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That is in our little apartment complex. Washer and dryer for one load is 1.75 so 3.50.

Can You Ride Your Bike With No Handlebars?

 Hello my thunder thighed Brigade. This last week was, to put it frankly, kind of annoying. You see, it was Christmas. Which honestly is a depressing time to be a missionary. As bad as it sounds it felt like a huge roadblock that was oddly nostalgic. I love seeing everyone look to Christ around this time but am happy the holiday is over and hopefully things can go back to normal around here. Although this week was tough to do normal missionary work we got to go on an inclining power walk midweek with a guy who in the end was trying to save us from the "false prophet Joseph smith'' so that was fun. I learned that we are all saved and all we need is Christ's grace, phew right… I knew God gave commands and prophets just to tease. But I am so grateful to be where I am right now. You see more than half of our mission is reassigned missionaries and a lot go to their original assignments and we hear from them and they are stuck inside all day on Facebook and want to come back. I am lucky enough to be somewhere Covid doesn't really even exist and can do normal missionary work. Yes I want to go to Japan but at the state of things right now I would also be pretty sad to leave this mission life. Although this week was hard we got to do some service and go over to some members' houses on Christmas and Christmas Eve which was very nice of them but to me I don't know it felt weird. Hopefully we can grow member relations here because it has been really hard and I feel like I still don't know anyone in this ward which is the complete opposite of Sidney. So if you have missionaries in your ward make sure to say Hi and invite them over. It means a lot. Last night we went to dinner with a member but they do not go to our ward. They drive down to Rapid every week, but he said they had a salt gun so I told him to shoot me. He did and was kinda disappointed because I thought it would hurt more. But then he goes it hurts more when you don't expect it... see watch this. Points it at is 4 year old daughter playing with play dough and kachows her on the back of the neck. It was pretty funny. Also found out there is a guitar center in Rapid City the other day. 🤯😱 just a matter of time before I make it there. Today its -10 and we have a bunch of pow wow. We shoveled some people's driveways and lost a finger or two. I was thinking last night how sad the life of a pig would be just because they are sadly pathetic creatures, But double smoked jalapeño bacon cooked with added grease is really pleasing to the tongue. Anyways don't forget to thrust in your sickle with all your might. I gotta go but you all better be in the clouds somewhere up in space alright.

Sent from - your incredibly buff 💪  Elder Parker

俺の写真だよ -

Christmas

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 Bouta cut down a Christmas tree.

This is sick. Lets go.

That there is a tree.

愛してません、、何

 ……… My eyes slowly creep open to the sound of a wise Indian man singing jingle bells… ahhh there I was standing in a field of white cactus 🌵…..  but wait  they were cactus no more… Trees, yes pine trees to be exact. Covered in snow. I have seen some up here lately. You know something else we have seen a lot of lately. Miracles. Yes, this last week we have been working hard. We were able to find 7 news. Which means we taught them a lesson or principle, got a contact, they made a commitment, and we have a return appointment. 7 is a really high number for those that are not aware. It's the most I have ever gotten in a week by 4. We also have 4 on date but one of them apparently was very bipolar and the next time started calling us false prophets and that she has seen things she can't tell us and is not mentally there. So that stinks. We did a district P day to mount Rushmore. It was awesome getting to see Paul walker, Trump, Michele Jackson, and Kevin Hart as well as what photosynthesis and erosion can create. But if I'm going to be honest I don't buy that. I think it was the Decepticons and pretty sure that's where they hide the all spark. But after that our car smelled like fish every time we got in it. Luckily we have a candle to light In there but we were trying to figure it out and called a lot of people when we got a voice memo from some sisters like maybe check here or here or here and we pulled over frantically checking everywhere which really just made us look like idiots. And this high-school girl comes out and asks if we need help and if we go to the local high school and I was talking to her while my comps were searching the car and told her who we were and offered a message of Jesus Christ and in the end she pretty much thought I was flirting with her. She goes " you think your slick huh, my boyfriend is right there." Dude walks out. literally 14 😂, meanwhile my comps were just laughing at me. I was hoping he would try and throw hands but he looked so scared. Ha like we are just missionaries. But I have no clue how offering a message of Jesus Christ came across that way but whatever I take the W. Still haven't found it BTW but the smell is fading, probably fish oil or something. But if it was the elders in our district we flipped everything in there apartment. Anyways one of the news we got was a really cool experience for me because I have felt so drawn to go apartment knocking and when we finally made it to Spearfish and I suggested the right apartment building 5th door we found an elect. It's a lot to explain but she is going places with us. We also went up to a guy in Deadwood to give a blessing. That place is so epic, It looks like a little ski town in the hills. It was so sweet. There is a guy up there with a bunch of pet wolves and foxes we will have to go see soon as well. Also my Sidney Montana people are popping off. Someone on the date I gave a blessing to was answered and they just got married and had their kid and are getting baptized in I think 2 weeks which is really awesome.. I wish I was there for it but I have been messaging them to stay in touch. Anyways I have got to go. We are going through spearfish canyon to cut down a Christmas tree. We ended up with a permit, don't ask how, but we are gonna pull up to district P day with a pine tree on top of are mommy missile Ha. Gotta go pick up a saw from president as well. Then we get to watch the animated grinch which I am hyped about and tomorrow I get to usher in a theater and watch the chosen holiday special in theaters which is pretty hype.

Stay strong you Kings with vigilance and maybe a couple of you with death touch - Elder Parker

Mas Photos- 

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We just put someone on date. The spirit was so strong and she already says she knows it is true and wants to get baptized so much. Tomorrow we are gonna try and put another self referral on date that already says she wants to be baptized. The spirit does everything. We do nothing. The spirit guides them to us and makes them know it is true.

We are really getting blessed. Our tiwi went white. It never happens and we call it celestial tiwi because it stops tracking everything. I got an aggressive my first day of driving and like 100 "check your speeds." Ha. If you don't get black dotted at least once did you really ever drive on your mission?

Everyone has been talking a lot about Japan opening in a bit, like March time. President told me he has been feeling like we will all leave soon and he doesn't want to send any half missionaries so to language study ha.

We are over one little ward in a church with a half court.

I ate a Light Bulb

 Hauuuuuu houuuuuu hauuuu houuuu slurp slurp mmmmmm. Just ran to the church to send this email, pshhh it was light work granted only 3 miles but great work for the meat ball in my chest. Then we will run back... wait ha I don't run I only SPRINT. Ha. Then we are heading up to Mt. Rushmore to do some recreational speed walking and getting model shots. Oh yeah I forgot to tell y'all, I am currently spreading the word here in Belle Fourche South Dakota near the Rapid City area. It's pretty peachy to say the least. My comps are, you guessed it, ELDER KROFF and ELDER WIXOM brrr brrr br brrrrrrrrr. Actual absolute units of missionaries right here taking Belle Fourche to heights even Vin Diesel couldn't hit. It's pretty sweet here and pictures and videos will do most of the explaining for the area and comp unity. You see, Elder Wixolfo loves to capture all the spice. So thank him for the videos. We all came out together as well. Honestly I have no clue what President was thinking when he put 3 greenies in this area Ha. Anyways this is gonna be a long one so you might wanna grab a wet spaghetti noodle to chew on or something. You see, last week I forgot a lot of stuff so I'd like to start you there.

 Before transfers we got to be a score table for a wrestling tournament. My old comp was a state champ and is insane at wrestling. So we got asked to score matches. Ha that was epic. There were some crazy matches. I was waiting for them to pull out chairs from nowhere and start hitting each other like on TV but that didn't happen but there were some good body slams. The heavyweight guys were the funniest. Ha. They just laid on the ground like walrus rolling around. Also we got a lot of snow and my old comp drove a lifted square body he made really nice but you could tell cause he would always run straight into the curb when parking. But in the snow we almost died hahaha. Our little mommy missile drives a little different then a lifted truck. It was an epic 8,000 miles we drove in just that transfer 😂. I had a good send off to Belle Fourche. Diane gave me an awesome blanket, and I got taken out to one of those restaurants that they cook in front of you. Man, we ate so much food. It was also my "birthday" so you know, gotta wear a baby mask and get sung to so that was epic. 

The next day was transfer day which I had not been looking forward to but it was actually probably one of my favorite days on the mission. We were in Dickinson for 2 hours waiting and man that was the best two hours of my mission. Let me tell you, talking to people is addicting. I went to Dickinson state with 2 elders. One was new and didn't talk at all and the other was only out 2 transfers and was pretty shy too which was perfect cause man I was THRIVING it was sooooo fun. I was talking to so many people left and right and man like I said, the human connection even if short is necessary and addicting. I got either 6 or 7 numbers too. Apparently wasn't supposed to be getting girls ones cause there are no sister missionaries in the area or something but those where the funnest ones ha. But don't worry, I am so consecrated, I only saw floating spirits. Ha, it's great because everyone you talk to is around the same age rather than 40 or something and it makes it a lot easier. 

Here in Belle Fourche we have been seeing lots of miracles after a couple rough days to get going ha. Yesterday was insane though, we were like aight time to be super concentrated. We deleted all our apostate music.. ect. You see yesterday was a zone conference and remember we are 3 greenies coming from different trainers. So it is hard sometimes but we made sacrifices to be as obedient as possible so we can have the most change we can have on the mission. We were able to talk to Pres about what we were struggling with. For me it was the waste of time on non progressing inactives and stuff. He told us forget about what the previous people in the area did. I put you 3 here for a reason and called us the sons of Mosiah and he has so much faith in us and sees the great things we can accomplish together. He told us that we need to come together with all methods so we had some serious conversations in the mom's car and made those sacrifices. And my mind was blown, I mean literally. God saw our efforts and put trust in us. That night/last night we were driving back from zone conference and we stopped to see a referral that has never answered the door. But tonight she did and she was totally interested, I whipped out the pamphlet and wrote our number down and gave it too her, we taught about the Book of Mormon and she was so down, and we are meeting with her tonight. BUT WAAAAAIT. Then a self referral says she wants to talk so we call her for the first time. BROOOOO the spirit was so strong. She literally said she was looking at a picture of Jesus in the eyes and has been praying for a different church she can get something out of (she was a catholic). She says she has been drawn to the LDS church and wants to learn more. THENNNN it gets even better. Bruvz she tells us she feels prompted so much that she wants to get baptized but isn't really sure how it works. PROCEEDS to tell us that her husband is ok with her joining our church and she has a kid too. THENNN to top it all off she goes oh and I am hoping to get this job where I won't work on Sundays so I can come to your services. Like what, THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN and same day we finally got an appointment with someone on date that is actually progressing (she is 9). The Lord blessed us for our sacrifices. That night me being the fearless missionary I am said WE ARE A DOOR KNOCKING AREA NOW because really when people say there is no success in it that is an excuse, it is either too cold or they wanna sit inside wasting the Lord's time. So we did and BANG bunch of potentials and interested people. When you let the spirit guide you success will follow no matter what work you do. I just find street contacting and tracting is the easiest ways to do so and stay on task at the same time. Plus I find it a lot more fun being able to explore the town especially here where there is a decent population of 5000 unknocked houses and you meet all sorts of people ranging from witches to people who are already members but were somehow baptized when they were 6😂. Anyway, something that I have changed the most about myself on my mission and am still working hard to do is to look at others as Christ did. You know there are a lot of people in this world that are just angry. The amount of times I've been told our generation is worthless and we have no work ethic and this and that, mannnnn. As soon as I kill them with kindness and just simply say hey I appreciate and respect you and your opinion and love you for it, wish em a merry Christmas and that Jesus Christ loves them, every single time they go uhhhhhh hmmm I am acting like a 5 year old. There is enough hate in this world so no matter how you think about someone just be nice. It really sucks getting told hateful things a lot. I could argue all day but realistically all you're doing is arguing about something that someone is complaining about because they have to be angry about something. Its not worth your time and when you kill em with kindness it is funny to see people figuratively sit down and stop in their tracks.😂 Remember god loves his justice. It is not our job to push someone back after being pushed. That is for him to sort out however he seems fit. Even though it can be really really really hard sometimes and I have a lot of work to do to just instantly drop it and move on in my life, that is what our savior would want us to do, set by example.

Till the next day - Elder Parker

Mas Photos-