Ready, Set, Fire! No cease it. The missionaries are coming.

Dear Family, Friends, Whoever may read this... or...

To whom it may concern,

(ha ha) Wednesday this past week we ate lunch with a member, like usual, named Hermana Peña. She made us ´´cak´ik´´´, and I am not sure how to spell it but it is a soup that originally comes from Coban. It is made with turkey and tamalitos. However, I call Hermana Peña´s soup ´´cak´ik´´ from Xela because she comes from there and made it different without tamalitos and with vegetables.

Thursday a member wanted us to pass by at 11 AM but we couldn´t because we had interviews with President Broughs. Later we heard from nearly everyone we talked to about how at 11 AM a mother and daughter had been killed close to where the member lives! We´d have gone there if there hadn´t been the interviews.

Okay, and to top it off about this week, here is a journal entry:

July 23, 2011
´´Agony! When your foot is in pain, and there´s no one to help so you think you´re insane!´´
Ha ha, I wanted to create my own line based on the song ´´Agony´´ from ´´Into the Woods´´
Anyway, tonight we had an appointment at 7 PM. Our last appointment was in San Antonio and we were running late for this appointment at 7, which was in Luisa Alejandra at the opposite end of our area. As we arrived to the colony we saw a few police vehicles and then after, ambulances. Then as we approached the road we were going to enter we saw a huge mass of people standing by the entrance of the road. One of the members we found standing there told us that a man had been shot there a half an hour before. We did not have the appointment because we couldn´t pass and we didn´t find new investigators as planned but we were protected, for which I am truly grateful. This week in our area there´s been a total of 5 deaths, and two in Petapa. I´ll be beginning and finishing my time in this area with danger.

Well, there´s our super interesting experience we had this week. The area is a little more dangerous. There were several months of peace. It is kind of like the scriptures in which the people had times of peace, in which they were to prepare, and then came the wars and the afflictions, the pestilences and the famines. The people all this time didn´t want to receive us, but hopefully now. Well, other than this, and even with this, I am doing well and enjoying the ride as it goes. I am happy for the experiences I have had although some are really difficult. I know that our Heavenly Father protects us and loves us and that He provides the way for us. I want you to know that I know this is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that through faith, repentance, baptism, recieving of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end we can return once again in the presence of our Father with our families. I love you all.
Love Hermana Destinee Park   

A littler more information about her foot:  My foot... Well, that´s part of the reason why my week´s been difficult. It still hurts, but now is focused more in two of my toes. I have called the mission nurse and she just told me to keep putting cofal and heat on it and take ibuprofen, but to tell the truth I am sick of taking pills. For me, the pills literally make me feel worse sometimes, so the pain is better, although the cofal does help a bit. The nurse said she´d talk to the doctor but still hasn´t called me back; I have been waiting the call since Friday. The pain is growing worse, but I have to keep working. It sometimes seems that no one understands, and that they expect it to be something smaller than it is, although all the members have been freaking out and telling me that I have to see a doctor. However, although I am suffering a bit, I know I will make it through to the end, with or without this pain in my foot. 

Questions and answers:

What is your favorite scripture of the week? I will get back to you on that because it´s in the Bible... It mentions the temples and what there is inside, like a holy room and the baptismal font. It´s somewhere by 1 Kings, I believe, if not, than the book before.

Any new investigators, cool experiences, fun pday activities, etc… you want to  share??
Um... nope.

What was your best and worst food for the week?
I´ll write more about that in the next email.

What is something new you found out about your companion?
She loves music. We had a music night Saturday night, talking about all the music we like to listen to. It was fun.

We have been born to Preach to the World, the Gospel of Christ and of glad tidings Foretold

Dear Family and all else that read this short letter,
It is amazing how fast time flies. I say it flies because one day it can be Monday, and the next thing I know it is Saturday. There are 3 weeks left of this change and then for sure I will be leaving the area of Margaritas because I will be completing 6 months in this area. It seems just like a month ago that I was entering the area and meeting many of the members. 5 months ago today I was sitting in one of my first district meetings in the stake center of Villa Nueva and Elder Musick kept asking me questions concerning the lesson because I was the new one of the district. I thought my companion was Senior companion because she took control. The climate was really hot for me because I had just come from the mountains, so I was suffering from the heat. Now I am here 5 months later and the climate is nice, and sometimes cold. I have a new companion and a new district leader. I have met nearly all of the members and know them by name, first or last name, and I am familiar with not only my area, but many of the areas in the zone. It is strange to look back on these things and it grants me a glance of something that my patriarchal blessing says about looking back on the experiences of mortality. In some ways, a mission helps one understand the plan of salvation.

I began studying from the beginning of the Bible and I hope to read all of it and the Book of Mormon before the end of this year. I have learned much from reading the Bible. I never have read it before because each time I started I was bored, but like the Book of Mormon we must start reading it little by little. Some parts are difficult to read but many parts are as Nephi says "precious". I have learned how often people forget their God, how often the Bible contains something about breaking the sabbath day, and still many people break the Sabbath Day. Also, there are many names that are names of the Book of Mormon, and there is clear evidence of how the Book of Mormon and Bible support each other. There are many interesting stories. Right now I am in Judges.

Yesterday during Sacrament meeting the scripture D&C 19:17 came to my mind, "But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I". When we were in Gospel Principles, we talked about the atonement and this scripture was read. Why would this come to mind and so penetratingly? I realized that this is one of the things that we deal with each day of the mission. We invite people to repent, but many times, although these people know what they can do to repent and feel joy and peace, they do not repent. Therefore, this is what Jesus Christ tells us will happen with these people. It is as if he's saying "If they do not want to repent, they will have to suffer. I cannot help them."

So, some interesting things: The traditional lunch here in Guatemala is black beans, guacamole, tortillas, carne asada, and rice. The traditional Dinner is beans, eggs, fried platano, and tortillas. Carne asada is basically like a thin steak with a salsa on top. I'll make it for you all one day. Also, I have been practicing my rr or rolling r's. I can do it now!! After so much time of trying to master it I can pronounce it. I am so happy about that.

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's true church and that the fulness of the gospel has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible support one another and the Bible even testifies that the Book of Mormon is true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has been strengthened even more from reading the Bible. I love my Savior and this work that I have been called to do.

I love you all. Let us keep moving forward together and put our trust fully in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Until next week,
Love Hermana Destinee Park

Also, Hermana Park said her foot is still hurting.  She is going to call the Mission Nurse again to see what else can be done.

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