Video Call

Homies

 

Top Golf

Revised Policy Regarding Jean Shorts at Work

What's undercooking email coterie? Time is a flying. I have one week left in the MTC then I will be flying out to the old Koda’s. It's been an amazing 8 weeks and I can't believe that after this next week I'll be done with my 9-week MTC stay and over 2 months through my mission already. I loved being back in Georgia and seeing the people I was able to. I've loved my stay here and have again grown an expediential amount in my time here. I'll be flying to my mission alone and then all the other missionaries will be flying in about 45 minutes after me from the Utah MTC. Although there should be some stragglers also going to japan in the same boat. My strategy is to use those 45 minutes to set a good impression so that after my first transfer I can just replace the mission president. I'm also really hoping to run into some air sharks on the way, maybe they will commit to baptism, who knows ha. My Japanese is coming along, I feel pretty comfortable in the language now and my reading is pretty legit. I can read a lot of the Book of Mormon except half the words because grammar is definitely my strong suit, but at this point, I feel like I just need to be there. My favorite word is probably yosshhhh, good luck translating that. And my favorite phrase is やるしかない (Send It). Anyways, I’ll have an hour of language study a day still in ND and plan on hopefully getting all of the Pikachu AKA (the yellow book) down in the time being. I am beyond ready to be in the field and curious to see where I’ll end up and who my companion is going to be. Although I'm excited, it is a bit sad. People always say life goes on but to me that's the saddest part. One thing I've loved the most is always having nine people who are at the same point of life with similar goals learning the same things, who are all so close to each other. We could rely on each other with differing questions, which I have learned so much from as well as helped others. I can not wait for the time I get to see everyone again in Japan. It makes me realize how much my brain cannot even comprehend how jaw-dropping our reunion in heaven will be. I am pretty excited to have Elder Kroff going to ND with me. I hope we end up companions at some point In the US or Japan. We are very similar and are always the two spinning around in circles in class spicing things up ha. He’s the type of friend that you can have fun with no matter what you're doing. I asked my companion what if one of our planes gets hit by a flock of explosive sequels. He said, “I wish, but God isn't going to let us go down that easily, we have a lot of work to do and things to experience first.” As a missionary you forget about yourself because you don't matter, you really don't. The lord's work is what matters. I want to be the shiny new tool in God's tool belt. No, I want to be the rusty hammer that will never break or fail. Ask yourselves is it more important to be loved by God or trusted by God. Maybe that was too obvious. We know God loves all of us wildn people but to be trusted is a whole other level. Doctor and Covenants section 4 verse 2 states, “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.” I intend to do just that. I want, no.. will be the companion that everyone I'm with will remember as being the companion that helped them reach their full potential. I am here and ready to do whatever God desires of me, and have a great time doing so regardless of the situation. Self-conversion is an important part of missions and I will do all I can to accomplish the vision God has for me and never look back with the thought that I could have done better. I would invite all of you to read and ponder your patriarchal blessings. Maybe it's been a week, or maybe a year. Also, I would read the Book of Mormon, I don't know just a hunch. Ha, I made a goal to read the whole thing in 1 week starting Thursday and I am on pace starting Alma today. It's really cool to see the full stories and books all at once together rather than just random chunks. Also, I think one of my favorite chapters in the BOM is Moroni 8 and I really hope I get to teach it to someone who has been suffering from the issue talked about in that chapter for a long time. Also, something to keep in mind that I've learned since being on my mission which is pretty obvious to some but not to others so hold on with me. The best part of life cannot be bought (exception - AK。冗談). Although achievements are important, when all is said and done your successes might not compare to friends, family, and others. But hey you accomplished something right. Try not to compare ourselves with others and focus on yourself and remember that words cut deeper than knives.  A knife can be pulled out, but words are embedded deep into our soul’s so please be careful what we say to others so your never responsible for the thought that there's nothing someone can do but let it rain and hope for sunshine. Right now, there are people all over the world who are just like you. They're either lonely, they're missing somebody, they're depressed, they're hurt, they're scarred from the past, they're having personal issues no one knows about, they have secrets you wouldn't believe. They wish, they dream, and they hope. But God works in very..very..very…..mysterious ways and his plan for each of us differs from everyone else on this earth and is just so great that we can't comprehend it. Everything happens for a reason, and most of the time we won't know the reason which can be excruciatingly annoying sometimes. I'm here to tell you that it's ok. In the end, all will be ok. Please don't just hope for the sunshine. There are people all around you, open your heart to them and in prayer.  Anyways next time you hear from me It will be on a Monday and I'll be pretty much in Canada so that should be fun. Hopefully, I'll have lots of stories to share with you all soon. Also thanks to anyone that has replied to my letters or sent me them in return. Although I am yet to reply to a single one, I love them each with a different part of my heart and it always puts a smile on my face and gives me a lot of motivation.

Sent from, your Moms Iphone, Elder Parker

Pictures - Back in my day we had to hike through the woods in order to find someone to teach.

Side note - My bets on Brother Drake for being one of the three Nephites.

Orange Shoals

 

Apples

I've Been Trying to Reach You About Your Car's Extended Warranty

 Dang you have to do at home mtc that sucks... yeah but you're just gonna get reassigned... you have to serve a mission during covid...too bad we couldn't have served 3 years ago..blah blah blah blah...doubt doubt doubt/faithless words of discouragement. Yeah yeah yeah I've heard it all, none of that matters. People don't call their mission the best time of their lives because of the good food they ate or places they saw or a language they learned. Just because you have to microwave your ramen and can't heat it up in a pot doesn't mean you're just gonna not eat. I'm here doing exactly what Jesus Christ told us to do. That's what matters. This life wasn't meant to be fair in the slightest and as we live in the later days things are going to just get worse and worse and worse. So don't dwell on the past and act.  Life doesn't stop for anyone. I have been temporarily reassigned for an unknown time. If Japan continues the way it has been, November, December is looking promising but we just don't know. Now I want you to think of the lamest states.. you got Kansas, Iowa, Ohio ect.. now guess in that general area. Alright you got a guess. Who am I kidding we all now your eyes already skipped down and saw it. North Dakota Bismarck.. but before you place any thought in your brains here me out. As lame as it sounds there are some cool things. Like the biggest cow statue made out of metal or a big turtle made out of tire rims. No I'm kidding, those are lacking in many categories. Although I know some of you would walk around it with endless questions.. But although the mission is Bismarck North Dakota it’s a lot more than you may think. Now you may be thinking the only thing less attractive than North Dakota is South Dakota. Ha well the entirety of that state is my mission as well. Oh and the eastern side of Montana, northern Nebraska. And a large chunk of western Minnesota. I'm pretty sure that it's bigger than Japan itself. Me and クロフ長老 in my district our going to that mission. I have been told that usually the missionaries there are over many wards/branches. I assume I will be driving a lot but if we don't have a car that just means we’ll have legs of diamonds. I am banking on the winter for fun stories to come and although I may not sound it, I am excited to go to this mission and bring the restored gospel into people's lives. Regardless where, I want to be challenged to an unimaginable point, That is really what I hope happens. Although, I am excited it is very hard at the same time. For those who served missions and went to places they loved, imagine getting told right before you went, hey actually you can't go there quite yet. Constantly Getting shown pictures, learning to teach area specific people. Yes it feels like getting stabbed until there is nothing left to stab, and is sooooo difficult. I have to remind myself constantly it's part of God's plan which is very difficult to see sometimes with the haunting thought that somehow I won't make it there which leaves my palms sweaty and feelings of significant despair inside. This life wasn't meant to be plain and simple.  Especially in the latter days we may face excruciating pains and sorrows but that's the point isn't it. Time doesn't heal pain, it only teaches us to live with it. How are we to make advances without gaining the knowledge of hardships? Life is full of unfairness, confusion, and pain. If we dwell on things that may be "unfair" to our warped brains that don't even know the half of it, we are again missing the point. Our life on earth wasn't meant to be easy in the slightest, although we can find happiness as we develop and grow as part of our purpose on earth, which no one will run out of room to do so. Although hard trails come in everyone's way regardless of the situation, or status of said person.  Some advice given to us as missionaries so don't take it personal but do at the same time when faced with a trial or something that seems impossible or soo hard in our lives…...  get over it. Get on your knees and pray. It is insane how much you can see the Lord's hand in your lives if you'd just pour your heart out to god. It isn't about a ward or complication that could happen within the church. You and I both know it's a lot more than that. Just like our fathers want to hear from their kids, He wants to hear from us incredibly bad as well. "Cry unto him your thanks, desires, your temptations, and your hardships." As I find myself praying for the people that surround me more than myself I am filled with peace. The power of prayer blows my mind and for anyone struggling I promise you no matter where, when, or whatever situation our Father in Heaven hears your prayers and rejoices that you make the choice to talk to him. With enough faith I feel prayer is pretty much a super power at this point. 

Every Tuesday night we have a devotional and a district led discussion. I have never felt the comfort of the Spirit so immensely in my life then Tuesday night. It's crazy how powerful a bundle of 9, 18-19 year olds directing themselves over a video call can be as we shared our own testimony meeting late at night after Elder Bednar spoke to us. God truly wants to help us but we must seek for guidance on his terms. I promise everyone reading this whether life is good, is hard, complicated, or indescribable that even tho it may feel impossible there is a light at the end of the tunnel and God is right behind you pushing you on the back whether its the direction you thought you would go or not. Which is where a lot of people lose faith. Pro tip -  don’t. 

Now for those still reading probably my parents, grandparents, maybe siblings or any other family you made it to the fun part. Congratulations. The last two weeks have been well….. Interesting to say the least. Hmm where to start…. I learned that the song When I am baptized, the Japanese version translates to I like rainbows. This past week we were learning about 天気. And Brother Hamblin, one of my two teachers, went outside to show and talk about this. Yeahhhh well my district being my district got his apartment number. My companion lives close so he knew the apartment building. My companion is actually 1 mile away from my sister in Provo, which means my teachers as well. Ha anyways we ordered him pizza in the middle of class which was pretty great he was extremely grateful as he was piled up with homework but more so terrified we now where he lives. But hey, we're missionaries not a thousand dolls without arms or legs so he’ll be fine. The next day we told brother Honda this and later in class he goes, We have a special guest… they join and it's him on his phone and he says, “apartment tour!’. Literally walks outside, shows us his apartment number while saying it out loud and typed his apartment building name in the chat. Yeah he got pizza too hahaha. Oh yeah I teach in japanese now and wellllll, they were not forgiving. They asked a bunch of question so my companion that was even more confused than I was while I was trying(definitely not getting anywhere) to answer he was switching back and forth between Google translate witch is terrible for japanese especially for religious stuff.. but he was wearing glasses and leaning toward the screen with a perfect reflection so you can imagine. I look at the other half of my screen and can clearly see which means the person whom we are teaching can also clearly see the Google translate white bright screen open as he drags it on and off his screen every 5 seconds and types 1 inch from the microphone to add to it. So you see the white window open up and then hear keys and mouse clicks for a couple seconds. It was rough and I couldn't help but laugh. In a review given by the "totally not a member at the mtc" they did not hold back haha but that was only 3 days into japanese classes. But yesterday  it went really well except of course we forgot to say a prayer and all. The questions she asked I don't even know how to answer in english and some words she would use to ask about let's say the atonement translate to random things like prudence and I'm over here not even knowing what that word is supposed to mean in english. But overall it went pretty good. We teach for 30 minutes at a time but sadly I can't find a 29 minute video in japanese. Haha I'm kidding. I'm in all japanese classes and I usually understand them all just not word for word but a good 80% if not more but then I go to speak and I'm like uhhhhh and instantly forget grammar is a thing and don't know how to put the 20% of vocabulary I can think of on the spot into words and then I forget how to speak english as well. But that's the fun part. But all is well here. Music is one of my true love's ha. It's going to be a hard 2 years without it, although I have found immense peace through piano music. I also wouldn't be surprised if I have ADHD or something or if it is just normal, but it is almost impossible for me to read and get anything after the first three words before I'm in doo doo land. Even with full power. But when I play piano music it's like the music occupies that side of the brain so my other 3% can actually read. 

Sorry this was so long, Hopefully some of you got to read the entirety of it. I'm a person that generally keeps to himself. As are many others. I've learned talking about things important to you a lot of times isn't to others so finding someone who cares just doesn't happen. So I really enjoy writing these letters and thank anyone who read my last letter, this one and hopefully more to come. It means a lot.

Till we meet again,

Elder Parker