And thus

Dear Family,

Again there isn`t much much to write this week because the week honestly flew and I cannot remember too much of what has happened. I hardly can remember what day it is. However, last week we had a zone conference and Elder Martino spoke to us. It was great. Later in the week I was studying about Lehi`s dream and thought about the parable of the seeds. It is interesting to compare 1 Nephi 8 with Luke 8:6-15. 

 

Well, I learned how to make a food called Frito, but I already wrote to mom about that one so she can tell you how it is made. We were running nearly all week long, the rain has stopped for a while, I am tired, but at the same time I can still keep going. It is as if the flesh is weak, but the spirit is strong.

 

My companion and I gave talks Sunday and I thought through the week about how I always share talks about missionary work themes, but never I have shared a talk about my own missionary work. So I talked about this and shared about some of my experiences. I began by reading part of my call letter, translated to spanish, and then I talked about 6 things I have learned from the mission, which are 

 

1) Stand in Holy Places. I shared DyC 87:8 

 

2) Smile and Laugh. I talked about how everyone runs inside here in Guatemala when it rains, and how us missionaries are outside although we do not necessarily like the rain. We cannot allow the tests that fall down on us to impede us from doing what we need to do. We need to face them and laugh.

 

3) 1 Nephi 3:7. If we are obedient God provides the way and protects us. I shared about how in Villa Nueva it is dangerous and we had to obey the rules because everything bad happened after 9 PM when we had to be in the house. 

 

4) Have hunger. I read from Enos 1:4 about how we too should hunger for the spiritual.

 

5) Hold to the rod. I shared about one of my bus experiences and related it to the scriptures and how if we hold onto the scriptures that we will not fly to the dangers of the world. 

 

6) That Jesus Christ came to America. 

 

This is only a summary of my talk because I may use some of these things in a future talk so I will let you know more about that later. I love all of you and testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the church of Christ that he organized while on the earth and that if we keep the commandments of God and have faith in Him we will one day receive eternal life.

Love Hermana Destinee Park

 

About the flooding last week:

There was a bunch of flooding in La Gomera and Sipacate. Many families moved because their houses were flooded, and others had to weather the storm until it was over and dry all that they had because everything was wet. As for our house, not much happened in it. We are in a higher place of La Gomera I guess. Everyone tells us that the river here overflooded.  We had a little bit of water under our beds because the water leaked from the window, but everything on our beds was dry. Our area is extremely attacked by mosquitoes right now. There are more and they are biting hard. My legs are covered with bites and even worse are my feet. I know I shouldn`t scratch but my feet are bothering me.

Well, Family, I don`t have to much to write this week because the week flew by so fast that I forgot nearly everything that happened. It has been raining so much that each day we are soaked and our clothes and our shoes are not drying for days. Basically we have nearly wet everything. However, luckily our beds are still dry.

We have two weeks left of the change and we just found out that our district leader will probably be taken out and they will be closing an area. It is funny because I have never had a district leader as district leader for more than 2 changes. I guess the pattern follows.

Other than this, I left out for the mission with a scripture theme of Jacob 5:71-72, but as the mission has continued I have changed this scripture to 1Nephi 3:7, ``I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare the way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them.`` I have found this to be true and I have had to put more faith in our Heavenly Father as time has gone on. It is not that I haven`t put faith in Him but as the time goes on and I change, the enemy is putting forth more effort and so I have to put even more trust in the Lord.

This coming Sunday we are doing something a little different to help more less active members and investigators attend church. I was reading not too long ago about Moroni and the title of liberty and thought about how each member of the church can be like Moroni. With the standard of truth Moroni gathered all those who were willing to fight against the enemy. Now we are given a call through all parts of the world and once again the title of liberty has been erected. We have a different name in our branch here for this but in all lands it is under the title of liberty. They spoke about it in General Conference and will continue to talk about it. ``... but the truth of God shall go forth until it has swept every clime... and sounded in every ear...``. Our mission president told us last week that we are at war. I also read something from our Heritage this past week that says ``when the saints rejoice, the devil is angry``. I love to say it but ``Let`s go out and kick Satan in the pants!`` Who`s with me?

I know the church is true and that our Heavenly Father always provides the way. I love you all. Keep going this week, forward and not backward, and on, on to the victory (DyC 128). I will write to you all next week. If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to ask. Whatever the question is I will try to answer, :).

Love Hermana Destinee Park

Sorry about the short letter

Mosiah 27: 13-4

Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: ^aThis is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall ^boverthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

 14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath ^aheard the prayers of his people, and also the ^bprayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has ^cprayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the ^dknowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to ^econvince thee of the power and authority of God, that the ^fprayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

Dear Family,

Last week we put a crazy goal to find 35 new investigators. The goal for each companionship of our zone is to find 13 new investigators, but I really had wanted to try finding many several times before, so I talked my companion into it, and we put ourselves to work. Happily enough, we achieved this goal by finding 3 new investigators between monday and thursday, 7 new investigators Friday, 15 new investigators Saturday, and 10 Sunday. How happy I was to reach that goal. I feel as Ammon did when he told his brothers in Alma 26:12, ``yea, I know I am weak. As to my strength I am nothing. Therefore I will not boast of myself but I will boast of my God, for in His strength I can do all things.`` 

 

We had a baptism Sunday, and I will have to send photos later. It was an awesome week. I believe that Lucifer knew that we were about to do great things because of the experience that happened to us the week before. Also, by the end of this week, our health began declining a little, so we are having a little difficulty now, but still we are pressing forward. Sunday I was fasting, but by the end of the day at 6 PM I had a little pain in my stomach so I stopped my fast. 

 

Then Monday night I felt a little nauseated, and Tuesday I became sick to the stomach for the first time in the mission and have been quite weakened by this. Last night I could not sleep well. 

 

We had a conference Monday during which President Brough told us that we are at war. He said that our standards and our goals have been raised here in Guatemala Mission Central and that Satan will now be working harder against us. It is like Joseph Smith said about how the enemy must have known early that Joseph would be a great instrument in the hands of God to fight against evil. It is with us as well. Our enemy knows what we are capable of doing and will try to work harder against us. I have raised my standards and my goals, and I have reached those standards, and now Satan will have power to raise up even more against me, but I am willing to take what he throws in my way because I know that he cannot have power over me and that he will not win in the end.

 

I may be weak, but I have no fear. Now, this may mean that he can work against my family as well, but I know without doubt that God will help us. He will take care of all of you there at home. Remember that whatever happens is for our good and that it will not last. 

 

I love you all, and testify that we can do all things in the strength of Him who loves us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only completely true church of Christ in all the world. I know without doubt that it is the only church that has the authority of God to act in His name here on the earth because the Spirit has testified of this to me. The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and can give us the answers that we seek because it contains the words of Christ and of His prophets. We live in one of the greatest periods of time that the world has ever seen because the greater the opposition, the greater the light. I love my mission and I love serving the people here. It is one of the greatest blessings I have had in my life. I have learned even beyond what I thought I would learn, and not only of things temporally but of things spiritually also. I know that if I turn around now or lack in what I can do, that I would be denying all that I know to be true. 

Love Hermana Destinee L Park 

I did hear conference and in Spanish this time because there aren`t other sisters in the zone, but it was a great experience. I heard that about the tabernacle but did not fully understand about having another temple in Provo. Is that because the Provo temple is the most busy temple?

My hair is staying the same, not changing color, maybe growing longer. My skin is getting darker. 

 

I didn`t know Hermana Manzanares before but she is awesome. She has a positive attitude about everything, is almost always happy, and has the desire to work. One can see how she loves to be a missionary. 

My feet haven`t hurt from my shoes, just from walking. I have tried the inserts and they`re in my shoes right now.

 

Here we have 2 types of weather: really rainy, and we don`t stay dry, or really hot, like being in a Sauna. 

 

I did not hear the RS conference, only general conference, but thank you for sending part to me.

 

This is something I wrote in my journal:

``I can see all that I`ve experienced in my mission and it`s interesting to know that I have learned from my experiences and have grown. I feel that my testimony is stronger because I know now that Heavenly Father truly watches over us and protects us. 

`Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent...`. ``

General conference was really uplifting and I learned much, but there isn`t much time to write all I learned. I watched general conference in Spanish, and it helped me to depend more on the Spirit to teach me rather than the words of the prophet and apostles only. 

Finally, Sunday night, I ate... Iguana. When I first saw it I did not want to eat it but the investigators told us that we could not leave until we ate the iguana, so I did. It actually tasted really good, just doesn`t look pretty. Well, love you all. Hasta la proxima semana,

Love Hermana Destinee Park

 A note about last week's earthquake: "Last monday we did indeed feel the quakes as we were writing home. However, when we do feel them they aren`t strong, although supposedly the center of the earthquake is close by. The missionary moms have nothing to worry about. I know that our Heavenly Father watches over each of us obedient missionaries and protects us. If He didn`t, I would probably be in pretty bad shape for some of the things I have passed through in the mission, and I know there are many other missionaries that have passed through bad things as well. However, all of us are still well and working hard."

On the road to Antigua

Dear Family,

Well, this past week there were changes. I stayed in La Gomera, and I believe I will finish here, and Hermana Marin left. I received Hermana Manzanares. She is from the coast of Nicaragua. Many this change returned home. 

I was studying from Moroni 7:45 this week and discovered some interesting things about charity. A person that has charity endures, and even after years feels the original love toward someone else; he or she builds up others to help them know that they are children of God, is not jealous neither prideful, is not easily angered, does not seek his or her own desires or wants, is righteous, and has faith.

Friday night we were waiting for a meeting, and I played soccer with some kids there at the church as Goalie. I did well and it was fun. Well, now for a journal entry: 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

It`s the end of the day and I`m tired, and the adversary is throwing fire. He`s been working real hard today putting obstacles in every way. My feet have ached while walking, we`ve been exhorting and talking, and now that the day is over, I am glad it`s finally done.

 

We did not have to give talks as planned today because the presidency of the mission was in the branch meetings and they instead gave talks. From the two areas 6 investigators attended church, and the attendance was well, but many still disappointed us for not arriving to church. The day felt long and hot, and we had little success with everything. I look forward to another week with another beginning.

It isn`t a depressing journal entry, just a tired one. This past week was hard. So I also found out something interesting. Some of the people here eat an animal called a Takuacin. Well, this week I had the chance to see one that someone had as a pet. To my astonishment it is... get this... an opposum! Wow... interesting. Well, love you all. Enjoy the week, and I will write to you next week. 

Love Hermana Destinee Park

Monday's email

Dear Family,

This week it rained a lot so several nights we were walking home wet, or during the day we were in places that became flooded and walked through deep water. It was fun. Bad thing is that my companion lost her umbrella in the bus. 

Tuesday we went to Antigua and it was really cold there, perhaps because I am use to the heat now, because before Antigua wasn`t that cold. We shopped a little and ate in a place called Mono Loco`s. On the way back to the coast from Antigua we were stuck in traffic because there had been an accident farther up the road. However, we finally left and returned home in time.

The week has been full of problems and difficulties of all sorts but I am fine. There are changes this Wednesday but we still don`t know if we will have them until later tonight. 

We would have had a baptism this weekend but our investigator said she didn`t feel ready and didn`t want to be baptized yet.

Sunday was fun because church was good with fantastic results of church attendance and with cool lessons later. We met one of the families of the branch, the Family *****. We already had met them but didn`t know who everyone was because there are 6 kids, and hadn`t spoken much with them. The hermano has a brother there in Utah that married with a return missionary. 

I also gave a talk on service.

In the form that I wrote it, here it is:

Mosiah 2:17

There is a story that I like that Elder Uchtdorf shared in General conference about 2 brothers named Zimri and Abram... (To read that you`ll have to find the talk. I believe it is one of the General Conferences from last year.  (http://lds.org/ensign/2010/05/you-are-my-hands?lang=eng)

Service is one of the most important things that we as members fo the church can do. We are only human beings and do not have the power to do much but we can affect the lives of others through service. 

President Monson said, ´´My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by people that need our attention, our esteem, support, comfort, and kindness, whether they be family, friends, acquaintances or strangers. We are the hands of the Lord here on the earth, with the command to loan service and build up His children. He depends on each one of us.`` 

Who should we serve?

We are all familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35).

All of us are brothers and sisters and should serve everyone. If we serve others we will have more peace and happiness in our lives. Service will one day return to us. 

Where I am from there is a lot of snow during the winter. Each time it snows my dad cleans the walkways of the neighbors. I have learned much from his example. One day it had snowed and our neighbor left to clean the walkway of another neighbor. When the other neighbor saw that his walkway was clean, he, thinking that my dad had loaned the service, cleaned the snow from our walkway. By the end of the day all of us were blessed by the service of someone else. I know service will bless our lives and will bless the lives of others.

I would like to finish with reading from Hymn 16 (29) and the 7th verse, which says... (and again you`ll have to look this one up: A poor Wayfaring man of Grief´´.)

When we serve others we serve our Savior Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This is more or less the talk because I was giving it in Spanish and have to translate it here.

Anyway, that is all for now. Love you all,

Love Hermana Destinee Park

Pictures of the ocean that didn't go through last week

Dear Family,

This past Tuesday for Pday we had plans to play basketball between 2 and 4 pm with the youth of the ward, but we had some misfortunate events. Nearly all the youth had arrived, but we did not have a ball to play with. All of us were waiting for the person to arrive that had the basketball, and as we were waiting and talking to each other, two of the youth that had been waiting outside ran inside of the church gates and tried closing them. We thought they were playing but then I looked a little farther and saw a drunk, well someone that always appears drunk and who bothers my companion, coming in our direction. One of the youth called out, "llaves!" or "keys". I grabbed the keys, raced to the door and locked it before the guy arrived. So... all of us, locked inside church grounds, with a semi-drunk guy outside, and without a basketball. How fun that was. However, finally the guy left, the ball arrived, and we played for 15 minutes. 

I played with chickens this week because I had to catch one chicken that was on a member`s property and take it to its own property next door, and two chicks tried resting on my lap and on my feet so I played with them. 

We had some crazy experiences also. For example, the bus schedule Wednesday wasn`t normal and we ended up being stuck in Sipacate without a way out. To walk to La Gomera it is about an hour and a half`s walk. However, we were blessed because the Family Telon found us and rescued us. 

Saturday, we brought a cake for an investigator`s birthday and when we lit the candle, it would not blow out. All of us had a laughing fit with that. Turns out that the candle was one of those magic candles. For those that had never seen it before it was even more funny. 

Sunday was election day. All of Gomera was in the streets. We spent most of the day in La Catalina. Well, that`s all for now.

Love you.

Love Destinee

This week's email

Look below this weeks post to see last week's email

Dear Family,

This past thursday and friday we had divisions. Hermana Winder came to my area and Hermana Marin went to Escuintla. On the ride back after the divisions we talked to a lot of people in the bus. It was fun. Other than this the past week, I will share with you a bit of my studies.

 

Alma 39 is what I call, after reading it this week, ``The interview with the mission president``. Like Corianton, sometimes the missionary boasts (verse 2) and forsakes the mission for a few minutes to go after the lusts of his or her eyes (verse 3). The `she` that these verses talk about refer to the harlot, but the harlot does not have to be a person. For example, these ``harlots`` include sleeping in late, watching television, listening to music, or being disobedient to mission rules. 

 

Alma counsels his son, or we could say that the mission president (and prophet in this case), ``Go no more after the lusts of your eyes... Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; Suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked ``harlots``(Alma 39:9-11).`` 

 

It is fantastic to apply the scriptures and makes reading the scriptures more interesting as well. 

 

Well, sorry for the short email, and for last week. I was a little frustrated with the last email because not all of it saved either so I can`t remember all that I wrote. But for next week you will all be able to see the photos and receive more of my experiences. 

 

Whatever trial and experience we have in life is for our good. I know that just as the early pioneers came to know God through their suffering, we too can come to know him through our trials and pains. I know that Christ lives and that we are guided by a prophet of God. I love you all.

Love Hermana Destinee Park

Last week's email

Last week's email did not go through.  Sadly, Destinee loaded pictures to send also, and they disappeared.  She finished up what she could remember (the email stopped mid sentence in her draft box) and sent it this week.  She said, "We are on a timed computer, not one that shuts off at the hour, but I still want to be obedient. Even if I could get away with it, it`s best to follow the rules and set a better example. But this week I will be able to send it. ".  Here it is:

Family,

Tuesday I finally saw the ocean. The beach was beautiful and we had fun. The elders were in normal clothes all the time so they appeared like ``puro chavalos``. 

 

On wednesday one of our appointments fell and my companion asked if I wanted to go the next appointment early or pass by the business of a member family. I felt like we should do the second option. While there we found one of the young men, *****, and he accompanied us. He is bien pilas. After the appointment we all went to the church for meetings. 

 

I discovered this week that we have an assigned mission leader. It is not a calling because he already has a calling, but here are some interesting facts:

 First mission leader was named Estuardo. In my second area the mission leader was named Eddy Emanuel. In the third area our mission leader was Eduardo. And here our mission leader is Estuardo. Funny right? 

 

Friday we had interviews with the president and I received my package. 

 

Saturday we had a Noche de Hermanamiento in the church and outside we found a horse spider. Hermana Marin killed it but she had to beat it with the broom 3 or 4 times to kill it. A couple of the young men that night were giving me ``recetas`` or recipes, but recipes that are hogwash or as one of the presidents call them, ``locuras``. It made me laugh though.

 

 Well, sorry there aren`t photos here to send to you. I had a lot to send but I guess last week they didn`t save when I tried sending the email and this week I didn`t bring the camera to upload photos. I guess you`ll have to wait until the next week to see the beach and our adventures. Well, that is all for the last week. Love you.

Love Hermana Destinee Park