"...my challenge to anyone who reads this!"

Monday, November 29, 2010

So this week was amazing but HARD too! Lots of appointments were canceled since the holiday season but we went and saw a bunch of less-active families which was awesome!

The socks you got are amazing! And someone here bought me the BEST pair of gloves! So my toes and fingers are warm :)

Highlights of the week (sorry I had a paper of everything I was going to write home about but forgot it at the house :/ so here is what I remember)

• I learned the proper way to chop wood! haha I chopped wood for about 4 hours for a man named Joe. A part member family and he is gettin' older so we went to help him out! Elder Miner was like, "Man! I'm surprised you learned so fast being from Texas!" And I was like, "Psh. You just got to show me how to do it and I'll master it Elder!" Haahaa I still got my Paul Bunyan in me from high adventure ;) haha it was so much fun! Then we fixed a flat on his car he couldn't do. In return he made us the BEST deer steaks I've ever had so far (only had them 2 times) and they were so good! He is taking the lessons and so is his son! His wife and son are members so hopefully we will have 2 baptisms and 2 re-activations soon! He is such a great guy. He is so interested in the gospel. He shaved his HUGE beard and came to church with the whole family 2 weeks ago and told us he will be coming a lot more often which is great!
• We received 4 duck eggs from Sean, a recent convert, and made omelets out of them Saturday morning after our fast on Friday! SOOOO good! Duck eggs are the bomb! Soo much more protein and they thicken and fluff up a lot more! Except they are a dozen for $9! hahah Soo worth it though. Just like the extra .25 cents for whole milk mom ;) haha
• I played in the turkey bowl while it was 20 degrees and there was 5 inches of snow on the ground! SOOO much fun! I showed them how Texans play football! haha We had 12 people. 6 on 6. And I was all time quarter back pretty much. Those in Montana don't play football too great haha! So I was throwing touchdowns left and right and driving the field! It was so much fun! Then when I became all-time defender they made me go back because no one was scoring and I was just intercepting the ball. haha I think that game meant more to me than anyone else since I never get to play anymore! So I went all out! SOO much fun!
• I had Thanksgiving at the Howard's house! It took me right back home! They had sooo many people there! Just like at home! And I fit right in and had a blast!! Soo much food! Except we didn't get to eat goat :/ since it was in the negatives leading up to Thanksgiving they didn't butcher it because it would have frozen and they weren't about to do it in their house! haha But we played a bunch of games and got to know everyone better!
• Sunday was a CRAZY day! haha Well, we cover 2 wards so we had early morning meetings, was asked to speak in sacrament, taught sharing time twice, taught gospel principles and tried to talk to all our investigators at church! What an awesome Sunday! It was SOOOO nice to teach sharing time and be with some younger kids! I miss being around the kids! I'm really a kid at heart so we got along great and taught an awesome lesson about when we serve our neighbors we serve God! Elder Miner was like, "Elder Parr, it sounds like you have a pretty set plan for this so I'm going to let you head this one up!" Haha, so I did and the kids loved it so I think it was a success! I ALMOST have everyone's name down here pretty close.

Saved the best news for last!

• Well, with all the Thanksgiving turkey and pies that have been given to us (and I've eaten) I have officially dropped a belt hole! I'm getting in such good shape out here having to run/walk everywhere and being active. It's awesome!!
• But BEST news of all is yesterday Elder Miner and I set 2 baptismal dates! One for Dec 4 and one on Dec 11!!! SOOO awesome! One man has been here for 6 months, broke his foot, and wants to get back to Salt Lake City to take care of his mom, daughter and find work. Funny how we found him. He called the church and Elder Miner answered before I got here to Montana. He was calling for some help and that's how we got to teaching him. Well the entire time he has wanted to leave he keeps saying the only reason he is staying is because we keep coming by and visiting him. He is coming to church and accepting the lessons! The last lesson we had we told him to really think and ponder about his decision before he leaves. We explained that he called for a reason, that we answered, and are with him to teach him the gospel. As he accepts the gospel all the temporal matters will fall into place. He said he would and he called me last night and was like, "Elder Parr, my daughter has bought me a ticket to go back to Salt Lake," (at that moment I was like noooooo. You can't leave. You're so close!), "but I told her I won't be leaving here 'til after the 6th. So how long will this baptism take?" It was SO awesome to hear he wanted to be baptized! So, we then had a great conversation about how it will all take place and so on. Another man drives a truck but is out right now because someone ran into the back of him. He comes to church every week and accepts what we teach and just doesn't feel that he can support his family and he feels he is letting everyone down. So we taught about the atonement and about baptism and asked him to be baptized and he said he will try. I talked about setting goals and how when we put the Lord first the rest falls into place. He said he would be baptized and prepare.

It's a true pleasure and joy to see the gospel change lives! As I have watched these 2 individuals and all the people we teach accept and do the things the Lord desires for them to do, their countenance, attitude, words, EVERYTHING changes about them! They become a whole new and wonderful person! That is the beauty of the gospel! In sacrament I was asked to speak on being grateful for the gospel and sharing it through missionary work. When I looked up gospel in the bible dictionary it says that gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works. Our message is just that! It is good news! That wherever we are in our journey in life; the Lord knows each and every single one of us. He knows our desires, worries, dreams, hopes, inadequacies, he knows everything. And through His great and infinite atonement, as we lean on Him for strength and guidance, and not only our own, we can become strong and overcome anything in life! We can change our lives for good. Let go of something that has held us down. Become a new person! That is my challenge to anyone who reads this! To rely on our Savior and Redeemer for strength through daily prayer and scripture reading and learn more about HIS gospel! I promise you will find the greatest joy and happiness one can have!

love,

elder parr

Freezing cold, Broken chain, Butchering a goat and Listening to the Spirit. The work is AWESOME!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Montana is FREEZING!!! It's colder than I've EVER been here! Thursday it started snowing here and hasn't stopped since! We have about 6 inches now! Last night it was a whoppin' 12 degrees! I never knew earth could get this cold! haha

Friday night I will never forget! We were going down Golf Course Street on our bikes (of course) headed to dinner going slow so we didn't crash...well when Elder Miner went to turn down the street of the hill he TOTALLY wiped out! I was laughing soo hard but there were 2 cars behind us and I got in the street and stopped them so they wouldn't run him over! haha They turned on their brights to make sure he could see. It was funny. But he jumped up so fast and got back on his bike and we continued on! The roads are so slick with all this snow it's so much fun! When you hit the brakes you start to fish tail. Haha, it's quite the experience!

BUT Saturday we were riding up this street and and it was so cold and I was pedaling so fast I guess my chain snapped in half! I was like, ummm Elder I'm pedaling and I'm not moving! I snapped my chain! Sooo we don't not have a car...but no more bikes at this point in time either! hahaha SO now we GET to walk everywhere or try to hitch a ride! haha But we don't walk, I make Elder Miner run with me. So just picture these 2 men bundled up in jackets, scarfs, hats, gloves, like the Michelin tire man just all black running down the side of the road! hahaha! Some guy last night as we were running back home for the night was like "YOU IDIOTS!" We were laughing so hard! The weather is harsh and freezing but we're out here to take the gospel to people and we're not letting ANYTHING stop us from doing just that!

THANK YOU so much for the package and letters! The socks are PERFECT! I haven't had a problem with cold feet since! Those dress socks just weren't cutting it for me and the hoodie is AMAZING! I haven't really had a jacket like that so thank you SO much! Definitely needed and grateful for all of it! I'm going to take the can of cranberry over to the Howard family! We're going to their house for Thanksgiving almost all day! Wer'e going to have GOAT! hahaha! We're going over some time earlier this week to help butcher it and to bury it to cook it! I'm so excited! The last time I had goat was with my soulja boy, Bernard from Africa, at his house with fufu! Awesome! It will be a little different this time though. haha But the Howards are awesome! Such a missionary oriented family! They have 3 daughters, 13, 14 and 16. They are CRAZY! haha They are very movie lined as well and when they found out my last name was Parr they were like "You're Mr. Incredible!" and I was like, "Woman! Get me my super suit!" But Thanksgiving is taken care of and I will be fed great!

The work here is amazing! It's just hard to get with people this time of year as family comes in town and people leave for the holidays! But we have set up 4 baptismal dates and just waiting for them to decide to go through with it! They are SO close! Also this week, we had 6 investigators come to church!

We had an appointment for the next Friday night when the weather wasn't bad and for some reason felt we needed to go see them the next day. So Saturday morning there was like 4 inches of snow and still snowing and was freezing but we still decided to go see them! They live about 2 miles away and we rode all the way there! I made a video you will get soon about it! haha First ride in the snow. We got there and found out he got laid off and was having a hard time. His wife and son are members. So we taught him and invited him and his whole family to church and he was like pshhh, "No, I'll never get my son to come with us!" So I was like "What if I asked him?!" And he said, "Pssh, he'll just say no!". So I was like, "J- COME OUT HERE!" He came out of his room and was like "Yeah?". I asked him if he would come to church with his family tomorrow and he was like, "Yeah. Sure. I don't have anything to do anyways." His dad freaked out and was like, "WOW! Did you really just say yes? You never want to go." hahaha It was so funny how easy it was. So they came to church and he had shaved off his HUGE beard and after sacrament said "You will be seeing me here more often!"

My testimony has grown so much about listening to the spirit! We could have not gone to visit him that morning because he is a truck driver and didn't even think he would be home. BUT listening to that prompting to go see him has made a HUGE impact in his life already! The spirit is real! If we listen to the promptings we have and act on them only good things will happen!!

The work is AWESOME here, though! I LOVE hearing from y'all! Thank you for all the support and love you give me!

Miss and love you all!

Elder Parr

Things that matter most.

Monday, November 15th.

First off Montana is, I must say, the second best state! Texas, of course, is the best but Montana is growing on me and is SOOO beautiful!

We're at...

852 Ponderosa

Hamilton, Montana

59840

So send stuff here if you're going to send anything! Thanks :) If it went to the other place no biggie we just get to ride our bikes over there because we're on bikes!!! President Gardner told us in the mission home that everyone has a car and I got here and we're like the only ones WITHOUT a car! Actually, we get a car on Thursday but just one day of the week! heehee. So I guess we do have a car! :)

Funny story ... so we're on our bikes. And in Montana at night it gets PITCH BLACK! Y'all haven't seen dark yet, I'm telling you! Well, we were on bikes and of course and it gets dark outside at about 6 here. And of course were still out working and teaching lessons but we were on our way home from our last lesson and were pretty much riding braile on this road! We can't see a thing! But once you go off the road a bit it goes to gravel so we just stayed on the right side and followed the flat blacktop! haha, it was so crazy and fun! Then Bro Laraway, the family were living with, was driving down the road and saw us and stopped and was like "what are y'all thinking?!" haha and we just told him we were going home of course and thanked him for picking us up! haha he was like, "y'all are going to get run over out here like this! I'm going to take y'all to the bike shop tomorrow and buy y'all lights for your bikes"! So the next day he took us to the shop and got us these sweet lights! They stay solid or flash and TOTALLY make it a ton easier to see the road to get home at night and I guess so people can see us! hahaha. Guess not best story to tell you about my safety but were set now!

The Laraways are awesome! Such a nice couple! They have kids but they are all moved out or at college! We will be staying with them til about Dec 14 probably and then her daughters are coming in town for Christmas and we have to get our hineys out of there quick! But we stay in the bottom in their basement! Soo AWESOME! It's like our own place pretty much! It has a wood burning stove; which is soo cool! I never had to make my own heat like that before. It's pretty fun! Every morning we wake up and throw wood in and fire it up! It's just a REALLY nice place to stay! Lots of land and BEAUTIFUL view! Every morning I eat breakfast and I just gaze at 2 mountain ranges out the window :) You will see pictures soon enough! But yes very nice people who feed and shelter us well!

My first Sunday here was AMAZING! The people here are SO nice! I fit in just well! I have so much in common with so many people here! Almost remember the hundreds of people i've met so far! They are so sweet here! We get fed like EVERY day, no joke! And there are 2 restaurants in town owned by members that let us eat for free! Greek Gyro's is owned by Sister Horsely where we can eat once a day for free and Moose Creek where we can eat once a week for dinner so we get fed SO much here! But don't worry. I haven't gained a pound! Actually, I found a bench and barbell and weights in Bro Laraways barn so in the morning I go lift weights or go outside and jump my rope in like the 20's!! It's what I call dedication!

My first Sunday (we actually cover 2 wards) we had 5 investigators come to church with us! The work here is ON FIRE, no joke! Might have a baptism this weekend and at least 2 baptismal dates set up! We teach so much and the members are so active and willing to help with whatever which helps us out tremendously!

I'm just loving getting to know everyone here and talking to everyone! We were riding our bikes and this older man was cutting his grass on his john deer and I rode over to him and asked him if he wanted help and he said no but I picked up a few leafs and stuck them in a bag and told him to have a nice day! haha I love talking to everyone! Today I took my watch to some pawn shop for a new battery and we ended up talking for like an hour haha great stuff!

After church they had what they call a "linger longer" and I was like what in the world is that! That's what they call a potluck! hahaha! It was delicious and I met so many more people there! They are much more casual here with dress church it's so funny to see what people will wear. It's a lot easier on our investigators though because they don't feel so out of place.

This one kid, though his dad was just baptized last week, he is inactive. And I've got to know him. We bribed him to come to church by 2 root beers! :) The Laraways got ALL this soda for us in boxes (or that they had) and we don't drink it so we bribe him with it! I'm doing everything to get him active again.

OH! My companion and trainer is Elder Miner! He is soo awesome! JUST like me! Everything I do he does too! It's so crazy! We're so close already and finishing each others sentences! So good to have a great trainer! I don't have to worry about learning the ways because he is teaching me for sure! Soo awesome!

I'm learning so much about hunting and stuff here! haha Last night we went with Bro Hawks to his gas station he owns, which is awesome, and in the car wash he pulled out a hot dog cooker and filled it up and one of the young men and his dad came over and we put this frozen deer head in it to boil the meat and fur off to do a European mount with is just the skull on the wall. Nothing else. haha That's every ones favorite up here pretty much! Brother Hawks doesn't go hunting on Sundays. I told him i'm going to come back up to go hunting! He traps mountain lions and I told him I'm going to come back and trap one with him so I can have the fur in my den! hahaha!

Basically, Montana is AMAZING and I'm loving EVERY second of it! I've learned so much since I've been here and already seen how the gospel blesses people's lives even more! It's such a joy to see the change in peoples lives! do me a favor and look up the conference talk of things that matter most by Dieter Uchtdorf! Apply it to each of your lives! I've learned so much from that talk as I've applied it in my life!

Of Things That Matter Most - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Tell everyone thanks for their support!

Love, Elder Parr

1st area and an adventure to get there!

President and Sister Gardner ---->


I'm here in Montana now!

My flight was pretty wild here. First, it was the smallest jet ever! Second, the weather in Billings was bad so we had to pack extra fuel (in case we had to make an emergency stop in Bozeman, MT) which means less room for luggage! So we were packing bags in empty seats, under seats, between people, etc. All while trying not to exceed the maximum weight for lift off! So some bags got left behind and we finally got here to Montana and President Gardner and his wife and the Assistants, Elder King and Elder Heywood, met us at baggage claim.

We came to the mission home, which is AMAZING! So cool! Only mission home like it! And Sister Gardner and this other Sister made these AWESOME burritos with sweet pulled pork, homemade lime and cilantro rice and all the other good stuff!! AND their pink stuff is AMAZING! They use cream cheese instead of cottage cheese and it was AMAZING! Soo good to have real food and not that cafeteria food, for sure!

We've had interviews, watched videos about the cars, etc, and learned more about Montana. It's so beautiful here! I can't wait to get to work! We went to the temple tonight and it's so beautiful! Look it up! Also look up the bear video by Jean Jacques Annaud! HA! Funny and weird at first but great symbolism at the end with us and Christ!

We're now just waiting for dinner and to find out where we're going and who our trainer's will be in the next few hours....



I'm going to the MISSOULA ZONE in Montana with Elder Miner! We will cover the Hamilton and Blodgett Canyon Wards!

My address is:
852 Ponderosa, Hamilton, MT 59840

So, hopefully, I'll be able to hit some golf balls on p-day, which is Monday. President Gardner said the drive is 7 hours on their bus from the mission home! So long drive in the morning!

I'M SO PUMPED!! Elder Heywood, one of the Assistant's to the President, said where I am going is one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL parts of the mission!

Love Y'ALL!
-Elder Parr

"Greenie" Dinner

Elder Parr and Elder Miner

Hi, My name is Jill Revelli. We live in Hamilton, Montana. ( A very small town by Missoula ) We were blessed to be your sons first dinner appointment tonight. We decided to make everything Green, including rolls, pasta, butter, etc. He came in and started dishing up his plate never mentioning the strange color, when all of a sudden he said, "So I take it y'all like the color green" We all laughed and explained that we usually don't eat green food, and that the color was in honor of him. We had such a great night. It ended with him sharing a spiritual message with our family. It appears that he has two brothers exactly the same age of two of our boys. He was so great with the little kids, and so relaxed. You would never guess this was his first day out. He bore a very sweet and sincere testimony before they left. He was so well mannered and polite. I just thought you might enjoy hearing of his first night here, I am also including some pictures.

The Revelli Family
Dave, Jill, Nate, Ben, Jon and Sarah

Me and Elder Kofoed on the snow covered bench enjoyin' it!

He thinks it's funny I flip out with snow because he see's it all the time coming from Preston, ID. HA!

I always call him "SPUD" because I tell him he is really a potato farmer...he just won't admit it. HA! :)

God knows your mission

So I have one more day left in the MTC! I leave Tuesday morning bright and early. SOO EXCITED!

I'm doing great! Loving every second of the mission so far! Have to say good bye to all the Elders and Elder Weaver, especially. :(

I will meet many more in Montana.

Temple walk today was awesome! I took some great pictures and Sheri Dew came and talked to us for the devotional tonight. AWESOME MESSAGE...God knows your mission in life!!
LOVE Y'ALL!!

GOD SPEED FAMILY!!

Nov. 7, 2010

It's sad to see everyone sick :/

The District is strugglin'. Just about everyone is still sick. Two Elders asked for blessings this morning which was pretty sweet to do! But I'm having them all sleep in and go to the doctor again. They all seem to be getting worse :/ Hopefully they start to feel better, though. It's sad to see everyone sick. Especially when I'm full of energy and all over the place! HA! :)

Me and Elder Trujillo are still going to the gym because we have a throw down with Vanem Bassett and Elder Fleming! We skunked them two days ago and they wanted a rematch. So we're going to go school them again!

Miss and Love everyone!

-Elder Parr

Only 6 more days until I head to MONTANA! I'm so excited!

Nov.3, 2010

Sick As A Dog

Thanks so much for the Halloween box! It was awesome and made my day! It's great to hear from everyone!

OH! I got my travel plans yesterday! I leave for Montana November 9, 2010 at 9:51 a.m. and arrive at 11:15 a.m. So pumped!

This week has been pretty tough. One, because everyone is pretty much sick as a dog and I'm not. And I'm like the only one answering questions and participating in class.

I've made everyone go to the doctor and get medicine and called a District Meeting this morning (definitely needed) and talked to them as a whole and set district goals and really made sure they knew the purpose of being here. I think we're all back on track and good to go. Just a lot of sickness still. Glad I take care of my body and don't get sick. Hope y'all are all feelin' good!

Work here is going great! Awesome experience for me and my companion, Elder Kofoed last night. Been learning how to ask better questions and to really find out someone's concerns or problems. Well, we had an awesome roll play and through the spirit were able to know EXACTLY what to ask! We just found the spirit and he guided us with the words to say. Great testimony builder that the spirit IS real and can guide you to say the right things!

If I can say anything, pray for the spirit to be with you each day and don't be afraid to say what comes to you when it's the right time! I will promise you in times where you feel you don't know what to say to someone, if you're living worthy, he will give you the words to speak! I know he will!

Thanks again for the package!

Love Y'all!

-Elder Parr