"Yea, I know that I am nothing"

Hello Family!!!

Is everyone so excited for Thanksgiving! I am! We will be going to a member's home in Bountiful. It is so nice of them to host Sister Ma and I.

This next picture is with Stanley Dickens from New Iberia, LA.  He came to Salt Lake City for the holidays and took me out to lunch!  Sister Weidmann from Switzerland also served her outbound in New Iberia and she came with us.  We also got to take him on a tour. What a special day!


So at the very beginning of the transfer I was on exchanges with Sister Hsu for a short period of time one night. We were at the EF Desk and I met a young man who said he just moved from NYC. He said he had friends who were members of the church so he was interested to see what it was all about. We were talking about the faith and values and I began to teach the Restoration. I had an extremely strong feeling to share the First Vision. As I recited the First Vision, he started to laugh a little bit. I was a little taken back. He said it was sort of bizarre. I just bore my testimony and invited him to learn more. He gave me his email and accepted a Book of Mormon. After we left, I was so hurt! I felt like maybe I could have done better. No one had ever laughed as I recited the First Vision before so I didn't understand. I was a little bit dramatic that night and I went in the bathroom and I cried because I felt like I didn't do a good job. After our shift was over I dragged Sister Hsu throughout the whole entire square to see if we could find him so I could help him to see how important this was! I am the type of person that won't rest until I feel like I've done everything I could do. If I don't do as much as I can then I have a hard time forgiving myself. I am strange, I know. Anyways, we did not find him so I sent him an email. Well, a few days later I finally received a reply from him and it said:

"Hi Sister Park! I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to respond to you. I’ll explain why my response was so delayed a little later on in this email. First of all, I wanted to thank you. The things you told me in Temple Square really inspired me. I have read the Book of Mormon, prayed about it, and know without any doubt that it is true. Second of all, I need to apologize to you. Not everything that I told you in Temple Square was completely true. I told you that I’m from New York. Well, to be honest, I’ve lived in Utah my whole life and have never stepped foot in New York. I’ve also been a member of the church since I was baptized when I was eight years old. However, I was not completely sure of the truthfulness of the church. I went to Temple Square that night to try to find out better if the church was true. So, I decided to use some of the acting skills I learned in high school (clearly I didn’t do very well because I was wearing a CTR ring when we were speaking) to see how missionaries teach and what they say. So, I walked around Temple Square for about an hour just waiting for the first missionary to talk to me. Eventually, I came across you. I wanted to see how missionaries teach and how I felt as I was taught. While you were telling me about Joseph Smith, I felt something I haven't felt in years; the Holy Ghost. I read the Book of Mormon you gave me in less than 3 weeks. I now know that it and the church as a whole are absolutely true. I do hope you’ll forgive me for telling you a little white lie. I just wanted to see how missionaries work toward non-members. So, the reason that I have taken so long to respond is… That I've been very busy working on my Mission Papers. I decided that I want all people to know of the happiness of the church. I want to thank you for talking to me that night in Temple Square, as I don't know if I would have the faith and knowledge that I now have if we hadn’t spoken that night. Thank you so much for helping me. You’ve done more for my life than you can even imagine. You’ve helped me become completely converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I will be eternally grateful to you for that. You are a truly amazing missionary, and you should know that you have helped to convert someone who is now preparing to go and help others be converted. Thank you so much. Again, I’m sorry for the little lie that I told you. But, hey, it helped me see how things are done and it helped out a lot. All my gratitude, Jacob Yorgason.

It wasn't me that helped this young man at all.  I am so happy to be a servant of the Lord and he chooses to use me to reach one of his children, what a privilege!

Alma 26:12: "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

The point of this story is that I am so thankful for the spirit. Temple Square can be a little bit difficult because us sisters have such a short amount of time to really listen to the spirit and say what the guests really need to hear. It doesn't matter if they are members or not. When I received that email I felt such a big peaceful feeling. I realized that we sisters don't really know the good that we do. I just hope the sisters know what an impact they are making. I think Temple Square is the best mission in the world. I am biased.  

I can't believe my mission is almost over.  Here is a picture of all the sisters who are departing next transfer.


Departing Sisters!

Oh! Very exciting news! One of our investigators, Ken, was baptized on Sunday at stake conference. It wasn't even planned! It just happened because he was ready! He lives in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission!  Elder Tate baptized him.  We are so happy for him and he is so happy as well. I just love how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ can affect us if we let it. The church is true. No doubt!

Sister Park