YIPEEEEE!

So, first off I have some crazy news!!! There is an Elder Hunter in our mission and the other day while I was around him he was like, "Elder Parr do you know the Bush's from back home?" And I replied and asked if he was referring to Greg and Ronnie from Grand Prairie 1st Ward and he WASSSS! Come to find out they are actually cousins and spent quite a bit of time together! Pretty crazy, huh? That's like one of the only connections I've made since being in Montana to anyone I knew back home! 

Had the wonderful opportunity to go and spend some time down in Wyoming this week which was a TON of fun! I like the Big Horn Basin a LOT better than the portion I drove through with Jeff the first time I drove through Wyoming! Haha We had 2 great zone conferences and lots of teamups; which are always a blast! I LOVE getting to spend time with all the missionaries in our mission and getting to know them all a bit better :) All of the Zone Conferences we've had this transfer have been centered around the movie "17 Miracles" which has been sweeeeeet! It's President Gardner's last ones so he definitely went out with a big bang! He taught us something that was so profound and something that impacted me so much! It's what we call the "Divine Center"! I won't teach it to y'all now but please remind me first thing when I get home because I want to share it with y'all :)

 

As you can see from the pictures I've seen some pretty gorgeous scenes this past week as well. I must say, I serve in one of the most beautiful places in the world! Can't wait to take y'all around. It's funny because a 4 hour road trip is like a piece of cake now and feels like nothing!

One experience I would like to share with y'all is one I had preparing for my talk last Sunday! Elder Miller and I were asked to speak in sacrament meeting and I was asked to speak on using our agency to be engaged in a good cause. I want to share a poem that was shared with me that I read and feel summarizes that point very well! It's called

"I WILL"

"I will do more than belong, I will participate.

I will do more than care, I will help.

I will do more than believe, I will practice

I will do more than forgive, I will forget.

I will do more than teach, I will inspire.

I will do more than dream, I will work.

I will do more than give, I will serve.

I will do more than earn, I will enrich.

I will do more than live, I will grow.

I will do more than be fair, I will be kind.

I will do more than be friendly, I will be a friend."

I sure love y'all and pray for y'all daily :)
Stay strong and remember to choose the right and be engaged in a good cause!

-Elder Parr

Life is a Highway!

What a crazy, wild week it's been so far!!! I want to start by wishing the twins a Happy Day Late Birthday Wish!! Y'all are gettin' so old now! I was thinkin' the other day that when I get home y'all could pick me up and drive me home. RIDICULOUS to think about that! Y'all are gettin' too big!

 I have driven over 1,200 miles this week! Yeah, that's a longgggg way for sure! We left Tuesday afternoon for Bigfork, Mt and didn't get home 'til late saturday evening! The time was spent with wonderful team-ups and meetings and exciting experiences :)

Bigfork, Mt is beautiful and is just north of Polson, where I used to serve, so I got to stop in and see a few people, which was awesome, and then got to spend a day with Elder Hanson, one of the missionaries that I came out with :) We had a blast and did lots of good work! We had lunch with their host family, which is the one that sent you that picture mom! Haha. Hope you enjoyed that little surprise ;) After our time in Big Fork we headed to Missoula and spent a day there and had zone conference; which was amazing! It was funny there because the missionaries have never met their neighbors before because the people keep

to themselves, but I met ALL of them while I stayed there! Haha Helped one of them move in and ran into the other 2 couples as they were getting our of their cars. Super nice people! Early the next morning we headed to Helena for another meeting! Right after we booked it over to Great Falls for team-ups with Elder Owens and Henriksen :) Did lots of service there like helping someone move and going to Belt, Mt to volunteer at a Rodeo! The things we get to do for service in Montana is so much fun! Belt is just an itty bitty town with lots of cowboys! Learned a lot about bull ridin' in the process of helping out which was cool :) We headed home after that and didn't get

back 'til late and boy was it good to sleep in our beds again! :)

It was a pretty spiritual week as well as we were able to attend a baptism in Great Falls. I just love being in an environment that allows the Spirit to be present :) Church was a miraculous experience as well! So many people came out of the wood work. It  was way incredible! People we had met or have been workin' with for awhile came to church; which was awesome! One gentleman, who we have been teaching his son and is going to get baptized this coming week, came to church for the first time in 4 years and bore his testimony! Very neat! I think my favorite experience at church though was a woman who came up to us and told us about a tender situation where her daughters baby was born with cancer and isn't doing well.

This experience reminds me of the story from Matthew 9:20-22

 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.)

The lady who spoke to us had complete faith that if her grand daughter received a blessing that she would be healed. Honestly, I've never seen someone with more faith than that woman speaking to us. She was so sincere! I will NEVER forget that woman and what she taught me from her faith!

Life is just incredible right now and the Lord is so good to us here! I love y'all so much!! I hope y'all enjoy all the pictures I sent!

-Elder Parr

Glory, Hallelujah!

I have had such an amazing week! Last week on Monday we spent our lunch time with a young man who joined the church less than a year ago and JUST got his mission call! He is going to RUSSIA!!!!! The farthest east in Russia as possible too. We went to the only mexican restaurant here in Billings, I think, that slightly compares to mexican food there. It's called Sarah's and I just laugh because it doesn't even sound like a mexican place! We talked about all the crazy things that he will do and found out he has to leave every 3 months to South Korea so he can renew his visa! How crazy is that?! A typical winter day there is about  -40 too! He told us that it takes 4 months to get a package there, so he thought about sending himself a package now so it will be there when he gets there! Going foreign is incredible but not as good as being called to serve in Montana ;) hehee

I met my favorite 2 year old in the  entire world; I'm pretty sure! His name is Dequisyan Little Sun! Like I said he is 2 years old, 3 feet tall and about 50-60 pounds! He has the sweetest rat tail you've EVER seen and is part african american, white, hispanic AND native! He is going to be HUGE when he gets older! His head is so hard and strong, that's how he gets his way! Haha He runs up to you and starts head buttin' you and hittin' you with his head! haha!

We had the opportunity to go on team-ups 3 times this week which was a blast! The first was with my boy Elder Greco! He is from North Carolina and I think just about the neatest person I've ever met! He came out with me, as well, so he is that much better ;) We had a blast and talked to soo many people, including a group of about 7 high school students who said, "Why are y'all so dressed up?" and we said, "Why are y'all so underdressed and saggin'?!" haha jk but we gave 'em a good time and we talked for awhile. Kind of disappointed and sad though, because as we asked each of them (many were seniors) what they were going to do next year the majority of them said they were just going to drink and party around at college. Sad to see youth choose not to be successful and instead do things that will only cause them grief and a lack of success :/ We left them with some encouraging words and hopefully impacted them in some way.  Also went on team-ups with Elder Savage and Elder Stauffer! I must say we have some incredible missionaries here! We did lots of good work and had tons of good laughs! 

Friday night was pretty awesome! We had a little private fireside with Elder Terrance Smith from the quorum of the Seventy! We invited tons of people to come and it was an awesome meeting! He spoke on the Book of Mormon and how to recognize the spirit. It was a wonderful experience to be at the feet of such a man and to learn so much. I testify that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God! Its' pages are filled with the words of Christ and helps those who sincerely read to draw closer to God. It's changed my life so much! Even though I DON'T LIKE to read AT ALL, the Book of Mormon is one book I actually look forward to pickin' up and reading because it inspires me to do good and to make changes in my life that would allow me to strengthen my relationship with God. I invite any who have debated on reading the Book of Mormon or believe it's not true, to learn of the history of how it came to pass and to pick it up and to actually read and ponder it's message!

Saturday was an amazing day! We had a wonderful baptism for a young man who is 17 years old and is on the ball! His mom, who is not a member of the church, attended and balled the entire time. It's so hard to deny something that is so uplifting and positive like making a covenant with God! I'm so proud of him and his desire to do the will of the Father! 

You could just say I'm on top of the world right now and lovin' every second of my mission! Things are going so great and everyone is joining in here in Billings, Montana!! 

"True greatness, always requires regular, consistent, small and sometimes ordinary and mundane steps over a long period of time."  -Howard W. Hunter

If you ever want to stop, remember, "PARR'S NEVER QUIT!"

LOVE Y'ALL SOOOO MUCH!

-Elder Justin Parr

Sunshine and Smiles :)

Funny story! A companionship got doubled into Poplar (one of the gnarliest reservations) and called us up. In talking with one of the members of the branch up there, who happens to be a tribal policeman, they found out that there are three major legal consequences for breaking the law:

• Serve jail time
• Pay a fine
• Or my favorite, a court ordered MMA cage fight! 

Apparently, they can stick the criminals in the ring with Bone Saw for 3 min. as compensation for their criminal conduct. The rez is the real deal!  ;)

We had an awesome week this week but very busy! We had leadership meetings here in Billings as well as Helena! The trip to Helena was crazy because we were up late that night getting everything in order and ready for our meeting for the next day and I got to drive the TRANSFER the whole way! Haha President Gardner was my co-driver and the rest of the van was packed with missionaries. It was an awesome trip and wonderful meetings! I'm beginning to realize just how big our mission really is now that I've had the wonderful opportunity to travel all over it! I LOVE MONTANA and can't wait to take y'all all over it! 

I've learned more this week than ever that you MUST strive to improve each day or procrastination and complacency settle in and you find yourself just rottin' in a pot going nowhere! Haha The concept of work is so real. Without it nothing happens. At least in my experience, I've never been able to sit back in a lazyboy and say, "Wow! I really want that" and then continue to sit in my lazyboy and it just appear. Like I always say, Hard work pays off! 

I love y'all so much and hope each day for y'all is just remarkable! Remember to live it like your last! Remember who you are and what you stand for and DO WORK! Love reminding myself when a thought comes into my head, "Psh...Parr's don't do that!" 

LOVE Y'ALL!

-Elder Parr

You'll LOVE it!!!

http://mormon.org/chip/

You've got to check this out! This is Elder White's dad back in Connecticut! Elder White is even in the video! Haha!

Awesome message!

Day After Celebration!!!

It was such a blast to talk to y'all yesterday! Totally made my day! After we talked we went to our dinner where we had a blast! They had all of their family over so there was about 60 people or so, adults and kids included, and we had a HUGE meal :) Got to spend lots of time with their family and most of all got to teach them all a lesson! I think it was the biggest group of people we've ever taught at once, which was awesome! We taught them all the ten commandments and a super easy way to remember them with hand signals! You should have the missionaries over if you'd like to learn them as well! ;) We topped the night off by singing hymns altogether and left with a prayer. That's something I want to do with y'all when I get home! Read our scriptures together, sing a hymn and say a prayer. I think that's the best way to end any day that God grants us to show our appreciation for what we've been given :)

This week has just been tremendous. I'm beginning to understand how the things we do today, truly allow us to move forward and progress further tomorrow! Anything you do has a consequence...Make it a good consequence :) I love y'all so much! I think this week I will just send y'all a ton of pictures your way since we talked about so much just yesterday :) Enjoy!

LOVE Y'ALL!

-ELDER PARR

Talon Party!

 

Sending new missionaries off to their first areas on Greyhound!

                                                                         



 Elder Hokanson, who I was privileged to train, and 2 new missionaries, Elder McKee on left and Peterson on right who will be trained by Elder Scott and White, who I trained. We call this a posterity picture!







 First ever successful video conference call



 Beautiful Montana view out in Acton, Mt



 Departing Missionaries



 

 Greenie Breakfast!



My Planner!



My Planner!

Shout HOORAY!!!

Ahhhh it's soo good to hear from y'all! I've been thinking alot about y'all, especially with this weekend, sending home all the missionaries today and that whole process. I'm pretty excited to talk to y'all this weekend on Mother's Day! I will NOT be skyping but I will be calling. We will probably do it Sunday evening before or after dinner (5-8pm) our time here. I'll try and let you know when it gets closer!

This week has been an amazing one for sure :) Started out on the week gettin' van certified! I can now drive our 12 passenger transfer van and boy is it a blast to drive! Haha Especially when it's packed full of missionaries :) The course I had to do reminded me of defensive driving A LOT! haha "What should you do when someone cuts you off?" Had the opportunity to drive all the departing missionaries to the temple though for their last time before they went home! I also had the opportunity to go to the temple to do baptisms with a recent convert and the West Park Ward, my previous area which was REALLLLY neat! She had a wonderful experience as I did myself! I was able to baptize all the young men that came from the West Park Ward. I testify that the temple is the most peaceful and joyful place you can be! When I get home that's the FIRST thing we're doing as a family! So start planning it out! 

Elder Miller's birthday was this week and I just pretended I was celebrating Preston's birthday too! You're a teenager now Preston! YAYYYYY! We surprised him so many times and he had so much cake and ice cream :)

Had the wonderful chance to be on teamups with Elder Senior who is a fellow Texan along with Elder Miller which was really fun! He came up from Wyoming with Elder Bird (who came out with me) because Elder Bird had heart surgery! What a miracle that was! Had a 5 hour surgery and was up walkin' and eatin' pancakes with us the next day! Medical field amazes me now and I consider him a miracle!


A lesson I learned with Elder Senior and Elder Miller was on a very nice mans doorstep. The only draw back was he was so closed minded! Didn't argue or anything but taught me a very valuable lesson. People tell us all the time that we should "study out what we believe because we are way off". I find it interesting because when I ask them questions like about their relationship with God and what not they know nothing and they always say, "I'm going to have to talk to my preacher about that". It blows my mind! What ever happened to asking God and receiving revelation from the author of ALL truth instead of someone else? I'm so grateful and testify that we can find answers to our own questions. That we don't have to go to or through someone to seek knowledge. Anyways off my soapbox

We just got back from playing Folf at Phipp's Park again! It's the BEST course EVER! It's like in these cliffs and just all over the place! The last hole is 729 foot or something ridiculous like that with a 200 drop in elevation! We get to play there when we come visit! Found a few snakes and jumped around the cliffs with the bunnies ha! 

I was reassured this week that HARD WORK PAYS OFF... ALWAYS! We haven't had much going on recently, teaching wise, and this week we taught 2 new young people who are wonderful! They both are so interested in the church and why we're always so happy and get along so well, haha. The youth in the church are amazing and are so strong! We've been able to share the joy we have with others because people are seeking for it in their lives :) Learned how much service can change someone's perspective of you as well! Found that true in the ward i'm in now and all the support and help we're receiving now. I've also been able to experience that for myself. Today when we were trying to get missionaries off, transfer missionaries, do paper work and tons of other stuff, we were just flustered with everyone around and nobody leaving. Walked out later after we were just about done and they were washing our car! Immediately, everything they had done or not done didn't matter. I could have cared less about what they had done. I had to kneel down and ask Heavenly Father for some forgiveness when I got home and thanked him for the lesson I learned ;)

I love being humbled!

I love y'all so much and hope all is well!

-Elder Parr