Hola!

Hola Familia!

 

Hermana Park is in the casa! I know that was dumb (Christie) but I am now doing Spanish and English tours.  My temporary companions are from Spain and California and speak Spanish.  I am with Hermana Vargas es de Espana and Sister Lee from California! On Monday I get a new permanent companion so by then it might be a whole new language!  I will keep you posted on my next P-Day (whenever that is).  By the way Dad.. Sister Vargas from Spain said you are a very good man for introducing me and Kendall to Queso Fresco and she wants to know where you go to buy it in the states.

 

I'm loving all these different cultures I get to interact with but I miss my Weng Jieme! It's so weird being without her and now I don't get to hang out with the Asians as much because my new companions and I are always busy doing other things.  I'm loving the Spanish tours and I get to take more English tours now than before. The Spanish people are SO nice,  I want to go visit Spain!  They have the cutest accents ever. I also have so much fun being companions with Sister Lee because since we are both American we get along great and we always laugh and have fun! 

 

I'm learning so much from both of my new companions. Usually missionaries don't have good experiences being in a trio but we are having a blast so far! I find out who my new companion is on Monday morning and I'm hoping I get an Australian because I met a couple of Australian guys (or mates as they call themselves) the other night on the Square. I told them to put some shrimp on the Bar-B in my best accent and they told me I really needed to work on sounding like an Australian.
 

My newest investigator who shall remain nameless- I will just call him Iowa because that's where he lives- is doing amazing. He called me and said that he watched General Conference and he loved it. He said that Elder Holland's talk was exactly what he needed to hear. He has been reading his Book of Mormon every day lately and this Sunday he is going to church with the local missionaries.

The way we found each other is truly a miracle. He is 18 and a freshman in college. His parents are Lutheran and are not happy that he is talking to me so he has really been struggling. But he has been searching for truth for a long time. He said that he has been on a constant search for his true identity since he was young. Not long ago, he was on the internet and something prompted him to go to mormon.org and look around. He did just that and found a link for chat and that's when he connected with me. He reminds me so much of Joseph Smith when he was younger. He said that he has been searching for the truth for a very long time and now he finally understands God's love for him. In our last conversation he said he knows that he is finally in the right place and he wants to be baptized. We haven't set a date yet but I think we will soon.
 

Conference was Fantastic! It was so great to see all my beautiful friends. I wish I could have spent more time talking to all of them but it was so awesome to get to see everyone!

General Conference from this perspective is a whole new world. It's like Mormon Disneyland. Thousands upon thousands of people were there hoping to have an amazing experience. It was incredible!  I interacted with so many different people and I grew to really love the members of this church.  I loved hearing their unique stories and backgrounds.  It is amazing that every single member has their own personal conversion story. Some of us don't experience true conversion until later in life but you can really see something special in those people who have truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

One thing I came to realize when I was out and about on Temple Square during conference is that the Savior truly does love every single person on this earth.  The Savior shows his love for us in big ways and little ways but he does love us and is constantly trying to reach out to each of us.   I met people who traveled all the way from Australia and England and Ecuador just so that they could hear our Prophet, Apostles, and amazing church leaders speak and testify of our Savior and Father in Heaven.  So many of the people who were there made great sacrifices just to attend one session of conference.  It was a privilege to spend time with these people and answer their questions.

So here is my own personal experience that I got from conference. First of all, I'll just be honest and say that I do not like asking members for referrals. I hate to admit it but I am a people pleaser. I don't like to annoy or bother anyone so in the beginning of my mission, I was not working as hard as I could have to get referrals.  In just the first couple hours on Saturday, some of the sisters had up to 20 referrals already and I only had about 3 or 4 (which I was very happy about) but I just thought this mission was crazy for thinking we could get 4000 referrals this general conference- that was our mission goal. So I was being prideful and I set a personal goal for about 10. I knew how important it was but I just didn't have faith that I could get very many I guess.  On Saturday morning we were out on the Square talking to everyone.  Then on Saturday afternoon we were able to go watch the session in the conference center.  The talks in that session were the best!  Each talk spoke to me in a way that I needed personally but the one that spoke to me the most was Elder Ballard's. In his talk he said something along the lines of "Make the decision to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do." Then it hit me! The Savior has asked us to feed his sheep! I knew then and there that I was called to this mission to help others come closer to Christ! 10 people wasn't enough! It is so important that we invite everyone because we are ALL sons and daughters of God and we ALL need to return to him again one day. We need to spread his message to everyone- to those members who are struggling, less active members, and the people who have not had a chance to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since General Conference I have wanted to become a better missionary. The answer I received from Elder Ballard wasn't exactly the revelation I was looking for but it was exactly what I needed. I never paid close attention to General Conference in the past and I regret it. I could have received so many answers if I would have just realized that I was being given the opportunity to listen to someone who has been called by God to speak to us; but now I realize it and I love it!

I loved the whole experience I was able to have this past weekend at Conference. There was only one problem. When I get nervous I start talking like I am from Chicago! Whether I am talking to someone in person or over the phone.. it just happens and I sound like the Godfather. So that happened a lot during conference and I seriously need some help so if anyone has advice on how to get rid of that I could really use the help.

Aunt Kim and the Merrill Family- Thanks so much for the package and letters!

Aunt Rita- thank you for the General Conference survival package.  It was awesome!

-Sister Macy Park