On Top Of The World!!

What a week it has been! I've learned a lot about myself and also just a lot in general. Monday we had zone olympics so we got together with the other Billings zone and competed! It was a blast! Played knockout, ultimate frisbee, kickball and the best, the "behg challenge". It's the picture of the Elder in a trash bag! Haha!! We got in industrial sized trash bags, stuck a vacum down the back and then sucked it up and BAM! Skin tight and STUCK! haha Funniest thing ever :) Went to 3 Zone trainings, 2 of which were in Wyoming! 

Being in Wyoming brought back some funny memories when Jeff and I were stuck on the side of the highway and in the middle of nowhere! I found out Rawlings, where we were stuck then, is where the state penitentiary is located and NOT a good place to be at all, so I know the Lord was lookin' out for us :) Well, I also realized now that most of Wyoming is in the middle of nowhere, including a town called Tensleep that we drove out to! You will have to check it out on a map! haha Town of 260 people with the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen! Pretty cool experience!

As you have no idea, so far this week was great but probably the hardest week I've had on my mission! I wouldn't say worst, because every week is a good week, regardless of what happens. Monday I pretty much lost my voice, then got really sick the following morning being congested, cold sore and just feeling like garbage. On top of all that it rained pretty much all week on us here and I could barely talk because my voice was still gone! Ha I would say something and people would just look at me so funny or say "What?!" Interesting experience for sure! Learned I would not like to be mute!

Although I felt miserable all week I remembered our family motto, "Parr's Never Quit" and boy did it keep me going :) I think out of the 18 months that I've served on my mission, I'm now understanding the significance and urgency of my purpose and the opportunity at hand! There is NOTHING I would rather do at this time! There is no greater joy or greater work to be a part of than bringing others unto our Savior Jesus Christ :) Even in times of darkness and discomfort I still find a means to smile :) People always ask me, "How the heck are you so happy all the time?!" My response is always, "Why not be happy?! We have SOO much and have so many reasons to rejoice!" I just don't know how to put in words how I feel. I think back to when I came out on my mission and I just think, "If only you could see me now!" I love this work with every fiber of my soul! 

I love y'all so much! It's so good to hear of the many things that y'all are accomplishing and doing back home! Keep it up :) I want to share something with y'all that has brightened my life and given me an added desire to do more and to shine on! https://www.lds.org/youth/video/2012-theme-song?lang=eng Watch this and download the song from the website and listen to it every morning!

Well, gots to go! LOVE Y'ALL!!!

Elder Parr

Smile Sunshine! :)

This week has been absolutely AMAZING! This week I've felt the best I think I've EVER felt on my mission :) We've been able to do so many things and have worked our tails off! Elder Miller and I get home every night and just want to pass out! Haha! I can't say I've been as tired or satisfied in my entire life! There is something refreshing about helping others out so much that it literally just wears your body out then you get up the next morning and do it all over again :) By the way it was 80 degrees here today!!! Sunshine summertime just around the corner!

I learned a pretty valuable lesson this week. You probably read my quote about it on my facebook since y’all stalk me like no other ;) Haha! ‎"Human beings are expected by their creator to be actively employed in doing good everyday of their lives, either improving their own mental and physical condition or that of their neighbor." -Brigham Young

I feel if we don't get to know everyone around us, our neighbors, classmates, teachers, etc, we're missing out on sooo many opportunities to serve others and make friends that we may have the chance to influence for good and assist in their times of trial :) I don't let a person go by now without trying to talk to them or at least make them smile :) Such a great feeling to lift another's spirit! I want to hear experience y’all are having in helping others or sharin' the joy you've received from the gospel with others! Fill me in!!!

So I got to go on team-ups in the West Park Ward this week with Elder Stauffer my brotha from anotha motha ;) haha It was such a great time to contact some people and teach them again! He is awesome and so glad he took my place there! Tonight at dinner was hilarious! They have a 2 year old son and he was way delirious! He was just laughin' and ALL over the place! He was tryin' to shut the sliding back door and slipped and like slow motion was falling and was reaching and grasping for something to hold onto. I was just too slow and as he fell he nailed the dog bowl and sent water flyin' everywhere! Glad he wasn't hurt because it was hilarious!

Tracted and knocked doors like crazy this week!! We led the mission in talking to people which is sweet because everyone thinks we don't do diddly squat, so we decided, "Hey we're going to lead the mission!" We're just pumped! Met one lady from Jersey with a sweet accent! We're going to level her backyard out and get all the young men over there too :) Pretty stoked! Also walked up to a house and the guy was downstairs, door wide opened and was like, "want to move furniture?!" "Of course!" Within 5 minutes we solved their problem in getting this huge couch out of his basement! Just said, "Why don't you just take the back door off?!" So grateful for the hundred moves I helped with back home! Definitely prepared me for my mission! :) Helped out a ton and they opened up a ton and were tellin' us all about their lives! Both just down to earth guys with a great quality of life.

In one of the zone trainings this week one of the priesthood leaders who were visiting told us how in his office he doesn't have any chairs because chairs invite people to stay longer than they really need to. We took it to heart and made "T-Chairs"! I think you will enjoy my picture of mine ;) Keeps us focused and out of the office because they aren't comfortable at all! Haha We love 'em though :)

Well I'm off! Hope y’all have an amazing WEEK! Look forward to reading your emails tomorrow!!

LOVE Y’ALL!!!
-Elder Parr

On the road again!

You know when you get home from a long vacation and you walk into your home and that feelin' of "comin' home" just makes you smile?! Well, I was away all last week and didn't get back 'til Saturday night about 11:30pm!  It was so much fun and I've learned SOOOO much as well! Had the opportunity to visit all the zones on the west side of our mission (Bozeman, Butte, Missoula, Kalispell and Great Falls)! We drove over 1,300 miles this week! I'm gettin' good at drivin' long distances ;) 

Each zone training was so uplifting and edifying! Elder Miller and I talked about having a vision and executing it! President Gardner challenged all of us to read the gospel of John and share an insight we took from it. I've written down what each missionary has shared and I'll just say there is a LOT in John :) haha The thought I've been sharing comes from John 5:1-9 http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/5?lang=eng  about Christ and the certain man at the pool of Bethesda! While reading, I wanted to be more like Christ! I want to be the certain man, who notices, stops and takes the time to help those in need. What a great lesson to learn! Don't overlook anyone you pass by! 

 

I'm learning so much, especially to never take anything you have for granted! I feel so often in our lives we aren't grateful for what we have. We always want more, or bigger or better things, when really we have exactly what we need in front of us! I'm beginning to strive to forget about the things I "want or need" and find someone else who truly needs something and give to them. I'm really beginning to understand how Christ's love is unconditional and ever-giving! I really came to know that this week while I was back in Bozeman. When I served there I worked with a young man who had fallen off the deep end and was trying to get his life back in order and get back to church. He recovered and came back quickly but shortly after my departure fell back into bad habits and wrong decisions. I hadn't seen him for months but talked to him occasionally on Facebook. I was so devastated when he would tell me the things he was doing but never gave up on him. When I visited Bozeman, he was the happiest I had EVER seen him! Made so many decisions to change his life and is just thriving living the gospel!

Lesson learned:

NEVER GIVE UP ON SOMEONE! ALWAYS EXPECT THE BEST IN SOMEONE :) 

This week will be filled with more zone trainings and lots of missionary work! I love every bit of this time to serve the Lord!

LOVE Y'ALL! 

-Elder Parr

WOWY CAZOWEYYYYYY!!!!!

I know I start just about EVERY email like this but this week was AMAZING!! I NEVER have a down moment and want to keep that for the rest of my life! Haha

I have like 5 seconds! I'm currently traveling the entire mission going to each zone for zone trainings and it's a BLAST! We're havin' so much fun and making changes around our mission :)

The elders we stay with each night have to leave early to have interviews and what not so we have time before we have to be at the actual meeting so we clean their whole place and make it nice! Then, when we get there we make them all take off their shoes and we shine them all! Then we have an awesome uplifting meeting :)

 I LOVE serving others and seeing the happiness that comes into their lives :)

We left early early Monday morning and won't get back to Billings until late Saturday and then we're off the next week again ;)

I love y'all SOOO much and so glad to hear y'all are good from the tornadoes! Everyone keeps asking me about it! HAHA! 

DO WORK! LOVE Y'ALL! 

-Elder Parr

WOOOHOOOO!!!

This week has been amazing!  :) 

As you have discovered (and investigated) I have been called to be the new assistant to the president. I didn't want to tell y'all, merely because everyone makes such a big deal about it. I knew y'all would figure it out sooner or later and it definitely was sooner! haha I'm just grateful for the new opportunity to serve and to help those around! I'm pumped because now I will be able to get to know ALL the missionaries in our mission; which will be a blast! We travel a lot and that was the reason for my late email last Sunday when we hit the road early early the following day. 

It was definitely an exciting week

with welcoming in new Elders and Sisters

but also sad as we said bye to many.

I got to say goodbye to Elder Miner all the way up until he went through security at the airport! I've included a picture. In the departing devotional Elder Miner shared a poem his mom gave him along with a pretty funny story!

I LOVE the poem and wanted to share it with you :) 

 

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 be fair - I will be kind.
I will do more than forgive - I will forget.
I will do more than dream - I will work.
I will do more than teach - I will inspire.
I will do more than earn - I will enrich.
I will do more than give - I will serve.
I will do more than live - I will grow.
I will do more than suffer - I will triumph.

-William Arthur Ward

 It's so applicable and I think my new life motto and how I will live by! I throughly enjoyed watching conference and took MANY things from the talks given! I love conference because it makes me want to do more and become more like our Savior Jesus Christ! We had the opportunity to watch the last session with President Gardner with his family who were in town and got to sit by his little grand daughter who is 3 and boy does she know her animals and fruits! hehe It was fun listening to the servants of the Lord, drawing pictures and a little gal sayin' "ba-na-na. puppy!"

I love the simple things in life! :)

Love y'all so much!

-Elder Parr



RE: CRAZY!!

As you've received this you're probably wondering again..."Why in the world is Elder Parr sending an email on MONDAY NIGHT?!" haha I love to keep y'all on your toes ;) I want to let y'all know what's going on, though, so you're not going completely out of your minds! 

We received transfer calls last Friday and I received the news that I would be getting transferred :/ It was a pretty shockin' experience seeing as I've only been here in Billings in the West Park Ward for 3 months. As you may remember, Elder Miner is going home this time around as well, which means our area is getting doubled out, which was the ONLY thing I said wouldn't happen this transfer! Haha That's when I learned that you cannot advise the Lord what is best for yourself or your situation ;) The 2 Elders who are coming in are AMAZING and I couldn't ask for better missionaries to replace and take over our area. So as you're dying to know, I'm being transferred to.......BILLINGS! Haha I'm going to now be in the Pioneer Park Ward here in Billings. From what I've heard it's an awesome ward and I'm looking forward to the new opportunities to serve, love others and help others come unto Christ :) A piece of my heart will still be left in the West Park Ward for sure. I feel every place I have served is home for me and it's so sad to leave them :/ I'm grateful that I'm not going too far though and still will see many of them around town! My new companion is Elder Miller who is from High Point, North Carolina! Which means 2 southern boys will be takin' out the great north country ;)

My new address will be:

1848 Rimrock Road

Billings, Mt 59102

I had the AWESOME opportunity to attend the temple this past Saturday! Oh, how I love attending the Lord's house and learning so much while I'm there! A few weeks ago in our stake conference a woman spoke about the blessings of the temple. She said something that REALLY stuck out to me! She said that when we are in the temple it helps us learn how to be on our best behavior. Eventually, our best behavior will be evident in our day to day lives as we leave the temple and enter into the world! I LOVE THE TEMPLE and would encourage each of you to find yourself worthy to enter the temple and feel of God's love there :)

It's been a longgggg day of traveling around the mission dropping off missionaries and picking missionaries up but so much fun! I think I will send my sd card home soon for a surprise for y'all pretty soon to see all the many things that have been going on :)

One thing I wanted to ask y'all is how have y'all been able to become better leaders in what y'all have done? As a leader I want to strive to find ways that I can improve and ways to motivate and encourage those around me more. I know y'all have served in several leadership roles and wondering what advice you could give me! I wouldn't mind if you asked others around and gave me their insight, as well, or quotes or whatever it may be. Thanks!

The shirts you sent are awesome!! They fit great and will provide me the opportunity to be diligent in keeping my shirts wrinkle-free by ironing :) hehe I'm PUMPED to hear how your efforts to strenghten and build your physical and spiritual lives each and everyday are going :) I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH!!! 

The meaning of being on the "back of my planner" means y'all mean that much to me ;) As missionaries we put pictures, quotes, etc. on our planners to just have fun with it and this time I'm going to put y'all on there :) 

I guess there is one thing that I could use and that would be TONS of thanks you cards!! So if you would like to send some of those this way I would LOVE that :) I'm going to start sending thank you cards to all those who are so kind and feed us. Also, a few ties would work too! Elders have LOVED my ties that you've sent and I'm excited to say I've traded them off ;) hehe That means you have some AWESOME taste MAMA! 

LOVE Y'ALL! Take care and may God watch over all of you :)

-Elder Parr

CRAZY!

SURPRISE! Emailing you on SUNDAY and fooled you all ;) Haha

This week has been AMAZING but I have NO time and it's time for me to go to bed. I pray for y'all daily and hope all is well!

By the way, y'all are going on the back of my planner this transfer ;) That means a lot! haha

Love,
Elder Parr