Family and Friends,
Just to advise you all, the (Guatemala City Central, not Destinee's) mission blog will no longer be up in function, or however you say that. You will have to receive photos and such only through the missionaries, like me.

Well, this past week... I called the mission nurse last week who told me what to do about my foot. She told me to put something called "cofal" on my foot and a hot pad. We don't have hot pads so I made one with a sock and with uncooked rice. Friday we had an area attack in our area to contact. We received several references from that. There is an elder that can enter into any house he contacts so he gave us many references.

Well, on Saturday I felt terrible. My foot hurt all day long but after a zone meeting we visited less-active members and recent converts, and finally in the house of less-active members I rested in a chair. The hermana gave me a pill to take for the pain but in between the pain of the foot and a bug-chaser thing that was burning I felt groggy and ill. After about an hour of sitting there (while my companion offered service because the family was moving couches into the house) I felt a little better. We did have lessons that day.

We had little success in finding this past week but no one can blame us for that, right? We did all we could but oh well.... The good thing is we are going to find this week. Anyway, I have greatly learned to have patience, and as far as the scriptures go I have learned that the Bible contains a mountain of scriptures about the sabbath day.

I really don't have anything exciting to write about this week to tell the truth. That's it for now, I suppose.
With love,
Hermana Destinee Park

I just got an email!

Yesterday, monday, there was training for the new missionaries and so today we had our district meeting and pday. We couldn`t find a place to write so we had to wait. For this I am also writing later than usual. Right now it is 4:52 PM.

The daughter of the Broughs is going to study in a school here, but she said that her teachers speak English. She is also going to be learning Spanish. They are nice people, the Broughs. Sister Brough doesn`t know much spanish but she tries and is learning it.

Changes... I am still here in Margaritas, Petapa, Villa Nueva with the same companion.

My foot still hurts, so this would be 2 weeks. The pain is inside of the foot and near the toes. I didn`t do anything to it that I know of but it doesn`t seem to want to heal. It hurts less than it did at first, luckily, but it is still hard to walk, especially climbing up or down stairs or steps.

Last night was awesome because yesterday in the morning I had remembered, but in the night I had forgotten. When the district leader called, he, Elder Nielson, and his companion started singing the national anthem. It was awesome.

And from a 2nd email:
Well, starting with yesterday, we found a new investigator. Sunday we had a high attendance and 3 investigator families attended. Saturday we met the family of President Broughs. 17 of the 21 missionaries that entered with me were at the conference. Friday morning there was a service project for family wellfare. All of our zone participated.

Tuesday of last week we played volleyball for pday. Our team won. This week we also played but we lost. Our team today was made up of our district and a companionship of another district. Hermana Gaitan didn`t play because she doesn`t like volleyball. The other sisters of the zone didn`t play either because they didn`t bring clothes. Other than these small details not too much happened.

baptism of  Dulce Morales

Elders that were in our district: Elder Nielson, Elder Wolfgramm, Elder Turcios, and Elder Lagos

Elder Soto and Elder Gonzales, and our cook, hermana Flori

Our district at Taco Bell

Our Zone

No email this week, but

Here is a picture of Destinee's new Mission President

Monte Joseph Brough, 47, and Emily Jane Thompson Brough, four children, Wellsville 1st Ward, Wellsville Utah Stake. Brother Brough serves as a ward Young Men president and is a former bishop, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor and missionary in the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. President/Owner, Rotational Molding of Utah, Inc. Born in Salt Lake City, to Monte James and Ada Lanette Barker Brough.
Sister Brough serves as a ward Relief Society president and is a former ward Young Women president, Primary president and gospel doctrine teacher. Born in Salt Lake City, to LeRoy Briggs and Chloe Jean Rice Thompson.

Replies to my questions:

I was talking to Elder Jacobs in the bus today and he's going home Wednesday. His family is coming to pick him up and he said they'll fly in tonight. Then he asked me when I go home, and when I told him he said it was weird because it seems not much time ago I entered into the field. He was in the offices when I entered the mission.

Hermana Gaitan had a reaction to something made with chicken salt, something that they use a lot here, but it was a mixture of this salt with something else. (last weeks email)

The photo (last weeks) with the 2 elders is Elder Gonzalez from Salvador and an elder that is in the zone Mariscal. The other photo has Elder Coreas, Elder Wolfgramm, Elder Gonzalez, and that other elder.

If I have changes and go to the coast it won't be too bad. I am actually looking forward to it because I have seen all the other major areas. I don't think I would finish there but I could have 4 months there. Well, on to photos and other emails. Love you, love Dest 

Dear Everyone,
Tuesday we had to go to zona 10 for lab exams for Hermana Gaitan to see if she has amoebas. Arriving there wasn't any problem. Returning, we got lost. At the end of the day I felt really tired and we rested a little. I rested only about half an hour because I also had to clean some things. I thought of the saying that Elder Musick left, "At least I've still got my legs." This saying helped me throughout the week. Why?
Starting Wednesday my left foot began to hurt. It made it difficult to walk and it's swollen. We've still had appointments but not as many bed cause I have had to walk really slow. A distance that usually takes 10-15 minutes takes me almost a half hour. I've been resting it as I can and putting ice on it. 

Wednesday night Hermana Gaitan made a nicaraguan mean and we ate it with the Family Oscal who are members. The meal included maduro, gallo pinto, fried cheese, and tortillas.

I've felt like a failure this week with my foot and low dats but as I thought I realized I have had a lot of success in the mission. In each area someone I taught was baptized, I left each area better than when I arrived, I've done my best although my best wasn't perfect, and I have been obedient in all the ways I can be. It's like Elder Lontine told us in the CCM:  "God cares more about your availability than your capability because of your possibility." I've had some tough days this week but also blessings. there was a baptism of 12 year-old Dulce Morales. It was fantastic. Also our last appointment of the week we found a family. I learned how to make a Colombian food called arepes. It is made like crepes but fried like scones. I'll have to send a recipe later.

I'll let you know of the changes next week. I know the church is the church of Christ. If everything that I testify of wasn't true, I would not be here. Until next week,
Love Hermana Destinee Park

Changes are not until the next week. You won´t hear about that until 2 weeks from today.

Tuesday we went to Antigua for 3 hours. The first hour we were in San Pedro visiting recent converts of my companion. The second hour and a half we shopped and ate. Not much time to do much, but it was fun.

We have a guideline to contact 10 people each day.  I am finding ideas to contact without seeming to contact (out of necessity--parts of this have been edited)  It´s a challenge; I need ideas.

 

We had divisions thursday and friday. I stayed in my area and we had much success. Here is a part of my journal entry for this day.

 

´´By the end of the night I was happy. When I talked to Elder Nielson at the end of the night I told him all that had happened, and also made a mistake in telling him something. I was telling him of how we had contacted a man and I said ´he says he wants to come to church tomorrow´. I corrected it quickly to Sunday (I had forgotten what day it is). Elder Nielson said, ´You are going to have church service tomorrow? That´s apostasy, but that´s fantastic!´ Ha ha Elder. It made me laugh but only after I replied ´No, elder!´ ´´

 

Hermana Gaitan returned from divisions with an allergic reaction. Not much more happened this past week. 

 

We will have a baptism Sunday if everything works out. 

 

 

Well, that´s pretty much all for now. Refer to the photos if you want. I took some of Antigua, and us with a family in the ward. It is the family of our ward mission leader, Family Oscal. Love you all. I know the church is true and the correct church. Love,

Hermana Destinee Leuana Park

Daily we´ll learn until we are called to Preach the Gospel to all the world

Para: Todos
Interesting. I received a fantastic idea by writing the subject. I was thinking of what our ward does, trying to read Preach my Gospel together.... Calidad.

Well, unfortunate news is that I forgot my camera, my memory card, and what I have written in my journal. Good news is that I still have a brain and can use it to think well on this past week and what has happened. Well, to begin with, our week has been terrible because we have only found 2 new investigators, we had less lessons because we were contacting, and I really didn´t feel like working due to feeling ill and tired, but I pushed myself each day to keep going forward. Each morning, for some odd reason, I have awoken at 5:40 AM, more or less. (Hmmm,  I have woke up every morning at 5:39) However, I am happy.

Last Tuesday I made sloppy joes and fried ice cream for Family Oscal, some members in the ward. They enjoyed the food. To be honest, I really don´t remember too much. This weekend we celebrated a birthday, and we had a fantastic lesson. The lesson was with Family Godoy, that we are trying to help to get married and be baptized. We fasted from Saturday to Sunday, and then did our best to help everything work out. We brought them to the house of a member family that includes a recent convert. Also this member family recently was married four months ago. There in their house we watched a movie with them about the problems there are in marriage but how the gospel can help. We also had the help of the mission leader and his twin. The lesson appeared perfect and the Spirit was strongly present. I have a strong testimony now about the power of fasting. 

I truly am grateful for the experiences that I have each day, from being in a rain and hail storm, to having strange responses while contacting. The mission is something fantastic. I have learned how if we have the desire to change our hearts, to love others with pure charity, or to help others change, we can do it through prayer and fasting. Sometimes I regret not doing better in the past but at the same time I know all that I can do better starting now and I know I can be better. It is amazing all that one can learn.

I began reading Preach my Gospel from the beginning and there is much I have learned and much personal revelation I have received. I am grateful for this gospel, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know it is Christ´s true church and that the gospel can change the lives of people.
Well, until next week, love Hermana Destinee Park 

Other tidbits (words of wisdom in response to my email):

All is done in the time of our Heavenly Father. Many times we want something to happen or don´t want something to happen, but it has to happen to help us to understand better what God has in store for us. Sometimes when the trials and problems occur it is to help us understand better the divine plan of salvation our Heavenly Father has given us. If we did not know the bitter, we´d never know the sweet. 

All experiences help me to grow. I thank all of you back at home for supporting me in my mission because it helps with many trials that I have to pass through or to be able to help others who have problems in their lives.

´´rejection of the gospel and what it teaches us never was happiness´´ ( I agree with her 100%.  My own true happiness began the day I realized that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that I needed to be active and give it my all) 

Pictures

From the mission blog--the sisters had an activity for Mothers Day.

And then there was mine...

To all, dear all, and all to come,

I loved receiving everyone´s testimonies this week because this is what edifies me most. I received testimonies from Kade, Mom, and Dad, and you´ll have to wait for mine a bit. It will be the most important to write for this week, but it is best at the end... Last´s the best, right?

 

Tuesday we had an activity with Villa Hermosa, which was boring because the elders only wanted to play sports and there wasn´t anything else planned. The sisters didn´t want to play so they decided they were going to go shopping, and I tagged along (I couldn´t stay with the elders, of course). The shopping was boring as well, to tell the truth, and in the night when Elder Nielson called I told him that. He was surprised because he thought, as he told me, that ´´all women like shopping.´´ Sorpresa! Not so. (why do people think women like shopping?  Hermana Park takes after her mom I guess) After the shopping, all of us sisters (seven of us) went to Burger King to eat, which was my first time there. Imagine that! 

 

Also I spoke to Elder Park this day and discovered that we are related! 

 

This week has been hard but that´s okay because I learned much and worked hard. We had fun experiences this week. For example, Thursday we ate lunch with Hermana Peña and then dinner with Family Oscal. When we were with the Family Oscal the power went out, but we enjoyed the typical Guatemalan dinner of black beans, eggs, fried platano, and tortillas. 

 

Friday we had a zone meeting and at the end played the animal game. I did not have to dance like a chicken, luckily. 

 

We had divisions, and Hermana Flores came to our area and Hermana Gaitan went to el Frutal. 

 

 

Saturday to end the divisions we met in the mall and ate together again. 

 

 

However, we had to hurry back to our area after because the zone leaders were going to accompany us. It was fun working with them there, and during one of the lessons it began to rain hard and we were outside, so we had to enter. The zone leaders were soaked by the end because they didn´t bring umbrellas. Also there were flash floods and large ponds of water. 

 

 

 

Well, other than all this, Sunday was the most special. We didn´t have many of our investigators attending church, but I invited and persuaded a recent convert, the youngest we have had, to share his testimony. I offered to go with him up to the pulpit. After some time, he finally accepted and we went up to the front. Also his little sister came and some thought she was my daughter, but all was explained to those who thought this. It was a spiritually edifying moment because I too was nervous, but knew that I had to be there, even in the most awkward of situations, for this young boy. He shared what he truly believed and was the only one out of all the recent converts of a year and a half that has shared his testimony. I also had the opportunity to share my testimony which I don´t have the opportunity to do much in front of the ward. 

 

Each experience here strengthens my testimony and I can say without doubt that I know that Christ lives now, that he died for us, and has prepared the way for us. The Book of Mormon is true and guides us. The Spirit stays with us when we are worthy and obedient to all of the commandments. Joseph Smith saw God, the Father, and Jesus Christ and they guided him to restore the true church of Christ here on the earth again. This I share with you now, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Con amor, Hermana Destinee Park   

Raindrops are falling on my head...

A Todos and All,
The lizard we found in the pila this past week wasn´t dead. I made sure to check on Tuesday. Then later the elders of Petapa offered to come and take it out of the pila. I gave a bag to one of the Elders and then made a trail of bottles for them to follow to the back. Then we (Hermana Gaitan and I) waited out front and the elders entered and removed the lizard. One of these elders wanted to write his name on the stomach of the lizard, and then he let the lizard loose. That afternoon we played sports in the stake center. While playing basketball everyone kept passing me the ball to make baskets but it didn´t happen. Finally, after the game I made a basket.

Elder Nielson was pushing us at the beginning of this week to find new investigators, and it sounded like he didn´t believe we were working. I called him out on it and he apologized. Then we made a challenge to see which companionship could find the most new investigators this week. The losers have to buy a pizza for the winners, and it was between all three companionships in our district. Today we saw the results and... Elders of La Union and Hermanas of Las Margaritas tied, and the elders of Promison lost. It was a fun challenge but now we have the goal to find 30 new investigators this week as a district.

It rained a lot this week. One night we slept well because it was colder from the rain. Another night it rained while we were in the house of a recent convert and when we left for our house we had to pass by the church. The street by the church was flooded. We waded in the water, which was midcalf deep. Last night it rained hard and I got a little soaked... and a little ill as well. I woke up this morning and my lungs hurt. We walked much yesterday, traveling all of our area on foot, so we both slept well and woke up sore. I love the missionary work.

Sorry there isn´t too much more to write. Each day appears the same in some ways and at other times it is really different, like if we have baptisms for example. Oh, and Saturday we had a ward activity with games, a message, paches, and fellowshipping. One of our investigators who came made balloon pumpkins for all the children. The members were very supportive. It was fantastic. 

Something important I learned this week is that when we humble ourselves God humbles others. I know that humility is one of the key factors of success. We will not see much success until we can truly humble ourselves and show our Heavenly Father that we are willing to accept His timing and His will.

I testify that Jesus Christ, after 2000 years, still lives and loves us. 

We are guided by our Heavenly Father by a prophet that receives revelation and speaks directly with God. Joseph Smith was the first prophet of this last dispensation and spoke with our Father and Jesus Christ to receive the instruction that he needed to restore the church of Christ on the earth once more. With the power and permission of God, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon so that we can read it now and can know of its truth. I know without any doubt that The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and can guide us and give us peace. Like 3 Nephi contains, Jesus Christ truly came after his resurrection to the Nephite people and taught them. He invited them from the place where I now am to come unto him, in the same manner in which he invites us to come and follow him.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of Jesus Christ. I invite all who have not done so to read from the Book of Mormon, and pray and ask God, the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ if the Book of Mormon is true, and I know that the spirit will testify of the truth of it. These things I leave with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, my leader, amen.

Enjoy your week everyone, keep going forward.

Love Hermana Destinee Park

Happy One Year Anniversary!!

Was it really a year ago that we dropped Hermana Park and Elder Park off at the MTC????