Mexico Pachuca - Week 54 - November 24, 2014

We also had stake conference two weeks ago and it was a broadcast from salt lake. it was weird though because they all spoke in Spanish and some of them were struggling a bit but it was good. glad to hear about everything at home and how you feel about families. i also have noticed that a lot here. we have been teaching a lot of youth and without family support its super hard. also just seeing and hearing about all the problems it makes you realize how blessed you are. we had a conference this week with president and the theme was attitude of gratitude. I just want to tell you both how grateful i am for you. You have told me before that you aren’t perfect and maybe haven’t done all the things like you should have but i can say for me and ty you are the best parents we could ever ask for. everything we have done and everything we are is thanks to you guys. if anything we don’t say or show it enough how grateful we are for you. thank you for everything i love you guys. also no changes. so i will be here in Xico for a little bit longer.

this Sunday Avellino and Desiree’s dad came to church. i was like a little worried at first cause it was super unexpected. i saw him walking outside the chapel and was like o no he’s gonna come in here and like yell at Marcos and Avellino that they have to go home or something. but he just walked in sat down and stayed the whole time. he went with us to class and then to priesthood and it was super cool. It was awesome to see and like you said about families. his two kids got baptized in these past two months and hopefully he is feeling something of a desire to join them. it was really cool.

M: That is totally awesome son!! It solidifies my learning on Sunday that this gospel is about families and that when the spirit is present anyone can feel it.  Have you guys set up discussions with him?  You didn’t even know that he was coming? Did the kids know?

EP: we have talked to him but sometimes he’s a little weird and doesn’t want to listen to us. He’s just always playing around and stuff but the awesome thing is that he’s working now. He has been struggling to find work forever and this week he has finally got work. i know its because he has supported his kids in their decisions to go to church and get baptized and everything. Maybe and hopefully he feels that way too. 

M: I'm excited for you and more for his children.  I think it would be great to find a way to point that out to him, to let him know that the Lord is there for us and when we make right decisions, he blesses us.  His allowing his children to join the church was a right decision and the blessings came.  That's a wonderful story son, it makes the work you do so important and meaningful.  Can you imagine when he finally accepts the gospel and his family can work towards forever?!?!?!

EP: ya it would be awesome. The mom also has been listening to us and has been more excited. I am feeling really good about them. Hopefully soon they all can start coming to church and one day have an eternal family. i am good we are working and things seem to be ok. i gotta go too thank you for everything. i will talk to you in a week. Love you guys.

Love,
Elder Park

Pictures from the mission

  

Tulancingo Zone with President and Hermana Egbert

Mexico Pachuca - Week 53 - November 17, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

this week was definitely not easy but awesome. We had some huge problems but it was good in the end. the biggest thing was Marcos did everything but Friday night his mom said he couldn’t get baptized cause his uncle said no. i was super frustrated super upset and just losing my mind,. She told us she didn’t have a problem with it but his uncle said no and so no. i was like but your his mom you need to make the decisions and a bunch of stuff and she just ran away. She literally ran away from us. i was pissed, more than anything for Marcos. Me and my companion were nervous about the baptism cause we weren’t really sure if he was ready or if he was taking it seriously so we talked to him super good before his interview. he shared with us his real desires to learn and his experiences. He said for the first time this past Sunday like a week ago he paid attention in the prayer and really focused and he felt like someone smacked him in the head and then just felt super peaceful. It was super weird but i think that was his answer. He was super scared to talk to his mom because he thought she would say no so we went with him. i started to talk and then she was like ok what have you learned Marcos? Marcos was a champ and started to say a bunch of stuff, word of wisdom, my body is a temple, i haven’t drank coffee since i learned this, and a whole bunch of stuff. i really was proud of him and like wow he really does want this and for the right reasons. That’s why it was even harder when his mom was like no. But we talked to his dad and he said yes signed the paper and Marcos got baptized Saturday. It was super cool, he was super happy.

M: Blessings son.  I am not sure why the rejection from the mom had to happen, but I am sure that there was a reason.   I am glad that Marcos made the decision for himself and that he was able to tell his mom all the things that he learned so far.  It is important for him that he know those things and that he make those commitments himself.  I love that he was able to get his own answer, in his own way.  I am convinced that the Lord talks to us in the way that we will understand, that it is an answer from Him.  He was able to answer Marcos in a way that makes sense to Marcos.  But so awesome that he was able to feel peace at his age, that is definitely something that I cherish so much and it is usually a sure answer that the Lord is talking to us. Pictures? Your other investigators?

Hermano Delfino, Elder Park, Marcos, Aquetzali, Elder Pina and Avelino

 

Elders and the boys go to stake conference.

EP: that’s his brother Avelino. Hermano Delfino the counselor in the bishopric baptized him. This Sunday the brothers went to stake conference with us.  We had to go almost 2 hours in bus to get to the stake center, no one (our investigators) went to church cause it was far. So like 15 people went from the ward but we have a sister who has a bunch of time listening to missionaries that i think will get baptized really soon. if all goes well. this weekend. but we will see her name is Maria. I gatta go, talk to you in a week, love you guys.

Love,
Elder Park

Mexico Pachuca - Week 52 - November 10, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

this week haha i wouldn’t say was better it probably was worse but i feel good. i feel happy and i feel ok with what i am doing. the problems are still there probably worse than ever or i know more than before but i don’t feel so stressed or overwhelmed. i would love to have a Disneyland break right now haha!

M: We will go when you come home, promise, or I keep hearing we should go to Mexico. 

I am glad that you are feeling better, like I said, I didn't feel panicky for you or down, it is just something that you have to go through and will too pass.  It's also probably partly the realization that you have no control over a lot of things and so you can only control what you can control.  When we accept that, we tend to be better.  Work with the ward.

EP: haha Mexico would be better. There’s a six flags here in Mexico City.  

Haha idk i feel ok.  We are having fun and doing what we can. We are having activities every Saturday that are working out cool. This Saturday we made pizzas i will try to send pics. Also Marcos might be getting baptized this Saturday. We are gonna talk to his parents today and if they give the ok were good to go.

 

Aquetzali, Kaile, Hermano Delfino, Avelino, Yadira, Edu, Juan Eduardo, Hermana Oliva, Desire, y Cachi

My compa, Karen, Mauro, Aquetzali  (Desire’s sister), Armando, and me

M: We can do six flags, except dad and Ty really don't ride, dad at all, ty very little!  But we will see.
 

You feel ok because you know in your heart that you are doing your part.  You have investigators like Marcos that are progressing and that you know you are making a difference in his life.  Those things are the positives that Elder Scott talks about.  You are allowing the positive to out weigh the negative.  That's your growth and we are so proud of you.  Yes, there are frustrations and set backs, but in the end, we need to focus on the good.

How are your other investigators, how is Edu and Desiree?

EP: haha ok. Ya probably. Investigators are good. Edu is still awesome still comes to church still loves it. Desiree is the same and Marcos is her half brother so that should be good for them. 

M: Tell me who are in the pictures and what did you teach.

EP: in the one picture is my compa, Karen, Mauro, Aquetzali (Desire’s sister), Armando, and me. The other one is Aquetzali, Kaile, Hermano Delfino, Avelino, Yadira, Edu, Juan Eduardo, Hermana Oliva, Desire, y Cachi. We made pizzas and talked about the church and played some soccer. The new one is me, Marcos, and Aquetzali, i also had a pet duck haha. 

M: A pet duck, really!?!?!?!  Too cute. 

Are the people just members, Bishop, family?  Is Desiree's sister the red head, is she a member?

EP: haha ya its cause a sister had her birthday and her family calls her pato (duck) so i was joking and was like I’m gonna buy you a duck for your birthday and she was like ok i will be waiting. So i had to buy her a duck. But it was only 25 pesos so it was super cheap haha. Mostly members. Marcos isn’t and one other family of investigators. Juan Eduardo is the bishop’s son but the bishop wasn’t there. Desire’s sister is the red head and she is a member. Avellino is her brother and he’s also a member. He got to pass sacrament this week so that was super cool. 

M: Did she eat it?

I am glad for Desiree and Marcos that they have members in their family, they can support each other and hopefully one day their parents will see the light.  They look so different?!?!?

You look and sound very happy son.  I am grateful for that, prayers are always answered.

EP: haha no it’s a baby. She’s taking care of it. Yeah Marcos is half brother of the other three. Yes, but i have to go i love you guys.

Love,
Elder Park 

Mexico Pachuca - Week 51 - November 3, 2014

(Excerpts from his email)

hey thanks mom. Seems like the week was very busy and very exciting for you guys. Great to hear about ty and his eagle project. Sucks i couldn’t be there to help but it is what it is. Thank you for sharing all that with me. I definitely needed it. I don’t know I’ve been a little down lately. Just thinking a lot. stressing a lot and just going a little crazy here haha.     

M: Why, what's going on?  What's causing the stress and the over thinking?

EP: just everything. We had like 50 people in church again this week and it’s like no matter what we do things just aren’t getting better. we went to visit the counselor in relief society yesterday cause she hasn’t gone in like 2 months and she told us a whole bunch of stuff and she knows its true and she knows she’s wrong and she knows she has to go but she’s not going to because she doesn’t feel good in the chapel. We have had investigators tell us they don’t want to go to church because the members are just always fighting and it’s just so stressful and frustrating. We are having success. We have some super cool people. The half brother of the girl we just baptized told us yesterday he wants to get baptized and he probably will in like 2 weeks. I know we are working hard i am so tired everyday from just working and walking and everything but i don’t know it’s just super hard right now. I’m trying to be positive and happy but it’s hard. And people are noticing. More than a few members keep asking me if I’m ok if I’m sick or other stuff. One sister is convinced i have a virus or something. It’s just stressful.

M: Couple things come to mind as I read this, one, I know you have a love for these people and that you are working as hard as you can. Two, I am grateful that these people have a love for you, so much so that they are concerned about you. Those two things alone can and should bring you some sense of happiness and joy.  You have found the love of Christ and have learned to love and to receive love and that is awesome.  

EP: yes i do love all these people but that also makes it so much harder. I love them so much that i want them to do all the things they need to do and when they don’t its like ugh why don’t you just go to church. Yes we have talked (to the bishop) and i think we are going to bring it up in ward council that people are saying these things and things need to change. Yes i know thank you. It’s just something i have to do right now. Something i have to fight through.

M: Yes it is, but it is not something that you have to do alone. I think that sometimes we think these trials need to be endured all alone, but they don't. Like dad said, seek out a priesthood blessing, if for nothing else but for guidance and peace.  Know that we will make it a matter of prayer on our side.

So, tell me something positive that happened this week.

EP: Well the one awesome thing that happened this week was Marcos. He’s Desire's brother and he’s come to church with us like 3 weeks straight. He’s awesome and we were walking home from church and he was like hey i want to get baptized, when can I get baptized. I was like well we gotta talk to your parents first. I was kinda scared cause his dad is Desire’s dad and he was kinda against it with Desire but Marcos was like o i talked to them and they both said yes. I was just like wow awesome then you will get baptized on November 15 and he was like sweet. and then we were talking about priesthood and all that casue his half brother Avellino just got the priesthood this Sunday and he was like haha i am gonna go straight to teacher and you are only a deacon. It was funny and just awesome. Those kids are awesome they have a tough life at home but i am glad we can help them a little. We are starting to have activities every Saturday and this Saturday only them and one other family came but we had a really good time. I feel like i am helping these kids hopefully to learn to love the church and stay strong even after we leave.

M: There is another example of the Lord's love for you; he put wonderful people in your path who are ready, despite the other stuff.   They can support each other in their home and with the priesthood presence it will be even better.  You will have made a huge impact on that family for eternities and that will be with you forever, even after these struggles and challenges pass.  

How are your other investigators?

EP: we have some cool ones. We contacted one lady on the bus i think i told you about her and she is awesome. she is like i had my doubts when i started listening but you guys answer my questions and i have been reading and i just feel this confidence in what i am reading and doing. I just feel like its right. She’s super cool. Her name is Maria. The problem is right now she has like meetings Sunday mornings so she couldn’t come to church. We have another lady named Patty who reads the book of Mormon when she feels all stressed out and she feels peace when she reads it. She knows its true but for one thing or another she cant come to church with us ever. We do have people that can progress, we just need help, like always.

I gotta go i love you guys. I will talk you in a week. Have a great week

Love,
Elder Park