Mexico Pachuca - Week 15 - February 24, 2014

Mexico Pachuca Letter #15– February 24, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

Q: Any changes?
A: No changes really but I had the worst and funniest dog story of the mission so far this Tuesday and I think its cuz you said something last week. So Tuesday night like at 915 we were walking back to our house and it was super dark but to get home we have to walk through a field. We were about to start walking but a dog was in the middle of the path so we were worried but if we don’t go through the field we have to walk all the way around like half an hour so we were like ya let’s just go. We started walking and it backed off but was still barking so I was like ok it’s scared were ok. We started in the path and its super narrow so we walk in a line. On our right is a canal and the left is the field. The dog starts like following us and barking and my companion is behind me and every now and then he turns around and yells at it to scare it. One time he turns around and yells but he sees like 20 dogs and he just yells at me CORRELE which means run. I cant see anything and like in 10 feet the path turns and if i don’t turn i go into the canal and if i turn too early i go into the field which is all broken up right now cuz they’re gonna start planting soon. So i just start booking it and i cant see where I’m going and i don’t know where my companion is but i turned to early and just felt the ground get all uneven and i was like oh no but then i just hear my companion yell and he eats it hard. I start bust laughing and turn around to help him and we don’t know where the dogs are but he gets up and we start walking super fast. He was covered in dirt and it was so funny. 
M: What is it with you and these animals?!?!?!?! Too cute!

Q: How’s the work coming?
A: This week was better. We found a lady who has had the book of Mormon for like 10 years or so and she reads it whenever she has problems. She said it gives peace in her life which is awesome. The only problem is her husband we put a baptismal date and she was like “oh I don’t know, I need to talk to my husband.” We also went to visit another family who has two kids who are always sick and at first the dad was just like we will listen but we don’t want to make any promises or have to do anything. We went back and only the wife was home and she just laid everything out on the table. How hard it is for her how she thinks her kids are sick because she did something wrong and how she thinks God is trying to tell her she needs to do something. We told her she can find out what God wants from her in the Book of Mormon and told her to read third Nephi where Jesus blesses all the children. She said she would so hopefully she does but the spirit was definitely there and hopefully they will feel it. There was also a dance this Friday and apparently a bunch of investigators went but we didn’t have a chance to see them yet but hopefully. 

Q: So you are good?
A: Yes I’m good mom Thank you all for sending the boxes and stuff. I will let you guys know but I think I’m good for now. Love you guys and talk to you next week. 

Love,
Elder Park

Mexico Pachuca - Week 14 - February 17, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

 Q: How are you?

A: I’m doing good. Kind of bored to be honest haha. It’s a little boring when you have no one to teach. We have kind of just been walking around knocking doors visiting different people but nothing really great is happening right now.

M: Well son, the only thing we can say is don't get discouraged. Yes, things may get routine and redundant, but find ways to make it different, go do service for the members and get them excited about doing the work.

Dad's birthday is on Sunday and we are feeding the missionaries that night. Dad says that's perfect timing - you know how we feel. If we are taking care of them, we know someone will be taking care of you.

This week is also Hoolaulea so your grandma is crazy.

EP: Yeah I know, thanks, I’m working on it.

That’s good and yes I am taken care of, the members here are awesome.

Hoolaulea haha I do miss all the food. 

Q: Tell me a story, any story.

EP: Ok well one day we were walking and these dogs were like fighting. Two dogs were like ganging up on the other and it was really sad they were like running around and tackling each other and biting each other. And then the two left and the other dog went from growling and protecting itself to limping and whimpering down the street. It was really sad and scary cuz those two dogs like live right in front of our house and always come and sniff me and my companion when we walk home. But anyways one night we were walking home and it was like 915 and super dark and to get home from where we were we walk through a field with no lights and so I had the cell phone flashlight on but it sucks. Anyways we are walking through the field and I just hear two dogs start barking and like running behind us. I was in the back and so I was like oh crap cuz I remembered what happened to the other dog so I like started walking super fast to get in front of my companion and he was like laughing at me cuz I was like freaking out. Yup that’s my story and also today we went to peter piper pizza which is a all you can eat pizza place you can google it for pictures and stuff. I missed normal food and I ate like 15 slices of pizza.

M: I'm happy that you are finding what sounds like comfort foods. Did the pizza taste the same? I don't know why I think everything is different down there, but I do! So Aunty Summer was here this past weekend, she came for our annual valentine's dinner at the Hawaii Prince, the one we went to after Uncle Shon's wedding. Anyway, she asked if you were gaining or losing weight on your mission, she thinks you look like you are losing some weight, so...

EP: Yeah the pizza at that place was the same but every other pizza I had so far was different but I think I only had pizza two other times haha.

Yeah every one says I am losing weight but I don’t feel like it but my clothes are really big haha so I guess. Hermana Egbert said I am losing weight too.

 

Valle De Mezquital Zone February 2014

Elder Park finally got all his boxes, one was sent out on November 23, 2013!

Sis. Egbert told him to bring his donkey to carry his mail home!  

Love,

Elder Park

 

Mexico Pachuca - Week 13 - February 10, 2014

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY ELDER PARK!!!
(Thursday, February 6, 2014)

Q: So, tell me about your birthday celebration, do they do things differently in Mexico when it comes to birthdays? Any special foods, traditions, etc.?

A: Birthdays are pretty much the same: cake, food, and family.

 

 

           M: Wow, that’s a lot of cake, who made all of that?

 

EP: Haha the daughter of the bishop, Denise made the two cakes. The normal cake and the Oreo gelatin kind of thing. The jello is from a friend of the bishop that hopefully we will teach this week because her family isn’t members. The big orange thing is like a sandwich. It’s just like all the things in a sandwich but like put together like that. My companion’s sister makes it at his house.

M: That’s pretty interesting, how did it taste?

           EP: Haha it was ok. Kind of weird cuz the bread was all soggy but it was ok.

 

Q: What’s going on with you, tell me a story?

A: Right now the work is kind of hard. We just don’t have investigators that are really progressing well and my companion, I think, is just tired of the area because he’s been here almost 6 months. The members aren’t really working with us and that makes it really hard, but this week we taught a bunch of people for the first time and they seem good for now.  One lesson, we went with a member Joaquin, he’s like 15 and super funny. But we went to visit his aunty and her family. We taught them about baptism and faith and all that good stuff. And the aunty was just like yeah I believe you guys and everything and I was like awesome she’s going to be a great investigator. Then my companion asked if she felt the need to be baptized because we just taught how we all need to be baptized to enter into the kingdom of God and she was just like no. and I was so confused. She said so many good things. She understood, I thought, what we were saying and then she was like no I don’t need to be baptized. I don’t know why but no. It was disappointing but we will visit her again and see what happens. Then as we were leaving I walked out first and then Joaquin and then I turned around and was like where’s my companion. We looked in the doorway and he was giving the daughter of the family a little card thing. It was a pass along card with the lds.org website on it but Joaquin was like “whoa elder what are you doing” and just teasing him about it.
          

Q: What are you studying?

A: It’s interesting I was reading the manual of president Joseph Fielding Smith and in his mission he didn’t baptize any one and he became a prophet. But everyday it says he visited an insane number of houses don’t remember how many but a crazy amount and he didn’t baptize one person. Right now I am still reading Jesus the Christ and studying different stuff from Preach My Gospel. This week I studied a lot about faith. How faith is so much more than just a belief but all of our actions. Faith without works is dead. The most important part of our faith is showing it through our actions. Only in this way will we receive all the blessings that are promised to us. I’m trying to work on getting people to understand this.  We never receive a miracle until after the trial of our faith.

Q: So how’s the weather, in Sis. Egbert’s blog she said it’s getting warmer?

A: Its definitely starting to warm up now. The mornings are still cold but not as cold and at night it isn’t as cold.  I can sleep in shorts and a t shirt and one blanket. But in the middle of the night I need my second blanket haha.

M: I'm glad you have those blankets. I guess by the time you get the box you won't need the beanies, gloves, scarves and socks we sent!

EP: Haha probably not but I still have one more winter.

Elder Park at Burger King in his jacket!

Even in Mexico they love their superheroes, Elder Park’s Captain America jump drive.

Love,

Elder Park

Thank you to all who sent birthday wishes and gifts to Elder Park. He sends his gratitude and love for all your kind thoughts, love and support.

 

Mexico Pachuca - Week 12 - February 3, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

 Q: Transferring? I can imagine this time of the mission brings some anxieties. I know that the mission is set up the way it is for a reason and that no matter what happens, there is a purpose and we need to just trust. So, no matter what happens, go forth in faith.
 A: Yes this time is definitely stressful as a missionary because of transfers and that’s what you talk about almost all week even though were not supposed to. We are waiting to hear if we have changes right now but I’m not sure yet I will let you know when I email later in the day. 

      EP: No changes for us which is good cuz we have a party this Thursday haha!
      Mom: I'm happy for you, that means you still have a work to do there. Go find that boy and those ladies! So who is throwing you a party? That's really great, makes me very happy that there are people there taking care of you.
      EP: The bishops family is throwing us a party. 
      Mom: A party for your birthday or just cause you are staying? Please thank them for me, I do so appreciate that they would do something like that for you. Can I send them anything? At least we know you will be there for another 6 weeks, hopefully.
     EP: A party for my birthday. I will thank them for sure. 
     MOM: Well, HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY!!!! A new decade begins, hopefully full of many, many wonderful things.
     EP: Seriously I now have a 2 in front of how old I am its crazy. I will thank them for sure. Haha yeah I will be here hopefully. Um candies, they liked the macadamia nuts a lot and I want to show them li hing mui on oranges because here you buy oranges by like 10 kgs so they have the loads in their house. 

Q: How’s your investigators coming along? Did you get to teach that little boy and his family? The two ladies?
A: We didn’t find the boys house but yesterday we were talking with a member family and the dad said his son was talking to his friends about the church and stuff and I remembered the other boy hector. We asked if he knew him and he said no but the daughter does and I think the family at least knows their names and where they live so we are going to visit them later this week if we are still here. That was definitely a blessing because we looked for his house and we couldn’t find it and no one knew who the boy was where we asked. 

Q: How you doing with meeting your teaching quota?
A: With the teaching quota we are at about 30 to 35 lessons a week but it doesn’t really matter because the lessons we teach the people aren’t progressing well so ya that’s how that’s going but again another miracle. The zone leaders said they were knocking doors and they knocked on the door of Darinels mom and they are teaching her right now. So if all goes well hopefully they can help each other and get baptized together. 

Q: I saw the tie you were wearing in a picture at stake conference, it’s purple and pink, and your companion was wearing a pink one. Did someone make those for you guys? Looked hand made. Ty said he wants it!

A: Haha yeah my tie is purple pink and blue and it’s hand made. The bishop’s wife made them for me and my companion. Ty can use it when I get home its actually really cool. 

Q: How’s the weather, better or still cold?

A: Its a little cold but definitely starting to warm up.This is what you do when the electricity sucks and you cant plug in your microwave. I am eating a tamale torta. Its just a tamale in bread and that is our boiler that in a miracle was actually working that morning. Its not broken my companion thinks its so cold in the night that the gas doesn’t flow well in the morning. 

     Mom: What’s a tamale?
     EP: Tamale is … I don’t know, like corn meal with different stuff inside. Sometimes chicken and chilies and sometimes stuff like pineapple or raisins. And its wrapped in a corn husk and they steam it. Its Mexican lau lau. And they have barbacoa. Its like kalua pig. They cook it the same way or similar.  
     MOM: Tamales sound like manapua or manju or both!?!?!
     EP: Haha yeah I know, its kind of like that but actually really bland cuz its mostly just corn meal. I am good. excited to go forward here but I gtg (got to go) talk to you next week love you guys! 

Love,
Elder Park