Episode 50: Super, Great Investigator!

Hey everybody,

How is everyone doing? This week has been pretty uninteresting, just a lot of contacting in the streets. It's been interesting because we have been getting rejected a lot and it's sad to have that happen but we just continue talking and eventually we are able to find the people prepared to receive the gospel.

So this week we were able to find this super great investigator named Robinson. He was investigating the church a while back but the missionaries stopped visiting him for some reason. But we had a great lesson a few days ago and yesterday, he attended church!!! It was so great to see him there and he is super excited, but needs to get married before he can be baptized.

So I was able to take a few photos of the house today. It's not much, but it does have air conditioning in the bedroom. I am really enjoying the area and the people here. 

I hope everything is great at home. Talk to you more next week.

See you guys soon,

Elder Parker

PS the photos are not working with this computer so I will try to send them next week, sorry

Episode 49: Meeting Elder Renlund!

Hey everybody,

How are y'all doing?

This week has been really great. First off we got to meet Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve. It was great to hear the council that he had for all of the missionaries. 

This week we have also been trying to meet a lot more of the people in this area which has been interesting, because there are several members, even recent converts, that have left the church completely. One man is named Roberto and it was a little sad talking with him because he has completely lost his testimony but I really want to help him because he is a great guy, just a little confused with all of the problems in his life.

I love you guys so much and am so thankful for all of the support that you show me. I know that this mission will change my life and a lot of others. I know that this church is true.

Thanks for everything,

Elder Parker

Episode 48: New Companion!

Hey everybody! How is everyone? So this past week we had transfers and me and Elder Pérez were both transferred. He went to Cartegena and I went to... Las Moras. I am still in the same ward, but am now working in the other side. To be honest, I'm a little bummed but I know that this transfer is going to be really great. My new companion is named Elder Araya, a missionary from Northern Chile, in the same mission as where Steven Boyack is serving. He's super funny and has a year and a half in the mission so he really knows a lot about how things work here.

This week has been really uneventful, mainly getting to know all of the members here in the ward. It has been interesting getting to know a lot of the people that I have been hearing about in ward council and from the other missionaries. One of the investigators here is named Heileen, I was able to talk with her before the transfers at church but now I am teaching her and getting her ready for baptism. She is very excited but can't attend church as often as she wants because of her work. But we are trying to get her ready for the 21st of August!

Thank you so much for all of the support that I have had since I got here almost a year ago. I have been able to learn so much from the experiences that I am having and am enjoying it a lot. I hope everyone is doing well and I will try to share a little bit more next week.

Elder Daniel Parker

Episode 47: Crazy days!

Hey everybody,

How is everyone doing? Things are going really well here. It's been a little crazy these last few days getting ready for transfers but we are really excited. We still don't know what is going to happen but are very excited to find out later tonight.

This week has been going well. We haven't been making a lot of progress with investigators but we have a less active sister who is working on returning to the church. Her name is Andrea and she is living with another less active member and his father, but she is the only one who currently has the desire to come back.

The weather has not been that bad here. We are feeling good and are excited for these next few weeks in this next transfer.

I hope everyone is doing well and I will talk to you guys next week.

Elder Parker

Things are going great in Soledad!

Episode 46: Met with President Gallego!

Hey everybody,

This week has been really great. We were finally able to meet President Gallego on Tuesday in a Zone Conference. It was really great and he is such a great mission president. We got to meet his entire family and they are awesome. He has a son who is 17 years old and is preparing to serve a mission and a daughter a little bit younger. But it has been really cool getting to know them.

Things are going great with my companion. We are a little sad for transfers next week but I'm excited for him because he is such a good missionary and the zone leaders are saying that he will probably train next transfer. But a little bit more information about my companion, his name is Elder Perez and he is from Mexico City. He is a convert of 5 years with his dad and only brother. His mom got baptized a little bit less than a year ago and they are anxious to get sealed when he gets home. 

Carlos and Yadiris are doing great. They are currently in the process of doing their papers for their marriage but everything is going well with that. They are super exctied and will probably be able to get baptized either the 6th or the 13th of August.

I hope everything is going well at home. I'm not having any problems with health and I still have about 60 dollars in Colombian pesos so I should be fine for a while. Sorry mom, the package has already been here for a while but I haven't been able to make the trip to the office yet to pick it up. I have to pay a customs fee of about 5 dollars but that's not bad. Thank you so much for everything and have a great week.

Elder Parker

Episode 45: 19 in Colombia!

Hey everybody,

How are you guys? Thank you so much for all of the messages for my birthday. It was so great hearing from all of you and I am so glad to have this great opportunity to be here in Colombia for my 19th birthday.

So this week has been really calm. We have been working a lot with Carlos and Yadiris to help them prepare for their baptisms the end of this month. I'm kinda sad because I'm not sure if everything will be ready with their marriage before the 30th so they might not get baptized until the next transfer. 

I'm sorry that I can't write that much today either. Our P-days are just so full of stuff to do and there just isn't enough time for everything. I will be sending the pictures from my birthday party next week so get ready.

Elder Parker

Episode 44: Fish soup and cow liver!

Hey everybody,

How is everybody doing?

So this past week has been a little bit crazy. We have a sister who has been giving us dinner this past week and two of the meals that we have eaten was a fish soup that literally tasted like the smell of Fisherman's Wharf, so that was super great. We also had a meal of cow liver with rice. I am starting to realize how different Colombia is from the United States.

Speaking of which, happy 4th of July!! I can't believe that it is already the month of July. The time has flown by since I got here and continues getting faster every day. I really couldn't find any way to celebrate today so we just went to the mall and ate a knock-off of Subway. It was a little sad, but Colombian Independence Day will be the 20th of this month so I'm sure that will be a special day here.

So about the work here, there isn't very much that has happened here lately. We have been working with Carlos and Yadiris getting them ready for baptism. They have been working hard to get married and are working for the 10th of this month if everything goes well. The date that we have planned for their baptism is the 23rd of July so they can get baptized just a few weeks before I will probably be leaving this area.

I hope everything is going well at home. Nothing really big has happened here but I'll try to take pictures this week. The only problem is that we are really restricted on when we can have our cameras but I'll do my best.

See you guys soon,

Elder Parker