Dear Family,
Hey y'all. I hope you are doing well. Things in West Memphis are doing good. Things are definitely starting to improve which is good. Let me update you with a couple of things that are going on.
Krystal, one of our investigators, has a baptismal date. It was for the 26th of this month but she didn't show up for church so we have to move it back. She seems pretty interested you just have to ask a lot of questions to make sure that she understands. She understands about her baptism so that is good.
Out of nowhere, this Less-active family came out of the blue and came back to church on Sunday. They are the Taylor family. The Wife is the only member. The Husband and son are non-members and they want to be taught and baptized. We plan on setting a date with them, hopefully by the end of the year.
We have the Branch Christmas Dinner this week. It should be a lot of fun and a lot of food. Yum!
We have made mission history in our mission by setting the highest amount of baptisms in a year. I don't know the exact number and we won't know until the end of the year. But I know we are around 465 baptisms. That is awesome, especially for our mission in the south!
I love this Christmas season. Everyone is closer to Christ and are more receptive to the Message of the Restoration. I love it. I know it to be true. I love and miss y'all. I hope you are doing all well.
Love,
Kyle (Elder Parker)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
December 7, 2009
Dear Family,I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.
This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.
West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.
We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.
We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!
I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.
Love,
Kyle
December 7, 2009
Dear Family,I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.
This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.
West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.
We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.
We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!
I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.
Love,
Kyle
December 7, 2009
Dear Family,I am doing good. Things in West Memphis are going good. Let me tell you the highlights of my week.
This week was the Christmas Zone Conference. I got the letter that Dad wrote for me. You wrote it a long time ago in November but it still felt like you were right there talking to me. It really meant a lot. I liked the comment at the end of the letter when Dad said, “We will let them have you one more year and then next Christmas, your ours!” Ha ha. So true. I will miss all y’all this year for Christmas but I know what I am doing is right and I am supposed to be here. It was good. We listened to people talk for 3 hours about things that we talked about during the year. Then we had a Christmas dinner. Then we got to open our presents. I got to read the letter and it was fun! Then we did our Christmas skits. Our Zone did the huka, the Tongan war dance. Our zone leader, Elder Fa, is from Tonga. So that is what we did. We had a lot of fun and I recorded it so I can show you guys when I get home.
West Memphis had a Christmas Parade so we went with some Less-actives the Whites. They are a really neat young couple and they have adopted us into their family quickly. It was an interesting parade. Very cold too because it was at night. A ghetto parade! Haha.
We had a good Sunday too. We had Sister Justice come, an investigator, and we got to meet her and her son who is in a wheelchair and handicapped. They were both very nice. Then there was a “Break the Fast” potluck. It was yummy. I think that is one thing that the churches back west need to adopt. Monthly potlucks. They are so good! Maybe I will suggest that when I get home. Haha.
We are just currently trying to find solid investigators. The problem we seem to be having is when we have a good lesson with someone, and we try to reschedule an appointment, and then we go to the appointment and they aren’t there and then you have to try and find them home the rest of the week. It is frustrating but hey, missionary work wouldn’t be the same with out experiences like this! I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency. For those that missed it, I suggest you watch on LDS.org. or something like that. I really liked the story President Monson gave about the soldier in the airport trying to get home. Strong spirit!
I have a testimony of this gospel. I love it with all of my heart and I KNOW it is true, without a doubt. I love and miss y’all and hope you have a good week.
Love,
Kyle
Monday, November 30, 2009
November 30, 2009
Dear Family,
Hey, this was a good week because it included Thanksgiving. I had a lot of things to be grateful for including all y’all. I hope your Thanksgiving was fun.
Thanksgiving morning, we had a tiny turkey bowl. We were expecting a lot of people to show up but no one did. So we play a short game with who game but that is about it.
We had Thankgiving dinner at a less-actives house, The Russells. They are an older couple and they can cook good. It was yummy. Only one meal this year, thank goodness because I sure didn’t need any more food in my tummy.
I threw up once this week at the beginning of the week but I am all better now. Thank goodness for the power of prayer!
The investigators are doing fine. We taught a black lady by the name of Brianna. She is pretty solid, we just have to work on getting her to church. We are teaching others but I can’t really think of anyone at this moment.
So this Sunday I forgot that I was speaking. The branch president called my name and I totally forgot that I was speaking so I pulled out my farewell talk that I gave at home and read it. It turned out being really well! I got a lot of compliments.
I hope that all y’all have a good and safe week. I love you and miss you.
Love,
Elder Kyle Parker
Hey, this was a good week because it included Thanksgiving. I had a lot of things to be grateful for including all y’all. I hope your Thanksgiving was fun.
Thanksgiving morning, we had a tiny turkey bowl. We were expecting a lot of people to show up but no one did. So we play a short game with who game but that is about it.
We had Thankgiving dinner at a less-actives house, The Russells. They are an older couple and they can cook good. It was yummy. Only one meal this year, thank goodness because I sure didn’t need any more food in my tummy.
I threw up once this week at the beginning of the week but I am all better now. Thank goodness for the power of prayer!
The investigators are doing fine. We taught a black lady by the name of Brianna. She is pretty solid, we just have to work on getting her to church. We are teaching others but I can’t really think of anyone at this moment.
So this Sunday I forgot that I was speaking. The branch president called my name and I totally forgot that I was speaking so I pulled out my farewell talk that I gave at home and read it. It turned out being really well! I got a lot of compliments.
I hope that all y’all have a good and safe week. I love you and miss you.
Love,
Elder Kyle Parker
November 23, 2009
Dear Family,
I hope all is well with you. As you know, I am in my new area. West Memphis, Arkansas. I think I will enjoy myself here. A little side note, today is my 16 month birthday. 16 months ago, I went into the MTC. Crazy how fast time goes by.
As I mentioned before, there are a lot of black people. We are teaching a ton of people. My companion, Elder Johnson, knows all of them and I am having a hard time with remembering them all and the names. There names out here are nuts! Laquadius, Lashawnda, Shyanne, etc. They spell there names really crazy and it is hard for me to remember. It will take me a while.
Lets see…There was a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the branch on Saturday. It was neat. I got to meet most of the members there. Most of the members are white. There is one active black family, the Irvins. Unfortunately, Sister Irvin worked her self to the bone on cooking for this Thanksgiving dinner that she ended up having a seizure at the end of the night. Me and Elder Johnson gave her a blessing and we hope and pray that she is improving. Last we heard she is doing better, which is great!
We have been teaching some people. It seems like all of the investigators are at the beginning stages of teaching. The problem we run into is getting people to church. Most of the people we are teaching don’t have cars. The members don’t really want to give them rides because if they end up getting baptized, then they have to give that person a ride every week. I feel so bad for the members because I don’t want them to stain themselves by doing a good deed for people. Sorry, I just get frustrated at people sometimes. But, there is nothing I really can do about that. So we try to get the people that we are teaching to invite there friends who have cars so they have a way of getting to church.
One guy we are teaching is a guy named Steve. He is a black guy that is really into his church. He loves to meet with us, but he is very intellectual in his Bible and faith. He tells us that he is never going to convert, but hey, it’s not my job to convert him, the spirit will do it. Haha. Only if he knew that.
We are teaching a Black lady named Erica Parker. She is also black. She seems pretty interested. And she has a car! The lesson went well and she seemed promising. We see her later this week.
Other than that, I just still need to get my bearings here. I still have a hard time with sense of direction because there are no mountains here. But I will eventually figure it out. Thank goodness for GPS.
I know this gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he can help us in our time of need. I know that the spirit has the converting power to convince these people here in West Memphis. I am grateful that I can be a tool in the Lord’s hands to bring these people unto Him. Thank you for all the love, support and prayers on my behalf. I love y’all and miss y’all. Hope you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Parker
I hope all is well with you. As you know, I am in my new area. West Memphis, Arkansas. I think I will enjoy myself here. A little side note, today is my 16 month birthday. 16 months ago, I went into the MTC. Crazy how fast time goes by.
As I mentioned before, there are a lot of black people. We are teaching a ton of people. My companion, Elder Johnson, knows all of them and I am having a hard time with remembering them all and the names. There names out here are nuts! Laquadius, Lashawnda, Shyanne, etc. They spell there names really crazy and it is hard for me to remember. It will take me a while.
Lets see…There was a Thanksgiving dinner provided by the branch on Saturday. It was neat. I got to meet most of the members there. Most of the members are white. There is one active black family, the Irvins. Unfortunately, Sister Irvin worked her self to the bone on cooking for this Thanksgiving dinner that she ended up having a seizure at the end of the night. Me and Elder Johnson gave her a blessing and we hope and pray that she is improving. Last we heard she is doing better, which is great!
We have been teaching some people. It seems like all of the investigators are at the beginning stages of teaching. The problem we run into is getting people to church. Most of the people we are teaching don’t have cars. The members don’t really want to give them rides because if they end up getting baptized, then they have to give that person a ride every week. I feel so bad for the members because I don’t want them to stain themselves by doing a good deed for people. Sorry, I just get frustrated at people sometimes. But, there is nothing I really can do about that. So we try to get the people that we are teaching to invite there friends who have cars so they have a way of getting to church.
One guy we are teaching is a guy named Steve. He is a black guy that is really into his church. He loves to meet with us, but he is very intellectual in his Bible and faith. He tells us that he is never going to convert, but hey, it’s not my job to convert him, the spirit will do it. Haha. Only if he knew that.
We are teaching a Black lady named Erica Parker. She is also black. She seems pretty interested. And she has a car! The lesson went well and she seemed promising. We see her later this week.
Other than that, I just still need to get my bearings here. I still have a hard time with sense of direction because there are no mountains here. But I will eventually figure it out. Thank goodness for GPS.
I know this gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he can help us in our time of need. I know that the spirit has the converting power to convince these people here in West Memphis. I am grateful that I can be a tool in the Lord’s hands to bring these people unto Him. Thank you for all the love, support and prayers on my behalf. I love y’all and miss y’all. Hope you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Parker
November 19, 2009 (Transfer!!)
Dear Family,
Hey, I am just shooting off to y'all a quick e-mail to let you know where I am. I am currently in West Memphis, Arkansas. So it is about an hour west of Jackson, TN. We are right next to the Mississippi River. We can see Memphis from across the river. It is kind of cool! There is a branch here. There are a lot of Black people here and it is going to be cool to serve around them. I am really anxious to get started here. I am kind of nervious as well. I was telling some of the members that I got close to that is was like I was going on a mission all over again because I got so close to them. This transition will be hard but I think I can do it. My companion is Elder Robbie Johnson. He is from Kaysville, UT. Mom, send me a companion questionaire if you want to know more about him. Anyway, thank you for your love, support and prayers that you give me everyday. They are very much needed and appreciated! I love y'all! Everyone, here is my new address:
Elder Kyle Parker
320 N. Rhodes St.
West Memphis, AR 72301
Love,
Elder Parker
PS: Mom, if you could send me stuff about West Memphis, that would be great! Thanks! Love, Kyle
Hey, I am just shooting off to y'all a quick e-mail to let you know where I am. I am currently in West Memphis, Arkansas. So it is about an hour west of Jackson, TN. We are right next to the Mississippi River. We can see Memphis from across the river. It is kind of cool! There is a branch here. There are a lot of Black people here and it is going to be cool to serve around them. I am really anxious to get started here. I am kind of nervious as well. I was telling some of the members that I got close to that is was like I was going on a mission all over again because I got so close to them. This transition will be hard but I think I can do it. My companion is Elder Robbie Johnson. He is from Kaysville, UT. Mom, send me a companion questionaire if you want to know more about him. Anyway, thank you for your love, support and prayers that you give me everyday. They are very much needed and appreciated! I love y'all! Everyone, here is my new address:
Elder Kyle Parker
320 N. Rhodes St.
West Memphis, AR 72301
Love,
Elder Parker
PS: Mom, if you could send me stuff about West Memphis, that would be great! Thanks! Love, Kyle
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
