinic (the last time these meds seemed to work for a few hours, so it was a good temporary solution). But then they told me she really urgently needed to go be seen by a doctor. The public hospital here had traumatized us quite a bit (we took photos the last time, and when I get home I will show them to you. it is awful) and we felt it would be pointless to go back to the same place, with the same symptoms, just to recieve the same attention by the same incompetent staff and later to be given the same results (inconclusive). However, we felt trapped because we had been given instructions by our leaders not to go to a private clinic because they would charge a lot of money. Our neighbors agreed that she should not go to the public hospital, because it is usually crowded and hectic and poorly staffed. They referred us to a place called Sanatorio Formosa where one of them works and told us more or less how much a basic checkup and a few of the tests she might need would cost. We decided that in the end, if the mission couldn’t pay, that we would find some other way to pay and that we just needed to go right then. These girls were so helpful and good to us--they called some friends who were working at that hour and asked them to please help us, and wait for us, and give us the best attention.
Our experience was much better this time. The private clinic was a lot cleaner and safer and we were very well attended by the nurses and doctors. Still, there was not much they could do without admitting her or doing some expensive studies--so they gave her an IV with some more pain meds, the doctor gave her a prescription for a different sort of migraine medicine, and he recommended two months more of rest and that she go home to Mexico.
We talked with our leaders and mission doctors in the morning and everyone agreed. She needed to go home. She left Saturday morning. And now I am back full time with Hna Luna for another couples weeks.
I am attaching here some photos of my first and last day with Hna Espinoza. We took a picture with one of our neighbors, Yesica, that was so good to us (the other was working) and her kitten Valentino (I love this kitten).
I am also attaching photos from our baptisms this Saturday. That is a whole other story, perhaps I will explain next week, but Franco and Belen were both baptized on Saturday.
I love you all and I am SO grateful for your love and kind words and encouragement.
Love,
Hna Parker
It was another crazy week, but thankfully now things have settled down and are basically back to normal.
After the first time in the hospital, we took it very easy, only going to a few appointments every day and mostly resting and recuperating in our lovely air conditioned bedroom. A couple days I went out and worked with Hermana Luna, while Hermana Luna´s mom came and stayed with and cared for Hermana Espinoza. Still, my poor little Hermana ended up in the hospital THREE more times last week, once in the middle of the night. She had a bunch of different things going on at once (inflammation in her whole body, back pain, knee pain, etc) but the worst was that on Tuesday morning she woke up with a head-splitting, excruciating migraine that not even the strongest drugs seemed to kick for long and that went on for days. We created what I called "the cave," covering our window with three blankets so that not even a tiny beam of light could come inside. Any tiny bit of light was excruciating to her, as well as all sounds and movements. It was quite dark and cool and cozy in the cave, and the rest of the house is SO HOT--so I would usually just chill in the cave in the pitch darkness, with my sheet thrown over my head and a flashlight and my scriptures.
In the end Hermana Espinoza was just too sick to be here, so far from home, in hot hot Formosa, with the stress of a missionary schedule and lifestyle. Late on Thursday night she was in such pain that she was crying and moaning and I was just so scared and didn´t know what to do to help her. Our neighbors are these two young gals about our age that are both nurses. I called them over and they took a look at her, took her blood pressure, and injected her with some of the pain meds that they had given her a few days before in the clinic (the last time these meds seemed to work for a few hours, so it was a good temporary solution). But then they told me she really urgently needed to go be seen by a doctor. The public hospital here had traumatized us quite a bit (we took photos the last time, and when I get home I will show them to you. it is awful) and we felt it would be pointless to go back to the same place, with the same symptoms, just to recieve the same attention by the same incompetent staff and later to be given the same results (inconclusive). However, we felt trapped because we had been given instructions by our leaders not to go to a private clinic because they would charge a lot of money. Our neighbors agreed that she should not go to the public hospital, because it is usually crowded and hectic and poorly staffed. They referred us to a place called Sanatorio Formosa where one of them works and told us more or less how much a basic checkup and a few of the tests she might need would cost. We decided that in the end, if the mission couldn’t pay, that we would find some other way to pay and that we just needed to go right then. These girls were so helpful and good to us--they called some friends who were working at that hour and asked them to please help us, and wait for us, and give us the best attention.
Our experience was much better this time. The private clinic was a lot cleaner and safer and we were very well attended by the nurses and doctors. Still, there was not much they could do without admitting her or doing some expensive studies--so they gave her an IV with some more pain meds, the doctor gave her a prescription for a different sort of migraine medicine, and he recommended two months more of rest and that she go home to Mexico.
We talked with our leaders and mission doctors in the morning and everyone agreed. She needed to go home. She left Saturday morning. And now I am back full time with Hna Luna for another couples weeks.
I am attaching here some photos of my first and last day with Hna Espinoza. We took a picture with one of our neighbors, Yesica, that was so good to us (the other was working) and her kitten Valentino (I love this kitten).
I am also attaching photos from our baptisms this Saturday. That is a whole other story, perhaps I will explain next week, but Franco and Belen were both baptized on Saturday.
I love you all and I am SO grateful for your love and kind words and encouragement.
Love,
Hna Parker
05 January 2013
2013! -- December 31, 2012
Dear Family and Friends,
My companion went to a salon to dye her hair today and it took a little longer than expected and so I am left with very little time to write you.
I am alive and well. I LOVED talking to you last week. Sorry if it seemed I had little to say. The truth is, I have tons to say, but it felt too overwhelming to fit it all into a single 40 minute phone call. I am sure we will have long, meaningful, detailed conversations in two months when I get home.
News: They finally installed our air conditioning! Our quality of life has greatly increased.
We are working hard and have lots of baptisms for this January. Tonight we are going to celebrate New Years with one of our favorite families--Sandra and her kids...but in true missionary-fashion our fun will end at 10 PM sharp when we must be in our apartment.
I want to hear all about your New Years celebrations.
And Jared and Scott! I want to hear all about your trip with pictures please! I have been praying these last few nights for your safety in your cross-country wanderings.
I love you all too much.
Brooke
My companion went to a salon to dye her hair today and it took a little longer than expected and so I am left with very little time to write you.
I am alive and well. I LOVED talking to you last week. Sorry if it seemed I had little to say. The truth is, I have tons to say, but it felt too overwhelming to fit it all into a single 40 minute phone call. I am sure we will have long, meaningful, detailed conversations in two months when I get home.
News: They finally installed our air conditioning! Our quality of life has greatly increased.
We are working hard and have lots of baptisms for this January. Tonight we are going to celebrate New Years with one of our favorite families--Sandra and her kids...but in true missionary-fashion our fun will end at 10 PM sharp when we must be in our apartment.
I want to hear all about your New Years celebrations.
And Jared and Scott! I want to hear all about your trip with pictures please! I have been praying these last few nights for your safety in your cross-country wanderings.
I love you all too much.
Brooke
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