E-mail Week 40: April 24, 2017. Jose Receives the Priesthood

Buenas tardes!

How is everybody doing? I am sorry that this email will be really short but thank you for everyone that has been emailing me the past couple weeks.  It really makes my day.

So this week was awesome! Although our area has had its struggles, many of our investigators are progressing but don't have an answer yet to be baptized. And so this week we were blessed with many opportunities to contact. And we were able to see many miracles of the Lord

This week, Jose received the Priesthood--and it was so cool. Also we were in Gospel Principles class and Jose always listens to us read the Book of Mormon but I never really knew if he had studied about the church or knew if it was true. He had the opportunity to teach some of the class and went off, writing all over the whiteboard explaining why the church was true, talking about revelation and prophets.  It was so awesome to see and I am grateful the Lord has let me know them.

I wish I could explain a little bit more about my week, but to finish, I would like to share an experience. Sunday night, we were running late and hadn't had a companionship study that day. I prayed to know if we should have one, at six at night, and be late for an appointment.  We ended up studying and after, as we were leaving the house, a man came up to us in tears crying about not being able to feed his family.  We went up to our house, grabbed most of our food and gave it to this man. He began to cry and told us that actually he was a member but is really inactive. And then as we were heading home at the end of the evening, at 8:30, I felt an impression to go to an investigator's house in an interesting part of our area.  As we were going, I felt an impression to talk to this big group outside of a house, twenty people. It was kind of nerve racking but I felt the Spirit way strong to do it. So I started talking with them and they were awesome!  We were able to share a quick message and then they said that they wanted to hear more and give us lunch next week. Golden investigadores or what. 

I know that when we follow the Spirit, miracles happen.  We just need the courage to follow the prompting. 

I love you all.

Have a great week

Elder Parson

E-mail Week 39: April 17, 2107. The faith of Luz Estela.

How is everyone doing?  

First off, I would like give a shout out to Jensen Clifford who got his mission call to the  Ukraine. Dude you are going to kill it!  It is the best thing you could possibly do.

So this week has just flown by. We have been having a lot of intercambios and a lot of lessons, which is awesome.  But, we haven't had a lot of opportunities to contact. 

Although we didn't have a lot of investigadores at church, I would like to share one story.  One investigador, Luz Estela, has been coming to church for a month and is way ready to be baptized, but is waiting to get married to her husband, who doesn't want to. She told us that this week, after praying that she could get baptized and praying that her husband will want to get married, that she has had a lot of trials. Her dad came to her house and told her if she gets baptized he will never talk to her again. Her brother tells her that she is crazy going to the Mormon church and her neighbors, as well, have been saying the same thing.  She then said that so far she has loved going to church and when she reads the Book of Mormon, she feels a great peace. I asked her if she was willing to follow going to church and reading even if she couldn't be baptized.  She said of course. Although I was way sad, this made my day.  The Book of Mormon and the gospel have power;  power to change our lives and the faith that we have.

I hope all of you have a great week.  I love you all so much.

Elder Parson

My awesome Zone Leader from Atlanta -- Elder Damiano

My shoes after 9 months in Colombia

E-mail Week 38: April 10, 2017. Jose and Sonia's Baptism in Neiva

So this week was awesome because Jose y Sonia got baptized!!!!!!!!! It was so awesome that after about 3 months of working with them, they were finally able to take this awesome step. It was such an awesome baptism, we had about 40 people from the ward there and they bought Jose y Sonia a cake and soda. 

Sonia and Jose's Baptism.  April 8, 2017.  Neiva, Colombia

It was really cool after their baptism that they were able to bear their testimonies and they simply said:  "This gospel has brought us peace."  The Church's hashtag this season de pascua, or Easter, is "#PrinceofPeace", which is exactly what we get when we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for this gospel and the joy it brings, especially when we live its precepts. It was amazing to see that this gospel really had changed Jose and Sonia. When I first found them on my second day here in Neiva, they had a lot of problems within their relationship and a lot of debt.  Once they decided to live the gospel and to keep the commandments, their relationship improved, he was able to find a better job and they are a lot happier. I am so grateful for this moment my Heavenly Father has given me. 

Another thing awesome about this week is that we had training with Presidente Baquierzo! This guy is such a stud. I learn so much from him every single conference. I love one thing he said "The reason we stress and talk so much about obedience is because when we are obedient we receive more light, we receive more joy, and we become more like Christ."  I can testify of this.  Although I am not perfectly obedient, when I give my all to be obedient, I receive more knowledge and I receive more joy. 

This week we have also been teaching Danilo, a referral, and he is awesome.  He is already reading 2 Nephi and loves the Book of Mormon. He still doesn't have his answer if he should be baptized so please keep him in your prayers. 

I love you guys with all my heart.  Thank you for your awesome examples and have a wonderful day!

Elder Parson

Elder Cuellar -- Zone Leader

Elder Palma -- Zone Leader

Sunday School Class in Neiva

E-mail Week 37: April 3, 2017. Jose & Sonia's Wedding and General Conference.

This week went by way fast.  I wish I could write all of what happened but it was a great week. First of all, we weren't impacted by any of the flooding that happened here in Colombia.  Also we had General Conference this week which was awesome.  I learned so much about how to be a better missionary and a better defender of the Restored Gospel.

The Gringos during General Conference

I don't have much time so I will hit the highlights of this week...

Jose and Sonia got married!  After so much time they were finally able to get married.  It was so awesome to see and now this week they will be getting baptized.  I am so happy for them and for the opportunity I have to teach them.  

Wedding of Jose and Sonia

Also this week we were able to have a lot of lessons which normally doesn't happen.  In one neighborhood we found an antiguo investigatdor that wanted to hear from us again, we taught a referall after 2 months, and then someone called us over as we were leaving the neighborhood to teach their son.  It was awesome!

The past few weeks have been a little difficult and as I am training and I still feel like I lack a lot;  but I have been loving my time here.  I asked my companion to give me a Priesthood blessing and was amazed at how much love I felt from my Heavenly Father.  He is always there when we need Him and even when we don't feel His love, He is there carrying us. 

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers.

Elder Parson

With Elder Campos from my MTC group.  He is such a stud and one of my best friends in the mission

E-mail 36: March 22, 2017. New Companion...Elder Montano (from Bolivia)

As you are going to see, I am writing on Wednesday because we have had some changes.  I had transfers and my old companion Elder Thompson left to be District Leader in Fusa, where I was born. I am now training Elder Montaño from Bolivia -- who is awesome! He actually served a mini mission in Bolivia and so he already knows a lot about the mission. I am way excited and kind of nervous to be training.  It involves a big responsibility with a lot of risk.  I am just beginning to realize that I still lack a whole lot to be a better missionary but I have faith the Lord will help me.

New companion, Elder Montano (from Bolivia) and Elder Parson

This week was awesome! First off, my zone leader, Elder Centurion from Argentina, who I was with in Fusa and now in Neiva, is going home.  I had the opportunity to spend his last two days in an intercambio. This guy is such a stud and I am so grateful that I was able to spend 6 months of my mission with him and learn a lot.

Elder Parson and Elder Centurion (from Argentina)

We also had one of the coolest experiences in my life this week! There is a little town about an hour outside of Neiva that had some crazy flood problems.  A ton of people lost their houses and are without water and food.  So we had the opportunity with Mormon hands to go and deliver food and water to the people in need.  It was awesome!  For about 5 hours all we did was haul about 6,000 bags of water.  I know that sounds unreasonable but it was into a storehouse.  We helped make food kits and brought in mattresses. But by far the coolest part was to hand out the food to those in need. We weren't allowed to contact anyone there but we had a ton of people coming up to us and asking who we were and what church we belonged to.  It was so awesome!  We were riding in the back of a police car just tossing out pamphlets to all the people that wanted them.  It was so amazing and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to help these people and I hope that they will begin to feel of the love of God. I felt such a great love for these people.

I am so grateful for the Lord having me serve a mission in Colombia. Lately I have been having a tough time putting my trust in the Lord's timing, but I am beginning to understand this is for us to learn.  If we are obedient to the Lord's commandments and fulfill all of our duties as His children, He will bless us with all the things we want, we just need to place our faith and love in Him.  I am so grateful for the Lord and His hand in my life.

I love you all so much and hope you have a great day.

Elder Parson​ 

E-mail 35: March 13, 2017. 8 Months down...16 to go. Time is going crazy, crazy, crazy fast!

So today marks 8 months here in Colombia. It is crazy to think where the time has gone, it has been crazy fast. This week we had some awesome things happen.

This week we went on interchanges with the Assistants and i was able to see my old companion Elder Henline. That guy was such a stud and really helped us understand the importance of keeping commitments, and how we can help our investigators really repent and feel the Spirit. I am so grateful for these awesome leaders that I have here in the mission to learn from.

This week went pretty well. We found 21 new investigators this week which I have never done before, but unfortunately only 2 of them went to church. But we also witnessed a miracle. We have been teaching a less active husband and his wife for about a month and the wife has only gone to church once. This Sunday they both went! It was such an accomplishment. I was honestly shocked to see him come in, we had talked to him the night before and he seemed really tired and we didn't think he would come. But it was so cool to see him come in with his little baby, and his wife, who has been reading the scriptures really well these past couple of weeks. It made me think, that as a missionary, really when we work and are obedient, we are able to see these tiny miracles from the Lord. This guy is starting to change and the best thing is that he loves his family. He is a tatoo artist for a living and to change this would require a lot of faith. But he said, I don't want my little girl following in my example. And for that reason I am going to change. I am so grateful for the Lord allowing me to witness this little miracle here in Neiva.

Also a little side note. Our investigator is amazing! She went to church all by herself, her husband wasn't feeling well in a downpour and she was sick. We were in the Gospel Principles class and she started telling us all about Nephi and what a great example he is for us with obedience. If all goes well, she and her husband should be baptized in 3 weeks.

Friends and family, thank you for all your support these past 8 months. There is honestly no other place I would rather be, inviting people to change their lives and receive the greatest blessings the Lord has to offer. I love you all so much,

Elder Parson

Pictures of me and my former companion

Playing Paintball on P-day (Preparation Day)

Making pancakes out of cookie dough mix -- heavenly!!!

E-mail 34: March 6, 2017

This week was one of the best and hardest weeks of my mission. To start off, we had training with my Presidente this week, who is such a stud. I learn so much from him. He told us that the blessings always come to those who are righteous. Even if we can't see them right now, we are always laying them up in heaven. This week we also had the opportunity to help some members move, Colombian style. This basically means you get a truck, and just throw all the things you can on top of the bed, and then just hope that the truck can move. It was quite a crazy experience and I am sure right now I can move anything. 

Now, onto the reasons this week was hard. We have been finding a fair amount of people this week, but most of them are unwilling to commit to anything more than reading a folleto. We have passed and passed for our investigators, inviting them to church, and they haven't gone. We have talked to a lot of people, and many didn't want anything, or the worst, they want somehting but there isn't a guy in there house so we can'tenter. But, enough complaining. While we were contacting, I was thinking a lot about coming home. Not being trunky, but just what it would mean to take off the plaque. It will be way sad. I am not the best missionary, I lack a lot, but with this plaque I can do 2 incredible things. I can invite others to change their lives and I can promise them blessings in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Nothing is better. I am here to help others to come to Christ. While sometimes I don't see the results, Christ as well didn't have everyone in his church. And there is nothing better than seeing the lives of these people change. That is why I am here on a mission.  As long as I serve with all my heart, leaving any type of laziness or disobedience aside, and tryihng my best, I feel like I can say I am completing my calling. I am so grateful for the opportunity to dedicate 2 years of my life to this great calling. And I thank all of you who have led me and helped me to make this decision. 

Well, time for me to go. I love you all so much,

Elder Parson

and once again I have no pictures because.......... Colombian computers.

ciao