SEPTEMBER 30TH

This week has been great! We have taught a lot of lessons and found a lot of new investigators.
I have had some really cool experiences and have grown a lot in the gospel. The days are going by really fast. We met a man from Bethlehem, his name is Yousif and is a born again. He loves the Savior and we set up an appointment but it fell through and he wasn't home. We have continued to try to get him when he is home, but he never answered. Then last night as we walked away from his door he pulled in and honked at us and we went in and talked to him. It’s amazing, he called again today just to see how we were doing. I am looking forward to meeting with him this week.
We are also teaching a Chinese woman name Susan. She is keeping commitments and continues to meet with us. She asks questions like "When I am a Murmon (Mormon, the accent makes it sound funny) what do I have to do?” So we feel like she is just on the edge. She says she wants God in her life so she can feel more powerful and she also doesn’t want to be afraid of death anymore. She is soo close to understanding and acting on her faith.
We are also teaching a man named Willburt. He is a pastor at a Baptist church... Scary. He wasn't reading like we invited him to, so for our last lesson we read out of Alma 5 with him. He got sucked in, we asked him to read 3 verses and he read 2 pages, and was looking at the next one, just quietly thinking. I can tell that he was feeling the spirit. He knows it is true and has committed to baptism! He says that everything we tell him makes sense and that God is always the same. We don't think that he realizes what it means for him if he gets baptized.. so that should be fun to explain to him. It’s intimidating to talk about the bible with a pastor, I feel so inadequate, but I know the spirit has told me what to say and that comforts me.
It’s hard when we don't have appointments and have to go tracting. It feels almost like busy work. Members are the best at finding people, because they know non-members and they already have a connection with them. Tracting is inefficient. I wish that all members realized how much help they can be to the missionaries. I know I didn't realize it until now.
We don't get a lot of dinner appointments, but someone took us to lunch at the BEST pizza place I have ever been. Italian pizza. It was so good! After I got my haircut today, we went to a little place and got some Cheese Steaks. Really Really good. Food has been good, I have been feeling good too. Weather is amazing! Never higher than 75, feels good in the morning and at night. It gets dark pretty early too. I have grown so much, I know that as I rely on the Savior that I can be strong. He will help me in every way.

Love,
Elder Parker

Elder Parker in the MTC.

Elder Parker with Elder Thomas.

Elder Parker with President and Sister Anderson

 

FIRST LETTER FROM THE MISSION FIELD!

This week has been crazy! I love it here in Newark, the people are really nice and the weather has been great. It is still weird though that Delaware has like 1 stake... and our ward boundaries for the 1st ward (that is my area) is huge.
We live near that border of Maryland so today we drove to Maryland to go to Walmart. Weird. The members here are great. I met one of the councilors in the bishopric and his brother owns Summerhays Music in Utah! Small world.  My companion, Elder Thomas, is a convert to the church, he joined when he was 15. His dad's side has always been members and his mom and her side are catholic. He says they are really supportive of him and he just turned 21 on Saturday! He is amazing! Everyone I saw at transfers told me how obedient and great he is. It’s true. He is the most obedient missionary I will probably ever meet. He is a great trainer and I learn so much from him.
We have 6 new investigators since I got here and Elder Thomas says that this is the best time he has had in this area. There are Lots, LOTS of foreigners. We are teaching a student who is from China and doesn't speak a lot of English, at least not very well. She is amazing. I know she is prepared by the Lord for baptism.
We met Thiago and his friend Brenda. Both Brazilian, here getting doctorates in molecular biology and they are trying to solve some disease using genomes and DNA. It’s crazy. He also doesn't speak or understand a lot of English and has a HEAVY accent.
We met a woman named Elizabeth Justice. Great name, really nice lady who we are meeting with tonight.  A man who I haven't met that we are teaching is named Gary, committed to baptism a while ago then just dropped off. Turns out he has cancer and he had to go back in for something. Elder Thomas tells me he is a great guy.
Found a man who we are meeting with tomorrow, lives in the closest thing to a ghetto I have ever been in. It’s scary, but I know a lot of those people have been prepared by the Lord. The Sisters in our area had a baptism yesterday. It was great to see. The member of our ward that found the girl that was baptized, is a great Member Missionary. He brought another woman with him who we had a chance to talk to for a while in the parking lot. She reminds me of some family we have.... She broke down and told us about her addiction problems and how she had an aneurysm on her 21st birthday and is now paralyzed on her left side. It was so sad to hear the things she had been through and the choices she had made. She is homeless. And this member saw her limping down the road and picked her up and has been helping her. She came to the baptism and told how out of place she felt. And how she knows that she needs to come unto Christ to get better. It was so touching to see how sincere she felt. I pray for her, that she can come unto Christ.

My apartment is good.. Elder Thomas and his companion were the first ones in there 12 weeks ago. They didn't have anything. We have a stove (gas, be jealous, lol) a fridge, some Ikea furniture, 2 desks and some couches and of course beds. I have some pictures if I can get them to work >:\ Oh Elder Thomas is from Michigan. He is a Michigan football fan, sorta... not really the sporty type. I have a 12 week program that I go through with Elder Thomas, 2 transfers, then if I have done everything, I get more privileges. Like Facebook proselyting and iPods. I am living currently off of mostly peanut butter and those addictive peanuts you sent haha. Got some ramen noodles today and some various other things.
 Elder Thomas drives, for now. I can drive but they said I should wait 2 or 3 weeks so I can be used to the mission. I will have to get a GPS. So I don't get lost haha.
You can send boxes right to me. Most of the people in my building are pretty good. And there is a camera right at my door. So ya... haha. Send the coat and stuff soon. Elder Thomas said he didn't get a lot of snow last winter, but it gets COLD. So ya. Boxes are good to my apartment and so are letters. We are trying to get library cards, but they want bills and we don't get bills... so we need to figure that one out, but for now we use the family history center at the church. Brother Rodeback would be jealous. As Elder Readhead would say (still in my district, so that's cool) it’s very "proper good" lol.
I am loving it here. I know that God loves us. Because he does, he sent Christ to the earth. He created a way for us to be happy. Right now I am happy. I have felt and seen the joy our message brings and it is amazing. Nothing can replace it. Stay safe. I will try to send pictures in a second. Love you all!


--
Love,
Elder Parker

First Area!

It's official! Elder Parker arrived in Pennsylvania yesterday. He got to call us from the airport before his flight left:) He was excited to get to work.
President and Sister Anderson emailed us today to let us know his first area. He is in Newark, Delaware and lives right across the street from the University of Delaware. His companion is Elder Thomas.

His address is: Elder Christopher Grant Parker
                       400 Wollaston Ave Apt. A-1
                       Newark, DE 19711

Elder Parker's Letter September 11, 2013

I saw the character of Christ talk that Elder Bednar gave in the MTC. It's amazing, life changing. I wish that everyone could see it. He talked about how Christ always turned out instead of in. For example, when he asked his disciples to wait for him in Gethsemane and they fell asleep. Then he was betrayed. He had just suffered for all of our sins and no one was there for him. Then he heals the soldier's ear. It's amazing to go throughout the scriptures and find examples of the character of Christ. Elder Bednar compared the natural man to the cookie monster ( I know it's awesome! And his impersonation was even better lol) and we all know in the scriptures when satan was tempting Christ right? Well he said that doing those things were not the temptation. The temptation was when he says, "If thou are the son of God, then do this." He was challenging if he knew who he was. And when talking about how missionaries need to turn out not in, he said, "This mission is not about you. Who cares what you want."

I know why I am here and while I am becoming better because of it, that is not the reason I am here. I am here to invite others to come unto Christ. I know though, that I must be the first conversion of my mission. Conversion is consistently living what you know to be true. I am becoming converted unto Christ. He has helped me so much while I have been here. I have never prayed or studied so much in my life. Ever. About anything. Like Alma, I have "wrestled" in fervent prayer. I challenge those who read this to "Learn of Christ, not about Him."

They told us that after Sunday, time would fly. I was looking forward to it. Haha. But Sunday morning Elder Harris and I got called as zone leaders. The overwhelming feeling of stress and the feeling of being insufficient hit me like a truck. I was so worried about the responsibility. Then on Sunday night like I said I went to the Character of Christ. Right now I can say that the Lord qualifies those he calls. The last two days have gone by in the blink of an eye, and I found out the lesson I have to teach in priesthood to my zone is on enduring to the end. I think I can handle that;) I have been learning faster than I ever have before and it's amazing how much I am able to remember.

Elder Parker's First Letter!

Well I hope you got my letter, I wrote it but I didn't get it to the box until yesterday. Just got your packages, haven't had time to open them yet but i will soon. Thank you sooo much! I Have been so busy its crazy! I love it though, the spirit is so strong here and I love my companion! Elder Harris is my companion, from Nevada, we have been getting along great. I love all of the other elders in my room. Elder Issertell and Elder Readhead are the other Elders in my room, Elder Readhead is from England and I am supposed to find out where grandpa Parker served in England, also he is 6 Foot 8!  Its crazy, he is soo tall! I have been learning so fast and have already taught my first investigator, its humbling to see what the spirit can teach even when you don't feel prepared. I am loving my time here, its busy, really busy, but I am learning so much and am trying to soak up as much as I can. I miss all of you guys so much! Missy, Abby, Grace, and Sam. Especially Mom and Dad. I am going to try to send another email with a picture of my district. Also, Sister Bailey is the Sister from Highland that the Ivins know. Another cool thing is that my teacher, Brother Scherck, saw me and dad when I took out my endowments, he told me he remembered my face and that I was there, he was there because the Provo temple was closed. The spirit I feel while I am here is amazing, the comfort that it has provided me is a great blessing, that I cant put into words.

Housekeeping.... 

My P day while I am here is Wednesday, I will be able to call when I am in the SLC airport and I will try to let you know around when it will be sometime next week. 

Thank you for your prayers and your support, it means so much to me. 

I love this Gospel, and I love the Lord, I know this is where I am supposed to be, and I am grateful to be able serve the Lord.

Love you all,

Elder Parker

{MTC Drop Off ~ Setting Apart}

Time has just flown by.
Elder Parker was set apart last night as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
We are all so very proud of him and the wonderful example he is setting!

Today we said goodbye for two years.
It was SO HARD. Lots of tears...

See you in two!

-MTC Address-

Hey Everyone!

You can send Chris packages and letters at the MTC starting this Wednesday, September 4th. He will leave the MTC on Tuesday September 17th. Here is his address:

Elder Christopher Grant Parker
SEP17 PA-PHIL
2009 N 900 E Unit 174
Provo UT 84602

Thank you for your love and support!