Who's in Charge of the Chicken?

There are no words to describe the Rollercoaster this week has been. It feels like just yesterday I was writing on Preparation Day and it's here again! Time flies. Tuesday was a pretty rough day. We went to Newport and had a lesson with our investigator, Dotting. She's an old, widowed woman who's very lonely. The missionaries have been teaching her for a while now and we decided we needed to let her go. She didn't agree with anything we said, didn't keep commitments, and just wanted us over for the company. Speaking of finding, we came back to New Bloomfield right after to do some tracting. I never knock on doors, because I'm terrified of doing so, but today I was determined to face my fear. Of course, the first door I have ever knocked on, turned out to be a very contentious lady. She let us in, but she wanted nothing to do with us but to fight and argue. She said she knew what the book of Mormon was, but when we asked she was very far off the mark. She even went as far as to say that Jesus Christ wasn't even that great or perfect of a guy, and he never taught us anything. We were very kind and talked with her, but I'm sorry to say I got a little argumentative with her. We left on a good note, and invited her to read the book of Mormon. I have a lot of work to do as a missionary, and I'm far from perfect. But I know God can help me overcome my weaknesses. Wednesday we had zone conference and that was awesome. We talked a lot about setting goals and effective planning, and that was really awesome because we are really working hard on planning our time well enough to meet with lots of people. It's always nice to talk to President Johnson, he's the absolute best. It's great to be around other missionaries to and get to laugh and what not. Thursday was a pretty good day. We went and did service for the Booth family for a while in the morning. Their family is still struggling a lot, and Joann, the mother, looks like she's about to burst into tears all the time. We helped clean out Dawn's bedroom and give some of her clothes away and it was hard for me to do it, I can't even imagine how hard it was for her. I just pray we can help them feel better. Service has quickly become my favorite thing as a missionary. I love going and helping others and getting to know them. Then, we went up to Mifflintown to have lunch with the Ellis'. Let me tell ya, they are the best. They are from Texas, and brother Ellis, or Billy, is just like a big, little kid haha. He makes me laugh so much. A TON of Amish people live up there, and all around the Ellis home. Sister Ellis even introduced us to one of her Amish friends who is very nice. I saw my very first buggy and I was probably way more excited about it than I should've been. And then I saw about 15 more later in the day haha. Sister Ellis took us to an Amish Market and that was cool even just for the experience. I bought a whoopie pie, a very common Amish dessert, and it was pretty awesome. It's my hearts desire to be friends with an Amish person haha. After that, we went to visit a referral named Amy. She is very receptive to the gospel and wanted to know more, but we could never set up an appointment. She lives about an hour away and that's really rough to do when you have busy days, and limited miles to drive a month. We finally did, and the moment we pulled up to the trailer, the land lady met us there and said we weren't welcome and to get off her property and what garbage us and our church was. She told us to never come back and that Amy didn't want us there. So we left. And of course, I was angry. It's funny now, but I was shaking at the time. I just dont get how someone can be so hateful to 19 year old girls. Amy has been ignoring our phone calls and texts, so we don't know what to think. Onward and upward I guess? Haha. On Friday night, Kayla had her mission call opening party and we got to go! It feels like just yesterday I was opening my call and getting Ready to leave and here I am! Pretty crazy how time goes. Kayla is going to Boise, Idaho and we are very excited for her. She'll do great. If any of you are worried I'm not eating well, fear not haha. After church on Sunday we went to a less actives who fed us fried chicken and mashed potatoes.... And then we went and visited another less active who fed us home made pizza even though we said we had already eaten. After that, we went to our dinner appointment and had Chilli and cornbread. I don't think I've ever been so full in my life. I feel as if I won't eat for a week haha. Sister Roper and I even prayed that our stomachs would expand for all the food being thrown at us. But we are blessed, people here are so willing to make sure we are taken care of. This week was really hard for me, harder than others. And I've learned quite a few lessons the hard way. I have a strong testimony of the power of Christ's Atonement. The more time I am a missionary, the more clear it is to me how weak and imperfect I am. There is just absolutely no way I can become the best version of myself, or become half as great as I'd like to be. There is no way I could overlook the imperfections and the wrong doings I have done. But, I can. There is a way. Christ suffered and died so that we could triumph over all the trials, mistakes, and hardships we will ever go through. He understands perfectly how each of us feels, and loved us enough to die for us. If Christ could overcome all the pain and sin I will ever feel on top of everyone who has ever lived, what should make me think I can't overcome just my own? I love my Savior Jesus Christ. Because of him I don't have to walk this path of life alone. If I do my part, and give my 100%, he will meet me half way, and make a way for me to live in heaven again. I love this church. The more opposition I face the more aware I am that this is the one true church, God's true church, on the face of the earth. I am beyond blessed to be sharing that joyous message with others. I love you all so much and continue to enjoy your emails and letters! Thank you for the love and prayers, they mean so much! Alma 26:12 Sister Parry 418 West Main Street Unit C New Bloomfield, PA 17068

Fleas, Ticks, and Lice!!!

Wow, this has been some week! I know I say that every week, but this has been an interesting one. First off, holy cow! Can you believe I am already through my first month in the mission field? It has gone by so fast, and I'm scared that the next 17 will go by as fast as this one did haha. This week the Lord has shown to sister roper and I some really tender mercies, and dare I say, miracles. On Tuesday, we went out to Newport to do a little tracting and to contact some less actives and investigators. We went to visit a potential, Trisha, and again she couldn't have us over for a lesson, but we have high hopes for this week. Afterwards, we went and visited a less actives, named Brother Himes. Let me tell ya, this guy is the kindest, most spiritually in tune guy I have ever met. He had a really troubled young life, but he recognizes Gods hand in everything, and really knows God has saved him spiritually and physically on multiple occasions. Love him to death, and I wish he'd get to church! After that we went to a lass actives house, and found out they had moved, but, the lady who lived there now took a book of Mormon, so that was awesome. That night, we had dinner with a potential investigator who was a refferal from the ward. Her name is Amanda, and she is AWESOME. She is so ready for the gospel, whether she knows it or not. We taught her the restoration and she even asked to keep the pamphlet and a book of Mormon. We have very high hopes for her. Plus, she makes an out of this world peanut butter pie haha. On Wednesday we had a world wide missionary broadcast and there were some big changes made. Our schedule has now been changed so nothing is at a set time, except basically when we wake up haha. We now get an hour extra of sleep if we choose, an extra half hour to prepare for the day, and our planning and study periods are whenever we want them to be. The new schedule gives us the power to use our agency more and to have more time to proselyte. It's pretty sweet. They also reduced our key indicators that we report weekly from 9 to 4. So now all we report is how many baptisms, how many new members, how many on date baptisms, and how many investigators at church. That's somewhat discouraging to us out in little ole New Bloomfield, because we don't often have baptisms and most of our work is with less actives, but we know God will provide a way. Thursday was probably the weirdest day yet on my mission. We went to provide service for a potential investigator who has been in contact with us and wants to start up the lessons again. Anyways, she wanted us to clean her house. We drove down and what we experienced was probably the saddest thing I've ever seen. The house was very broken down. Everyone in Pennsylvania smokes, has a cat or dog, or both. And most people we visit are not the best house keepers, we are used to that. But, needless to say, we came home and took scalding hot showers for fear of bed bugs or lice, to say the least. All I could think and do was pray for her kids, and hope our message may bring them a better life. They are so kind, and I loved visiting with them, and I hope we can continue to. On Fridays we go to a food bank and that's my favorite part of the week. Service is the best and in our circumstances, it's usually the only thing people want from us haha. But we are working hard, and putting ourselves out there so people know who we are. Saturday was an awesome day. We went to visit the booth family, who recently lost a daughter to suicide. The mother and husband werent home, but the grandmother was and so for about 4 hours we quilted with her. She's not a member, but she's so fun and we had such a good time learning to quilt and talking. She really opened up to us about Dawn dying, and told us she felt like it was all her fault and the details about the days before it happened. It was heartbreaking, it still is, but we were able to comfort her and share a message of hope that hopefully helped her feel better. After that, we went to loysville for some tracting. I am TERRIFIED of tracting. As a missionary, I have lost a lot of confidence in myself I used to have, and in return gained some anxiety issues haha. So I had been dreading it all day. The very first door we knocked on, a girl our age opened the door and was so excited to see us! She knew a lot about our church, and let us teach her the restoration and she absolutely loved it! She ran upstairs and came down with a Spanish book of Mormon she had found in a park. It was tattered up, with some rain damage, and she told us that she has been wanting to read it so bad that she's been improving her Spanish just to read it! So we gave her an English one, exchanged numbers, and are meeting again very soon! I think the whole time we taught her my jaw was probably on the floor. God works in very mysterious ways and I think He really chastened me with that experience. Sometimes it's easy to forget that this is the Lords work, and we have to put our trust in him. He never ceases to put me in my place, and slowly but surely, I am learning to let Him guide me and becoming a more humble missionary. This week one of my favorite scriptures is from Alma 26:16, "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." I love you all, and have absolutely loved getting your cards and letters, keep them coming! You're the best, and I pray for you all often! I hope Yins have a good week!

Howdy from little Ole new bloomfield! This has been a long and busy week, but let me just say, I am soooooo grateful to not be in the MTC anymore! Haha. I love it here, and am so grateful to finally be out in the beautiful Penn State. On Monday afternoon, after a long, anxious plane ride, I made it to pennsylvania. Sister and President Johnson picked us up from the airport and let me just say I LOVE THEM.I stayed overnight at the mission home in Pittsburgh, and then Tuesday I met my trainer, and where we would be serving. My trainer is Sister Roper and I LOVE her. I have never met anyone so kind, loving, and selfless as she is, and I know I'm going to learn so much from her example. She has just barely finished the three month training, and now she is training me! It's really overwhelming for her, but she's handling it like a boss. Our Area is called New Bloomfield and it is a huge area. Not many people, but tons of farmland. It's quite the distance to get anywhere else in our area, which hurts our mileage, so we have to work really hard to get rides and lessons with members. It's so pretty here, not too cold, and for the most part the people are nice haha. I have been told by a multitude of people that this is the hardest area in the mission, and so far it really is proving to be haha. But we have hope. Wednesday was a rather good day. We went to District Meeting in Camp Hill, which was really awesome. Our district is great, the elders are really funny, but very in tune with the spirit. Later that day, we went to two less active lessons with a girl from the ward named Kayla. She is AWESOME. I have never met someone so prepared to go on a mission, and she's waiting to get her call right now. She goes out with us every Wednesday. Anyways, they were really good lessons, sadly neither of them came to church, but we are working on that. Around this area they have what they call boot leg icecream that farmers make from fresh milk and sell in local markets and its THE BEST. Ill never be able to eat any other icecream again haha. Thursday was a rough day for us. Sister Roper and her old companion had an investigator, Melissa, who they have been working with for a while. She said she wasn't coming to church because of money issues, so we worked it out to give some money to her to come to church. Well, that morning when we went to give it to her, she had shut the blinds, locked the doors, and taped a typed letter to the door saying really hateful things about the church, about us, and how she didn't want to see us ever again. I was mad, mostly because sister Roper was hurt. It took all my energy to not slam down the door and ask her what the deal was, but I knew that wasn't right. We left a note saying we were sorry for any miscommunication there was, and still left the money for her. Hopefully she will come to her senses. That put a damper in sister Ropers mood, and after that we had a lot of appointments drop on us. So, we decided to do service. The best medicine for worry, is work! First, we went to a horse sanctuary. It's this big plot of land, with lots of Corrals and pastures. Beautiful, beautiful land. We just picked a few horse pins and scooped manure. I don't think I have ever been more happy and content picking up poop in my entire life. It felt good to provide service, and helped pull us out of our rut. Last week a girl in our ward committed suicide. No one knows why, and no one expected it. It's taken a huge toll on not just the ward, but the town in general. The people are hurting. The family, the booths, are very good people and after picking up poop, we decided to stop by and see what we could do. We cleaned, talked, and just tried to be there for them. It's absolutely amazing to watch them turn to the Lord for help in this hard time, when it would be so easy to turn away. We went to help them, and they showed so much kindness and generosity towards us. I really look forward to helping them more, and we have made it a goal to go by every week. Friday and Saturday were pretty uneventful days. We had lots of appointments cancel, people drop us, weekly planning, and more service. Saturday we put together a list of less actives to visit in the nearby town of Duncannon, and did so,even tracking for a couple hours. We had a lot of doors slammed in our face, and a few people who aren't interested, but were sweet anyways. We did get to meet with one referral and she was so sweet, and asked us to come back this week. I actually bonded with her over lularoe, because she was decked out in all the clothes, so who would've known that's how I'd get my foot in the door? Someone has got to tell Kylie Anderson about that haha. Being a missionary is HARD. And it's not always fun. You don't always have baptisms, progressing investigators, or the kindest people, and we have been learning that the hard way this week. But the Lord ALWAYS provides and blesses us for our efforts. I am so thankful to be a missionary, in the hard and easy times. There are big things coming for New Bloomfield! I can feel it! I would absolutely love to hear from you guys, tell me how you're doing! Send corny jokes and movie quotes and I'll love you forever! Thanks for the love and prayers, they mean a lot! Sister Parry